#I actually smiled when the ring called her J-bird

[based-bobcat]

Jessica Cruz being written by the writer who understood her the most; Sam Humphries. And look how much our girl has grown! She already was worthy of the ring, but now she believes it herself

[maria-scribbles]

we’re just like kevin bacon!

prompt: for @bricksatanakinswindow​ ‘s halloween writing challenge! this was initially inspired by "mortal enemies accidentally showing up in matching costumes every fucking year" but once i started writing it kind of snowballed from there and i ended up with this lmao

ship: jj maybank x fem!reader

word count: 4.6k+ (i think this is the shortest thing i’ve ever written lol)

warnings n stuff: childhood enemies to lovers, swearing, mention of underage drinking, halloween shenanigans, makin' out, smut (not too explicit but i still think it's spicy enough to need an 18+ warning), jj and the reader being cute lil nerds and quoting movies back and forth, the author blatantly using some of her personal favorite movies/shows as inspiration for costumes, the author also making her opinions on ghostbusters clear (instead of the human trash can peter venkman, stan the adorable dork known as ray stantz for clear skin)

a/n: this was hella fun to write and i already have so many more halloween fic ideas bouncing around in my head (it's spoopy season, y'all!). title of this fic comes from guardians of the galaxy 😊

Of three things in life you were certain.

One, you loved Halloween more than any other holiday of the year; after all, you and your twin brother Mason were born just after one AM on October 31st so you could say a penchant for all things spooky was in your blood.

Two, Sarah Cameron was your best friend. Being neighbors your whole lives, the two of you were thick as thieves and spent almost every day together, much to the annoyance of both your brother and hers; as much as you loved Mason, sometimes you wished Sarah was your twin instead of him and you knew without question the blonde girl would trade Rafe for you in a heartbeat (with little to no guilt, in fact.). 

And three, you absolutely hated JJ Maybank. You'd been at the top of each other's shit lists ever since you were both six years old, when he made fun of you for the stutter you'd had back then and you dumped a full milkshake over his head as payback, and even as time passed and you grew out of your stutter, your disdain for the blond pogue only grew stronger. He was infuriating, plain and simple, and the mere mention of his name made steam come out of your ears. 

The boy was just good at being annoying and seemed to love pushing everyone's buttons, yours especially, and always found ways to get under your skin without fail every single time your paths crossed (which was way too often for your liking, but running in the same friend group made it hard to avoid each other). It became an unspoken thing, the great Y/L/N-Maybank feud, with both of you trying your hardest to piss the other off until one of your mutual friends or your brother broke it up and pulled you to opposite corners of the metaphorical ring to take a breather before the next round.

You'd never admit it but deep down you kind of liked it. You liked being at the center of his attention (granted, it was antagonistic in nature but it was attention all the same), his bright blue eyes following your every move whenever you were within his sights and you liked that you were in his thoughts even when you weren't around, a fact proven to you by the tiny notebook Kiara carried around in her pocket recording how many times he mentioned your name. Knowing you lived rent free in his mind brought you an embarrassingly high level of satisfaction that you'd absolutely deny feeling if anyone ever asked, just as you'd deny the fact that he lived rent free in your mind, too.

...At least for most of the year. Everyone, including JJ, knew that to you Halloween was a damn-near sacred time. He knew never to mess with you during the weeks leading up to the holiday and definitely never on the day itself, lest he want yet another milkshake dumped over his blond head. He knew that, the whole damn island knew he did and yet...somehow, some way, he managed to get your blood boiling every. single. year. And you, like a masochistic idiot, let him. 

It all started when you were twelve.

You, Mason, and your friends were finally old enough to go to the annual youth party held on the sprawling lawn of the Island Club, an event you'd been looking forward to attending every Halloween since you were eight. Of course, you were excited for the dancing and games and food but the thing you couldn't wait the most for was the costume contest, a chance to show off your skills and prove to everyone on the island that Y/N Y/L/N was the undisputed queen of Halloween.

So what if your hopes were a little too high (considering you were only twelve and going up against kids ranging from your age to fifteen), you were still gonna give it your all; you spent weeks perfecting not only your costume but your brother's as well with your mom, helping her cut fabric and sew zippers, styling wigs and painting props until everything was perfect. 

"Oh my God, Y/N!" Sarah, dressed as Cinderella, yelled from the passenger seat of her dad's SUV when they swung by to pick you up. "You look amazing!"

"So do you!" You said, slipping into the back seat in between a miserable-looking Rafe as Sarah Sanderson ("I lost a bet," he explained with a scowl) and Mason, holding your mini R2-D2 on your lap. Was it kind of cheesy, dressing up as the most iconic twins in movie history? Probably, but you really didn't care because Leia Organa was a total boss bitch and Mason was practically over the moon that he got to be his ultimate silver screen hero and swing around his very own lightsaber as Luke Skywalker.

"The Force is strong with you two." Ward joked, earning an eye roll from both of his children as he drove to the Island Club to drop you off. Rafe immediately disappeared into the crowd to meet up with Topper and Kelce and the three of you went off to find your own friends, skirting around the edge of the party toward the snack tables, also known as the most likely place for them to be.  

You spotted Kiara first, looking like an actual princess in her Tiana costume and waved, smiling when she waved back and beckoned you over as she said something to Pope, dressed as Albert Einstein, that made him start laughing hysterically.

"What's so funny?" You asked, reaching between them to grab two handfuls of pretzels and immediately dropping one into your brother's outstretched palm, careful to keep the sleeve of your white dress away from the bright orange-iced cupcakes on the table. 

The two of them exchanged a look that instantly made you realize something was Up™ but before either of them could answer, Mason asked around a mouthful of pretzels, "Where're Tweedledee and Tweedledum?"

"J, why didn't we think of that?" John B's voice came from somewhere over your shoulder and when you turned to face him, you nearly dropped both the droid cradled in the crook of your elbow and the snacks in your hand. Not because of John B and his hilarious Chewbacca costume but because of the fact that JJ Maybank, the one person you hated the most on the whole entire island, was dressed as Han freakin' Solo. 

"Yikes." Someone muttered behind you -it sounded like Sarah but you weren't really sure- and Mason nearly choked on his pretzels as he tried and failed miserably to keep himself from laughing. 

"You've gotta be kidding me." You huffed, rolling your eyes as JJ crossed his arms and glared in your direction, blaster hanging from the holster on his hip.

"Listen, Princess, I'm not too happy about this, either."

"Oh, shut up, you nerfherder."

"Who you calling-" Mason and John B cut in and pulled you both in opposite directions before either of you could turn it into a shouting match, your brother physically grabbing you around the waist and carrying you off while the latter caught the back of JJ's vest and dragged him away. Despite their best efforts to keep you apart, you ran into each other more times than you could count and spent a minute or two squabbling like cats and dogs each time until one of them intervened once again. It was childish, it was immature, and it was fun, even though you'd never, ever admit it. Ever.

You didn't win the costume contest that year in the way you'd imagined at all. Still, first place in the group category was a win in your book and it felt good, even if one of the members of your unintentional Star Wars posse was someone who tested every bit of patience you had. The four of you split the cash prize and you went home 25 bucks richer, stashing it away for next year's costume and pushing the thought of accidentally matching with your mortal enemy from your mind. 

You had no idea this thing was only just beginning.

The next year, you let Sarah and Kiara convince you to match with them and the three of you rolled up to the party as the Pink Ladies -you as Rizzo, Sarah as Sandy, Kiara as Frenchy- only to run right into the boys, your brother included, dressed as the T-Birds. John B, perfectly in character as Danny, immediately whisked Sarah off to dance while Pope, the most adorably awkward Doody you'd ever seen, went to grab some snacks with Kiara, leaving you stuck with the bane of your existence as, of course, fucking Kenickie (Mason, as Sonny, dipped sometime before then without you noticing). The two of you spent the whole evening glaring at each other and hurling insults back and forth at breakneck speed, more in character than either of you'd ever want to acknowledge and for the second year in a row, you won first place in the group costume category.

At fourteen, you went as Princess Buttercup and JJ showed up as Westley, fake sword in hand as he followed you around all night like an annoying fly, sarcastically drawling "as you wish" every time you so much as glanced in his direction. Your brother, dressed as Inigo Montoya, nearly pissed himself laughing and you wanted to snatch both of their prop swords and shove them up their asses. You came in first again in the group costume contest and begrudgingly split the prize three ways. 

At fifteen, you worked hard on a Dr. Ellie Sattler costume from Jurassic Park, he strolled in as a disheveled Dr. Alan Grant with mud splattered boots and tattered clothes, and you really regretted not taking the offer to be the Tai to Sarah's Cher and Kiara's Dionne. Once again, Mason laughed so hard his face turned red and you were tempted to grab the sword he was holding and beat him over the head with it, not just for laughing at you but also for the completely atrocious Jack Sparrow costume he wore. To your absolute horror, you and JJ won the contest in the duo category and you wanted to melt into the ground when they called you onto the makeshift stage to collect your reward. 

When you were sixteen, you and your friends "graduated" to the party held for the older teens inside the club itself. With costume rules a little more lax than they were for the younger kids, you decided to go as (an only slightly sexy) Janine Melnitz, complete with a prop telephone you answered every so often with a loud "Ghostbusters, whaddya want?!" much to the embarrassment of Mason, who was once again dressed as Luke Skywalker, this time in the fatigues he wore while training on Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back.

You strutted into the party in your heels and pencil skirt only to nearly fall flat on your face when you caught sight of JJ in a terrible black wig and glasses, proton pack strapped to his back and 'Spengler' printed on the front of his jumpsuit. Your brother winced when you all but screeched "Again?!" right into his ear and grabbed your elbow, dragging you over to an empty table and depositing you into an open chair.

"There's no way this is a coincidence anymore! He could've picked Venkman, with all the womanizing and lowkey being a creep and thinking he's God's gift to mankind? It would've been the perfect choice! He's not nearly adorable or dorky enough to be Stantz or sassy enough to be Winston-"

"Jesus, you have a lot of feelings about Ghostbusters," Mason muttered, rolling his eyes when you shot him a withering glare.

"Shut up! Listen to me, there's no way in hell Maybank randomly decided to be, out of alllll the 'Busters, Egon fuckin' Spengler, okay? He had to have somehow known I was coming as Janine and did it just to piss me off!"

Your brother heaved a deep, heavy sigh that made you want to smack him and fixed you with a deadpan stare. "Or, have you pulled your head out of your own ass long enough to think that maybe you're just becoming...predictable?"

You really did smack him then, hard on his exposed shoulder and he yelped, scowling as he rubbed at the red mark you left behind. "Ow! What the hell, bitch?!"

"Don't you dare call me predictable, you dickhead! I pride myself on my costumes being very unique and unexpected -you know, out of the box!"

"Hate to break it to you but they're not really out of the box if Maybank shows up in a matching one every single year." He said with an infuriating, shit-eating grin, patting your shoulder before straightening the plush Yoda strapped to his back. "I'm gonna go get some food, wanna come with?"

Still miffed at his comment, you shoved his arm away and glanced down at your lap, ignoring your brother's sassy "your loss" as he headed toward the snack tables. Not even a minute passed by before his empty seat was taken and you groaned when you looked up to see who it was, your eyes meeting a pair of bright blues behind tacky, oversized glasses. 

"Hi, Janine."

"...Egon."

The two of you sat in silence after that, watching the dancing crowd under the flashing neon lights and sparkling disco ball until you saw him turn to face you out of the corner of your eye.

"Why Janine?" 

"Huh?" You turned to face him, too, one eyebrow raised in a perfect arch as he gestured toward your costume.

"Why did you dress up as Janine, Y/L/N?"

"I've always liked her sassiness and 'I like to play racquetball.'" You offered a casual shrug of your shoulders and carefully stuck a finger under your wig to scratch an annoying itch above your ear. "Why'd you pick Egon, Maybank?"

"He's my favorite." He answered simply with his own shrug, shooting you a genuine, real smile that you, for who knows what reason, found yourself returning without a second thought. "Smart, hilarious -plus, 'I like to collect spores, mold, and fungus.'"

For the first time in your life, your eyes rolled out of amusement and not annoyance at something that JJ Maybank said and, to your complete surprise, it kind of felt...right. "Really? I'd have pegged you for a Venkman stan."

"Are you kidding? He's the worst!" 

Never in your wildest dreams did you ever think you'd sit across from your hated enemy, not only having a civil -hell, downright enjoyable- conversation but actually smiling right along with him, laughing at his jokes and doing your best to ignore the sudden flutter in your stomach each time you caught sight of his slightly crooked teeth when he grinned. You didn't even notice when your brother returned with Kiara, dressed as Moana, at his side and two heaping plates of snacks in his hands until his chair scraped gratingly across the hardwood floor. 

"Kie, are you seeing this? Pigs must be flying 'cause they're actually smiling at each other." Mason said, cackling as Kiara turned to squint out the window.

"Yeah, I think I see one or two soaring around out there." She giggled and sent a mischievous wink in your direction. With your face feeling like it was on fire, you flipped them both the bird and took off, disappearing into the crowd and leaving all your traitorous, confusing thoughts about JJ behind with the boy himself; it was Rafe's last party at the Club and he owed you a dance anyway, but even as your best friend's older brother, cute as hell in his Thor costume, playfully twirled you around the floor to the Ghostbusters theme song, you felt more than your partner's blue eyes on you.

To no one's surprise, you and JJ won the duo category for the second year in a row and when you joined him onstage to collect your prize and didn't feel like you'd rather die than be up there by his side, you suddenly realized you were only certain about two things in life instead of three. 

At seventeen, you were confident you and JJ wouldn't be matching for once (after last year, though, you were kind of thinking it wouldn't be that bad of a thing). You'd gone cult classic for your costume, pulling inspiration from your mom's favorite move, 1999's The Mummy, and put together a screen-accurate Evelyn Carnahan in her iconic black dress, including a handmade Book of the Dead and matching key. You blackmailed Mason with pictures of him, drunk as a skunk and dressed in your Janine costume from the previous year, and got him to go as Jonathan, complete with a pith helmet and prop bottle of The Glenlivet.  

But, as always, JJ managed to surprise you. You literally ran right into his chest and if it wasn't for his arms instantly wrapping tight around your waist, you would've bit it hard.

"Whoa, careful there," He said, one hand keeping you close while the other moved to help you hold the book in your arms. "'The Book of the Dead? Are you sure you wanna be messing around with this thing?'"

Of course he'd make the perfect Rick O'Connell, you thought as you playfully raised one eyebrow and curled your fingers around the strap of the gun holster draped over his shoulder. "'It's just a book. No harm ever came from reading a book.'"

Mason was a little too in character as well as he dramatically rolled his eyes and wandered off, muttering "puh-lease" under his breath and shooting Sarah a conspiratorial wink that you didn't see. The blonde girl glanced between the two of you -arms still around each other and identical smiles on your faces- and grinned. The party flew by in a blur of movie quotes, laughs, and more dances than you could count and by the time you made it home, 50 bucks in the pocket of your dress and another group costume win under your belt, you were almost positive you never actually hated JJ Maybank in the first place.

Now at eighteen, you pulled out all the stops for your last party at the Island Club. You'd spent the last few months slaving over your costume, sewing custom pieces, hand-crafting your prop, and spending way too much money on body makeup and a wig but when you saw the final product in the mirror, you knew it was all worth it. You were ready to slay the competition this year and take home first place for the final time.

Mason, indifferent as always about the contest but willing to do anything to keep those pictures from seeing the light of day, didn't protest one bit when you forced him into the matching costume you'd made for him -in typical Mason fashion, he liked that he didn't have to wear a shirt and could show off his muscles- and spent a few hours perfecting his makeup.

You felt on top of the world when you walked into the party that night as Gamora, a replica of her Godslayer sword in hand and skin painted a perfect shade of green, followed by your brother as Drax, already flexing for anyone and everyone looking his way. The rest of your friends came to win as well: John B and Sarah as Flynn Rider and Rapunzel, Kiara as Eleven, Pope as T'Challa, and, of course, JJ as Peter Quill, Baby Groot perched on his shoulder and twin blasters at his hips. 

"Lookin' good, Gamora!" He called over the music, shimmying his way over to you with some dance moves that would impress Star-Lord himself.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Quill." You replied in a sing-song voice, even as you took his outstretched hand and let him pull you into the crowd of bodies hopping up and down to some terrible EDM beat under the twirling disco ball.

"It got you out here with me, didn't it?"

You rolled your eyes and hooked the sword to your belt before stepping closer and draping your arms around his neck, twirling your painted fingers in his hair. "Just remember, 'I know who you are, Peter Quill. And I'm not some starry-eyed waif here to succumb to your pelvic sorcery.'"

You should've known you spoke too soon the second you saw the spark in JJ's eyes that all but screamed 'wanna bet?'

And that's how you found yourself in the middle of the single hottest make out session you'd ever had the pleasure of participating in an hour later: back pressed against the locked door of someone's deserted office, legs wrapped tight around his waist and his hands hooked under your ass, both your sword and his blasters abandoned on the floor at his feet, and he was either a sinfully good kisser or trying really, really hard to blow your mind.  

"I'm not gonna end up green after this, am I?" He mumbled against your mouth before trailing his lips along your jaw and you breathed a laugh, tightening your grip on his hair.

"This is professional makeup, dumbass. It's gonna take more than some kissing to smudge it."

"I'm down for some smudging if you are." 

You pulled him back for another kiss in response and gasped into his mouth when he walked across the room, one strong arm reaching out to sweep whatever was on the desk to the floor before setting you down on it.

"Confident, are we?" 

JJ smirked at your breathless question and the way you hooked your ankles around the backs of his thighs to pull him closer. "So is that a yes to the smudging?"

"Just shut up and kiss me." 

He did -very well, you might add- and you kissed him back, untangling your hands from his hair to slide them under his jacket instead; you helped him push it off his shoulders and it had barely hit the ground along with poor Baby Groot before your fingers were tugging his shirt from the waistband of his pants.  

"Someone's impatient." He teased, leaning back just far enough to let you pull it over his head and toss it somewhere behind you.

"Someone doesn't know how to stop talking." You whispered your reply low in his ear and then trailed your lips down his neck, smiling in satisfaction at the tremble in his voice when you kissed the purple mark you'd left behind earlier.

"N-never was very good at that." 

"'You should've learned.'"

"'I don't learn, it's one of my issues.'"

One of his hands gripped your wig, pulling your head back a little roughly -you'd have so been into that if it had been your real hair he pulled- and you winced at the way the bobby pins holding it it place tugged painfully at your roots. "Ow, not so hard!"

"Wait, what the fuck? I thought you were wearing a wig!" 

"I am but it's still pinned to my actual hair!"

"Sorry, but how the hell was I supposed to know that?"

The sight of JJ's face slowly turning red made the butterflies in your stomach go haywire and so you just shook your head, mumbling "don't worry about it," before pressing your lips to his once again. He was gentler this time with the pulling and you dug your nails into his bare shoulders at the thrill of his mouth against the exposed column of your throat, leaning back further and further until you laid flat on the desk.

His fingers had just unbuttoned your pants when your phone started to ring from your pocket, blaring the Star Wars theme you had set as your twin's ringtone. 

"Mason's timing is impeccable," JJ said sarcastically, chuckling as you clamped a palm over his mouth and answered the call.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Jesus, no need to be pissy!" Mason loudly replied over the applause crackling through the phone's speaker. "I just thought you'd like to know that we just won best group costume with Maybank. Again." 

The blond winked at the mention of his last name and pulled your hand away from his mouth, pinning it to the desk beside you with one of his while the other started tugging your pants down over your hips.

"Oh, that's cool, Mase-" You inhaled sharply when his lips touched the edge of your underwear, so close to where you wanted him most but at the same time so far away, and your fingers held your phone in a white-knuckled grip. "But I-I'm kind of in the middle of doing someone -something!- right now."

"Smooth," JJ said, not even trying to be quiet as he released your pinned hand to finish pulling your boots off, along with your tight leather pants that he casually tossed aside. "And I knew you weren't green under these!" 

Your laugh quickly turned into a gasp when his fingers hooked under your panties and pulled those off, too, and the touch of his tongue against the skin of your inner thigh sent white-hot lightning racing through your veins; the phone slipped from your grip, falling with a clunk onto the desk as your fingers tangled in his hair and he lifted one of your knees over his shoulder.

"Okay, I'm hanging up now! I already know you're getting laid but I don't need to hear it." Mason's loud grumble drifted up through the speaker and if you weren't so preoccupied with the boy between your thighs doing some downright wicked things to you with his mouth, you might've noticed that your brother didn't actually sound that grumpy before he ended the call and your phone's screen went dark, right as you lost control of your voice.

"Fuck me."

"Funny, I thought that's what I was doing?" You felt more than heard his response against you and a shiver ran down your spine when his bright blue eyes flicked up to met yours in the dim light of the office.

"You know what I meant, Maybank."

"Trust me, Y/L/N, I know. Question is: where do you want me?"

You tugged on his hair, grinning wolfishly at the way his eyes fluttered closed and a low moan rose from his throat. "Everywhere in this damn room, starting right here."

"I was hoping you’d say that.”

- Back at the party, Mason looked up and met Sarah's gaze, both of her eyebrows raised expectantly as she asked, "Well?"

He took his time slipping his phone back into his pocket before giving her a quick nod, grinning triumphantly when she immediately burst into gleeful giggles.  

"Yes! I just knew they had a thing for each other! Mortal enemies, my ass."

"I think that was the very first time in my sister's life that she didn't give a shit about the contest." Mason said and reached over to snag a cookie from her plate, chuckling when she pushed his hand away from the chocolate chip ones and toward the peanut butter. "We couldn't have pulled this off without you. I mean, making sure they showed up in matching costumes every year? Genius, Sarah. Absolutely genius." 

The blonde girl grabbed her own cookie with a wink. "Think they'll ever figure it out?"

Your brother just threw his head back and laughed. "I hope not! I wanna save that story for my best man speech at their wedding."

taglist: @sinkbeneathwaves @cordeliascrown @maysbanks @jjpogueprincess @jiaraendgame @alexa-playafricabytoto @sexualparkour @agirlwholovescoffee​ 

[thesarcasticside]

Anything-$00000DDD

Summary

He could have been anything. When he looked inside his own mind, he dug through darkness. Memories like ashes, the particles filling his lungs were all that were familiar to him—and those only felt like nothing. No fragments, just a fine powder.

Janus is a cyborg who works for the Dragon Witch, a criminal mastermind who runs a company that designs cybernetics.

He meets Remus, a self-taught biomedical engineer, and a variety of other robotic and alien characters, all of whom are trying to convince him that he is more than just a cybernetic puppet.

But who is “Dee” if not an empty husk created only to be controlled?

General warnings

Psychological horror, body horror, cybernetics, missing limbs, artificial limbs, Non-consensual forced medical treatment, physical abuse, blood, violence, guns, mind control, permanent amnesia, manipulation, emotional abuse, gaslighting, nightmares, streams of consciousness, unreliable narration. Content that resembles depersonalization, derealization, or dissociation

More notes, links, and chapter text under the cut

AO3 Anything, AO3 series, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18

This is my story for the 2021 Storytime! Big Bang! @ts-storytime Thank you to @ben-phantomhive-trash, who is the artist I was partnered with for the event! They created this fantastic art!!!! I love it so much I can't even.

Thank you to PunkRock for helping me figure out the shorts characters and other plot things. Also thank you to AryaSkywalker, Thembo, and Carrotflowerking17 and the Big Bang 2021 discord for additional help!!!!

This fic is an alternative entry point to my (In Other Worlds) Series. This fic happens at the same time roughly as Millennia, a companion novel. You can read this fic and then check out the rest of the series, or check out the series and then read this.

