#I am fine with the comic books but pajamas would have been amazing

[disgruntled-screaming]

It's been years since Voltron started and I am still mad at the fact that Paladin Pajamas were never in production as cute clothes for fans.

Just think. A Pajama set. Robe, pj top and bottom, voltron lion slippers.

THOSE WOULD SELL AND YET NO ONE WANTED TO MAKE THEM.

Cowards I tell you. COWARDS.

[mandoalorian]

I Believe In Love [Maxwell Lord x F!Reader] — Eleven: Love - SMUT

Summary: When you find your calling to leave Themyscira, you venture out to the World of Man with intentions of helping and healing a very specific person’s relationship with his son. You’ve heard his voice before, but only in dreams. You’ve felt his pain and anguish and you’ve never been able to relate to anything more. But things don’t come easy for you, and they certainly don’t come easy for him either. [This series contains spoilers for WW84 and is my interpretation of what happens after the movie ends].

Warnings: 18+ smut, unprotected p in v, cunningless, tit play, breeding kink, mentions of pregnancy, cursing, food and drink mention, emotional because we’re nearing the end, a family being brought together and our favourite soft, sad dad loving his son and, well… you.

Word count: 4300>

REBLOGS APPRECIATED.

Masterlist 

Previous - Chapter Eleven - Next

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Just entering Black Gold Cooperative again, when you thought the previous night would be your last, drew tears to your eyes. This extensive size office was the place you’d first journeyed too upon venturing to the world of man. The building meant more to you than you had first realised, and it held so many amazing memories of self discovery. Your eyes flicked between the velvet sofa where you had once slept on, and the plants that peppered each corner of the lobby. They were vibrant and filled with life, symbolic of new beginnings. Now, the only magic in the air was love. You could feel it, Maxwell could feel it, and from the way Alistair perked up as you sneaked up behind him, he could feel it too. Love truly was the most powerful thing.

Seeing the way Alistair ran into his father’s arms, and the way he squeezed Max so tight -- like he was afraid to let him go, was enough to make your heart melt into your chest. “Daddy! You’re back!” he exclaimed excitedly. “Did you win?” He asked, his dark brown eyes glittering with hope. Alistair tugged on Max’s dark blonde shaggy hair as he waited for a reply.

“Yeah buddy, I won,” Max chuckled breathlessly. With those two words of affirmation, Alistair burst into tears. You took a step back as you watched the interaction, sensing how high the emotion was. You knew that Max had waited for this day to come for a long time. “No no, don’t cry. You should be happy.” Max cooed apologetically, his eyes widening as he tried his hardest to comfort his son. You were no longer a Goddess, and you had been stripped of your powers, but you could still feel the compassion between them both. And it was beautiful.

“I am happy,” Alistair choked out in between sobs, pulling back to look at his father. Max wiped away Alistair’s tears and offered him a weak smile.  “This is all I’ve ever wanted.” Alistair confessed, nuzzling his face into his father’s chest.

Max sniffed and pressed a kiss to his son’s forehead. “I’m going to redeem myself for everything, Ali. I know… I know I’ve done terrible things and made big mistakes, and I really am a pretty messed up loser but--”

“No,” Alistair cut him off, his tone chaste. “Daddy, you’re a winner. Thank you for fighting for me.”

“Always,” Maxwell hummed, picking up Alistair and cradling him in his arms. “Let’s go home.”

***

Maxwell drove, and Alistair insisted that you sit in the back of the car with him. You obliged, unable to ever refuse the bright eyed little boy. Alistair’s small, clammy hands squeezed yours and he watched intently as you gazed out the window, entranced by all the things you passed. There was still a lot you had to get used to, but it brought you comfort knowing that now, at least you had the time. There was no pressure to return back to Themyscira. D.C. was your home. Wherever Alistair and Max was, you were home.

Alistair nuzzled his head into you and closed his eyes, feeling completely content with your company. “I like your new outfit.” he hummed, his fingers tracing your glimmering gold belt.

“You do?” you asked curiously, and felt Alistair nod against you. “You know Ali, I sorta prefer the normal clothes.” you shrugged, and caught Maxwell smiling in the reflection of the rear view mirror.

“I like this,” Alistair admitted. “You look like a superhero. Like… from my comic books.”

“You don’t need a fancy costume to be a hero, Alistair,” you said, tapping his chin so he looked up at you. “Your dad is proof of that.”

***

Maxwell dropped his keys on the side table by the front door when the three of you returned home. “Are you guys hungry?” he questioned, scratching the back of his head. After a day in court, he’d worked up quite the appetite, he must admit.

Alistair grinned and nodded his head. “Starving! Can we get pizza? Please daddy, oh please can we get pizza?” 

“Hmph,” Maxwell grumbled, displaying a faux annoyance before bursting into an adorable grin. “I suppose so. Since it’s a day to celebrate.” 

“Yay!” Alistair cheered, running into the living room and jumping on the sofa. By the sounds of it, he’d found the remote control for the television and turned on one of his favourite kiddie TV shows.

Walking over to the telephone, Maxwell caught a glimpse of his reflection in one of the many mirrors in the hallway and frowned. He was happy, but Gods did he still look a mess. The blonde in his hair was rapidly fading out and he was in desperate need of a trim. He’d been neglecting his biotin supplements and forgetting to moisturize, and oh, his tired eyes. You caught him hyper analyzing his appearance and approached him from behind. Pressing a kiss into his shoulder and wrapping an arm around his waist, you sighed.

“What are you thinking about?” you wondered out loud.

Maxwell swallowed. “I just… I’m not the man I once was,” he ran his fingers through his hair and gestured down to the power suit that he’d worn to court. “I’m not Max Lord anymore. Not this… big oil tycoon businessman. Not on TV anymore. This whole thing is a facade. It’s not me. And everytime I look at myself… I’m reminded of all the mistakes that I made,” he admitted quietly before taking a shaky exhale. “It’s fine,” he quickly backtracked. “Guess I’ll just have to suck it up.”

“The worst part is over, Max. And you’re a survivor,” you told him, taking his hand. “The world can forgive you, but it means nothing if you can’t forgive yourself. You need to learn to love yourself.”

“Will you help me?” Maxwell asked quietly, a nervous tone prominent in his voice.

You offered him a warm smile. “That’s why I’m here,” you reminded him sweetly. “To help.”

Maxwell turned around to face you fully and placed a hand on your cheek. You swore, in that moment and under his touch, that you had forgotten how to breathe. Max might not have been able to see it, but he truly was so beautiful. The gold in his former life may have been gilded, but the gold in his heart was pure and authentic. And now, it was all yours.

Maxwell pulled his tie off his neck and shuffled out of his suit jacket. “I think it might be time for me to hang up this tie for good.” Maxwell sighed sadly, running the patterned silk material between his fingers.

“Do you want to?”

Maxwell paused for a moment. “No, I don’t think so. I’ve worked so hard to get here… I just can’t give Black Gold up.”

“Then don’t.” you whispered, shuffling your body into his. He snaked an arm around you and sighed even louder.

“It’s not that easy, darling. I don’t have the money to keep it going.” 

“I won’t let you give up on your lifelong dream, so… we’ll figure something out. Maybe you’ll have to downsize. If oil isn’t making you any money then maybe… you might have to specialise in something else. If the past week has proved anything it’s that all our problems can be figured out through the power of love. And you have that. Right here,” you maneuvered his hand and placed it on your heart before pointing your free hand into the living room at Alistair. The door stood slightly ajar. “And right there.”

Maxwell smiled. “There’s a thing, here. In the world of man…” you could tell he was about to start rambling about Goodness know what. He looked up slightly, avoiding your eye contact as he talked. “Where two people… love each other, a lot. And so they make a promise to dedicate themselves to one another. Asking you to be my girlfriend sounds a little childish,” Maxwell chuckled softly and your eyes widened when you realised where he was going with this. “But I guess… if you wanted…”

“I do!” You said quickly, cutting him off before he could even finish.

“You do?” Maxwell asked, truly stunned that you had agreed so fast. He couldn’t believe someone as magnificent as you would love him back, let alone want to be with him. He never thought he was deserving of love, especially after everything that had happened. If Maxwell had never met you, he would’ve been certain that he’d grow old, cold and alone. 

“I do.” you confirmed, grinning and pressing your lips into his.

The genuine smile that was on his face when he pulled away was the most beautiful thing you had ever seen. More beautiful than the sands and oceans on Themyscira. More beautiful than the landmarks and caves in Athens. It differed to his television smile. This was one hundred percent authentic. This was Maxwell Lorenzano. “I’m going to change into my pajamas,” you announced. “And I’ll bring Ali upstairs with me and have him get ready for bed.”

“Okay,” Max acknowledged, still grinning. “I’ll set the dining room table for the pizza.”

You guided Alistair upstairs and followed him into his bedroom. You sat down on his bed, and pulled him down to sit next to you. “I told you I had a gift for you, from Athens.” you smiled and watched as Alistair’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“Yes!” Alistair cried out, bouncing up and down.

You detached the lasso of Hestia from your tunic and placed the rope gently in his hands. “This is my lasso of truth. Remember that one night when I met Julianna and Theodore, and I came to visit you? And I showed you how it worked? Do you remember?”

Alistair nodded slowly. “Yes. You told me the lasso wasn’t powered by you. It was powered by the truth.” 

“That’s right,” you confirmed, your heart swelling at how Alistair had retained that piece of information. “The lasso is important to me because it was a gift from my mother. And now, I’m passing it down to you. I didn’t get this in Athens, but it is from Athens originally. I hope my lasso will be a constant reminder for you to always tell the truth, and always see the good in people.”

Alistair’s jaw was agape and he was struck with awe as his fingers traced the magical rope. “I love it…” he whispered.

“I’m glad,” you smiled. “It’s very powerful Ali. Who knows, one day you might be able to use it.”

“And I can be a superhero just like you…” Alistair grinned before biting his lip. “And just like my daddy.”

“Exactly. Just like your daddy. C’mon now, I want you to go brush your teeth and get ready for bed. Then we can go order our pizza, okay?”

Before you left his bedroom, Alistair called your name. You sensed hesitancy in his voice, almost like he was nervous. “Can I… can I try out the lasso... on you? Maybe?”

You wanted to ask him why the child might possibly want to do that, but then you realised, he was probably just curious. So, you obliged, and held out your wrist. Remembering how you’d shown him before, Alistair wrapped the rope around your arm and took a deep breath.

“Do you love my daddy?” Alistair asked, after taking a deep breath.

“Yes.”

“Will you promise not to leave him, ever?” 

“I promise.”

“Would you mind if… if… I called you mommy?”

You felt warm tears prick the corners of his eyes. A mother. It’s everything you had always wanted to be. You were the goddess of home and hearth. The urge to one day have a family was in your nature.

“I’d love that, Ali.” you admitted.

Alistair pulled the rope from your wrist and enveloped you into a tight hug. “Okay. Because I love you mommy.”

“I love you too.”

***

“What do you want?” Maxwell asked his son, pen in hand. He’d been scribbling down the order, the businessman in him wanting to have everything planned out before he made the phone call.

“Pineapple pizza! The biggest one!” Alistair exclaimed gleefully, stretching out his arms. You couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ali, you won’t eat it all,” Maxwell frowned. You nudged him, as if to say, ‘let him have this’. “Okay,” Max sighed. “The biggest pineapple pizza. And what do you want?” he asked, turning to you this time. You furrowed your eyebrows together, taking another look at the menu that had been passed around the dining room table.

“How do I know what’s good?”

“Well, not pineapple.” Maxwell grumbled. 

Alistair gasped, unable to believe the words that had just left his father’s lips. “Don’t listen to him,” Alistair said, grabbing your hand. “Daddy is wrong. Pineapple pizza is so delicious. Will you try some of mine?”

You squeezed the little boy’s hand. “Sure,” you agreed. Maxwell swore his heart melted everytime he witnessed interaction between you and his son. It was so pure, it was like you and Alistair had known each other forever. Granted, you’d known the little boy longer than you knew Maxwell. The day you woke up in the park felt like yesterday. “What do you like, Max?” you quizzed, eventually giving up on the menu. 

“Pepperoni, I guess. I don’t eat pizza much.” He admitted sheepishly. Before you could reply, Alistair’s voice made you jump up in shock.

“Boring!” He called out. Max shot him a playful glare and you rolled your eyes. 

“Don’t be rude!” Maxwell chastised, wiggling his index finger, and you couldn’t hide the smile on your face.

“He’s like you,” you pointed out. “Always has something to say.”

“My son.” Maxwell declared proudly, pulling Alistair into his lap and ruffling his dark hair.

Just like Max had anticipated, Alistair couldn’t eat the large pineapple pizza. In fact, he’d fallen asleep on the sofa after only two slices, a Star Wars blanket draped over him and a stuffed toy curled tight into his chest.

“Alistair asked me if it would be alright if he called me mommy,” you admitted quietly as Maxwell gathered the plates and empty glasses. His head snapped to face you the second the words left your lips. “I told him yes. But I figured… maybe you should have some say in it? I don’t know.”

“It means a lot to me that Ali can put his faith in you, and that he sees you as his mother. But this is a big deal. Family is for life and I don’t… he’s already lost one mother. I don’t want him to lose you too. So of course, it’s fine by me. As long as you promise to always be a mother to him, no matter what.”

“Always,” you whispered in reassurance, cupping Maxwell’s cheek and gazing into his dark eyes. “I promise.”

“I believe you,” Maxwell replied, kissing you on the forehead. “I should take him to bed.”

“Let me handle it,” you replied, stretching before leaning down to pick up the sleeping boy and cradling him in your arms. Clearly, somewhere down the line, you had forgotten you had been stripped of your powers and you were now a mortal. You let out a yelp. Once able to carry Alistair easily, you were now struggling. You wobbled slightly and Max hurried to your side to hold you and help you keep your balance.

“You okay?” Max asked, quirking an eyebrow. “He’s heavier than he looks.” you gasped, already a little breathless.

“Wanna trade?” he quizzed, raising a plate.

You mumbled a ‘yes’ and passed Alistair over to his father. “I’ll do the dishes and meet you upstairs.”

***

Max was still with Alistair by the time you had finished up the dishes and headed to the bedroom. You sat by the dressing table, brushing out your hair, and looked at the pile of discarded armour sat in the corner of the room. Maybe one day it would come of use, but for now, this was it. This was the start of a new life where you didn’t need no Amazonian armour. With Maxwell and Alistair, you had all the protection you could ever need.

“Hi,” Maxwell whispered, padding into the bedroom. You turned to face him and smiled. “I’m glad to be home… now… with you. Glad this is all over.”

He placed his hands on your shoulders and began to rub them affectionately. “Me too.” you replied warmly, leaning into his touch and nuzzling your head into his chest. You closed your eyes in contentment. Every second you spent with Max, you spent wishing it would last forever. Although you knew better than to make a wish.

“Are you tired?” Max pondered, smoothing out your hair and admiring your face.

Pushing back your hair and admiring your beauty was up there with one of his most favourite things to do. Your eyes looked like home, your lips tasted like home. You were home.

“Mm, no, not really…” you confessed, staring at the image of both you and Max in the reflection of the dressing table mirror. But Max’s gaze was fixated only on you. “Actually. I had an idea, since you know, we’re celebrating and all,” you confessed after a brief moment of comfortable silence. Maxwell raised a curious eyebrow and waited for you to continue. “Remember our first night back in Athens when we…” you trailed off and glanced over towards the bed.

“Yeah.” Max answered, already breathless from the thought.

“I liked it a lot.” You admitted bashfully as you reminisced on your first time with Maxwell.

“Me too.” he agreed.

“So do you want to do it again…?”

Max didn’t reply with words, but instead he pulled you up from the stool that you were sitting on and twirled you around so you were facing him. He crashed his lips onto yours and let his large hands freely roam your back, desperate to feel every inch of your body. He’d been waiting to do this again.

Without breaking away from the kiss, you pushed him towards his bed and climbed on top of him. You straddled his hips and began to run your hands over his chest, leaning over and kissing along his jaw and down his neck. Feeling his cock already hot and heavy, he cursed under his breath, dipping his hand under the hem of your silk nightgown and smirking upon finding that you weren’t wearing any underwear. He slowly slid his thick fingers between your folds, causing you to gasp at the sudden bolt of pleasure that ran through you. His thumb began to circle your clit and you dug your fingers into his shoulders as he worked at your bundle of nerves.

He loved to look at you and watch as your face twisted in pleasure. He liked to know you were feeling good. His fingers were like magic, and he truly had a golden touch.

“Want you to cum on my fingers, okay?” Max asked, increasing the speed. You tried to push out a word but just came out as a mangled moan. You nodded your head, feeling your cunt desperately clench around nothing and your thighs tighten as you neared orgasm. 

When you came undone, Max’s dark eyes gleamed with desire and pride. He pulled his fingers from under your nightgown and placed them on his tongue, sucking your arousal from his own digits.

“You taste amazing baby,” He praised, unable to contain his smile. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” You replied back with a smile.

Both you and Max made your way over to the bed, stripping yourself out of your clothes and intertwining your bodies together. 

“I don’t ever want this moment to end.” you confessed with a shaky exhale as Maxwell squeezed your breasts, peppering kisses down the valley of your chest.

“It doesn’t have to, princess, we have the rest of our lives to spend together.”

There it was again. The dumb nickname he’d called you from the day you first met. You’d insist that you weren’t a princess, and by no means royalty, but to Maxwell, you were. You were his princess. A rose stuck amongst a bush of thorns. You were the epitome of hope, beauty and love. And you were all his.

So the nickname grew on you, and you’d come to like it.

You felt the tip of Maxwell’s cock tease against your entrance as he swiftly rubbed his length up and down, between your glistening wet folds. By the time he pushed himself inside of you, just the scrunched up look on his face was enough to make your stomach erupt into butterflies. The crinkle in between his eyebrows and the way his perfect lips parted into an ‘o’ shape as your walls clamped around him.

“Fuck, you-you’re so tight,” He gasped, the Adams apple in his neck prevailing as he tried to swallow away his desire. “Always so tight. So per-perfect. Good girl. Such a go-good girl.” he praised, a small strand of dark blonde hair falling out of place and crossing his forehead.

You shuddered at his words.

“Look at me,” you begged, and he obliged, his chocolate coloured eyes snapping open. Despite the glaze of lust that seemed to cloud his vision, he was able to fixate on you, spending a few moments adoring your face -- the face he fell in love with -- as he remained seated deep inside you. He was stretching you open and Gods, it felt delicious, but you needed more. You desperately needed more. “Move, please.” you whimpered, bringing your hands up to cup his face.

Maxwell began to rock his hips into yours, his cock hitting that sweet spot inside of you with every thrust. He leaned over you and pressed his forehead against yours as he picked up his speed. “Don’t be too loud,” he warned quietly, his warm breath fanning over your ear.

It wasn’t long before he felt his cock twitch inside of you. “Shit,” he moaned, squeezing your shoulder to signify that he was close. “Neither of us are protected-- fuck, I need, I need to pull out.” 

“Mm, no, no Max. Keep going. Don’t stop.” You begged, your fingers tugging on the hair at the nape of his neck.

“You could get pregnant.” he rasped out, suddenly remembering you were now a mortal.

“Would it really be so bad?” you asked, and your question alone was enough to throw Maxwell over the edge.

Would it really be so bad?

You had a point. Max had never imagined having any more kids. Hell, he’d never really planned on having Alistair. But times had changed, and he was so in love with you. He figured -- maybe kids were something he could give another go at. Little mini you’s running around the house would simply be so adorable. And who better to have children with, than the goddess of home and hearth? Having a family was written in your destiny. It was always meant to be. Given the time and the place, the prospect of having kids, getting you pregnant… it just felt right.

The start of a new life… both figuratively and literally.

Of course he was certain that this was what you wanted, and evidently, you wanted it to. But the idea of seeing you swole and round, carrying his children… well that was a whole different thing.

“Fuck princess, you’re gonna look so good carrying my baby.” Maxwell grounded, nuzzling his head into the crook of your neck.

You felt your orgasm wash over you, and your walls clamp around his cock. That was enough to push him over the edge.

Maxwell came inside of you, and he made sure to cum deep, too. Once he’d regained his breath, he grabbed two pillows from his side of the bed and propped them under your butt so the lower half of your body was higher than your upper half.

“What are you doing?” you giggled.

“Making sure not a drop of it goes to waste,” Maxwell replied as he pressed sloppy kisses along your inner thighs.

And when he caught a glimpse of his seed beginning to spill out of you, he plunged his index finger and pushed it back in. 

“I love you so much.” You whispered as Maxwell smoothed out your hair and kissed your lips.

“I love you too, darling. And I can’t wait to embark on this new life together.”

You pondered for a moment, relishing in the comfortable silence before you brought your index finger and pointed it towards Maxwell. “Life is good, but it can be better.”

Maxwell was trying his damn hardest to fight the grin that was edging to cross his lips. How could one person be so adorable?

“It can always be better.” he whispered, bringing his hand down to your stomach and kissing you again.

———————————————

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I Believe In Love taglist : (tagged in replies!)

[anastasiyaigorevnadobrodevskaya]

Come over (Series 81) - Erik Černák

A/N: So technically in my time zone it is Monday already, but considering @nhlandotherimagines​ will get the notification on Sunday we can count it as me posting on time, right?

Word count: 2968

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Several weeks ago had young Lucia the pleasure in meeting the tall blond defenseman of the Lightning. To say she was surprised he was interested in her is an understatement. In fact the short blond girl had to check her notifications more than twice to make sure she wasn't seeing things. She wasn't.

After Erik rescued her at the bar from a creep he made sure she kept his jacket even though she had already agreed to go out with him. Fast forward couple of weeks and both Košice natives are more than happy to be seeing each other rather regularly.

As Lucia reaches for her purse her eyes land on the jacket she was supposed to return, but couldn't bring herself to. Every time they met Erik would tease her about it. At first she got flustered and embarrassed thinking she overstepped, but the smirk stretching on his pink lips made her worries wash away and she slapped his chest playfully.

She sighs happily grabbing the jacket before checking her appearance in the mirror once more.

"I am leaving!" She yells loud enough for her parents to hear. "I'll come in late, bye!" She rushes before either of them has a chance to protest or ask any additional questions.

//

Her wrist lifts hesitantly and with her knuckles she gently knocks on the wooden surface of the door of Erik's apartment. Footsteps approach the door and just seconds later Erik's smiling figure is revealed.

