#I don't have work tomorrow so I could stay up and write fanfiction | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

spectralscathath · 25 days ago

Text

Tour Guide to the Unexplained- A Gravity Falls Fanfiction

Chapter 5- Mystery Twins Birthday Bash

Stan and Ford didn’t expect much when getting shipped up to Gravity Falls to stay with estranged family. Not their Grunkle fleeing the cops, not a surprise party, and definitely not the Mystery Shack and their lying uncle who runs it. But with Ford’s smarts and Stan’s punching, there’s no mystery they can’t solve.

Ao3 Link

The sound of a cellphone was what heralded Dipper's latest problem. He nicked himself mid-shave by accident as his pants buzzed, fumbling the razor and knocking over half his shaving kit. It clattered as he took a breath and grabbed the phone, hitting 'answer' and tucking it into his shoulder, trying to pick everything up. "Mr Mystery of the Gravity Falls Mystery Shack, what do you want?"

"Hi, Grunkle Dipper!" A man's voice on the other end had him short-circuiting on who it was being so friendly before he realised it was A) a familiar voice, and B) calling him something only three people in the world had the right to.

"Shermie!" Dipper smiled. "How are you?"

"Great, things are great. I just wanted to call and say that I've sent something up for the twin's birthday, and I hope it arrives for tomorrow but if it doesn't just let them know it's on the way. Thirteen's a big age."

"Birthday?" Dipper repeated, smile plastered on.

"Yeah! I'll try call tomorrow too, I know mom will as well. And maybe Grandpa, just text us what would be a good time, we don't wanna intrude on anything."

"No, yeah, I'll text." Birthday. Crap. "Take care, Jupiter."

"Great! Okay, I gotta go, light's gone green. Chat later!" Shermie hung up.

Dipper waited for a moment to see if there'd be anything else.

Silence.

He panic-dialled Wendy.

"Corduroys."

"Hi Wendy it's Dipper don't hang up I need advice-" he got it all out in a rush.

"Alright. Shoot." Wendy sounded the same as always, calm and amused.

"I have twins in my house and their birthday's tomorrow, what do I do? I've never thrown a kids birthday before- I mean, I crashed a few- but for work, not because- listen, there was this body-hopping ghost clown I was tracking-"

"Dipper, relax," Wendy laughed. "Birthdays are easy. Cake, balloons, presents, it's easy. I've done it for sixteen years with Dan, you can manage one."

"But I don't even know their favourite cake flavours! Or the best choice for balloon colours! Or what kind of presents they want! What if they want party games, scratch that- a party?"

"If they want a party, us Corduroys can show up." Wendy offered. "Dipper. Just talk to them. Ask what they want."

"But that would admit that I forgot they're thirteen tomorrow."

"They won't care, probably won't be surprised. You're kind of a disaster."

"Thank you, Wendy, really helpful."

"Anytime."

"I- Wendy-" Dipper felt the urge to apologise. Again. He didn't think he'd ever stop apologising. But that didn't fix things. "Dan's doing great, by the way."

"Yeah he is! He's a flippin' Corduroy," Wendy laughed. "Let him know the plans for tomorrow. Bye, Dipper."

"Bye." Dipper hung up and pulled out the day's to-do list, scratching out half the stuff on it and writing down 'cake, presents, balloons, party? Ask preferences'. He'd need to go into town, but he couldn't buy their presents in front of him- and there were still so many variables. He'd also need Carla to cover the tours while he wasn't here, she was a bit bubbly but the enthusiasm really got people excited to take pictures. Dan could use some register practice anyway- oh man, what was he doing?

He panic-dialled a second number.

"This better not be a waste of time, I'm doing my makeup."

"Heyyyyy Paz, it's Dipper."

"I know, I'm rich, I have caller ID." Pacifica huffed haughtily. "What is it this time? Mothman texted, wants to get back together?"

"Ugh, I hope not, I blocked his number. It's a children's birthday party."

"I thought you got rid of that clown ghost-"

"No, not that guy! It's for the twins, its their birthday tomorrow-"

"And you forgot," Pacifica summed up. "I had heard you had kids this summer. I was wondering how long it'd take you to crack and ask for help. You lasted two weeks, congratulations."

"Thanks, they haven't died yet." He was actually quite proud of that fact.

"So, you mentioned a birthday party." Pacifica hummed on the other side, sounding far away for a second. Was he on speakerphone? Her and her beauty routine, he never dealt with makeup unless he had to show up somewhere as Mabel.

"They're thirteen, it's a big one."

"Arbitrarily, but kids love to make big deals out of small things. I assume you've started a list."

"You know me," he wrote down 'make a big deal'. "I already got some information, balloons, cake, presents. Anything else?"

"Definitely don't try to handle it yourself. You'll overcomplicate it and wind yourself up into a nervous wreck until it blows up in your face."

"I'm getting so much feedback on my personality today, it's really great."

"Awwww, poor you." She matched his sarcasm. "Just get your old mechanic to help, he's much more of a party person than you."

"Paz, you're a genius." Of course! Maybe he could even drop the boys with Soos while he went into town to get all the supplies.

"Obviously. That's why we tolerate each other."

"... Do you wanna bring Preston to the potential party if it ends up being a thing?" Maybe it would be good for the kid?

"We're busy." Her tone dropped below freezing point and Dipper suddenly remembered why.

"Oh- yeah. How, uh, how's the divorce going?"

"You're going to be buying me something obnoxiously foul at that disgusting biker bar you like once it's all over. I have complaints."

"Oh boy. Good luck, Paz."

"You too, Dipper." She hung up.

"Okay!" He looked in the mirror, the small cut on his chin dribbling a little bit of blood. "You have a plan, it's going to work great. Don't overcomplicate."

"So if you could both fill out those six-page questionnaires before we reach my friend's house, that would be super helpful to my shopping today."

"Grunkle Dipper, this is double-sided." Stan flicked through the sheets of paper as Dipper ushered him into the back seat of the truck.

"Aw, there's no maths questions." Ford sounded so disappointed as he leafed through his own, following his brother.

"Seatbelts on," Dipper took a big swig from his travel mug as he hopped in the front, a bandage on his chin. Fourth coffee of the day, he'd need way more to survive town. "You'll like Soos and Dolores, they're good people. Soos was my handyman before he retired and Dolores had a summer job at the shack for a few years." Cashiering like Carla.

That reminded him- "Carla! Since it's a Sunday, remember to charge double for-"

"Photos of the reverse harpy, I remember!" Carla saluted, dressed in her version of the Mr Mystery adventure outfit.

"And remind Dan to triple-check anyone who pays in just coins! They could be scammers!"

"We've got this, go!" She shooed him off with a laugh, affixing her flower to her explorer's hat.

"Why don't we get to watch the till?" Stan asked, Ford already on his second page as his pencil flew across paper.

"Because I need you on questionnaire duty, get answering." He really should show them how to use a till, get them some life skills with money.

"Can I copy Ford's answers?"

"No- wait, do you do that?" He glanced at the rearview mirror as he pulled onto the road.

"Uh." Stan looked at his own questionnaire, his wrist no longer braced. "No."

"Only on some things! I don't mind," Ford defended. "He's actually really good at Spanish."

"I'm not, I got, like, a C- on my last report card."

"Hey, I scraped a D, Ms Lopez was disappointed." Ford clearly tried to cheer his twin up, but his own tone didn't sound cheerful. It sounded brittle. Dipper remembered hating getting anything less than a B+ on his own school reports, he understood. "Guess I don't have a knack for languages."

"Languages are hard." Stan sighed. "I barely speak English good."

"'Well', Stanley," Ford corrected offhandedly. "Grammar is important."

Stan groaned and kicked the back of the passenger seat as Dipper turned on the radio, deliberately sparing them BABBA so they could focus. If the questionnaires didn't work, his Plan B was to get Dolores to do some snooping for him.

He could absolutely make this party go well. See if he could make up for the puppet incident. The looks on their faces, because he lost control of himself, of his fear… he wasn't made of stone. He had to fix that.

It was gonna go great. They were gonna have the best birthday ever, he could make it happen. Party Guy Dipper Pines. He had a plan, the steps were in numerical order, it had headings and sub-headings, it was gonna work perfectly. Bonus: he wouldn't even need to clone himself again. That went really bad last time, good thing he destroyed that printer and got rid of all of them.

Stan led Ford into the small house on the outskirts of Gravity Falls's suburbs, shocked to see their self-admitted people-hating Grunkle willing accept a hug from both the old guy in a Hawaiian top and the lady in a snazzy pink dress with poofy brown curls.

"Dolores, Soos, these are my grandnephews," Dipper introduced, still looking as wild-eyed as when he chased them out of the Shack and into his truck. "Stanley and Stanford Pines."

"Ay, qué lindo!" Dolores looked at them adoringly, as Dipper ushered them forward. "Señor Pines, they're so cute!"

"I'm not cute!" Stan puffed up. "I'm tough!" Like a tiger. The fact that Dolores only cooed more did not make him feel better.

Dipper patted his hair and Ford's at the same time. "Yep! Adorable! I was wondering if you wouldn't mind watching them for a few hours while I do some stuff in town?"

"Si, no prob, dude, we're gonna have a great time." Soos waved a hand. "It's gonna be the bomb."

"I should have never taught you young people slang, abuelito," Dolores sighed, but she didn't look angry.

"But it makes me so hip and trendy!"

"Hey, Dolores, can I talk to you super quick?" Grunkle Dipper cut in, giving Ford and Stan a little shove into the house as Dolores stepped by to join him outside.

"Si, what do you want?" Dolores glanced back. "Abuelito, the cookies should be cooled, if you want to make tea?"

"You got it, Lola." Soos smiled at her and lumbered towards the kitchen, his hair white and thin.

Stan started to double back to try and eavesdrop before Ford caught him and pulled him along. Right. Another adult was there. Getting in trouble immediately was a bad idea. Good thing he had Ford around to keep him on track.

Besides. Cookies.

The kitchen smelt amazing, Stan didn't regret following Ford as they entered, both taking a deep breath of baked goodness. It smelt like the Belgian waffle place next door to dad's pawn shop but even better.

"You dudes like video games?" Soos asked brightly, using tongs to place cookies on plates. They looked like little round spheres. Stan took one and bit down, not expecting the jam inside. Yum!

"An old person who likes video games?" Stan mumbled through a mouthful of jam cookie and looked at Ford.

"That seems like a statistical anomaly," Ford agreed, taking a cookie himself. "Thank you, Mr Ramirez."

"Call me Soos, little dudes. Everyone does." He moved around the kitchen. "You dudes want tea?"

"Why do you say 'dudes'?" Stan asked bluntly. "It's not what old people say."

"I picked it up from my grandkids, I talk all rad like them now." Soos chuckled. His voice had a soft accent around some words, just like Ms Lopez. "I play video games with them too. Lotta good skills in those, good for the brain."

"We don't get to play them much. Consoles are expensive." Ford stated after swallowing his cookie. He didn't talk with his mouth full like Stan.

"You wanna use mine? I love playing video games with people, dawg."

Stan and Ford glanced at each other, and while Ford had done all the tests and conclusively proved they could not, in fact, read each other's mind, somehow they knew.

They really wanted to try it out.

"Okay, okay, you crazy man," Dolores laughed at Dipper. Cool. Today was going great for his ego, he wasn't bitter. "I'll find out details, now you go, do your shopping.."

"I owe you both for this. Thanks, Dolores."

"And don't worry about a cake, I'll make something better."

"You really don't have to-" the glare in her eyes cut him off. Oh boy, time to backtrack. "I surrender to your wisdom."

"Good!" She clapped her hands together with a smile. "We will also be at the party tomorrow."

"Got it." He really wasn't escaping a party, huh. "By the way- have you heard anything interesting recently?"

Dolores' eyes sparkled with the promise of gossip. "Do your shopping first and be back in time for lunch, maybe I'll tell you something."

Dipper chuckled and tipped his hat as a 'yes'. "Let me let the boys know."

He stepped inside, unable to stop a smile at the sight of Soos in his armchair, talking the kids through the basics of a racing game. He should take them to the local arcade some time, they'd probably have fun. He could also make sure he still had the top score on Space Invasioners while he was at it, he was gonna be dead in the ground before someone else took that title from him.

"Okay, I'll be back in a few hours. You two behave, alright?" He leaned over the back of the couch.

"We will," Ford smiled.

"How much are you gonna pay us to behave?" Stan held out a hand expectantly.

"Ha! Nice try. Seriously, behave." Dipper pointed at him.

"Dipper, dude, are you going to the mall? If you do, can you-"

"I will bring back something from Hoo-Ha Owl's Jamboree," Dipper agreed. Least he could do for springing babysitting duty on Soos and Dolores at such short notice. "Even if that place is creepy."

"Yes!"

"Okay, enjoy your games, don't get in trouble, and Dolores-" he pulled out his wallet and handed her some cash. "If I get arrested, pay my bail with this."

"I will," she nodded solemnly.

"Bye, kids! Don't die or something." Seriously, those twins attracted trouble like nothing else, just one calm day, please.

"Video games are so cool!" Ford smiled, much preferring the one where he and Stanley could work together to beat up enemies and find stars to the racing ones.

"Yeah! Man, dad's missing out, I'd never be getting into fights if I had something this fun to do instead!"

"Heh, yeah, you should get Dipper to take you to the arcade." Soos had his hands folded over his stomach, sticking around to remind them of button functions and point out stuff they missed. "I love that place, I worked there for a while before I was hired for the Mystery Shack."

"Why was that?"

"Oh, Dipper's great, little dudes, but he can't swing a hammer."

"No, he is useless," Dolores agreed. "He'd live in a pigsty if we didn't keep him alive. With the pig."

"He does love that pig." Ford agreed. "He talks to Waddles Jr. a lot."

"Yeah, it's kinda cool." Stan liked how big the pig was. He thought they were all tiny piglets, but Waddles Jr. was a beast. It was awesome.

"Yeah, he was a total wreck when Waddles Sr. was gone, nothing cheered him up 'til he got a new pig."

"It was very sad," Dolores agreed before moving on. "Now- my friend also wants a cake for her son's birthday but wants to surprise him. What do you think, chocolate? Vanilla?"

"You should make them something minty, it's the best flavour," Ford jumped in immediately and Stan switched to damage control.

"No, no- not mint, it's an evil flavour." Stan ignored Ford's offended gasp and flailing hands in his face. "Dolores, go for the vanilla. Classics are classics for a reason. Choc chips if you really need to spice it up."

"I see. Very smart, both of you."

The front door opened and closed with a bang, all of them turning to see Dipper with his back pressed flat to the wood, chest heaving, partially on fire. He had a bag in one hand.

"Sheesh, what happened to you?" Stan had to ask and Dipper shushed him, head cocking.

Stan did the same, and heard sirens blare in their direction, louderLouderLOUDER then fading as they went by. Dipper waited until they vanished before he took a deep breath.

"Grunkle Dipper…?" Ford asked warily.

"No structural damage!" He raised his hands, half his face covered in soot, the fire on his sleeve starting to spread from his shoulder to his jacket collar.

"Grunkle Dip, you're on fire." Stan had to point it out. Did he not notice?

"I am?" Dipper looked properly at himself and panicked, hurriedly ripping his hat off and batting at the flames. "I am! This is bad!"

Dolores pulled out a fire extinguisher from under her chair and took aim. "Hold still."

"No I'm holding food!" He raised his hand, hat out like a shield. "Fire's out!"

Dolores lowered the extinguisher. "Hm. Crazy man. I'll get the first aid kit."

"It's not that baaaa-and she's gone."

"Dipper. Dude, did you get lunch?"

"Yeah, I got your creepy animatronic pizza," Dipper gestured at the bag, carrying it over and using it as the shield instead. Soos accepted and began doling out pizza as Dipper gestured at the twins. "Budge up, boys."

Ford dutifully moved over, forcing Stan to do the same unless he wanted bony twin elbows shoved into his ribs. "Seriously, what happened?"

"One of my friends should get a job writing horoscopes," Dipper collapsed with a groan. "'Blow up in your face', c'mon. That's not fair. How's your day going?"

"We're playing video games!"

"It's so much fun!"

"They're really good, dude," Soos told him seriously, offering out pizza boxes. Stan grabbed one for both of them to share before they were presented with a second pizza. Wow, one each? Soos continued, settling back in his armchair. "You should put 'em in, like, tournaments."

"Will do." Dipper gave a thumbs up, placing his hat over his face as he leaned back into the couch. "Nap first."

"You're sleeping through pizza?" Old people were so weird. He glanced at Ford, who gave him the same confused face back. "Grunkle Dipper, you're a lost cause."

Dipper grumbled something that sounded like 'four for four'. And Ford thought he was an anomaly, Stan should let him know he had nothing on their Grunkle.

Grunkle Dipper was a hard taskmaster when he wanted to be, Ford was deciding, on his third round of scrubbing clean all the various plaques for the permanent attractions.

"Grunkle Dipper, can we go outside already?" Stan sounded on the verge of either saying the P word, a statistical impossibility, or hitting their grunkle with a broom. Ford was well-past any state of trying to convince him otherwise, maybe the broom would set them free.

"Not yet," Dipper leaned in the single entrance to the attraction hall, the gift shop on the other side. Freedom was so far away.

How much cleaner could the attraction hall get? Dipper kept running his finger across surfaces, checking for dust and somehow finding some even though Ford knew there wasn't any. Why were they even cleaning? Weren't there supposed to be tours? It wasn't one of the days the Shack was closed.

This was the worst birthday ever, and that included the year dad made them scrape barnacles off the pier for a friend of his. It included the year Stanley got them both grounded too, actually. It was a low bar, yet somehow Grunkle Dipper managed to crawl under anyway.

"I still see dust on the Roman sarcophagus. And there's marks on the bog body glass." Dipper checked his flip phone for the fourth time in ten minutes before he busied himself with adjusting the new Cursed Board Game exhibit.

"That's because the cloth for cleaning the glass is gross," Stan huffed as he swept. "Can I have my smoke bombs back?"

"Will you stop trying to escape?"

"No."

"Then no."

Stan swiped at him with the broom, Dipper managing to dodge. He wobbled, but stayed up. Dad definitely wasn't that light on his feet and he was younger then Dipper.

"How do you do that when you're so old?" Ford had to ask.

"Well I've been chasing after a pair of troublemakers for the past two and a half weeks-"

"Dipper," Ford pouted.

"Daily stretches do a lot for a guy, what can I say?" Dipper tipped his hat before wincing. "Still hurts though. And don't smoke, seriously. If you learn nothing else this summer, learn that."

"I don't like the smell anyway." Ford hated the way it made the house smell in Jersey, but he couldn't just tell mom and dad to stop. "And it has lots of health risks."

"And expensive, dad's been complaining about the price." Stan chimed in.

"See? Stinky, dangerous, and expensive. Don't ever do anything that hits all three, those are bad life choices." Dipper preened like he said something clever. Ford wondered if other people thought he looked as smug as his Grunkle did when Ford said smart things. Except he was actually a genius, a real one.

"Don't tell me what to do," Stan muttered rebelliously.

Dipper's phone buzzed and he checked it. "Great, okay boys, we can stop cleaning now!"

"Finally!" Ford dropped the cloth like it was about to bite him.

"What's this 'we' business?" Stan demanded, pointing the broom menacingly at their Grunkle. "You just stood there telling us to do things!"

"It's called 'delegation', it's great," Dipper stepped away from the entrance he'd been sort of blocking. "Alright, let's all go outside!"

"Race you!" Ford ran by his brother and tagged him on the back, Stanley whooping and taking off after him as they ran through the surprisingly empty gift shop and outside past a bunch of cars. They had been cooped up inside too long and had energy to burn.

"Go round the back!" Dipper called.

"Eh, why not?" Stan shrugged and tagged him back before sprinting. "Keep up, slowpoke!"

"Don't call me a slowpoke!" Ford chased him with a grin, managing to tackle him right when they rounded the Shack. They landed in a pile of knobbly joints and laughter, right when there was a massive yell of "SURPRISE!"

They froze, taking in the scene.

Carla and Dan had massive grins as they stood under a banner held up by Dan's trio of uncles, Tad and Fiddleford beside them holding balloons in Tad's case and fireworks in Fiddleford's, also grinning. A tall red-haired woman in an eyepatch and flannel sat beside a pair of adults dressed neatly with pleasant smiles. Waddles Jr. sat among a collection of party games that had been set up. Soos and Dolores stood by a table piled high with food and- oh, wow, two cakes!