Also, I don't use Janus's actual name throughout the fic for thematic and narrative reasons. You'll see. I hope that does not put you off too much. Consider it part of the angst.

Clarification of general warnings and pairings, minor spoilers

I added the tag unreliable narrator, but I will clarify that the narrator is not actively lying to the audience. This tag relates to Janus's memory issues and the uncertainty resulting from that. tbh I would not worry too much about the events being untrue, and more be concerned about these being Janus's imperfect recollection of events.

I think this fic is a bit more violent than Millennia at times, hence I added the archive warning for violence. I still feel like a teen would be fine reading this, so I am keeping the rating Teen and Up. This fic focuses the most on what I dub psychological horror (angst, mind control, memory issues, consciousness, nightmares, etc.). I also tagged this story with disassociation, and content in this fic may resemble derealization and depersonalization.

If you think I should warn/rate this fic differently, I am happy to hear feedback and reconsider.

I tagged this as Remus/Janus, but like, ya gotta squint. Mostly banter and being soft. I love romance, but I have a hard time writing it. Could be seen as platonic too.

HINT 1: KEY.

HINT 2: "kind of" not "kinda"

CHAPTER START

NAME J. D. Dedrick ID 25:35--25:44 / 51:09 ALIENRACE Dūcesnaca OCCUPATION Robotics Researcher

Chapter Warnings cybernetics, missing/artificial limbs (eye, legs), forced medical treatment/experimentation, amnesia, depersonalization/derealization/dissociation, unreliable narration, psychological horror, swearing Chapter Characters Janus, the Dragon Witch, Virgil (not by name)

He could have been anything. When he looked inside his own mind, he dug through darkness. Memories like ashes, the particles filling his lungs were all that were familiar to him—and those only felt like nothing. No fragments, just a fine powder.

He woke up to yellow in his eyes, stinging and unfocused. Lights beyond the veil flickered. He saw a figure move; he looked small. After a brief glance into the world, he began to drown. He threw everything into the yellow encasement, and after an agonizing struggle, the rush of acceleration threw him to the ground.

When the air touched his face, black fireworks exploded in his hazy vision, and the first memory he had was gone.

He woke up again, like a corpse left in the stale air for vultures: beaks plucking out his skin piece by piece. His vision blurry and halved, he stared up at the birds breaking his body into bits.

Reports say he was involved in a huge space crash. DRACANA has generously sponsored his artificiality.

That sounded like a lie. That sort of blatant untruth where there was no connection to reality tied to it. Everything his senses told him felt unreal, everything except the pain that grounded him like a shot duck.

Whispers like gossip broke into his mind between droughts of consciousness. His senses were pieced together and broken apart, like pieces of clay in a kiln shattering. Memories of vultures and lab coats glued together by agony floated through space until eventually he was awake.

Probably just one of her business rivals

Dei’dra—he knew her name—loomed over him, to his right. He could see nothing to his left. The light stung, he squinted and blinked his eye. He could feel nothing on the left side of his face. Dei’dra smiled at him.

“Wake up, dollface. Didn’t think you’d make it, but you pulled through.”

He did not know where he was. He did not know who he was. All he knew was that this woman was Dei’dra, the Dragon Witch, and he hated her.

“Well, he seems to be doing well. Might as well put him under and move onto the next stage.”

He lived out his days creating sand sculptures in his mind. He saw himself running in place, downloading skills and targets and concepts. The sand would blow away each day, leaving him with nothing to remember them by.

Between bouts of black unconsciousness, he saw grey, and white, and pale pink, brown, and blue. Abstract shapes morphing into creatures that prodded at him. Cold metal seething, machines twisting his body together like crochet. He gave nonsense names for some, not even names consisting of words, just pure thoughts.

Slowly, he lost sight of the sand in his brain, yet the grains still dripped from his ears when he shook his head. He became a part of reality. Or perhaps he became part of a hellish dream.

Darkness huddled in the damp sides of his eyes, danger snapping at his bruised joints and soles. Deep inside his chest, his heart damned, words mixed with intuitive instincts, daring his body to live beyond the yellow veil.

Stage One of Project $DEE has been completed.

$DEE was not his name. It was what he was called. One of the words that would echo in his brain. Dee. Dee. Dee. Like a rhythm, like the beeping machines. Like the ringing of the heart monitor. It was embedded in his ears. Baby words jumping around, forming pictures, babbling him into nothing.

Dee, his brain still a desert, started to make better sense of this reality he lived in. He could control his body sometimes. He could move his arms. Or what was left of his limbs. Or what they had lent him.

The second picture in his brain, the one after the yellow veil: it was the artificial lights on Lab C’s ceiling. Grey illuminated by white, he stared up at the square tiles and textured glass, like undulating waves of melted sand.

With how long he was locked in place staring up at this picture, he memorized it. He could close his eyes at any moment and picture it in its exact detail again.

“Time to get up, Doll-face. It’s time for your first mission.”

He saw Dei’dra’s face again. He felt his restraints loosen and break away.

His first mission was not all that glorious. He was lanky, unused to moving in his body. He was a wall of meat. Disposable. He followed a trail like a zombie. He barely spoke to the team he was placed in. He remembered their orders regarding him.

“He’s still pretty out of it. Give him some good experience, but we’d like to keep working on him so bring him back in one piece.”

Dee felt like a puppet, simply put. Some machine inside him aimed his cannons and lasers. He stood in place, shooting at targets. He was guided by an invisible leash by the team he was assigned to. He saw sepia shapes. Blurs of bodies. All he could feel was the emotions in his gut telling him, repeatedly:

Youaregoingtodieyouaregoingtodieyouaregoingtodieagainyouaregoingtodiestoppleasestoppleaseyouaregoingtodiestopstopstopstopstop.

He was kept suspended in place while his body completed the mission. And then he was back in Lab C, mind clearer.

He was thinking in sentences now. He could monologue, like any great villain. That is what he had become, hadn’t he? Why a villain? Where had he learned that word? The more he sifted through the sand, the more words he could find he no longer remembered learning. They were just there, connected to nothing. No memory. No past life.

He kept thinking these words. And then he decided that since his jaw was not glued shut, he would give speaking a try. Garbled and slurred at first, he kept talking as much as they let him.

They made him run between ceilings of grey. They made him speak between illuminated square tiles. He practiced lines of a script. Subterfuge settled in his brain like a mirage in the distance between the settled sand.

He could walk on the unsteady ground once again. He could see. He could hear. He could experience the world around him. He gazed up at the ceiling but was interrupted by a splotch of dark violet.

Another blot. Another vulture. He stood there out of the corner of his artificial eye.

“What are you waiting for? Get on with the tests.” His voice sharp, cutting through his tongue.

This was an unusual time of day for tests. To say it was a time of day was generous. It was more like he would be experimented on for hours upon hours and then suddenly they would stop. Nothing to do but bask in the nothingness it brought.

At this point, Dee thought that he was done with most of the tests. He had his limbs. He had an eye, which he opened wider to get a better look at the violet blotch. Something about the blotch was connected to something else in his brain, but he could not quite place it.

“Well, whatever it is, get on with it, it certainly could not have waited until morning.”

It shuffled closer to him. Less of a blotch now. He could make out shapes. He could recognize his face now if he saw him again.

Air escaped his lungs, and then he said again, asking, “Whatever might you need from me today, doctor?”

The blotch was shaking. “If you are just here to sight-see, I am going back to sleep.” His eyes weighed heavily on his face, eyelids falling through his willpower.

“Are you… okay?”

No, I am not ‘okay’. I am ‘$DEE.’

“Do I LOOK okay? Yeah sure, I am right as rain, having a grand old time—feeling peachy, even.” At this point, the words just spiraled off his tongue and through his teeth. The blotch made a sound, and Dee’s frustration grew, the pain of today’s tests ricocheting in his body.

“If you aren’t here to run another one of your little tests, then just get out. Go tell your superior, or better yet, go tell Dei’dra to go fuck herself and leave me alone.”

And he left him alone. He wondered vaguely what that was all about. He then fell asleep.

[topsytervy]

S'mores ~ JJ Maybank

Im not gonna lie, had no idea where I was taking this cause it was a wip that I started in like November and then started up again and then I couldn't decide between S'mores or Gentleman for the title but I stuck with the original title. Also, I almost forgot that people actually use and like chocolate with their s'mores because I never use chocolate on mine.

Blurb: a craving for s'mores results in a late night trip to the gas station because Sarah Cameron apparently can't afford her own Hershey chocolate bar.

Word count: 1,821

Warnings: swearing, spelling/grammar errors, i think thats it

~~~~~

"God I want s'mores so bad." You groaned.

You were currently laying on the floor with your head on your boyfriend’s lap, the craving for a little snack eating at you. JJ smiled as he played with your hair, back against the couch as he basked in the moment.

"We can’t do a bonfire right now baby. I’m sorry." He told you, bending down to kiss your forehead.

He had a point. It was 1 AM and neither you nor JJ planned on staying up to make a fire just to have some smores. In fact, JJ was pretty sure you were about 5 minutes away from falling asleep as long as you had some food in your stomach.

Hell, he was almost there himself and he wasn't even laying down.

"Baby," you whispered, looking up at him.

"Hmm?" JJ smiled down at you.

"Do you have your lighter?" 

"Always, sweetheart." 

You raised one of your arms slightly, making grabby hands at the air, indicating you wanted the lighter.

"Awe. My little pyromaniac." JJ cooed as he reached into his pocket.

You rolled your eyes as JJ held his zippo lighter in his hand, reaching up to grab it but JJ pulled it away,  holding it up out of reach.

"Uh-uh, baby. Rolling your eyes is rude. What makes you think I’m gonna give it to you now?" He smirked.

You sighed, reaching up and grabbing his chin, pulling him down towards you.

You pressed your lips onto JJs gently, staying there for a moment before gently pushing his face away. "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. May I have the lighter now?" You asked as nicely as possible.

JJ leaned down and pecked your lips once more as he slipped the lighter into your hand, making sure you had a grip on it.

You sat up and made your way into a standing position before walking to the kitchen, grabbing a plate, a fork, marshmallows, and graham crackers with no luck of finding chocolate.

"JB take all the chocolate to Sarahs again?" JJ asked when he saw you were an ingredient short. 

"Probably. As if she can’t buy her own." You replied, sitting back down and leaning against the couch next to JJ.

“Well, you can’t have s'mores without chocolate so,” JJ stood up and grabbed your hand, pulling you up as well, “let’s run down to that gas station that’s open 24 hours and get some. Yeah?” 

You grinned. “Are you sure you want to, JJ?” 

“Am I sure that I want to go on a late-night drive to the gas station with my girlfriend just to get chocolate so she can have a s’more before bed?” He tapped his chin with his index finger as if he was thinking before jabbing his fingers into your waist, causing you to jump slightly before letting out a small laugh. “Absolutely. Just to make sure you’re happy.” 

You placed your hands on your cheeks and averted your gaze, a sheepish grin on your lips. “Stop. You’re making me blush.” 

“C’mon, sugar. Let’s go.” JJ grabbed your hand and pulled you towards the door.

“Slow down there J-bird. Shoes, remember?” You yanked him back, leaning down to toss his boots to him.

He sighed as he pulled them on and you slipped on your sandals.

“Can we go now?” 

You nodded and he grabbed your hand once more, tossing you a hoodie before dragging you out of the chateau. You climbed into JJ’s truck and pulled on the hoodie he threw to you, breathing in his scent as you did.

JJ looked over to make sure you were buckled in and once he saw that you were, he pulled out of the driveway, heading down the road in the direction of the gas station.

JJs hand found it's place on your thigh and a tired smile fell on your lips. 

You broke the silence after a few minutes. "You know, not many people would take me to go get something as small a chocolate just so I can have s'mores." 

JJ smiled as he took his hand from your thigh and entwined it with your hand, bringing it up to his lips to press a kiss to the back of your hand, his eyes never leaving the road. "That's because not many people are gentlemen like me."

You snorted before slapping your hand over your mouth, trying your best not to laugh. JJ looked at you with an offended look before turning his eyes back to the road. "I cannot believe you, Y/N." He dragged out, a playful tone lacing his voice so you knew he wasn't actually mad. 

He pulled his hand away from yours and you whined, grabbing his hand. "JJ don't."

"No. Apparently, I am not a gentleman. I open the door for you, I give you my sweatshirt, I take you to a gas station at like 1:00 in the morning to get chocolate for s'mores. I…I just don't know what to say." JJ pulled his hand away, looking out his window for a dramatic second.

"JJ," You grabbed his wrist again and tugged it onto your lap, attempting to hold his hand but JJ just shrugged you off as he pulled into the parking lot of the gas station.

He put the truck in park and leaned against the door as he dug into his pocket.

"You're so dramatic." You shook your head with a tiny smile.

He gestured towards the door of the gas station as he pulled out his wallet and tossed it to you. "Go get your shit, baby. I'll wait here." 

You leaned over and kissed his cheek as you opened your door before unbuckling and hopping out of the truck. 

You looked back to see JJ watching you before disappearing into the building. You smiled at the cashier before going down the aisle and picking up a bar of chocolate before seeing the nutty bars. You grabbed a couple for JJ and looked up at the coolers where the energy drinks were. You walked over to the drinks as the door chimed, signaling someone had entered.

You scanned the energy drinks before reaching out to open the door but stopped when arms circled around your waist and a chin rested on your shoulder.

You jumped slightly. "Jesus, J." You breathed, placing a hand to your heart when you noticed it was your boyfriend. "I thought you were gonna wait in the car."

"I was but then I saw Barry pull up and there's no way I'm leaving you alone in any building with that douchebag." He murmured, kissing your temple.

You nodded before opening the cooler this time and grabbing a redbull for JJ before turning around in his arms. "Nutty bars and redbull for breakfast sound good?" You held them up and JJ grinned.

"For me?" 

"For you, handsome."

"I'm flattered that you know me so well and help me have an unhealthy breakfast."

"Yeah well better than a beer for breakfast." You pecked his lips before pulling away from him and walking towards the cashier.

"Is it really though?" JJ raised an eyebrow as he spoke.

You shrugged, placing everything on the counter and the cashier began ringing it up. You saw Barry out of the corner of your eye and saw him smirk. You subconsciously shifted closer to JJ and focused on the price the guy was saying. You opened JJ's wallet to pay for it when Barry stepped in.

"I've got you princess. Put the money away." He drawled, pulling out his own wallet and paying the guy.

Your hand immediately went to JJ's wrist, knowing he was upset at the fact that Barry had paid for your shit and then called you princess. You handed JJ his wallet back and looked at his clenched jaw and fist. His eyes didn't leave Barry as he shoved his wallet into his pocket. 

You thanked the cashier and Barry, who replied with 'anything for you, princess' with a smirk on his face, before grabbing the bag and dragging JJ out of there before he could start anything.

Once in the safety of the truck you grabbed JJs hand. "You good, baby?"

JJ took a deep breath before nodding. "Yeah, I'm good. At least I didn't leave with any less money right?" You nodded in response.

It was quiet the entire ride back to the chateau and you two walked inside, kicking off your shoes as JJ handed you his lighter yet again and you walked onto the kitchen. 

You placed the marshmallow on the fork and opened JJ's lighter, holding the marshmallow over it and watching it toast. Sure, it took way longer than a campfire but it got the job done. You broke off a piece of chocolate and placed it on the graham cracker before adding the marshmallow. 

Once you completed your task, you saw that JJ had pulled out the sleeper sofa and got it all made, laying down on it.

"Thank you for taking me to get chocolate baby." You sat next to him and immediately took a bite out of your treat, moaning at the taste. He didn't say anything, not even a sexual comment at the noise you made, and you sighed. "Alright, pretty boy. What's going on up there?" You tapped his forehead before taking another bite.

JJ didn't even hesitate or stutter through his question. "Would you leave me for Barry?" 

You choked on your s'more. "God no. I'd date psycho Cameron before dating Barry." You answered, suddenly not hungry anymore. "Here, you can finish it since I'm now deeply scarred." JJ quietly took the treat from your hand and finished it off quickly, not even batting an eye.

You laid down next to him and curled into his side, upset that Barry had to kill JJ's mood. You knew the drug dealer did it just to get under your boyfriend's skin and he clearly succeeded. You pressed a kiss to JJ's shoulder before getting an idea.

"You know, that was very gentleman-like of you. Not causing a scene back there and not letting your anger get the best of you. You are officially the biggest gentleman on the island." You smirked, glancing up at the blonde to see if his mood would change.

He looked at you. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

A grin spread across his lips as he pulled you so you were half-laying on him. "What can I say, Y/N? You just bring out the gentleman in me." 

You wrapped your arms around him and looked up at his face. "I'm glad baby. Does this mean I get a kiss cause of it?" 

JJ smirked. "Baby, you can get a kiss whenever you want."

You smiled as he leaned down and you closed your eyes, his lips pressing against yours moments later and his hold tightening around you.

~~~~~

[haro-whumps]

Hey how do you think that would be a reverse version of GW? Like, instead of Galo getting the whumpees, the seven of them somehow, through a legal technicality, get a Galo that was Bethany's slave?How donyou think they'd all be, in this situation?

I would like to clarify that Galo and Bethany are NOT related in this version.

--

"... an old paramour," Greyson stated, hedging an explanation. Bethany had been, well, significantly too old for him, at the time. But he'd liked that.

Even so, he wasn't exactly chomping at the bit to disclose his past questionable relationships with his housemates.

"And what did she leave you, exactly?" Evan asked, wearing his joggers and leaning against the doorframe, Lilah dressed similarly and walking past him with a deep pull from her water bottle.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Greyson said, passing him the letter. Lilah propped her arm up on his shoulder, only to be dislodged as he propped his arm up on her head. The two leaned in and read the letter together, their faces screwing up at almost the exact same moment.

"Well that's cryptic," Lilah said, taking the page from Evan's hand and flipping it over, checking the blank back. She handed it back to Greyson, who nodded his assent.

"So my bet's on bird," Evan said, ganking Lilah's water bottle and finishing it off.

"Evan!" Nyla called from the other side of the house, "Have you sent me your portion of the mortgage yet?"

"I thought the point of buying a house was to get away from landlords," Evan muttered to Lilah, who snorted.

"Evan!"

"Doing that now!"

Sasha entered and gently shoed the athletes out. "I n-need to get st-started on dinner."

She placed her hand on Greyson's shoulder. "It'll be fine. Maybe it's j-just a dog?"

Greyson shrugged, sighing. He wondered why he'd even been IN the woman's will at all.

"N-now move. I'm cooking."

Greyson smiled playfully back, bumping his hip to Sasha's, and left. He found Nyla rifling through the rest of the mail.

"Are you sure that's all they sent you?"

"Unfortunately."

Nyla huffed, letting the letters smack against her skirt. "Why couldn't they have had a lawyer write to us or something? Anything to save a dime, and I have no idea what I'm supposed to be preparing for!"

"We can run to a pet store the day it gets here. If not, a night in the garage won't kill it," Greyson assured. Also, wasn't HE supposed to be the one preparing? He set his hand on her shoulder. "You worry too much."

"I worry exactly the right amount, thank you," Nyla said, whapping him with the mail. As she walked towards her office, she called out, "Lilah, you'd better have put those in the hamper!"

"Does it bring you joy to endlessly nag?!"

"I live in a house with four other people!"

Greyson chuckled. He was also probably overthinking this. It was weird, and definitely unexpected, but it would all be fine.

--

That was a human person.

Tall, with choppily short hair, kneeling in their front entryway between Evan and Lilah's running shoes and the narrow side table Nyla used for mail and key rings.

That was a human person.

They all looked to each other, wondering what to do, and this was technically Greyson's problem, which meant he was the one who should do something about this. Why. Why this. Why him?!?!

When it became undeniably obvious that the other four were waiting on him and the silence was stiflingly uncomfortable, Greyson cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Hello?" He hadn't meant for it to sound like a question.

"Hello master," the slave returned, skirt fisted with shaking knuckles.

"I am Greyson," he cleared his throat again, "What's your name?"

"...Galo."

Oh Greyson was so out of his depth.

"So uh, you're Bethany's pet? Ex pet?" Evan asked, and Greyson was relieved someone else had said something.

"Yes master."

"This is weird," Lilah stated, shifting anxiously from foot to foot with jittery energy. "This is fucking weird. Why did your ex girlfriend give you a slave? Why were you dating someone who likes slavery?! Greyson what the fuck!"

"Okay deep breaths!" Nyla ordered loudly, everyone complying instantly. "This is. Unexpected," she agreed. "But let's not get out of hand. Galo, sweetie, would you please stand up?"

"Yes mistress."

"You don't need to call anyone master or mistress."

"Ma'am?"

"Ma'am is fine. Let's get you settled in. You can probably stay in Sasha's room at the moment, who'll sleep with me?"

Sasha nodded.

"Okay, good. Are these all of your belongings?" Nyla asked, gesturing at Galo's duffle bag, who nodded again.

"Okay, great. This way."

Greyson was so, so grateful to know Nyla. So glad she was in his life. Her competence was unparalleled.

"I-I'm going to make d-dinner."

--

Galo followed his mistress, who he wasn't going to call mistress, to a baby blue room with impressionist paintings hung from the walls, leaned up against each other, stacked against the desk and dresser. Canvases were just about everywhere, but it didn't seem messy. Just full.

"This is Sasha's room but you can stay here until we figure all this out. Oh! My name is Nyla, sorry, I spaced on that, we'll get you introduced to everyone properly once... once we settle down."

Galo bowed, hand crossed over his chest.

"This is just a little unexpected. We hadn't known you were--human."

"I'm sorry, ma'am."

"No, no, no need to apologize. Just some information lost in the pipeline. Why don't you settle in and... we'll chat more at supper."

His mistress left, closing the door behind her, and Galo was left standing in the center of a room that wasn't his.

He took a shaky breath. Well. They'd accepted his name, at least, which was nice. Maybe someday he'd tell them about... him being a man. Maybe. Definitely going to wait and see on that one, he wasn't interested in a repeat of what had happened last time he'd told an owner he was a man.

There were five of them.

Galo sank to his knees, duffle bag hitting the floor, his hands covering his mouth. There were five of them.

He was a fairly gigantic failure at keeping one owner off his back, how was he ever going to please five?!? And the little one had been so angry with his presence--he would have to show his gratitude to Mistress Nyla, later, for stepping in.

Oh god, what would they use him for? This house was no estate--maybe they would just have him clean. Yeah, maybe, maybe he could just clean for them and stick to the shadows and he would be ignored.

A hysteric peal of laughter bubbled out of him.

Ignored.

Yeah, right.

--

But for some reason, that... did seem to be the case. They ignored him. Mistress Sasha and Master Evan especially seemed to have no idea what to do with him, and would awkwardly prompt him to leave them alone if he guessed their routines wrong and ended up in the same room as them.

Master Greyson made earnest attempts to speak with him, which Galo responded to as best he could. But the conversations were stilted things. The most successful ones hinged around Mistress Bethany, and Galo always found himself stressed and exhausted after talking about her.

Mistress Lilah seemed to find him a curiosity, asking him questions and prodding him into helping her with her "Influencer Gig," which mostly involved holding light sources or cameras for her. She would occasionally do up Galo's hair and makeup, and Galo tried very, very hard not to show how miserable that made him. To smile and be grateful and not waste her product and time with babyish tears.

Mistress Nyla was his favorite. She had him help with the household chores and spoke kindly to him. She would praise and sometimes touch him. Conversations with her were... trickier, though.

Mistress Nyla has a very good memory. She would ask questions, know things he'd told Master Greyson or Mistress Lilah, gently pull his life's story from him. She would sometimes make him ask uncomfortable questions about himself, too, about his place as a slave, which--he knew better. He knew better!