"Ahoj, how are you?" he questions as she steps inside.

"Better now." She smiles embracing him in a hug the second she slips her shoes of.

"I wonder why." He hums. He pulls away grinning.  "Wait is that?" He asks pointing at the jacket in her hand with surprise written all over his face.

"Yes?" It's more of a hesitant question rather than a sure statement.

"I thought I'd never see it again." He gives her a cheeky grin.

"I mean you said it was okay, but uh- I had to return it eventually and-" She starts to babble nonsense.

"Hey." His big hands on her small shoulders and a look in his eyes make her stop her words vomit. "It's okay. I was joking. I wouldn't have given it to you if I wanted it back that bad. I would've asked for it." He reasons with his blushing girlfriend.

"Okay, yeah. Makes sense." She nods.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, let me just wash my hands real quick."

He points her towards the bathroom leaning himself on to the doorway. While Lucia runs the water and reaches for soap he's looking at her intensely trough the mirror. She looks up giving him a soft smile, which he happily returns.

After drying her hands off she walks over to Erik wrapping her arms around his neck. His own hands find purchase on her slim waist bringing her closer. His head dips down, their foreheads touching and noses brushing. "You are so beautiful." His words are barely above whisper as if he spoke any louder they wouldn't get to her. Her cheeks flame up, her gaze escaping his. He nudges her rosy cheek with his nose. "Don't look away pretty girl." If anything his words only deepen the blush on Lucia's cheeks.

"How is your nose so cold? It's so hot outside I thought I would melt on my way here." Rolling her eyes she looks up to the blue spirals. His hearty laugh makes his shoulders shake slightly and Lucia's smile grow.

"My nose ain't cold." He protests pressing his nose to her warm cheek.

"It is!" She tries to pull away, but doesn't get too far. "Are your lips that cold too?" She questions in a small voice giving him a soft smile.

"Guess you'll have to find out." A smirk that makes her weak stretches on his features. Tilting her head slightly she does just that. Erik's hands wander over her back, not really sure where to settle. Lucia's slender fingers thread through his locks. Her long nails scratching his skin lightly drawing noises of pleasure from him.

"Your nose is colder." She breathes after pulling away. He shakes his head laughing, his eyes twinkling with joy. Grabbing her hand he leads her in to the living room. "Because I am the nice guy I am I'll let you pick the movie we are watching tonight." Winking he pushes the remote into her small hands and walks over to the kitchen. She merely laughs as she settles on the couch. "Do you want tea or water or juice or wine?" He lists as he shuffles around looking for glasses.

"Are you trying to get me drunk so early? Water's fine." She chimes and goes through the list of movies available, Erik's laugh accompanying her.

//

After watching the movie, a light romcom Lucia picked, Erik gives her an apartment tour considering it is her first time visiting.

"And this is my old room. “ Standing at the door he motions around the room.

"It's nice. I mean. I would have never guessed you play hockey." She laughs pointing at the posters, medals and pictures scattered around.

"I used to share the room with my brother. It could've been his." He counters.

"Nah, I am pretty sure this is you." He walks over to her and takes a look at the picture, which caught Lucia's attention.

"Whatever." He rolls his eyes smiling.

Stepping towards a bookshelf she lets her eyes wander over the different titles placed on the wooden surface. "Did you read a lot or is it your brother's?" Lucia teases.

"Not a lot, but some of those are mine."

"Not a book worm. Noted." She throws over her shoulder with a grin.

"I liked this one a lot, though." His voice is suddenly a lot closer than before and she jumps slightly. He reaches for a book taking it off of the shelf. Lucia turns noticing the soft smile sitting on his lips as his fingers run over the cover.

"Let's read then." She announces skipping over to the bed in the corner of the room.

"What? Now?" He turns to her confused.

"Why not?" She shrugs patting the spot next to her.

Shaking his head he walks over taking a seat next to her. "Do you want me to read or?"

"You can read?" She gasps faking a surprise.

"Aw come on! You're being very mean right now." He pouts.

"I am sorry." She presses a wet kiss on his cheek. He cringes, but doesn't object. "Gimmie the book, I'll read to you." She makes grabby hands looking directly at the item in Erik's hands.

"I'll trade the book for a kiss." He smirks proudly.

"Gosh you're such a child." Lucia rolls her eyes. "Fine." She sighs and shakes her head already leaning in.

"Last time I checked it was you being nineteen not me." He mumbles just before she presses her lips to his.

"Shut up and get comfy." She scolds finally getting her hands on the book.

He salutes and slides down on the bed. Placing his head on her stomach he hugs her waist. She threads her fingers through his hair massaging his scalp.

"Good?" She checks.

He hums into her belly, giving her clothed stomach a kiss.

Lucia opens the book and starts reading. Quite frankly their setting looks rather comical. A big man like Erik lying on his small girlfriend with his legs dangling off of his childhood bed. In one hand she holds the book and with the other she combs his hair. Every time she retreats her hand to turn a page Erik let's out a sound of protest, but she merely shushes him.

With Lucia's voice reading out loud his favorite story and Lucia herself as a pillow it was just a matter of time when sleep consumes Erik. The moment she takes notice of the soft snores leaving his lips she closes the book quietly. Careful as to not wake him she slips from the hold he has on her waist. After setting the book on a bedside table she tiptoes towards the door.

"You know, you can stay if you want." Erik's sleepy voice makes her stop in her tracks and he yawns.

"Um, I'd like that." She nods shyly and he gives her a warm smile.

"I'll find you some pajamas." He sits up stretching.

After a few minutes of rummaging through various drawers and a quick trip to a different room he is back with a pile of clothing in his hands.

She thanks him with a smile taking from him a rather big black T-shirt and cyclamen runner shorts with polka dot pattern. Her eyes linger on the shorts a beat longer and he speaks up. "Those are my sister's." Clearing his throat he scratches the back of his head.

"I figured. You don't seem like the kind of guy to go for pink shorts." Lucia snorts looking up at him. Rolling his eyes he lets out a laugh. "I mean, they wouldn't fit you even if you tried." Holding them up, she compares them to his broad form.

"Are you implying that I am fat?" He holds his palm to his chest in a mock offended gesture.

"No, I am saying, you have a booty of an athlete, which." She pauses to make her point. "I am not complaining about." She smiles throwing him a wink.

Coming closer his arms wrap around her waist bringing her close. "I knew you wanted me for my body." He scoffs.

"But of course babe." Running her free hand through his hair she gives his cheek a kiss. "Why else would I date you?"

"You're terrible, you know that?" Laughing his palms squeeze her hips.

She hums placing her palm and fist full of clothes on his muscular chest. "Actually, I remember you saying I was pretty amazing." Leaning in their foreheads touch.

"You must have misheard my words." His lips brush hers with barely any pressure.

"Are you sure about that?" With every sentence said their voices drop in volume and faces decrease the space between them.

"Pretty sure, yeah." It's a mere whisper as they finally kiss.

//

Stripes of soft yellow light coming in through the blinds are dancing on the faces of the two sleeping bodies under the covers on a bed way too small for two adults, but they manage. Shadows are moving on their skin with every breath they take.

Erik wakes up first. Blinking, trying to adjust his eyes to the sight in front of him. Wrapped in his strong arms, with her blond head on his chest is lying his sleeping girlfriend. He admires her. Every detail. Her smooth skin, shiny hair, soft snores making their way through her parted lips, her mouth. Oh, the pink pillows that drive him insane every time they kiss. Everything. He adores every little thing about her. She is his perfect princess. His and his only. The thought makes his heart skip a single beat.

Lucia stirs. Dragging her eyelids open she searches with her eyes the source of heat next to her.

She finds him already looking at her with a soft look in his eyes and small smile dancing on his pretty pink lips.

"Dobré ráno." She muses biting her lip.

"Morning." Whispering his palm rubs her back. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did." She nods. She rolls, placing her right forearm on his chest and chin on the back of her palm.

"Did you?"

"With you in my arms? Like a baby." With his free hand he strokes her golden locks.

"Such a flirt right from the very start of a day." She teases, trying not to blush. To no avail.

"Can't help it." He rolls his shoulders in a shrug. "You make me flirtatious." A cheeky grin stretches on his features.

"Oh my God, why am I even dating you?" Lucia faceplants into the fabric of his T-shirt.

"For my body. I thought we established that yesterday?" He says it so nonchalantly she can't believe he actually said that.

"Such an idiot. Still brings me back to that question." She shakes her head, looking up at his face.

"And I will still give you the same answer." Lucia merely huffs at his stubbornness. "Well, maybe not the same." He backtracks pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Oh, and what might your answer be then?" She tilts her head, green eyes bearing into his, voice laced with pure curiosity.

"I like you. A lot. That's why." He leans in pecking her lips. "But you already knew that, didn't you?"

"It doesn't hurt to be reminded once in a while." She shrugs, slight smirk creeping onto her features.

"I'll gladly remind you over and over again." He whispers, rolling over he pauses. "I like you." Kiss on the forehead. "I like you." Kiss on the cheek. "I like you." Kiss on the lips. "I like you." Kiss on the neck. "So much." Mumbling into her skin he proceeds to pepper her with kisses.

"I like you too." Grabbing the sides of his face she brings him to her eye level. "So much." She wraps her arms around Erik's neck, smiling into the kiss.

There is some rustling noise in the background and the sound of a door closing. He pulls away facepalming into Lucia's shoulder, groaning loudly. "Who's that?"

"One of my siblings, who apparently did not get the message of NOT coming back early." His words are muffled, but she hears them.

"Siblings?" Her eyebrow cocked in question.

He lifts his head. "Yeah, I have a sister too. I'll go kick whichever one of them is here's ass. Be right back." He presses a quick kiss to her cheek and climbs off of the bed.

"Hi, you're back early." Erik greets a brown-haired woman rummaging through kitchen cabinets. Leaning on the door frame he crosses his arms over his chest.

"It's noon." She snorts filling a glass with water.

"It's holidays." He says unamused.

"What are you a schooler?" Laughing she leans on the kitchen counter.

"Why are you here? Don't you dare say, because you live here." He warns.

Rolling her eyes she shrugs. "I wanted to meet the mysterious lady you're so head over heels for."

"So you thought you'd come in the morning unannounced." He finishes.

"It's noon."

"That's not the point. How are you so sure she even stayed?"

"Oh, please. I have known you for some time. Hockey players always charm girls into staying, especially you."

He rolls his eyes sighing heavily. "Just. Just be nice, I'd like to see her again."

Turning on his heels he walks back into the bedroom. He misses the surprised look painting his sister's face after his last sentence.

"So um, it's my sister and apparently she wanted to meet you. Are you okay with that?" He asks Lucia sort of skeptical, eyes darting all over the room.

"Well, I can't really sneak out through the window." She tries to joke implying it wouldn't be the smartest idea to try and climb out the window on the seventh floor. "It's okay, I'll just have to put myself together or something." Gesturing towards her appearance she then places her hands on his shoulders, his fingers wrapping around her wrists.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know she'd show up." His apology is sincere just as the worry of what words might leave his sisters mouth.

"'S alright, that's what siblings do." Brushing it of she appears so calm and nonchalant about it all. "I'll be fine, don't worry." Pecking his lips she steps back to gather her clothes and heads for the bathroom. Not before he squeezes her hands in a supportive gesture.

Slipping into the bathroom she misses the silent exchange between the two siblings. Erik looks at Lucia's retreating figure with so much admiration the younger woman can't help, but shoot him a knowing look. At which merely he rolls his eyes smiling anyway.

After changing her clothes, brushing her hair and splashing her face with rather cold water Lucia emerges from the bathroom meeting both Černák siblings in their kitchen.

Erik approaches her placing his arm around her shoulders. "So this is my sister Simona, who was too anxious to meet you she came in unannounced." Giving her a pointed look Erik smiles at his sister just seconds later. "Simona, this is Lucka." Finishing the introductions he squeezes Lucia's shoulder as her hand finds his lower back.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you." Simona says with outstretched hand towards the younger blond.

"Nice to meet you too. I didn't know Erik had a sister, but now I see why he kept you a secret." Movement of Simona's hand pauses mid-air, eyes searching Lucia's face confused. "The most precious gems are always kept secret and locked away." She smiles brightly, but fists some of Erik's T-shirt as if her life depended on it. That is the first indication of her nervousness.

Simona still seems to be at loss for words, the big brother deciding to step in. "Let's eat something shall we?"

//

After breakfast Simona was convinced that Lucia was incredibly charming. She managed to charm her just like she has charmed her older brother. The way he kept stealing glances and staring at her as if her stuffing her face with cereals was the most beautiful piece of art was all she needed to know. Not only was he smitten by her, but the happiness radiated off of him in waves so big Simona thought she might get blown away. The admiration they had for each other was very clear on both of their faces. After all Erik has charmed Lucia just the same.

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

A/N: So here goes the second part of Series 81. I hope you are enjoying the story of Erik and Lucia so far.

Other parts: Part 1

Translations:

Dobré ráno. - Good morning. 

PS: I have posted the Valentine’s cake, Jessie!

[psychedellic-phase]

Fifteen (pt 8)

A/N: thank you for all the love on part 7!! it really popped off. I was expecting maybe 2 people to read this so thank you for all the kind messages :)

word count: 3.5k

tw: cursing, angst, all around sad vibes

masterlist!

The clock read 7:13. Derek had responded almost immediately, telling him he’d be there at 8 sharp. Spencer paced around the room in a circle around the box. He had time, just one more letter wouldn’t hurt? 

‘No pace yourself,’ He thought, but somehow kept migrating towards the box. Like it was the sun and he was caught in its gravitational pull, or more accurately, it was a black hole, sucking him in and swallowing him whole. 

He sat in front of it, trying to find some will power to just stop and breathe for a moment. Every word was like a jab in the gut, but he couldn’t stay away. He was twisting the knife you had shoved in his heart. Maybe he’s a glutton for punishment. 

He grabbed the box and letter 7. Lucky #7 belonged to the Caltech hoodie he had folded neatly in the bottom of the box when he knocked it over. He smiled, remembering the million times he had seen you wear it. He couldn’t remember the last time he put it on; it always looked better on you anyways. He unfolded it and pulled it over his body. The smell of you enveloped him. You smelled like vanilla and musk and almonds and sunshine and happiness. It smelled warm. It smelled like home. 

“Why do you put on a thousand sprays of perfume?” He recalled asking you, coming up behind you while you were getting ready for date night. 

He wrapped his arms around your torso and held you tightly, burying his face in the crook of your neck. You giggled under him, spinning around in his arms so you faced him and shook the bottle in his face. 

“I like to smell good. It’s an underrated sense.”

He smiled, still holding your body close to his, “I know, isn’t it? Olfaction is the most primal of the six senses. It is closely linked to survival and can bring out instinctive and subconscious behavior.”

You spun out of his arms and back to your dresser, still listening to him intently. You always listened, no matter how many times he went on the same rant, you always listened and even chimed in sometimes. You nodded along to what he was saying as you clasped the locket around your neck and fixed up your makeup. 

“Fragrances have the ability to evoke both positive and negative psychological states of mind and reactions in milliseconds. Scents bypass the thalamus and go straight to the brain's smell center, the olfactory bulb, which is directly connected to the amygdala and hippocampus.”

“So that’s why smells trigger intense memories?” You said, adjusting Spencer’s constantly crooked tie and running your hands across his chest. 

“Exactly.” 

He missed how it felt to have your hands on his chest, feeling his pounding heart through his dress shirt. He missed how you would wiggle his tie to fix it and when it was especially bad you’d even undo it and retie it for him.

“Well, then I hope every time you smell me you remember something good,” you said, planting a kiss on his cheek. 

Spencer made a face and wiped at his cheek, “Lip gloss?”

You giggled and overzealously applied another coat, pursing your lips into a kiss. 

“It looks amazing but it’s so... sticky.”

“Then you don’t have to kiss me,” you said, shrugging and turning away.

“Oh, I most definitely have to kiss you.”

You were right, smelling you did trigger some hidden memory in his mind. He hadn’t thought about that day in years. 

The things he’d do to complain about a sticky, glittery, lip gloss kiss again. 

He buried his face in the sleeves, wishing it was the crook of your neck and began to read: 

“This one is short, sweet, and to the point. I feel like I’m getting redundant, and my hand is cramping. I just keep saying how sad and lost I am. It’s getting boring. So let's get into the CalTech hoodie. 

It’s the first item you moved into my place. It’d been about a year and a half of us being together and you were spending most nights with me. Your apartment is great, and cozy, and so undeniably you, but mine is bigger. Mine was made for two people; it even has a guest room. 

One day I cleared out the bottom drawer of my dresser. You always brought your go-bag and I thought it was finally time for you to graduate to a drawer. That night I opened the drawer and said, “Ta-da!” while giving you jazz hands. 

Your mouth curled up into a smile, “What’s this?”

“This is your drawer.”

“My drawer?” Your eyebrows went up in shock. I thought maybe I was being too much, maybe it was too soon, so I backpedaled. 

“Well, I mean, I thought since you’ve been coming with the bag all this time, I’d give you somewhere to keep some pajamas and stuff so you wouldn’t have to b-bring the bag? I don’t know I’m sorry—“

You scooped me up in a kiss, dropping your bag on the ground. You lifted me off the ground and I wrapped my legs around your torso. It was like a movie. 

“I love it,” you said, peppering me with more kisses. 

“And,”

Kiss

“I,”

Kiss

“Love,”

Kiss

“You.”

You put me down and I was smiling so hard my face hurt. The love of my life was semi moving in with me. That officially made it serious in my book. You unpacked the bag and this sweatshirt is the first thing you put in the drawer. 

Over time, one drawer turned into two drawers, and into an entire dresser. And eventually a rack in my closet (your three-piece suits must hang) and two toothbrushes. There were two sets of shampoo and conditioner, two mugs were always in the sink waiting to be washed, and two used sides of my bed. You brought little bits of yourself with you every time, leaving books or papers. It started out with you staying over after every date night, then every weekend, and eventually we drove to and from work together because we were both going to the same place. Home. 

When we invited our friends over it wasn’t “Let’s go to Y/N’s” it was “Let’s go to Y/N and Spencer’s.” I loved that. It was our place, Spence. And we lived together so well. I cooked (or tried to) and you’d do the dishes. I’d do laundry and you liked to fold it. You took out the garbage and I fed the fish. Then at the end of a long night I’d snuggle up on the couch next to you and we’d watch Dr. Who or something else like that and you’d rub my feet or back. I’d always fall asleep on the couch on top of you and you’d always carry me up to bed. 

Everyone thought it was a little odd that you lived with me but still had your apartment. I always thought it was a little weird too, but you said you used it like an office and for storage. 

“You have one bookcase Y/N, where am I supposed to put my stuff?” Is what you’d say and I’d laugh and joke that you lived in a library. I’m glad you kept it though, you ended up needing it at the end. Even when we were together it was your getaway. You would go there to recharge a lot. It’s your safe place. That’s why I’m glad you’re reading all this there. 

Me? 

I’m writing this at the kitchen table where we would share coffee every morning and you’d read the newspaper from an obscure small town. The kitchen table where I’d time how fast it took you to do the crossword and you’d pass me the comics because you know how much I love Garfield. I have the blanket you got me for Christmas one year over my shoulders. It’s the red one that we laid under many nights on the couch.  It smells like you. Everything in this place smells like you. I used to love that. In the beginning, it reminded me of you when you were gone. I’d miss you and grab this blanket or a shirt or anything that was yours and shove my face into it. You always smell like old books and fall, like cinnamon and firewood. I used to love it. Now as I’m sitting here wrapped in this blanket that smells like you I’m nauseous. I can’t live in a place that is so you without YOU, Spencer. It’s cruel really, how you permeated through every part of my life. It’s gut wrenching, but my fault. If I hadn’t allowed you to be all consuming this would be easier, maybe I wouldn’t hurt so much. I lost everything the day I lost you. I used to be angry. I’m sorry for all the nights I yelled at you. It wasn’t fair. I didn’t even realize how much you were hurting too. I promise you, I’m not mad anymore. I’m just sad and tired, so emotionally exhausted.  

Some nights even after you left I’d wear this to sleep. I’d snuggle up in it and pretend it was your arms taking me away to a dreamland much better than here. The smell of you triggers all the memories. Because the amygdala and olfactory bulb are close together or something, right? 

Well I’m sick of the memories. They come like waves; one moment I’m fine. Right now I’m thinking of you and me baking and icing cupcakes for Mia’s birthday and getting flour all over ourselves and laughing. Then I’ll remember me and you and the yelling and then I cry, no not cry, I wail. And then I start all over again. 

That’s another reason why I have to leave. I can’t inhabit a two bedroom when it’s just me anymore. So there you go, here’s the hoodie. It’s tattered and pilled and shrunk and has a bleach stain from how much I washed it but it’s yours. It’s about time you have it back.”

Maybe he had permeated through your life, but was that such a bad thing? He planned on spending the rest of his with you; making your two lives and two souls into one just made sense. He put the paper down and just let himself be consumed by the smell and many memories of you, crashing over him like waves. He allowed himself to drown, finding an odd comfort in the feeling.

At 7:52 Spencer was sitting on the couch waiting for Derek. He thought maybe they should do this in a coffee shop or somewhere public, but he knew he’d be crying in minutes and didn’t need an audience. He just needed his friend. 

When the knock on the door came he didn’t hesitate. He just opened it up and let Derek in. 

“I’m sorry about before. I-I just,” Spencer sputtered out his attempt at an apology, lifting his arms and letting them fall in defeat. The hoodie had shrunk; the sleeves barely reached his wrists. 

“It’s okay kid, I know,” Derek grabbed his shoulder in the same big brother way he always did, and they both sat on the couch. 

“Coffee?” Spencer offered. Derek nodded and within minutes he had his own steaming cup. They sat in awkward silence, neither one of them knowing what to say or where to start.  

Derek spoke first. 

“When you left work yesterday, you looked like you’d seen a ghost. What’s going on, Reid? I know that wasn’t just from Y/N leaving.”

Spencer gulped. He had seen a ghost, the ghost of you. Not the you he had seen just yesterday morning, he saw the you that he remembered sharing a home with, sharing a bed with, sharing the clothes on his back with. Had it only been twenty hours since he saw you last? He felt like he hadn’t seen you in years. He couldn’t even remember anything about you yesterday clearly. Was your hair up or down? Did you wear pants or a skirt? Did you laugh? It felt like you weren’t even there, and that was the last time he would see you. He felt sick. 