"Happy birthday, boys," Dipper said from behind them, sitting on the porch couch and making a 'go ahead' gesture.

Carla barely managed to beat Manly Dan as they raced over, her arms wrapping around them both. Ford heard Stan make a squeaking noise as she hugged them tight, pulling back with a bright smile. "Welcome to being teenagers! It's super cool!"

"Thanks," Stan's voice cracked, and when Ford looked at him his face was bright red. Was he sick?

"My turn!" Dan scooped them both off the ground, squeezing tight enough Ford was sure his spine's alignment was altered.

"Go easy, Danny!" The woman with the eyepatch called out in amusement, while Dan's three uncles started chanting 'Dan! Dan! Dan! Dan!'

"Happy birthday!" Dan yelled as he put them down. "You have presents!"

"We have presents?!" Ford's eyes bulged in shock. No way, those were so rare!

"You're pulling my leg, big guy," Stan visibly tried to get back his cool.

"Never! It's not a birthday without presents," Carla grinned. "But you gotta do games and cake first!"

"Those are the rules of partying." Tad tied a red balloon to Ford's wrist and repeated the process for Stan once Stan finished giving him a suspicious squint and stuck out his hand.

"You're all forgetting a step!" Fiddleford chimed in, hefting the pile of hazardous materials in his arms with a wild grin and a mad laugh. "Fireworks go last! Whoohahaha!"

Dipper put his hat over his face to try to sneak in another nap when hands grabbed his arm, hefting him to his feet. He yipped and waved his free arm for balance, Wendy towering over him as she let him go. He wasn't that short, she was just NBA-tall.

"You think you have a pass to conk out like an old man just because the party started?" Her wild red hair was jammed under a dark beanie and her green eye was bright with guarded amusement. "Wrong idea, buster."

"Wendy, I am an old man." He put his hat back on. "Okay, what am I missing?"

"We all have to watch the kids play party games and clap when they win, then you take pictures of the cake. Didn't you ever have a birthday as a kid?"

"I sometimes skipped my parties to read." Sometimes it felt easier that way, at least until Mabel found him and pulled him out of his head and into a game with all her friends. "I'm just glad people showed up today."

"For those twins? Of course!" Wendy punched his arm with a grin. Ow. He rubbed the spot with a wince as she laughed harder. "Don't be a baby. They're good kids, got plenty of people who'll show up. Why'd you think otherwise?"

She knew why. "I'm surprised you're even here, Wendy."

"You act like I'm supposed to be some twitchy paranoid wreck, I think you've got that covered." Wendy rolled her eye and patted his back. "Don't get so weird, Dip, get out there and mingle."

She shoved him off the porch and he almost ate dirt, flailing for stability as he stumbled into the small gathering of grown-ups. He recognised Wendy's brothers who all were cheering for the kids, no point talking to them, and he wasn't gonna get away with not talking to anyone. Soos would be easy, but maybe he should at least learn the names of the unknowns on his property?

"Hi. Dipper Pines." He waved awkwardly at the Stranges. He vaguely remembered meeting one of them when he paid the mortgage off, but couldn't remember a name. He also couldn't remember if he'd ever seen them blink. Time to observe. "Nice to meet you properly."

"Hi." The man who looked and sounded way too much like his son, except for his brown hair, held out a hand with wide eyes. "I'm Carl Strange. This is my wife-"

"Celia Strange," she also held out a hand, staring with a smile that matched her husband's. "It's lovely to meet you, Mr Mystery. We love your Shack."

"Thanks." He bit the side of his tongue as he forced himself to shake their hands one at a time- eeny, meeny, miney, you- and kept on the showman's smile. Mr Mystery was a lot braver than Dipper Pines. "Regular visitors, then?"

"Oh yes, we like to drop by. Reminds us of our old town," Celia laughed, her glossy black hair cut in a neat bob.

"We love your snowglobes, ever since we stopped travelling it's been great for our collection." Carl put his hand on his hip, smiling placidly. Still no blinks. "New designs each year, how do you do it?"

"I take my inspiration from the world around me." He looked over at the kids as they tried to pin a tail on a cartoon pig drawing. Aw, cute. Waddles Jr. deserved the homage.

"How artistic! You know, we're so glad our little tadpole's made some friends here."

"I've never seen him so excited."

Dipper squinted as he studied the kid squad. Nope, the Strange kid still had that singular smile on that seemed to be his one 'setting', so to speak. Same one as what his folks had. Eerie.

"Yeah. No, he seems like a good kid." He looked back at the happy couple. Was that abnormal pupil dilation or…? "It's good for the twins, I think they need some normal in their lives."

"Well, we're as normal as can be," Celia chuckled.

"Yes, indeed," her husband agreed. "Though it must be exciting, running one of the local town attractions."

"Yeah, yeah, it's fine." Someone save him from small talk. Wait, was that a motorbike? "Actually I think I hear the delivery guy, I'll be back in a sec, great to meet you both, you're welcome to come back for a tour anytime."

"We will!" They chorused. It sent a chill down his spine. Okay, he was going to never talk to the Strange parents again, great idea.

He walked around the Shack to see Jimmy pull up out front, sighing in relief. Someone he could deal with. "I've never been happier to see you in my life, Snakes."

"Whatever, old man." Jimmy pulled off his helmet, snake tattoo in a different position today. He hefted two giant boxes off the back of his bike. "Here's the dumb packages."

"I didn't send you out for anything?"

"Nah, they're from that rich lady with the brat kid. She actually paid me," Jimmy sneered. "You should try that some time."

"I don't have money." Dipper stated, standing in front of his functioning livelihood. "Are you saying Pacifica sent you?"

"Uh-huh."

But why would she- wait. The realisation clicked and he ran over, actually reading the labels on the giant boxes. Insane. Pacifica Northwest was apparently insane. Who did this? "She got them bikes for their birthday?! How?"

"Wait, am I on a birthday present run?" Jimmy sounded so offended.

"Get your butt in gear and do your scale thing, kid, you're carrying these."

"I hate you."

It was a whirlwind of fun and cake and so many presents. Stan still couldn't believe that they had an actual birthday party. One where people wanted to be there. Dan and Carla and Tad and Fiddleford and Jimmy- who showed up late and stayed for cake before leaving- had all actually wanted to be there. Stan had no idea how to even handle all that, and clearly Ford didn't either.

"How's the cataloguing going?" He asked as Ford wrote down everything in their present haul. Whatever made him feel better.

"A bike each from someone named 'Paz', flannel jackets from the Corduroys, toy dinosaurs from Soos and Dolores, free passes to the local carnival from Carla, Shermie mailed us toy boats, Fiddleford got me a book and you a comic, and Tad gave us both a whole thirty bucks each."

"And…" Stan hefted up what had been on their beds after the party ended.

"Right. A beginner artist's set, one for you and one for me." All Dipper had said when they turned on him for answers was a shifty 'family could use more artists' statement.

"This is the most insane present haul we've ever gotten." Stan summed up.

"It's too much. Way too much." Ford agreed. "We- do we just keep it all? Are we allowed?"

"I mean- how are we meant to give it back without looking like goobers?"

"I don't know, I've been running calculations and everything beyond keeping it all seems rude, but that also seems rude?"

"Maybe we figure it out tomorrow?" Stan could put the moral complexity stuff off forever, honestly. "After all, we gotta call mom." It wouldn't feel right without hearing her say 'happy birthday'.

"We gotta call mom." Ford's eyes went wide, remembering the most important part of the day. "Okay, we know what to say, and what not to say so dad doesn't drag us back home yet. We've practiced. To the phone!"

"Yeah!" They ran downstairs and Ford dialled, easily remembering the number on the landline. The fact that Grunkle Dipper still had a landline was comforting. Mom did too, one that dad kept in top shape so she could work.

It rang once, twice, thrice, before it was picked up and on the other end- "that'll be 99 cents an hour."

"Ma!" They chorused.

"Stanley, Stanford! My baby boys!" She sounded way more interested now, her voice husky from cigarette smoke and warm with love. "Happy birthday! How's it feel to be thirteen?"

"We're not babies anymore, ma!" Stan snatched the phone. He hoped so much Pa wasn't around on the other side, as weird as Gravity Falls was, it was nice to feel like he could breathe without being weighed down by dad's disappointment. "We're teenagers now!"

Ford snatched the phone back. "Grunkle threw us a surprise party and all our friends came!"

"That sap," she laughed. "Guess Shermie was right, sounds like you're having fun up there."

"We are!" Stan chimed in. "And my brace is off so I can punch things again!" It still kinda hurt a bit, but that was just healing, probably.

"That's my little spitfire! Tell me about your party, I miss you both." Stan hoped that was true. He wanted it to be.

"We miss you too, ma." Ford smiled sadly. Stan hesitated before he reached out and took his hand. Ford smiled gratefully at him before he took a deep breath.

"So first we were cleaning the Mystery Shack…"

#gravity falls #dipper pines #stanford pines #stanley pines #relativity falls au but Mabel is the author #Dipper continues to be local unhinged disaster man #gf #my writings

20 notes · View notes

frikatilhi · 4 months ago

Note

E for mma guy fic (sorry. Hi), F because your dialogue is so good omg i love you

E: If you wrote a sequel to [insert fic], what would it be about?

YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES EXCELLENT QUESTION

It would obviously be a divergence from the main fic that scene is a part of, and in it Bojan would go back to the gym and they would do it right there on the mat, only they would keep up the pretense that everything they're doing is actually just a standard MMA drill.

"Yeah, and now if you just position your hand there-- uhhh god yes, right, very good, just keep your wrist parallel to-- ngggghh excellent"

"And what you want to do here is keep the momentum going by arching your back just a little - yes, maybe pick up the pace just a tad - sure yeah just be mindful of that lock you don't want to overbend your elbow---"

(Have you ever googled MMA drills?? Are they all NOT supposed to look like elaborate foreplay or sad eastern european porn set-ups????)

Anyway, thank you, let's do this again soon

F: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

I mean, that dialogue right up there is pretty solid, huh?

Oh dearrrrrr though!! I do love to write dialogue but I don't know what comes to mind. Oh, maybe some band banter? I love writing the guys taking the piss on Bojan when he's being oblivious pöljä!Bojan.

I like the Bieber scene and the scene in the van from Chapter 2 of oothan tässä vielä huomenna, I had a blast writing them. Both of those were dialogue-only at first, and I rewrote them to fit that fic. Oh, and also the band scenes from Me ollaan ne and you make me smile with my heart.

Did I mention I love writing dialogue only? This one about matchmaker Joker out is just so precious to me, especially the part where they brainstorm get-the-idiots-together ideas:

“We could get them drunk tonight?” “We’ve tried that before. Bojan drinks too much and becomes totally unfuckable.” “We sabotage his alarm tomorrow morning so he’ll have to stay?” “That would be good, except we kinda need him for Stožice rehearsal.” “One day couldn’t hurt?” “You really think he’d make it back after only a day?” “Yeah, good point.” “What if one of us just tells Jere?” “Bojči would never forgive us.” “He would if it works out?” “We still don’t know for sure, though.” “Don’t we? I mean. Look at them.” “Still, it could backfire. I think he needs to do it on his own.” “Truth or dare? Never have I ever, again?” “One hotel room, one bed?” “Sex pollen?” “What?” “Sorry, I thought we were just shouting out fanfiction tropes.”

Oh! And the very first dialogue only fic I did where I was manifesting the summer rubber song?

“And me?” “What about you?” “Do you mention me?” “...” “Jere!” “No, of course, no!” “No? You sure? Nothing about you ramming some Bobby from Slovakia from the top, bottom, and sideways? Nothing like that?” “Um. Now that you ask.” “Oh fuck me.” “Now you just say lines from the song again. Who told you?”

And why am I proud of them? I'm proud of anything that makes someone else besides me laugh, and all of those have done so.

Ok, I totally went overboard with this one, didn't I???

Fanfic ask game

#ask #ask game #mma guy appreciator's club #membership: 2 #i seriously love you now go write bojan/kiki #“bobby from slovakia” was shamelessly stolen from someone on tumblr or their spouse to be more accurate #no i mean not stolen!! I referenced a well known discourse!!!

12 notes · View notes

arsenic-io · 4 months ago

Text

I did a fanfiction about the Olympic torchbearer and (technically) the flag bearer. I don't really... remember writing this tbh, it was written in about 45 mins total between me posting my art and falling asleep so have some consideration for the quality lmao.

I've shared the text below, but it's probably easier to read on AO3 - if you do read it there let me know what you think <3

Freefall

(Idk why Cape is always capitalised, my phone does that apparently)

There is always something exhilarating about falling. The rush of air past you, the tug at your senses as your every inch screams that this is wrong and dangerous and horrible. The only hope you have is your faith in your ability to eye up an angle accurately, to jump with that angle in mind and to have enough of your brain still under your own control as you hit the ground to remember to roll.

As someone (something? They're not sure anymore) who spends so much of their time in the catacombs of Paris by necessity, the open air and free fall that comes with traversing the rooftops is as close to drugs as the Phantom can get these days. Whether that is because buying drugs is more difficult when you're part ghost, part concept, all incorporeal, or because drugs would no longer work on them is irrelevant. What is relevant is The Flag-bearer whose ghostly horse has come to a standstill at the edge of the rooftop they just leapt from.

She has an air of disapproval as she looks down at them, and although they don't really have eyes, or a mouth, or a face anymore, the Phantom tries their best to convey a smirk. It seems to work, as her horse huffs a snort in lieu of an eye roll and she tugs on the reins to take a step back.

Honestly, the Phantom doesn't know why the horse doesn't jump down after them, it's as ghostly and magic and not-a-living-horse as the Phantom themselves and that distance of a jump would be enough for even a bold human to make, but regardless the Horsewoman will make her own, alternative way down to find the Phantom again so they should probably take advantage of their headstart.

The reason they are being chased is because of a prank gone, well, exactly to plan.

The ceremony begins tomorrow and the city is up to its decapitated neck in preparations as the river becomes the focus of months of planning and practice and so, so much money. Some of the more quiet spirits, the Hunchback and such, have stayed away from the hullabaloo, but with all of the faff about the waterways (one of Phantom's favourite things about the city) and the added nuisance of a camera crew in their usual haunt, they had come out of seclusion to see what the fuss was about. And then ran directly, physically into the Horsewoman. Or well, her horse.

It makes an impression on a recluse, to see someone so damn shiny and bold in the Parisian sunlight, and almost like a particularly dumb pigeon the Phantom just... couldn't help themselves.

Therefore the prank: Grand Theft Cape.

Therefore² the being chased down by the owner of said Cape.

Their first plan was ingenious. They were going to simply snatch the cape while The Flag-bearer was occupied observing the preparations and then dissappear only slightly mockingly into the waterways of the catacombs on their boat. This plan was almost immediately foiled by the realisation that the horse could apparently run on water, but the simplicity of it was nice.

See, being a recluse who lives underground limits the Phantom's knowledge of their fellow spirits quite severely, and this knowledge is especially lacking when it comes to the more niche of spirits, such as those only really around for specific events or a limited time, such as The Flag-bearer. All the Phantom knew was that she was militant, horse riding and beautiful, the rest was... to be determined.

Knowing what they do now, the Phantom would have adjusted the original plan somewhat, but hindsight and all that.

Keeping their footsteps light, the Phantom moves almost back the way they came, trying to gain height while adjusting to the sensation of wearing a cape on their back. Although their normal attire is certainly flowy, the swish of movement brought by the stolen fabric is odd and difficult to adjust to.

One annoying thing about ghost horses is that apparently they don't make any noise.

The Phantom is reduced purely to sight to track their pursuer and so high ground is invaluable. There isn't exactly a plan beyond 'evade' right now, although they hope to fix that as they are evading maybe they'll hide the Cape on an inconveniently high tower or something, let it billow mockingly in the wind. That would get The Flag-bearer's attention.

Not that they don't have her attention currently, they chide themselves as they see the flicker of white and silver move on the streets below. They might have a little to much of her attention actually.

Paris is a big city, with rooftops beffiting that descriptor, so it isn't as if the Phantom is running out of space. But this chase has continued from mid afternoon to sundown now and as incorporeal a concept as they are, something close to fatigue or boredom snags at them as they traverse the skyline.

Something else snags at them as well when they make they next jump, more physical this time as the cape simply... doesn't follow their motion and they swing back, trapped by their momentum, into the side of the building. If they had a body with functioning nerves it would be sore.

They are hanging like a scuffed kitten from their stolen cape as they look up into the bemused and stalwart face of The Flag-bearer. She is still mounted on her horse, bearing the full weight of holding them up with one unstrained arm while the other soothes the ears of her companion.

It seems like she is waiting for them to speak.

"Hello." They begin. She tilts her head.

"Sorry about the, uh," the Phantom wiggles slightly in her hold, "theft."

Her eyes do something which in no way resembles an eye roll, yet somehow serves the same purpose.

"You caught me, so I guess that means you win!" They shift trying to avoid eyecontact despite their lack of eyes. "You win the Cape you already had! So just, uh, set me down and I'll hand it over to you." She tilts her head, this time to the other side.

The Phantom looks at the drop below them and then back up at her trying to convey a sense of 'I won't run I promise' which they don't think convinces her.

She pulls a leaf of paper from... somewhere on her or on the horse and holds it out. The Phantom takes it, realising she might be a mute spirit (which would explain the horse's lack of horse noises) but all the paper reads is this: get the flame to its destination.

"Ah, but I'm not," she shifts her hold on the cape slightly, jostling them a little, "I'm only in the ceremony a little. For dramatic effect. I'm not supposed to touch the torch at all!"

The Flag-bearer hoists them higher, reaches over to unclasp the Cape and then the Phantom is falling through the night air, wind tugging at their hood.

#2024 olympics #olympic torchbearer #Olympic flag bearer #ao3 #fanfiction

4 notes · View notes

strongheartneteyam · 1 year ago

Text

💌 A messy open letter/life update to my moots, readers and followers (?)

MY LOVES MY ANGELS HI!!!

IM SO SORRY FOR NEGLECTING Y'ALL FOR SO LONG my kitten is just now healed enough (not fully healed yet. she still has sutures) for me to be able to let her walk around the room and play by herself without being too dangerous for her health and I FINALLY was able to sleep more these last 4 days (I didn't talk to ANY of my friends for 3 days bc all I could do was sleep - even during the day, like, a lot - watch movies n read a bit (books, not fanfiction)/study neuroscience and anatomy a bit) so, now, I'm only like 70% recovered from so much sleep deprivation (being an amateur nurse for a spayed kitten and also doing house chores, mostly by yourself, ain't easy) and I've been logging in here for like only 30 minutes up to a maximum of like 1 hour or so, and not even everyday, just editing some stuff on my posted fanfiction/checking my notifications, messages, asks and OMG you guys are AMAZING!!! So much love that I'm receiving, from moots, readers, followers or even people who I don't think follow me but they support my works somehow, even after me being gone for this long while... IM SO THANKFUL AND MOVED!!! I love this fandom SO MUCH! I have no words!! I've been in many fandoms in my life and the Avatar one is by far the most supportive, peaceful - to a certain extent - and full of good energy and love! I PROMISE I will get to answer y'all soon enough!

And about the talk that's been going on about the fandom dying, DONT U WORRY MY BABIES, MOMMA VICTÓRIA AINT GOING NOWHERE! Speaking for me, at least, this tall blue aliens obsession is NOT something temporary! I'll be writing my lil stories for y'all forever, if I'm able to (lol) 🤍 I've loved Avatar since the first time I watched the 2009 movie, back when it was released and I was a child, and now that I'm a grown woman in her 20s, I still feel such a big connection to this fictional universe, in a literal spiritual level. I was a pagan/had a witchy/nature based spirituality for years of my life, tho I'm not pagan anymore, since I slowly realized I never truly believed in the pagan gods and magick, but, instead, I just see God in nature and see it as sacred and something that should be respected and taken care of, instead of destroyed. I also have indigenous heritage from my great grandmother, love my indigenous culture, live in a small town, next to the countryside, always felt crazily connected to nature and the Universe and been deeply fascinated by space, aliens, sci-fi, fantasy, always been called a "hippie" by people, either to tease me playfully or to try to make me feel bad for being a bit too much like Kiri Sully (istg me and Kiri are one and the same) so, this fandom serves me JUST RIGHT 😅🫀✨🌱👽💕 I'm here to stay and I WILL help keep this wonderful fandom alive!!! 💖

Anyways... I feel like I already "talked" way too much lol I'm wordy, sorry 🥲 but that's one of the reasons I can write well, so... it's got its bad and its good side ahaha

Speaking of writing, I have like 6 to 7 chapters of Realize where you belong saved (only need to edit and fill in some gaps) bc, even in the middle of so much physical and mental working, I'VE BEEN SO BLESSED with inspiration and been able to write A LOT lately, in the wee free time I've been having, so... if you're reading this fanfiction, I might be updating it later today or tomorrow!