She would stop, when he started shaking, though. Ask him to please go clean the kitchen or bathroom or fold laundry. It made him feel weak. A useless, manipulative slave who cried to get out of situations he didn't like.

"It's okay, Galo," she sometimes murmured, petting his hair and letting him kneel at her feet with his head in her lap. "You're being good for us. It's alright sweetie."

--

Master Evan didn't like talking to Galo. So he knew better. But one day, a couple friends of Master Evan's had come and gone, and one of them--

Not that Galo wanted to assume, or presume, but she'd. She had looked.

"Yeah, she's trans," Master Evan confirmed, looking desperately uncomfortable. Galo would find a way to apologize later. He just. He had to. He.

"And that's okay?" he blurted gracelessly, instinctively flinching back for two reasons.

"Yeah? I mean, yes, absolutely, I respect and support her 100%."

Galo fidgeted with his skirt, something Mistress Bethany had bought that he wanted little more than to burn.

"Are... do you, wanna tell me something?" Master Evan asked, also not making eye contact. "Or, maybe tell Nyla something, since I dunno if I'm really the guy to, uh." He gestured at himself and Galo bit his lip.

"The others are also, okay with, uh?"

"Being trans. Yes. It's not bad... bro? We're all chill and respectful here. Oh you know Sasha? Sasha's like, super smart, and knows all about this stuff, she could talk to you about this?"

"Yes sir," Galo said, knowing he'd overstayed his welcome the moment he'd opened his mouth.

"Cool. Chill. Yeah. Okay then," Master Evan said, and left the room quickly.

--

That night Galo had found a pair of Master Evan's sweatpants and a couple of old t-shirts on his bed.

--

The next time Lilah pulled Galo to help with her Influencer Gig, she'd done his makeup and hair and he had cried, to see a man who looked like him staring back from the mirror.

--

Mistress Nyla took him shopping. She held his hand, both literally and metaphorically, with increasing frequency as he started to transition and actually began to feel like this new house was his home. That these people weren't going to hurt him, that they maybe even liked him. Almost.

--

Mistress Sasha had him help her move her remaining belongings from the blue room. His room. They were, officially and permanently, making her old room his. Her paintings were either hung up throughout the rest of the house or set into storage in the garage. He helped her carry whatever else was left into Mistress Nyla's--now hers and Mistress Sasha's--room and organize so Mistress Nyla didn't work herself into a fit over the clutter.

"Thank you," he said quietly, crouched in front of the dresser and slipping some of Mistress Sasha's less-used attire into the drawers.

"Hm?"

"For, giving me your space, ma'am." For everything. For all of it.

Mistress Sasha crossed over to him and sat in the floor where he was, opening her arms to him. He leaned in, slowly wrapping his arms around her and pressing his face to her shoulder.

"You're part of the f-family now," she said warmly. "Of c-course."

[icerats]

Warnings: Fear of death

Part One

100 G/T Prompts masterlist

Borrowers, Trauma, & Pasta: Chapter 2

(16. Trust)

Will watched as the two siblings stared at him with a mixture of fear in confusion. They didn't say anything, just eyed him warily. That was okay, it wasn't like he wasn't used to having one sided conversations. Being a social reject came in handy sometimes. 

"I thought you guys might be hungry." Will said, pointing at the noodle on the 'plate'. "Though I didn't know I had another guest here. I'll get a plate for you too. What was your name? El was it?"

"Don't call her that." The male one said, his eyes glaring through his black matted hair. 

"Ian! Do you want to piss him off?!" she hissed back at him.

The girl looked up at Will in fear, as if she was expecting some sort of negative reaction. Guilt tore at him for being her source of it.  

Will gave him a reassuring smile. "It's alright. What should I call you then?"

"None of your business!" The one called 'Ian' said before the girl could say a word. 

"Okay, fine mr. 'none of your business', do you guys want some pasta?"

Ian narrowed his eyes at him. "What game are you playing at?"

"Excuse me?" Will asked in confusion. 

"I know you giants aren't kind. Why are you giving us food? Did you poison it!?"

"God no!" Will snapped. Both borrowers flinched at his loud tone. "Sorry," he muttered, quieter now, "Listen, is it really that hard to believe that I don't want to harm you? I'm not a psychopath, okay? I'm not just going to harm some people for being smaller than me."

That didn't seem to convince Ian, but the blonde one seemed to be considering his. words.

"R-Really?" she asked in disbelief. "You a-aren't go-going to har-harm us?"

Her brother shot a glare in her direction. "Really El? Don't be naive. I know you are sick and haven't eaten in days so you must not be thinking clearly, but you can't trust him. Don't make the same mistake our parents did."

"Wait.. you haven't eaten in days!?" Will looked at the small girl with concern. She didn't look well at all. She was as scrawny as her brother and looked just as underweight and malnourished. Her unkept stringy hair clung to her forehead, which was slick with sweat. The young girl was unnaturally pale, except for her red nose and bloodshot eyes. Was she sick?

The young girl sneezed and looked up at him warily. "Y-Yeah."

Will pushed the 'plate' closer to the girl. "Please eat."

She looked at the noodle hungrily. 

"El," her brother warned. "Don't eat that."

She glanced back and forth between Ian and the noodle, seemingly unable to decide. 

"It's alright," Will tried to reassure her. "You can eat it."

"El, no! Don't even consider it!"

Will sighed in frustration. This wasn't going anywhere.

Both of the borrowers flinched. 

"Sorry." Will muttered, he had the feeling he would be saying that word a lot. "Is there any way I can prove it's not poisoned?"

Ian looked up at him, eyes filled with a mixture of fear and distrust. "No."

Will wanted to slam his head into the counter. This was getting nowhere. "What if I eat it? Then will you believe it's not poisoned?"

Ian scoffed. "Of course not! It's obvious that you put just enough poison in the food to hurt us but not you. It would take a lot more to harm you, wouldn't it!?"

This was it. The paranoia wafting from this dude had already taken too much of Will's sanity. "Okay fine. I give up. You don't have to eat it if you don't want too. Clearly I'm just scaring you. I'll leave. You guys can go, just please don't hurt yourself."

And with that Will left the room, calling Olivia on his way out.

~

Ian was dumbfounded. Never in his life did he expect a giant to just give up. When he flat out refused to eat that poisoned food, he expected the giant to yell and scream, maybe turn Ian into a red stain on the countertop. The last thing he was expecting was this.

No way did that giant just give up. He HAD to be planning something. Had to have some sort of ulterior motive. But what could it be? Wait.. didn't the giant call someone on the way out? Shit! He called someone on the way out! Pest control! The fucker called pest control to kill him!

"Ian, are you alright?" his sister started rambling to him, "Why aren't you saying anything? Are you mad at me? I'm sorry I talked to the giant, okay? I-I just didn't want you to get hu-"

"Elissa! We have to get out of here now!"

"Why? Because we were seen? He honestly didn't seem that bad-"

"El! Don't be stupid, that giant was trying to trick us and you fell for it! He just called pest control! We need to leave, NOW!"

Elisa's face turned white as a sheet. "P-Pest control?"

Ian grabbed her arm, "Come on, let's go!"

Elissa didn't. Instead she started violently coughing. "I-I ca-can't. It already took too much e-energy walk over here. J-Just go without m-me."

"No! I won't leave you! I'll carry you if I have too!"

Elissa frowned softly, looking seconds away from passing out. "We both know you are too weak to carry me. Just go, mom wouldn't want us both dead."

"No!" Ian summoned all the strength he had, and carried her. Even in his weakened state, she felt surprisingly light. Too light. They had to get food the second they got out of here. Ian glanced back at the door one more time, and then ran.

~

Olivia tapped her fingers on the table impatiently. Ian was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago.

"Is there anything I can get you?" The barista asked for the third time.

"No. Just waiting for a friend."

"Well if you're going to sit at a table, you'll need to order something." Olivia swore her tone just got colder. Impatient bitch, wasn't it a barista's job to be nice?

"Ugh fine, gimme a venti vanilla bean créme frappe."

"And what would you like to get for your friend?"

"I'm not paying for him."

Olivia swore she saw judgement flicker on her face. "And what is your name miss?" Nosy bitch, the hell is her problem? I'm not paying for a jackass who is late.

"Olivia. With an 'O'. "

"Thanks, it will be out in a few minutes. I hope your friend comes." Conceded bitch.

A few minutes later the barista came back, drink in hand and a smug smile on her face. "Where's your friend?"

"Not here." she grumbled, glancing down at the name written on her cup. "Alivea".

"Would you like your drink to go then?"

Olivia sighed, about to finally leave this stupid Starbucks, but then her phone rang.

About time Ian decided to actually give her a heads up on no-showing. "You better have a good fucking reason for ditching me ya know. You better not have ditched me for that guy you just met right? Please tell me you just gave him pasta and left."

"Livvvv, I couldn't just do that! I had to apologize! I think he was still pretty pissed I scared the shit out of him."

"What the fuck did you do to even scare him Ian!"

"Please stop sweari-" the barista said before Olivia flipped her the bird and walked to her car.

"Livv I didn't even do anything!" Ian insisted, "I just existed!"

"... Ian. How the hell did you even find this dude? You barely ever go outside."

"Ummmm promise not to freak out?"

Uh oh, there went all the alarm bells ringing in Olivia's head. "Sure.... now TELL ME."

"Well I uh kinda found him in my um-"

"Spit it out. I don't have all day."

"I uh found him like in my house."

"Some dude broke into your house!?!? Why the hell didn't you call the cops, and why the hell did you APOLOGIZE to the dude who fucking BROKE INTO YOUR HOUSE!!"

"Well technically I don't think he actually broke anything..."

"Ian, call the fucking cops. That lunatic could have murdered you in your sleep."

"If he wanted to do that, he would have done it by now. It's fine, he won't hurt me."

"... Wait... what the hell do you mean BY NOW? Has this dude been LIVING in your house?"

Ian paused, "I mean I think so? I mean it's not as bad as you think though, I don't think he had a choice!"

"If you're homeless you go to a homeless shelter, not break into people's houses and live in their closet!"

"I actually think they're living in the floorboards.... "

"THEY'RE!! What do you mean they're!! There is another psycho living in your house!?!

"Wait Liv, give me a chance to explain! It's not as bad as you think! They're harmless, and I think they just need help!"

"Give me one reason not to call the cops right fucking now!!"

"Promise to not call me crazy?"

"You're already crazy for letting two psychos live in your house."

Ian went radio silent for a couple seconds, then his voice returned in a whisper. "Well uh they're like uh kinda four inches tall?"

Olivia almost dropped her phone. No, it couldn't possibly be them, could it!?

The grip on her phone tightened. "What did they look like?"

"Um tiny siblings? Both really pale. The guy has black eyes and hair, and his sister has blue eyes and is blonde? Why? Do you actually belie-"

No, it was THEM.

Her phone smashed into a thousand tiny pieces on the concrete.

Part 3

[ilovefandoms102]

Part 14*

Summary: The Pogues go back to the Crain mansion to get the gold..what could possibly go wrong?

Taglist:

@ma10427 @lasnaro @certainstatesmantoadartisan @iamaunicorn4704 @riverdaleserpent04 @justcallmesams @sspidermanss @tangledinsparkles @jellyfishbeansontoast @hurricane-abigail @outerbongs @gviosca @eb15

Part 13 Part 15 

Note: Hope you guys have enjoyed this series as much as I have writing it! It means the world to me when you guys message me about how much you like this story, I was so nervous to post it and didn’t expect to get so much positive feedback. Thank you so much to every single person who has read this!

=======================================

JJ and I headed back to the chateau, reluctantly of course. My brother decided tonight would be the night we went and retrieved the gold from the Crain mansion. He wouldn’t stop calling both JJ and I, so we had to cut our date shorter than either of us would have liked. 

“What if all we find is the remains of Mr.Crain?” JJ asked, nervously biting his lip.

“Would you stop with that shit babe, Mrs. Crain did not kill her husband.” I said rolling my eyes at him.

“The only reason I’m even stepping foot near that place again is to get that gold.” JJ said.

“J, she’s not even going to know we’re there. She can’t hear or see.” I said, driving the boat to the dip by the chateau so JJ and I could drag up on the mainland. 

“She’s bat shit crazy, probably has like spidey senses or some shit babe” JJ said, helping me to pull the boat up. 

We walked into the chateau, my brother and Sarah sitting in the kitchen. I went into my room and changed into all black, tossing my old clothes in the hamper. I was a little chilly, so I threw on one of JJ’s sweatshirts.

“Pretty sure that’s mine” JJ said, coming in and throwing his stuff on his side of my room. He walked over closer to me, eyeing my outfit.

“Pretty sure I do the laundry around here so I have a right to wear what I want” I sassed back.

“You look hot in my clothes baby” he smiled, leaning down to kiss me. I chuckled, walking out of my room to the kitchen.

“So what’s the plan Bird?” I asked my brother.

I took out some things from around the kitchen to make stir fry. It being the cheapest thing I could buy and easy to make. I listened to John B, JJ and Sarah discussing the plan. 

“We’ll have to create a pulley so that I can be lowered down to get the gold.” John B said.

“How are we supposed to get 250 pounds of gold out?” Sarah asked.

“No way should we get all of it at once” JJ said. 

“Yeah, we need to just find one piece to take to someone and they can tell us how much it is. No reason to try and get it all if it’s not worth anything.” I said.

“Is it even safe to talk to anyone around here?” Sarah asked, irritating me with all her questions. 

“I’m confused to why you’re still here?” I asked. 

“Bubba, please” John B said, looking at me pleadingly.

“No John B, I’m not going to let some Kook tramp break your heart if this gold isn’t what everyone thinks it is.” I said, roughly placing things on the counter. I turned around to look at them. Sarah looking at the table and JJ giving me a ‘please stop’ look.

“She wants to help us, why is that not enough for you?” John B asked, he walked over to me and turned us to where our backs were facing JJ and Sarah.

“You are crazy if you think she’s not trying to set us up John Booker Routledge” I whispered.

“She’s not! I love her bubba, please just trust me. I promise you that is not her intentions.” he said.

“Birdie...” I sighed.

“Let me decide who is and isn’t good for me, please.” he said, gripping my hand. 

“Alright...but I’m still kicking her ass if she fucks with you” I said, moving back to the stove to continue cooking. 

“I love you” JJ said, coming up behind me and wrapping me in his arms. 

“You love me because I’m feeding you Maybank,” I joked, playfully pushing him away.

I finished dinner and we sat and ate. We got the stuff we needed to take to the Crain mansion. We piled in the van, picking up Kie and Pope on the way there. I was driving with JJ in the passenger seat, he was a nervous wreck. We got to the mansion, getting the stuff together before John B stopped us all.

“I just want to say, thank you guys. It means a lot for you guys to be here.” he said looking at each of us.

“Of course” Kie said, laughing.

“Always” Pope said, doing a handshake with my brother. Sarah blushing and looking down. 

“Alright are we done with the circle jerk?” JJ asked, throwing the rope over his shoulder. 

“I’m only here because I feel obligated as your older sister” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Two minutes” John B huffed. 

We made our way over the ledge and walked towards the middle of the yard. We started making our way towards the back side of the house when lights came on. We made a run by one of the trees and ducked under the taller bushes. 

“So she has motion sensor lights” Pope said. 

“Let’s throw a rock at them” JJ said, I looked over at him raising my brow.

“Are you dumb?” I asked sarcastically.

“What are we going to do about the light?” Kie asked.

“There’s and electrical box by the porch, I can just go up and turn it off” Sarah said. We all looked at her confused. “We used to come here and play hide and seek” she explained. 

“No way, you’re not going up there” John B said.

“Can you chill, she’s going to the porch” I said.

“No” he said. 

“Watch me” Sarah said.

“I’ll come with you” Kie said. I was glad she went because I’m sure my brother would have made me go if Kie hadn’t offered.

“Hey, be safe” John B said. 

“We will” Kie said. 

As they walked away I grabbed JJ’s face.

“Be safe” I said mocking JB.

“I’ll be so safe baby” he said, putting his hand on my cheek.

“Can you guys shut up” John B said irritably.

“But how will we be safe?” I asked jokingly. JJ, Pope, and I cracking up at ourselves. John B not finding it funny and heaving our stuff towards the back. 

We entered the side of the house where the basement was, setting up our equipment. John B and I moving the planks where the well was while Pope and JJ set up the pulley. 

“Are you sure about this?” I asked my brother. 

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“I mean, you just got out of the hospital. I can go down and you stay with the guys.” I said. 

“Bubba, I’ll be fine” he said, now adjusting the rope and harness.

JJ, Pope, and I lowered John B down into the well. 

“Please, for the love of God, don’t drop me” John B said.

“No promises” I mumbled. 

We were struggling hard, trying to adjust to get a good system going. JJ slipping, the rope losing slack and causing me to fall from having to grip the rope tighter. 

“JJ!”I yelled.

“I told you not to drop me!” John B yelled. 

“Beggars can’t be choosers” I yelled back.

We lowered the rope more, still struggling since the rope was super thin and my brother wasn’t exactly the lightest human.

“Ok, I’m at the bottom” John B said.

“What do you see bub?” I asked.

“Is Mr. Crain down there?” JJ asked, earning a smack on the head from me. 

“BUBBA PULL ME UP! JJ! POPE!” John B screamed all of the sudden.

We all jumped into action, pulling as fast as we could.

“Hold on Birdie!” I yelled.

“What’s going on John B?” Pope asked.

“Wait, wait!” John B said.

“What is it?” JJ asked.

“I found something hold on” he said.

Then, Sarah and Kie come barreling down the stairs. They looked terrified, like they had seen a ghost. Kie running to hug Pope, and Sarah coming to grab my arm, holding on to me. We heard John B talking but none of us could make out what he was saying. 

“What is he saying?” Kie asked.

“We need to go!” Sarah yelled. 

We all started pulling John B up, a gunshot ringing out and breaking the pulley. We all fell forward, losing the rope.

“John B climb up!” Pope yelled.

We saw Mrs. Crain with a shotgun, she rang out another shot all of us ducking. JJ grabbed me and ducked us in a corner, Pope joining us while Kie and Sarah went to the opposite of where we were. She shot the gun again, all of us darting out the door and to the van. 

“She’s blind as fuck how is she wielding a shotgun?!” JJ shouted, tugging on my hand as we ran. 

“That bitch can’t aim that’s for sure.” I said, laughing.

JJ jumped into the drivers seat with me being the passenger this time. The rest of the crew following behind, throwing themselves in the van. JJ took off, all of us looking behind for my brother. And sure, enough he comes running, throwing himself in.

“What the hell just happened?” Sarah asked.

“Why are we always getting shot at?!” Pope asked, throwing his arms out. 

“JB you smell like straight up asshole” I said, scrunching my nose up.

“I did it” he said, holding up a gold bar.

“No fucking way!” I shouted.

“You did not!” JJ said, looking back at John B.

“Oh my God guys, we’re gonna be rich!” Kie exclaimed.

“Full Kook!” Pope yelled.

We whooped and hollered the whole way down the road back to the chateau. JJ grabbed my hand and kissed it, his excitement warming my heart. We got back in one piece, Sarah cleaning the van where John B was. I took the liberty of hosing him.

“You got me messed up if you think you’re about to take one step in my house.” I said, forcing him to stand by the hose.

“Bubs come on” John B sighed.

I sprayed him thoroughly, JJ bringing him a towel. He stripped down to his underwear, tying the towel by his waste and threw me his wet clothes. I hung them on the porch before walking back inside. I closed the door in my room before looking back at JJ. He smiled so wide before running at me to pick me up and spun me around. I squealed, hugging him tight, and throwing my legs around his waist. 

“We’re gonna be rich baby” JJ said, looking up at me.

“It’s all real now J, I can’t believe we actually have it” I said, leaning my forehead against his. He fell back on the bed with me on top of him.

“I’m building us a big ass house, right on the beach.” JJ said, running his fingertips up and down my arms. 

“My only request is that we also have a huge pool, and a hot tub” I said, smiling down at him. 

“I’ll get you whatever you want baby” he said, sitting up to kiss me. 

I smiled into his kiss, putting both my hands on his cheeks. His hands going underneath my shirt. I shuddered at the contrast of his warm hands and his cold rings. He began to kiss down my neck, I tilted my head back to give him more space. 

“And you know the first thing we’re going to do after I build our house sweets?” he asked, his breath hitting my neck.

“What’s that my love?” I panted, threading my fingers in his hair.

“I’m gonna fuck you on every surface of that house” he growled, biting my neck and sucking at the spot. I gasped, moaning into his ear. 

“Properly christening it yeah?” I asked, pulling his head back so I could give him the same treatment. 

I bit my mark into his neck, licking up his neck. He grasped at my hips and flipped us over. We tore our clothes off, JJ rolling on a condom before thrusting hard inside me. I moaned loudly, throwing a hand over my mouth when I remembered my brother and Sarah were still here. 

“Shhh baby” JJ laughed, leaning down to cover his mouth with mine. 

JJ moved at a steady pace at first, thrusting in and out. I moved my legs higher on his waist, getting him to hit that special spot. I threw my head back, dragging my nails down his back. He moaned in my mouth, causing him to thrust faster.  

“JJ, baby, please, I need to cum” I pleaded.

JJ obliged, flipping me over on my stomach. Hoisting me up so I was on all fours, he grabbed my hips and started pounding into me. I yelped, throwing my head down to bite at the sheets. He reached under to rub at my clit, I could feel my orgasm coming. 

“JJ” I whimpered.

JJ grabbed my hair, pulling my head back to kiss me before starting to pound harder inside me. Silent screams escaped as my mouth hung open and no sounds came out. I screamed his name into my sheets as I collapsed on my bed, JJ being the only thing holding me up. I came hard, feeling JJ growing twitchy before he slammed inside me and stilled.

We went in the bathroom to shower, JJ sitting on the counter afterwords while I did my night routine. We went back into my room, collapsing on the bed. I laid on my back, JJ putting his head on my chest and snuggling into me.

“I love you baby” he mumbled sleepily.

“I love you honey bear” I whispered.

We both fell into a peaceful sleep huddled in each others arms. 

====================================================

[puckngrind]

What’s In a Name: Finale- J. Toews

Chapter 16.

Where we left off: Jon and Bekah got married in Sedona and are off to their honeymoon after the Blackhawks convention.

Warnings: smut, language

Word Count: 4,390

Series Masterlist ) Puck ‘n Grind’s masterlist

Final.

When Jon finally let it slip they were honeymooning in Iceland after the convention, Bekah was unsure of her husband’s thought process. She expected some beach vacation with their own bungalow but what she got was way more their style. They stayed up to take in the midnight sun, snorkeled in a fault line, skinny dipped in a natural hot spring and made out like no one was watching under a waterfall. They were so hot for each other the couple even missed a guided tour simply because they lost track of time and didn’t get out of bed. Married life was good even with the season starting. Right before training camp Jon drops a package on the counter and retreats to the fridge.

“Tae, whatcha order?” Bekah sipped one her later afternoon coffee.

“Rings.” Jon’s voice echoed from inside the fridge.

“Huh?”

“Take a look Beks.” Jon closes the door and motions towards the package. Inside were maybe a dozen or more silicone bands. “For practice and games, working out... you know when I have the potential of ripping off my finger with the real one.”

“Jon, you didn’t have to... I mean, it’s fine if you go ringless at work.” Bekah sips her coffee and smiles. “As long as you only come home to me.” Jon rounded the counter, pulls out one of the silicone bands, removes his wedding ring and places it on his left ring finger.

“It’s only been you since 2015, Beks, and it will only be you until the day I die.” His lips press firmly onto hers. “I want to have the constant reminder that I have the best wife ever to come home to.” His lips graze hers again.