“I think the easier question is what isn’t going on.”

“Reid, I know you’re hurting man, talk to me.”

Spencer looked at Derek with his head tilted sideways, “Did you know about the box?”

“The box? What box?”

Spencer got up and made his way to the chess table, grabbing the now much lighter box and dropping it on the coffee table. The two mugs rattled, a little coffee spilled out. 

“This box.”

Derek leaned to look in it, flicking through the open letters Spencer put on top, “What is this?”

“A box of stuff Y/N wanted me to have and a bunch of letters detailing exactly how we got here.”

Derek laughed lightly, “She always did have a flare for the dramatic. What’s in it?”

Spencer sighed, he didn’t want to tell him the details, “I’m only about halfway through it all.”

“Do you want to go through it together?”

Spencer scratched the back of his head, “No, I think she wants me to do this alone.”

Derek understood, “Well talk to me about it so far. What’s going on up there?”  He poked Reid’s head playfully, trying to lighten up the dark room. 

“It’s been pretty happy so far. It’s full of good memories, first date, anniversary, when she met my mom. But I know what comes next. I just don’t want to keep going.”

He stared into the wrinkled papers, “There’s so many things she never said to me and I never said to her. The more I read the more it feels like I didn’t even know her.”

“You know that isn’t true. You knew her better than anyone. The two were like two halves of a whole person.”

Spencer nodded, his throat going dry despite all the coffee he was pouring down it. He thought you were two halves of one soul; but the more he learned about the last three years, the farther from the truth that seemed. 

“Reid, look at me,” Derek forced Spencer to make eye contact, “I know the last few months were bad. I spent them with her. Tell me your side.”

Spencer laid back into the couch, wishing it would just swallow him whole. 

Derek sighed, “Kid, I know I should’ve been more there for you then, but I’m here now. Talk to me.”

“Alright,” Spencer conceded, “It was 127 days ago. That’s when everything happened.”

Derek could feel Spencer stiffen beside him, “That’s when Y/N went on leave but I stayed at work.” He gulped, a dreadful feeling and sour taste already in his mouth, “I felt bad about leaving her alone, I really did, but I just couldn’t be there. I couldn’t walk around that place and know what should’ve been. I couldn’t be there for her the way she needed me to be. She needed to talk and cry, like all the time. I just needed space and some alone time to figure out my head. I took it whenever I could. The very little time we did spend together was spent fighting. I don’t think we had a normal conversation until a few weeks ago. Then after the month was up she said she wasn’t ready to come back yet. She took more days, and Hotch let her. Hell, he encouraged her to. He wouldn’t even let her near the building until a month and a half ago. I kept telling her it wasn’t healthy; she couldn’t just sit there all day and wallow. She didn’t listen to me, she just let the grief swallow her whole. And then we went on that stupid trip, God I wish I hadn’t gone.”

“The one to the beach?”

Spencer groaned, “Yeah, it was awful. It was supposed to be a week but by day three we were at each other’s throats so much that I flew home. I started avoiding her even more, spending every night in my apartment. Eventually, her four week leave ended up being closer to eight, and in week five we broke up. Technically, she broke up with me, but I know I wasn’t in it. She just didn’t get that I need to be alone sometimes, that’s just how I process stuff.”

Derek nodded, “You put up walls.”

“That’s an understatement,” Spencer chuckled, “But then I realized how badly I messed up. I forced her away, and I hated myself for it. So, I started going to her place, begging her to talk to me. I wanted to fix it. But just when I took my walls down, she put hers up. I lost her.”

They sat in silence for a while, the only sound being Spencer’s sniffles. He felt lighter, like the weight of that damn box was no longer on his shoulders. Then he felt himself go numb again and he couldn’t quite tell if that was better or worse than the heartache. 

“I checked on her every day, you know?” Derek broke the delicate silence. 

Spencer turned to look at him and made eye contact. Derek looked tired too. 

“I never thanked you for that.”

Derek shook his head, “There’s no need to, you would’ve done it for me. Sometimes it was a text, other days I’d bring her something to eat and force her out of bed. She didn’t talk much, but you know what she did talk about?”

Spencer just shrugged. 

“She’d ask about you. Every damn day.”

Spencer didn’t know whether to be elated or distraught, “Everyday?”

Derek nodded, “Everyday.”

“What else did she do?” Spencer said with a watery smile. 

Derek laughed, “She was always in bed; I was shocked she even gathered herself up enough to go on that trip. When I’d go see her I’d bring takeout and she wouldn’t eat it. I practically force fed her for a month.”

“She was looking skinnier.”

“Yeah, I think something like twenty pounds? I thought it was from—“

Spencer cut him off, not wanting him to say it. Saying it out loud made it real, and he didn’t want it to be real. 

“What else did she do?”

 “She made me watch a lot of New Girl.”

Spencer stifled a laugh, “Yeah, she loves Nick.”

“What’s that one line she’d always say? Something about reading?”

“‘I'm not convinced I know how to read. I've just memorized a lot of words,’” Spencer said and he and Derek fell into genuine laughter. For a moment it felt like everything would be okay.  

But the silence came again, and although it was much more comfortable this time, the heartache returned. They sat there, Spencer’s head and heart hurting and Derek trying his hardest to just be there. He wanted to be what Spencer needed, like he had been what you needed.

Spencer knew you were in bed constantly, barely eating, maybe waking up to shower. He knew all of that but still couldn’t bear to be near you. He felt like the worst person alive. 

“So what now?” Derek asked. 

Spencer shrugged, “I honestly don’t know. Where do I go from here?”

Derek sighed, leaning back into the couch, “There’s only two options, kid. You get over it here or you get your ass on a plane and go get the girl, movie style.”

Spencer chuckled, “I want to, but she explicitly asked me not to.”

Derek opened his mouth but Spencer knew what he was going to say, so he cut him off, “And she said I couldn’t send you after her either.” 

“What? Why not?” Derek looked at him confused. 

“‘Don’t chase me and don’t send Derek to chase me. We both deserve to move on.’ It was in the rules.”

Derek took a long sip of coffee, “You know neither of you are going to move on, don’t you?”

Spencer reached up to rub his temples, willing away the dull ache forming behind his eyes. He did know. He knew this feeling in his chest would never go away, just fade with time. He knew that if he was in a room full of all the people he loved he’d immediately look for you. You. Not JJ. Not his own Mother. You. 

“Yeah,” he croaked, “And I don’t want to.”

Derek pulled him into a hug and Spencer buried his head in the crook of Derek’s neck. When they separated they both just stared at the box. 

“You gotta finish them, kid. It’ll hurt like hell but maybe it’ll give you some closure.”

Spencer nodded and reached in to grab #8, “Want to see what’s in this one?”

Derek shook his head, “Nah, this is between you and the lady.” 

Derek made his way towards the door as Spencer toyed with the envelope, “And if you change your mind, I can get us on the next flight out there and you can go get the girl, Pretty Boy.”

Spencer smiled, “I just might take you up on that, but not until I’m done here.” 

Derek smiled and gave him one last pat on the back, leaving Spencer with the box.

part 9!

taglist! 

@l0ve-0f-my-life​ @aperrywilliams​ @helloniallslovelies​ @random-ravings

@ajwantsapancake​ @andiebeaword​ @boiled-onionrings​ @frnks-stuff​ @icantevenanymore1​ @mellifluouswildbluebells​ @rottenearly​ @sammypotato67​ @blushingwueen​ @peaxhyjaes​ @justanotherfangurlz​

[reddieorrnot]

4 for the reddie prompts please! Xx

here you go!! this is number 4 off of this prompt list. 

i got so many prompt requests so fast omg i like to make these so long too,, i’ll try and get as many done asap and i hope you like this!! “My parents are going out of town this weekend.”

Eddie looked up from the comic book in his hands, and glanced over to Richie. The teen was lying on his bed, throwing a ball into the air and catching it before it fell on his face. Eddie found it humorous how Richie’s feet nearly hung over the foot of his bed, his height seemed to have betrayed his desire to keep the same bed throughout adolescence. When Eddie didn’t answer, Richie sat up and continued to speak.

“My dad’s got some dentist convention and my mom wanted to go. Doesn’t that sound so dumb, a dentist convention? What’re they gonna do, inspect each other’s teeth? See who can brush the best?” Richie looked genuinely confused, which prompted a giggle from Eddie who set down the borrowed comic. 

They had been spending all afternoon at Richie’s, it being originally a plan for Eddie to receive some tutoring, but the two had finished way earlier than expected. It bewildered Eddie, how good at math Richie was. The boy only needed to learn a lesson once before being able to do the problems, along with applying further thinking with more difficult questions.

He would never admit it to anyone, but Eddie always stared in awe and amazement as Richie knit together his eyebrows ad solved his homework in record time. And apparently, Richie was also good at explaining how to answer the problem, because Eddie felt much more confident in his abilities after an hour of getting homework help from Richie. Neither one felt particularly in favor of ending their hanging out, so they decided to just relax in Richie’s room until Eddie needed to leave.  

“I bet you’d do great in their teeth brushing contest, my little hygiene freak.” Richie crawled over to where Eddie was, sitting on the edge of the bed. Before Eddie could stop him, Richie brought his hand up and pinched Eddie’s cheek with a smile. 

“Oh, stop it, Rich,” Eddie swat the hand away from his face, thinking about Richie’s comment. He secretly found pride in how clean his mouth was, and how pearly white his teeth were. He didn’t do the whole routine night and day for nothing. 

“Come on, Eds. You know you would, you got a yapper so squeaky clean I bet kissing you would be like a minty oasis!” 

It was stuff Richie said like that which made Eddie’s flutter, or the heat in his body to rise to his cheeks. Richie always was a flirt, saying things Eddie knew he didn’t mean. But there were moments where Richie would say something, something that indicated Richie had to think about his words, and it would leave Eddie damn near breathless. 

“Shut up, and that isn’t my name,” was all Eddie could muster before returning his attention to the comic in his hands. 

Richie had scooted over right next to Eddie, peeking at the comic and reading along. He must have gotten bored because soon Richie started speaking again.

“Maybe I should move everything in the house two inches to the left while they’re gone and see if they notice when they’re back…” Richie pondered, rolling onto his side and looking up at Eddie. As stupid as it was, it made Eddie giggle. 

“That’s so dumb. But it sounds like something you’d do,” Eddie let out an exasperated sigh. 

“They’d be so confused! Bumping into everything!” Richie exclaimed while rolling off the bed. 

He stood to his feet and put on his best impression of his father, Went Tozier. “Here I am back in my home from my dentist convention, where I earned an award for farthest stethoscope up my ass-” 

“Dentist don’t use stethoscopes, Richie,” Eddie cocked an eyebrow in amusement, only to be shushed by Richie. 

“Guess I’ll just go and sit in my favorite chair! One I don’t even have to look at to sit in!” Richie then professionally strutted to an invisible chair, in a way that Eddie had to laugh at because it indeed did look like the way Went walked. Richie then mimed going to sit down, but landing right on his butt instead. He then put on a shocked expression, “Blasphemy! Could’ve sworn this chair was more to the right! Am I insane?” 

Perhaps it was the voice, or the expression, or the concept of it all, but Eddie started to laugh so hard he fell back onto the bed holding his sides. Between the giggles, Eddie could hear Richie scrambling up and moving over to his side. Once Eddie’s laughter died down, he turned his head over to see his lanky best friend lying right next to him, Richie had the stupidest grin on his face. 

“When I’m a big and famous comedian, and you’re my arm candy, I’ll be able to pick out your laughter at all my shows.” 

Eddie hoped Richie couldn’t sense the nerves radiating off of the smaller boy. 

“Like enough people will find you funny for you to have shows,” Eddie teased. 

“Of course they will, Eds! And if not, I’m sure they’ll come for your cuteness,” That earned Richie a shove in the arm.

“You’re so weird, and stop calling me that. Your parents go out of town and the first thing you wanna do is alter the whole house by a few inches. Other teens would do other things,” Eddie rolled his eyes as he brought back their focus to the original topic. Richie’s eyes flickered with thought, filling Eddie with a mix of intrigue and anxiety. 

“Okay, then I’ll do something other teens would do.”

Eddie’s brown eyes widened in fear, zoning in on Richie, something that could be easily mistaken for excitement. “Are you going to have a party?” 

Although he opened his mouth to answer, the ringing of a phone cut Richie off before he even began. Just like that, Eddie’s attention was fixated somewhere else, and the discussion was over. 

*** 

A few days later, Eddie lay on his own bed, listening to music play in his earphones. It had been a playlist Richie had made him, claiming he needed to expand his musical interests. And while Eddie didn’t like all the songs, he did like that Richie had sat down and made him this. At the first chorus of Boys Don’t Cry by The Cure, Eddie heard a phone ring. He thanked the universe that his mother wasn’t home, knowing she wouldn’t be happy with such noise blaring throughout the house. Abandoning his music, Eddie made his way over to the phone and lifted it to his ear. 

“Now which of the stunning Kaspbraks am I speaking to?” Richie's voice filled the air around Eddie, familiar and deep. 

“God, I hope you don’t usually start off like that, my mother would probably have a stroke.” 

Richie laughed, “Oh, don’t worry your pretty head, Eddie Spaghetti. With all the things your mother and I do, I’ve come to learn that that woman's heart can take anything.” 

Eddie’s face twisted in disgust, “You got a reason for calling me, Trashmouth? Or can I hung up and cut short your comments about my mom?” 

“One day you’ll accept my ravishing romance with Ms. Kaspbrak,” Richie purred and had been any other statement in that tone, Eddie would have melted. Instead, he simply muttered a refusement, one that went ignored, nonetheless. “I’m calling you on this fine day to see if you can come over tonight? Possibly sleepover?” 

“I’m not helping you move everything over two inches,” Eddie simply replied, getting ready to hang up the phone. 

“Good, because I wasn’t gonna ask you. Think you can come?” 

As much as Richie teased and joked, Eddie would never pass up a request to go over to his best friend’s house, especially sleepover. He found himself spending hours laughing at Richie’s jokes, eating things from his pantry that Eddie’s mother would faint at, and listening to the ramblings Richie went on. It all was Eddie’s own bliss, something he would never say out loud. But the concept spoke volumes loud enough in his own mind. 

“Yeah, I’ll be there. What time?”

“Come around nine, and don’t wear or bring pajamas,” Richie said.

“Huh?” 

“Just dress cute, like you usually do but even cuter. And don’t bring anything, I’ll let you borrow clothes or whatever.”

There was a beat of hesitation on Eddie’s part before he spoke, “Um, okay. You’ve got my spare toothbrush in your bathroom right?” 

For reasons Eddie didn’t understand, Richie chuckled at the question. “Of course I do, never touch it. Remember, dress pretty, cutie!” 

Before any questions could be asked, Richie had already hung up, leaving Eddie with his confusion alone. He put the phone down and looked over his shoulder toward the clock, he had about an hour to get ready and head over to Richie’s. He’d make sure to leave a note on the fridge for his mother, stating that he went over to Bill’s for movie night and would spend the night there. He would probably get yelled at for something so short notice and absent of her permission, but there wasn’t much else to do. So then Eddie commenced on picking out an outfit. 

He supposed that he and Richie would probably go see some sort of movie or something, as they’ve done many times before. He didn’t get why he had to specifically dress nicely, though. He never got those instructions before they went to the movies.

You dress nicely for dates, a voice in Eddie’s head said. 

He quickly repressed the thought and went to work in his closet. 

Over time, he eventually settled on a pair of high waisted jeans, one of his favorite pairs, He liked the way it made his thighs look (and his ass), and dressing nicely to Eddie meant tapping into his confidence. He then picked out a dress shirt, one that was vertically striped with yellow, black, and white. Eddie then remembered some fashion advice Beverly once gave him, as he looked into the mirror. He tucked the dress shirt into his pants, and popped open the collar. 

He immediately looked less like a businessman and more like those men in movies that always made Eddie blush. Wanting to top it all off, Eddie grabbed a belt he usually wore with pants that were too big and slid into the holes of his jeans. 

He looked… hot. 

A bubble of self-assurance formed in Eddie, as he shot himself a grin in the mirror. Whether Richie planned on them seeing a movie or what, Eddie was going to be hanging out in style. Picking out his outfit had taken a lot longer than Eddie had expected, noticing on the clock that he had about fifteen minutes to work on his facial appearance before needing to start walking over to the Tozier household. 

Rushing into the bathroom, Eddie dug through the cabinets of medication until he reached what he had been looking for. 

Eddie’s mother hated his curly hair, claiming it had to be neatly compact and short. But in a desire for adventure, or as much as he could get, Eddie had bought a hair product behind her back for volumizing curls. He swallowed nervously, placing the right amount into his palm and running it through his hair. As he finished and started to style it in the mirror, Eddie felt pleased with how he looked. For safety measures, he then brushed his teeth and did a few rounds of mouthwash. He couldn’t be sure that Richie truly did have Eddie’s emergency toothbrush in his bathroom, even if Eddie had forced him into never touching it a few weeks prior. 

Soon Eddie was leaving his house and making his way over to Richie’s.

At first, he didn’t really notice it. Maybe his head was just somewhere else, daydreaming or wandering in thought. But it wasn’t long until Eddie saw how many cars were parked on the streets approaching Richie’s house. Even then, he didn’t think too much about it. 

Some dumbass is probably just having a party, Eddie thought.

It wasn’t until he was standing in front of Richie’s house, when he saw tons of cars, heard music playing, where he realized. 

It’s my dumbass having the party.

Eddie thought Richie was insane, didn’t he know better? By the looks of it, it looked as if Richie had invited the whole fucking school. Sure, cops didn’t care much and Richie wouldn’t necessarily get his party shut down, but it was just crazy. 

Eddie suddenly understood why he had gotten asked to sleepover. Richie wanted Eddie to be here tomorrow morning so he’d have someone to help him clean up, it was pathetic. Richie hadn’t even told him there was going to be a party, but still expected him to help pick up the remains? Frustration erupted within Eddie as he made his way up the front lawn. Understanding more or less how parties worked, Eddie didn’t bother to knock. He opened the front door and was engulfed by the scene before him. Kids from all over his grade were walking around or chatting, cups in their hand and music filling the atmosphere. Had this been another day, Eddie would have taken advantage of such social event and would try to find his friends to have some fun. But he desperately wanted to give Richie a piece of his mind, so he shut the door behind him and went to work on finding his best friend who he was majorly pissed at. 

First, he checked the living room, coming to face only a ton of teens dancing and singing along to the songs that were playing.

Then, Eddie made his way to the kitchen, expecting to see Richie chatting it up with a ton of girls and a beer in his hand. He was surprised to see none of this, but was grateful to come across Beverly and Ben leaning against the counter talking. 

“Hey there, Eddie!” Beverly’s big smile cued that she was at most a little tipsy, which was fine. As long as she could point Eddie in Richie’s direction. “You look so hot!” 

Ben chuckled and nodded, “She speaks the truth, you look really good, Eddie.”

His anger simmered down a little bit, enough to flash them both a small smile and feel flattery flutter in him. “Thanks, guys, any clue where Richie is?” 

“He’s upstairs, I think. Saw him go up there a few minutes ago,” Ben said, trying to help. He received a small mutter of thanking from Eddie as he turned and made his way to the staircase. 

Beverly took a long sip of her drink before leaning her head on Ben’s shoulder and letting out a dreamy sigh. “They’re really cute, aren’t they?”

Ben hoped Beverly couldn’t hear how loud his heartbeat got. “Yeah… Yeah, they’re really cute,” He told her while his mind struggled to stay grounded. 

Eddie climbed the stairs, moving past more and more people. He wondered where Richie could be. He unintentionally had the thought of Richie hooking up with someone in one of the upstairs rooms, getting sick at the concept. Eddie pushed the idea away and continued with his search by banging on the first door he saw, the bathroom.

“Richie?” He called out. 

An unfamiliar voice replied, and Eddie didn’t pay much mind to what they said, it didn’t matter. It wasn’t Richie. 

He then moved on to Went and Maggie’s room, attempting to turn the doorknob but it wouldn’t budge. He then heard a giggle from the other side and a female call out, “Occupied!” 

Richie wouldn’t giggle, Eddie told himself as he turned away from the door. Lastly was Richie’s own room, where he walked over to and turned the doorknob. Thankfully, it wasn’t locked. 

As Eddie looked into the room, before him was indeed Richie, sitting on his bed with the same type of cup Beverly had while looking out his window. Eddie knew Richie probably wasn’t drinking though, with a party this big, Richie usually didn’t risk blacking out and not getting to remember all the fun. At the sound of a door opening, and the other noises from the party it invited, Richie turned his head and faced Eddie. 

“Eds! You’re here! Was waiting for you to show up,” Richie’s initial face of happiness quickly morphed into a look of shock. “Holy Christ Eddie, I know I told you to dress cute but you didn’t have to come looking downright sexy!” 

Eddie wished he wasn’t mad, or else he would have paid more attention to the compliment. Shutting the door to try and achieve silence, Eddie spoke. 

“You’re throwing a fucking party?” 

Richie must have heard how upset Eddie sounded, because his eyes got big and suddenly there was a pout where his smile had previously been. 

“You… You told me to...?” He replied. 

“I- What? No, I didn’t, Rich,” Eddie pursed his lips, trying to imagine in what universe he’d tell Richie to throw a party. 

“Yes you did, when we were hanging out here a few days ago? When you said moving everything over two inches was stupid?”

Eddie groaned, throwing his head back, “I asked you if you were having a party. I didn’t tell you to have a party.” 

Richie then shrunk into himself, frowning, “Oh.” 

“Wait, did you throw this whole thing because you thought I told you to?” 

The host of the party turned away shamefully, mumbling a small, “Yeah. Thought you’d like it, even though I should’ve known you don’t usually like big scenes.”

It was because Richie always had this impact on him, an impact that made Eddie putty in his best friend’s hands. But seeing Richie pull an act so great just for Eddie, to do something Richie thought he’d like, made all his anger vanish. It was replaced by gratefulness and empathy. 

“Even though I never really asked for it, this was all a very nice thing to do, Richie. You know your house is gonna be trashed tomorrow morning, right?” The gentler voice made Richie gain a small smile, an improvement of mood that was enough to launch him into one of his voices. 

“Nothing a few good hours of labor can’t fix, me ol’ chap!” He said gleefully in an awful British accent. It was so awful it made Eddie laugh, and that was all Richie needed. 