Hope you're all doing good and taking care of yourselves! I've been trying to! I LOVE Y'ALL TO THE MOON AND BACK 💘

With love, your messy and a bit crazy but honest and caring fanfiction writer,

Victória ♡

#꒰ა victória speaks ໒꒱#victória l♡ves her readers so much :')#victória's moots live in her heart <3◝(ᵔᵕᵔ)◜#victória l♡ves her followers!! ꒰✮꒱

19 notes · View notes

mdhwrites · 2 years ago

Note

Can we still send toh related asks even after the show is over?

Can we also send asks about other medias you're familiar with?

Absolutely yes to the first question. If TOH had stayed solidly in my heart, you'd probably still have me writing for this fandom for years to come because I'm stubborn like that. I am not the sort to join a fandom only while it's airing. Things I write as much fanfiction as I have for TOH aren't fleeting fancies for me. Hell, just because I love Luz, Amity and Boscha so much from my early days of writing them, I'll likely still keep making fanfiction of them or having my original works inspired by them going forward. It's who I am. As for other media: OF COURSE! You can honestly ask me asks of anything. I am admittedly slowing a little to doing one large ask a day I think, in part to just let some of the statements get to be seen more easily by more people. Also because I still don't get that many asks. I would also encourage not to just ask about media I'm familiar with because unfortunately that amount is pretty small, especially in the past decade effectively. But if people let me know they're interested in my thoughts on a property, it can help motivated me to watch it. Frankly, I'm just bad about watching scripted content because it makes my brain go brrrrr in ways that things like Youtube videos or livestreams don't and that can be... Rough sometimes. I have so many ideas already that I'd love to work on and getting more inspiration can be painful when I'm stuck in a slump like I am now where I'm struggling to write. Hell, despite wanting to be able to claim I did a chapter of a thing on an ask tomorrow (which does mean tomorrow's blog got changed by a new ask that I immediately wanted to answer), I'm answering this because my brain doesn't want to let me write still despite the fact that I am getting my energy back. Just need to do more than take walks with it. But yeah, after I moved out of my parent's house eight years ago now, I kind of stopped watching most television. One of the last cartoons I really kept up with before The Owl House was Randy Cunningham Ninth Grade Ninja (good show. Not perfect but a TON of fun and great for kids). Voltron, She-Ra, Paranormal Undead Park, etc. like that have just skipped over me. If not for my nephew, I'd likely have never started watching The Owl House and even then, I stopped somewhere around Adventure in the Elements with him. It took THE Lumity animatic for Little Miss Perfect (which the animator later took down... just like the creator of the popular Ordinary listed hers as private... Boy were those not fun moments for me as I started losing my ability to write again) to get me into the fandom and into the show proper. Honestly, one of these days, and probably sooner rather than later, I should do a Post Mortem on The Power of Love to talk about what inspired that story, what the goal was, all of its twists and turns, etc. like that because that story means SO MUCH to me and it could be fun to gush about it. Anyways: Yeah, send me your asks on anything, I don't care much about spoilers as I'm still enjoying Amphibia despite knowing how it ends and the like (my next episode is The First Temple and honestly there's a few blogs I could already do about how great Amphibia's writing is) and maybe it'll finally get me to watch some of these great shows I've missed!

1 note · View note

fandomfairyprincess24601 · 2 years ago

Text

Coping with depression: please disregard. I need to keep my hands busy so these are some ways that I cope with my depression. I've been masking and avoiding it for about three weeks now but I need to let it out now so I don't overwhelm myself.

Recognizing my warning signs

- Heavy feeling which makes it difficult to move without wanting to sit down and give up

- Crying spells

- Having the same thought over and over again

- "Am I alright?"

- Smiling takes so much energy.

- so does changing my tone and trying to be expressive

- This dead feeling, like all of my energy is too stagnant to vibrate and I can't feel myself living, I only feel nothing

- Irritability

-Shortness of breath which leads to a panic spell

- Dancing/working out as a punishment for not being good enough instead of doing it for fun

- Hesitation with falling asleep because I don't want to wake up again

- Thinking about how much I would miss my dogs and the people in my life

- Crying when my dogs look at me because I never want them to think I abandoned them.

- Realizing that if my dogs could understand that I feel that I'm too broken to keep going, I would go.

REFLECTION: things I remember from my last attempt

- Remembering how badly I just wanted to see my pink glittery bedroom again in while I was in the hospital.

- Remembering how much I cried whole saying goodbye

- The stomach pain

- Induced vomiting for 1 hour

- Blood drawn very hour or two

- Having to ask my male nurse to take me to the bathroom every few minutes

- An IV in each arm

- Kidney damage

- my arms being purple and green for weeks from the blood draws and IV drips

- How scared I was when they tried to send me to a stay in center

- The humiliation when friends came to visit

- My the two friends I too ashamed to speak to anymore because they drove me to the hospital

- The wheelchair

- Going back to my apartment and hiding from my roomates

- The stares

- The elephant in the room

🧎🏽‍♀️ conclusion

I hate waiting for my brain chemistry to go back to normal but I've gotten so much better at telling myself that just because I feel out of control doesn't mean I actually am.

Things I can control

- my environment, neat, messy, whatever. It's in my control

- my intentional thoughts. So my brain is telling me I'm worthless and I'll never be anything in life. K cool bitch, but I'm a princess and I've had a million successes and I'm overdue for a million more. I would fight my thoughts before

"You're worthless."

"No I'm not"

And then my thoughts would spiral and I would find evidence to support the negativity. So I don't argue anymore.

"You're worthless"

"I'm so blessed. I'm so loved and adored, I'm literally treasure."

I don't have to believe it. I just repeat it

- keeping a journal and notebooks around at all times. I have self destructive tendencies, especially during episodes so I need to write to keep my hands busy. I write about anything I want in my journal and typically short self indulgent stories in my notes app. Or I come here and read fanfiction or type all night like this so I won't hurt myself.

- saying no. I want to punish myself for these inadequate feelings by making myself practice all night. I've danced until my feet bled and there were bruises all over my legs before. It was so painful. I made myself dance in 100+ degree weather on gravel without shoes just to punish myself. I don't dance if I'm feeling upset with myself. I'll dance when I feel sad or numb, but not during moments of irritation.

My eyes are closing, it is 2 AM and I don't need to keep my hands busy since I'm falling asleep. Survived another night. I'm proud of that. And now I'll post this and sleep. Maybe tomorrow I'll feel better. If not, I'll come back to type :)

0 notes

natalie-the-writer · 2 years ago

Text

Hey y'all! This is another fanfiction based around Ugly Dolls, the movie, and very Lou-centric with most the other characters added in. Pieces of this were inspired by https://0perfectimperfections0.tumblr.com/ and it's a continuation of my story which is also a continuation of hers. It's linked in this post - should be in a giant box. Hopefully.

Anyway, here's the story I spent the last 24 hours writing

Nap Time

"Lou, it's almost two o'clock. You know the deal," Nolan stated, crossing his arms. He knew this would be a fight since the blonde doll had hid from him for the last thirty minutes, moving from place to place. He was agile and slick when he needed to be, but Nolan eventually did find him helping Wage out in the restaurant. The brunette had approached Lou early just to keep an eye on him until his new 'nap time' came. He didn't exactly expect a game of hide and seek with Lou slipping off into the crowd the second they locked eyes.

This was the first day the nap rule had been truly put into place. Up until a few days ago, Lou spent quite a few hours of the day sleeping off the last of his sickness and exhaustion. When he was awake, he stayed in Moxy's house, doing activities that required little to no energy as he healed, with them all spending more time with the blonde to get to know the true Lou. When his house was finished (something he'd been so happy about), he slept there, with someone always nearby to keep an eye on him. In the last three days, he'd tried to spent less time sleeping and more time out and about, working where he could, causing his friends to truly implement the naptime rule. It was good that he was trying, but he also had a track record of sleeplessness.

"Do I have to acknowledge that deal?" He asked as he put away dry dishes. Lou may not have been on janitor duty anymore, but he seemed to like helping Wage out. That wasn't one of his duties as former janitor, so maybe that was a part of it. Or maybe he liked to clean as long as he wasn't forced to. Wage was currently watching them out the corner of her eyes as she cleaned off a counter, business currently in a lull.

Nolan sighed exasperatedly. "Yes, you do."

"I'm in denial then."

"Isn't that still acknowledging but not believing?" Nolan asked, tilting his head to the side as his slight frustration quelled. He didn't exactly want to play twenty questions with the blonde, but they weren't getting anywhere at the moment. And why would Lou just agree? No one he knew liked a forced naptime. Lou likely hadn't taken a nap before unless it was out of sheer exhaustion - it likely went against his programmed perfectness.

The thought made the usually gentle doll want to punch whoever made Lou feel that way. At least give them a good talking to.

"Maybe. Same difference." He dried a plate, turning away slightly. Nolan leaned forward automatically to see him trying to cover up a little yawn and a small smile spread across his face. 'He's tired, but won't admit it.' Stubborn Lou. The green striped doll moved back to his original stance as his friend turned back to him. "Are you just going to stand there or what?" Months ago, there would've been bite to his voice. A snark that came from protecting himself and putting forward confidence. Now it was only playful, with a bit of exasperation mixed in.

An idea formed in Nolan's head as he sighed. "So you're not going to go to bed willingly?"

"What does it look like?" He asked, nose scrunching as his mouth turned down. "Absolutely not. I don't need a nap. I'm not about to swan dive again." He rolled his eyes, visibly holding back another yawn.

"Alright," Nolan shrugged, trying to imitate Lou's nonchalance. He didn't play it off well, judging by how the other's eyes narrowed on him. "You win, but you're going to bed tomorrow."

Lou scoffed, turning away again. "Unlikely."

'We'll see,' Nolan thought, heading out of the kitchen. He met Wage as she came toward him, holding a stack of plates. He subtly tilted his head, muttering to her as he passed. "Keep him here. I've got an idea." He wasn't as dumb as most dolls thought he was. Sure, he could be oblivious, but he wasn't stupid. He knew exacy how to get Lou to bed.

Wage nodded, a small smile on her face. "Will do," she whispered back, carrying the apparently dirty plates through the door to where Lou was.

As soon as he was outside the little restaurant, he hustled to where he last saw Babo, the large grey Ugly who was very nice and had the strength Nolan needed right now. He found him not far from town square, strolling down the sidewalk, whistling a merry tune. "Babo!" Nolan called, stopping the doll in his tracks.

"Hey Nolan, what's going on?" Babo asked as the brunette stopped, slightly bent over as he panted.

Once he got his breath back, he said, "I neds to ask you for a small favor."

_________________

"Put me down!"

Lou struggled against the soft arms holding him in the air, ignoring how they made him feel a a bit safe and warm despite his fighting. He didn't know Babo as well as some others, but the doll was very resourceful and overall nice. 'Not exactly nice now,' he thought, crossing his arms over his chest in a disgruntled pout, slowly coming to realize he couldn't fight off the doll's hold. The bigger doll had him held in his arms securely, one hooking under his legs and the other behind his back. His side was pressed against his chest, something he wouldn't admit felt comfortable.

"Sorry, Lou," Nolan said where he was walking slightly ahead of him. He looked over his shoulder almost apologetically, and Lou sent a little glare at him. He wasn't mad persay, but he didn't like this. He knew he needed sleep, but that didn't mean he wanted it. In the middle of the day. It felt wrong. It felt weak. It felt imperfect. As much as everyone told him he didn't have to be perfect, his programming, his thoughts, the last decade of heartache told him that's exactly what he was supposed to be. It was perfection or failure. "It's for your own good. You're exhausted, and no one wants you to work yourself into a 'swan dive.'"

Lou grumbled, but couldn't find a competent defense. He was just so tired and the longer he stayed against this fluffy mass and felt the gentle bobbing of footsteps carrying him, this... safety, the more he wanted to give into the urge and sleep. He looked away from Nolan to the sky, pointedly ignoring them all as he traced the shapes of clouds with his eyes, feeling his eyelids and body grow heavier the longer he stayed here....

He wasn't entirely sure when it happened, but he dozed off. His woke up a little when they came to a stop, eyes opening slightly. They were at his house, a nice little cottage toward the end of town with different colored flowers surrounding it, courtesy of his new... friends. That's what they were. Nolan was using the key from under the mat to get inside. His eyes fell shut again and he absentmindedly realized Babo's arms had tightened around him a little. The blonde's head was rested against his chest, and he could hear the stuffing inside shifting, along with a faint heartbeat. They all had hearts, even if they weren't like human hearts. The steady thumping lured Lou back toward blissful sleep, the feeling only increasing when they stepped into his warm house - absolutely nothing like the drab, thin-walled shed he'd been confined to before or his lonely mansion.

Babo carried him up the stairs slowly. When he jostled him on accident near the top, there was a whispered "sorry, Lou" that made his heart clench. He wasn't used to this whole being apologized to thing. He wanted to reply, but everything felt peacefully heavy and uncooperative, including his mouth which refused to work with his brain. He did manage to press further up against Babo, which he hoped was enough to convey his... gratitude? Was that the right word? There was a small sigh that almost sounded fond or amused.

A few moments later, they made a turn. Lou didn't feel like exerting the strength to open his eyes to see where they were, but it didn't take much of a genius to guess. His bedroom. A place that was no longer basic and plain with walls that closed in on him at night. There was dark hardwood for the floor and blue walls that Mandy said matched his eyes, two bookshelves that weren't full of teaching manuals and textbooks (those were in the basement, collecting dust), a desk for him to write and draw as he pleased, and three windows so the place felt way more open. There were other random nick nacks, too, gifts from the dolls that were either store bought or handmade, such as his snow globe, photo album, and the teddy bear Nolan made for him - he was quite the tailor and stuffed animal maker. All those things sat on the top shelves of his book cases, along with the other random gifts that made him cry happy tears and feel all warm inside.

"Think he'll wake up to change into pajamas?" Nolan whispered. Lou could sense him nearby, possibly only a few inches away.

Babo chuckled a little, his chest rumbling against Lou's ear. It was comforting. "I don't think he'll wake up completely for anything short of a fire right now. Let's just get him out of his jacket and shoes, then tucked into bed."

"Good idea."

He was shifted slowly and carefully to sit on his bed - a bed that wasn't too big or too small, covered in weighted, comfortable blankets that swaddled him in a hug every night. He used blankets like them back in his mansion to try and feel a little less alone, but now, as they were gifts from friends who worked so hard to get this place together for him of all people, they felt like actual hugs.

His head hung forward, gently cradled by Babo's bigger one to keep him in place as Nolan pulled his suit jacket down his shoulders, leaving him in his white button up. The blankets shifted and he was picked up again, only to be laid down in a bed. His shoes were tugged off and the blankets came to rest over his body, sealing him inside the warmth of his body and heart. He could open his eyes right now, show them he's awake, and tell them they shouldn't do this. He didn't need all this coddling, all this carrying, all this care. Perfection meant standing on your own.

But he wanted all of this. He wanted to feel the love they were giving him now. The care of friendship, something he'd had so little of in the last decade being trapped in this doll prison, teaching dolls only to watch them disappear forever to a world he couldn't reach. But it wasn't a prison anymore. He had friends. Dolls came and went as they pleased through the portal - except for him, but that didn't feel like such a big deal anymore. Yes, he wanted a kid, like all dolls did, but the love he always wanted... he thinks he had that now. The love of friends.

A hand gently patted his shoulder through the blanket. "Have a good rest, Lou," Babo whispered. "You deserve it. Sleep tight." Quiet footsteps were the only sound as the grey doll left the room.

A shifting on his right side told him Nolan was still there. Through his eyelids, he could tell that the blinds had been shut, dimming out the light in the room. A little, contented sigh escaped him, his whole body completely laxing out as sleepiness surged forth, wrapping his conciousness up in a warm embrace. He really was tired. More tired than he thought. He'd spent the day just walking around Imperfection after waking up early, ignoring the last dregs of his sickness and exhaustion trying to take him under. His breathing still felt a little funny and his head hurt at random times, but he brushed that aside. A headache didn't warrant staying in bed.

For the last few days, he'd been trying to improve his image in the eyes of other dolls by working and offering to help. He was aware Ox already told everyone he was off janitor duty, but Lou really did like to clean. It was a pastime where he could focus on scrubbing and sweeping instead of his thoughts, along with doing something productive. Many dolls were wary, yes, and gave him glares or sent harsh words his way that had his newfound friends at his side to pull him to another part of the place, glaring daggers back at the offending doll. (It was comforting to be protected, but he didn't want to get back into good graces through force.) However, some dolls did accept his help, if cautiously. Wage was the first to truly warm up to him, and he helped her out in the diner a lot.

But now, all of that labor was taking its toll on his body. He'd forced himself to sleep less, to try and be normal, be perfect, and it was backfiring on him. To be fair, it didn't backfire terribly. Not with his friends around. Suddenly tired of thinking, Lou snuggled further down into the blankets and pillows, listening as Nolan came to sit on the bed beside him. The doll's hand rested on Lou's back and he almost tensed up.

"Hey Lou," Nolan whispered. "I don't know if you can hear me or not, but I just wanted to say... you're okay. Naps don't make you weak, if that's what you've been thinking. We all need time to rest, and your body and not to mention your mind need a lot of time to heal. It's not going to happen in a night but... it'll get better. I promise." His hand rubbed a soothing motion across his shoulders and back, causing Lou to sink further down into his now calm mind, his worries put to rest by someone he could call a friend, maybe even a best friend. Maybe... maybe... eventually... a family member.

He fell asleep to Nolan humming a quiet tune, wrapped in comfort that wasn't just physical. He was safe. He was home.

He was okay.

_______________

"How's he doing?"

Nolan looked up to see Ox peeking into the room, a small smile on his face. The brunette couldn't help but smile back, beckoning him inside with his hand. He was sitting on the edge of Lou's bed, hand rested on his shoulder. "Been out like a light for almost an hour." He chuckled breathily. "And he said he wasn't tired."

The green doll let out a little laugh himself, closing the door quietly before stepping up to the other side of the bed. Nolan glanced down at the sleeping figure. His blonde bangs were astray, falling over his closed eyes, and one of his hands had reached out from under the blanket, held in a loose fist. He'd curled in on himself in his sleep, lying on his side, and his breathing was steady, if a little wheezy at times. The exhaustion and following sickness hadn't entirely left him, but at least he was sleeping now. Entirely peaceful. His face was lax in a way that somehow made him look younger, so much more innocent. Like he hadn't gone through near ten years of torment.

Ox gently pushed the bangs away with a furred hand. Lou moved a little, eyebrows coming together in confusion before relaxing again. It was frankly adorable. "Like this... he looks like the old him."

"What do you mean?" Nolan asked, equally quiet. He knew of the past between Lou and Ox, how they were brothers until the betrayal on both ends, but not many specific details.

"He was so innocent back then. He'd been running this place for two years when I came along. As much as he taught me for the Big World, he learned from me." His eyes were glazed, looking off to the far wall at something Nolan couldn't see. A memory he couldn't experience. "Lou... he knew everything to do with dolls and teaching, but not the more personal words. Like friendship. Watching him figure it out, try to decipher it... it was as endearing as it was heartwrenching." He sighed and muttered something Nolan didn't think he was supposed to hear. "If I'd known everything going on in his head, all he would face, all he really knew, I would never have left."

Nolan didn't know what to say to that, so he did what he thought was best. With the hand that wasn't on Lou, he reached out and patted the bunny's shoulder. "You're here now. We're here now. We'll help him."

Ox's smile was fragile, but there. His eyes shone with determination. "That's right. He's got us, whether he likes it or not."

Lou shifted a little and Nolan drew his hand away from Ox, watching the former leader's eyelids flutter open a little, sapphire eyes groggy from deep sleep. They moved about lazily, meeting Nolan's eyes first, then Ox's. "Ox?" He questioned quietly, voice slurred with sleep. He had another hour before he needed to wake up, and Nolan really didn't want him to get up before he got his necessary sleep. He sent a panicked look to Ox, but the doll wasn't deterred at all. He climbed up onto the bed to sit beside Lou, resting a hand on the top of his head.