“Not sure I deserve that reward yet, maybe in a year?” Bekah giggles into Jon’s skin.

Brynn came with Derek when the Blue Jackets played in Chicago. The two hadn’t seen each other since they left Arizona in July. “I still cannot believe you two are married, so damn in love it’s sick, and have these breathtaking wedding pictures already hanging up. I think it took a month to even get our proofs back let alone a framed picture and you have this on a giant canvas.” Brynn’s finger points to Bekah’s favorite picture. Jon’s arms wrapped her, lips pressed to her cheek as her vail flies in the wind. The fact that she doubted being about to get to the spot where they took the picture is funny looking back. She was thankful Jon pushed for it.

It was Christmas before they knew it. The families decided to give the newlyweds the actual holiday to themselves again and came together the weekend before. Bekah told Jon there better not be any surprise gifts in, on, or under the tree. On Christmas Eve she came down the steps to see a blanket laid out in front of the tree with the fire going.

“What’s this Tae?” She kisses her husband who looked pleased with himself.

“I thought we should have our own Christmas tradition that we could do when we have kids.” He dips down and scoops up the wine glasses. “Maybe without the wine.” Bekah sips her glass and takes in the small details Jon put into this picnic.

“Sounds perfect!” They sat down and talked all about the holidays, break, and how the season was going.

“I know you are going home for New Years but very much want my wife with me in Calgary to ring in 2020.” Jon stands to move the plates and wine glasses.

“J, I don’t see why I couldn’t just cut my home trip short?” Bekah leans on her hands watching Jon’s reaction.

“Really? I know you miss it.” He kneels next to her.

“Not as much as I did. Plus, I want to ring in 2020 with you just didn’t want to mess up team bonding.” Jon laughs a little and moves his body on top of hers.

“I think the guys will understand why.” Jon presses his lips to hers and Bekah moans out.

“Wanna go upstairs?” She whispers when their lips break for air.

“Fuck no.” Jon lifts up and pulls off both of their clothes wasting no time making sure Bekah was ready before pressing into her. His movements were slow and intentional. Pulling Bekah’s legs high up so she had to move her hands from pulling at his back to holding her legs up. Jon humming in pure love of the moment. Taking in their highs together Jon still holding tight into his wife.

“So is this also a Christmas tradition there, Tae?” Bekah’s breaths were short as she laughed.

“I think so. Maybe before Santa arrives.” He snickers as he lifts up and grabs another blanket to wrap around them.

“Is Santa coming to our house this year? Dropping off any surprises?” Bekah combs her fingers through Jon’s hair as he lays on her chest.

“Nope. Well, house hunting...” Jon felt Bekah’s reaction to his statement. “We can stay here if you want. It’s up to you.”

They didn’t. Soon after Jon and Bekah returned from Columbus and Calgary the couple found the perfect house close to the city. Moving during the season seemed to be a daunting task but Bekah managed to get the essentials unpacked and hired painters and such to make their home feel like them. All-Star weekend the couple found themselves at home in Winnipeg.

“Beks?” Jon called out after coming in from a run. Bekah told Jon she was going to make cookies while he was gone. “Babe?” He wandered the house and sees her still with her shoes on in bed asleep. He sits down next to her and brushes the hair out of her face. “You okay?” His eyebrows knit together knowing his wife was not a nap type of person however many times he begged her to nap pre-game with him.

“Yeah, just got super tired that’s all.” Bekah’s voice was groggy.

“Yeah, you left the dough out on the counter.” Jon slips back behind her. “Do you think you are coming down with something?” He presses his lips to the back of her head.

“I don’t think so. Maybe... oh... well. Um. Shit. What day is it?” Bekah lifts up suddenly.

“The 23rd. Why Bekah?” Jon sits up behind her.

“I’m two weeks late.” Bekah’s hand covers her mouth realizing what that could mean.

“You mean like late late? As in...” Jon’s arms wrap around Bekah.

“Like maybe you would go get a test... or three.” She looks back at him and she shuffles to his feet and heads to the store. The smell of cookies hit his nose when he walked back in the door. Bekah icing the batch that had cooled.

“So, I know we said we would let nature take its course but that was in November.” Bekah nods, licks the icing off her finger and grabs the bag.

The two waited for the longest two minutes of their lives sitting on the bathroom floor. Bekah’s head rested on Jon’s shoulder. Jon’s hand picked up the stick from the counter. “Ready...” he whispers and Bekah’s shoulders shrug. “Pregnant. Beks!” Jon’s voice picked up and he jumped to his feet placing the test on the counter and scooping his wife into his arms kissing her skin as he walks.

“Tae, what are you doing?” Bekah questions.

“Celebrating knocking my sexy wife up in the first try!” Jon drops Bekah onto the bed and crowds her. Ridding himself of his shirt and pulling on hers.

“It could be a false positive.” Bekah’s hands land on Jon’s chest.

“It’s not.” Jon retorts. “For as long I’ve known you, your cycle has been the most predictable thing about you.” Jon manages to pull Bekah’s shirt off and kisses down to her stomach. “Salut bébé, c'est ton papa.” He whispers into her skin the looks up to see Bekah’s face. “Sorry, maybe I should...” Jon goes to move thinking he changed the mood and Bekah’s hands catch his shoulders.

“Tae, that was a damn turn on. Please... continue.” Jon winks up at her and presses his tongue to her folds lapping up how incredibly wet she was. Bekah’s orgasm ripping through her body like a ball of fire. Her body jolting up away from his mouth which was still working it’s magic.

“Holy shit. J, I need more.” Bekah panted out and Jon’s mouth met her chest as he laid her back down pressing his length deep inside eliciting moans as he rocked.

“Oh. Beks. Beks. I...” Jon huffs as Bekah pulls her body up into his and feels him explode deep inside of her sending shockwaves through out her body. “I love you.” Jon whispers while crashing into her body.

“Same but you are crushing my pelvis.” Bekah wiggles and Jon jumps off her quickly. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. You are carrying our child.” His hand grazes her stomach.

“Potentially. I need to schedule an appointment for when we are back.” She reaches for her phone and Jon’s hand catches her arm.

“Does your brain ever shut off My Love?” Jon kisses her. “No is the answer. And I want to go. Can you schedule around me?”

Soon after their return home, Jon and Bekah found themselves in her OBGYN’s office listening to their child’s heartbeat. A tear streaming down Jon’s face as Bekah held his hand tight. On the drive home, Bekah broke the comfortable silence. “Can we wait to tell people including family until the second trimester?” Jon’s thumb rubs the back of her hand as he drives.

“Whenever you want Beks.” Jon’s delight evident in his tone.

“I want to tell Rin first but don’t exactly know how.” Bekah inhales quickly as Jon sighs. Brynn and Derek would be the perfect parents but after too many miscarriages to count and an undetermined infertility diagnosis they just stopped trying. Getting pregnant so quickly was going to crush her best friend and she knew it. She watched Brynn at coworker’s baby showers. She hid the pain well but Bekah saw it.

She wanted to tell her best friend in person. What she didn’t expect was the pause and quarantine. Jon came home early March talking about the NHLPA and on the phone not realizing Bekah was laying in the middle of the floor. He stands over her and smiles. “My beautiful wife okay down there?”

“Fat wife that is. And no. They said you could have morning sickness and mine was mid-afternoon sickness which is for the birds THEN they said you feel better in your second trimester and welp... my body feels like I ran a damn marathon and I just moved the rug three feet over. How was your discussion with those people?” Bekah waves her hand around and Jon laughs.

“They want to start zoom calls so I have to think where I could do it here. Plus I think we can go home to Manitoba for a bit if you feel already.”

“Yeah, do it in the kitchen so you don’t have the blow job angle your team Canada buddy did yesterday. I need to call Rin. My body isn’t hiding this baby much longer.” Jon lays down next to her and kisses her cheek.

“Blow job angles. Funny. I don’t need anyone but you thinking of that.” He rolls her body on top of his and she sits up with his hands on her hips. “And you, Mrs. Toews and more beautiful now than the day we met.” Jon’s thumbs rub the small bump appearing on her lower abdomen.

Bekah buzzed around the house while Jon sat on the zoom call. She dropped her phone when she heard him answer the question about what he’s been up to since the last game. After the call ended she stands next to him. “When is that call being published?” Bekah asks with an annoyance in her voice.

“They said in a few days, why Beks?” Jon pulls her into his lap.

“Because you just fucking told the world I’m pregnant and I haven’t even told our families.” Jon’s eyes blow wide.

“Oh fuck! I... I... I didn’t even think about it.” His hand covers his face.

“I need to go FaceTime Rin.” Bekah kissed her regretful husband and retreated to their bedroom.

“How’s my bestie doing in quarantine?” Brynn didn’t even say hi. “What’s that face for?” Bekah sighed.

“I wanted to do this in person so I could hold your hand but damn Covid and shit.” Bekah starts.

“You are pregnant aren’t you?” Brynn pulls a smile across her face.

“How did ya?” Bekah’s eyebrow shoots up. “I am. Due mid-September.”

“I knew you looked different in December but couldn’t place it. You were barely pregnant weren’t you?” Brynn feels the tears coming.

“Yeah. Rin. I... I... I’m sorry.” Bekah whispers.

“Bekah, you don’t have to be sorry. I’m so happy for you and cannot wait to be Auntie Rin!” Brynn wipes her eyes.

“Oh Rin.” Bekah sniffles. “I didn’t know how you would take this.” The friends talked a little more before Bekah hung up and called Kelly who squealed while jumping then realized Bekah’s odd questions in February were pregnancy related. When she returned to Jon he was laying on the couch she asked him to move. “Your parents or mine first?”

“Together?” Jon laughed and they both FaceTimed their mom’s who were overjoyed at the news about being grandparents. Marie had tons of questions regarding Bekah and the baby’s safety while the Toews were busy talking to Jon about their trip home and if Bekah would be safe on the lake’s ice.

With permission from her doctor, the couple returned to Canada and Jon enjoyed rare times with his family but soon realized the couple needed to return to the states. Jon was constantly on the phone with negotiations about return to play throughout the summer.  Laying in bed one night with his head on her growing belly, Bekah could feel he was holding something back.

“Tae, talk.  What’s up?  She ran her hands through his growing hair that she secretly loved while everything was shut down.  

“We’ve been talking about a return to play and that players could opt out.  I think I should since with the baby coming.  I would be gone for most of your last trimester.”  Jon kisses and turns his attention.  “Momma won’t let me open the envelope that says if you are a boy or girl.  Maybe you could help me out, huh?”  Bekah laughs hard that her belly moves.

“I told you with everything else the way it is having a little surprise wouldn’t hurt anyone.  We bought the essentials and Kelly swears her kids were in the white onesies, or naked and wrapped up in a blanket for the first few weeks.  Eating, pooping, and sleeping.”  Jon looks up resting his chin on her stomach.

“Fine.  I’ll wait.  We already have enough Hawks stuff to last about a week.  Plus the girls are ready to socially distance pounce on you once the baby does come.  I do have an important question for you?”

“Yeah?”

“When is sex off the table?”  He bites his lip and Bekah shakes her head.

“Depends on how I feel and where the baby is plus you don’t want to induce labor too early.”

“Soooo.... we can still?”  Jon’s eyebrows dance.

“You want to sex this up?  With my swollen ankles and clothes that no longer fit...”

“You don’t need clothes for what I want to do with you.”  Jon lays next to his wife and pulls her face to his.  “You are beautiful.”  He deepens his kiss and she moans.

“I just look fat Tae.”  Bekah recoils.  “Plus, I need a shower.”  She moves and Jon follows.

“I’ll join you.”  He pulls her body into his while walking to their shower.  

“You seriously want to have sex with me?”  She looks at her naked body in the mirror and over to Jon noticing he was already hard.  

“Not much has changed from last week when I wore your thighs at earmuffs.”  Jon turned on the shower and lead her under the water.  He could physically see Bekah’s shoulders relax under the warm water.  Pulling her breasts into his hands he massaged gently.  “Tell me if it’s too much okay Beks”  He kissed  the back of her neck and his fingers found her entrance.  Using the edge of the shower, Bekah pulled her leg up for easier access to her clit as Jon kissed her skin.  

“Tae.”  She breathed out feeling an orgasm building then she felt the baby.  “Jon!”  Her hand went to her stomach.  “Feel.”  She brought his hand to her belly and Jon felt their child kick his hand.

“Oh wow!  That is maybe the coolest feeling ever.”  Jon kisses Bekah and she feels his hardened cock on her back.  “Does that mean we stop, because...”

“No.  I want you to fuck me.”  Bekah turns around and Jon pulls her body up and slides her onto his length but cannot get situated enough.  “take me to be bed.”  She breathed out.  

“Wet?”  He questioned as he pulls out.

“Yes.”  She wraps her arms around him and he carries them to the bed.  Laying her down carefully and pressing into her as she moves her legs to feel all of him.  With just a few thrusts, Bekah’s orgasm crashes over her and she feels the baby fluttering inside.  “Can I finish you off orally?”  She pants.  

“You don’t have to Beks.  I’m fine.”  She wiggled from under him and he falls onto the mattress.  “Beks... really... I’m... holy fuck.  Don’t stop.”  Jon soon changed his mind when Bekah’s lips wrapped tight around him and he hit the back of her throat.  Sliding easily up and down his length Jon breathed out his approval of her actions and quickly spilled down her throat.  Bekah pops her lips and wipes her mouth as she retreats.  “I have no words.”  Jon huffs out and stares up at Bekah who is now rubbing her stomach.

“Now can you get up so we can change the sheets and go to bed.  This momma to be is tired.”  Bekah stands and Jon strips the wet bed before cuddling his wife.  

With somewhat of an argument, Brynn came to Chicago as Jon entered the bubble.  Jon kissed Bekah’s belly as was leaving, “You cannot make an entrance into the world until Daddy returns or Momma enters the bubble.  Either way, hang out.  Make sure Momma listens to Auntie Rin and cheer on the Hawks.”  Jon lifts up and wraps his arms around his wife.  “Tu es toujours avec moi, mes amours.”  Jon kisses her then pulls away to see the tears build in her eyes.  “Always with me.”  Jon gives instructions to Brynn to make sure Bekah keeps to the doctor’s orders and she calls him if anything happens.

“Go kick some Oiler ass Babe!”  Bekah giggles trying to contain her emotions.

“Why does he have to look so damn sexy and I cannot touch him.  You know these girls are falling all over him.”  Bekah watched the coverage of Jon walking into the arena while Brynn painted her toe nails.

“And that man only has eyes for you.”  Brynn smiled seeing the the way Bekah contorts her face.  

“Yeah, some hot ass media girl is much sexier than the fat cow he left at home.”  Bekah rubs her belly that has grown to the point that she cannot see her feet.  

“Sorry friend, this whole negative self talk has to be your hormones because everyone in the world knows how much that man loves you. Did you see the picture from last game?  You could see your wedding picture on his lock screen.”

“Did he look that good when he left?  And the way he is playing is so fucking sexy.”  Bekah looks at her phone.  “Sorry, baby bird.  Momma will be filtering herself when you arrive next month.”  Brynn laughs.

“He will call.  He always does.”  And like magic Bekah’s phone rings.  Since entering the bubble Jon calls to talk to the baby once a day, and will call Bekah before she goes to bed and before he goes on the ice.

“There is my girl!”  Jon’s voice booms out of the speaker.  

“Hey Tae!  Could you talk to the league and see if they could I don’t know, move your game’s start time before my bedtime?”  This makes both Jon and Brynn laugh.  “I watch you when I get up to pee at around 11 but I hate missing the games live.

“Sure, I’ll just call Gary myself and request a game time change.”  The three laugh.  

“I love you, Tae.  Good luck tonight and go kick some ass.”  She kisses at the phone.  

“I love you, two.”  He blows her a kiss and hangs up to the sounds of heaving coming from Bekah’s feet.

“Yeah, if they lose and he comes home I foresee your labor starting.”  

“Rin, that would be a month early!”  Bekah squeaks out.

“I call it like I see it.  And that man is gonna want his wife when he returns.”  Bekah covered her eyes then starts googling sex in the third trimester.

Jon was home three and a half weeks after he left for Edmonton.  Brynn stayed through the week and then drove back to Ohio with the promise she would be back when Baby Toews was born.  Bekah’s due date came and she was still pregnant.

“This baby is NEVER leaving.”  Bekah walked the stairs for the 10th time that day.

“You’ve made it comfortable.  They want to stay FOREVER.”  Jon laughs while he indulges in his dessert concoction he only eats off season.

“I think I’ve tried everything but sex.”  Bekah leans on the counter and presses her hips back to relive the pressure.  Jon drops the spoon from his mouth.

“Well, I can fucking help with that.”  He pulls Bekah’s arm and practically pushes her up the stairs.  Leaning against the headboard he pats his lap.  “Climb aboard the let’s meet our baby Jonny train.”  He laughs and Bekah scoffs.

“Your dad jokes are just gonna get worse, aren’t they?”  She removes her shorts and climbs onto Jon’s lap.

“Yup!  Now, can we get rid of this?”  He pulls off her old t-shirt that is stretched around her belly.  “And can I play with these?  I don’t think they will belong to me soon.”  Jon leans up to suck in her nipple while cupping her other breast.  Bekah lets go of a gasp.

“Too much.”  She whispered and lifts herself up.  Jon’s hands hold her helps as she lowers herself onto his length.  She presses her hips forward with a sound that was both pleasure and pain.  “It’s not gonna take much to make me.” “Oh good.  Me either.”  Jon pulls her hips forward as her belly hits his abs.  He thrusts slightly up and Bekah goes to move.

“I think if we stand.”  She stands to her feet and Jon comes behind her.  

“Ready?”  He whispered and she nods.  The grunts and moans fill the room quickly.  The pain of her hips and full term baby sitting on her organs was forgotten as their highs crash over them.  Jon leans over and kisses her shoulder blades while he pulls out.  The two stand there for a moment evening out their breaths.  “Beks, did you just pee?”  Jon jumps back.

“No.  My water just broke.”  Bekah turns and gives Jon a look.  “I need to shower I cannot give birth smelling like sex.”  Jon laughs.

“You do that, I’ll go load the car.  Unless you need me?”  He had slight panic sound in his voice that was laced with excitement.  Bekah giggled as she waddled to the shower and Jon grabbed the bags out of the nursery Brynn helped finish while he was gone.

The hospital was waiting for them as they arrived.  Jon started a group text to their moms, Brynn, Kelly, and Alyssa.  Jon sat in the rocking chair waiting for her next contraction.  “You are a rockstar you know?”  Bekah looks over at him while flipping the channel on the tv.  “Nothing like the movies or tv.  You haven’t called me a bastard or anything.”  He smirks at her.

“While I don’t plan on it... I have pushed this giant headed Toews baby out my vagina yet.”  Bekah sees Jon’s Adam’s apple bob.  “And for the sake of our sex life, maybe you shouldn’t watch.”  Jon stands and hold her hand preparing for the next contraction.  She squeezes.

“Oh no, I want to see it all.  Cut the cord.  And I’ll still find you sexy as hell.  You are bringing our child into the world.  I will be impatiently waiting for the doctor to clear you.”  Bekah rolls her eyes as the doctor comes in. 

“It’s go time here!”  The doctor looks up and Jon and and Bekah look each other with excitement.  Bringing a child into the world during a pandemic was difficult but when the moment came and it was just the two of them there was a calmness washed over them.  Bekah crushed Jon’s hand and forearm pushing but he didn’t mind.  When the doctor said one more for the shoulders, Jon leaned over his wife’s leg and watched the most incredible thing in the entire world.  In a spilt second his world completely changed.  

“Tae, is it a boy or a girl?”  Bekah whispers out of breath looking at Jon’s face and the tears welling up.

“It’s a boy, Beks.”  He was handed the scissors and cut the cord.  The nurse patted him dry and goes to hand him to Bekah.  “Daddy holds him first.”  She points and the nurse places Jon’s son in his arms.

“Time of birth, 1am, September 19th.”  The nurse announces.

“It’s the 19th, Jon!”  Bekah looks up at Jon as he passes the baby to his wif.  She holds her son to her chest and kisses his head.  

“Does baby boy Toews have a name?”  The doctor asks as the couple looks at each other and in unison answer...

“Lincoln.”

The End.

[crowdvscritic]

round up // NOVEMBER 20

Hi, I’m tired. Actually, my friend Celeste created a piece of art that puts the emphasis needed on that sentiment:

I’m very tired. November felt like it was three years and also felt like it went by in a blink and also I’m not sure where October ended and November began—how does time work like that? (I’ve yet to see Tenet, but maybe that will explain it.) But like Michael Scott, somehow I manage, and lately it’s been like this:

Late-night Etsy scrolling. Browsing beautiful, non-big-box-store artwork is very calming just before I go to bed. I’d recommend Etsy stores like Celeste’s chr paperie shop, which I know from experience is full of great Christmas gift ideas. 

Taking a day off of work to do laundry. I’m not sure if it’s more #adulting that I did that or that I was excited to do that.

Eating Ghiradelli chocolate chips straight from the bag. I actually don’t recommend this as a healthy option, but this is also not a health blog.

Watching lots and lots of ‘80s movies. One day I’ll ask a therapist why this decade of films is so comforting for me despite its many flaws, but for now I’m just rolling with it.

Reading. Have you heard of this? It’s a form of entertainment but doesn’t require screens—wild!

Memes. All good Pippin “Fool of a” Took jokes are welcome here.

Leaning into the Christmas spirit by ordering that Starbucks peppermint mocha, making plans to watch everything in that TCM Christmas book I haven’t seen, and keeping the lights on my hot pink tinsel tree on all day as I work from home.

This month’s Round Up is full of stuff that made me smile and stuff that sucked me into its world—I think they’ll do the same for you, too.

November Crowd-Pleasers

Sister Act (1992)

If in four years you aren’t in an emotional state to watch election results roll in, I recommend watching Whoopi Goldberg pretend to be a nun for 100 minutes. (Though, incidentally, if you want to watch that clip edited to specifically depict how the results came in this year, you’ll need to watch Sister Act 2.) This musical-comedy is about as feel-good as it gets, meaning there’s no reason you should wait four more years to watch it. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 7.5/10

Nevada Memes

Speaking of election results, Nevada memes. That’s it—that’s the tweet. Vulture has a round up of some of the best.

SNL Round Up

Laugh and enjoy!

“Cinema Classics: The Birds” (4605 with John Mulaney)

“Uncle Ben” (4606 with Dave Chappelle)

RoboCop (1987)

I’m not surprised I liked RoboCop, but I am surprised at why I liked RoboCop. Not only is this a boss action blockbuster, it’s an investigation into consumerism and the commodification of the human body. It’s also a critique of institutions that treat crime like statistics instead of actions done by people that impact people. That said, it’s also movie about a guy who’s fused with a robot and melts another guy’s face off with toxic sludge, so there’s a reason I’m not listing this under the Critic section. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8/10

Double Feature – ‘80s Comedies: National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) + Major League (1989)

The ‘80s-palooza is in full swing! In Vacation (Crowd: 9.5/10 // Critic: 8/10), Chevy Chase just wants to spend time with his family on a vacation to Wally World, but wouldn’t you know it, Murphy’s Law kicks into gear as soon as the Griswold family shifts from out of Park. The brilliance of the movie is that every one of these terrible things is plausible, but the Griswolds create the biggest problems themselves. In Major League (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 6.5/10), Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, and Wesley Snipes are Cleveland’s last hope for a winning baseball team. Like the Griswolds, mishaps and hijinks ensue in their attempt to prevent their greedy owner from moving the Indians to Miami, but the real win is this movie totally gets baseball fans. Like most ‘80s movies, not everything in this pair has aged well, but they brought some laughs when I needed them most.