“Well, then let’s go and enjoy your party,” Eddie said, putting his hand out for Richie to sat and stand up. Richie did so, not caring to grab his cup on the way. 

When Eddie thought Richie was going to let go of his hand after standing up, Richie surprised him by not doing so. Instead, he gave Eddie’s hand a light squeeze as he started to make his way over to the door of his room. It made Eddie’s mouth run dry, and bundles of nerves ignite in his stomach.

Richie placed his free hand on the doorknob, but then pulled away. 

Turning back to face Eddie, Richie leaned down to the shorter boy’s ear and whispered, “I wasn’t joking around earlier. You look really fucking good, Eds.” 

Eddie would have been convinced he died right there and then if Richie hadn’t opened the door, and pulled them back into the event. 

In the end, turns out he really did want this party. 

[imagine-loki]

Giftless

TITLE: Giftless CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: 19/50

AUTHOR: nekoamamori ORIGINAL IMAGINE: 

Imagine that you are Stark’s niece and you secretly share a strong relationship with Loki since he entered the crew. One day you get hurt so bad during a mission that you are about to die.  Loki knows a spell that will save you and share his immortality with you but you and he will be linked forever sharing thoughts, pain, emotions…

RATING: T NOTES/WARNINGS: Underage reader (no sex!!)  Also on AO3 click here

You didn’t stay out driving terribly late that evening and also tried not to drive your new car too crazily fast. Though it was really, really hard to remind yourself that you didn’t want a ticket on your first day of driving your own car. 

“I love seeing you this happy,” Loki commented from the passenger seat while you were out driving. It was strange for him to be so open and relaxed, even with you.  You’d gotten used to him being on guard over you, especially while you were out of the tower. 

You smiled over at him for a second before turning your full attention back to the road.  “It means a lot that Uncle Tony remembered something I said a couple years ago and surprised me with something so awesome,” you explained to Loki.  You’d also never told Tony that the reason you liked that particular super bowl commercial so much happened to do with the actor in said Jaguar commercial.  A particular actor who played Loki in the Avengers movies.  Yeah, you’d never, ever tell him about that and just enjoy your expensive car… “He had been saying for months that he was going to get me my own car. I was expecting some kind of used car, which is typically what kids get for their first car,” you continued your explanation.  “Instead, he got me something with real meaning.” Loki nodded. You could tell he was thinking hard about what you said. “You still are under no obligation or expectation to get me anything for my birthday,” you reminded him forcefully.  You didn’t need anything.

“As if that would stop me,” he replied. You could hear the eyeroll in his voice.  You sighed at your silly trickster of a boyfriend. 

It wasn’t long before you drove the pair of you back to the tower. Really, you hadn’t been planning on having a huge joyride in your new car, but you couldn’t just drive straight home either.

You showed off your gift to the supers at the compound, who all oohed and ahhed, and were generally jealous.

It was still fairly early when Loki suggested you go upstairs and watch a movie on your TV instead of hanging out with the crowd. You figured he wanted to use more healing magic away from prying eyes and gladly went upstairs with him. You changed into your pajamas and curled up on your couch with him, gladly watching whatever movie he had chosen. You hadn’t even paid attention to what it was.

Before the end of the movie, you felt your eyes growing heavy. It was barely 9pm. You glared at the clock, wondering what was wrong with you.  You remembered that you had pulled an all-nighter, when you really weren’t used to doing it, but even that shouldn’t have made you that tired… 

Loki smiled warmly down at you and leaned in for a kiss. You gladly kissed him back. He raised a glowing hand to you. “May I?” you didn’t know what he was asking, but you trusted him, so you nodded. He laid his glowing hand on your forehead.

“You need rest before our big day tomorrow. I wish for you to be able to enjoy it fully,” he explained as his magic was swirling around you.  “You especially need rest after you kept vigil over me all of last night,” he whispered, “and you need rest without dreams, without having to fight that nightmare again,” he added even softer. Or you thought it was softer.  

You felt the heaviness of sleep crashing over you as his spell wrapped around you like a warm blanket.  “Cheater,” you mumbled, leaning in to him as your eyes were fluttering shut. You didn’t need his help to sleep, but you appreciated knowing that tonight you wouldn’t have to face that nightmare.

“Sleep, darling,” he bid you gently. He swept you up off of the couch, into his cool strong arms to carry you to bed. “You are the most precious thing in the world to me, my darling. I love you,” you weren’t sure those last words were real, as you was too far lost to the land of sleep, but they made you smile regardless.

*

Loki got you up early the next morning, looking like an excited puppy. You laughed as you climbed out of bed. He was completely healed now, and you felt refreshed after your night of dreamless sleep. “Morning,” you told him as you sat up in bed.

“Good morning, love,” he handed you a cup of tea, and then indicated the clothes that were sitting in your comfy chair. “I did tell you I would pick something out for you to wear,” he reminded you, when you looked at him confused as to why he looked so proud of himself. 

You giggled at that. “So you did,” you agreed and earned yourself a grin in return.  You could sense his impatient excitement. So you drank your tea quickly, glad it wasn’t scalding hot, and set the empty teacup down on your nightstand and wrapped your arms around him so you could better give him a kiss.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked with a hint of concern once the kiss was broken.

“Very, with no dreams,” you added the last part so he wouldn’t worry. He smiled in relief, then kissed you again.

“I will leave you to get ready,” he told you and went to wait in your sitting room. You dressed in a very similar outfit to last night’s, a pair of perfectly tailored jeans, and equally well fitting dark green sweater. You were going to have to ask him how he kept coming up with such well fitting clothes for you one of these days, but today was not that day. 

You managed to tame your curls and get them to curl properly. You tended to keep the mane of curls tied up most of the time. It was comic-book red and tended to draw attention, especially since you’d been in the news more than once and people knew you as Ironman’s niece. You were basically a celebrity, which you hated. 

You didn’t have to worry about that right that moment, though.  Loki was waiting for you.

You entered your sitting room to find Loki in normal clothes for once: perfectly tailored jeans, a button-down shirt, with a dress sweater over top of it. You smiled at him. It looked fantastic on him, and you told him as much. “And you are radiant today, my love,” he replied, bending down to give you another kiss.

“So are you going to tell you what we’re doing today yet?” you asked. He shook his head. You huffed at him, but giggled anyway. He held out his hand, palm up.

“I am also driving us, today,” he told you, insistently. 

“Loki…” it was your brand new car, he couldn’t just claim it.

“You do not know where you are going. Plus, it is traditional for the gentleman to drive his lady during a date,” he reminded you, quite logically.  His voice was gentle and patient, though.  He knew you were uncomfortable giving up your car, even if you were going to be with him while he was driving. 

“Fine, but you better drive carefully. I haven’t even had a chance to name my new car yet,” you told him, your voice a whine. Though you did fish the keys out of your purse and handed them to him.

“I will do nothing to endanger you or your new car,” he promised solemnly. He took your hand and led you from the suite. His mood was infections and you couldn’t help getting giggly and excited too. You hadn’t been on a real date before. You weren’t exactly popular at school and most people were scared of your superhero uncle to even consider trying.

*

You hadn’t been expecting your outing to be an all-day event. No wonder Loki had said that you needed rest to be able to enjoy the day. 

You went out for breakfast at a nearby joint that had the best pancakes. In the universe

After that, he took your to the zoo. You thought that he wanted to see all of Earth’s animals. Half of the fun was watching him look at all of the new animals and commenting on them and how practical their designs (or not) or how they compared to Asgardian creatures.

It was still just cool enough that the ice rink in the zoo was still open. Loki led you towards it. “Loki, I don’t know how to skate,” you told him.  You could hear the nerves in your voice. Physical activity wasn’t your forte.  

“Then I will simply have to teach you,“ he replied warmly. "Come, it is fun,” he insisted, dragging you by the hand toward the skate rental place. You let him lead you onto the ice with tiny blades on your feet. He was a natural at it and you blamed the fact that he was a frost giant. You felt like an idiot.  He somehow managed to keep you upright, though, and teach you the very basics of skating. You were both laughing the entire time. You were terrible at it while he flew and glided across the ice, but it was still amazing fun.

He drove you back to the compound late that afternoon. You were expecting the date to be over then, but you found that you were very wrong. Loki led you upstairs so you could freshen up before dinner. You wondered what that meant, but before you could bother him about it, he disappeared into his own room to get ready. 

That seemed strange to you, since he usually got ready by magic. You ducked into your own suite to see a gorgeous dark green dress waiting for you on your bed. No wonder you needed to freshen up. You put the dress on carefully. It was exquisite: a dark green shell with a matching lace layer on top. It had long sleeves and went down to your knees. It fit beyond perfectly and looked fantastic on. There were matching low heels to go with it. You found a silver necklace with a black stone in your jewelry box and just a touch of makeup. The necklace had been your mom’s and was one of the few things you had been able to salvage from the fire.

You opened your sittingroom door and could only stare in awe when you saw Loki. He was standing in your sittingroom in a perfectly tailored all black suit. He even had a black dress shirt and black tie. His raven hair was loose to his shoulders. He looked at you like you were the only thing in his universe. You went to him and he offered you an elegant court bow. “You look radiant, lady,” he greeted you formally as he took your hand, lifting it to kiss your knuckles.

“And you are beyond handsome,” you told him in reply. He stood and you gave him a kiss, then a mischievous grin.

“Oh dear, what are you planning?” he asked, not trusting your mischievous plotting smirk. You took his hand and led him into your bedroom. You sat him on the chair in front of your dresser. “Love, darling, what are you doing?” he asked, even more concerned when you pulled out your hairspray and your phone so you could get just the right reference picture.

“Please trust me. This is going to be perfect and a lot of fun!” you told him with a grin.

“This better be fun,” he grumbled at you, but sat still while you got to work, combing his raven hair back from his face and using a mix of gel, hairspray, and a touch of his magic to get it just right. You had seen the latest Loki movie (ok, technically it was a Thor movie, but who cared about that tiny detail?) with Tony when it first came out. When you were done, your Loki looked like he had just walked out of the movie into real life. It was his fault for wearing the all black suit and giving you the idea.

“Ta-da!” you told him proudly when you was done. He looked confused. He didn’t get it. You didn’t blame him. He hadn’t seen the movie yet.

“Now will you tell you why this was fun?” he grumbled. 

You shook your head. “Not yet,” you replied with a smirk. 

He sighed, and looked put-upon. “Then shall we? I wish for us not to be late,” you nodded and he stood from the chair. He kissed your hand again before you went downstairs. There was a large group of supers were hanging out in the livingroom when you came down. All of them looked you over and catcalled and cheered and generally made themselves loud and annoying at your expense. “What is the meaning of that?” Loki whispered in your ear as you waved to them.

“They think we’re attractive and cute together,” you explained. “It is not a polite way to say that, but they’re kids and family, so they can get away with it,” you added before he thought that was how things were done on Earth.

Your next stop on the date was the movie theater, the fancy one in the middle of town. You were way overdressed for it, but that somehow only added to the fun. Loki got stares, curious looks, and whispers as you entered the theater and you couldn’t help giggling. He had gotten you tickets to the new Loki movie, so he would find out soon enough. “Why are they staring?” he whispered in your ear. 

You grinned up at him. “You’ll find out,” you replied unhelpfully. Loki huffed, which made the fangirls squeal even more at his grumpy expression. “They think you’re attractive,” you told him, hoping that would mellow him out for a little while.

“That cannot be the only reason they are acting like this,” he protested too knowingly. You didn’t disagree with him, but you weren’t telling him your secret either. It was too much fun. 

You picked out seats in the theater and Loki let you choose wherever you wanted. You explained the science of the perfect seat to him and you took the seats you found. There were more stares and giggles and comments, mostly from the fangirls. 

Except when one little kid got up the courage to come up to Loki.  Loki raised an eyebrow at the child approaching him.  “Excuse me?” the child asked in the tiniest politest voice ever. “Are you Loki?” he asked, bravely for such a small child. 

Loki smiled warmly.  No matter how standoffish he appeared, he would be polite to children.  “Yes, I am,” he replied. You could tell he was confused, but he wouldn’t be mean to the child. The child held up a piece of paper and a pen.

“Can I have your autograph?” he asked, excited and started babbling about something related to the movies.

Loki turned to you, clearly confused and not wanting to upset the child.  ”What is an autograph?“ Loki asked you softly. 

"He wants you to sign your name. People like getting signatures from famous people as proof that they met the famous person.” you explained to Loki in a way he’d understand. You turned to the child. “I’m sorry, he’s a bit confused. He hasn’t been on Earth for very long, you see.” The kid nodded in complete understanding and said something about Asgard being different. Loki signed the piece of paper and the kid thanked him and rushed back to his parents.

The movie started soon after and you held Loki’s hand through it. It was nice to be out with him in a nice, normal setting. When it got to the scene that he was dressed from, he turned to you and you heard his laughter magically in your ear. Even then, he was fighting not to laugh out loud and draw more attention to you. He had instantly known why this was fun and why everyone had been staring and whispering about him. You grinned at him innocently. “I love you, my mischievous darling,” he whispered in your ear. You could only smile in return and you enjoyed the rest of the movie together.

After the movie ended, he took you out to a really nice dinner, at one of the fanciest restaurants in town. He was still getting attention for his appearance, but he lived it up now that he was in on the joke. He had gotten the actor’s expressions down, and used some of them on fangirls who stared too long at him, listening for their excited squeals. He was having as much fun with it as you were. Once, when there were too many fangirls, he pulled you to him and gave you a long lingering kiss that made them equal parts squealy and jealous. It was fantastic fun. He did behave in the restaurant, though you saw it was hard, since you were still getting looks.

It was a little sad when the dinner and therefore the date was over, but it had been so much fun that you weren’t likely to forget it anytime soon. Especially since Loki had used magic to get some really good pictures of the pair of you together.

Especially that amazing kiss.

[mikewheelerr]

Fairy Lights ♡ Hanzier

                   a/n: This is my  @itfandomprompts Secret Santa Gift for @boopboopbichie, you asked for some cute christmassy fluff, specifically the whole “decorating the house for christmas” theme; have a cute first date AND first kiss, too. This wouldn’t be half as cute as it is now without my best friend’s @hypnoidvoid amazing work on editing this for me, thank you so much I love you to death. EnJOY!

warnings: ...Richie curses in spanish

“Come on, Richie, everyone has a crush on Mike.” Stan said, looking up from his raspberry milkshake. The straw was still resting on his plump bottom lip, and his eyes were playful, hiding a fond smile. “But I can help you with asking him out.”

Richie ran a hand through his curls, and stared at him. They were at the college diner, a tuesday afternoon before the holiday season, and more importantly, before finals. “And you’re gonna help me with asking him out after he dumped you?”

“Well yeah, dipshit. We’re friends,” Stan sipped on his milkshake.

Richie did the same, still looking at him, “Mike is the only guy who can turn you down and still be your best friend. Also he didn’t dump me, he was with someone else when I asked him out, just so you know.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.”

“So…” Richie muttered, “he had a boyfriend?”

“Jesus Richie, no! A girlfriend.” Richie’s eyes widened at that, almost choking and spilling out his banana milkshake. He widened his eyes at Stan, the latter curly haired man holding back a laugh, his dimples deeply creviced within his cheeks.

“Stan the traitor man! Does he still have a girlfriend?”

“I don’t know. You’ll have to see for yourself,” Stan said, analyzing one of the books he had on the table. Richie’s messy handwriting was around all of the texts and images among various messily drawn penises all over the pages.

“You wound me.”

“I don’t know why I let you write on my books, honestly. You haven’t stopped drawing dicks since third grade-‘’

“I counted on you. Un corazón a menos.”

“Richie, what?” Stan looked up, smiling at him.

“My heart’s in shreds, Stanley. Or something like that. Thinking of finally asking the hot cashier out was what kept me going during these finals all this time,” Richie huffed, leaning his chin on his hand, glasses askew on his face.

“Now I gotta make some field research, since UCLA’s most unreliable jew who’s also my best friend since I was a kid, didn’t want to fill me in on the fact that he might not even like the forbidden fruit!” Richie said, not even losing his breath after talking so much in such a short amount of time. Stan checked for any signs that indicated Richie actually had to breathe, and there were none. Impressive.

“Christ, so dramatic. Forbidden fruit? Richie,” Stan laughed. Richie looked up at him with a huff before smiling and retrieving a second paper straw from his fanny pack, and sipping more of his milkshake.

“How many straws do you even have. I’m pretty sure you’ve been using this red one for three days. It’s all… shrunken.”

“Recycling is the key, Stanny.” Richie tapped the purple fannypack across his chest. The accessory carried straws, pens, Richie’s ID, his phone and countless packs of gum and mints and the trash he produced with them during the week: it demanded a decluttering at the end of every day, however. Richie only actually did it when Stan dragged him in front of a dumpster outside random classrooms around campus.

“Richie on a more serious note, I don't think he still has a girlfriend. From what I’ve gathered, he’s a pretty open guy. Stick to the plan and ask him out on Christmas. It’s gonna be fine. Mike’s a nice guy,” Stan assured him, holding Richie’s gaze.

They kept on studying, Stan rewriting Richie’s messy notes and Richie tapping on the diner’s table every so often. It no longer bothered Stan how fidgety Richie was. As the time passed by, he learned to separate the obnoxious sounds Richie would start to make after about five minutes of silence. He didn’t mind it one bit, he knew Richie couldn’t control it. If anything, it was fun to watch other people get bothered about it. It made them leave after some time and that left the whole place for him and Richie.

Richie woke up the next day to the sound of slamming on his door. Initially, he considered pretending he wasn’t there, which wouldn’t be a surprise. When Stan had told him he would spend the night at Bill’s dorm, it was almost too hard to believe.

“No way!”

“Yes. It’s our third date.”

“You’re sleeping over at his place? Staniel… Woo Hoo!”

“Yes. I am,” Stan chanted, neatly packing a change of clothes. He eyed Richie, “Mike will probably be there, you know. I could try and get you in his good graces before you ask him out.”

Richie hugged Stan as he cried out, “Stan the Man!”

“I will not be there for Mike, though. I’ll be there for Bill. If he still thinks I’m not gay I will, respectfully, throw a fit,” Stan huffed, packing one of the books he shared with Richie into his bag.

“He still didn’t get the hint?” Richie laughed.

“Well after today if he needs any further indication that I’m gay, I think all the dicks you draw on my books will be good enough,” Stan admitted.

“Richie!” Stan said behind the door and Richie opened one of his eyes. Did he forget his keys?

“Finals have been canceled!”

That made him open the other eye, surging up on his bed.

“What?!”

“Open the door-“

“WHAT?”

“Yeah! Open the door, dude!”

He heard Bill. Bill was there too?  

Richie jostled out of his bed, the blinding light inside the room making him reach in front of him with his hands, using his muscle memory to feel his way towards the door. He opened it with a creak, and Stan and Bill stepped inside to shut the door behind them. They looked at Richie amusedly.

“You forgot your keys?” Richie mumbled at Stan.

“I went straight here and left my bag at Bill’s, we already passed this semester. Our teachers came down with chickenpox.”

“Wahh?” Richie blindly blinked.

“Yeah. One of Mr. Hill’s children passed it on to all of them,” Bill expressed with a snide smile on his face.

“We t-thought substitute teachers would do it, but turns out none of our teachers…. I talked to some of the teachers, including Stan’s chemistry teacher, cause he- has fi-finals and you too,”  and Richie noticed the blush creeping up Bill’s cheeks as he mentioned his talk with Stan’s teacher. He shot a look at Stan, who was already looking at him with a proud look on his face, “L-Like as soon as I heard it, they said they didn’t even have the exams ready. And I have no idea if they’ll decide to do something else when we get back, but we got lucky for now at least. The grades you have now will be your final grades.”

“Oh?” Richie chirped, looking at Stan to continue, “Wait..”

“There’s probably a new rule or something. They really talked about not applying the exams at all.”

“What!?”

“Yes. We already got 75% of our grade. A+ for me, A- for you.”

“But wait, what happened exactly?” Richie asked in a haze of his own waking trance from sleep. Stan figured Richie didn’t hear anything except that finals were canceled.

“They said Mr. Hill’s son, or I think it probably was Mr. Hill himself, had the chickenpox while he was here. Our teachers and Bill’s came down with it. I don’t know about all of the teachers but ours at least canceled exams.”

“Christ,” Richie mused. Bill perked one of his eyebrows up at that, noticing how Stan’s saying showed off to Richie. Stan sometimes would draw dicks around the ones Richie drew, so Bill could only imagine they were… learning from each other. Richie looked at Bill for the first time, truly noticing that they was actually in his dorm. Bill had a backpack strung across his shoulders.

“Well good morning to you man,” and Richie looked at Stan and winked, “You’re going home today?”

“No, but good morning Rich,” Bill said, following Stan and sitting on his own bed. They sat very close together, and the smile on Stan’s face warmed Richie’s heart. He smiled.

“Yeah Stan and I are going back to Derry, you can come too and stay with us! But, Mike— he’s still there.” Bill gave Richie a sympathetic look.

“Oh my god,” Richie squeaked, peering at Stan.

“Now is the time, Rich,” Stan said. He looked at Bill and he quickly retrieved his keys from his pockets and gave them to Stan.

“Here: one, five, three. Red opens the door, and if Mike isn't there, will you get my bag?”

“Okay okay okay,” and Richie grabbed the keys and scurried out of his dorm, going on a messy and strange strut to where he could only imagine the 153th dorm was located at. He found it pretty quickly too, to his surprise. The knock on the door came out as a bit of a slam.

The door opened, and Richie’s eyes widened comically as he saw Mike Hanlon standing there.

“Good morning,” Mike smiled. “How’s it going, Richie?”

“Hi,” Richie said. He stared at Mike, biting at his inner bottom lip. So Mike remembered him?

“Oh, sorry. Were you looking for your friend, Stan? He left a while ago with Bill. It’s just me.”

“No it’s you. It’s you I’m looking for,” Richie rushed out. “Fuck, this sounds creepy. But Stan told me you might be heading out since finals are- might be canceled for you, so I came here now.”

“Oh! Do you want to come in?” Mike stepped back, opening the door further. Richie gave him a nervous smile before entering his dorm and turning back to him, delving his hands into in his pant pockets. Except there were…. no pockets? He looked down only to see his pajama pants printed with cartoon ducks. Oh.