"Yeah, I'm right here and so is Nolan. Go back to sleep, buddy, you're safe." Ox said reassuringly, putting his other hand gently on Lou's rising and falling chest. "I promise. It's not time for you to wake up an' you need every ounce of sleep you can get. Dreamland time, okay?"

Lou stared up at him for a moment. Nolan's heart hammered in his chest, fueled by the worry Lou would disregard them and get up anyway. His worries were put to rest when he nodded dazedly and his eyes fell closed, head turning to lean more into Ox's hand. His breathing deepened out again after just a moment. Asleep. Nolan looked at the other doll in wonder.

"A little bit of assurance goes a long way," Ox said quietly, a soft smile on his face as he stared down at Lou. His brother. Nolan had the vague feeling that Ox had done this before to get Lou to sleep, maybe said those exact words. He swallowed down the questions burning in his mind and nodded, giving the older doll a soft smile that was returned.

Questions could wait for another time. Right now, Lou was sleeping peacefully with them to guard him. That's all that mattered right now.

_______________________

Lou's sickness had returned with a vengeance.

It wasn't serious, definitely not as bad without the exhaustion coupled with it, but Lucky Bat stayed around when he could, keeping close tabs on Lou's temperature and the severity of his headache. He slept now, curled up in his bed with dolls alternating a watch over him because Lou would try to get out of bed of they didn't. They'd gotten him changed into green silk pajamas, one of his favorite colors, and tucked into bed as soon as the sickness became apparent, but he was stubborn no matter what. If if hadn't been for an equally as stubborn doll being there to figure out what was wrong, he would've kept going and made the illness worse.

And who was that stubborn doll exactly? Well, it happened to be Mandy who caught on to Lou's declining health. She was currently sitting beside his bed in the armchair the dolls had hauled up from the living room, adjusting the cold rag on his forehead as he slept on. Night had fallen over the town and her child was asleep, her emotions dormant in the back of Mandy's mind. She wouldn't be needed for hours, and she planned to stay with Lou for all of it.

"Oh Lou," she whispered to her new friend, feeling her worry rise with every wheeze of his breath. "What are we going to do with you?" She settled back into the chair and tilted her head up, looking to the ceiling as she recalled when she figured out her friend was less than healthy....

Mandy had asked Lou to come over and help her rearrange her bedroom. Again. It wasn't much - just the desk and some things on the shelves. She couldn't seem to get it how she wanted it herself, so she texted the blonde for two reasons. One, to spend more time with him. Two, because he had an eye for decoration and organization. He'd replied almost immediately, appearing at her door ten minutes later. As soon as she opened it, he was rambling about furniture placing and the types of organization. She'd just laughed, let him upstairs, and let him go wild with what he thought. It was nice to see Lou so carefree. When in his element, he was truly confident in his actions and words, careful in every little detail. She helped where she could, including moving the desk vanity, and then let him do his thing with the shelving. By the end, it looked amazing. Exactly how she wanted yet couldn't articulate.

"Lou, this is awesome!" She'd said, moving around the room and admiring all the effort he'd put into reorganizing shelves. They'd hung her unused fairly lights as well, fixing up her bedroom with colorful lighting. If she'd been paying more attention to him then, she might've taken more notice in how he wiped his brow despite the AC going on full blast, or seen the slightly off sway to his usually so graceful and fluid walk. The one only Lou could truly master and pull off.

"Of course it is," he'd said, all playful confidence. It was getting easier to differentiate in his tones after three weeks of being his friend. "I have a mind for organization."

She'd chuckled. "You sure do." Mandy moved over and grabbed his hand, a gesture they all sometimes did with each other and especially Lou. He wasn't used to much physical affection, and hand holding was easing him into it, letting him known he had people around. It especially helped when they wanted to do something for him, but he didn't want to be entirely compliant. "Let me make you some tea. Moxy also made cookies yesterday - I need you to try them for another opinion." That's how they offered Lou things. He didn't want to take it often if it was offered directly, but phrased as something else? He'd accept majority of the time.

This time wouldn't be so easy. His brow scrunched up and a nervous flicker went through his eyes. "I really need to be going. I have some organizing to do at my house, too."

"Then I'll come with you. Four hands is better than two." She could see his hesitation. Lou worried he asked too much sometimes. She tightened her hold a little in a small squeeze. "I won't go if you don't want me to, but I'm offering. I want to help." She beamed at him. He returned it, if in a smaller smile. Progress.

"Okay then. We can... head over to my house." If she hadn't been so excited, she might have noticed the way his words wavered. Not because of nerves, but because of lack of focus. She released his hand and hurried down stairs, Lou taking them slower behind her, and packed up the cookies in a bag quickly. With a backpack full of notebooks, hair supplies, and cookies on her shoulder, she met Lou at the doorway. "Ready."

He gave her a smile that looked a bit tired, opening the door. She walked out beside him, watching his face from the side. In the light of the sun, he looked a bit tired and worn. What time was it? She glanced at her watch. Only twelve. It wasn't time for his scheduled nap yet. Did he stay up late last night? Get up too early? Have a nightmare and not tell anyone? Silently, she promised herself to get him to rest a bit early.

They reached his house soon enough. If she hadn't been looking at the pretty flowers that they had growing outside, she might have noticed how he struggled with getting his key in the lock, hand shaking. He got it open the moment she looked back, taking an exaggerated bow. "You first," he said cheekily.

With a playful eyeroll, she walked in, flicking his bangs in his face as she strolled by. He let out a little huff of breath but didn't try to fix it, walking in after her. More progress on convincing him that nothing was entirely perfect, she thought. They went to his kitchen first. It didn't look very used, but she often saw him at Wage's diner. Did he even know how to cook? She'd have to ask, maybe ask Moxy if he could join them in baking sometime. Mandy didn't know much herself, but Moxy liked to bake sweets and some other meals that tasted absolutely divine.

She settled the cookies on a plate, placing most in a careful stack that she hoped he'd appreciate. The others circled around the stack, either flat on the plate or leaned up against it. Presentation was key. Smiling, she turned back toward where Lou was. "Ready to try some great cookies- Lou!" Her smile instantly fell when her eyes landed on him, leaned up against the door frame with his arms wrapped around himself. She launched forward, reaching him just as his knees buckled. The female doll caught him and instantly pulled him to where his head rested on her shoulder. When the skin of her neck met his forehead, she could've cursed. He was burning up.

After a few seconds, he tried to get away from her, eyes zoned out and blinking rapidly. "S-sorry." A shiver swept through him. She pulled him back to lay against her, wrapping her arms around him. He struggled a little, but his strength was that of a kitten. "Mandy-"

"You have nothing to apologize for, Lou." She whispers, meeting his gaze with her own. She removed one of her arms to press the back of her hand against his forehead to better gauge his temperature, surprised and endeared to feel him lean into the touch. "Just tell me when you're feeling sick, okay?"

He didn't agree, but he rested more heavily against her, burying his face into her chest. It was as much as she would be able to get from him right now. Trying to quell her worry, she pulled one of his arms to wrap around her neck, then adjusted her position to pick him up, one arm under his knees and the other supporting his back. He made a muffled sound at being moved, but nothing else. She walked to the couch and settled him down on it, moving to sit so he could rest his head on her lap. Another shiver caused him to curl in on himself, and she grabbed the folded red blanket off the back of the couch, spreading it out over him. "Thank you." He muttered.

She ran a hand across his cheek, letting it trail into his hair. "Let's just get you feeling better." She whispered. "Why didn't you say anything?" Her question was gentle, carefully devoid of any accusation.

His eyes were half lidded as he answered. "I thought... I thought it would go away. I didn't sleep that much last night. I thought that was why." He squeezed his eyes shut and a hand clenched around her heart. "I... It wasn't this bad at your house, I swear, it happened so fast-" he was getting frantic. She shushed him, running a hand through his hair.

"It's okay. Just rest."

He blinked up at her owlishly. He was definitely pale faced except for the pink hue beginning to cover his cheeks. How did he get so bad so fast? She had to guess that part of it was his showmanship. He was definitely an actor when it came to playing the role of himself. Looking at him nowadays and a few months ago, she saw two different people. One was created due to a need for protection and perfection. Now he used his automatic showmanship to cover up his hardships, sometimes without even knowing it. He could act for them, but also for himself, and that made her heart hurt. After a long moment, he nodded. "I'm... tired."

She trailed her hands through his hair, trying not to show the worry that was coursing through her. "Then sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up." She hoped he would. Lack of sleep from the night before could play a factor in this downturn.

"Okay," he whispered, voice a little raspy. She wished she'd gotten some tea in him before, but too late now. His eyes slipped shut and a minute later his body slackened except for the occasional shudder. After she was sure he was deep asleep, away from his currently less than desired reality of being ill once again, she pulled her phone from her back pocket and texted the group chat about the situation. She didn't know much about treatment - that was Lucky Bat's area - and didn't think it would be safe to carry him to his bedroom by herself. The others would want to know about this, too.

It wasn't long before Ox and Lucky Bat appeared, bursting through the doorway as silently as possible. Ox immediately came to kneel by his brother, eyes wide with worry. Mandy could only share the look.

Hours later, they had him situated on his bed after Babo carried him up. They'd all done their share of fussing over blankets, Lou's hair, checking temperatures with their hands, fluffing pillows - everything. Most of them had to disappear to go to their kids after school got out, but Lou was never alone. It was Mandy's watch now, half the others asleep downstairs ans the other half with their night owl children. She sighed into the air, folding her hands together.

"Mandy?"

The quiet whisper caught her off guard and she jerked, glasses going askew. She fixed them and found Lou's eyes half open, looking at her with a gaze that wasn't fever layered. Instantly, she reached out to touch his neck and cheek. Cool as a cucumber. Relief ran through her and she let out a small laugh, scooping Lou up into a hug before she could think about what she was doing. After a moment of hesitation that she hoped was from her sudden action and not anxiety, his arms wrapped around her, his head finding its place on her shoulder. "I was so worried." She said quietly. "We all were."

"You all are a bunch of worry warts," he muttered, followed by a small chuckle. "Not actual warts, by the way."

She smiled. "I know."

They stayed like that for a minute, wrapped up in a hug that neither tried to pull away from. Another improvement on physical affection. If she were an actual doctor, she'd give Lou a prescription for hugs and affection. He'd missed out on it for most of the last decade and had his heart torn to shreds a million times over. Subconsciously, she held him closer and adjusted the blanket to still be around him.

It was him who broke the silence. "I didn't get any of those cookies." His voice was sleepy, content. He'd been sleeping for nine hours, but sickness really took it out of a doll.

She giggled. "I'm sure Moxy will make you a whole batch after this."

He hummed, not saying anything more. Mandy shifted to see his face and could only hold back a fond laugh. He'd fallen asleep with a smile on his face. "Goodnight, Lou," she whispered, placing him back on the bed. When he shifted back toward her, smile falling momentarily, she got into the bed beside him and wrapped her arms around his torso, curling up around him. He relaxed, smile returned, and slept, forehead against her chest and shoulders. His fluffy hair tickled her nose and she had to move her chin up so she wouldn't sneeze.

With limited movement, she pulled out her phone and texted with one hand, updating the others on how Lou woke up for a minute and his fever had broken, shortly followed by a photo of the two of them. She received no reply except the sound of quiet footsteps moving up the stairs. Soon, the dolls were surrounding the bed, relieved smiles all around. She smiled back, then her eyes zeroed in on Moxy. "He wants to try your cookies."

"I'll make him a ton," the pink doll whispered back as they all climbed onto the bed into a close doggie pile, Babo sitting near the top to keep watch. Lou shifted to snuggle down deeper into the warmth and arms around him.

A couple minutes later, different breathing patterns evened out into sleep, but Mandy was still awake. She leaned forward a little to press a kiss against Lou's forehead. "Sweet dreams, Louis."

She fell asleep beside him.

______________________

"He's completely out."

Ugly Dog found himself whispering that as he looked at Lou's face. The blonde was asleep for his nap time again, the day after sickness tried to drag him down. It had been a sudden turn that made them all worried, but he'd mostly bounced back after a couple of hours. He'd been confined to bed all morning under Lucky Bat's orders, which had made Lou pout, but they'd all played games with him that weren't taxing. They went through rounds of checkers (Lou won most the time due to his intelligently strategic mind, but Moxy got one over on him due to creativity and unexpectedness), charades, eye spy - everything they could think of to keep Lou from getting bored. It worked. In fact, it worked so well that they all got caught up in the games to the point where they missed the first hour of Lou's initial naptime.

But now, with no one but the two smaller dolls here, he'd managed to fall asleep roughly fifteen minutes ago. His breathing was deep and without much of a wheeze now, but before he went to sleep, Lucky Bat asked him questions about how he felt. Lou had tentatively admitted that his head still hurt at times. He'd went to sleep shortly after.

Lucky Bat came over with a cool, damp rag held on his wing. "Yeah, he is." He whispered back, hopping up onto the bed. He placed the cloth along Lou's forehead. "This should help with the headache. A bit more sleep and he should be good to go. He'll just have to take it slow for a little while." He jumped back down. "I'm going to go get some water from the kitchen for him. Stay here?"

"Of course." Ugly Dog nodded and watched as his friend left, then looked back at Lou. He'd turned a little in his sleep, knocking the rag off in the first few seconds it had been in place. With a fondly exasperated huff, the dog doll jumped on the bed. He used his paw to fix the cloth and went to jump off, only for a weight to land on his back. Lou's arm was slung over him as he'd turned over again. This perplexed him. All the times he'd seen Lou sleep, he hadn't moved around so much. He stayed near stock still, only moving to curl in on himself or press against someone else. When he experimentally tried to move away a little, Lou didn't budge his arm.

'Guess I'm staying here for a little bit,' he thought, settling down on top of the blankets. He looked at Lou's face again. 'We severely misjudged him. He's good at his masks because he's been burned too much. If only we'd seen it before...' The thought line made him sad. Lou only needed help. Anyone would have snapped when in his position, probably earlier than he did. A part of him wondered what Lou was like all those years ago, before he lost his innocence to trauma. Ox once described him as similar to a child. Knew a lot, but also not enough. They didn't know exactly what being a prototype meant. Only Lou did, and he was slow to let them beyond his walls. Understandable, honestly. They did hurt him.

What did it mean to be a prototype? A doll, yet different? What was he programmed with? What was he meant to be? A leader and teacher, obviously, but what else? Lou struggled a lot with perfection, even around them. They could see it in his stance and his eyes. He wanted to be perfect, unable to understand that perfection wasn't achievable or needed. How would they convince him? Ugly Dog wasn't sure, but he knew it would take time. Lots of time. And love. And care.

'Maybe we could get him back to teaching again,' he thought. 'The robots teach, but they put a lot of dolls to sleep with monotone voices. Lou's teaching was right. His methods were just questionable.' He doubted he would keep doing the crueler side of his lessons. The washing machine was gone anyway, and Lou was acting like a whole other person most the time.

A small sound caught his attention. A whimper. His eyes, which he hadn't known closed, snapped open to look at Lou. The blonde's face was scrunched up in fear and he withdrew his arm from the dog doll, clutching both his limbs to his chest almost protectively. "Lou?" Ugly Dog whispered, getting up and inching over to him. "Louis?" As much as he hated the name, he didn't entirely mind if they used it now. Sometimes. Lou didn't respond, only curling in on himself further, his eyes squeezed shut.

Not knowing what else to do, Ugly Dog reached out and shook his shoulder. "Lou, wake up, it's just a nightmare." No response. "Lou, Lou," he repeated, getting a little more frantic. "Come on, man." Finally, a flutter of eyelids and a small gasp. "There you are." He tried to smile. "You're okay."

Lou's light blue eyes met his, only to fill with tears. Ugly Dog's heart hurt. This was Lou at one of his low points. A time when he couldn't drag up his brick walls. When he was vulnerable. "Aw, dude," the dog said, trying to figure out how to fix this. Lou sniffed, his arms going lax, and the doll got an idea. He pawed one of Lou's arms up and put it around him, then settled down right up against the doll's chest.

Lou's muscles tensed up and Ugly Dog wondered if he should regret his idea. His new friend wasn't exactly the best with physical affection of any kind. Even shoulder pats had scared him at times. After a moment, he went to move, only for Lou's arm to securely wrap around him in a hug. Ugly Dog's heartrate jumped with happiness as his friend held him like a child would a stuffed animal, just as he'd done to Moxy. Except this was a more conscious decision. Progress.

"It's okay, Lou," he comforted when the leader started to shake a little, feeling tears drop onto the back of his head. "Everything is okay. It wasn't-" he stopped. Lou told them last time that his nightmares could be real things, real memories. Like with the doll Sofia. A distant part of his mind wondered if they could ever find her again, let her and Lou meet once more, but he brushed it away for now. Lou needed him in the present. "It's okay. Nothing is going to hurt you."

Lou settled down after a minute, breathing still choppy but no more tears. Another minute past and he went mostly lax, still hugging Ugly Dog. The dog doll settled down further against Lou, offering comfort in the best way he knew how. He was often the hyperactive jokester of the bunch, but he could be calm when needed to be. Like right now.

The click of a camera snapping caught his attention. Lucky Bat was at the door, holding up a Polaroid camera with a smile. "This is adorable." He chuckled, taking the photo out. The pitcher of water and glass he'd went to get were on the desk.

Ugly Dog glared, but he knew it wasn't convincing considering his position. "Not adorable. Cool."

"Fine, it's cool." He settled the camera and photo down to grab the water, moving it to the bedside table. "How is he?"

"Calm now. Had a momentary hiccup with dreams, but he's chill." He relaxed the glare. "I think I'm gonna stay here with him. My kid is going to an after school sport anyway."

"I don't think you have much of a choice with staying, unless you want to wake him up." Ugly Dog looked at him like that was the worst thing he could've suggested. His friend smiled. "I thought so." He went back and grabbed the camera, leaving the photo behind for Lou's album. "I'll be back when I can. My kid will be needing me soon."

"Bye, dude." He watched the door shut, then closed his own eyes, content to be with his friend and keep the nightmares away.

_______________________

"Time to wake up, Lou!"

Lou held back a groan, turning his head into the pillow. He didn't want to get up. Had it really been two hours already? After the excitement of the last few days, with them all working to get him into better light with the dolls and even throwing a party for the entirety of Imperfection last night, he was tired. Sleep hadn't come easy last night either, with his worries of not being accepted and anxiety over what was ahead. Ox wanted him to be a co-mayor eventually and made the suggestion last night, leaving Lou with buzzing thoughts.

He did not want to wake up from this nap. As much as he'd hated them (and still did), he'd come to appreciate them and the reasoning behind having them. He didn't like to sleep in the middle of the day and they were becoming less and less needed, sometimes even skipped all together, but he could appreciate that when he was tired, they were there. Except now it was over and Moxy was trying to get him out of bed.

"Louuuuuu~" she sang, opening the blinds. He pressed his eyes shut tighter. A moment later, his bed was moving and she was jumping on it. "You gotta wake up! Don't you remember what you've got to do in an hour?" Her jumps were coming toward him, almost beside his head.

"No," he muttered, his mind waking up. His brain was slow to get the gears turning, mind still groggy. Most the time, he could wake up instantly. Before being overthrown, he woke before dawn, either from nightmares or a detrimental sleep schedule, and always was on his feet in a few seconds. Now, he understood that he didn't have to have that instant wake up to make sure of his perfection. He could take things slower. "Wha' do I need to do?" He turned, rubbing at his eyes as they blinked against the light. Moxy's form shaded him, her bouncing stopping as she grinned down at him.

"It's your first day of teaching again, silly!" She pulled the blankets away, then grabbed his hand as his brain had stuttered to a momentary stop. "Come on! You need to get ready! Can't meet the dolls in pajamas, can you?"

"N-no, no, I can't." His mouth finally worked. His body followed suit, allowing him to climb out of bed. Moxy practically pushed him into his walk-in closet full of suits that weren't just repetitive black tuxes. Nolan had made him three in different, solid colors, and promised more. Lou had protested, but all he got in response was that his black suits needed a lot more color. He also was given several other shirts besides his white button up. His mind fully awake, he ran his hand over some suits and shirts, trying to decide. 'How about a mix of the old and the new?' He thought, grabbing a black tux and a dark blue undershirt.

After changing, he made his way downstairs, looking for where Moxy had run off to as he fixed his suit cuffs. As soon as his feet were on solid ground, a hand grabbed his arm and yanked him toward the kitchen. He had to stifle a yelp of surprise, allowing himself to be dragged by Moxy into the kitchen. Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, Mandy was there, holding a bag full of hair salon supplies.