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens (2020)

They’re born a minute apart in the same hospital, but they don’t meet until their 30th birthday on New Year’s Day. So, yes, it’s a little bit Serendipity, and it’s a little bit sappy, but those are both marks in this book’s favor. This Time Next Year is a time-hopping rom-com with lots of almost-meet-cutes that will have you laughing, believing in romantic twists of fate, and finding hope for the new year.

Double Feature – ‘80s Angsty Teens: Teen Wolf (1985) + Uncle Buck (1989)

In the ‘80s, Hollywood finally understood the angsty teen, and this pair of comedies isn’t interested in the melodrama earlier movies like Rebel Without a Cause were depicting. (I’d recommend Rebel, but not if you want to look back on your teen years with any sense of humor.) In Teen Wolf (Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 5/10), Michael J. Fox discovers he’s a werewolf.one that looks more like the kid in Jumanji than any other portrayal of a werewolf you’ve seen. It’s a plot so ‘80s and so bizarre you won’t believe this movie was greenlit.

In Uncle Buck (Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 7.5/10), John Candy is attempting to connect with the nieces and nephew he hasn’t seen in years, including one moody high schooler. (Plus, baby Gaby Hoffman and pre-Home Alone Macauley Culkin!) This is my second pick from one of my all-time fave filmmakers, John Hughes (along with National Lampoon’s Vacation, above), and it’s one more entry that balances heart and humor in a way only he could do. You can see where I rank this movie in Hughes’s pantheon on Letterboxd.

Lord of the Rings memes

This month on SO IT’S A SHOW?, Kyla and I revisited The Lord of the Rings, a trilogy we love almost as much as we love Gilmore Girls. You can listen to our episode about the series on your fave podcast app, and you can laugh through hundreds of memes like I did for “research” on Twitter.

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson (2019)

Most adults are afraid of children’s temper tantrums, but can you imagine how terrified you’d be if they caught on fire in their fits of rage? That’s the premise of this novel, which begins when an aimless twentysomething becomes the nanny of a Tennessee politician’s twins who burst into flames when they get emotional. The book is filled with laugh-out-loud moments but never leaves behind the human emotion you need to make a magical realistic story.

An Officer and a Gentlemen (1982)

Speaking of aimless twentysomethings and emotion, feel free to laugh, cry, and swoon through this melodrama in the ‘80s canon. Richard Gere meanders his way into the Navy when he has nowhere else to go, and he tries to survive basic training, work through his family issues, and figure out his future as he also falls in love with Debra Winger. So, yeah, it’s a schamltzier version of Top Gun, but it’s schmaltz at its finest. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7.5/10

November Critic Picks

Double Feature – ‘40s Amensia Romances: Random Harvest (1942) + The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)

Speaking of schmaltz at its finest, let me share a few more titles fitting that description. In Random Harvest (Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 8.5/10), Greer Garson falls in love with a veteran who can’t remember his life before he left for war. In The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 8.5/10), Gene Tierney discovers a ghost played by a crotchety Rex Harrison in her new home. Mild spoiler: Both feature amnesiac plot developments, and while amnesia has become a cliché in the long history of romance films, Harvest is moving enough and Mr. Muir is charming enough that you won’t roll your eyes. You can see these and more romances complicated by forced forgetfulness in this Letterboxd round up.

The African Queen (1951)

It’s Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn directed by John Huston—I mean, I don’t feel like I need to explain why this is a winner. Bogart (in his Oscar-winning role) and Hepburn star in a two-hander script, dominating the screen time except for a select few scenes with supporting cast. The pair fight for survival while cruising on a small boat called The African Queen during World War I (in Africa, natch), and the two make this small story feel grand and epic. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 9/10

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)

A young man’s (Dennis Price) mother is disowned from their wealthy family because she marries for love. After her death, he seeks vengeance by killing all of the family members ahead of him in line to be the Duke D'Ascoyne. The twist? All of his victims are played by Sir Alec Guinness! Almost every character in this black comedy is a terrible person, so you won’t be too sorry to see them go—you can just enjoy the creative “accidents” he stages and stay in suspense on whether our “hero” gets his comeuppance. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife (1937)

What would you do if you found out you were to be someone’s eighth wife? Well, it’s probably not what Claudette Colbert does in this screwball comedy that reminds me a bit of Love Crazy. This isn’t the first time I’ve recommended Colbert, Gary Cooper, or Ernst Lubitsch films, so it’s no surprise these stars and this director can make magic together in this hilarious battle of the wills. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

The Red Shoes (1948)

I love stories about the competition between your life and your art, and The Red Shoes makes that competition literal. Moira Shearer plays a ballerina who feels life is meaningless without dancing—then she falls in love. That’s an oversimplification of a rich character study and some of the most beautiful ballet on film, but I can’t do it justice in a short paragraph. Just watch (perhaps while you’re putting up your hot pink tinsel tree?) and soak in all the goodness. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 10/10

The Third Man (1949)

Everybody loves to talk about Citizen Kane, and with the release of Mank on Netflix, it’s newsworthy again. But don’t miss this other ‘40s team up of Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles. Cotten is a writer digging for the truth of his friend’s (Welles) death in a mysterious car accident. Eyewitness accounts differ on what happened, and who was the third man at the scene only one witness remembers? 71 years later, this movie is still tense, and this actor pairing is still electric. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 9/10

The Untouchables (1987)

At the end of October, we lost Sean Connery. I looked back on his career first by writing a remembrance for ZekeFilm and then by watching The Untouchables. (In a perfect world I would’ve reversed that order, but c’est la vie.) In my last selection from the ‘80s, Connery and Kevin Costner attempt to convict Robert De Niro’s Al Capone of anything that will stick and end his reign of crime in Chicago. Directed by Brian De Palma and set to an Ennio Morricone soundtrack, this film is both an exciting action flick and an artistic achievement that we literally discussed in one of my college film classes. Connery won his Oscar, and K. Cos is giving one of the best of his career, too. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 9.5/10

Remember the Night (1940)

Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck in my favorite team up yet! Double Indemnity may be the bona fide classic in the canon, but this Christmas story—with MacMurray as a district attorney prosecuting shoplifter Stanwyck— is a charmer. I’ve added it to my list of must-watch Christmas movies—watch for some holiday cheer and rom-com feels. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

Photo credits: chr paperie. Books my own. All others IMDb.com.

[kandoesfanfics-writes]

Hello I love your work Can I requested 16, jasonette, with a happy ending please? Have a nice day

Prompt 16: “I’m sorry, but…I don’t remember you.” Jasonette. 

This took forever and a day, and I do apologize. HOWEVER, I had to figure out how to make this happy at the end. Hope I did a good job with it.

—————————————————————————————————-

He felt like someone had twisted a knife into his chest as he looked down at her. He was holding her wrists, confused and frightened himself. He wasn’t sure who she was or what she wanted. The only thing he knew was she looked devastated, and was sobbing her pretty eyes out... and it made him want to cry, too, for some reason.

She was so tiny compared to his hulking frame of six feet, two inches. She didn’t even come up to his shoulder, stopping more at his sternum. She had black hair that fell loosely around her heart-shaped face, a cute button nose and a pair of soft-looking lips finished it off. 

Jason knew he wouldn’t sleep well for a while. Her eyes would haunt him. 

Those soft grey-blue eyes were full of anger, sorrow, and betrayal. Tears spilled down her cheeks. Those eyes were begging him to do something, but what? He didn’t know what he could do. He didn’t know how to make her feel better. He didn’t even know her.

But apparently she knew him.

“Jason… Jason, please! It’s me, Jase! It’s Marinette! Why are you looking at me like that?” Her begging voice was absolutely broken, garbled with sobs.

“I’m sorry… but I don’t remember you,” he told her softly. “I’m really sorry.”

He repeated over and over that he didn’t remember who she was, but all it did was make her look more desperate — and the more Jason’s heart shattered in his chest. 

He wasn’t sure why he was so affected by her tears. He wasn’t sure why he wanted to care about her. Jason hadn’t cared about anyone in years, save for maybe Dick.

“But Jason… Jase… Why did you stop answering me? Why are you pretending like you don’t know me? You were my best friend… I loved you. I loved you, Jason. Hell, I thought I still loved you! I was so excited to see you because I knew you, I love you!”

Jason winced, the ache in his chest growing.

“I’m sorry.  I’m really sorry…”

Eventually, the sobbing woman was pulled away by a black-haired woman with the most vicious looking eyes he’d ever seen. Her lips were pulled into a snarl as she addressed him, clearly not afraid of him despite being about a foot smaller than him. 

She gently wrapped her arms around Marinette and guided her away from him, which filled Jason with relief as well as extreme apprehension.

The dark-haired man was relieved — he no longer had to stop this foreign woman from hugging him, nor did he have to deal with her tears. But Jason was also apprehensive. This Marinette woman knew too much about him to be a stranger to him.

She knew he loved classic literature. She knew his favorite subject in school was English. She knew he wrote poetry. She knew he loved Alfred like his own grandfather, that Alfred had taught him to cook. She knew his favorite type of baked goods were conchas because they were sweet and slightly crispy. She knew that Dick had bought him the Lord of the Rings novels for his birthday (and Jason had cried over it). She also knew that he had a collection of works written by Edgar Allen Poe… and claimed to be the one to have given it to him for his twelfth birthday.

Jason could feel himself trembling a little bit as fear clawed at his chest. No one could have known that unless they talked to either Jason himself or Dick. Dick wasn’t there. Dick was in Bludhaven. Dick couldn’t have talked to her. 

He doubted that Bruce or Alfred would have told anyone private information like that either. 

He needed to go home. He needed to find that collection, needed to know the truth. 

Jason rushed past Bruce and the tide of people around him. He let his feet carry him towards the exit, forgotten voices ringing in his ears. He burst through the door, sprinting out into the busy street. 

He took a few gulps of air as he adjusted to the sunlight, his lungs burning as frigid air entered. Because he was looking frantically for a cab or anything else that could take him home, he could barely hear his name being shouted until a hand grabbed his wrist. 

Jason spun around, ready to fight. His other fist flew towards the person who grabbed him, but the person was faster than him. They had released his wrist and dodged his swing. 

"Jason, what the actual fuck is wrong with you?!" an annoyed voice snapped. "Bruce is going to call Dick at this rate!"

Jason blinked a few times before he was able to refocus. He noted the speaker had chin-length black hair and cobalt blue eyes. He recognized the face as his replacement, one Timothy Drake.

"Jason! What's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Jason shook his head violently, feeling his throat closing up. How could she have known all of that? How did she know him? Why didn't he remember her? Why couldn't he figure this out?

A horrible laughter rang in his ears.

Why can't you remember, Boy Blunder?

Why can't you remember, little bird?

Did Uncle J hit you too hard?

I know you're tougher than that!

C'mon, you're the Bat's junior detective! Can't you figure out anything?

Then again, you didn't realize your mummy dearest was working for Uncle J—

Then everything went black.

—————

When he woke up, a pair of concerned green eyes was gazing down at him.

Green eyes? No one in his family aside from him had green eyes. He blinked a few times before noting the person also had bright red hair. Confusion littered his thoughts as he struggled to remember where he was and what had happened. He tried to sit up, but two quick hands stopped him, gently pushing back down on his chest. 

“Easy there, Jay. You fainted on the sidewalk. Timmy and Diana brought you home, and I brought Dickie back home. We were really worried about you.” This voice was familiar. 

Ah, that would explain it.

Wally must have been visiting Dick in Bludhaven. Once Dick heard that something had happened to him, he must have asked the speedster to bring him back to Gotham. Wally, being Dick’s best friend, would have brought him without question. The only remaining question to be answered at the moment would be Dick’s whereabouts, and why Wally was the one sitting with him.

A few bangs and a crash later, his elder brother came barreling into the room. Dick was a mess, only in his pajamas and his hair an absolute mess. He looked stressed, dark bags under his eyes making him look like a raccoon. His familiar sky-blue eyes found Jason, and once he realized he was awake, Dick raced over to him.

“Little wing!” Dick breathed, hugging his little brother tight. “Are you okay? How are you feeling?”

Jason looked around in confusion as he spotted Tim and Diana walking into the room. Tim’s face was paler than normal and his eyes were narrowed, as if he were trying to solve the most difficult puzzle he’d ever encountered. Diana looked relieved to see him awake, giving him a gentle smile. They both waited for Dick to be done fussing over Jason to speak.

“I’m glad to see you’re alright, Jason,” Diana said softly. “You gave Tim quite a scare when you fell on him.”

“Who was that woman, Jason?” Tim asked. “The one who tried to hug you. The one who was crying.”

Jason’s blood turned cold as he remembered just what he’d been thinking about before he spiralled.

“Dick, I need you to get something out of my old room,” he whispered. “I need you to get a book. The collection of Edgar Allen Poe’s works.”

“Little wing, are you sure? Don’t you want to rest—”

“Dick, the book. It’s important.”

Dick gave him a confused look but went to fetch the book. Once Dick had left the room, Jason turned his attention towards Tim.

“You’re tech-savvy, aren’t you, Tim? Do you think you could find records or traces of an old email account of mine? One I had before the Joker canned me?” Jason asked, trying to control his racing heart.

“...Depending on the server and whether or not they’ve wiped it, maybe,” Tim replied hesitantly, chewing on his lip. “I could try.”

“Please?”

Tim grabbed his laptop. For the next ten minutes, the only things audible were the tapping of keys on the keyboard and the blood roaring in his ears. Jason remained silent as he waited for Dick to return with his book. 

He needed to see it, needed to see the inside cover. The inside cover would, at the very least, give him a starting point to go off of. He didn’t need to panic just yet.

Dick came back a few moments later with the well-loved and worn book. He went to hand it to Jason, but paused as he noticed his brother’s hands were now shaking violently.

“Little wing...what’s wrong?”

“Dick, open the cover.”

“Jason—”

“Just open the fucking cover, Dick! Read to me what’s on the inside!”

Dick slowly opened the cover, not understanding what the hell was going on. Why would there be something on the inside cover? Did Jason write a note there? Was there something hidden or taped there? Did it have anything to do with what had happened to Jason earlier?

His eyes locked onto the message, written in red ink, and his eyebrows furrowed.

“Dear Jason, I hope this present gets to you on time. I don’t know how long it takes mail to get to Gotham from Paris, so I apologize if it’s late. I also hope this is the correct copy! I wanted to send you macrons, but Maman said that would be very hard and there’s lots of rules. You’ll have to come back to Paris again if you want more of our macrons. I miss you a lot. I hope I’ll get to see you again soon!

Happy twelfth birthday!

Love, Marinette.”

Jason covered his face with both hands and moaned.

“God, I did know her…”

Tim and Dick exchanged a look with each other before asking Jason about what had happened. Jason launched into his explanation of how the young woman had called his name and ran up to him. She’d tried to hug him, but Jason had grabbed her and not allowed her to touch him. She said her name was Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and according to her, they had met when Bruce took him to Paris for a business trip.

“She knew personal details about me,” Jason choked. “I knew she couldn’t be a stranger because she knew stuff that only Dick would know about me. She told me she gave me that book for my birthday. She told me she wrote a note in it...and it’s there. It’s really there. I knew her… I knew her before the Joker killed me.”

“...That’s why she was crying,” Tim said quietly, putting the pieces together. “You didn’t remember her.”

Jason nodded, feeling his body go numb.

“I tried remembering. I tried, but I remembered him instead.” 

Dick gave Jason’s shoulder a comforting squeeze as he continued.

“I must have spiralled from there. Did you find my email, Tim?”

Tim nodded before replying, “You emailed back and forth for a few years. You have over forty emails from… from after you died.”

Jason gestured for the computer, and Tim handed it to him. He sat up more before looking at everyone in the room.

“Can I be left alone? I want to read these.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Dick asked, his eyebrows furrowing together. “What if another email sets you off again?”

“Then just one of you stay with me. I want to try to remember her. I need to.”

Tim saw the look on Dick’s face and quickly grabbed Wally’s arm. He gestured to Diana, and the three left Dick and Jason alone in the living room. Tim knew that Dick was going to try and dig into this, and he wanted to be nowhere near them when Jason exploded. He suggested that they all go get some cookies from Alfred, and that Diana should distract Bruce when he came home.

“Why is it so important that you remember her?” Dick asked quietly. “This could dig up things—”

“I have to, Dick.”

“Jason, you don’t have to do anything.”

“Yes, I do!”

“No, you don’t!”

“YOU WEREN’T THERE, DICK!”

The older man took a step back, slightly shocked about Jason’s outburst. He knew the young man had had an emotional night, but he wasn’t expecting this at all.

“You weren’t there,” Jason hissed. “You didn’t see her. She looked so betrayed, scared… sad. She looked like I’d ripped her heart out of her goddamn chest, Dick. Her friend glared at me when she led her away. She was sobbing, and it wasn’t fake. You can’t fake that shit.”

Tears stung his eyes as he barely managed to choke out his next words. “She said she loves me, Dick. She loves me, and I don’t remember who she is. I need to find out who she was to me. I feel like she was important. Really important.”

Dick fell silent. Jason watched his big brother rub his eyes and sigh in exhaustion, before sitting down beside him. He wrapped an arm around Jason’s shoulder in his brotherly way before telling him that he was here for him, no matter what the emails said.

Jason nodded grimly before going back to the beginning.

——————

It didn’t work.

He still couldn’t recall who Marinette Dupain-Cheng was.

Reading their emails felt like reading through someone else’s letters, not his. 

He couldn’t recall inside jokes that they had shared. 

He couldn’t recall the events that they had shared together. 

He couldn’t recall the emotions attached to the emails. 

She felt like someone completely separate from him, as if the Jason Todd who existed before the Joker’s crowbar was someone completely separate from the Jason after. 

But he knew more about her.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was kind.

She was supportive.

She was creative.

She was intelligent.

She was a problem solver.

She was the kind of person Jason Todd had always respected, the one who put others' needs before her own. She was the one who came to save the day. She was the one who would come up with a creative solution to a seemingly impossible problem. She was the one who would listen to your concerns genuinely and soothe your fears. She was the person who loved so fiercely no matter how many times her heart had been hurt.

The Jason Todd that was here and now could not remember who Marinette Dupain-Cheng was, but he wanted to change that.

And damn whoever came in his way. 

Tim had hunted down her phone number and gave it to him. The only thing left to do now was for Jason to call her. He hoped he could still make this right. 

From her emails, Marinette did seem like a good person, and Jason couldn’t help but feel terrible that he’d hurt her. He knew he couldn’t get his memories back, but he could make new ones. Hopefully, she’d give him the chance to do that.

He held his cellphone in a vice grip as it rang.

“Hello?”

“Hello...my name is Jason Todd. When I was fifteen years old, I was in a car accident that nearly killed me. I lost… I lost a good chunk of my memories of things that had happened before that. I found your note in my book… and I found our emails.”

Jason could hear the intake of breath on the other end of the phone. He could also hear muffled sounds, and he prayed that she wasn’t crying again.

“I’m really sorry, Marinette. I don’t remember you, and I can’t get those memories back. The only thing I can do is apologize and hope that you’ll let me make new memories with you,” he said, his voice strained. 

“I’m sorry I dropped off the face of the earth. I’m sorry that we had to meet this way. I’m sorry that I still don’t remember you even after reading all of our emails… but I want to change that.”

“How? How can you change that?” Her broken voice replied.

“By seeing you again. This… this isn’t going to be easy,” he warned her. “This is going to be hard. But you are a good person. You answered my emails with such kindness and compassion. You always took care to think about my needs and feelings — you’re the kind of person I’d want as a friend. I want to restart, if you’re willing.”

A broken sob echoed on the other end before a watery voice replied, “Hi...my name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I’m twenty years old. I work for Style Queen in New York City as an apprentice designer.”

A smile broke out on Jason’s face as he said, “Hi, Marinette. My name is Jason Todd. I’m twenty-one years old. I work freelance security in Gotham City. It’s very nice to meet you.”

[inctlife]

Ur most NCT dream post was so cute 🥺 would you consider doing one for 127?

ahh yes!!!! i loved doing that🥺🥺

taeyong

so you and taeyong were dating for a WHILE and you’d been with him all through his training period and all through nct 127 so you’d been by his side for a while

and then !!! taeyong went on tour as he normally did and some crazed fan managed to grab his face at the airport and kiss him,, however,, while trying to get her off, he grabbed her face and angles made it look as though he was secretly kissing this girl and the rest of nct 127 were trying to cover it up

so taeyong spent the whole of the flight home crying bc he gets really insecure and he’s sure that you’ll leave him at any opportunity and then when the flight lands he goes to get off and is all miserable and pouty and you just run up to him and jump on him and kiss him so much and he’s like

“i’m sorry, y/n, there was nothing, i’m sorry”

and your like “stfu ik bitch did you see that kiss?? dry as shit, this is a kiss”

then the next day the headlines were all about you two and not the other girl and taeyong just felt so much love because he slowly began to realise you did that to distract from the kiss before the flight ㅠㅠ he loves you sm

taeil

so taeil had a hard day of vocal exercises bc he’s been instructed to do this part for the upcoming song but it’s higher than he’s ever sung before so it’s very strenuous on his voice :(

and at sm they made him do vocal warm ups while doing stomach cruches so he’s in dOUBLE PAIN and he kinda believes that he’s getting a cold so overall, just not a nice day

and then he returns home and you’re just singing in the living room, jumping around, you guys’ dog on the sofa, watching you with his wagging tail and taeil nearly bursts into tears bc he’s just so relieved at the happiness and homeliness pouring out from you and he just wants to come home to this every single day of his life :,)

johnny

so johnny was chilling with his morning coffee, sat in the garden looking at the sky and the birds and it was just chill and then he heard a slight singing voice and he was like ‘hello??? wtf was that??’ and upon creeping upstairs he realised it was you singing an early morning song to your twins🥺

and johnny honestly felt tears leave his eyes, he just felt so blessed in that moment to be able to have a family like this and he just knew he wanted to give you his last name because ohmygod he’s never been this in love before !!

yuta

okay so yuta was obviously sososososO happy with everything going on in korea,, but he couldn’t help but feel homesick because he hadn’t been to japan in so long,, but he didn’t want to let anyone know that so he just kept pushing on :(and you watched him get more and more unlike yuta until one day he came home and looked himself in you guys’ room and you could just hear him sobbing down the phone to either his friends or his family back in japan and it broke your heart :(

so!! you contacted him mum that night and asked her to send over a few recipes that she used to cook for yuta and you went off the the j-mart to get everything you needed before coming back home and cooking!!!! for like literally a whole day,, it was very tiresome

but then!! yuta came home from practise and you were like ‘wait!! go and get in your pyjamas!! i’ve got a surprise’ and yuta was like ‘?? but it’s not my birthday??’ but he went anyway cause like,, you were asking him to get into pyjamas? why wouldnt he?

and so he comes back down and comes into the living room where all the dishes are on the coffee table and just starts crying because that’s all the food that remind him from home and his mum and there’s his favourite anime on the tv and he just looked at you and realises what you did and just feels so much love coming from you but the only word he can say is ‘why?’

and ur just like ‘cause you deserve it’ and yuta almost combusts i stg

doyoung

after doyoung saw gongmyung and his fake wife (idk her name,, sorry!!!! lol) on wgm he couldn’t help but lowkey want something like that..but in real life obv lol

but after he met you he didn’t even think about his wishes and the kind of relationship he wanted because he was just so in love with you that everyday was like a whirlwind !!