Mike was already looking at him and he let out a grin. “Those are great PJ’s.”

Richie laughed, “Thanks my dude.” He was already there in his ridiculously ugly pajamas instead of minimally presentable clothing like Mike was wearing, so he might as well just deal with it. They were, after all, his favorites.

“They’re my favorite. It says Trashmouth on the back. See?” Richie turned, craning his head to the side and looking back at Mike as best as he could.

It was a cute thing to do, Mike thought.

“I see it, it’s uh… it’s awesome. I have a few pairs of duck pajamas too,” Mike said jokingly. “So… everything okay?” His tone was slightly serious now, but still warm.

“Yeah… Everything is fine,” Richie said, looking up at Mike, “Iwaswondering if…. a date…. with me…. you, yeah maybe you, go… Jesus,” Richie garbled.

“I—”

“Sorry. I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with me sometime, man,” Richie said, with a nervous laugh. He analyzed his feet, but then he looked up.

This was Mike.

“I’ve been thinking about asking you out after finals, it really motivated me to study and carry on with it, and I’ve been noticing you all year so….  figured I should give it a try,” Richie further explained. Mike’s eyes were as warm as ever, yet, he still seemed a little shocked. Maybe.

He continued, “But it’s cool. I’m already really fucking crazy to ask you out, respectfully. I’m doing this out of the blue and I don’t even really know if you’re gay, I thought Stan knew, but I just found out he doesn’t and he just said you’re kind, and yeah you are, but I’m still sorry, like it can be a no homo thing. No homo. Only-if-you-want homo thing. Or not. A thing, uh, I don’t know Mike I’m so sorry dude I promise I’m not this creepy I’m just ramblin-” Richie inhaled, the blush on his cheeks making his whole face warm. His fingers were slightly trembling and he forgot how all this had felt this year. It kinda sucked.

“You’re not creepy, Richie,” Mike chuckled. Richie couldn’t fully understand it, but even he would notice the difference of mood. Out of all the smiles, the Mike Hanlon smile was the brightest.

“Yes, I’ll go on a homo date with you. I have a crush on you too, dude.”

“Oh? Okay okay, really?” Richie perked up at that, staring at Mike.

“Yes, I’ve had my eye on you since you had green hair,” Mike laughed, and Richie started to cackle.

“Oh my  God, Mike, wowowowow,” he laughed, eyes bright at Mike. Richie Tozier may have been  the strangest, yet cutest guy Mike had ever met.

“Why did you wait until finals were over?” Mike asked.

“Why didn’t you ask me out when I had green hair?” Richie countered.

“I guess fair is fair,” Mike said. “And that was way before my girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend,” Richie’s face fell.

“Yeah. Oh, well, we’re not dating anymore,” Mike assured him. The butterflies creeping up in their bellies was the best feeling they both had in a long time.

“Yet,” Mike corrected. Richie perked up one of his eyebrows at that, and smirked.

“Misión cumplida. Éxito. Aí carajo,” Richie cheered. “So um… When can we go on our date?”

“I’m going to Derry soon with Stan and Bill, are you going there too?”

“Nah, my parents are in Boston for the holidays. I’ll go there for Christmas and New Years,” Richie said, frowning.

“Okay… Well if you don’t mind seeing a place you’re more than acquainted with... do you like decorating for Christmas?” Mike asked. The way Richie’s eyes brightened at that could only be accurately interpreted by the unevenness of his contact lenses; the film on his left eye suddenly popped out of his iris, falling down on Mike’s flooring with a small, lewd pop.

“Oh!” Mike laughed as Richie stared down at the floor. There was no way he would find it without his glasses, or one contacted eyeball. Mike walked over to him and easily picked up his contact lens from the floor, “I was wondering how you were seeing me.”

“Now I’m seeing you barely at all,” Richie said with a somewhat shy smile as he opened his hand for Mike to drop the contact lens on it. “I was only wearing one.”

“Brave!”

“Unprepared,” Richie looked up at the blur that was Mike now. “When can I come?”

“Today, if you want. I still gotta take my last exam in a few hours but I already have the decorations here.”

“It’s a date!” Richie smiled. “See you at…”

“Seven?”

“Neato, see you at seven,” Richie said and added, “Oh, is Stan’s bag here? You know, vintage, brown, boring?”

Mike walked to the corner of the room and retrieved Stan’s bag from the wardrobe, “Here it is.”

“Thank you. See ya,” Richie said and felt his way to the door. Once Mike closed the door, his excited ‘WOOOOO’ was heard by the whole building, but he did not care at all, and neither did Mike.

It was precisely 6:30 when Richie arrived at Mike’s door: glasses, damp hair, a pair of black jeans, vans, and bomber jacket. He didn’t even have to knock for Mike to open the door. Mike quickly revealed himself, wearing grey casual pants and  a plain white shirt under a warm dark sweater. The giddy smiles they shared when they first saw each other stayed for the whole night.

“Hello Richie.”

“Hewwo,” Richie said walking in.

“Woah!” He halted his feet, turning back to Mike, “...a Christmas tree?!”

There it was, right in the middle of the small room. It barely fit the room, standing tall and proud and green. “Oh my God. How did you fit this in here without getting caught?” Richie asked, grinning and caressing the tree, “Holy shit, is this tree real?”

“Got it after my final exam,” Mike proudly explained, standing beside Richie and smiling at him. “I got an A, and even with the A I still got caught.”

Richie turned to him and raised his eyebrows, “You did?”

“Yeah, I talked them out of snitching by giving them some chocolate pudding. It wasn’t hard.”

“When you say ‘them’ you mean…”

“The monitor and Mrs. Spinoza,” Mike said, laughing as Richie began to cackle.

“Amazing.”

“Shall we begin?” Mike asked and Richie nodded, rubbing his hands on the front of his jeans. His palms hadn’t stopped sweating since he left Mike’s dorm earlier, and he didn’t feel like it would ever stop. And, strangely, he didn’t want it to.

There were two big boxes sitting in the corner of the room and they opened them together. They were filled with fairy lights, ribbons of assorted colors, stringed candy, candles, sparkled garlands, colorful ball ornaments, and, “Pom Poms?” Richie asked, cradling three red pom poms in his hands.

“Time for you to discover one of Richie Tozier’s many hidden talents, chap,” and he started juggling them, gleaming at Mike with a prideful grin.

“They’re really fancy— you can juggle?” Mike asked, perplexed as Richie kept going.

“Uh huh,” Richie said, “they get my hands tired though, I’m only doing it to impress ya.”

“Well, I’m impressed. Good job.”

“All according to plan,” Richie smiled, stopping his movements.

He went to the second box after Mike opened it, and it was full of more ball ornaments and a star topping. Only these were… “Rainbow ornaments?” Richie asked, excited. It was time for Mike’s cheeks to get warm.

“Yeah. Hope it’s subtle enough,” he said, fake-shuffling through the box. Richie was staring at his profile at that, a dumbstruck smile on his face. The Christmas lights were hung first, and Richie was eager to flip them on to illuminate the tree.

“It’s magic, Mikey,” Richie sweetly smiled, his eyes beacons of blue light.

They talked about school, family back in Derry, and about their friends. Conversation flowed perfectly between them, and at some point none of them hesitated to talk about how they felt. Their giddy smiles grew exponentially, there was no embarrassment in saying how much both of them dreamt of something like this, and with each other above all other things.

It was the perfect Christmas, early as it came.

By the end of the night, the Christmas tree was perfectly (their kind of perfect) decorated with rainbow colors, ribbons, pom poms, and lights spurted out where the room solely sparkled with the fairy lights.

Under those lights, they shared their first kiss.

Mike could still taste the warmed chocolate pudding on Richie’s lips. Richie could feel the candle wax he accidentally splashed across Mike’s face earlier when he reached up to touch his own lips to Mike’s soft ones.

It was perfect.

Their families were too far apart for them to actually spend Christmas together, but they had certain friends in common that would do anything they had to, to make that happen.

And above all, they had each other.

[mellicose]

That Woman Over There - Chapter 25

A You Me and Him Fix-it Fic

Rating: Teen, for mild sexuality 

Word count: 7022

Warnings: none

Summary: ~ Set after the birth of Monty, Olivia’s baby ~ A dear friend of Olivia comes to visit for a week, and she disturbs the fragile peace between her, Alex, and John.

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 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20 | Chapter 21 | Chapter 22 | Chapter 23 | Chapter 24 |

This is it. The second to last chapter. On the page, the dust has settled and destinies are set in motion. And in reality is me, in messy hair and pajamas, sobbing in front of my laptop screen at how happy I am for these characters. I cried at their pain, and now my heart soars with their happiness. Is it something that happens with other other writers? I hope it isn’t just me. 

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek. “Hey you. I’m surprised you’re still up.” She walked around the sofa and sat on his lap. The tv set off weird shadows in his living room.

“How’s Olivia?” He pulled her closer.

“Fine,” she said. “Cried for bit more, but honestly, she’s a fucking trooper. I didn’t do nearly so well early on.”

He caressed her cheek. “Me neither. I spent three days in my shop, crying and not being able to get anything done. Crying and woodworking don’t mix though – moisture makes the wood swell.”

“You can be funny about it now.” She covered his face in kisses. “I think I’d fall to itty bitty pieces if I saw you weep. And not because you’re a man, though. Because you’re you.”

“Or maybe because I’m a seriously ugly crier,” he said. “Even my ma says so.”

“Awww,” she said. “I didn’t know it was a thing. Who cries pretty anyway?”

“Actresses, I guess,” he said.

“Yeah, because it’s not real,” she said, and looked at the TV. “What you watching?”

“Nothing important,” he said, and turned it off before she could get a good look.

“No, you don’t,” she said, and wrested the remote back.

“We shouldn’t even be watching telly now. Time’s a-wastin’,” he said, wrapping her arms around her waist and trying to tickle it away.

“I  want to see what you were watching,” she said.

“Something manly. A car show,” he said jokingly.

“How’s that manly?” she said, giving him a quizzical look. He forgot she’s been living with lesbians for 15 years. “I saw period costumes. Do those hosts wear those?” She waggled her brows and turned on the television.

She smiled. “Pride and Prejudice. The one with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy,” she said, nodding her head. “You’re a man of discerning taste.”

He shrugged.”I don’t like the newer adaptations. Ehle and Firth got it right,” he said.

“And it’s not on demand. You own the DVD, thank you very much,” she said, and kissed his neck.

“I’m a sucker for an underdog love story,” he said.

“Is that what it is?” she said.

“Mr. Darcy wasn’t terribly skilled with the lady,” he said. “But with patience and respect, he finally earned her love.”

“What would the mouth breathers say to you being a Jane Austen fan?”

“The mouth breathers can lick my arse,” he said. She giggled into his shoulder. He blushed and rubbed her back.

“You’re not going to get rid of that thing in your bedroom, are you?” she said, referring to the framed slogan.

“I don’t think so. I might put it up in my shop, to remind me. Not only of the bad, but the good.”

“Hail to the alpha!” she said, and reached around to pinch his butt. He slapped hers and growled, and they kissed until they were breathless.

“Take me upstairs,” he said, and slid his hand up her shirt.

“But you just started it,” she said, pointing to the tv.

“And?” he said. He kissed the swell of her breast.

“I want to quality time with you outside of bed,” she said, and scratched lightly at his lower back.

He tipped his head to look at her. Already, she made him feel like he’d wasted 13 years.  Him and Olivia spoke about the difference between lust and love. Neither of them were innocent of obsession. But this, although passionate, did not feel the same.

“Do you know that your expressions change when you’re thinking?” she said, smiling up at him. “It’s adorable. What’s on your mind?”

He rolled off and spooned her. “Things. Good things,” he said.

“I’m glad,” she said. She played with the coral beads at his wrists. “You wanna know something strange?”

“Always,” he said, and wriggled his way to comfort behind her.

“Being around you is relaxing. I know I only have hours left with you, but your warmth makes me so sleepy. Not an exhausted sleepy, just a deep relaxation feeling.”

“It might be all the sex,” he joked. She laced her fingers in his. “But seriously. Maybe it’s that you’re not anxious.”

“You’re right,” she said, taking a deep breath. Even that felt easier around him.

“You’ll find I’m right a lot,” he said.

“Wit,” she said, and stuck her tongue out at him.

“When we first met, you looked like you could break rocks with your bare hands,” he said. “Just, squeeze, and grind them to dust.”

“How’d you figured out my secret talent?”

“Wit,” he repeated, and nuzzled her. “Did you ever watch The Neverending Story?”

“Of course,” she said. “It was dubbed in Spanish, though. Watching it in the original english is still weird,” she said, and laughed. “The voices are so off.”

“You remember the Rock Biter?” he said.

“Are you calling me lumpy 50 foot rock creature?” she said, turning to him.

“No. He crushed and ate rocks.”

She shrugged. “I wouldn’t be mad if you did. He had a pretty awesome motorcycle,” she said.

“I was more partial to the super speedy snail,” he said.

“It was pretty amazing,” she said, and her eyes went distant. “Are you gonna speak to Alex?” she said.

“Way to change the subject,” he said.

She turned to face him. “Are you okay?” she said. “I haven’t forgotten what happened.”

“I’ll be fine,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve fully processed it. I don't hate her, though. Far from it.”

“But you’ll tell me if you’re not fine?” she said, searching his gaze.

“I promise,” he said, kissing her fingertips.

“Good,” she said, and turned back toward the tv. “I don’t do the strong silent type thing. You can talk to me. I don’t promise I won’t initially act in the defensive if it’s about me, but for you, I promise to push through and listen.”

He sat up. “Who even are you?” he said, shaking his head.

“What? Criticism is hard. But I’ve got to listen if it’s from someone I love. It’s important.” And she meant it. She would not become her mother.

“There you go again,” he said, and stood. She sat up.

“What?” she said.

He walked in front of the window and held out his hand. She wrapped her arms around him.

“I realized in all this time, we haven’t danced,” he said.

“We’ve done the horizontal bop enough,” she said. She snorted. “The no pants dance. The beast with two backs.”

“Wit,” he said.

“You like to dance?”

“I love to. I can’t say I’m good at it, but I do it as often as possible,” he said. He scrolled on his phone while his other arm rested around her waist.

“You saw my awesome pop and lock skills,” she said, perking up.

“Awesome, though? Hmmm,” he said and giggled his maddening high giggle.

“Pfft. I can throw down with the best of the b boys,” she said.

“Eh … I have a feeling you can’t,” he said.

She chuckled and tried to look at his phone. “So, you have any slow jams in there?”

“Lots,” he said, squinting at the screen. “All the finest.” He selected something with a sardonic grin. Instead of Billie Holliday or Damien Rice, Ariana Grande’s flutelike voice filled his living room.

“No Luther Vandross?” she said. He gave her a challenging look. Her eyes narrowed. The techno chorus made the comic book figurines on his shelves tremble. With a laugh, they danced madly around the room.

The fell on the sofa, panting and smiling.

“I can’t understand a word they were saying, but the music slams,” she said, wiping the sweat from her brow.

“I learned the important phrases in Korean - like hello, I’m hungry, and let me love you, girl,” he said with a giggle. She took off her shirt and dabbed it on her chest. He waggled his brows and ran his finger between her breasts. “I love a sweaty woman.”

“Good, ‘cause I sweat like horse,” she said. “I’ve sometimes broken a sweat while thinking.”

“I think you mean ‘sweat like a pig’,” he said.

“That’s silly. Pigs don’t sweat,” she said. “What are you thinking about that makes you sweat?” he said.

“Stuff and things,” she said, and winked at him. “Are you ever gonna tell me why you love K-pop so much?”

He went to the kitchen, then came back with two beers. “It started in uni. My roommate Will used it as a concentration aid whenever he wrote code. At first it drove me mad, but then I began to understand his method. The music’s fast,  and good, but since we couldn’t understand the words at the time, it made the work go fast.”

“So that’s why you listen to it in the shop as well?” she said. “To concentrate?”

“Yes, and also because it’s awesome,” he said. They cuddled on the sofa and drained their beers.

“Are you going to completely give up Big Data?” she said, smiling. She liked saying it.

“I might want to open a custom furniture business sometime, but I know I won’t be able to stop writing code.”

“You’re serious about that? The furniture?” she said. “Not that you can’t do it. Liv’s desk is absolutely gorgeous.”

“Of course,” he said. I’ll work out a barn in rural Scotland and ship my creations all around the world. My pieces will be a silent symbol that you’ve made it.”

Her eyes got bigger. ”That’s ambitious,” she said. “Will you make me something?”

“Sure. A matching love spoon. Or a carved salt and pepper set. You know, things you can afford on your meager artist’s salary.” She rolled her eyes and kissed his shoulder. “Or, maybe,  if you want and we ever get to that point, of course …”

“What?” she said. She put her legs on his lap.

“A house.” She was silent. He fidgeted. Maybe it was too much, too soon. “Or not. I said it only because I remember you mentioning you hated living in New York.  It’s silliness,” he said quickly.

She shook her head, but got on his lap and kissed his face repeatedly. “I do. It’s filthy. I miss clean air and green things as far as the eye can see.”

“How about dirty white things?” He meant sheep.

“Huh?” she said. She was humbled. How easily he can offer her love, shelter, and safety. Again, she wondered what she had to offer him. Being in that home only three months in the year? Discomfort crawled up her spine as she realized that maybe Ella … maybe she wasn’t a heartless monster. Maybe, she needed more than financial stability. She invited her along many times, but Ella wasn’t like her in that way. She didn’t need to be in the different place every month to feel like she was accomplishing something. She just needed her attention, and her time. She sighed.

“I’ve ruined the mood, haven’t I?” he said. “Typical.”

She kissed him, softly and repeatedly. He flushed with the tender attention, but held her closer.

“You haven’t ruined a thing,” she whispered, and kept going.

“I know it’s adolescent to lie around planning your life together after only a week,” he said. “I don’t want to make you feel pressured. I’m immensely lucky that you even agreed to call me sometimes after tomorrow.”

She grunted. “Call you sometimes?” she grunted. “I would have you at no more than arm’s length if I could.”

He sat up. “I could be your assistant. Build the installations,” he said. “Then we’d never be apart.”

“You deserve more than building framing,” she said.” I don’t want you following me around like a one person entourage.”

“I can do what I want with my skills,” he said. “I’m pretty handy with a hammer.”

“You have far too brilliant a skill set for such things. And no, being in love isn’t adolescent.”

“I didn’t say that. Playing an adult game of M.A.S.H. after a fortnight is. A little,” he said. “I can wait.”

“The reason teenagers do that is because they haven’t gotten their hearts broken yet. Not because they’re young and silly,” she said. “It’s not time, but experience that makes us cautious.”

“You’re not just beautiful, but wise,” he quipped, but she fascinated him. It was absolutely true.

She got off his lap. “Let’s go outside and look at the stars,” she said. He took her hand and guided her to a wood lounger close to his lilies.

“Your garden smells incredible,” she said. They lay side by side, looking at the sky. Gladly, the last of the rain clouds drifted away by sunset. The moon was almost full, and it painted their skin silver. “The lilies are glowing.”

“Mmm,” he said, and pulled her closer.

“I’m going to miss you. So much,” she said. Her voice trembled dangerously.

“Shh,” he said, but his eyes burned. “Maybe the separation is only temporary. I’ve always dreamt of driving down the Pacific Coast Highway with the top down. In the next couple of months, I might not be able to resist finally doing it.”

“Although not as jewel colored, it’s way more calm than the Caribbean Sea. I love the Pacific,” she said.

“Especially if you’re in the passenger’s seat,” he said, breathing into her hair.

“I don’t want to insert myself in your dream,” she said.

“Dreams aren’t worth dreaming without you in them,” he said.

“Aww,” she said. “Now you’ve done it.” She burst into tears.

“Oh no you don’t,” he said, but a tear slid down his right cheek. “You’ve got me started too.”

They held each other and sobbed for a solid three minutes.

“Okay, okay, we can’t do this all night,” she said, and sniffed. “Say something happy.”

“I love you,” he said.

She wiped his cheeks and kissed his lips lightly. “I love you too.”

He squeezed her so hard her ribs creaked.

“You know what you said a few nights ago, about not be afraid to share our hearts?” he said. He hiccuped.

“The reprieve,” she said.

“You said we can speak our hearts unafraid for one night. Can we do that … permanently?” he said.

“Yes,” she said. He laced his fingers in hers.

“Okay. I want to build you a house,” he said. “A big, fine one. With a big veranda, and gingerbread detailing. Oh, and stained glass over the door.”

She kissed his cheek. “What’s gingerbread detailing?”

“It’s a type of architectural style with really fanciful, artistic latticework.”

“So it’s like the love spoon, but we can live in it?” she said.

“More or less,” he said.  “I’ll build my shop near it, so I’ll never be far,” he said. “It will be  the most magnificent house in the area.”

“Now you sound proud,” she said, giggling.

“Only the best for you,” he said.

“And how many rooms will it have?” she said.

“Enough,” he said. “Just in case.”

“Just in case what?” She poked his side.

“Just in case,” he repeated, and shrugged.

“I have a feeling you’re not talking about extra storage for all my shoes,” she said with a smile.

“No,” he said.

“I’ll carve our initials in every plank and fitting, too. For positive vibes,” he said. She sat up and caressed him.

“We can live in a shithole apartment in Brooklyn and it would be the best place ever,  you know that? Just as long as we’re together.”

He kissed her hand, and got back to imagining. “Nope. No more shitholes. No more irritating intellectuals and tourists. And there will be water nearby - a river, or maybe even the ocean.”

“But isn’t water bad for wood?” she said.

“I’ll figure something out. Maybe use more stone.” She could tell he was really thinking things through. And it filled her with joy.

“And what about the master bedroom?” she said, caressing up his thigh. When she got to the top, she squeezed.

“It will be cozy.” She unbuttoned his jeans and reached inside. “What about our quality time?” he said, but he shifted toward her.

“I can attest to the fact that this kind of time is of the finest quality,” she said, and moaned in his ear as she wrapped her hand around him. “And you mentioned something earlier about tilling your garden however you choose...”She got on top of him.

“I did say that,” he said. “But there’s one little problem.”

“What’s that?” she said into his neck between kisses.

“A noise problem,” he said. He put his hand in her pants and curled two fingers inside her. She let out a long, deep groan. She chuckled. “Told you.”

She stood up quickly. “Let’s go inside.”

He sucked his fingers. “As you wish,” he said with a smile.