She looked appraisingly at his change in style. Up until this point, he'd been too nervous to wear much of the other styles, fearing others thoughts on it. Today was different. His first class since... before. He wanted to show them all he was different. "I love the style, Lou." Moxy let go of his hand only for Mandy to reach over and grab it, pulling him to sit in the chair. "Now for your hair."

"What's wrong with my hair?" He asked, an old panic rising up. He was having a hard time getting his supposed to be perfect mentality out of the way, especially when it came to his appearance. He didn't have bed head, nor were his bangs in his eyes.

"Nothing," she was quick to assure. "Just want to try something. And maybe I like to play with it." She ran a hand through his golden threads for emphasis. It was no secret his hair was pretty soft, having been handmade. As much as he was the 'perfect mold' in a teacher stand point, no other doll looked like him. He was a prototype, after all.

He huffed out a small laugh, folding his hands in his lap and letting Mandy do her thing as he tried to veer away from the prototype line of thought. Maybe he couldn't have a kid, but at least his existence wasn't so soul crushingly lonely anymore. Like it had been for the last nine years.

A chocolate chip cookie was shoved into his face. "I made cookies!" Moxy announced. He took it from her hand, offering a smile. "Thanks." She grinned and hugged him, but what really surprised him was when she whispered in his ear, "You can't be sad with a cookie, but if you still are, that's okay. You've got this." She pulled away, gave him a nod, and headed back to the oven. Warmth filled Lou's chest. A good kind. One he was slowly becoming more and more acquainted with. He looked at the cookie and took a bite. Moxy's cookies really were amazing. Chocolate chip and macadamia nut were his favorites.

"There we go! How do you like it?" Mandy put a mirror in front of Lou. He peered into it, examining the small changes. His hair was slightly flatter, longer in the back, and it curled up around his ears a little. His hair was mostly straight, yes, but there was a little curl to it that most people didn't notice. Mandy had.

"I... I love it. Thank you, Mandy. You do have an eye for hair style."

"And you're just figuring this out now?" She joked, moving the mirror and supplies.

"Yes, I've been blind to it this whole time." They laughed. He stood and Mandy turned him around by the shoulder, fixing a last piece of hair. "Remember," she muttered where he could hear, "you don't have to be perfect for them. Even teachers aren't perfect. Got it?"

It was a hard thought to swallow. He couldn't promise anything. "I'll try to remember that." He conceded. She smiled gently.

"All you need to do is try and that will be enough."

Just try. He could do that. No sheer pressure to try and drag him under. Just an attempt.

Moxy shoved a brown paper sack of cookies into his hands. "Macadamia, chocolate chip, and a new flavor - blizzard sprinkle." She presented. He gave her a thanks, almost overwhelmed by just cookies. Cookies with love. Love he'd been starved of for too long. Mandy hooked her arm with his, leading him out the front door. A few steps out, he was met by Nolan, Babo, Ox, Lucky Bat, and Ugly Dog.

"First day of class, man!" Ugly Dog was practically vibrating where he stood, ocassionally jumping around. "You're going to do great," Lucky Bat told him, smiling. Lou felt a bit overwhelmed again due to all the compliments. Back when he was the leader, he got compliments when people were trying to get him on their 'side.' He could strut down a runway, singing and dancing, but none of the compliments were genuine to the thread, unless it was from a new batch of dolls who didn't yet know who he was. Those little moments of sunshine didn't last long. Mentally shaking himself out of the thought, he thanked both dolls.

Babo was holding something behind his back. Before he could ask what it was, the grey doll revealed it. It was a leaf green satchel. Rectangular in shape with two smaller pockets outside the big one, tucked underneath a flap. The small pockets held pencils and sticky notes, from what he could see. "It's a gift," he explained at Lou's dumbfounded look. "I think having things on hand is useful, Nolan knows how to sew, and everyone else got some teacher things to put in it so you'll be prepared for your first day back in action." Ox took the bag by the long strap and put it over a frozen Lou's head, letting the padded strap sit on his right shoulder, the bag settling easily against his hip like it was made for him. It had some weight to it, and he picked up the flap to see two colored binders inside, pencils, pens, markers, a notebook, and even a small bag of peppermints, his favorite candy.

For a second, his brain refused to work. They were all grinning at him, Mandy's arm still hooked around his, and the sheer amount of love from them was setting him on the fritz. They even banned together to get him a gift - a hand sewn satchel with absolutely everything he would need to be a teacher again. To do the thing he'd missed so much. It was overwhelming in the best way.

"Lou, you okay?" Nolan asked. It was then he realized he hadn't said anything in a long minute and his eyes were beginning to well up with happy tears. He took a second to blink them away, then looked at them all.

"Yes, I'm fine. Better than fine. This... this is amazing, guys." He could hardly get the words out due to how tight his throat was getting. "I love it. Thank you so much."

A chorus of "your welcomes" and "no problem Lou" met him. Moxy took the bag of cookies and put it in his new bag. "All set," she said as they all started walking toward the building where dolls who'd suffered through several classes with mundane robots and struggling to pass were. Some of his classes would be outside in an open area, but that was for the obstacle course to train for the Gaunlet. His other classes would be inside a colorful building that had a main classroom, cafeteria, and library. It was a recent building that the robots had created and everyone else got together to paint.

As they headed there, he noticed how some of the others were giggling and almost tripping over themselves. 'They're trying to walk like me,' he realized after following how Nolan's feet and hips were trying to imitate what the others called his 'sassy walk.' It wasn't exactly a thing he consciously did. When he needed to be confident in his earlier years, he found the smooth walk helped him. Over time, it became a subconscious thing. When he'd tried to stop, fearing it was a bad divide between him and the others, Mandy had pointed out how it was original. Unique in a way that wasn't the same as him being a prototype versus them being dolls. He didn't try to stop after that.

As they came closer to the building, Ox clapped him on the shoulder with his paw. "It's gonna be a great class, Professor Lou. They're gonna love you."

"Yeah, Professor Lou!" Nolan followed.

Lou almost facepalmed. "I'm not a professor. I'm just... Lou."

"Louis," Moxy edited. He gave her a glare that surely bordered on a pout, judging by her increase in smile. "Professor Louis."

"You're all insufferable."

Everyone laughed. He couldn't hold the glare up, caving into a smile. His heart and head felt lighter than they ever had when walking to teach a class - something that was slightly strange considering he weighed more with the satchel. His hand unconsciously wrapped around the strap, making sure it was still there. Still real. This was happening. He had friends, love, and he was going back to teach again. The looks he got while walking up the sidewalk weren't all full of scorn. If tentative, they were friendly. He was no longer being crushed by his cage of loneliness. His friends were his wings, and he was soaring higher than he ever had on stage.

If this was a dream, he didn't want to wake up.

But he knew it wasn't a dream. He'd taken enough naps, slept beside friends, and been carried around enough to know that this was no dream. This was reality.

For the first time in a long time, it was a reality he wanted to live.

__________________

Lou jerked awake in bed, breathing hitching up in his chest. There was a wetness on the sides of his face. Tears. Tears that wouldn't stop and images that wouldn't quit replaying in his mind. Sofia. Recycling. Fire. Robotic dog. Giant baby. Failure. Failure. Failure. Prototype. A stupid prototype.

He dragged himself out of bed, entire body trembling. The blinds were partly open, allowing him to see the beginnings of sunrise. 'It's just like waking up in the mansion,' he thought, a shudder running through his body. 'Don't think about that. Don't think about it. You're not in that place. That empty, dreary, tiring place...' He shook himself physically, arms wrapping around his frame in an attempt to give himself the hug. It wasn't the same as being hugged by a friend.

Friends. It was too early for them to be awake, and he didn't exactly want to bother them, not when they were about to leave for their respective kids in an hour or two. He knew they'd say they wouldn't mind, but he'd be depriving them of sleep. While they weren't there physically, he did have something else. On unsteady feet, he made his way to his first bookshelf. On top of it, in the very middle, was a framed photo of him with all his friends, smiling and happy. They were gathered for the group photo by a big log in the park. Moxy, Ugly Dog, and Lucky Bat were sitting on the log. Lou stood behind them, Nolan on his left and Mandy on his right, their arms slung across his shoulders. Ox stood on the end of the log, and Babo was on the other end. Everyone was happy, laughing at some joke Moxy made instead of having them say the typical 'cheese!'

They took it three days ago. He was so glad to have it now. He grabbed it, frame and all, off the bookshelf and curled up on his bed, pressing it to his chest. The hard edges dug into his threads, but he didn't care. It was calming. The picture was a reminder that whole he was physically alone, he wasn't really alone. He was in a cottage made of love, not a mansion. He was a teacher in a good way. He was living a better life than he ever had, all thanks to them. No more isolation. No more loneliness. No more crying in the dark with no one to guide him to the light. He'd been alive for nearly a decade, but it felt like he was actually breathing.

He was making progress. Sometimes it was slow, but it was progress all the same. He was getting better. He was living.

Slowly, he managed to calm down from his nightmare. He would talk to them later, or just be with them. Remind himself that nothing was like his nightmare. Not anymore. For now, he let his eyes close and breathing deepen, falling asleep with the knowledge that he was loved.

#lou uglydolls #uglydolls #fanfiction #fanfic #writers on tumblr #writing #sleepy bois inc #hurt/comfort #nightmare #comfort #found family #friendship

31 notes · View notes

mysticalrambling · 3 years ago

Note

Hey there😄😄I hope you are doing well...You did my last request so fabulously🤩🤩So I'm back with another request😅😅It's another arranged marriage request and I think its the most bizarre request I ever had so please be patient with me😂😂 and you can decline the request if you don't feel so😅😅...Ok so here it goes..

*Steve and y/n are required to get married under the marriage law, he doesn't wants to but being the good soldier he obeys the government....they get married but steve is cold towards his wife...his teammates tell him to give his marriage a chance but he ignores them...Then the accords happen and without a care he leaves his wife behind who is heartbroken seeing all this..Then after 2 years he sees her but again he feels nothing but after the snap when he saw losses around him and he gives his marriage a second chance, he starts being civil to his wife and cares for her but they never consumated their marriage...When the time heist becomes successful Steve consumates his marriage with the reader out of happiness and she thinks all is well...Everyone returns from snap and no one dies...But steve returns the stones and stays in the past and old steve comes back.... Heartbroken Y/n refuses to meet him and leaves the compound...turns out she was pregnant with Steve's baby and doesn't wants the old steve to know so...One day old steve sees pregnant y/n who is around 7 months pregnant and realises its his baby, he apologizes but she ignores and turn away from him... He goes to get help from Scott bcz he wants to be with his wife and son now bcz he and Peggy couldn't have kids, everyone thought steve was selfish...But then he tells the truth that he never wanted to stay in past, but when he went to say goodbye to peggy, she abducted him and broke the timetravel apparatus and forced him to stay in the past...Young Steve comes back and now his son is born who is around 8 months old...He attempts to get back with his family but his wife still ignores him and doesn't let him come near her or her son...Steve regrets for not loving his wife in the past and also volunteering for returning the stones...Then one day powerbroker (Sharon) blasts the house where steve's family lived thus killing his family, in way to revenge her aunty peggy...Steve is left with nothing but pain and regret....*

Regretting His Decisions (S.R)

A/N: Thank you so much lovely and I loved the plot line. I loved writing about it and I made a few additions to the story. Hope you like it.

Steve Rogers Fanfiction (Fanfiction Master List)

Summary: You and Steve get married and he is really rude to you. Then he leaves you behind and goes back to Peggy but he doesn’t realise that you are pregnant. However, Sharon kills you and the baby to avenge her Aunt Peggy and Steve is left with nothing but pain and regret.

Warnings: Angst all the way.

._._._._.

Steve never wanted to marry you or anyone else for that matter. But the government wanted it and like a good Captain, he listened to them. It was the stupid law and he wanted to wring the neck of those who made it. The protectors of the world had to get married so that the world sees them as fellow citizens instead of humans with super powers.

All the Avengers knew that Steve was hesitant to get married and he was doing out of duty. They knew that it was unfair but they all had met you. They all loved you instantly and knew that you and Steve would hit it off. However, the only problem was that he refused to meet you. The only thing that he knew about you was your name and your job occupation. Apparently, it wasn’t worth his time to get to know his to be wife.

“You need to give it a proper chance before you form an opinion.” It was the night of your bachelor party and while everyone is blackout drunk, Steve and Tony just sat on the side couch. For a person who was getting married tomorrow, Steve looked miserable and Tony couldn’t help but interfere.

“I am doing my job and that’s all that matters.” Taking a quick sip from his glass, he didn’t even wince at the liquid burning his throat.

Sighing, Tony filled up his glass again. A drunk Steve was better than a sober one, in his opinion. “A marriage is not a job and you need to try harder.”

“You don’t get to have an opinion, Tony. You got the perfect girl and the perfect wedding.” Jealousy coursed through his veins when he realised that everyone got to be with the love of their loves while he was stuck with someone who he barely knew.

Tony was left speechless and before he could come up with a response, Steve got up from his place and made his way towards his room. Calling it a night, he dreaded the next morning. He was happy for all of his friends but he also wanted to fall in love over first coffee dates, first movie nights, the first kiss and the moment he proposed because he loved you. Not because he was obligated too.

“You ready, Stevie?” Bucky was trying to be supportive but the headache was killing him. The tequila was literally seeping out of his pores. “How are you not hungover right now?”

“I didn’t drink like a maniac last night.” Adjusting his bow tie, he took a deep breath. This was the most difficult thing that he was going to do in his life and he just wanted to be left alone for sometime. “Can I have a moment alone?”

“Are you going to run if we leave you alone?”

“I am not a quitter and you all know that.” They all filed out of the room and he just sat down on the sofa and gave himself a prep talk.

You were no better on the other hand but you were ready to give it a try. Captain America was a good man and he would make a good husband. At least, that’s what you thought. You understood that the marriage was not happening under the best of circumstances but you could give it a fair chance. Taking a deep breath, you went to join your father on the doorway. He gave you a tearful smile and linked his hands with you.

“Do you take Steve Rogers as your lawfully wedded husband?” The minister asked the much awaited question and you quietly responded with an ‘I do’. During the whole ceremony, you wanted him to look at you but his eyes kept wandering. You passed it off as nerves but little did you know that he was so repulsed by the idea of this marriage that he refused to look at his wife to be.

“You guys are finally married. Treat her well, Rogers.” Fury took you both in a bear hug while your husband just hummed in response. You were like a daughter to Fury and that is why he recommended you as Steve’s spouse. He knew that Steve was an honorable man so he would fulfill all his duties as a husband.

The whole night was spent with you both smiling and engaging in conversations with the guests. However, you both made minimum effort to talk to each other except a few stolen glances. Your feet were killing you by the end of the event but you were never the one to complain. A look of relief appeared on your face when Steve announced an end to the event and thanked everyone for coming.

“Come on.” Hurriedly meeting his steps, you sat in to the passenger seat and those were the last words that were exchanged between you. When you entered the house, he took you straight to a guest room and then left. Whatever expectations that you had for tonight were crushed and so you went to bed with tears in your eyes and your wedding dress still on you.

During the next few weeks, Steve didn’t even glance at you but whenever you made an effort to do something nice for him, he shot you off. He was not willing to give it a chance and for the first few times that you made him dinner, he just picked it up and threw it in to the trash. You were never allowed in to his room and you learned it the hard way.

One day, you just wanted to put his laundry in to his room because he was not home yet. What was the harm? But boy, were you wrong. He came home early that day and he bursted at you the moment he saw you in his room. He called you some very mean things that you do not even want to recall. That night, you cried so much that your entire pillow was soaked but you didn’t want to leave him. You were in love with him way before you were married. He was the guy who saved the world and he was a good and an ethical man. Maybe he wasn’t nice to you but he was a good man and you couldn’t disagree with that.

It wasn’t that you needed a man in your life or you were dependent on him. It was that you had feelings for the man and your parents never raised you to be a quitter. You were still hoping that it all may be alright in a few days or weeks and you could have a family together. She knew that she had to be realistic but sometimes a girl wanted hope.

“I won’t be coming home for a few days.” At least he had the courtesy to tell you this time that he was going. "I have asked some of the agents to check up on you daily so if you need anything, just ask them."

"Okay." You quickly dismissed his questioning stare because he thought that you would ask questions. However, you knew that he would be rude and you would snap at him this time. A girl could only handle so much.

A week had passed and you got daily updates from Liam and Noah regarding the civil war. You still couldn’t believe that Tony and Steve were fighting because you witnessed their friendship firsthand. They had just informed you that Steve and his team were arrested by the government and shipped off to a black sight. You wanted to go to Fury and ask him to release all of them but Liam told you that it wouldn’t work. It was out of his hands.

“What do you mean?” You couldn’t believe your ears right now. Fury came by your house instead of Liam and Noah. He informed you that Chris and the other Avengers escaped from the prison and no one knows their location. Hurt was one of the most evident feeling running through your body and you didn’t know how to respond. How could he leave without telling you anything? How could he just leave?

“There will be some investigations on you but it would be nothing serious.”

“Why?” You exclaimed.

“The government is convinced that you know their location. It will blow over in sometime.”

“I am not going to sacrifice my freedom for someone who wasn’t even bothered to tell me about all this.” The hurt quickly turned into rage.

“But (Y/N)-”

“Tell all of them that I will not be doing anything and that you all should leave me alone.” You stood up and Fury took it as his cue.

Closing the door, you don’t let yourself ponder over the throbbing ache in your chest and instead get to packing. You were going to move out of this house and leave this life in the past. You moved into your parents house and immediately shot down their questions about Steve. There was a bookstore across from a studio apartment that Tony helped you find in the next few days. You loved books and the job paid pretty well. Soon, you forgot all about Steve and your failed marriage. Of course, there were feelings that you had to bury deep inside of you but you successfully managed to move on with your life.

“Have you heard, munchkin? Cap is back.” Tony shuffled your hair as he entered the library.. Pausing for a minute to absorb his words, you got right back into arranging the magazine section. It was the last thing that you had to do before you got off for the night.

“I don’t care. Are we still on for the night?”

“Yes. Pepper is cooking for the first time. Just say that you like the food.” From the past two years, Tony has been your person. He was the one who ordered you food when you were feeling too low or who massaged your feet when you had feet sores from lugging around books all day. You were thankful to have him in your life because he was not there to support you financially, he was there to support you emotionally. Sometimes, you felt so alone that you thought you might go into depression. But he was there to pull you back and so was Pepper. They were your family.

“Okay, Tony. I already know.” Quite a few things have changed over the years such as you changing your hair color to low lights and getting bangs. You changed your sense of style and. now you were pretty much unrecognizable. It was all in hope of leaving the past and turning over a new leaf. And you were somewhat successful.

“So how was the food?”

“Awesome!” The fake, shrill voice was hard to recognise, even for you but you didn’t want to hurt Pepper’s feelings.

“I know it was not good so I ordered some pizza as a back up.”

“I love you.” A chorus sounded from Tony and you as you both hugged her and kissed her on either cheek.

“Yeah, yeah.” She quickly dismissed you both but the cheeky grin on her face was hard to hide. You called it a night when you started feeling sleepy and you said your goodbyes. Your apartment was only two blocks away so you decided to take a walk to clear your head. Steve had been on your mind since the time Tony mentioned that he was back. As much as you wanted to believe that his arrival didn’t effect you, you couldn’t deny all the feelings that came rushing back in.

“Robbins Library, how may I help you?” Without looking up, you asked the question in a fake, chirpy voice.

“Why are you not at the house?” The voice startled you from your receipt checking and you gave him a confused look. As you had time to process the question, you looked over his appearance. More muscular and a fully grown beard was an interesting look and definitely suited him.

“Well, it was not mine to begin with.”

“I left you that house so you would be comfortable.”

“I am doing just fine without it. You know, I didn’t need anything from you but love and respect.”

Steve was trying to do something nice for you but he didn’t understand you. He felt nothing towards you even if he tried. Guilt coursed through him when he saw the look of hurt on your face but he couldn’t do anything about it. “That is too much.”

“Well, I deserve it and I am not going to settle for anything less.” This time, the brain won the battle and you were secretly glad. You resumed your work and he left without saying another word.

The city was in chaos in a few days because there was an alien invasion in place. The Avengers were all over the problem but Pepper and you were panicked. However, the only difference was that she could ask about Tony’s whereabouts and you couldn’t do that for your husband. There were no updates for you and when Noah came to get you both with a battered suit, you were worried.