and then one day he was speaking to gongmyung and his brother was just smiling knowingly and was just like ‘you really like y/n huh’ and doyoung was like ‘i’m talking about food?? wtf does that have to do with anything’ but it’s because you can see it!!!! doyoung’s so fucking in love with you his entire face lights up!!! and gongmyung’s like ‘tell me about her, consciously, think about her and then tell me’

and doyoung’s like ‘??’ but does it anyway bc it’s an opportunity to think about you lol but as soon as he starts he’s just lost for words and he’s just like ‘she’s the love of my life???’ and gongmyung’s like ‘omg doyoung just marry this woman already’ and doyoung’s like ‘that aint a bad idea though’

they go ring shopping the next week

jungwoo

so with jungwoo it was all kinda rushed,, like you’d only be dating for about 10 months-year?? but due to circumstances you’d been living together since before you were a couple,, so you were already very close basically best friends to lovers tbh

and one day he can hear you on the phone to your friend it’s on speaker and your friend is gushing about her new baby and you’re just being like ‘oh congratulations!!’ but jungwoo swears he hears a slight sadness in your voice :(

so when you get off this phonecall you immediately call someone else it’s your bestfriend,, the one of the same gender and you just say ‘is it weird to want a baby’ and your friend kinda laughs and is like ‘who gave you baby fever’ and you just sigh and are like ‘i can’t help but want so much more with jungwoo but i feel awkward talking about it’ and your friend’s like ‘stfu why’ but it’s because it’s all going so fast!!! just over a year ago you didn’t even think of him romantically and now you wanted to marry him and have his babies??!!??

but jungwoo was crying outside your door bc,, he wanted all that as well :,) so as soon as you hung up he walked in your room and cuddled you close and was like ‘i promise we’ll get married and have babies,, that’s what i want too!!’ and you just started crying bc oml your boyfriend is so precious

jaehyun

so you went to the wedding dress shop w/ taeyong’s fiancé so you could watch her try on dresses and also try on bridesmaids dresses🥺🥺 so pwetty

and basically her vision was all of her bridesmaids having also white dresses but with a different colour sash round the middle so you got to try on a load of dresses that were actually wedding dresses but they were more lowkey and after signing this thing you were allowed to take photos so she could look at them afterwards and decide which one was best

so you came home and jaehyun was there and you were like ‘oh jae !! look at me in these dresses’ and jaehyun was like ‘kk’ and came over and looked over at your phone and it just took him a moment bc omg,, you look so beautiful in a wedding dress

and ur like ‘what?? that’s good right???’ and jaehyun’s like ‘yeah.. yes,, that’s......... that’s fucking amazing omg’ and he cant stop smiling and there right then is when he decides that he has to marry you!!

mark

so mark took you to canada to stay with his family over christmas and you’d met his family like a handful of times before?? but you’d never stayed with them for this long but as soon as mark asked you were 100% up for it

and so at this point you’d been there for a couple of days and mark’s brother is talking to him about you as mark dried his hair and literally all he’s saying is how amazing you are and mark’s kinda blushing, kinda smiling,, he’s just so happy!!! and then, when thinking over his brother’s words, he went downstairs and found you in the kitchen with his mum, dancing around as you cooked dinner for everyone and mark could’ve cried tbh

he saw his dad walk over to his mum and pull her into a kiss and mark tried to move but like, literally could not,, but luckily !! you saw him lol and was like ‘come here’ and mark was laughing and walked over, kissing you as he mumbled a quick ‘i love you’ and jesus christ he really did

[i-dream-of-twilight-sparkle]

Chapter 7 - Good Mourning, Fluttershy

When Fluttershy left the castle, she decided she’d take her time for a bit before heading out to invite who she wants to. Besides, she had animals to feed both at the sanctuary near her cottage and in her home first. She shopped at the markets in Ponyville for vegetables and other kinds of pet food. Even visiting a fish store that while Ponies did not eat fish, they’re still sold as food for many ponies who have pets with carnivore diets. While fish are animals too, and Fluttershy enjoys seeing fishes when she’s swimming. She understands that she can’t force the carnivores to become herbivores. Depriving dogs, cats, bears, etc. of the diet they’re naturally attuned to would be wrong even if Fluttershy feels bad for the poor fish.

To be a nature lover like Fluttershy. you sometimes just have to understand that nature isn’t always kind. Even as the element of kindness, she can’t bend nature to her will. Though perhaps to the comfort of Fluttershy, for many of the fish that are sold as pet food, the very nature of those species is to be so plentiful as to allow the ones that avoid being caught or eaten survive to eventually give birth to more.

After finishing up her shopping, she flies over to the sanctuary and gives all animals she come across food to eat, to all kinds currently in her sanctuary. From amphibians, to birds, to insects, to mammals, and reptiles. The sanctuary gives Fluttershy a way to observe the animals she loves as they should be out in the wild rather then being confined to her home or for some of them, risking having to trek the Everfree in order to see them. Though Fluttershy still lets many of the smaller animals take shelter in her home, as many parts of her cottage include birdhouses, mouse holes, etc. She moved most animals she had to the sanctuary, but she still very much has her own little animal neighborhood to come home to whenever she walked in. Speaking of which, it was time to head in to her cottage to feed said little neighborhood.

She heads to the front door of her cottage, and opens the door to greet her many, many, small roommates.

Fluttershy: Goooooood morning! I have fresh treats for all of you.

Many animals comes out of their hiding places and approach Fluttershy to receive food and/or care from the loving pegasus that has let them seek shelter in her home. Suddenly she gets a few pokes on her flank from what definitely is an impatient bunny rabbit.

Fluttershy: Oh don’t worry Angel, I didn’t forget about you. Here’s a nice bowl of carrots for you.

Fluttershy leaves the bowl of carrots, and the feisty little bunny starts munching. Fluttershy gives a generally pleased look as a good majority of her animals are fed. Though she does notice a rather odd absence of a certain group in her household.

Fluttershy: Say, I don’t suppose any of you have seen any sign of Mr. Mousey or anyone in his family have you?

The animals listening to her either shrug or shake their head from side-to-side. Mr. Mousey is one of the ol’ veteran animals that’s been in the house around for years and barely ever missed feeding time even when he’s confined to a tiny wheelchair. Either his wife or his child who has grown up now helping him when it was time. Fluttershy walks on over to the mouse hole she knows Mr. Mousey and his family lives.

Fluttershy: Mr. Mousey? Are you doing alright? You’re starting to worr- *peeks into the hole* GAAAAASSSSSSSSP

Fluttershy screams, in the hole is… Mr. Mousey slumped in his chair having passed away in his old age, his light-grey wife Mrs. Mousey covering her eyes with her tiny claws and crying. Their grown-up white son holding on to his old mother in comfort and mutual grief for the death of his father.

Fluttershy: MISTER MOUSSSEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Fluttershy averts her eyes from the hole . Lays down on the ground and just starts tearing up heavily. Once again, a beloved animal resident has died in her home. Fluttershy’s been through this many times as an animal caretaker. But it never really gets any easier to see, she can never be numb to the death of an animal she raised in the house.

The other animals seeing the grieving Fluttershy immediately come to her to comfort her as best they can.

Fluttershy: t-t-Thank y-you a-a-all… *sniff* It’s j-just s-still s-so -s-sad… Mr. Mousey’s life was just a little bit longer then the friendship with my other friends here for the exception of Rainbow Dash! *sniff* I-i-i remember when h-he… w-was just a k-kid m-m-mouse that was looking for f-food… I-i-i gave him a piece of cheese… a-and t-then he started c-coming back for m-more. In time s-showing up one time with a m-mate. A-and t-that’s when I d-decided to g-give them a m-mouse hole h-home… had their c-child h-ere and e-e-e-everything *sniff*

Fluttershy putting her face back on the ground and continues sobbing. Eventually she’s going to have to pick herself up. Put the body of Mr. Mousey in a nice box and bury him in an area near the edge of the everfree where Fluttershy buries all her deceased pets. She’s wobbly and still weak in the knees from the sheer sadness she feels. But she proceeds to start to do so. She finds a box, pulls out some cotton floof from her pillows, puts it in the box and leaves it just outside the hole. Signaling Mr. Mousey’s family to bring the wheelchair out of the hole for the last time to bring his body for Fluttershy to put in the box. Fluttershy carefully holds the body and lays him to rest in the cushioned box that now serves as a coffin for her beloved old mouse pet. She takes one last look at the body of Mr. Mousey, noticeably she actually sees that Mr. Mousey has a smile on his face. Sort of actually comforting Fluttershy, as she at least views that he lived quite abnormally long for a mouse, and he died happy. Fluttershy closes the box and ties a ribbon around it. Meanwhile, Mrs. Mousey and her son get up onto Fluttershy’s back using their claws to climb Fluttershy’s long tail to take part in the funeral.

It was now time to take the long walk to her pet cemetery again.

((Story continues after the break))

Moments later, Fluttershy reaches the cemetery of all her pets of the past, she reaches for a shovel she leaves there, and makes a small hole big enough to bury Mr. Mousey. She places the box down, and proceeds to bury the box. Once that’s done, Fluttershy, Mrs. Mousey, and Mr. Mousey’s son put their hooves/claws together in a praying position. Paying their last respects for the old mouse.

A few minutes later, suddenly Fluttershy feels what seems to be rain.

Fluttershy: Is it starting to rain? I didn’t think the weather patrol had rain scheduled today… but I guess perhaps even the planet is crying for Mr. Mousey...

But then Fluttershy see something a little odd about the rain, it was brown, and when she gave it a lick it tasted like… chocolate milk! Fluttershy looks above her is a big pink cotton candy cloud. Cotton candy clouds and chocolate rain could only be the work of…

Fluttershy: Discord, I know that’s you up there…

Sure enough a neck cranes down from the side of the cloud and goes down to Fluttershy’s level on the ground.

Discord: Hello dear, Fluttershy, How are things with you today?

Fluttershy: I’m not sure I’ll be in any mood for your antics today, Discord. Mr. Mousey h-has.. p-passed a-away… you happened to interrupt during my f-funeral for him...

Discord: Mr. Mousey kicked the bucket today? Shoot, he made one heck of a cup of tea.

Fluttershy: Wait, you’ve drank tea with Mr. Mousey?

Discord: Yes, I actually taught him how, and then he proceeded to make better tea then I ever could. Granted he can’t make a lot of tea given he was a mouse. Though it certainly feels like more then it is, when I’ve shrunken myself.

Fluttershy: I wish I knew that sooner, I would of liked to shrink myself with you to Mr. Mousey’s hole at least one time… *sniff*

Discord: Well I think thankfully his wife knows how to make tea as well, so there’s always that some other time.

Fluttershy: I suppose that’s true, but it also would of been neat to be at Mr. Mousey’s size as equals for once before he passed.

Fluttershy briefly goes back into a praying position. Discord ponders for a little bit before proposing something to Fluttershy.

Discord: You know Fluttershy, I COULD probably revive Mr. Mousey and the other pets in this cemetery if you wante-

Fluttershy: NO ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Discord: You didn’t even let me fin-

Fluttershy: Discord, I know how your chaos magic works by now. I’m not letting you turn all my beloved pets from my entire life as an animal caretaker become a zombie army that ravages through Ponyville!

Fluttershy wasn’t quite giving Discord “The Stare” but she nonetheless was not having any tolerance for Discord’s suggestion

Discord: What? It’d be an exciting episode of this sh-

A ringtone rings.

Discord: Hold on, I think that’s my agent

Fluttershy: ...Your what now?

Discord picks up the phone

Discord: Yes….? 

Wait, what do you mean the show ended after the 9th season?!  I didn’t even get to have a chance to make up for what I was written to do in the finale! Apparently some hated that...

Well what am I doing here then?! 

Oh? I’m in a blog or website fan fiction that continues where things left off? 

Bleh, this is just going to be full of namby-pamby dramatic twists & reveals, and chock full of the emotional drivel that fans like to call “feels”. 

I’ll stick around, but you better be taking calls for some better gigs right now!

Fluttershy just stands there confused

Discord: Ok Fluttershy, now I know what we’re in. What direction do you want to go in? Should we share a sob story each of what life we had with Mr. Mousey, perhaps an arc about his little son picking up the mantle? or perhaps... a plot twist that Mr. Mousey was actually murdered and we look for suspects!

Fluttershy: …I have no idea what you’re talking about

Discord: Really Fluttershy, it us all so simpl-

Fluttershy: DISCORD! Enough shenanigans, a dear pet to me just died and you’re making things worse when you’re like this as I’m grieving…

Discord: Oh… I guess you’re right, Fluttershy. I’m sorry, let me do something to try to make it up to you.

Discord makes a grave that’s ‘like 100x larger then the actual burial spot where Mr. Mousey’s body is. Fluttershy takes a close look and reads the epitaph “Here lies Mr. Mousey, a husband, a father, and the kindest, best tea-making, wheel-chair bound mouse who shall forever be eating his favorite cheeses to his heart content up in the sky”. She admits that it was at least a little touching.

Fluttershy: Thank you Discord, that’s much better.

Discord: You’re welcome, Fluttershy.

Fluttershy: I think I’m ready to get back home, wanna go with m- whaaaaaa!

Discord snapped his claw hand, and him, Fluttershy, along with what’s left of the mouse family are already teleported back in the living room.

Discord: Why walk, when you have me!

Fluttershy: Well maybe it could of been a nice stroll, you know? But oh well… I have something to ask you Discord.

Discord: Oh no, is this the moment of the fan fiction you confess your love to me and ask me on a date? And does the author of this want me to be happy about that or not?

Fluttershy: What? No, I was inviting you to a royal ball!

Discord: Where’ll we end up dancing in the ballroom together singing a song like a certain romantic fairy tale. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know the drill.

Fluttershy: *facehoofs* Ugh, you’re impossible sometimes. I’m offering an invite to you just as one of my friends to take to Saddle Arabia.

Discord: Saddle Arabia? Wasn’t that the place you and the others almost were killed by an insane stallion who mind controlled Twilight?! Perhaps, I should actually come just for your security…

Fluttershy: Well, Twilight and the royal family there are taking extra precautions. But if you feel you could provide more security for us you’re free to.

Discord: Perhaps, though say what was the name of the bad person you girls defeated there?

Fluttershy: Zathir

Discord: Yes, I could also come over there to haunt Zathir’s dreams for daring to try to harm a single feather on you.

Discord suddenly wearing a black hat, red and green striped hat, and gloves with sharp knives protruding from them

Discord: This… is Chaos

Fluttershy: Heh, it wasn’t so funny at the time given it was a life or death situation. But I was the one that ultimately brought him down because I knocked the lamp down as he was battling with Spike.

Discord: Ah yes, perfect! I can have him replay that moment of his life over-and-over again. Mua hahahaha!

Fluttershy: *giggles* Well, anyway just to be sure. You DO want to go, right?

Discord: Of course.

Fluttershy: Good, now I can go find a few more friends to get here. I can use my gum portals to…

Discord: Why bother? You got me, tell me who you plan to invite and I can just snap them here, and snap them back once they’ve said yes.

Fluttershy: That sounds kinda rude… but uh if say I came across Bulk Biceps in Ponyville…

*SNAP*

Bulk Biceps: YEEAAAAAA- Oof

Bulk Biceps lands on the floor of the cottage.

Fluttershy: Uh hi Bulk, sorry for that. But I guess I get to invite you Saddle Arabia for a royal ball. You want to go?

Bulk Biceps: YEEEEAAAAA-

*SNAP*

Bulk Biceps is teleported back to where he was

Fluttershy: Um, Discord if you’re going to teleport my invitees here at least allow me some time to talk to them.

Discord: I mean, to be fair it’s his gag that YEAAAAA is all he says. So I’m not sure the conversation was going to be much anyway…

Fluttershy: Anyway… next is my parents and my brother.

*SNAP*

Fluttershy’s parents and Zephyr Breeze are teleported to the cottage.

Posey Shy (Fluttershy’s Mother): Whoa!

Gentle Breeze (Fluttershy’s Father): Huh? What are we doing in Fluttershy’s cottage?

Zephyr Breeze: Sis, just what in the name of Celestia is happening?

Fluttershy: Sorry, all of you. I’m inviting friends and family to an event I’m going to, and I guess Discord wants to speed things up a bit by simply bringing who I want to bring here. Don’t worry, he’ll bring you right back to whatever you were doing before.

Posey Shy: Where are you going?

Fluttershy: There will be a royal ball in Saddle Arabia all my friends are bringing their families as well as some of their own friends they’ve met around the world. You don’t have to go if you don’t want to, just thought I’d offer.

Gentle Breeze: Well sure, I suppose. A nice trip to somewhere new could be nice.

Posey Shy: I’m interested

Zephyr Breeze: I’ll gladly go, another chance to make my move on a certain wonderbolt friend of yours… *wiggles his eyebrow*

Fluttershy rolls her eyes, she’s going to enjoy the moment Rainbow Dash bucks him in the face again.

Fluttershy: Ok thanks, all of you! I’ll see you later! Discord, you can take them back now.

*SNAP*

Fluttershy’s family disappears and are sent back to their home in Cloudsdale.

Fluttershy: Ok, now there’s only only one more invitee, Discord. I need you to get Tree Hugger here.

Discord: Heh, with her coming at least I get to say I was invited before her this time.

*SNAP*

Tree Hugger is brought to the cottage but it seems she was in deep meditation where she was, because she seems to have not noticed.

Fluttershy: Um, Tree Hugger?

Tree Hugger hears a familiar voice and breaks out of her meditation trance.

Tree Hugger: Whhoooooooaaaaaaa dude, did my meditation give me such enlightenment that I can travel the world now?

Fluttershy:  No it wasn’t your meditation, Tree Hugger. That was Discord that brought you here.

Tree Hugger: Oh hey, yeah I remember you. You… sent me to some weird sock puppet dimension…

Discord: No hard feelings?

Tree Hugger: Nah, I ain’t mad, dude. That’s not my style, though I at least hope all your bad vibes from your jealousy are gone.

Discord: Nah I’m good, besides. Fluttershy invited me first!

Tree Hugger: Ah, so you don’t have bad vibes of jealousy this time. But now you have some pouring from a big ego.

Discord deadpans and crosses his arms. Fluttershy giggles.

Fluttershy: Anyway, Tree Hugger would you like to come with me, Discord, and many of my other friends to Saddle Arabia for a Royal Ball?

Tree Hugger: Sure thing Flutterdude, I’ve heard Saddle Arabia has some nice meditation techniques that I can see firsthand.

Fluttershy: Great! I’ll see you there! Discord, go ahead and get her back home.

Tree Hugger ohms and goes back into meditation just before Discord sends her back

Fluttershy: Ok that takes care of every pony, I guess thank you, Discord. Even if this method was a little forceful…

Discord: Hey, if it moves the story about. So what do we do now.

Fluttershy: We just wait for the others to finish.

Discord: Wait, you’re saying that like we’re not even the main characters of this fiction?!

Fluttershy: Wat

Discord: Hold on, I need to call my agent back…

Fluttershy: …….

Confuzzling as always, Fluttershy and Discord now simply await word for when the ball starts

UP NEXT: Chapter 8: The Pink Pony Party Preperations

[ask-de-writer]

CAPTURED BY THE CLANS : Part 9 of 10 : Science Fiction

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CAPTURED BY THE CLANS

Part 9 of 10

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

18231 words

Copyright 2020 by Glen Ten-Eyck

All rights reserved.  This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.

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Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights.  They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact.  They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

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New to the story?  Read from the beginning.  Part 1 is HERE.

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Lezon turned her attention from T’cass alone to include the others.  She told them all, “I was given the task of finding possible ships for your consideration. This morning, I used your comm unit to conduct a rough search.  I stored the results in the file, SHIPS.  The results are tiered by price in Clan Credit.  I am not sure of your resources or I could have done better.”

K’ress and M’rel both thanked Lezon for her work.  They had already learned that T’cass expected Lezon to be treated like a member of the clan, not a slave.  They were truly amused that Lezon had already found the kitchen and set out serving cages with snacks to start their day.

They spent the morning looking over Lezon’s research list.  Even with the end of a war, it was depressingly small.  Less than a hundred appeared to be usable choices.  One was a true antique.

Lezon pointed to the antique. “It is cheap and the information claims that it is flyable.  Even with the cost of a refit, it will come to less than any of the others.  Also, I can get you a discount on the refit.”

Now all three of the others gazed at Lezon as if her fur were falling out in patches.  T’cass pointed out, “No shipyard on the planet will even touch anything over a hundred years old.  Do you have any idea just how old that thing is?”

Lezon nodded, “If I remember my class information from the war correctly, that ship was made about one hundred and seventy-five to one hundred and fifty-six years ago.  If it really is flyable, that’s why we want it.”

M’rel looked at K’ress and remarked, “Perhaps you were right about that psychiatric evaluation.”

T’cass asked, “How can you get a refit if no yard on the planet will do it?”

Lezon pointed out with a smile, “I know the Feront.  It has two ring fusion city ships here for Treaty Commission scrap work.  It has already agreed to do a scrap based refit of this ship, the D’ancer.  We pay for parts at scrap price and it will give me the labor.”

Skeptically, M’rel asked, “Why would it forgo the profit?  Friendship?”

“Partly,” Lezon grinned, “and partly sense of humor.”

All three gazed at Lezon as if they were trying to see inside her skull and figure out what was there.  It was an interesting effort.  T’cass spoke up first, saying, “I know the Feront too, and I never realized that it had a sense of humor.”

Lezon grinned hugely.  “It most definitely does.  Remember when it presented itself to be made a member of the Treaty Commission?  All those gaudy uniforms and titles?  They mean nothing to the Feront. One of its organic units is the same as any other to it.  It was laughing at our rank system, which it still thinks is hilarious.

“That sense of humor worked to our advantage this morning.  While I was on the comm to the Feront, a bureaucrat from the Planetary Resources Committee interrupted our call with a priority override.  The Feront took her call and we switched to one of the twelve empty channels. The Resources Committee changed their call frequency to kick me off again.  She told the Feront that no slave had anything to say that should distract its attention from the needs of the Planetary Government.

“When we could talk again, the Feront told me that the ‘needs of the Planetary Government’ were now firmly placed on its priority list.  Just below mine.”

T’cass suddenly grinned wide herself and exclaimed, “Well managed Conflict!  That is beautiful! Now, explain to me why we want a ship that dates to the earliest days of Inertial Drives.  The spec sheet says that it can generate less than one standard G of acceleration.  That is why that old hulk needs a reaction drive with a huge tank of liquid mass just to get off the ground.  The interstellar fusion ramjet igniter is disassembled and less than half the ship’s volume is habitable.  The power capsule can barely hold enough energy to get us to a close star, let alone the long range trading that we are planning.”

Lezon heard T’cass out, nodding agreement at every point.  When T’cass ran down, she added, “Actually it can’t get out of the system, yet.  It only has liftoff and in-system flight certificates.  What makes it valuable is that it was built to lift off routinely at six G’s of uncompensated acceleration.  It has a nine G red line which includes lateral maneuvers in an atmosphere as well.  Only a System Siege Cruiser or a Battleship can take as much.

“Besides, because it’s such an antique, it’s dirt cheap.  You should get out of the refit to Clan Family Class B Freight with a total cost of Clan Cr 250,000.”

Three heads turned to each other, eyes narrow in calculation.  K’ress started to ask, “Where is all that cargo space coming from?”  She suddenly got it and answered her own question, “The reaction mass tank, of course!  It’s huge!”

The others began to nod in understanding.  “We could at least go and look at it,” they agreed.

On the scrap field, they stood and looked up.  The D’ancer still stood solidly on her landing jacks.  The personnel port near her tail was gaping open.  Lezon left the group and began to critically examine the seals on the port. K’ress joined her followed by T’cass.

The salesperson began to show nervousness and smiled ingratiatingly saying, “Really, now that you’ve looked at this thing, I have several good ships that have current certificates.  They will pay themselves off in only a few years!”