She got up before dawn without her alarm. He slept deeply in her arms, so she untangled herself and tiptoed into the bathroom.

As she showered, she washed her hair with his shampoo. It wasn’t much, but her hair would smell like him for the next couple of days. The sun came up through the window. She felt both light and heavy. She rubbed soap on her inner thighs, and sighed at the ache. Despite what happened, she needed to focus on her art. It was going to be a long, long three months. She dried herself and went back into the bedroom, where he waited.

She dropped her towel and crawled into bed with him. They pressed their foreheads together and breathed together until the worst of the pain passed.

“I can’t help thinking…” he said. His voice was still rough with sleep.

“Hmmm?” she said, kissing up his shoulder.

“Of that wet towel on the floor,” he said with a chuckle. She groaned and rolled out of bed. “Wait, I was joking,” he said, trying to pull her back.

“No, you weren’t,” she said. “I was a bit spoiled growing up. Clean and tidy isn’t my forte.” She hung the towel on a peg. “My ex spoiled me as well. I didn’t really have to do much. She took care of the house stuff.”

He pooched his lips out.

“I sense disapproval,” she said as she dressed.

“If my ma sees dirty dishes and dust when she visits, she’ll swoon,” he said.

“But that just means the house is lived in.” She turned her back to hide her mirth. He looked genuinely at a loss for works. She burst into laughter and dove in bed. “I can see that being clean and tidy is important to you. I’ll be more mindful, but I can’t go from zero to Mary Poppins in three months.”

“You make it sound like I’ll be doing a white glove test every day,” he said. “If we’re both busy, we can get someone in.” He made a funny face as he said it that tickled her.

“Your Scottish sensibilities would love that,” she said, wiping her eyes. “Dios mio, to actually say those words - you really are into me.”

“Told you,” he said, and hugged her tight.

“The cab to the airport gets here in an hour and a half – I have to go back to Olivia’s for my things,” she said.

“I’ll go with you,” he said. He jumped out of bed and ran into the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and washed his face and tried not to think of it, but he got sicker with every second. She was something special. Monumental. But she was leaving. So much could happen in the interim.

He bent over the sink and let the water drip off his face.

Now that she was in his bed, he wanted no one else to share it. Now that they kissed, he wanted no other brand. A ghost pain radiated from his spine, and his facial muscles twitched. He knew that weeping would not keep her there, but his body curled with the desire to do it. He wasn’t a young man anymore, but he wanted to call his ma and cry to her like he hadn’t when Mara left. Not out of sadness, but happiness and impatience.

He decided he would go to Scotland to see her. Soon. Today. He needed to tell her everything, and have her help him unpack everything with her usual honesty and grace. After deciding that, he didn’t feel so weak, and he combed his hair and met her in the kitchen, where she combed her damp hair standing in front of the window. The sun gilded her wavy chestnut hair, and she hummed something unfamiliar.

“You took long enough,” she said, turning and smiling. He whimpered and hugged her from the back, pressing his lips against the warm apple of her cheek. She put her hands over his. “I’m not complaining. You look fantastic.”

“So do you,” he said. He pulled out his phone out. “Let’s do a selfie.”

“You and your selfies,” she said, but she posed as he help the phone in front of them.

“I’d photograph you every day if I could,” he said. “Smile.” He hugged her tight, and she beamed. The phone clicked.

“Okay, let’s go,” she said. He pulled her close and kissed her. The phone clicked.

“Perfect,” he said. “That’s the screen saver.”

“You’re such a nerd,” she said.

“I never promised anything different,” he said with a wink. “I’ll text it to you.” She snorted. He nuzzled her. “You know you want it. My face makes your heart happy.”

“Yes,” she said. “Come on. It’s almost time.” She walked out the door, but he wasn’t behind her. She double back. “What you doing?” she yelled.

“Go ahead. I’ll be right there,” he responded from the top of the stairs.

When she knocked on Connie’s door, she was already having breakfast with Monty.

“How are you doing, sweetie?” Connie said, and hugged her.

“Okay. We’re packed and ready to go,” she said. “Mother’s expecting me this afternoon.”

She walked to the living room for her things. “Did, uh, Alex call you?” Connie said.

“No. And I don’t expect it,” Liv said. Connie gave her another squeeze, then started gathering her things and throwing them in the suitcase. Liv rolled her eyes.

“If you fold things, you can fit a lot more in there,” she said. She reached out to help her, but Connie slapped her hand.

“Leave it. I have a system,” she said. She bunched a shirt into a ball and stuffed it into a corner. The only thing that was neatly folded and wrapped in tissue at the bottom was the dress John gifted her.

John walked in holding Monty. “Good morning, Liv. Ready to go to grandmum’s?” he said to Monty.

“Jun!” he said, and nodded.

“I’m going to miss you, honey,” he said to the boy, and tickled his belly.

“You’ll be around soon, right?” Olivia said.

“I promise. But I’m going to Scotland for a bit,” he said, and put Monty down to scrutinize Connie’s suitcase.

“Oh God, not you too,” she said, waving him away. “Like I told Connie, I’ve got a system.” She stuffed her jewelry bag in the mesh on the suitcase flap.

“Sure. Systemized chaos,” he said.

Olivia laughed. “That’s what her father always says,” she said.

“Ha ha and hee hee. Have a laugh,” she said, making a face. John plucked the jewelry bag from the suitcase.

“This should be in a secure carry-on – something you have with you at all times,” he said.

“All I’ve got is this suitcase, and my bag.” She held up a large, expensive looking leather satchel. “Your love spoon’s in here as well.”

“That will do,” he said, and put it inside. “Liv’s pearls are in there. You don’t want some greedy airport security guard taking those.”

“I’m gonna go make myself decent for international travel,” Connie said, and went to the bathroom upstairs with a toilette bag.

Liv struggled to put shoes on the baby – he hated them, but his grandmother didn’t think it proper for the boy to be barefoot all the time.

“Has he done any more walking?” John said, sitting down.

“Yeah, a little this morning. Mother’s going to be so pleased,” she said. “When are you going to Scotland?”

“This afternoon. After you go, I’m packing up and going to my ma’s,” he said. “It’s been too long.” He had not seen her since before the divorce.

“Getting away will be nice.” She tried to smile, but couldn’t.

He gave her a quick hug. “You will get through this,” he said. “If my goofy arse can, you absolutely will.”

“I think …” she started, but she shook her head.

“You think what?”

“I don’t want to be a lawyer anymore either,” she said. “I think I’m done with that.”

“You don’t want to practice law?” Connie said. Her hair was slicked back in a trendy high bun, and her skin glowed with extra moisturizer. Airplane air was horribly dry.

Liv shrugged. “If I’m going to really try for happiness, I think it’s a place to start. You were right, Connie. I never wanted to be a lawyer. I was miserable, and there’s no reason for it. I’m starting over … completely.”

Connie hugged her tight. “Wow. This is huge,” she said. “What are you going to do? You can’t go to an ashram with Monty.”

Liv chuckled. “No ashrams. I have some thoughts of where to start, though.”

“The old folks?” John said.

“Something along that vein,” Olivia said. “I want to actually help people.”

“I wish you luck telling that to your parents,” she said.

“Thanks. I’ll need it. But I’m determined.”

“Good,” Connie said. “You think there’s time for something to-” Her phone buzzed, and there was a honk from outside.

“Cab’s here,” Liv said.

“Fuckfuckfuck,” Connie said. She grabbed her bag and pulled her suitcase off the sofa. “I love you all. So much,” she said. Then, she dropped everything and hugged both John and Olivia close. They squeezed together, with Monty in the middle.

“Text me when you get home,” Liv said into her shoulder.

“Yeah. Call me. Just as soon as you get out of the plane,” John said. He was trying valiantly not to start weeping. “I don’t care what time it is.”

“Of course. To both of you,” she said. There was a more insistent honk.

They were about to break when John pulled out his phone again.

“Selfie?” Connie said with a smile. Her throat burned with tears.

“Yeah. With all of us,” he said. He held the phone high. “To blessed change, and new beginnings. Say cheese!’”

“Cheese!” Even Monty smiled up at the camera.

The cab driver leaned on the horn.

John and Connie hugged again.

“I’ll call you just as soon as the wheels hit the runway at Kennedy,” Connie said, wiping away tears. “I promise.”

“Keep trying if I don’t answer – sometimes reception is spotty on a train,” he said. He couldn’t let go of her.

“Right. You’re going to your mother’s. Tell her hello for me,” she said, extricating herself from his arms. He still held her hand as they walked to the pavement. The cab driver was poker faced. After all, it was her who would miss her plane if she kept messing about.

Olivia walked to the curb and waved Monty’s little hand. “Bye aunt Connie! See you soon!”

She shoved her suitcase in the cab, then threw her bag on the seat.  

John kissed her hand, then let go. “Until later,” he said.

It was not a goodbye. She would do everything in her power to see him again, as soon as possible. She got into the cab, and he closed the door.

“Ready to go, miss? The man said in a heavy Northern accent.

John waved and blew her a kiss. She returned it. “Yes, please.”

The man put the cab into gear and pulled away from the curb. She closed her eyes and tried her best not to burst into tears when she heard a shout. He looked in his rearview, and John was jogging alongside the cab. He pounded on the window.

“Wait!

The man slowed to a stop, and Connie spilled out into the middle of the street.

He panted.”I forgot. I have one last gift. The cab came sooner than I expected.” He reached around his neck and pulled off the jet rosary.

Connie’s lips parted. “But … this is your grandmother’s. Her engagement gift,” she said. He opened her hand, put the necklace in it, then closed her fingers around it.

“You said we should always be completely honest,” he said. She nodded and bit her lip. Tears began to slide down her cheeks. “You actually see me. I noticed from the first time you looked at me. After a lifetime of feeling nearly invisible, it’s the most glorious feeling on Earth to be loved by a woman as extraordinary as you. And I want nothing more than to show you how much I adore you for that. Will you keep it for me?”

The cab driver watched everything from the rear view. He’d been a hack for almost 20 years, and he had seen all sorts of drama – people making up and breaking up and running away from their lives in a thousand different ways. He thought he was impervious to it all. But this couple was different.

They reminded him of the romantic films he saw in secret when he was young. It was Bogart and Bergman, but he had a gut feeling this would be happy ending. He saw it in their eyes. She was leaving, but she wasn’t running. He couldn’t wait to tell his old lady when he got home. After a long day of sewing and current world events, she could use a little sunshine.

She put it around her own neck and tucked it underneath her blouse, next to her skin.

“I will,” she said. “I’ll never take it off.”

“Then say a little prayer for us too,” he said. He took her in her arms and gave her one last kiss then lingered, sipping on her breath. “Soon, we’ll be whizzing down the PCH. Wind in our hair. Ariana on the radio.”

She giggled and hiccuped. “Yes. Soon.”

“Before you know it,” he said, and walked her back to the cab. “You’ve made me a very happy man. Thank you.”

“Thank you, for loving me into a new life,” she said. “I don’t want to imagine where I’d be if I hadn’t impulsively decided to visit Livvie between jobs.”

“Me neither,” he said, making a face. “But we don’t have to, right?”

“No,” she said. She got into the cab. The driver waited, rapt. “I love you, John William Helm.”

“I love you, white dove,” he said with a smile.

“Are you ready to go, miss?” the cab driver said again.

“No,” she said. He hit the gas and drove away slowly. She waved until they turned the corner.

Her phone buzzed. It was a 5 second video of him blowing a kiss. She burst into tears.

Olivia and Monty walked slowly back to the house. John stood on the curb, looking in the direction where she’d driven away.

“Alright, darling. We’re off too,” she said to the baby. She went into the kitchen and double checked to make sure there were no perishables left in the fridge or on the counters. She looked around at the colorful pans, and the paisley curtains.

She was leaving the nest.

She wondered how Alex was doing, and whether she was at her mother’s. Regardless of where she was, she knew she could take care of herself. Eventually, they would have to speak for one last time to make the final break, but she was in no hurry. Alex would find her when she was ready.

John walked in and let out a dramatic sigh. “I love her, Olivia. Truly.”

“I believe you do,” she said, patting his shoulder. “Will you help me with the last of it?” She nodded at a rollie suitcase and some miscellaneous toys that Monty loved. He grabbed as much as he could and followed her to the car. After he loaded everything, she locked the door behind her, and handed him the keys. “Just in case.”

“Okay,” he said. “I’m going to miss you being my neighbor.”

“We’ll still be around. Monty has a lot of milestones to go.”

He laughed. “I love you both. Text me when you get to your ma’s safely. Tell ‘em I’ll be round soon enough.”

“They’ll love it,” she said as she slid into the driver’s seat. They did not have the highest opinion of John after everything that happened. But their budding friendship was just one more new thing they’d have to deal with from her. He peeked into the car and waved at Monty. He wriggled in his car seat and waved back joyfully.

“Bye bye,” he said.

“Bye,” Monty said clearly.

Olivia put her hand over Johns. “Thanks for everything.”

“It’s my pleasure,” he said. “Good luck.”

“I’ll need it,” she said, and pulled out of the driveway.

He watched her go, then walked into his house with a heavy heart. The happy house next door was empty. But his heart - it was full. He went upstairs and pulled his suitcase out from under his bed. He wanted to have a nice, long visit with his ma, so he organized enough clothing for a week. He zipped up his suitcase, then sat down at the bed. He grabbed the pillow she used and breathed deeply. Traces of her perfume and sweat made him smile.

He thought of calling his ma, but she had long retired and didn’t have much else to do but potter in her garden and have a gossip with her long-time next door neighbor. Hopefully, she would be happy to see him.

He couldn’t wait to dig his fingers into that familiar earth, but with a whole new heart.

Four months later

McWay Falls, Big Sur, California, USA

Janice teetered way too close to the edge of the cliff to get a better look at the falls.

“Mother Mary!” he yelled, and ran to her. “Wanna get yerself kilt?” John said is the heavy Scottish brogue he used with his mother. The tails of his morning suit flapped against his thighs. It was a beautiful morning, but the wind was up. The Pacific Ocean churned 100 feet below.

“But look at it! It’s dropping into the wee beach, and right into the sea,” she said, pointing. The wind threatened to carry away her complex flowered church hat. The woman’s brown hair was streaked with a silver she refused to dye away, and her eyes twinkled excitedly in the same warm shade of brown as John’s. “I never thought I’d see the Pacific. What fun!”

Alex walked to them in a shocking pink suit. Her hair was back to being colored. For the wedding, it was a pale lavender.

“Like, I know, right? Me and Alfie hiked all the way down to the beach yesterday. My legs are burnin’, but it was worth it. Water’s not as inviting as it looks.” She hugged herself. When she stood by John, the color scheme he chose for his party was evident – he wore gray with a pink trim, and she wore pink with a gray trim.

“So, explain me again. How does it go that this young lady is, in fact, your best man?” She smiled kindly at Alex. Alex dared to put her arm around the woman’s shoulders.

“Yeah. How’d it happen, bruv?”

“I figure that a groom’s best man has to be his brother, or his absolute best mate. I don’t have a brother, and Alex is my best mate. It was an easy choice.”

She nodded, then held her hat close to her head as another gust buffeted them.

“I’m glad the reception’s in a place with a roof, and walls. This wind would blow the cake right out of my mouth,” she said. “Not it it would be the worst thing to happen.”

“Nonsense, Mrs. Helm! You look beautiful. I can tell which side of the family John gets his good looks,” Alex said, walking her further from the cliff.

“Away, girl! You dinnae need to fib,” she said, but she flushed with pleasure.

She looked over her shoulder and winked at John. He gave her a broad smile and walked back to the pavilion to wait for his bride.

Olivia and Maude flitted around her like fireflies, smoothing and tugging at small details.

Connie pulled at her long, hand-embroidered veil. “I think it’s too much for all this wind, but it’s so beautiful,” she said, running her fingers along the silky, sheer fabric and fingered the tiny opalescent beads sewn into the edges in a lacy pattern. With the traffic, it had a been a longer ride than expected to the airport, so she had time to tell the cab driver her story. She wasn’t usually one to bend the ear of a hack, but his face had been so bright and kind. She was so nervous and sad that she couldn’t help it.

When they arrived at the airport, he told her he’d seen thousands of men’s faces, and John’s face was easy to read. He loved her, and although she left, he would be soon to follow. As an afterthought, she gave him her website information since he was curious about her work.

When she’d announced her formal engagement, he’d gotten in contact, and said his wife, a master tailor, would like to make something for them both.

She thought it might be a pair of gloves, or just the veil. After John and Connie saw her portfolio, the whole wedding party wore her and her assistant’s creations.

“You look like a page ripped out of a victorian wedding magazine,” Maude said, and blushed. Olivia squeezed her hand, and Maude bent to give her a kiss. Olivia met Maude in the most improbable way – she helped her change her tire when it blew on the way to her parent’s house. Maude was straightforward, and kind, but also one of the best contractors in Bristol. She stood a full head shorter than Olivia, had a glossy cap of brown hair, and eyes so green it made her crave lime.

Connie’s heart was full. Olivia was happy. Alex was in art school, and happy. And she was getting married to the best human on Earth. Olivia adjusted her veil one last time and looked at her from over her shoulder.

“You ready to take the plunge?”

“Are they going to run into the ocean when they finish their vows?” Connie’s father said from the corner.

“Ha ha and heehee, papa,” she said, but she was smiling.

“I had a swim this morning. Brrr. The air is warm, but that water will put hair on your chest,” he said, standing and adjusting his suit. He wore the gray, but drew the line at the pink trim. It was too evocative for his personal taste.

“So many brides say they’re scared, but I’m not the least bit afraid. Is that crazy?” Connie said. She held a large bouquet of bright pink, purple, and white flowers.

“I wouldn’t know. I’m not married. Yet,” Olivia said pointedly. Maude put her arm around her and beamed. The tent trembled over their heads with a stiff breeze. “Whose idea again was it to marry here instead of a nice church, or one of the many stately homes down this coast?”

“John. We stopped her on our trip, and he was instantly smitten. I was almost jealous.”

“It’s a nice place. But why get married here?” Olivia said, pointing down. “There are some nice places just down the road.”

Connie chuckled. “John has a thing for water. When he suggested we marry outside, I couldn’t refuse him. I honestly don’t care where we marry anyway. Just as long as we do.”

“Silly, lovely man,” Olivia said, shaking her head.

“I have to say, the view’s way better than a church,” Maude said. “I wish you two the best.”

“Thank you,” Connie said, and gave her a hug.

“We’re going to the pavilion, darling. See you there.” She blew her a kiss, and her and Maude left, holding hands.

“You look beautiful,” her father said in Spanish. “My kind-hearted, sweet little girl.”

“Don’t talk like that. I’ll cry,” she said. He walked up to her. In her heels, she was just taller than him, since she’d inherited her height from her mother’s side of the family. He held her hand.

“I was very surprised when you told me about John,” he said carefully. “But I could hear such love in your voice. It’s a father’s dream, and his nightmare, because if the object of your affection proves untrue…”

“But that didn’t happen,” she said quickly.

“No, it did not. “I admire John. He sought me out, without fear, and spoke to me like a man about his intentions. I appreciated it, and best of all, I heard the love in his voice as well.”

“He only told me about that after the fact. When I said yes,” she said, looking at her engagement ring. It sparkled in canary yellow and white diamonds.

“He’s a smart man. He knew to consult me beforehand,’ he said.

“I love and respect you, but I don’t think I would’ve cared if you approved or not,” she said, pouting dramatically.

“That’s my fire-headed daughter,” he said, and laughed. “Stubborn, but about all the right things.” He referred to defying his wishes for her to be a lab rat, and not an artist. “You’ve made me very proud, little one.”

She hugged him tight. “I love you, daddy,” she said in Spanish.

Olivia came back. “It’s time.”

She looked at her father. “He’s waiting. Take me to my husband.”

Next Chapter

[mrevaunit42]

This is happening, isn’t it? (Nova vs chapter 22

Hello everyone, Mr.E here with the newest Nova chapter which took forever to finish because life was like “hey can we talk” and i was like “Umm can i have a...” and i was then headlocked out of my room and away from my laptop but it’s here, it’s done and I hope you all had a greet week while i was writing this. 

So this is the next chapter that takes place directly after the previous one. A special thanks to my good friend @axis2600 for letting me borrow his ocs. and if you are a fan of his work, you might just spot a few references from his epic story which you can read right here https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11219962/1/Nothing-comes-easy (seriously read it, it’s great) 

That’s it for me I hope you enjoy this, have an amazing weekend and stay awesome everyone!

here’s the full story of nova vs, a SVTFOE future au  https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11773524/1/Nova-Butterfly-vs-the-Forces-of-Adolescence

Notification squad: @hipster-rapunzel @artgirllullaby @ladyxgilex @nerdymetalhead @isolated-frequencies @minthia-ren @thefandombytes  @burstingamerworld @edward-human16

Nova shifted guiltily under her father's stern gaze as she slipped a dollar into the swear jar he was holding out.

“Sorry dad....”

Marco let out a tired sigh “I know you had a rough few days sweetie but rules are rules.”

Nova gave a muted nod, still shell shocked at what she just witnessed

Her little bother was able to create a dimensional portal at will. No magical artifact, no need to dip down deep within himself to connect with the fabric of reality and the magical energies that surrounded everything. Just make a little motion with his hand and viola they were home not a moment later.

This bothered Nova greatly. Sol already seemed more attuned to his magical nature than she was and evidently he had been able to use this power for some time now to gain such a mastery over it. The little strange little mysteries were solved in that moment: How he could disappear between rooms so quickly, how hard it was to keep track of where he was at all times.

All of it made sense.

She felt hollow: Her family had kept this from her. She was completely in the dark about Sol's true nature and it upset her greatly.

“So” Marco spoke up while making eye contact with Katrina “Was everything okay?”

Katrina's stance was rigid as she fell into a salute “Of course your majesty! Nova and Missy spent most of the day at the park. No one stopped by to bother them.”

Marco gave unconvinced nod, wondering if Katrina was the reason why no one came by the park today “And Sol? Did he behave?”

“He tried to chase after a rouge butterfly or two but it was all acceptable behavior.”

Marco looked visibly relived “Thanks, I know how much of a handful he could be.”

“It was no problem my liege.”

Marco shook his head “Alright, alright you're off duty. Enough with the knight speech.”

“Umm” Katrina blinked in surprised “I..do not...”

Marco gave her a deadpanned gaze.