Walking towards the tower, you realised that many people were crying but the most important thing was that it looked like half of the population was gone. There were a lot of things that you didn’t understand right now but only one thing mattered. One person. Steve. You ran towards the tower and when you saw him sitting on a chair with his head in his hands.

“What happened?” The logical part of your brain started working right on time.

“We couldn’t prevent the snap and Thor escaped.”

You didn’t know what it all meant but it was definitely something bad. “So what does it mean?”

“It means that half of the human population have disappeared. It means that half of our friends, families, loved ones have disappeared. It means that I have failed!”

“Why are you getting angry at me?”

“Just leave me alone.”

“Do not speak to me like that. I do not deserve it. When you are in the right frame of mind, come talk to me.” You were not the person that suffered silently. You were the person who knew. what she wanted and how she should be treated.

Going outside, you called your parents but it just went to voicemail. However, busy they might have been, they always picked up their phone. So you knew that they were gone too. You were alone in this world and you didn’t know what to do. In the far distance, you saw Tony and Pepper hugging and you were happy to see that your best friend was not gone.

With tears running down your eyes, you turned back and collided into a firm chest. Looking up, you saw Steve and you just wanted someone to be with you right now. That’s what Steve also wanted because he felt like a failure right now. He wanted to give the marriage another chance as he thought that it was a miracle that you both were still here after the snap. It was not fair on you but he just needed someone and so did you. It was a fair trade.

“I just don’t want to be alone right now, Steve.”

“Me too. Let’s go upstairs.” You both just silently hugged each other and kept staring out into the Manhattan skyline. You knew that he didn’t have any feelings towards you and you cared about that. But not today. Today, you wanted to just lie down and soak up in his presence because he was the only one left for you.

He brought you breakfast in bed the next morning and he took you to all the meetings. You were confused as to why he was doing all of it and when you asked him, his answer was ‘I am trying’. You didn’t get your hopes high because you knew that it would be pathetic. This was going to be temporary and you just knew it. However, you just wanted a companion so you rolled with the situation.

“We can work around quantum physics and get all of our friends back.” He informed you over the ice cream that you were sharing. A Netflix movie ran in the background because it was a Saturday and it was a routine for you both.

“That’s a really good thing.”

“We are going to do it tomorrow.”

“Nice. I am going to bed. Are you coming?” He mumbled out a small yes and picked up all the dishes to put them in the sink.

The whole day tomorrow you clinged by your phone and called your parent’s number after every fifteen minutes. You looked crazy by the end of the day but when they finally picked up, you couldn’t explain the joy that coursed through your whole body. Talking to them for hours, you promised that you would visit them and you cancelled the call.

Steve came back with a bottle of wine in his hands to celebrate. “We were successful. The world is saved. Cheers!”

“Cheers!” Both your happiness knew no bounds and after a few many glasses, you both were dancing to Taylor Swift songs. By the end of the night, you two were truly drunk and one thing led to another. You woke up the next morning with sheets wrapped around your frame and the pillow beside you crumpled but cold. You regretted the night so much because you knew that he did not have the same feelings for you.

The whole day, you spent cleaning the apartment as there were empty bottles of alcohol laying around. Then you went to the library and today was a busy day because many people wanted an update for the past five years of their lives. It kept you distracted from everything and when Tony came in, it was like the past repeating itself. He told you that Steve went to place the stones back but he came back as old.

You stopped listening to him after sometime as your mind tried to process what was happening. He betrayed you. Again. You were preparing yourself for the hurt whole day but this was totally unexpected. You knew what to do so it was a good thing. Detach yourself from the situation and do damage control. That was your motto for the next seven months and you refused to meet him even after you found out you were pregnant.

“You are in the mood of some ice cream with pickles, hmm little bean?” Rubbing your round belly, you walked towards the snacks aisle. The flavored pickle was on the top shelf but it was out of your reach. A wrinkly hand from behind picked up the jar and when you turned around to thank him, your voice was stuck in your throat. There stood your husband but the older version. The wrinkled face still held some similarities to the young captain but he had a slight hunch and grey hair.

“(Y/N), is that you? Are you- You are pregnant?” The question in his eyes was pretty evident.

“Seven months.” You curtly spoke and wheeled the trolly towards the check out. He quickly figured out the timeline and felt guilty. It was his baby and he left you alone. He caught up to you when you were bagging the groceries.

“I am sorry, (Y/N). I didn’t know. If I could change everything, I would. Please give me another chance.”

“You chose Peggy so you don’t get to come back in my life. Leave us alone. It would be a favor for this child if he never gets to know you.” Telling him off made you feel a whole lot better and you went towards your car.

Seeing you leave, Steve knew that he had to make things right. He went to the compound where all the Avengers were lounging around.

“I thought you had retired, Cap.” Peter called out from playing his video game with Bucky.

“I want your help, Scott. I want to go back to my old self.”

“Why, Captain? Got bored of the grandfather look?” Tony asked while stuffing his mouth with buttered popcorn.

“No. I just found out that my wife is pregnant and I want to be there for them.”

“That’s sweet but why? You already had your chance with Peggy.” Natasha wasn’t very happy with Steve right now but they all had the same question running through their minds.

“Peggy and I couldn’t have kids.”

“So you are using (Y/N) and this kid as a replacement. That’s just selfish, Steve.” Everyone gave him a disgusted look because they couldn’t believe that he was just using you and the child to fill a hole in his life. Not because he loved you both.

“That’s not true. I didn’t want to stay in the past with Peggy but she forced me to. She broke the time machine apparatus and I had no other choice but to accept that life.” He looked at all of them and saw that they all were listening to him. “I made a time machine the whole time I was there and when it was complete, I got the hell out of there.”

“Oh, Steve. We are so sorry. Of course, we will all help you.” Hugging him tight, Nat spoke on behalf of all the others. The machine was all ready to go so Steve stood in the middle of it with Scott. They had to go back and fixed the machine’s timing and it would take some months to do all that.

Meanwhile, you got back home and unpacked all the groceries. Your hormones were running wild at the moment as you sat on the sofa with your swollen feet on the coffee table. You wanted a companion sometimes who would massage your back or who would call you pretty when you were feeling insecure about yourself or who would bring you food at four a.m. But this was a dream and you gave up on it a long time ago. You were enough for your baby and that was a fact.

When Steve came back, 10 months had passed by. You had given birth to a beautiful baby boy after a 21 hour labour. You cried and even though you had your mom with you, you still called out for Steve. You wanted him with you and afterwards, when you held that boy in your hand, you wanted Steve to be there with you to enjoy the moment. However, it was the last time his name even came out of your month.

“Oliver, you need to eat, bubba.” The last 8 months have been a rollercoaster ride for you and you knew through Tony and Pepper that Steve had gone back in time. You didn’t bother with the details because you had another human being to worry about.

“Nooooo.” This one word was the kid’s favorite and everyone of his sentence started with it. You were interrupted in the middle by the doorbell. Picking up your child from the high chair, you made your way through the house towards the door.

“What are you doing here?” Steve looked the same age as you so you knew that the time machine trip was successful. But you saw red. He didn’t deserve you or Oliver.

“(Y/N), is- is that him?” The blubbering baby did not even pay attention to his father and kept on pulling your hair. He was an exact replica of Steve from the dirty blonde hair to the charming smile. A literal reminder for you but you loved this little boy to death.

“Yes and now go away. We don’t need you.” Looking at the baby, he regretted the day he made the decision to be the one to return the stones. He regretted the fact that he did not allow himself to love you. He regretted everything. “Do not come near us. Goodbye.”

You went on with your week as per usual with feeding Ollie in the morning and taking him to the library with you where he had his own play pen. Then getting light lunch across the street and coming back home to take a nap for a few hours. Afterwards, you both ate dinner while Oliver’s favorite cartoons played on the tv. Except for the fact that Steve was at your house, your job and your cafe from the day he came back. He tried to apologize but the years that you spent in agony was too much. It was too little, too late.

It was a Sunday afternoon and by some miracle, Steve had left you alone. He had a meeting with the other Avengers regarding Asgard today. You were just playing with Oliver on his mat as he tried to crawl towards the stuffed toys in your hands. Before you picked him up, you thought that you smelt gas. However, a loud explosion threw you in to the nearest wall and you knew that your time was here. During the last few breaths, you tried to find Oliver but you couldn’t move. Mentally calling out for Steve, your gaze became unfocused and you lost conscious.

“Wha-What happened?” Steve knew that there was a bomb blast and he wanted to hope against all hope that you both were safe. However, the two body bags wheeled out of the burnt down house had him fall to his knees.

“There was an explosion and we caught Agent Sharon fleeing the scene.”

Sharon had confessed that she wanted to have revenge on Steve for cheating on her aunt Peggy. The new family that Steve had was a disgrace to her Aunt’s memories so she murdered them. She had gone a little crazy because Peggy was the one who take care of her when she was a child and she felt that Steve betrayed her.

Steve didn’t know what to do with his life at the moment. He was left all alone and his family was snatched away from him. He didn’t get a chance to be with them and now he was left with nothing but pain and regret. Trying to convince Fury to let him go back in time and prevent the explosion was futile because Fury just told him that this would upset the balance of nature. He didn’t understand it at first but then as time passed, he did. All the toys and photos that were salvaged from the house now decorated Steve’s very lonely apartment and he never let himself forget.

This was his punishment and he was not going to run away from it. Not this time.

Hope you guys enjoyed it!!

._._._._.

A/N: I loved writing about Steve but I am no longer taking requests for some days. I actually have some of my drafts that I want to complete. You can send in requests but it will take some days for me to get to them:) Love you guys and do tell me if you want to be added to my taglist.

Taglist: @kalopsia-flaneur, @justile

Like, comment and reblog.

330 notes · View notes

honeybunnybeez · 4 years ago

Text

°~Kiss it better~°

♡Genre: Fluff!

♡Poly!Karlnapity x crush!GN!reader (hints of Platonic!Tommy, Tubbo and Ranboo x reader at the end)

♡Format: Fanfiction

♡Reader is Gender Neutral!

♡Summary: Being the server's neutral medic meant that you certainly had your work cut out for you since everyone on the server seemed to be getting injured like it was a hobby (much to your worry). However, you swear none have visited you for a quick patch up more than Karl, Sapnap and Quackity do.

"You three come around here way too often with new cuts and bruises," you say as you continue to patch up Karl. You give him a sympathetic look as he hisses the moment you dab the warm damp cloth onto his cuts.

"I thought some people like rugged looking dudes," Sapnap replies as he lays on your couch with Quackity resting on top of him.

"Yeah true, but I'm getting worried, can't you three cut back on the chaos a little?" They leave the question to linger and fade in the air, much to you dismay.

"Ouch! (Y/n), it hurts..." Karl whines softly to you. He was never the best at handling pain compared to the other two men who almost always seemed to be challenging death in every way they could think of.

"I'm sorry, Karl, I'm being as gentle as I can," you swear, if Karl was a dog, his ears would be pointed down right now as he tries to power through you cleaning his wounds. "Tell you what, Jacobs, I'll kiss your booboo's better if you can handle just a bit more of this, okay?"

You intended for it to be a light-hearted joke to cheer him up but instead you can see his face turn a little red and you hear Quackity and Sapnap yell out a "WHAT!?" in unison from across the room.

"D-Do you- I- will you really?" Karl's tone is almost hopeful as he asks you and you can't help but grow flustered.

"If you want me to," your voice is barely above a whisper but you can tell Karl catches it when his red tinted face lights up a little at your confirmation.

He adjusts his sitting position a little and doesn't squirm as much as he did before when you apply the damp cloth back onto his cuts once again. Quackity and Sapnap, who were both rather loud and chatty before this, were now dead silent as they stare at the both of you with a bit of intensity in their eyes.

Normally, as the servers medic, you were pretty fast when it came to quick patch ups like this, but now, your fingers were clumsy as you felt three pairs of eyes looking at you.

It felt like forever before you finished up the final cut. When you're finished giving the bandaged arm a once over, you glance up to look at Karl, who looks at you expectingly.

"You sure you still want this kiss?"

"Mhmm," he's practically vibrating in his seat with a grin on his face as he answers. You run your fingers through his hair a little before placing a quick kiss to his bandaged cheek. He giggles a little at the feeling and thanks you for the affection, reaching up to hold the hand that's still buried in his hair. You can feel your heart beating a mile a minute as he flashes you a lovestruck look and all you can do is nod in response to his thanks, not trusting your own voice at the moment.

You glance behind Karl to see Sapnap and Quackity still staring, only this time, their staring out of disbelief rather than curiousity.

Before you can help yourself, you ask them if they'd like you to kiss their cuts better as well. They don't bother responding, choosing instead to hop off the couch they were sitting on to stand on either side of where Karl is sitting.

You quickly give each of them a kiss and both Sapnap and Quackity are just as eager as Karl to receive your attention. When you pull away, Sapnap flashes you a satisfied boyish grin that makes you even weaker in the knees while Quackity teases you and asks if he can get a little more. You can't help but give in to his little request, kissing his cheek once more and elicting a high pitched giggle from him. Sapnap and Karl give a dramatic gasp at the display.

"That's so not fair!"

"Why does he get more kisses!?"

"Because I'm the sexiest here, of course!"

The three men start to bicker jokingly amongst themselves and you can't help the smile that curls on your lips at their banter. Sapnap turns to you to ask you for something but a shout of your name can be heard from outside your home.

"(Y/n), are you home!?" Oh, that sounded like Tommy. Slipping away to look out your window, you see him coming over with Ranboo and Tubbo in tow. They seem to be a little scruffed up, much to your worry.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry you three but it seems like the boys need tending to as well," the three of them give you a dissapointed look and a part of you wants to say that they could stay longer if they wished but the last time that happened a flower pot got destroyed and a window was shattered. What's worse was that the two trios were only being playful during that incident, you don't want to risk the destruction of your home if an actual argument ever broke out between them.

"But I didn't get my extra kisses..."

Thinking for a moment, you decide on a compromise, "Tell you what, if you three come back tomorrow around lunch time I'll give you your kisses if you still want them so badly and maybe a meal if you three have the time."

"You'll be free tomorrow?"

"Mhmm, that's right."

"For the rest of the day?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Great! So its a date then!" Karl excitedly announces.

Having no time to do a doubletake or ask Karl what he means by that, Sapnap and Quackity quickly agree to it with as much eagerness as Karl. You don't have time to ask for details before you feel three pairs of lips kiss any part of your face they can reach before leaving.

"See you tomorrow, (y/n)!"

You're try to wave goodbye but you're still frozen in place, placing a hand on your forehead where you swore Sapnap kissed. You stay like that for a while until your front door is busted wide open again for the second time that day by the second trio that decided to visit you.

"We just ran into Sapnap and his fianc- Woah, (y/n) are you okay?" You snap out of your thoughts at Tubbo's worried questioning, nodding and responding that you're okay, at least you think you are.

"Are you sure? You look like you're seconds away from passing out," Ranboo's description of your current state is the final nail in the coffin before you cover your face with both of your hands, silently screaming into your palms and sinking down on the floor. You were feeling way too many emotions right now.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, (y/n)?" Despite his harsh sounding words, Tommy is just growing extremely concerned for your wellbeing.

"I... think I've got a date, boys," you reply back, not bothering to move from your position on the floor.

"You what!?"

"Really!?"

"Congratulations!!! :D"

A/N: Do I know what I just wrote? Absolutely not, I just wanted bandage kisses and Karlnapity pinning for the reader all in the same room- I apologize for any mistakes in the story, still trying to get back in the groove or writing! I hope you all enjoyed reading this and have a good rest of the day!

(Requests are open and anon is on!)

#mcyt x reader #mcyt imagine #dream smp x reader #dream smp imagines

490 notes · View notes

aliasimagines · 3 years ago

Text

Birthday Suprise

the crows x reader

a/n: writing fanfiction for my own birthday is so cringe but I guess it's a tradition at this point.

warnings: cursing, the story probably doesn't make any sense im way too tired 😅

word count: 1177

The morning sun rose further up on the horizon, trying to fight off the heavy layer of fog that laid on Ketterdam.

You got up to open the window, to let in some fresh air, but stayed there for a few seconds to observe the scenery outside.

A fond smile found its way onto your lips. You saw half-drunk people stumbling on the streets below, trying to find their way home after a long night of partying, and you saw workers and sailors rushing towards the docks.

You loved the city this early in the morning. Though you knew it wasn't the case, it felt less dangerous. Like the town itself tried to disguise all the horror and crime for a few hours before revealing it all again. It worked, because all you wanted was to sit down on the cobblestoned street and just watch this seemingly innocent 'play' unfold.

You shook your head at the thought, and quietly whispered to yourself "Happy birthday." before closing the window and going to change.

Once dressed up you grabbed your stuff and looked in the mirror. The costume Kaz stole was perfect, your disguise was believable. With one last glance you looked yourself up and down before rushing outside of the Slat.

You didn't like making a big fuss about your birthday. You didn't like the attention, so you were glad you could go on a 'job'... Yet, when yesterday night Kaz asked you, you felt kind of… disappointed?

"Y/n." you heard Kaz's raspy voice call out after you as you were about to leave the Crow Club. All of you just returned from a three day mission and you wanted nothing more than to sleep.

"Hmm?" you turn back to Dirtyhands.

"I have a job for you."

"Now?!"

"Tomorrow. I need you to go to the 6th harbor. Rollins has a new warehouse built there after the last one burnt down. I need you to steal the blueprints and make sketches in and out of the place." he said casually. "Unnoticed, of course."

"Not to second guess you, or anything, but it'd be safer if Inej did it. I'm nearly not as good at sneaking as she is."

"She already has another job to do tomorrow." he states, and you nod. Rest truly was an unknown activity amongst the crows.

"Go on foot, and try to stay as close to the docks as possible." On foot?! Saints, you'll be away all day. "When you are done come straight to the Crow Club. I'll have some business to attend to here but I want you to bring me the sketches first thing."

"Got it." you nod with a defeated sigh.

You walk down the stairs of the Slat as quietly as you can, trying not to wake up anyone. Rushing past the closed doors of your friends just powers the feeling that's been building up in your stomach since last night. Did they all forget?

You tried not to think about it. This is just like any other day. Nothing special.-you tried saying that to yourself over and over again but you still didn't feel better.

You try to shift your focus on the job, and the strangely beautiful weather.

It worked for the most part. You did what you had to do and before you noticed it was already late in the afternoon and you were on your way back to the Crow Club. You got rid of your sailor uniform and changed back to your regular clothes a few blocks down. By the time you got to the club you were hungry, tired and… wait. The club was less lit than usual, and there was no laughter, no talk coming from the gamblers. In fact you saw no one around.

"What the fu-" as a cue, your friends all jumped out of their hiding spots and screamed 'Happy Birthday Y/n!' in unison.

You gasped.

"Guys! What.. What the heck?" you saw Inej quickly light some candles, making the place much lighter. You notice the cake in the middle of the table which is also heavily covered in bottles of booze and all kinds of food.

"We wanted to surprise you." the suli girl said, stepping in front of you.

"To try and thank you for being such a great friend." Jesper added.

"And to show how much we love and appreciate you." Nyina said.

You were at loss for words.

"It's also a great opportunity to stuff ourselves full with cake." the heartrender said with a playful wink. You laughed at that but soon caught yourself.

"You guys shouldn't have, I really don't deserve it and-"

"You do." you heard Mattias speak with his fjerdan accent. "You are a true friend Y/N."

"Who also makes the best lemonade." Wylan adds making all of you remember the time you fucked up a mission very badly and tried to cover it up by making a shit ton of lemonade. You all laughed. Even Kaz had a slight smile on his face.

"They are right. You deserve this y/n." you felt so ashamed for thinking they'd forgotten about you. How could they? They loved you so much and you loved then so much too. You felt happy tears rolling down your cheeks.

"I love you guys so much."

"Awww n/n!! We love you too!!" Nyina was the first one to capture you in a hug, Jesper and Inej followed closely, then Wylan and Mattias gave you a quick hug too, even Kaz patted your shoulder really quickly. You looked at the gang of young criminals, you called your friends, your family and smiled.

You all sat at the table, you drank, you ate, you joked around, talked, laughed and you couldn't be happier. After a few hours you all got quieter. Inej gently nudged your arm and nodded towards the stairs that lead to the rooftops.

"Come on."

You raised an eyebrow but the Wraith already grabbed your hand and pulled you up and led you up the stairs. You noticed all the others followed right behind you. Stepping outside the fresh cold air slapped you in the face put you quickly forgot about it all as you looked up at the sky. There was not a cloud in the sky, making it seem like a beautiful black canvas covered in glowing spots. The stars shone so bright, you could remember when was the last time you saw them like this.