Dryly, M’rel responded, “We saw.  Clan Family Class J Freight.  Way overpriced in this market, too.”  She then called over to them, “What do you think, Guys? Will it make a good amusement park ride?”

The salesperson nearly choked. “You mean to actually fly this thing?  With customers?”

M’rel looked brightly at her and said innocently, “Why your advertisement, dated only two months back, says that it comes with liftoff and In-System Flight Certificates.  With only a little refurbishing of the interior it should make an exciting ride for the kits!  Lots of noise, clouds of steam and an uncompensated three G blastoff to two hundred thousand feet!  I can’t imagine a more exciting ride!  Can you?”  She batted her eyelashes at the salesperson, who was suddenly looking sick.

K’ress poked her head out the port and gestured to the salesperson, “Come in here, please!” she demanded.  Inside, they all climbed the ladder over a hundred feet up to the engine control bay.

The power capsule lay heavy in its cradle.  The big superconducting cables were laying like snakes across the floor, out of their clips and racks.  The case of the Inertial Drive Control Computer was open and cables with empty connectors hung out.  Several boards were clearly missing.  Lezon was busily sorting the boards and components of the ramjet fusion ignitor.

“Madams,” she said deferentially to T’cass and the others, “the advertisement claims that the fusion igniter is complete but disassembled.  This is not true.  The entire ignition injector and initiator are missing.  There are at least three control boards missing as well.”  Without waiting, she swung agilely up the ladder to the control room.

T’cass, M’rel, and K’ress saw Lezon’s tiny ‘thumbs up’ signal as she reported, “Madams, this vessel was misrepresented.  They have claimed In-System and Liftoff certificates.  The entire navigational computer, the detection system and the life support control panel have been removed.”

K’ress turned to the salesperson and addressed her almost compassionately.  “Yanking that stuff proves that this bird was headed for scrap.  At scrap she’s not worth Cr 45,000.  We’ll do you a favor.  We’ll take her for Cr 60,000 but you have to earn that fifteen.

“We supervise all the work. Run us some tests.  Charge the power capsule to ninety gigawatts. Run chill and superconductivity testing on all the cables.  Replace the nav computers and detection system with anything that works well enough for orbital hopping.  Put in any Inertial Drive Controller and program it for a .75 G max push.  Run the Inertial Drive at .75 G for one hour.  Replace the lock seals and pressure test the hull.”

The salesperson saw profit fleeing out the exhaust and started to retort, “Cr 100,000!  That’s saving you ten grand!  Strictly an as is sale at that price.  You want certificates, they’re extra.  Cough up!”  Her eye caught T’cass inputting a connection on her comm.  She had selected for a vision and speaker connection.

Several reptilian heads appeared in the vision field.  Two homed on Lezon and one on T’cass.  The others were looking about at what they could see of the control room. They all spoke at once in the typically polyphonic voice of the Feront, “Friends!  T’cass, I have not seen you since your battle input at M’onafar!  Most clever.  I have made many notes in the Treaty Commission Archive about that battle.  

“I was informed by servant Lezon that you will be buying a ship soon.  Is this it?  Shall I send inspection for T.C. certificates?”

Pleased, T’cass responded, “It is good to see you again, friend Feront.  Yes, this is the vessel. It is advertised with certificates.  The advertisement was forwarded to you under a T.C. seal already.”  The saleswoman made a choking noise.

The scanning heads of the various units of the Feront scrutinized the cabin through the comm field and it responded, “This vessel is presently in violation of its advertised certification.  The fine will be Cr 250,000 if it is presented in this condition.  I hope that the missing equipment is merely out for repair or replacement.”

Desperately, the salesperson said, “Of course!  We are still negotiating on details.  There may be a down grade of certification, for a reduced price, of course!”

Several of the Feront had wandered out of the transmission field and others had wandered in but it spoke seamlessly, “This is reasonable.  How much time is needed for flight certificate issuance?”

Glaring at T’cass, the salesperson said, “About a month.  The vessel is an old one and we need to sure that equipment interfaces are safe.”

The polyphonic voice said, “I will see you in a month’s time, then, unless you call sooner, friends T’cass and servant Lezon.”  The field went snowy blank and faded.  

T’cass folded her comm smiling.  To the salesperson she said, “The way I see it, giving us this ship with the repairs I stated would save you about Cr 190,000.  Still, you have an investment to recoup and some profit to make.  Cr 65,000?”

The salesperson avoided T’cass’ hand as she stalked for the ladder muttering, “We have to go to the office for the paperwork.”

It is hard to sulk while climbing down over a hundred feet of ladder but the salesperson managed it. With ill grace she waited for them to board her flitter for the run to the office.  She tried to shut out Lezon but T’cass simply blocked the flitter door open with her body until Lezon was securely aboard.

In only three weeks the D’ancer was ready for her first liftoff in over sixty years.  The Feront sent four of itself down to conduct the Treaty Commission inspection.  It scattered throughout the ship, testing equipment in skilled claws. After a short time, one of it closed the ports.

“Pressure test,” observed K’ress calmly.  Turning to the salesperson, she said, “Your people did a first rate job.  Second hand parts but all serviceable. Clean mating of new gear and old, too.”

Resigned to the situation, the sales person replied, “Thanks.  It was a dirty trick, getting that thing volunteer to do the inspection right off the bat, that way.  It takes us from two weeks to three months to get the T.C. off their butts and over here.  How come it’s so prompt for you?”

K’ress jerked a thumb at T’cass and Lezon.  “Them.  They both know the Feront and call it just to make small talk.  I gather that they are among the few friends that it has.  It was no coincidence that the Feront sent two fusion ring city ships to this system.  It wanted to talk.  Godesses!  How they talk!  Hours at a time!”

The hatches opened and all four of the Feront hopped out and swarmed down the crew ladder.  Some of it facing M’rel and K’ress, some the salesperson, the Feront pronounced polyphonically, “The vessel, D’ancer, now has certificates installed for assisted reaction drive launch and high orbit work near to inhabited spheres.”

All four of its units turning as one, it descended on T’cass and Lezon like a pile of happy kits. “May I play with your entities again?  I have thought of a possible strategy that may put you to a disadvantage!”

The sales person unbelievingly saw the slave that she’d snubbed so meanly at first meeting, leap to the back of one of the Feront creatures.  She was calling, “T’cass, can we?  It will only delay launch by a few hours!” Wheedlingly she added, “It will help our goodwill with the Feront. That could pay us well.”

M’rel ran it down like an accountant.  “We have pad space paid here for two more days.  The house lease isn’t up for four more days.  A few hours?  Go play, you kits!  Just be here in six hours to lift this clunker into orbit for the rest of its refit.”

TO BE CONTINUED

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[neo-culture-mafia]

Older Members: Reaction to Daughter Defending Themselves

Hello my little beans,

This has been in drafts for a while and I think this is actually an awesome idea. I am going to only be doing realistically possible members...so no ‘99 - ‘00 line. Eventually...but not right now. So as you requested I will do Taeil - Jungwoo. I hope you like it and remember to request more if you would like. Also, thank you. I love that you love out blog so much.

Love, ~J

P.S. Since most of the members aren’t super old, I’m not going to make the child like 15 or 16, I’m going to be more realistic with this one and make some of the included members who happen to be younger, have younger kids...if that makes sense (some will have ‘special’ case tho [i.e. adoption, etc.]).

______________

LEE TAEYONG (Had daughter when he was 17 - Single Father - 7 years)

You were literally sitting there, playing angry birds. You had been waiting for your dad to come back from the car. He was in eyesight but he was on the phone with Uncle Yuta so he had to step away so you wouldn’t hear. He sat and watched you from the driver's seat, but he was still too far away for what was about to happen. 

“Hey, little girl.” a man said as he sat next to you. You looked back to see your dad freeze and just stare at you and the man. You turned back to the man with a smile, not wanting to be rude. “Hello, sir.” You said and returned to your game. “I have this really cute puppy in my car if you want to come see.” He said and you shook your head no. “Oh why not?” He asked as he pouted. “Because you’re a stranger...and you’re smelly.” you mumbled. Before you knew it, your phone was snatched from your hands. “Hey!” You yelled and the man took off. “Come and catch me, little girl!” He yelled and you hopped down from the bench. You began to run and try to get your phone back. “You as-” You began screaming, yet strong arms picked you up. “Hey little lady.” Your dad said holding you tightly. “I hope you weren’t going to say what I think you were going to say.” He said as he began walking to the car with you in his arms. “But...he took my phone!” You said pointing to the man. “Yeah, I know. I can get you a new one. There are unlimited phones, but only one of you.”

___________

MOON TAEIL (Acquired daughter when older sister passed after an accident - Single Father [”uncle”] - 13 years)

You both went to the arcade for the day because of the good report you got from school. You took the advantage at this chance to just forget the compound and focus on right now. Even though he was technically an uncle...he was your dad. Your real father had disappeared after your mom passed, so Taeil was all you had left. You were going to ask him today if you could call him dad, so today was a day that would stay in your memory; no matter the outcome.

“You are so gonna lose at air hockey!” He said pushing your shoulder as you both walked into the air-conditioned arcade. “Yeah, sure old man.” You sneered playfully. He held his chest with a fake hurt expression written on his face. “The last one to the air hockey section buys lunch!” You said starting to run through the semi-empty arcade. “I’m the only one who brought money!” He laughed and chased after you. You make it first and are waiting patiently with your hands on your hips. “Oh my gosh, you act just like your mother.” He said ruffling your hair and taking a place at the other end of the table. You smile to yourself and fix your hair. He inserts a token and you both play 2 rounds before you go to the racing games. “Hey, can I ask you something?” You said, getting ready for rejection. “Yeah...but can I go to the bathroom first?” He asked and you nodded. “Of course. I’ll just wait here.” You said and he nodded, running off. 

“...y/n...?” Someone questions. You turn around looking for the source. It was a man around Taeil’s age. “May I help you?” You asked, pausing the game. “I just have been looking for you for so long,” he said walking over and bringing you in for a hug. “it’s me...your dad? Don’t you remember me?” He asked as he held you in his arms and looked down at you. “D-dad?” You questioned. “I have waited so long to hear you say that.” He smiled holding you close again. “Let’s go get some food and catch up!” He said grabbing your wrist and pulling you away. “Wait...no.” You said, coming back to your senses. “No. Let go!” You said hitting his wrist. But he regripped your arms and pulled with all his might. “Stop! Come on. You’re coming with me.” He said pulling harder. “No. Dad!” You screamed for help. “What?” Two people asked at the same time. You looked back and saw Taeil standing there. With one final tug from you, you were free from your father and running into the arms of Taeil. He held you and put you behind him. “Get the hell out of here.” Taeil seethed, looking at the man who claimed you as his own. “Not without her.” He said trying to come closer. You gripped onto Taeil. “Don’t make me go.” You squeezed your eyes shut. “You’re not leaving.” He comforted you, bringing you in his arms. “Leave. Before I get someone down here to make you leave like I did the last time you tried showing up in her life. She wants to find you? That’s different. But I’m not going to allow you to come in her life when you were the one who walked away in the first place.” Taeil said and the sorry man just gave up. 

“You okay?” He asked and you nodded, making sure the man already left. “Yeah.” You mumbled. “Okay, good...” he said ruffling your hair and pinching your cheek slightly. “When you were calling for ‘dad’...did you mean me?” He asked and you nodded after a moment. “If you don’t like that, I won’t call you th-” “I would be honored if you would.” He said and you just looked at him and smiled. You hugged him tightly. “Thanks, dad.” 

___________

SEO JOHNNY (Mom was going to put you up for adoption if he didn’t take you - Single Father - 8 years)

You waited outside of your dance studio that had become a second home outside of the compound. Your phone rang and you quickly answered it seeing as it was your dad. “Hey, dad.” You cheered. “Hey, baby. I’m going to be a couple minutes late. I’m on my way, I’m just stuck in traffic.” He said. “Alright. I’ll wait right here.” You cheered. “Okay.” He said and you hung up. 

You pop your earbuds in and just listen to random music until someone ripped your earbud out. You look up and the man suddenly slapped you. He grabbed you as your phone fell to the ground. You start kicking and screaming. He was still running for a while until you realized that you could easily take this dude down. You start laying your knees into his ribs. He gripped your thighs so you couldn’t move your legs. You put your mouth close to his neck and bit down hard. He screamed, dropping you and grabbing his neck. He tried kicking you so you wouldn’t move, but you were quicker than he was. You got up and ran as fast as your little legs could take you back to where you were supposed to be picked up. You couldn’t help the tears roll down your face as you heard the steps of the man behind you. 

You got back to the studio to see your dad looking around as he held your phone. “Dad!” You screamed getting his attention. He saw you and began to run towards you. “Car. Now.” He yelled and you ran past him and to the car. You got in the passenger’s seat, and curled up, not wanting to see your dad get violent. You grabbed his phone and called your bestest friend, Chenle. He answered. “Yes, hyun-” “Le le.” You cried. “Oh, y/n...what’s wrong sweetpea?” You stayed on the phone until your dad got in the car with your phone in hand. 

He began driving, rubbing your back lightly to calm you down. “I am so proud of you y/n. You did what I taught you and you didn’t give up.”

___________

NAKAMOTO YUTA  (Adopted - Single Father - 14 years) [this one will be a little different]

You haunted his dreams and every waking moment. Your screams for help ringing in his ears. You both were having fun, he turns back and he’s hit with something over the head. He watches as a group of men drag you away from him as he lies helplessly on the ground. Your inner child shone through as you yelled for ‘daddy’, trying to call for Yuta and the feeling of safeness he brought with him. “Please...get up!” You cried as they tied a scarf around your eyes. 

You were thrown in a car, continuously hit until you passed out from crying too hard. You woke up, wishing they put a bullet through your head already. They had reverted you to your younger self again; the you at the orphanage. You became quiet, docile, and childlike. You only spoke small sentences to the men who came in every hour or so. You just wanted your dad at this point, and he just wanted you home again. Most people from Seoul flew into Osaka to help him stay on his feet. 

Yet, when the men realized you really weren’t going to say anything, they decided to give you back. 

Yuta sat at the large meeting table with everyone sitting around him. “You just have to be at your A gam-” Taeyong was cut off by one of Yuta’s henchmen running in with a phone. “It’s y/n.” he said and Yuta just snatched the phone away from him. “Y/n...hello?” he called, holding onto the small electrical device. “Dad?” You asked and Yuta fell back into his seat, the tears coming into his eyes. “Are you okay?” Was all that came out of his mouth. “Yes-I have to go they’re coming.” You said and there was a whoosh on the other side of the phone. Your screams were the only thing that was heard. “No! Don’t touch her!” Yuta yelled, but he knew he couldn’t do anything. “Osaka bridge. 5 o’clock tonight. We’ll trade her for you.” Was all the man said before hanging up. 

“We...can surprise attack them or something. You can’t just...go.” Taeyong tried reasoning with Yuta as they rolled up to the bridge. “No. I’m going to do this. They want me...and I...I just want y/n to be safe.” was all that Yuta said as he put the car in park. Everyone got out and waited at the car. They were parked at the bottom of the bridge, and they all watched the bridge in anticipation for the car that would bring you home again. 

Eventually, the car rolled up, and men hopped out with you in their arms. You were still blindfolded and you looked broken...but alive. Yuta de-armed himself, putting his gun on the hood of his car. “We’ll get you,” Taeyong said, looking at Yuta then the rest of the men who could only agree with the head boss. “We’ll get you back and you guys will be a happy family again.” Taeyong said and Yuta just chuckled, nodding his head. 

He looked back up to the bridge where you were awaiting your freedom for the exchange of his. He knew he wouldn’t be coming back...and Taeyong knew that too. Taeyong just didn’t want to admit it that Yuta was doing that voluntarily - by choice of his judgment. “Just...make sure she’s happy.” Yuta said and Taeyong could only nod in defeat. 

Yuta walked up the bridge, savoring every step of freedom he had. Once halfway up the bridge, your blindfold was taken off. “Daddy!” You screamed and once you were released, you sprinted as fast as you could to Yuta who was savoring this as a bitter-sweet feeling. 

You hobbled the last few steps, digging your face into his chest and sobbing for pure joy. ��Are you okay?” He asked as he took your face in his hands. You smiled through the pain and just nodded as you were happy to be in his arms again. 

The men motioned for Yuta to hurry up. “I want you to go to Taeyong and the other boys down there.” Yuta said pointing to the car at the bottom of the bridge. “But-” “I’ll be home soon. I’ll be okay.” He reassured you, but he didn’t say what home he’ll be going to. You just nodded, not realizing that this was it. 

“Cheer up. I’ll come to see you soon.” He pinched your cheek softly. You nodded, hugging him one last time before running to the car. 

Yuta watched as you got in the car and Taeyong drove away with you who would believe the world ended in happiness and rainbows. Yuta breathed in the last breath of freedom before he continued his walk of shame. Guns were drawn as he raised his arms in surrender. He walked close and eventually was in custody. 

He was thrown in the car, without restraints or blindfold. The men felt bad for him; giving him one last taste of life before it was all over soon. He leaned his head against the window as he reminisced the best moments of life. When he first brought you home...when you called him dad for the first time...when you told him you loved him for the first time. He was just proud you survived this long...especially in a world like this where it seemed that nothing was fair.

Yet he remembered everything he didn’t do yet. He never said he loved you back...but he loved you with all his heart. He would never be able to walk you down the aisle...and he would never be able to comfort you after your first heartbreak. 

He sighed, closing his eyes and smiling to himself while tears rolled down his face. 

Yet, he didn’t know what to do because he knew that you would be sitting up all night waiting for him to get back. 

...and he was never coming back...

__________

QIAN KUN (In a relationship where his S/O had a child from the previous relationship - Married - 11 years)

He thought you were fine. You were just in your room reading and listening to music. Your mom had gone to work for the day like usual and you were just chilling with your dad. Yet, you were acting really weird today so he let you have your space, getting ready to have a heart to heart with you in a little bit. He already had a drink and snack in hands, ready to leave the room with you after the talk and go make dinner with him; ready for when your mom when she came home. 

He walked down the hallway, humming to himself before standing in front of your closed door. He stopped when he heard a muffled thud. “Get the fuck off of me.” He heard you struggle. He dropped the snack and kicked the door in. He saw you struggling on the bed with a man in a mask. Your dad didn’t waste time in walking over; but before he reached the both of you, you had kneed the man in the no-no area and he groaned, slapping you roughly. You gasped and Kun grabbed the man by the hair. He pulled the man up and you got up with him. “Fuck.” The man sighed as soon as he was met with Kun’s angry expression. 

“Why is she so strong? I’ve been trying to get her out of this damn bed for like...5 minutes now.” The man struggled to get to you as you stood in a cocky stance on your bed. “Because she’s my daughter.” Kun said before headbutting the man. The man dropped to the ground. Your dad made sure the man was knocked out cold before he clutched his own forehead. “I haven’t done that in years.” He said as you hopped off the bed. “That was so cool.” You pointed to your dad and the man at the same time. “Yeah, for you maybe.” Kun chuckled as you both stared at the brawny man who laid on the ground unconscious. “5 minutes?” Kun questioned you after a moment of silence and you nodded. “The rock flew through the window and I already knew I wouldn’t be able to get to you in time. I gripped onto my headboard and got ready. He was really strong too.” You sighed, rubbing your wrists where the man had pulled on you. 

“Well, I’m proud of you.” Your dad said as he put an arm around your shoulder and pulled you closer - laying a kiss on your forehead. “But now...” He sighed looking at the man and then the broken window and broken glass. “How are we going to explain this to your mother?” 

(KUN. IS. THE. ULTIMATE. DAD. DON’T FIGHT ME ON THIS)

__________

KIM DOYOUNG (Had daughter when he was 16 - Single Father - 6 years)

“I’m gonna find you.” Doyoung cooed, looking around a corner as he followed the sound of your giggling. “And when I do you’re gonna meet the tickle monster.” He said and you laughed. You rounded the corner of the playground that was full of other kids. “Catch me if you can.” You called as you hid with your back to the wall.

Doyoung crept next to the wall where you were hiding behind. Yet, when he turned to scare you, you were missing from your place. He looked around for a split second as a slight panic set in over his mind...before a loud groan was heard throughout the play area. Doyoung ran and saw you looking down at the man who was cupping his manhood from any further violation and pain. Your dad swept you up into his arms, straightening your clothes out and planting a kiss on your forehead. “You okay, princess?” He asked. “I’ll be okay.” The man said from the ground. You and your dad slowly looked at each other, and then to the ground where the mean man laid. 

Doyoung rolled his eyes as he carried you away from the man and back to the car. “You did that to the man?” He asked, and you just nodded as you had a look of guilt on your face - expecting to get yelled at for hurting someone. All that came was your dad's open palm. You looked up at him with a confused expression. He just smiled at your solemn expression “High touch?” 

TEN (Adoption - Single - 14 years [ he is more of an older brother than a dad honestly])

“So...what are we getting for dinner?” He asked from the other side of the couch. “I don’t know. You’re the adult. Think of something.” You snarked back. He groaned, throwing his head back on the couch. “But...that’s too much work.” He said and you chuckled. “You’re the girl here. Why aren’t you in the kitchen making food?” He asked, and that sent you flying from the couch. “Excuse me?” You stood with your hands at your waist. He smiled. “I was joking, but while you’re up, can you run down to the chicken place and pick up the usual? I would...but you’re already up.” He said. You rolled your eyes, walking around the couch but not before flicking his forehead violently. 

“Hey!” He said rubbing his forehead. You stuck your tongue out at him as you slipped your shoes on. “I’ll be back.” You said throwing on one of his sweatshirts and walking out of the house. 

You walked down the semi-dark street as you daydreamed by yourself. You stepped next to an alley, and the next thing you remember was opening your eyes in the back of a car being driven by people you didn’t know. 

You tried brushing the hair out of your face, but your hands were bound. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” You whined. It was already completely dark outside. “Is she awake?” The driver asked. “Yeah, boss.” A man next to you said. “Oh, well you just told me all I need to know.” You scoffed. “My dad will beat all of your asses by the time he finds you.” You confidently said. “And how will he find you, if we already have your phone?” The man asked. “No need to be asking questions.” And your cocky tone was met with a harsh slap. You turned yourself upside down in the seat and kicked the driver with one fight and the other man with the other. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You walked in to see Ten still in the position as when you left 6 hours ago. “Hello?!” You screamed, flailing your handcuff bound wrist and bloody wrist. He turned over and looked at your deteriorated state. “Where were you?! Men captured me and drove me halfway to Busan! I saved...myself!” You yelled. “Oh...” He said looking at you up and down. “I was waiting for my chicken.” He said and you rolled your eyes, stomping to your room. You slammed the door but still heard him. “So that’s a no for the chicken?”

________

JUNG JAEHYUN (Adopted you because your father wasn’t in the picture when he first your mom - Married - 14 years)

You and your dad had actually gotten into a fight the morning you had left for school. He wanted you to wear a sweater, but you wanted to leave and putting on a sweater would take up your time. Then you called him immature so he called you a brat. It ended up with you walking yourself to school. 

You were now walking yourself home because you told your dad you didn’t want him to drive you. That was a bad idea and you realized that as soon as you noticed the car following you. You began to walk quickly but as you did that, it cut you off on a corner, and a man with a knife hopped out. “Come with us.” He grabbed your upper arm that would have been protected by a sweatshirt. “No. Let go.” You said hitting the mans hand. He looked at the man in the driver's seat as he nodded. He pulled you hard but once he realized you weren’t going anywhere, he cut your arm and hopped back in the van. You decided to be a smart ass as you took out your phone and took a picture of the license plate. The van broke hard and started reversing. 