“Right” Katrina coughed timidly “Sorry. It's habit you know.”

“I know” Marco beamed “But seriously Katrina you need to relax some more. You're family.”

“I'm the Queen's Bodyguard” Katrina answered bluntly

Marco sighed dramatically “Alright. Well I'm glad everyone's safe and sound. Sorry for making you spend all day secretly tailing Nova.”

“Haha it's okay” Katrina laughed, sucking all the tension out of the room

Nova could feel her cheeks burn with embarrassment as Katrina wrapped her in a vice-like headlock and playfully ruffled her hair

“She's my little sister, of course I'd look out for her”

Nova pulled away, giving a mock frown towards the chuckling monster “It's not secretly following me if I know you're there. Just saying.”

Marco let out a small laugh “So did Star let you borrow her scissors? I didn't see her hand you them. I half expected I had to go pick you five up.”

Nova frowned “Actually, Sol...”

“Actually” Katrina interrupted “She handed them to me before I left. Said to take extra care of them.”

“Oh” Marco seemed unsure of himself for a moment but quickly paid the thought no mind “They are her favorite pair. It was a wedding gift from Heckapoo after all!”

Missy and Nova shared a concerned look with one another. There had been something off about Katrina's carefully chosen sentence but before either of them could question it, their mothers entered the room.

“Novy!” Star cried, locking her daughter in a tight embrace.

“Mom” Nova whined softly but wrapped her arms around her mother all the same.

“Had fun you two?” Jackie asked curiously, noticing how much more calmer and friendlier the two girls were around each other. It was subtle but it was obvious through their body language that the two of them had a much clearer understanding of one another.

“Yep” Nova answered “It was nice to go outside and not lie in a pool self pity all day.”

Missy nodded in agreement “Yeah though maybe we should pack snacks next time.”

“Sure” Nova shrugged indifferently “But you're bringing them.”

“Fine Nova”

Jackie smiled softly. The girl's once barbed banter was more friendly, more relaxed.

“Okay we need to be going now” Jackie spoke up after a moment “See ya Nova”

“Bye Miss Lynn Thomas” Nova replied politely, giving the older woman a hug.

She turned to Missy who seemed unsure about what she was supposed to do next.

Nova offered her a hand “See you later Missy.”

Missy grinned back, firmly grasping Nova's hand and giving it a friendly shake “See you later princess.”

Jackie laughed gently “Bye Marco.”

Marco gave her a quick nod “Bye Jackie.”

“BYYYYYE JACKIE!” Star shouted as she practically leapt into her arms.

“haha okay okay. bye guys!”

“Bye!” The Diaz-Butterfly family waved farewell as the door closed behind the two Lynn Thomas's

“So” Nova spoke slowly, her head twisted this way and that as if searching for somebody

“Connor” Marco began, smirking lightly at how quickly Nova jumped at the sound of her best friend's name “and Jack went home. Connor's been bunked on our couch long enough and Jack has his magic competition tomorrow.”

“Oh right” Nova muttered blankly “I forgot about that....Ugh, probably gonna drag me to it. ”

“I think you should go, it has been a long week.”

“Yeah” Nova agreed quietly.

“You should sleep sweetie.” Marco offered.

“You're right...but I need to talk to someone first...”

Nova dropped the magical spellbook onto her bed.

There was a sleepy yawn as the magical tome turned on its side, opening quickly in a flurry of ancient and well worn pages until Glossaryck lay there, dressed in his pajamas with an avocado mask on his face and cucumber peels over his eyes.

“As much as I enjoy helping my magical students” Glossaryck said with an irritated tone as the peels popped away from his sockets with a comical sound “And basically live here rent free, I do enjoy sleep. So unless this is important...”

“Sol can create magical portals” Nova stated bluntly.

There was a momentary air of awkwardness as Glossaryck blinked once, twice, a third time, soaking in what Nova had just said.

“...oooooookay?” an eyebrow raised was his response.

“Seriously? Okay? That's it?! My little brother can cut through the fabric of reality and travel to any dimension at will and all you can say is okay?!”

Glossaryck pursed his lips “I could also say huh?” The magical being glanced up at the princess “Would that help?”

“No!” Nova snarled “He can change his hair at will. He can open portals at will. Why?!”

Glossaryck scratched his chin thoughtfully “That is a very good question and one I wish I had the answer to.”

Nova covered her mouth before letting out the most strangled yelp she could muster.

“I'm sorry princess” Glossaryck spoke plainly “I don't know what you expect from me. I'm here to train you, not your brother. Whatever he has going on with him is a Sol problem, not mine.”

Nova stared silently at her tutor, thoughts and ideas churning in her head but she voiced none of them.

Nova took a calming breath, allowing the rage and frustration to drip out of her.

“Glossaryck” she started slowly “Teach me how to dip down.”

“No”

“No?” Nova repeated “No?! Why not! You taught my mom when she was my age.”

“Exactly” Glossaryck nodded in agreement “I taught her when she was ready and I taught your grandmother when she was ready. I've taught every Butterfly when they were ready. You are not.”

Nova angrily placed her hands on her hips “Am I not ready? I'm Nova Analise Butterfly and I am ready to learn how to dip down!”

Glossaryck's pink eyes searched her face for a moment.

“No, you're not.”

Nova clenched her fist furiously

“You are not Nova Butterfly.”

That shook Nova out of her rage.

“What?” She questioned softly.

Glossaryck snapped his finger and just like that, a pudding treat formed into existence.

“You” He emphasized as he pulled the covering from the cup “Are not Nova Butterfly.”

“I....” Nova began but the magical tutor went on

“You” he gestured with his spoon before dipping it into the soft dessert “sound like her. You look like her. You dress like her. You even act like her but you are not Nova Analise Butterfly. You are a near perfect copy of the princess of Mewni but you are not quite her.”

“I'm not?” Nova was utterly lost by what Glossaryck was trying to say.

“No” he chewed eagerly on his snack “You are not.”

“Then who am I?” Nova asked, slumping to her knees

Glossaryck's diamond pupils fixed themselves onto hers “That is what you need to concern yourself with. Who are you?”

Nova let out a frustrated yell, slamming Glossaryck's book shut before flinching apologetically

“Sorry” She murmured before gently placing the book on the drawer next to her.

“That's alright!” Glossaryck's muffled voice called back “The pudding is safe!”

She laid on her bed, staring at the ceiling blankly as Glossaryck's question and snores danced in her mind.

If she wasn't Nova Butterfly, who was she trying to be?

Nova sighed, the thoughts twisting and turning in her head for countless moments before sleep came and claimed the princess.

“Bags under her eyes” a voice spoke softly near Nova.

Nova groaned, instinctively clutching her hand against her eyes tried to block out the gentle rays of the sun.

She felt a smaller hand grip hers for a moment before giving a pinch and a pull on the back.

“Hey!” Nova shouted, pulling her hand away and rubbing the pulled skin.

“She's not dehydrated” the little voice went on “but she seems a little pale. Probably didn't eat much over the last few days.”

Nova groggily wiped at her sleepy eyes as the sounds of light scribbling filled the room

“Dignosis” The voice muttered with a hint of confidence “minor sadness. Solution, sun!”

Nova hissed in reflex as the curtains were pulled back and a flood of the sun's bright rays basked over her entire being.

“Ah! What the?!” Nova shirked, wildly flailing at the air before finally noticing the person in the room with her.

The person was wearing a pink hoodie and baggy pants with adorable matching sneakers . Her brown shoulder length hair looked as it always did (which was exactly like her mother's.) as her blue and green iris beamed in a mixture of joy and timidness.

“Hope?” Nova tiredly murmured before her brain kicked into full gear “Hope!”

“Novy!” The younger 7 year old cheered quietly as Nova leapt out of bed and plucked her from the ground, hugging her tightly “Novy stop, I'm up from the ground!”

“Haha don't worry” Nova smiled “I got a good hold on you”

Nova couldn't stop the laughter from escaping her lungs while she gently placed Hope back to the floor.

“It's so great to see you Hope!” Nova couched low to get a better look at the little girl “I've missed you.”

Hope gave a small smile in response “I missed you too Novy.”

“Are your parents downstairs?”

Hope gave shy nod “Yep! We came to visit, Dad's got some business in town.”

“Awesome, let's go say hi”

Hope held onto Nova's hand as the magical princess led them downstairs.

“So how long have you been here Hope?” Nova asked the young girl.

Hope's face squinted in an adorable pose as she thought long and hard “10 minutes or so?”

“Wow and it took you this long to wake me up?”

“Well...” Hope began nervously “I'm practicing to be a doctor. I noticed some bags under your eyes and I couldn't help it...”

“Oh? And what did you discover Doctor Hope?”

Nova was caught off guard how serious the younger girl's face became “You were sad. For a few days at least. Recently I'd guess. I could tell by the lack of food you've been eating and the bags under your eyes.”

Nova's face softened “You're right Hope, I was sad.”

Hope's fell at once as she anxiously fidgeted

“But I'm much better now.”

“Really?” Hope's eyes widened “I'm happy to hear that.”

“me too” Nova repeated with a grin “Me too.”

Nova and Hope made it downstairs in time to hear Star snort loudly as Marco tried to hold in his chuckle.

“Marcus!” Marco playfully scolded “Seriously?”

“What?” Hopes father shrugged in response “it's not my fault”

Marcus was the same age as Marco with messy barely combed medium length brown hair and green eyes. He wore a simple black long sleeved shirt with white stripes tilting diagonally across to one side and dark denim jeans with his favorite brand of sneakers.

“and I said” Marcus came to a complete stop “Honey.”

His wife shifted nervously under his gaze as she replied “yes sweetie?”

Faith was the same age age as Star though though you could see Hope's resemblance to her very clearly: Shoulder length blonde hair instead of her daughter’s brown, matching right blue iris and left green pupil. She wore a simple red blouse and black jeans for the trip with comfortable walking shoes to add to the look.

“You know better than to wash dishes” Marcus lightly scolded, rising to his feet and making his way across to his wife “Let me handle them.”

“no no no!” Star butted in, lifting herself out of her chair and pulling Marco alongside her “It's our house, you are our guests. Marco will wash them.”

“Oh really” Faith held fast to dish in her hand “It seems such a bother.”

“Honey” Marcus whispered but Marco cut in “It's fine Faith, you can tell me more of the methods you've been using on your students. Sometimes the 6th period class is too rowdy waiting for the bell.”

“Well” Faith shifted guiltily but Marco had easily pried the dish from her weak grasp “Alright.”

Star shook her head before noticing who had entered the room in their distracted state “Look who's up!”

Marcus and Faith turned around with wide smiles on their faces “Nova!”

“Hi” she gave a cheerful wave

Marcus and Faith Dixon were old family friends though when or how exactly they met her parents was always a bit of a mystery. They went way back and while Faith couldn't do much adventuring and Marcus wasn't the biggest fan of adventure, Nova couldn't help but imagine them in their younger days. Especially Marcus. Using fireworks. Butting heads with some girl that used to room with her father named Stella. Fending off spiders and obsessive demons. Feeling uncomfortable about keeping a secret for Star and away from Marco.

Oddly specific but Nova always had a crazy imagination.

“How are you?” Faith asked softly, slowly making her way over to the magical princess.

“I'm okay” Nova partially admitted “It's been a chaotic week to say the least.”

“I bet” Marcus agreed “Did Hope play doctor again?”

Hope pouted but Nova playfully ruffled her hair

“Play? I think she's going to be a great one when she grows up.”

Faith beamed with a quiet pride at her daughter “I bet she will be”

Hope gave a toothy grin as another figure made their way into the room.

“Morning everyone!” Sol gave a cheery greeting before narrowing his eyes at Hope “Morning Hope....”

“Morning Solius” Hope answered quietly.

“It's Sol....” Sol murmured under his breath while he took a seat at the table.

Nova couldn't help but wonder about her little brother: How did he gain such a power? Did her parents know? Did Heckapoo? The magical council member in charge of dimensional scissors wasn't fond of anything that could bypass her permission and ability to regulate dimensional travel especially now that the airports now offered interdimensional travel between Mewni and Earth....

Before Nova could go on with her thoughts, the front door slammed open with a mighty kick.

Marco and Star fell into a fighting stance, reaching for the closet object they could find.

“Who's there?” Marco called out, butter knife held tightly in his hand.

“We're armed!” Star warned, holding Mr. Spatula high “Dangerously armed.”

“Relax!” Jack's voice called out though it was laced with strain “I'm just here to grab Nova and head over to the magic show.”

Everyone shared a look as Jack made his way into the dining room, sweat dripping down his brow as he dragged half-groggy Connor by the collar.

Jack was dressed to impress which wasn't too surprising given he was set to compete today: His hair was slicked back with only his demon gangs remaining free of whatever gel he used, he wore a brightly colored and well kept midnight purple bowtie and collared shirt he claimed he kept cryogenically frozen for only the most important occasions, his trademark vest had been been replaced with a dark blue variation that shimmered brightly with dozens upon dozens of sequins giving the illusion they were twinkling stars with a rose tucked neatly in the pocket. His pants were black and his loafers were shined to an impossible luster.

Connor, the poor inventor, did not look as well prepared. In fact he looked like Jack just dragged him out of bed: He was wearing black faded t-shirt that had seen better day and plaid sweats, his glasses hung off his left ear and he generally seemed utterly confused what was going on at the moment.

“Wha?” Connor mumbled tiredly “Whazzgoinon?”

“Ugh!” Jack gave a dramatic groan “Come on buddy, you got to look presentable.”

“Jack” Connor murmured “You literally broke into my house and dragged me to...” Connor groped for his glasses “Is this Nova's?”

“Hi Connor” The room greeted.

Connor gave a sleepy wave in return.

“Yes!” Jack said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world “I can't take you like this four eyes.”

“Whose fault is...?” Connor began only for Jack to drape a large, elegant red cape over him “Whazzthis?”

“Just hold still” Jack scolded as he gave the fabric a mighty tug.

Connor stood there shell shocked as he carefully glanced over his new outfit: A dark red collared shirt, beige khakis over his trademark sneakers, his glasses realigned perfectly with his eyes.

“...did you just...?” Connor slowly turned to Jack who waved him off.

“Yes, now eat something and let's go!”

“.....were you carrying those clothes this whole time?” Connor questioned as he took a seat.

“Like I'm going to tell you.”

Nova shook her head “I know it's your big day but dragging us to your show isn't very gentlemanly of you.”

“Nonsense” Jack gave a flourish with his hand “You two agreed to it.”

Nova rose an eyebrow “When?”

“Weeks ago.”

“I don't remember this ever coming up” Connor chimed in.

Jack scoffed “Of course it did, read back. I mentioned it.”

Nova and Connor both reached for their cells to check their previous messages only for Jack to snatch them out of their hands and with a flick of his wrist, sent them vanishing into thin air.

“Hey!”

“Not again” Connor muttered in defeat.

“You'll get them at the show” Jack said with a finality to his voice “Now get ready!”

“Magic?” Hope's voice piped up out of nowhere “I love magic.”

“Sweetie” Marcus began, the worry evident in his face “We came all this way to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Diaz, I don't know if....”

“Please dad” Hope pleaded

Marcus seemed torn when Faith gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

“She would have fun” Faith explained “And she wouldn't be bored listening to us adults talk especially it's very clear Nova is going.”

“I'll go too!” Sol added, pushing back his chair and racing upstairs to get ready.

Marcus's lips turned into a frown “Now if Sol's going....”

“It's fine” Nova spoke up quickly “I'll be there watching over Hope.”

“That's true” Marcus mumbled “and Connor will be there so I really don't have anything too....”

“I need the biggest cheering squad I can get” Jack added “and I've got like 5 tickets.”

Thunk, the sound of something pressing against the glass window filled the room.

Everyone turned to see a wide eyed Katrina staring excitedly through the clear glass

“I love magic shows” She stated eagerly.

“Looks like Katrina's going too” Nova added “A magical princess, the most responsible inventor and the Queen's bodyguard, she'll be in safe hands.”

“Alright” Marcus conceded “but make sure Sol doesn't convince her to go on any crazy backstage adventures.”

“We won't” Connor rose his hand “I promise.”

“Besides, it's a magic show” Nova said with an air of confidence “What could possibly happen?”

Jack slowly turned his head towards the magical princess. You could hear the crunching of his bones as he gave her the deepest glare he could muster.

“Great” he answered with an exasperated whine “Now something's bound to happen! Thanks Nova”

[impracticaldemon]

Graylu Week 2017: Fanfiction Warm & Fuzzy

by Impracticaldemon [art credit to @miss-zei ]

Author's Note:

This is Chapter 3 of the story that I wrote for Graylu Fluff Week 2017. I was unable to complete the story then thanks to Real Life(TM) and the need to prioritize my various ongoing writing projects in consequence later in the year.

Thank you to everyone who is willing to pick this up now and read the next chapter, which is actually being written during Graylu Week 2017. While I am either a multi-shipper or somebody who enjoys writing for a lot of ships, Graylu has a special place in my heart because Graylu Week 2016 was the first Fairy Tail ship week I knew about and wrote for.

Happy One Year Fairy Tail Anniversary to me and Thank You to all my readers!

Graylu Week 2017 Prompt: Warm and Fuzzy [from Graylu Fluff Week 2017] @fyeahgrayluweek

The snow had been drifting down for about an hour, but the dancing flakes were slowly becoming heavier and faster, like weekend revellers transforming back into serious, weekday commuters. As dusk closed in, the wind picked up as well, and the temperature began to fall. It would be a cold night.

Gray and Lucy stood in the window embrasure watching the last of the light fade vanish from the sky. Gray had one arm wrapped tightly around Lucy, so that she was standing with her back pressed to his chest; he was feeling more relaxed and just… content… than he had in a long time. Lucy, looking adorable (in Gray's opinion) in soft, pink flannel pajamas covered with white bunnies, seemed happy as well. They both held mugs of steaming hot chocolate topped with tiny dollops of whipped cream—although the cream was quickly dissolving. Gray hadn't realized that he liked hot chocolate, but Lucy had assured him that it didn't have to be sickly sweet, and she'd been right.

Suddenly, Lucy shivered and her shoulders stiffened.

"Lucy? Luce—what's wrong?"

She shook her head, as if to clear it. "Sorry… I don't know what came over me. It felt as though all that snow was, I don't know, about to come piling in on me. Weird, right?" She laughed, but Gray thought it sounded forced.

He hesitated, unsure what to do. On the one hand, he'd heard that some people found the deep snows and encircling mountains made them uneasy. On the other hand, Lucy was a highly trained and perceptive mage. They'd both learned not to take odd situations at face value. Unlike FlameBrain. He takes everything at face value and deals with the consequences later. But as much as Gray loved to poke fun at Natsu, he knew that his best friend and arch rival had an unmatched ability for being happy and cheering up those around him. He envied Natsu in that way.

"Gray?"

Gray shook his head, unsure how he'd gotten distracted by Natsu of all things. "Yeah, sorry… Anyway, it's probably nothing, but in case you're getting bad vibes for a reason, let's finish our drinks in front of the fire instead of in front of the window." He made a point of sipping at his hot chocolate and realized that it had cooled far more quickly than he'd expected. That was okay, though. He glanced at the fire to make sure that it was still burning—it had given him trouble earlier and reminded him that he was getting too used to having people around to use magic for stuff.

"Is it okay if I read for a bit?" Lucy sounded tentative. Gray wished that they were past all this tip-toeing around each other, but he knew that it was just part of the shift in their relationship.

"Yeah, sure. I think I'll do the same." He rolled his eyes at Lucy's expression. "Oh come on, Lucy! Don't give me that 'wow you can read?' look!"

"I didn't!" But Lucy was grinning rather sheepishly. "I just figured that you were more into other things."

"Would it make you happier to know that I also have a brand new, hand-held game lacrima with me?" Gray reluctantly let go of Lucy so that she could get her book, and fished the third gen Crystal System out of a padded inner pocket of his leather jacket.

"No way! You have a 3CS?" Lucy was standing beside him, her book in one hand. "Two screens, bigger memory, and you can text other 3CS systems within range? Um." Lucy saw the look on Gray's face and stopped, blushing.

"Yep. Does it fit my image better than the reading?" Gray was just teasing, but Lucy looked embarrassed, so he kissed her—just to reassure her everything was fine. "Sounds like you're more of a geek than you let on," he murmured against her lips.

He always seemed to forget how great it was… She was warm, and soft, and had amazing curves. After a couple of minutes of being reassuring, Gray added: "Or if you really want to know how stereotypical I can be, we can put these… things… down…" He took the book out of Lucy's hand and used a wisp of ice magic to set it carefully with his game system on the nearest handy surface. With two hands free now, he could do a better job of kissing his girlfriend.

Lucy finally drew back slightly, laughing and flushed. "Your fire is going to waste," she told him impishly.

Gray blinked at her and then smirked, his dark eyes gleaming wickedly. "My fire is doing just fine, thanks. But if you insist"—he picked Lucy up and carried her over to the couch—"then we can get closer to this old thing"—he gestured to the flames dancing along the logs in the fireplace. Without giving himself a chance to second-guess, he trapped Lucy under him and went back to kissing her.

"I see you got your shirt off," the blonde muttered a few, very pleasant minutes later. Her eyes were half closed and her hands were running along Gray's arms and shoulders.

"… Doesn't sound like you're objecting…" Gray was in the process of adding a hickey to one of Lucy's creamy shoulders. He had to concentrate in order to prevent himself from pulling the fuzzy pink pajama top right off Lucy altogether.

"I'm not, I'm admiring."

Time passed, more snow fell, and the fire—the one in the grate—started to burn low from lack of tending. On the couch, Gray dragged himself upright and pulled Lucy into his lap. They were both disheveled and panting heavily.

"So…" Gray said, still running his hands appreciatively along Lucy's soft flannels, which were partially unbuttoned down the front. Neither of them knew exactly how, but the ice mage was down to his navy boxers. "How about we order some food, and fresh hot cocoa, and get our books out?" He gave Lucy a comic-book-villain leer and added: "If you're very good, you can even try out my 'game system'."

Lucy laughed despite herself—more specifically, despite her hormones, which were suggesting something else entirely. There was no secret about what Gray wanted, but he showed no signs of impatience and seemed honestly happier than Lucy had seen him in quite a while.