"This.. is breathtaking." they smiled at you. You all sat down at the blanket that was laid out and started looking for constellations.

"Thank you." you said, tearing your eyes away from the night sky. "This was the best birthday I ever had and easily one of the best days of my life. Thank you for making my life better. I love you."

You felt Inej laying her head on your shoulder and hugging you. Kaz softly nudged you with his cane and everyone said 'i love you' back in their own way.

#the end is shit #as always #the way im more exciting about writing this little shit then my birthday #six of crows imagine #six of crows x reader #six of crows one shot #six of crows blurb #inej ghafa #nina zenik #jesper fahey #mattias helvar #wylan van eck #kaz brekker #shadow and bone x reader #shadow and bone imagine #Shadow and bone one shot #alias imagines

91 notes · View notes

suckerforcate · 3 years ago

Text

I'll shut you up

Pairing:Ally×Reader

Summary: You are Oz babysitter and have a crush on Ally. One evening you and Oz try to teach Ally how to play videogames.

Word count:495

Warnings: None

A/n: So I know this one is a lot shorter than the other ones but I thought the idea was really cute and I didn't post for a longer time so I wanted to give you something. This is also my first time writing for Ally so yeah... I would love some Feedback.

I am currently working on a Zelda×Reader fanfiction that will have several parts, so that's why it takes a little longer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You and Oz were sitting on the couch in the living room when you heard Ally's key at the front door. A few seconds later she walked into the room and smiled at you both while putting of her jacket and her shoes.

"Mommy, play with us!! Come on." Oz beamed at his mother. "Yes, that's a wonderful idea." You said as you made up some space on the couch and held out another controller infront of her. You could see in her eyes that she fought with herself. She probably would have rather taken a glass of wine and put Oz to sleep. But because she couldn't say no to Oz she agreed and sat down.

"You two know that I have absolutely no idea how this works, right? I don't don't know what the game is about." You had to laugh at her lost expression. So you and Ozzy tried to explain all the basics to her. How to use the controller, what she had to press if she wanted to do different things and what her goal in the game is. After you finished, Ally looked just as lost as before but she reassured you that she now knew much more than before.

You knew that that was a lie but you also knew that it would be absolutely hilarious watching her fail. You started a knew game and in the first three seconds Ally already did ten things wrong.

"No, mommy you have to press this button."

"It would also be helpful if you wouldn't run against a wall." You tried to get a straight sentence out while nearly falling of the couch because of how much you laughed. As a response she simply stuck her tongue out to you.

After fifteen more minutes of Oz desperately trying to teach Ally something and you laughing so hard you cried, she had enough. "OK, guys this was very fun but you have to go to bed now Ozzy." She picked him but and brought him to bed.

"Night (Y/n), see you tomorrow!" You waved at him and started to clean up the living room.

As Ally came back down and looked at you, you cracked up again. "Oh come on (Y/n). It wasn't that funny." She rolled her eyes while bringing the glasses to the kitchen.

"You..you should see your face. You're a horrible loser." You held your stomach while laughing.

"Stop laughing or do you want me to shut you up myself." You looked at her challenging. "Oh? I want to see that."

She slowly approached you and before you knew what happened she kissed you. In the first second you were too shocked to react but then you kissed her back.

When she pulled back you stayed quiet. "I told you I could shut you up." she said while smirking at you.

You grabbed her by the hips and pulled her close to you. "Shut up." And you kissed her again.

#ally mayfair richards #ally mayfair richards × reader #ahs #ahs cult #cult #sarah paulson x reader #sarah paulson #american horror story #fanfiction

81 notes · View notes

monsterfucker-lisa-swallows · 3 years ago

Text

Hi, I'm Ginger and I've been dating my girlfriend for 11 years. We met on Deviantart writing fanfiction for Doctor Who when I was 15 and she was 14, all the way back in August of 2010. At the time, I was living in an extremely abusive home in which my mother was severely mentally ill and my stepfather physically/psychologically abused me and sexually abused my sister. I decided to leave when I was 22 and cut contact with them completely and my mental health improved drastically. The only problem is that I left with nothing. I'm a college drop out who was going for theatre (I've done basically every job on and off stage since I was 9 years old) and I work on writing novels and scripts in my spare time (I am as of yet unpublished). I work retail, but haven't been able to save any of my money because I've had to put it into living expenses. I'm now 26 and moved to New England over the summer to be with a roommate who turned out to be very emotionally abusive. She was using my family's entire playbook except for the actual physical violence. I slept in the living room and once I got a job, she stopped allowing me to sleep (keeping every light in the house on while running the ac/kitchen fan/bathroom fan all at the same time and doing dishes at 6 am and watching TV loudly and keeping the window open then telling me it wasn't cold or loud in there and taking away my mattress) and suddenly deciding not to let me eat food she'd said i was welcome to and trying to make me lose my job. I spent all my money on the move here and am now sleeping on a coworker's couch for the time being, but it's making me reevaluate everything. I've always said I want to visit my girlfriend then have her visit me then move in with her, but that might take too long. And setting that as our financial goal may not be realistic if I could just get the spouse visa now. I work and she's on benefits for the moment, but I'm feeling like if I don't do this now I'll never be able to.

We're asking for enough funds to get a passport, a plane ticket, handle the immigration fees, and cover initial living expenses. We'd really appreciate it. I'm not expecting to move right this second, but hopefully by the end of next year. I can't bear the thought of never getting to be with my best friend, the only constant person I've ever had in my life. I just want to be there for her the way she has been for me.

COST BREAKDOWN:

£1,523 Fiance Visa fee (USD$2095) +

$190 VFS Application Centre + Biometrics + Doc Scanning + Passport Retention fee +

$2000 Lawyer Fee (Based on Google Estimate)

~£440 Plane Ticket (USD$605) +

£726 Living Expenses - living accomodations, food, etc while waiting to be cleared to work (USD$1000)

TOTAL: USD$5,611

Every cent counts and any excess will be applied to the living expenses because I will not be initially cleared to work and my GF Abbie is currently unable to work. I'd really appreciate any help. This is all I've wanted since I was 15 years old and we have met over webcams and text basically every day, we just haven't met in person. With everything going on in the world, there's no guarantee of tomorrow and I want to start living my life already. If we just had a TARDIS, this wouldn't be necessary, but the technology isn't there yet. Thank you!

***UPDATE FOR MY FOLLOWERS***

You guys know us on here, we've been struggling with this problem for years now. You've got this post here outlining the problem with my last roommate and yes I'm still looking for a roommate in my immediate area so I can keep my job (or at least America if it's not possible to stay in town). I'm keeping those posts and my Craigslist ad live for the time being. But I also decided to say fuck it and put this up, because I'm getting no bites from the practical avenues. You guys know how much it would mean to us. So this is another option to my housing crisis and would result in permanent stability because then we could be a team instead of me struggling on my own. I'M NOT EXPECTING MY FOLLOWERS TO GIVE ANYTHING. YOU GUYS HAVE SUPPORTED ME SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS AND I AM BEYOND GRATEFUL. I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT TO GIVE SO THIS ISN'T TO SOLICIT MONEY FROM YOU GUYS. I JUST NEED SOME SHARES.

Seriously, we're so grateful for all your support over the years so if you can give, great, but I fully understand that everything is dire right now and lots of people have way more dire needs than mine to fund raise. It would just mean a lot to have some shares and boosts. Because this isn't just a solution to my homelessness - if it was just about that, I'd keep the search just to the US. This is about being with my best friend. Thanks for understanding.

13 notes · View notes

professorsnape394 · 4 years ago

Text

The Potions Master’s Apprentice

Chapter Eleven: A Pining Professor

A/N: This is the eleventh part to my fanfiction ‘The Potions Master’s Apprentice (Severus Snape x OC)’. Chapters 1-16 can be found already uploaded on Wattpad under the same name. Feel free to leave requests in my inbox for anything Snape related you want me to write. Leave a comment below if you wish to be added to my tag list.

Pairing: Severus Snape x OC (Dumbledore’s Granddaughter)

Summary: A talented young witch is employed as an apprentice professor at Hogwarts, but who will she be working under? Severus Snape is not best pleased with his new responsibility of taking on an apprentice, however she is relentless to create a friendship between them. Will she be successful? Or might the friendship just go a little two far? With the eyes of her grandfather constantly watching over them, an attempt at a relationship might not be in the cards for Aria Dumbledore and Severus Snape.

Word Count: 1913

Warnings: n/a

Credits to Gif Creator

"Very well done, Miss Granger." Aria commended as the young Hermione Granger brandished her perfectly completed potion to the class. "Now, who's next?" The professor questioned looking around the room for another student to choose. Her eyes quickly landed on an awkward looking fourth year Gryffindor boy. "How about you, Mr. Longbottom. Care to show us your final potion?"

The boy looked around nervously, attempting to straighten out his disheveled robes, hoping someone would save him from this inevitable embarrassment.

"Erm... I... I don't think I've done it right, Professor Dumbledore." Neville shot a quick, terrified glance in the direction of Severus Snape, who was, as usual hunched over his desk, paying little attention to the classroom full of students.

"Don't look so worried, Neville." Aria replied softly, beckoning the boy to test out his shrinking solution. "Professor Snape and I are not here to judge your abilities, but to guide you in the right direction, allowing you to flourish to your highest potential."

Professor Snape let out a low grunt, looking up from his desk for a brief second, unimpressed by the encouraging words of his apprentice.

Neville Longbottom took a step up to the front of the classroom, a small vial of his potion shaking slightly in his hand. Aria snatched a spare quill from the Potion Masters desk and laid it down in front of Neville waiting to see the results of his concoction. The acid green liquid dripped down onto the feathers, small droplets of the potion pooling together, quickly drowning the quill. The students stood around in silence, waiting for the quill to shrink down into practically nothing. However, instead of shrinking, the potion began to bubble and fizz. Within seconds the bubbles turned into a rabid foaming substance. After a few moments of watching the foam expand, it disappeared completely, the feathers of the quill melting away with it.

Almost as if the whole class had been holding their breath, a large number of students exhaled simultaneously. Neville's face dropped, disheartened by his efforts. "Not to worry, Longbottom, we'll walk you through it one more time, and show you what went wrong."

"I don't think so, Miss Dumbledore." Professor Snape piped up, appearing at the side of the young woman. "Mr. Longbottom, I want you to write an essay at least 1500 words detailing exactly what went wrong, and how you will re-mediate your efforts in the future. I want this on my desk by tomorrow morning." His sudden appearance dulled the mood Aria had worked to built within the class, instantaneously.

"Yes Sir." The boy retorted, cowering away back to the crowd of students.

Aria stared at the Professor, stunned at his interference. The pair had come to an agreement where Severus took on the theoretical aspect of the job, teaching the students his methods, while Aria took on the practical aspect, helping the students as they brewed. Severus often stayed quiet during her teaching time, taking nothing to do with the students after he taught them the correct brewing process. He trusted her to lead them in the right direction, after all. However, today Snape was persistent in making himself known, he felt the need to remind them all of his intimidating, dominant presence, determined to scare the students, into obedience.

"Class dismissed." Snape ordered, the children fleeing from the room before the words had even completely left his mouth.

Just as fast as the room had cleared, Severus made a move to gather the papers from his desk, appearing to be getting ready to leave the classroom, something he never usually done until it was time for the great feast.

"Where are you going?" Aria questioned, closing the gap between herself and the Potions Master, stopping him from wandering off without an explanation.

"To my office to mark the remainder of these essays... in peace." He stated, his tone full of venom. Again, Aria was taken aback by the way the man spoke to her. He had gradually been warming up to her these past few weeks and it had been a long time since he spoke to her with such anger. Considering how the previous evening had panned out, it bothered Aria that he had become so frosty again so quickly, they had made so much progress since their first meeting. And for what? For Severus to just immediately go back to his old ways. Aria wasn't about to let that happen anytime soon.

"What's your problem, Severus?" Aria snapped, getting in between the door and her mentor. "You've been acting like a dick all day. We finally had a nice evening together, both of us doing our own thing, it was nice! But then you ran out suddenly and without reason. And now you're acting even worse than you did before. Did I do something to piss you off? Please tell me!" She ranted, desperate for an answer.

"I'm not quite sure what you think went on last night, but whatever it is, I advise you get it out of your head immediately." He snapped, gradually nearing the exit.

"What are you talking about?" Aria questioned, sincerely confused. "Nothing did happen last night Severus and I'm not acting like it did. What's going on with you, is there something wrong?"

"Don't patronise me, Miss Dumbeldore, I don't need your pity." He seethed, clutching his stack of papers tightly to his chest. "I want to make it abundantly clear to you that we are to maintain a strictly professional relationship from here on out. We are not friends. And we never will be."

Seeing the enraged look grow on his face, Aria gave in, not willing to argue with her mentor any longer. Stepping away from the door, she allowed Severus to take his leave. The whole conversation had thoroughly confused her, she had thought last night had been nice for the both of them but clearly she was wrong and it just wasn't worth aggravating Severus even more.

From the moment Severus left Aria's room to the minute she walked through his classroom door the next morning Severus had not stopped thinking about the woman he tried so hard to despise. He had not slept, therefore he was even more unpleasant than usual. He was irritable with his coworkers, terrifying to his students, and just flat out mean to Aria. Although his body could not deny that he was attracted to her, a night of constant angry thoughts aimed at himself, quickly formed into a hatred for the woman in a desperate attempt to hide the embarrassment he was feeling not so deep down.

Determined to distance himself from his apprentice, he 'gave her the night off', if you could phrase it that way. Severus shut himself in his office, banning her from joining him while he marked as she so often did. Distracting himself from thoughts of her seemed to be working for him, and in no less than a few hours he was feeling back to his usual self. No thoughts of Aria entering his mind, whether it be thoughts of anger, lust or... Well, lets just say Aria was successfully no longer on his mind.

That was, of course, until a familiar rumble was heard from his stomach and he knew he could not avoid the great feast, though he so wanted to.

Seeing the young woman walk into the Great Hall amongst a crowd of students sent an instant pang into Severus' gut. It was then he knew that no matter how hard he tried to get this woman off his mind and no matter how 'temporarily' successful he was at doing so, there was no way he was ever going to escape how he felt. He could pick her out amongst a crowded room, and the beating of his heart became instantly deafening. This was not an attraction he saw himself being able to easily escape from.

Taking her regular seat at the table in between Severus and Minerva, the two woman got to chatting immediately. Aria kept herself turned away from the potions master, knowing he would not be in the mood to have any type of interaction with her. Snape found himself hurt that Aria kept her back to him, he hated the fact she wasn't trying harder to break him from the mood he had got himself into. Though if she had tried he would not be willing to be broken out of it quite yet.

As the whole hall began to fill with chatter and laughter Severus found himself the only miserable man in the place. He sat through the meal in silence, not talking to anyone, and no one speaking to him. It was on this rare occasion he found himself lonely in the situation he had created to protect himself from emotions exactly like this.

As the feast came to an end Professor Snape was ready to flee from the room, uninterested in anything else it had to offer him.

That was, until, a plump little owl found its way over to Aria Dumbledore and a gasp of glee escaped the two women beside him. His interest piqued, Severus settled back into his chair, focusing in on the conversation of his colleagues.

"Who's it from?" Minerva queried, her eyes having already scanned the contents of the letter.

"Oh it's just some guy I met at the Three Broomsticks. Pretty much saved me from being touched up by an old creep." The witch replied, a small chuckle escaping her lips.

"And he's asked you on a date?" Mcgonagall questioned further.

"No not at all." Aria scoffed. "Its just a few drinks see." She said passing over the parchment to the older woman.

"Sounds like a date to me." Professor McGonagall grinned.

"Its not a date!" Aria screeched in return, though Severus noted a hint of excitement in her voice.

The Potions Master felt his face burn with jealousy, a fiery hot ball growing inside him just waiting to burst out his chest. He hated the thought of seeing Aria out with another man, though he knew he could not be with her either. He was jealous for sure, but there was no way he would ever be willing to commit to her. Not that she could ever feel the same about him, if he did. He did not want her himself, but he also did not want anyone else to have her.

It was then the memory of another letter crossed his mind. Someone else already did have her. According to the letter he came across in her quarters she was in a relationship. And now, as much as she wanted to deny it, this new letter stated she would be going on a date with someone else.

Despite how sweet and innocent this young witch may seem, Severus Snape was beginning to build a picture of who she really was. It was clear to him now that from the moment she arrived at Hogwarts she had been playing him, just like he assumed she was playing these other men. 'She flirts and charms her way into getting everything she wants. Snape thought to himself. After all, she young and extremely attractive. What exactly is stopping her from taking advantage of everyone who falls for her. Well not me.' The thought continued. 'I'm wont be taken advantage of anymore.'

And with that Severus stormed from the room, his opinion of his apprentice having changed completely.

Taglist:

@ayamenimthiriel @lizlil

#severus snape #severus snape fanfiction #severus snape one shot #severus snape imagine #severus snape x reader #Severus Snape smut #severus snape fluff #severus x reader #severus x oc #severus x y/n #alan rickman #Harry Potter #harry potter and the goblet of fire #harry potter fanfiction #dumbledore #dumbledores granddaughter #potions master #potions masters apprentice

56 notes · View notes

chris-evans-indian-fanfic · 4 years ago

Text

Longing

Chapter 1

Description: Chris Evans becomes obsessed with you when he realises he can't have you. Eager to be with you in some form or the other, he starts writing fanfiction, where both of you are passionately in love with each other. But what happens when his imagination starts to merge with his reality in his subconsciousness?

Warnings: This entire mini-series will contain smut, bad language and angst. ONLY PROCEED IF YOU ARE 18+

This first chapter is inspired by the GIF below from @navybrat817 and @stargazingfangirl18 's ShamelessHoesForChris writing challenge. Click here to know more

A/N: I do not know Chris Evans personally. This fic is a work of imagination and should only be used as such. It doesn't comment on Chris or anybody else personally. It is also not meant to destroy his reputation or paint him in a bad light. I admire the guy and he really seems like a genuinely nice person. Again, I repeat, THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION SO TREAT IT AS SUCH!

A/N 2: I did search quite a lot on the internet and didn't come across a fic like this. Which makes me nervous and also kind of excited that I get to do something unique? Please please give me your criticism and feedback on this! Would love to hear your thoughts.

A/N 3: I have used a few big words throughout the series because this fic is from Chris' POV and we all know that he's a bit of a wordsmith 😅 I had never even heard these words before in my life. So please let me know if I have used them in an incorrect manner.

My Main Masterlist

I don’t consent to have any of my work published or featured on any third party app, website or translated. If you are seeing this fanfiction anywhere but Tumblr and AO3, it has been reposted without my permission. In that case, please do share the link and let me know.

…

The best thing about shooting Defending Jacob? Chris got to stay in his house in Boston. The worst part about working on the set? He was currently stuck in a room engulfed in hot, angry flames of fire. The fire had abruptly started due to a short circuit and spread across the set in the blink of an eye. Coughing, Chris doubled down on the floor, his breathing becoming more laboured with each second.

The smoke stung his eyes as he looked around for a fire extinguisher. He tried calling for help, but only small grunts managed to escape his lips. Just as he was on the verge of losing consciousness, he heard a voice. Your voice.

"Is anyone here?" you called out, your voice faint in his ears. "Hello?"

Chris tried to shout again, but only sank further towards the floor.

Luckily, you opened the door of his room and found his almost crumpled body on the ground. Using the fire extinguisher, you managed to douse as many flames as you could, while also covering Chris with a thick blanket. As the room was still filled with smoke, you pressed a wet towel on his face, asking him to breathe through his nose.

Slowly, you managed to drag him out of the room and into the corridor, the fire reduced to embers in most places thanks to your fire extinguisher. Chris being a heavy man, you tried your best to support his weight as much as you could, your body almost stooping to form a right angle.

Just as you thought you might be in the clear, you heard a crack from above. Looking up, you realised that the ceiling was about to cave in and so, on impulse, you pushed Chris out of the way, as portions of the false ceiling fell on you, knocking you unconscious.

Chris, in his state, vaguely realised what happened, before he lost his balance and fell to the ground a few feet away from you, his left arm stretched towards your limp body, as if reaching out.

Sirens of the firetruck and the ambulance filled the heavy air. A deep groan escaped his lips as he attempted to crawl towards you, a failed effort. Where did it all go so wrong? he thought. I was supposed to be the one to save you angel! You should be falling in love with me!! And break-up with your good for nothing fiancé!