You put your phone away and you began sprinting. Your lungs were on fire and begging for you to stop, but you cut across parks and other people’s lawns as you ended up on your front porch. You kicked the door in and ran into the kitchen where your mother was preparing dinner. “Mom.” You cried, burying your head in her chest. “Y/N! What happened to your arm?!” She asked holding you and examining your opened arm. “Where’s dad?” You sobbed, just wanting him to protect you. “In the shower. What. Happened.” She continued. You heard tires screech in front of the house. You left her and went to close the front door that hinges were now splayed across the living room floor. You saw the same van drive off, but you still barricaded yourself against the broken door. 

You clutched your injured arm, your school shirt now stained red. Your mom ran in, yelling: “Jae! Emergency!” She screamed up the stairs. You heard a door slam and footsteps coming down the hall. “Give me your arm.” Your mom said as she held a damp cloth. You whimpered, shaking your head and turning your body away from her. Your dad came down the steps with damp hair and a bulge on his hip (ON HIS HIP LADIES, CALM DOWN, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. FOCUS.). “What’s wrong? What’s going on?”  He asked jumping the last few steps and landing crouched in front of you. 

“She came in with a cut up arm, and she was asking for you.” Your mom shrugged, moving the hair from your face. He took his gun off his hip and set it down next to him. “What happened baby, you have to tell us.” He said gently grabbing your hand so he could see your arm. “I...I was walking home. And-and these men cut me off. Then a guy, he hopped out.” You took a breath. “And he tried to-he tried to get me in the van. I wouldn’t go so he cut me.” You said finally getting enough courage to look at the wound. When you saw it still gushing, you couldn’t take your eyes away. “Don’t look at that.” Your dad said as he gently brought your attention to his face instead. 

“Do you remember what the men looked like?” he asked and you nodded your head. “I also got a pic-picture of the license plate.” You said and he smiled. “Good job.” He pinched your cheek lightly. “We need to get this disinfected.” Your mom said motioning to your arm. You hugged your arm to your chest more, shaking your head. “Come on. We have to.” Jae said standing up. He motioned a hand out to you and you slowly accepted it. He pulled you up and lead you to the downstairs bathroom. 

You sat on the counter as he took out stuff to fix you up. Before he could even begin, you wrapped your non-messed up arm around him and hugged him. He gladly accepted the hug. “What’s this for?” He asked you curiously. “Earlier. I’m sorry I’m a brat, and I called you immature...and I broke the door.” You sighed. “Just thank-you for caring.” You said and he chuckled. “You’re not a brat. We both said stuff that was mean. So I apologize too.” He said pinching your cheek. “And even though you’re older; you’re still my little girl. I would care about you even if you didn’t want me too.”

___________

Dong Sicheng (Winwin) (Had daughter when he was 16 - Single Father - 6 years)

You were picked up by uncle Kun and uncle Yangyang. Your dad was doing something important so he couldn't come himself to pick you up from school. You knew it was serious because he usually never leaves you to come home with anyone but him. “Are you hungry?” Uncle Yangyang asked and you nodded your head quickly with a huge smile on your face. Kun held candy out in front of you while Yangyang held a juice box. “Thank you!” You happily said as you took them both in each hand. 

You all walked to the park where your dad would be meeting you guys. “Don’t step on the cracks!” You scolded your uncle Kun. “Yeah, Kun. Don’t step on the cracks!” Yangyang helped you. “I’m sorry, y/n.” Kun pinched your cheek quickly. He looked up to Yangyang where he hit him on the back of the head. “You just need to shut up.” He said and you laughed at the two men fighting. Yet, they were fighting too much to realize that a man had come by and swept you up in their arms. 

As they ran down the alley, you remember what your daddy had told you. “Aim for the eyes.” You whispered and turned towards the man while still staying in his arms. You brought your hands up and push on the man's eyes. He gargled, smacking your hands away. Yet, he pushed you off of him as he tumbled holding his eye sockets. He tumbled and hit his head on the ground, passing out completely. 

“Then after...wait for an uncle or me to come get you. We won’t be far from you. But you have to stay put.”

You groaned as you stood up, being covered in some dirt and mud from falling into a puddle. You hid your hands in your sweatshirt and looked down the alley to see no one. The man started groaning and tossing in his sleep as you got scared. Your eyes quickly filling with tears. “Uncle! Daddy!” You cried, wanting to be at the park already. Your snacks were now long gone and you were scared. The more you called for someone, the more the man woke up. Then before you knew it, you saw your dad coming down one way and your uncles coming down the other. You didn’t know who to run to, but you were brought out of your trance when the mean man pinned your small body against the brick of the building. You screamed from the suddenness and you just saw the man being pulled off by your uncle Kun. Your dad picked you up, and you let the tears flow. 

You grip onto your dad’s shoulders and didn’t look at anything else. “It’s okay baby.” He hushed. You heard groans from the man and obvious punches and kicks. Your dad fumbled for something on his hip. “No. It’s okay. Don-don’t hurt people.” You said holding his face with your small hands. He sighed, wiping your rosy cheeks of tears. “It will be quick. He won’t feel anything.” He said and you began crying again, diving back into the familiar shoulder. You felt your dad lean closer as the familiar sound of the gun cocked itself back.

“Sing for me, sweetheart.”

__________

KIM JUNGWOO (Had daughter when he was 16 - Married - 5 years)

You and your father are the pride of the family’s cuteness. You got all your cuteness from him. Your mother says you got everything from your dad. Your cuteness, innocence, pure heart and your stubbornness. You and your dad are usually inseparable and whenever one of your uncles need to unwind, they’ll go to you to play and let go f their stress; believing that this world was still full of innocence and peace. You were a prime example of it. Yet, you were still stubborn. If you didn’t wanna hear something, you flipped your hair and walked the other direction. Yet, it would get to you later on and become a cry baby. 

“Cry baby! Cry baby!” The older boys taunted you on the playground. “Am not!” You screamed back. “Yes you are, go cry to your daddy or something. This place is only for the best kids.” He said and pulled your hair. Your eyes pooled with tears and you ran away from the prk. You totally left your mom and dad sitting on the bench while you cried your eyes out. When you finally stopped and looked around and realised you were a long way from the park. 

As if someone read your mind, someone touched your shoulder. You looked back to see a woman. “Sweetie, are you lost?” She asked, and you nodded as you rubbed your eyes. “Here, how about you hop in my car and we could go back to the park?” She asked and you nodded. You followed inside her car and you sat up front. 

You drove a little bit and you noticed you had passed the park. “Wait...how did you know I was at the park?” You asked and she smirked. She reached below her seat and pulled out a gun, pointing it at you. Yet, you grabbed the gun and pointed it right back at her. She was definetley taken by surprise at your actions. “Take. Me. Back. Now.” You said and she rolled her eyes. 

“Huh...I wonder what would happen if I pressed this button.” You said, already knowing that your dad called it a ‘trigger’. “Okay okay fine.” she said screeching to the side of the road. She snatched the gun from your hands, and threw it in the backseat. You crossed your arms and cocked an eyebrow. “Go and tell your Daddy that Diana is waiting for him.” She said. “Yeah sure whatever.” You replied. 

“Just get out brat.” She said and you got out, running in the direction of the park. You eventually got to your parents where you told your dad the message. “Wait, you acted like that and she still let you go? Surprising. Good job baby girl.” He pinched your cheek, and was met with an abrupt slap to the back of the head by your mom. “If she continues to act like you, she’s gonna get herself killed.”

[helloitsbees]

since the theater was COMPLETELY empty i was able to take notes during the entirety of the goldfinch. here are my thots (spoilers included):

ok limited aspect ratio im into it

the narration is uh. not very good

oddly enough I’m getting twilight new moon vibes w/ the seasons changing through the window

“HE IS A MINOR CHILD” ACTUAL QUOTE

step one: adopt child

step two: offer child a stiff drink

no kid in this movie acts like a human

“MY MOM BLEW UP OVER THAT SHIT TOO” ACTUAL QUOTE

kids are literally shoving him in the halls after his mom literally died. this movie has all the subtlety of Reefer Madness

you give the kid pills but not therapy. okay

Only Smart People Play Chess And Also It’s A Metaphor For The Protagonist’s Current Situation

why are they letting him just wander the streets of new york after what happened to him???? hello???????

“you’re the boy whose mother was killed there” i’m sure that applies to a lot of kids who were there but ok

that looks like the world’s best grilled cheese

god im hungry

“sorry, i’ve forgotten things” y’know, how Real Kids talk

“you look like someone who listens to Beethoven” thats a cold accurate read honestly

WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP OFFERING DRUGS TO THIS CHILD

does this mini flashback happen on the same day or does he literally just wear the same clothes every single day

no wait Pippa’s wearing different clothes he’s wearing the same sweater every single day

he sounds like he’s reading lines in a middle school play

okay he looks a lot like ansel elgort when he does that half smile thing, a+ casting

WHO DO I HAVE TO BLOW TO GET A CUP OF COFFEE AROUND HERE

god why is the child acting so fucking BAD

“they’ve grown quite fond of you” Y’KNOW, HOW NINE YEAR OLD KIDS TALK

SARAH PAULSON

wait she’s terrible

please stop drugging the child

the house in Vegas looks like the model home from arrested development

oh so they’re the worst. got it

what the fuck is up with ansel’s diction/accent

okay im very happy with the Complete Disregard for the potential Pippa/Theo subplot. i can hear the heterosexual shock from here

fact check, you can’t buy two drinks at once for yourself in new york it’s against the law

the music is WAY too much for the scene where he sees nicole kidman again

wait so if he lives nearby then why hasn’t he visited them at all

oh god the sister’s gonna try to seduce him isn’t she

ok good she didn’t

nobody:

          absolutely no one:

          not a soul:

          finn wolfhard: HÄH!

cowboy hat guy looks like steve carell in foxcatcher

“THATS ME, PURE SCORPIO” and then his textbook title is literally scorpio SUBTLE

bastard and casey

“how will we know when they [the drugs] start working?” jump cut to the boys lying by a pool talking about how boris’s dad killed a guy

slfkfkfjadlgllglajaj the dad is such a SCUMBAG

“act normal” bud neither of you have been acting normal since this goddamn movie started

oh god the editing got so bad so suddenly

love that the taxi driver witnessed The Kiss and was just chill for the whole trip to the bus stop. #1 ally honestly

Theo: *gets orphaned*

          music: SO YOURE AN ORPHAN

OH NO HE DID SLEEP WITH THE SISTER

“oh, darling” YKNOW, HOW REAL PEOPLE TALK

wait they’re getting MARRIED

WHY

HES PRACTICALLY HER BROTHER

w h y is the american horror story guy so slimy it’s honestly like he’s from another movie

“ooohhhhh poor brave little bird” consider being chill for like a SECOND

please don’t tell me she’s cheating on him with boris i will Scream

ok she’s not. good

that particular j cut was very very dumb

oh so she’s the worst. got it

it’s really starting to drag rn

wait pippa’s back and she’s calling him “lovely”........oh no.........

she got him a paperback and he got her a first edition SIGKJDJSHXJ ICONIC

aw she’s wearing the signet ring

the lighting is horrific in the dinner scene but only on him and not on her and it’s BOTHERING me

& why are they WHISPERING it’s a RESTAURANT

“POTTER” boy i CRIED

he took conversational russian for him......this is a LOVE story...........

the voice break in “and you love her?” man.........

ok they literally recycled the dialogue

OH SHIT IT WAS HIM WITH THE PAINTING

this is confusing and idk if it’s meant to be

Grown Man Cries Alone With Civics Textbook

oh god the narration is back i forgot about it

“is just for show” *thor voice* is it?

THE FOREHEAD TOUCH

oh shit

well

that could’ve ended better

oh yay Boris is alive

AWWWW HES SAVING HIM

ansel has a dumb crying face

okay this feels like a tacked-on ending. i haven’t read the book but this feels really jarring and different from the whole tone so I’m suspecting it’s different. I could be wrong though

wait so if its his mom’s favorite painting then why’d she go off to look at The Anatomy Lesson again

also its weird that she didn’t take him straight to the goldfinch because everybody I’ve ever know with a favorite painting has always gone straight to it the second they step foot in the museum

ROGER DEAKINS??????

[haazeycoffee-archive]

A "Hot" Kiss - Short .:Friendlypack Fic:.

"And thank you again, sir, for allowing me to deliver you the freshest water in all of Los Santos, with a maximum of only 10% lead per bottle! Feel free to call back anytime you need Stan the Water man's top notch wat-".

"Yeah yeah, thanks. Whatever".

Stan was quickly interrupted by his customer, who had just slammed the door in his face. The blond-haired delivery man just mumbled out a simple "huh", before walking back over to his delivery scooter and getting on "Maybe I...talk too much? hmm.." just as he was about to drive away, his phone started to ring. 

huh... who could that be?

Kiki, Reggie, and Anna were all busy doing another big photoshoot, which, according to Kiki, was hobo-exclusive this time, so Stan couldn't go. Garrett was taking a day off form work to party with his friends, which included Alan. Brenda was busy with work, and so was Jimmy, who was selling oxy. 

A sudden nasty feeling gripped Stan's heart when he looked at his phone and saw his new boyfriend's number. He and Jimmy had just gotten together the week prior, and for some reason, Stan started to worry about him more often. Maybe it was because of all these new feelings? Stan, and Jimmy for that matter, had just came out as bisexual a week ego, so these last few days have been pretty emotional.

"Hey there, Jimmy! Everything alri-".

"ST-...AH AH STAN!".

Getting interrupted yet again, Stan was taken aback by Jimmy's vigorous breathing; it sounded like he just ran a marathon!

"Jimmy? W-What's wrong? Why are you so out of breath?".

"STAN, I-I'M AT YOUR APARTMENT. I-I NEED YOU".

Stan's expression changed from concerned to absolutely confused "Wha- ...why-".

"J-JUST GET OVER HERE, PLEASE!" Jimmy begged before violently coughing into the phone.

"O-Okay okay! I'll be right over!".

-----

After finally making it back to his apartment building, Stan parked his scooter and hurried to the stairs, running past Vincent in the process, who was trying to get his attention "CAN'T TALK NOW, VINNIE! JIMMY'S IN TROUBLE! I'LL TEXT YA LATER".

Stan was already in his apartment by the time Vincent responded, so he didn't get to hear what the ShamWow guy had said, but he was too focused on Jimmy anyway. 

"Jimothy?" Stan muttered as he stepped into the kitchen "J-JIMMY!".

To Stan's shock, the younger man was sitting on the ground leaned against the counter. He was also shaking, and was sweating terribly. His sunglasses were sitting on the counter, so Stan could clearly see that Jimmy's face and eyes were super red. Wait, ...was he crying? Was he high? And why was he panting so hard?

"STAN!" Jimmy jolted himself up to his feet and tightly hugged his water-obsessed boyfriend, before quickly pulling away.

"Jesus, Jimmy! What the hell happened?" He gasped "D-Did you overdose?!".

Jimmy sighed in aggravation "S-Stan, if I overdosed, I'd be fuckin' dead on the floor! N-No I didn't fuckin' overdose!".

"WELL SORRY FOR ONLY BEING WATER-SAVVY! What's wrong with you then?!"

"O-Okay, s-so, I-I was....I was out selling oxy, ...l-like normal, right? A-And... and the guys that robbed us at the bank, ..uh-uh b-bird, clown, bear? Th-They wanted some oxy, s-so I was more than glad to sell it to them, y-ya'know, b-because I thought if I ..d-did-didn't, they'd kill me. So I give them the oxy, a-and instead of paying me with money, they gave me a plastic zip-bag of-of peppers. I-I knew they'd probably shank me if I said no, s-so I just took the peppers and left".

Stan crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow "Okay...".

"So, I decided to take a little, ..o-oh Jesus Chri-" Another harsh cough interrupted him, and he bent over a little, placing his hands on his knees to cough more easily "EHCK, eh.. I-I sat down on a bench t-to take a little break, a-and I ate some of the peppers". He straightened himself up and wiped the sweat from his forehead "I ate three......a-and it tur-t-turns out they were ghost peppers".

"Ghost peppers?! Those SUPER hot peppers that'll burn your mouth?!".

"yES!!!" Jimmy replied with another cough, making his voice hoarse. 

"Well did you drink any water? I have plenty here!".

"DAMMIT STAN, WATER DOESN'T DO SHIT WITH STUFF LIKE THIS!! …..B-But....y-yeah, ….I drank the rest of the water in your apartment...".

"WHAT? If you knew it wasn't going to work, why'd you do it?".

"MY MOUTH IS ON FIRE, STANIEL! I PANICKED, OKAY? Y-You seriously don't have any milk?!".

Stan gave a typical glare "You know I don't believe in that crap!!".

Jimmy let out a groan of pain and frustration as he stressfully rubbed his face and pulled at his dark-teal hair with his fists "C-Could you drive me to the store s-so we can buy some milk?".

"No way! No boyfriend of mine is drinking that tainted liquid!".

"STAN, PLEASE" Jimmy begged desperately "I-I'LL PAY FOR IT! I-I just need it, please!!".

Stan sighed "Alright alright, c'mon you big baby. Let's go".

-----

"Apologize, you big a-hole! Jimmy is in a butt-load of pain and you just scolded him like a fudging jerk! Sure, milk is terrible for you, b-but if it's the only thing that'll help Jimmy, then it's fine in SOME circumstances. You love Jimmy, but he doesn't know that because you yelled at him like a big meanie!" Stan scolded himself in his thoughts as he drove to the convenience store with Jimmy in the passenger seat, who was still sweating and panting.

As they stopped at a red light, Jimmy leaned back in his seat and dramatically pressed his palms into his face "A RED LIGHT?! COME ONNNNNN! I'M DYING HERE!".

As the teal-haired man groaned, Stan worked up the courage to apologize to him "H-Hey Jimmy?".

Jimmy sighed and turned his head "Yeah, Sta-Stan?".

"I'm sorry for yelling at you back there. Water is more perfect than anything, but...it doesn't work for every situation, so... I'm sorry for being such a jerk.".

"It's okay, Stan... I-I'm sorry for yelling too...".

"A-And besides, ...water is perfect, …b-b-ut...there's two things I cherish in life more than water: my sweet baby boy Roy, ..and you".

Just for a moment, the pain from the peppers subsided, and Jimmy's heart swelled. He couldn't help but smile from ear to ear.

Stan awkwardly shuffled his hands, which were sitting on the steering wheel "U-Uhmm… heh, ...uh..." a faint shade of pink painted his face "U-Uh, me...kiss you....?".

Jimmy laughed, remembering how awful Stan was at flirting "Yes, Sunflower. Me kiss you".

Stan smiled widely and leaned closer to his beloved boyfriend, with Jimmy doing much of the same. Their lips pressed together, and as their eyes closed to enjoy the moment, Jimmy gently placed his hand on the back of Stan's head.

Sure, these two got into their fair share of fights, but they loved each other more than anything, and moments like these were always super affectionate and romantic. Warmth filled their hearts as they kissed.

After a good while of sharing sweet smooches, the two men backed away. Jimmy was still dying of the ghost peppers' unforgiving heat, but he let out a small sigh of relief "Heh, w-Why don't we... ..w-why don't we do that more often?" he asked, realizing he was out of breath again from the peppers.

"'Cause we're stupid" Stan chuckled jokingly as he began to drive when the light turned green. Jimmy, still suffering, managed to laugh gently at the man's amusing response.

Just as they started to pull into the convenience store's small parking lot, Stan began to feel a hot sensation pool in his throat. His eyes widened and he parked the car, feeling sweat gradually start to build up at his forehead.

".....St-......Stan...?".

"H-Ho-Holy shit, I-I mean crap! H-HOLY CRAP!" Stan frantically unbuckled his seat belt, his hands fumbling a little "FUCK, IT'S HOT! I-I MEAN FUDGE!".

Jimmy's eyes lit up and his jaw dropped in realization. That kiss... it must've transferred some of the scolding hot pepper taste to Stan!

Stan was in full panic mode, and was now just as sweaty and just as bright red as his boyfriend "WATER!! WATE RWATER W ATER".

"STAN, WATER'S NOT GOING TO WORK!" Jimmy shouted as they rushed out of their car and into the store. 

The cashier just watched speechlessly as the two men rushed over to the refrigerated area and searched for whatever it was that they needed. Jimmy made a break for the milk, grabbing a small bottle so he could chug it right then and there. Stan, on the other hand, was chugging down all the water he could "WHY ISN'T IT WORKING?!" he panted.

"H-Holyyyy shit, that's soooo much better!" Jimmy sighed, the pleasantness of relief and milk graced his taste buds as he continued to drink more "Thank you, sweet cow juice" he mumbled quietly as he hugged the medium-sized carton of milk close to him.

"STAN, WHAT THE FUCK?!" A sudden piercing voice disrupted them, and they both quickly realized that it was Kiki Chanel, who was with Reggie and Anna.

"Kik-K-Kiki? W-What are you doing here?" Stan panted, his mouthful of water spilling out onto his blue polo shirt.

"I told you, Stan! We're shooting for my next line of KOC! Hashtag SPICY~" Kiki posed fabulously as she named the hashtag "What the hell are YOU doing here?".

"W-WELL, JIMMY GOT GHOST PEPPERS FROM A GROUP OF CRIMINALS A-AND ATE THREE OF THEM, A-AND AS I WAS DRIVING HERE TO GET HIM SOME MILK, W-WE KISSED IN THE CAR A-AND NOW MY MOUTH IS BURNING UP! I-I WANTED TO MAKE HIM FEEL BETTER FOR YELLING AT HIM EARLIER, B-BUT I FAILED TO REALIZE THE CONSEQUENCES OF KISSING SOMEONE WHO HAD JUST EATEN GHOST PEPPERS".

"You two are dating? Well congratulations, Staniel! Damn, I didn't think you'd ever actually find someone" Reggie said with his trademark, maniacal laugh "Like, EVER!".

"Yeah, congratulations Stan! We're really happy for you" Anna said with her sweet, soft voice.

"O-OH THANK YOU" Stan coughed, his voice cracking and starting to sound emotional.

"OOH!" Kiki clapped her gloved hands together "THIS. IS. PERFECT! Stan, Jim, you two just keep doing what you're doing! Anna, Reggie, get into position and get ready to say 'hashtag spicy' on my say so!".

The two models posed fashionably in front of Jimmy and Stan, who were both still suffering from what was basically heat stroke at this point.

"HASHTAG SPICY!" Reggie and Anna spoke in a synchronized manner after Kiki told them "go!".

"Ah! Fannntastic! Wonderful! Now c'mon, team! Just two locations left! See ya later, Stan! Thanks for the photo op~". 

With that, the trio of models were gone.

Stan groaned painfully as he slammed his fist onto the fridge door, whining loudly.

Jimmy, now mostly relieved of the heat, walked over to Stan and kissed him gently on the cheek "Are you sure you don't want any of this milk? It'll make you feel better than if you popped an oxy".

The agonized water man wailed in defeat "alriiiiight!" he cried out, grabbing the milk and quickly downing the rest of it. His face immediately contorted into an expression of pure disgust. 

Jimmy sighed with a roll of his eyes "Feel better, Sunflower?".

"A-A little. Can we just go home now?" Stan continued to whine.

Jimmy chuckled "Yeah. C'mon, you big baby" he teased as he took hold of Stan's hand "Let's go".

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Written by: @Gay-Spaghetti

Hope you guys enjoyed this! :3 Mayyyybe I'll write more Friendlypack fics if I come up with more ideas :P Thank you, Dorkskittles for letting me submit this! Love ya! <3

Response))OMLLLL SPAGHETTI THIS WAS SO GOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!! EEE SO TENSE AT THE BEGINNING BUT IT EVENED OUT AS IT WENT ON!!! SO GOOD SJSJSJ YOUR WRITING IS VERY ENJOYABLE TO READD!!!