In a way, it was part of the thrill to know that she was one of the few to get to see the cheerful Gray, instead of the slightly negative, emo guy he'd become over the past several months. When they'd first met, he'd been the one she joked with and commiserated with when they were out on team missions—often over dumb things like how bizarre their enemies were (not to mention their teammates), or how joining a dark guild seemed to promote horrible fashion sense. She'd just started to really miss that side of him when she'd realized that part of his problem was that he'd fallen for her and wasn't sure how to behave. Of course, it was dangerous to mix your job, your friendships, and romance.

"Well too bad!" she said out loud, startling Gray. He recovered fast though.

"You don't want to try out my game system?" he asked slyly.

"I think it might be fun, actually," Lucy responded, batting her eyelashes at him and tracing a finger-tip along his chest. Her deliberately over-the-top manner made him grin, although her touch made his cheeks flush. "Although I suppose you have stuff like 'SuperSmashMage' and 'MakaroKart'," Lucy went on.

"True," he conceded, bending his head to nibble on her ear. "But I also have the most recent 'Legend of Zervis', and I hear that girls think the hero's cute."

"He is rather darkly attractive," Lucy conceded. "But I want to try 'Flame Emblem'—the stories look pretty good."

"Stories, huh? Let's face it, the game's gone from a great tactical simulator and RPG to a, a romance game!"

"Has not!" Lucy batted ineffectively at Gray—it was awkward to hit the person on whom you were sitting. "That is such a dumb complaint. Besides, guys are just as goofy about the pairings as girls are."

"Nope," Gray said firmly, wrinkling his nose and trying not to laugh (or put his hand inside Lucy's top, which was the most attractive option). "We just can't avoid the fact that good 'relationships' provide key attack and defense bonuses."

"And you don't play the Catch-a-Critter game because of the cute Critters, right?"

"Right."

"Aha! You do play it then!"

"... Possibly. But only so that I can have a better fighting team than Natsu."

"And the Critters are cute."

"No."

"Show me who you've got and I'll find the one you've kept just because it's cute."

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

Lucy snatched up one of the cushions that had fallen onto the floor earlier and whacked Gray over the head. "Ugh!"

"Sorry, sorry, that was really lame!" Gray threw up his hands to protect his face, and Lucy took advantage of being able to move to shift so that she was sitting across his lap.

Her intention had been to get a better angle of attack, but the result was that Gray's face ended up in her cleavage. She both heard and felt him react to the distinctly provocative situation, and felt herself blush. Not that this was much different from the way they'd been messing around before.

"I'll just go stand out in the snow for a while," Gray muttered against her skin. "Maybe that will help."

"Do you want to build a snowman?" Lucy quipped softly, knowing that Gray had gotten really, really sick of that line lately. Personally, she'd found the movie a lot of fun and rather moving, but Gray had started to react violently when people told him to 'let it go' any time he got irritated. Even Erza hadn't been able to stop the fight that had erupted when Natsu had asked if 'Elsa' was ready to head out on a quest. The unfortunate thing was that Natsu hadn't really been responsible—Gajeel had set him up.

Gray breathed out and hugged Lucy close, arms wrapping tightly around her waist and shoulders. Then he laughed, and Lucy smiled. Slowly but surely they were figuring each other out. The shared humour was still there.

"No, no I don't," he said, answering her question with mock seriousness. "What I want… is something else."

"You know, I thought that snuggling on a couch in my pajamas in front of a fire would just be kind of warm and fuzzy," Lucy told him, sitting back a little so that she could see Gray's face.

"It is," Gray replied immediately. "I'm warm and you're fuzzy." He ran his hands down the back of her soft, pink, bunny-covered top. "Why don't you go get your book and my CS? I figure one of two things will happen eventually: either we'll be attacked by malignant cold spirits—I think there's actually some out there—or I'll beg you to let me take you to bed."

Lucy shivered slightly. Gray could be all too good at putting distance between himself and others. But right now she had the feeling that he was being completely honest. Pink-cheeked, she hopped up and fetched the book and the small gaming lacrima. As she settled in against Gray to read—or try to read—a large snowflake with a little heart in the center fluttered down onto her page.

"You can always, always say no. Remember that, okay?"

"I will," Lucy answered. "But it's hard to turn down a chance to fight malignant cold spirits, you know?"

[END]

A/Note: Thank you for reading and for any reviews or comments, likes or reblogs, kudos etc. depending on your PoP (Platform of Preference). I do plan to write a little more for Graylu Week 2017 (September), so hopefully the stars will align - I'm looking at *you* Lucy!

Tags:  @miss-zei @nalufever @gsut  @eliz1369 @shell-senji @sassyhazelowl @lockandk3yfiction

[ficsforforever]

If I say yes will you go to the meeting? (Tony Stark x Reader)

Pepper leaving ruined him. He couldn't deny that to anyone, they could all see it. He stopped sleeping, he barely ate, and he was far more crude and grumpy than usual. They were even worried he'd drink himself to death. Then you showed up. Despite how little he wanted to, he knew he needed to replace Pepper. He couldn't get through the day without an assistant. That's where you came in. You had a stellar resume. You had worked for the best of the best. After interviewing at least twenty people, you were the only person who could keep up with everything he threw at you. He hired you not realizing that you were exactly what he needed. He had hired you over two years ago. From the time you came he started getting back to his old self. He didn't see it but the others did. He was sleeping, eating, and he actually tried to keep up his appearance. You were a good assistant too. You kept his schedule pristine and you got him where he needed to be better than Pepper ever had. Even if he could be difficult, you loved your job. What you didn't love was the constant flirting. "Come on (y/n). I'm the most, I repeat, the most eligible bachelor in New York. Don't you want to change that?" He leaned over the kitchen counter you were sitting at and tilting his head a little. "Really? Last I heard Steve was the most eligible bachelor. So you're second. Sure I'll change that. Hey Steve I'm free on Saturday morning." You answered him not taking your eyes off of the computer you were typing on. Steve's head shot up from the comic book he was reading his eyes snapping to look at you. He opened his mouth to say something but Tony sent him a glare. Steve shook his head turning back to his book. "Just one date. Then you can decide whether or not iron man is your favorite avenger." He gave you a charming smile. "No. Besides my favorite avenger is Natasha." You answered reading over another email. Tony huffed a little sitting down and sipping his coffee that you had picked up for him before work. He watched you run a hand through your hair and bit your lip like you always did when you were frustrated. He frowned unconsciously and put his coffee down. "You have a meeting at 4 with the governor." You sighed as you typed. "No. I'm not going." He shook his head. He didn't want to go. Those meetings never ended well and he couldn't stand them. He'd rather work on his suit. He almost took back his words though as you looked up from the computer. Your eyes narrowed and he could see the tired bags under your eyes. "Anthony Stark. You are going." Your voice was low and he almost flinched at the sudden change. "Not gonna happen....unless...." his lips twitched into a smirk. "Unless what?" You sighed exasperated. "Unless you make it worth it." His voice seemed to purr out at you. "Fine. If I say yes to a date will you go to the meeting?" You asked looking him in the eye. "That sounds worth it to me." He smirked. "You're going to be the death of me." You sighed putting your head in your hands. "I'll pick you up at eight. You know how to dress." He turned grabbing the coffee and walking away. You picked up your tablet following him your heels clicking as you ran to keep up. You followed him briefing him on everything he needed to do for the day. Surprisingly he did everything without complaints. You helped him pick out his suit for the day, picking a navy blue suit. He didn't really need your help but he knew if you picked it out it meant you liked it. You ushered him into the car you had waiting as fast as possible before he could decide not to. He complained the whole ride and you couldn't help the smile that crossed you tired face. There were times when he really could make you laugh. "I swear this whole meeting is just an excuse to jump down my throat about Steve." He huffed fixing his sunglasses. "Just get through this without causing a fuss please?" You asked him leaning back into the seat of the car. "Fine fine but just because you can't be mad at me on our first date." He teased laughing. You smiled softly to yourself. His laugh always did sound like music to your ears. It was rare you heard his real one. Mostly he was sarcastic and mocking when he laughed. You glanced over at him once more as the car pulled up to the governors office. The two of you made your way up the stairs and into the office. The governor was waiting for you as you stepped inside ushering you into his private office. You sat off to the side taking notes. Tony had been right, this was awful. You rubbed your temples as the two of you left. Tony was even in a slightly bad mood as you sat back down in the car. You busted out laughing the moment you had started back to the tower. Tony raised an eyebrow but couldn't stop himself from laughing along with you. "Oh you were right. I can't stand those meetings." You breathed out when you were done laughing. "Told you. Hey. You can head home early. Gotta get ready for our date." He smirked at you lowering his sunglasses a little. "Okay Stark. I get it. We're going on a date." You huffed closing your eyes for a second. You rode in silence the rest of the way. You fought to keep your eyes open only really waking up when you got out and the cool breeze chilled you. You packed your things saying goodbye to everyone quickly before rushing home. You weren't quite sure why but you were on edge. You weren't sure you even had something nice enough for wherever Tony was bound to take you. He rarely if ever went small. You were about to give up when you remembered the dress Tony had bought you for your birthday. You had never had a chance to wear it before now. It was a knee length navy blue dress that had a lace overlay. You slipped it on pulling on a pair of navy heels. You left your hair down and you put on a silver bracelet. Checking yourself in the mirror a few times, you liked what you saw. You grabbed a nicer silver purse putting your wallet in it and stepping outside just in time for Tony to pull up. He got out of the expensive sports car opening the passenger door for you. You smiled at the gesture getting in. Tony was awe struck as you walked over to the car. You were stunning normally but now, now you were more beautiful than he thought was possible. He sat in the drivers seat looking over at you. He took a deep breath gripping the steering wheel. He couldn't seem to get out any words. "I'm surprised you didn't switch suits." You smiled glancing over at him. "Oh... yeah. Well since you picked it I figured you'd like it." He mumbled his confidence gone. "I do. It's my favorite one of your suits." You mused. "You look beautiful." He blurted before sighing. He sounded like an idiot he was sure of it. He couldn't keep the picture of you standing there out of his mind. He pulled up to a huge fancy restaurant. Your eyes were wide as you took in the sight of the gorgeous white pillar and huge oak doors. You felt slightly out of place as he helped you out of the car. "Like what you see?" Tony finally smirked getting his confidence back. "It's beautiful." You breathed out looking around. Tony held his arm out to you leading you into the restaurant. No one stopped him as he walked you back to a booth hidden away from everyone else. A waiter was there in an instant and Tony ordered white wine for both of you. "Tony this is... wow. This is too much." You glanced around at the velvet seating and oak table. "Hey. Nothing's too much for you." He winked flirting. You blushed a little. Sure he flirted with you all the time but this was different. The way his eyes softened as he looked at you. You were about to respond when the waiter came back to take your order. Tony ordered for both of you somehow knowing exactly what you wanted. The night went amazing. It was one of the best dates you had ever been on. He made you laugh and blush and at one point you almost spit wine out of your nose. As you finished your meal you realized how late it was. Both of you had work in the morning and it was almost 11 o'clock. "Tony this was amazing. But we both have work tomorrow. You have a 7 am meeting." You reminded him yawning a little. "Told you any date with me would be amazing. But you're right. Don't want to be tired for another boring meeting." He teased before dropping down the cash to pay for the bill and a large tip. He offered his arm to you leading you to the car. You tried to fight it as he drove but eventually your eyes fell shut. You'd been up all night the night before getting Tony's speech ready for the next big event. Tony glanced over at you seeing you asleep. He smiled driving to your house. He didn't want to wake you up as he parked in your driveway. He moved gently unbuckling you and lifting you up. You wrapped your arms around his neck burying your face. He gave a low chuckle as he grabbed your spare key. He was suddenly very grateful he knew where it was. He shut and locked the door behind him carrying you to your bed. He tried to set you down but you wouldn't let go. "Come on (y/n). You're home." He said rolling his eyes at you with a smile. "Stay?" You mumbled quietly and he almost didn't hear you. "Okay. Let me do something real quick. You put your pajamas on." He laughed setting you down. You slowly kicked your heels off as he left the room. He sent a few emails canceling the 7 am meeting. When he walked back into the room you were in a tank top and shorts already curled up into your pillow. He smiled down at you kicking his own shoes off. He was glad he wore an undershirt as he carefully took his suit off. He had just taken off his button up as you reached out and grabbed his hand. He smiled even wider as he flopped next to you. You cuddled up to him letting sleep take over. Tony didn't expect this to happen. He wasn't complaining though as he felt you lay your head on his chest. For the first time in a long time he fell asleep without a drink in his hand or his head on his work table. The next morning you shot up checking the clock. Seeing the bright red numbers you made out the time. 12:30. You jumped out of bed waking Tony up as you did. He sat up on his elbows watching as you threw your closet open. "We're so late Tony!" You shouted grabbing a shirt. "Calm down. I postponed all of my meetings. I told everyone I was sick." His voice was low and rough with sleep. You calmed down but you gave him a disapproving look. You sighed dropping the shirt and getting back into your bed. Tony smiled laying on his side and pulling you into him. You blushed as he did your body pressed against his. "You know... I don't want to get up. We're staying here." Tony laughed sleepily running his hand down your arm. "Sounds good to me, Mr. Stark." You laughed a little your hand on his chest where the reactor was. "I don't want to wake up without you... ever again." Tony whispered softly his eyes half lidded as sleep tried to grab him again.

[sugarpunkeyes]

1-99 😎

ITCHY I HA T E YOU (but im still gonna do it cause. this feels like a challenge)

1: 6 of the songs you listen to most?alternate version of behind the sea by panic! at the discofuckmylife666 by against me!like a child hiding behind your tombstone by slothrust brain stew/jaded by green daybaba o'reilly by the whoacross the universe by the beatles

2: If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?unlikely person ,, laura !! jane !! grace !! slightly more likely person(s) ,, @thesmashingpumpkins or @billiejoeshappytrail @xkidiot cause you’re wonderful

3: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17.“…and, of course, Crass, who remain my favorite band to this day.” (from Tranny by Laura!! wild)

4: What do you think about most?music as a general statement probably. whether it’s my own writing/band stuff/practicing instruments

5: What does your latest text message from someone else say?“And ya but nvm” from @gathering-up-the-avenues

6: Do you sleep with or without clothes on?with pajamas !

7: What’s your strangest talent?i can figure out how to set or fix/take apart & rebuild any watch or clock i’ve ever come across

8: Girls… (finish the sentence); Boys… (finish the sentence)??? girls are girls. boys are boys. i’m unwilling to gender stereotype esp in the binary lmao

9: Ever had a poem or song written about you?i am not aware of that happening, no

10: When is the last time you played the air guitar?i was texting my favo(u)rite british bo(u)y itchy ( @billiejoeshappytrail ) like two hours ago and playing loads of music

11: Do you have any strange phobias?not that i’m.. aware of ?? i get really freaked out by looking straight-on at a pin, like right at the pointy off when it’s facing me but that’s not really a phobia

12: Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?i’m sure i have. i mean fingers are foreign technically so

13: What’s your religion?jewish ;)

14: If you are outside, what are you most likely doing?listening to music in headphones ,, walking ,, zoning out

15: Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?behind ,, but i like having photos of myself and i find it really fun to help out my photographer friends ,, they’re so good i’m lov my artsy humans

16: Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?The Beatles !

17: What was the last lie you told?i told my mom i checked the weather this morning when she asked how cold it was but i actullt just stuck my head out my window and guessed

18: Do you believe in karma?nah, bad stuff and good stuff happens to everyone

19: What does your URL mean?it was from Years Ago ™ when i was equally obsessed with doctor who and star trek. sonic (screwdriver) ; (star) trek

20: What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?uHm i’m really bad about emotions as a whole?? if i’m confronted about how i’m feeling and i am Not In The Mood to talk about how i am then i will 100% say i’m fine no matter whati’m good at music i think ,, i’ve been writing music since i was little and i know 10-ish instruments?

21: Who is your celebrity crush?Laura. Jane. Grace. i’m lov

22: Have you ever gone skinny dipping?yyep

23: How do you vent your anger?i kick/punch walls (i have a wall in my room w lots of studs, i know where to hit it so nothing will break), write music (nerd), throw tennis balls at my garage door

24: Do you have a collection of anything?i have journals i’ve filled out, presidential/gold dollars, state quarters (every state, every year), an old keychain collection, loads of books, and unofficially lots of band/tour shirts ;)

25: Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?video chatting !

26: Are you happy with the person you’ve become?i am, but only because i know my two options are to like myself or dislike myself and there’s no way of saying i won’t totally reinvent myself tomorrow. so yes, but just because i believe in constant change and i’m proud of the changes i’ve made

27: What’s a sound you hate; sound you love?i haTe the scratch when you have a metal utensil on a china/porcelain plate ugGgHhh and i love the noise when you lean on someone and they’re happy about it and they go “mhm”

28: What’s your biggest “what if”?what if i can’t do all of the things i love in my life?

29: Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens?not ghosts, absolutely aliens

30: Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm.right arm touched my house/car keys, left arm touched my glasses on my bed

31: Smell the air. What do you smell?hotdogs i think (my family’s having a barbecue)

32: What’s the worst place you have ever been to?worst place .. like worst city? i don’t like detroit at all

33: Choose: East Coast or West Coast?EAST COAST succ it @xkidiot @sloanthewench

34: Most attractive singer of your opposite gender?i am. all the genders i literally ,, what ????? uhh i don’t know any agender singers off the top of my head ?? but i’m lov billie joe armstrong and laura jane grace and gerard way has said he doesn’t really identify with male or female so. him too

35: To you, what is the meaning of life?just growing as a human and then helping others grow

36: Define Art.creation that invokes feeling ( @danlitty would know better than me ,, she is The Art ™ )

37: Do you believe in luck?not really but i wear mismatched socks because i think matching socks are bad luck so. uhHh idk

38: What’s the weather like right now?it was raining and like 65 degrees and now it’s just gray and a lil warmer

39: What time is it?3:38 PM

40: Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed?yes, i didn’t crash but i hit someone’s car while i was pulling out of a parking spot

41: What was the last book you read?not really a book, but i read a compilation of loads of doom patrol comics

42: Do you like the smell of gasoline?to an extent .. like the first min or so is nice

43: Do you have any nicknames?yeah, my real name’s grace but everyone calls me gracie or gee or graice or goot or geebee (thanks shaney) or graciebell or groot or greasy

44: What was the last film you saw?the butterfly effect with the green goons!!

45: What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had?i broke my nose twice .. i’m pretty safe overall

46: Have you ever caught a butterfly?yep! but v carefully and let it go immediately

47: Do you have any obsessions right now?always ,,,, just band stuff

48: What’s your sexual orientation?i call myself bi but i’m just gay for everyone

49: Ever had a rumour spread about you?nope

50: Do you believe in magic?n o

51: Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?depends how bad it was

52: What is your astrological sign?pisces

53: Do you save money or spend it?save

54: What’s the last thing you purchased?i only owned the cassette tape version of 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours so i bought the iTunes version

55: Love or lust?love

56: In a relationship?yes!!!! @thesmashingpumpkins is my amazing boyfriend i like him a lot :)

57: How many relationships have you had?¯\_(ツ)_/¯

58: Can you touch your nose with your tongue?yeah !!

59: Where were you yesterday?i just literally worked at home all day.. in the wee hours of the morning i was at midnight run in new york city (delivering clothes/food to the homeless)

60: Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?my sweatshirt !

61: Are you wearing socks right now?yyyyes and one has a banana on it and one has sharks eating people

62: What’s your favourite animal?snow leopards

63: What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you?this is a thing ????? i’m just. sarcastic

64: Where is your best friend?my best friend in NY is named abby and she lives 3 blocks away from me, my best irl friend outside NY is from Rhode Island, and shaney who’s my best internet friend ( @xkidiot ) is in CA !! i’m lov all

65: Give me your top 5 favourite blogs on Tumblr.@thesmashingpumpkins@xkidiot@danlitty@billiejoeshappytrail@poisin-youth

66: What is your heritage?i’m ,, white ,, european ,,,, lithuania, russia, hungary, turkey etc

67: What were you doing last night at 12AM?texting/watching the movie w the green goons

68: What do you think is Satan’s last name?armstrong. definitely armstrong.

69: Biggest turn ons?this is NOT THE SIN CHAT

70: Are you the kind of friend you would want to have as a friend?I think so cause most of my friends are sarcastic and i’m sarcastic

71: You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do?gET THE DOG AND CARRY IT TO MY WORKPLACE AND SHOW MY BOSS I WAS BEING A MODEL CITIZEN ™

72: You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid?a) lmao yeah, everyone deserves to know ?? people affect other people, that’s the point of life, so if i’ve affected anyone, they deserve to knowb) try to get to see all my favorite people even if i haven’t met them beforec) i mean probably ??

73: You can only have one of these things; trust or love.love

74: What’s a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?so many ,, yellow submarine and JOS and so many others

75: What are the last four digits in your cell phone number?8903

76: In your opinion, what makes a great relationship?knowing that the other person cares about you and about the world in general or just having it be with @thesmashingpumpkins , the most amazing man. ,

77: How can I win your heart?you can’t, jimmy already has it

78: Can insanity bring on more creativity?hell yeah

79: What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?learning guitar

80: What size shoes do you wear?8.5 women’s

81: What would you want to be written on your tombstone?idk some quote from the giver probably

82: What is your favourite word?mmm calcify

83: Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word; heart.that song “heart and soul” that everyone knows on piano

84: What is a saying you say a lot?i’ve noticed i say “you know” a lot ,,

85: What’s the last song you listened to?eight full hours of sleep by against me!

86: Basic question; what’s your favourite colour/colours?blue ! all shades of blue esp bluey-greens

87: What is your current desktop picture?it’s that picture of young green day ™ in a taxi and they’re flipping off the camera

88: If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be?this guy that picks on jimmy his name is christian and he’s first on the kill list

89: What would be a question you’d be afraid to tell the truth on?variations on “how do you feel”

90: Turn offs?ddont choke me ,, don’t pee on me ,,

91: You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power?ccontrolling time ,,

92: where are your parents from? OH and NY

93: You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?lol i went to the hospital once cause i couldn’t sleep for 4-5 days straight and everything about that was wild

94: You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?i’ve said it multiple times before, ill say it again. laura. jane. grace.

95: You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?GO VISIT ITCHY OR SHANEY cause i can’t drive to them but i can drive to jimmy :)

96: Do you have any relatives in jail?nope

97: Have you ever thrown up in the car?omg so many times

98: Ever been on a plane?yeah!! also so many times

99: If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?there’s no reason not to try your best

thank u itchy ;)