Overwhelmed with emotions, Chris started drifting off to sleep, your name leaving his lips in the form of a desperate whisper.

🔥

8 MONTHS AGO

Chris met you for the first time at the table read for Defending Jacob. You didn't strike him as anyone special. Being the Junior Assistant Scriptwriter for the series, you were just in the room as a formality. It was your job to jot down the minutes of the meeting, and have the parts of the script marked which were supposed to be changed slightly.

You managed to stay invisible for more such meetings. An introvert by nature, you kept to yourself even when the shooting started.

It was in the Week 4 of the shooting when Chris actually started to notice you. He realised you were always absent from his house parties, never stayed around on the set for after-work shenanigans and, you never hung out with any of your crew-mates for a drink.

What really drove his attention towards you were your random acts of kindness. He once saw you feeding a homeless man in the alley behind the set. Unknown to you, it was where Chris often hid from his cast and crew to smoke.

Then there was the bit with setting up of a mobile blood donation camp on the set, which was completely your idea. He had also seen you distribute fliers for animal adoption centres and NGOs who fought for climate preservation.

You always made sure everyone on the set ate before you did, and the ones who couldn't due to work, you were sure to help them and share their load so they could have lunch.

But one particular incident made him see that you were no ordinary woman.

It was a particularly tough day on the set. They were shooting the 35-second sex scene between him and Michelle. While these scenes looked easy on the screen, they always made Chris feel uneasy about himself. "What if my body is not upto the mark?" , "I don't want to hurt Michelle in any way" , "God I hope I don't touch her inappropriately by mistake" and more such troubling thoughts clawed at his mind. After the scene finally ended, he felt the lustful eyes of the crew feasting on him, admiring his body on display.

He hurried towards his van, avoiding to look at anyone, until his eyes met yours for a total of 5 seconds. He expected to see the same smirk to be reflected in your eyes as everyone else's. Instead, he saw a completely different emotion. He saw sadness, sympathy, and most importantly, recognition of his discomfort etched on your face.

After that, Chris started to keep a close eye on you. You always wore comfortable clothes, with loads of pockets. Yet somehow, they always fit you well. He also noticed that you always got your own lunch, refusing to eat the food available on the set.

A few days after filming the sex scene, he decided to try to speak with you. Palms sweaty, he headed towards you and gently said your name.

"Hi," he said, and stopped.

"Hello Mr Evans," you greeted him back, a little surprised that he knew your name.

He continued to look at you, bright cerulean eyes bearing into yours, apparently lost. You blinked twice, unfazed, and a little uncomfortable, "Can I help you sir?"

Chris shook his head slightly. He was so used to women fawning all over him, that your utter lack of excitement on seeing him deterred him a bit.

He cleared his throat, a little flustered, *Ahem yeah… I wanted to ask… something… karaoke!" he managed to mumble, "It's karaoke night at my house. Tomorrow. Will you come? At night?"

"Umm… No Mr Evans. I am sorry I will not be able to make it," you politely declined while taking a small step back.

"Oh. Uhh… well we can have it any other night if you want," he cleared his throat again, sweat starting to gather on his forehead as he noticed your movement, "You never visit any of my house-parties."

You smiled a bit, "I like to go home early. I want to spend as much time as I can with my fiancé and my cat."

Chris raised his eyebrows at that revelation, "Fiancé? I… I don't see a ring."

"That's because there isn't one," your smile widened as you pulled the chain around your neck and revealed a locket. It was an intricately carved sunflower locket, with small, delicate curls nestled inside the petals.

Chris glanced at it with disdain. It looked hand-made, cheap, "Is that… is it made from clay?"

"Yes Mr Evans," you beamed at the locket, admiring it with love and pride, "My fiancé is a potter and he made this himself. It took him over 6 hours just to carve all the petals. But he still made it because he knows how much I love sunflowers."

"So he's too poor to give you an appropriate ring?" Chris snapped at you.

Offended, you looked at him in shock and anger as he continued. "You deserve someone who can afford to give you an expensive engagement ring. Not some cheap craft project."

You grit your teeth at his comment, "Unlike some people, I don't look at the price of the gifts, I look at their value. While this," you held the locket in front of his eyes, "is worthless for you, it is priceless for me."

You placed the locket back inside your shirt and walked away. Chris stood rooted at the spot, biting his cheek hollow. He hadn't meant to drive you away. He had just wanted you to see him as a prospective partner.

As he turned towards his trailer, an idea popped into his head.

🔥

Next Friday saw you and your fiancé walk into the bowling alley. The production house had organised a "Bring Your Partner to Work Day" and you both were excited to step out of your routine lives.

A few people on the set recognised your fiancé Aiden from his YouTube channel. Kenneth, an Assistant Set Designer, drooled over him, "Maaahhnnn! I love your pottery videos! They are so calming dude. How do you make them so relaxing?"

The ever shy and soft-spoken Aiden gushed at the compliment, turning a shade of red which you always found adorable. Aiden was almost the same height as you, with a lean figure and a kind, freckled face. Your friends always told you that Aiden's looks were nothing to brag about, but you disagreed. Because for you, this man was the most handsomest, cutest and sexiest person in the world.

And you knew he felt the same way about you. That's why, even after being together for almost 5 years now, you two still looked at each other with heart eyes.

As the party progressed, you made sure to avoid Chris, and so far, you were successful. That was until he softly said your name.

With dread in your stomach, you and Aiden turned around to face the man. Aiden knew of your previous encounter with Chris, and tried to square his shoulders as much as possible, but Chris' towering physique and personality literally made it impossible for Aiden to appear tough.

You gave Chris a curt nod and received a sweet smile in response.

"I believe I owe you an apology," he confessed, "I am sorry. My behavior that day was inexcusable." He paused for reaction, but looking at your hesitant faces, he continued, "It was quite a hectic day on the set and I guess I took it all out on you," he looked towards you, "You know I am capricious by nature. It takes me some time to become gregarious. But," he raised his hands in the air, "I repeat, the way I acted was inexcusable. I am sorry."

He extended his arm towards Aiden, "You are a porter I believe."

"Potter, sir," Aiden corrected while shaking his hand and introducing himself.

You bit your tongue, knowing that Chris was mocking you with his false apology.

He invited Megan to join the conversation, "Megan loves handmade ceramics. Maybe she would be interested in your work."

Introductions were made again, and as the conversation pursued, it arrived at the topic of your marriage.

"Have you guys decided on a date yet?" asked Megan as Chris looked at you.

"We are planning to get married as soon as the shooting ends for DJ," you smiled.

"Oh really? Wow that's… unusual," Megan tried her best to hide her surprise.

"We don't know exactly when will the shooting end," Chris said with a frown on his face.

"That's not an issue Mr Evans. We are actually planning to get married at the courthouse," revealed Aiden.

"You know if money is an issue then we would be more than happy to help you guys out," Chris offered in a sincere tone.

"Oh no no Mr Evans. Money isn't an issue," you clarified, "We have decided to donate the money we had intended to spend on the wedding."

"But thank you so much for the generous offer, we really appreciate it," Aiden added with a sincere smile.

"You know a lot of couples are doing that nowadays. It's a trend I believe," Megan commented, "Where are you going to make the donation?"

"The local orphanage where I grew up. We both love kids and, it just seemed to be the perfect choice," Aiden beamed at you.

You mirrored his expression while Chris scowled. "I think everybody should get the wedding of their dreams, and you" he stated, pointing towards you, "deserve much more than a courthouse wedding. Don't you want to get married in a beautiful church? Walk down the aisle in a gorgeous white gown? And get married to a man who can actually fulfill your wishes and desires?"

Squaring your shoulders, you looked at Chris dead in the eye, "I am marrying the man of my dreams Mr Evans. The wedding ceremony doesn't matter to me. What does matter is the beautiful life we will begin together. Now if you will excuse us," you linked your arm with Aiden's, "we need to leave."

Chris watched you leave as Megan tried to distract him with something else. Tonight did not go the way he had anticipated.

He left the party shortly after you, directly heading for his home. Standing under the cold shower, he tried to reason with himself. He was acting out of character. There was no reason for his behavior. You had made it ample clear that you loved your fiancé and that nobody in the world could sway you.

Then why was he so hell-bent on claiming you as his?

Because she's perfect for you, a voice answered him.

Yeah, but she belongs to someone else, he argued.

So what?, the voice urged, Fight for her. You saw her wimp of a fiancé. You can break him into two pieces without breaking a sweat. She is made for you. Just you, and nobody else.

"I… Just… No," Chris stammered loudly as he shook his head, trying to get rid of the voice in his mind.

He tried to meditate, but it didn't work. Dodger too, was unable to distract him. Even his books on self-help and mental health were of no use.

As a last resort, he opened his laptop, but his fingers halted at the search bar, the cursor blinking back at him.

He was too tempted to search for you again. The last time he had Googled you, he had been satisfied with the results. You often volunteered with a few NGOs, coordinated multiple donation drives, visited orphanages and taught underprivileged children. His heart had melted at a particular photograph- you were holding an 8-month-old girl in your arms, while looking over a painting drawn by a 4-year-old boy as the child looked up at you with a toothy smile.

It reminded him of everything he wanted to have, but still couldn't.

He closed his eyes and started kneading his forehead with his palms. Everybody he knew always only had the best things about him. Right from Scarlett to Mark to Olivia to every fucking person he had ever worked with, everybody said he deserved to have a loving wife, a stable family.

And yet, here he was, on a Friday night, home alone with a beer bottle, on the verge of anxiety.

Was it just anxiety though?

Who the fuck is Aiden and why does he deserve to be with her? the voice in his head was back.

They love each other, they want to get married, Chris reasoned.

He doesn't hold a candle next to you, the voice persisted, People love money more than they love others. She will come to you. But you need to let her know you are available. You need to take her to-

"No," Chris interrupted the voice loudly, "No. This is unhealthy. No."

Reaching for his phone, he searched for his therapist's number, when the voice chuckled, You really think a shrink is going to help you with this? Eh? They are only going to ask you to fuck another pussy, or read more books. And I will be damned before you touch another book about trees.

Chris shook his head again, but in vain. Unable to find the number in his contacts, he turned to Google for the second time that night and started searching for therapists in his area. The voice tut-ted, Yeah, as if the psycho doctor is going to shut their trap about Chris Evans crying over a girl.

Chris almost crushed his bottle in frustration. He couldn't let the voice take over. Not now. Not after working his ass off to get where wanted in his career. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the screen again and came across the headline- "Why Do People Write Fanfiction?" The word fanfiction seemed vaguely familiar to him. He was going to ignore the article and scroll downwards, but the brief underneath the headline made him stop- …mostly, people write fanfiction to stay in touch with the characters they love," says leading Psychologist Andrea Williams.

Intrigued, he opened the article and started reading. Then he opened another, and another and by the time he was done, he had read 6-7 articles on the concept of fanfiction and what it entailed.

Sighing, he opened a new word document. He was reluctant to type a letter, let alone a whole fictional story. He had tried everything and yet, you chose to occupy a rent-free space in his mind.

Now all he needed was a reference.

He minimised the document, and opened a new tab on his browser. His hesitant fingers typed the words - Chris Evans Fanfiction - into the search bar, and he instantly winced.

Millions of search results were displayed before him, and as he read the descriptions of each one of them, he realised that 99% of these stories were porn. There was no sugar-coating it. On the 5th page of the search results, he luckily found a story sans the erotica. It was a cute one-shot about him going on a first date with the reader. He read it with squinted eyes, afraid that a sex scene might jump out of the blue, but luckily, nothing of the sort happened.

Chris liked reading it. It was an innocent story filled with romance.

But the only problem? It was written from the reader's point of view. He checked a few others, and realised they were all written from the women's perspective, not his.

He sat back in his chair, turning his head such that he was looking at the ceiling, contemplating his options.

You want her, the voice whispered.

Reluctantly, he typed the first word that came to his mind. Your name.

Chris rested his chin on his palm, wondering where to start. If this were fiction, would tonight have gone different? Would you have visited his house for karaoke that night?

Tapping his fingers on the desk, he bit his tongue in thought. Thinking it was better to start at the beginning, he started typing from his POV-

The first time I saw her I thought she was pretty. I saw her during meetings and the shooting. Then one day I saw her giving food to a homeless man-

Deleting his words, Chris shook his head. This was insane! Right? You were a real human being and it was unethical of him to write this! He needed to learn to handle his feelings.

If you don't have the balls to fight for her, then be with her in the stories you write. Grow a spine Evans, whispered the insulting voice.

Hesitating, he tried to write another paragraph, which ended up getting deleted.

Try again, the voice coaxed him. Pour your heart into this. Write better.

Taking a sip of the beer, Chris started typing again-

It was lunchtime when I saw her arranging some equipment on the table. Her back was facing me as I carefully approached her, afraid to startle her. I breathed in her scent, light, floral and fresh, before whispering her name.

She turned around, a bit surprised to see me, but she smiled nevertheless. Oh gosh her smile. I had seen her smile a few times on the set, but in person, it took my breath away.

"Hi," I managed to greet her shyly. She matched my response.

"I was wondering if you would like to sing karaoke with me? There's a karaoke party tonight at my house if you would like to come," I asked her hopefully.

Her expression turned remorseful as she apologised, "I cannot come Mr Evans. My fiancé won't let me."

Imagine my surprise when I found out about her fiancé. "I didn't know about your fiancé. Why won't he let you come?" I asked her, concerned as she started sniffing a bit.

"He's… he's very strict Mr Evans. He doesn't like it when I go out with my fri-friends or co-workers," she shared between her light sobs.

My heart broke into pieces on hearing her confession. I had often noticed her taciturn behaviour on the set, but I had no idea about the reason behind it.

I raised my hands to cup her face. I was itching to wipe her tears with my lips, but instead, I used my thumbs.

"I want to help you. Please let me," I requested.

"Nobody can help me Mr Evans. I am stuck with a monster." She pulled a chain from underneath her shirt and I got a glimpse at the marks on her neck. "Aiden gave me this chain and locket instead of an engagement ring. He said it will be better than a ring. And now he-" she started sobbing harder. I pulled her into my chest, running my right hand through her hair as my left hand soothed her back.

"And now he uses it as a leash," my angel whispered, horrified, "he says I do not deserve a ring."

I hugged her tighter and thankfully, she buried her face in my chest, "You are no longer stuck with him. Are you listening to me?" I bent my face to bring my lips near her ears, "I will make sure that you are free of him."

She shook her head, reluctantly pulling away from me, "No Mr Evans. I cannot-"

"Yes you can," I interrupted her. "You are going to come to my house for karaoke tonight. Message Aiden right now, and tell him that I will be dropping you home. Okay?"

After some coaxing, she agreed. I held her close as she typed out the message, her hands shaking around her mobile phone. Finally she clicked on the SEND button.

I brushed a kiss on her forehead, "Wait for me in the back alley after the shoot, okay? I will pick you up from there."

She nodded gratefully in response.

I couldn't wait for the shoot to be over that day. In my eagerness, I even messed up a few takes, mumbling over my lines like an idiot. But eventually, I got through the day.

I was excited when I picked her up after the shoot. I could see she was nervous and maybe a little bit scared, but she still entered my car anyway. So I made small talk with her and tried to put her mind at ease.

Finally, when we reached my house, she was in awe.

"This is the most beautiful house I have ever seen Mr Evans," she gasped as I led her inside, "I don't think I have ever seen anything like it before!"

I chuckled, "I am happy you like it. It… it just feels empty sometimes, you know? I find loneliness ubiquitous in this house."

You looked at her puzzled expression and smiled. "Ubi-what was that word Mr Evans?"

"Ubiquitous," I replied, "it means something that is present and is found everywhere."

"Ahh okay," she nodded, "thank you for teaching me."

"I will accept your gratitude only on one condition."

She tilted her head ever so slightly, "And what would that be Mr Evans?"

I smiled as I slightly bent down and held her hand, "You need to start calling me Christopher."

Visibly flustered, my angel looked down at her feet. "I-I can't Mr Evans," she said in a low voice.

"Why can't you?"

"I respect you too much sir," she confessed.

"Hey," I gently nudged her forehead with mine, "I want you to say my name. Please?"

I stared into her eyes as she met mine. God.

There was something about her eyes that was absolutely riveting. The depth of her eyes pulled me in towards her as I read the plethora of emotions hidden within them. Her gaze searched my face for malice, deceit, but only found love and trust in return.

I slowly cupped her face as her breath hitched in her chest. I could feel my own heart race. Bringing my face as close as I could to hers, I whispered, the distance between our lips fast closing, "Please."

She parted her lips ever so slightly. I felt her warm breath on mine as she obliged, "Christopher."

I closed my eyes as I heard the most melodious symphony, my name draped in her sweet voice.

I dipped my head to kiss her, feel the shape of her lips, but she stepped back.

"I-I am st-still engaged Chris-Christopher," she stammered.

I straightened myself, my hands no longer cupping her face, "I understand. I am sorry. Would you like-"

Before I could finish, a car honked outside. While I was curious at the intrusion, her eyes widened with fear.

"That's him," she gasped, "Aiden is here. He found me."

"How is that possible?"

"He has a location app installed on my phone through which he tracks my location," she revealed, visibly shaking at the thought of greeting her fiancé.

"Stay here. You will be safe inside. Let me handle him," I said, squeezing her shoulders.

I walked out of the house and towards the car. The vehicle didn't look in good shape, it's owner even more so.

Aiden manually rolled down his window and spat on the ground. Fumes of cheep alcohol and stale cigarette smoke escaped through the window. "Where is she?" he hollered.

"That's not your concern anymore. She's breaking up with you," I crossed my arms and stood facing him. "If you know what's good for you, you will leave her alone and stay out of her life."

Aiden exited the car at that threat, the door of the vehicle rattled as he opened it. "She said that?" he scoffed, "Color me surprised, I thought the little mouse had no fight left in her. Bring her out here. I want to hear," he wriggled a finger at me, "whatever the fuck you are saying from her own fucking mouth."

"Not going to happen Aiden. You followed her here against her own wishes. Now scoot off before I call the cops," I warned.

"You think I will be scared of some Hollywood prick who shits diamonds?" he sneered.

"No. But you should be scared of the law. You are currently harassing the owner of this private property, not to mention you have clearly abused your girlfriend mentally, emotionally and physically. So be sensible," I took a step towards him, "and fuck off."

"STOP," she shouted as she trusted towards us. She stood in front of me, as if to guard me from her monster of a fiancé, "Please don't hurt him. I will come with you. Just let him be," she pleaded with him as he smirked.

Before he could react, I pulled her behind me, making sure my body was shielding her from Aiden.

"She's a gold-digging bitch. You stay away from her," he pointed at me as he tried to reach her.

I pushed him away once and kept my hand on his weak, thin torso. Turning my head, I asked her for the last time, "Are you sure you want to go with him? I can save you. I will protect you, provide for you and keep you happy!" I urged her.

She looked at me with hope and helplessness. Slowly, she glanced at Aiden who looked like he was ready to commit murder. Sobbing uncontrollably, she removed the chain with the sunflower locket and threw it at his feet.

"Leave me alone," she managed to mumble at him.

Furious, Aiden growled and tried to pounce at her. Fortunately, I intervened on time and punched his sorry excuse of a face into the ground.

She gasped as Aiden fell with a thud. Embarrassed, he slowly got up and dusted himself, muttering under his breath as he sat inside his wreck of a car.

"Don't bother coming back to gather your stuff! I am burning it all tonight you cock-sucking bitch!" and with that outburst, Aiden was finally gone.

She was sobbing and shaking uncontrollably at what had just transpired. I wrapped her in my arms to let her know she was safe. Within moments, I felt her ease into my body.

I closed my eyes and smiled, my nose buried into her hair. My angel was safe. My angel was mine.

Chris blinked his eyes as he re-read his story. He already felt a whole lot lighter, his anxiety at ease, and mind exhausted. Clicking on SAVE, he finished the last of his beer and went to sleep, hoping that this was the end to his problems. Little did he know about the horrors that awaited him, behind the door he had just opened by writing that fictional story.

__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__

Permanent tag: @donutloverxo

Chris Evans and his characters taglist: @onetwo3000

This story: @just-one-ordinary-fangirl @carpediemm-18

(If you guys don't want to be tagged in this, just let me know. No hard feelings 😊)

Taglists are open! Just comment, send an ask or a message!

#ShamelessHoesForChris #chris evans fanfic #chris evans fanfiction #chrisevans #chris evans #chris evans x reader #chris evans x y/n #chris evans x you #dark!chris evans #chris evans rpf

266 notes · View notes