#I gave him the most wacky laugh- he’s nice I promise

[infinitegalahad]

Borhap Boys As Sugar Daddies

(reposted bc it was disappearing from the tags😭)

hey guys!! I wanna apolgoize for the disappearance, school is ✨madness✨ luv. so I've decided to try something new. But I promise I'm working on requests (and a bunch of new ideas). I love all of the borhap boys (bc they are babies🥺) so this might become a little series of head canons! no major warnings, just lots of fluff and some suggestive material. also reader is gender neutral (boy, girl, whatever you what it my dudes!) why not mix my fav trope and boys all in...one fic😳😳 anyways hope you guys enjoy!! I would love some feedback for future reference

Masterlist (requests are welcomed!)

Rami Malek-

Number one that gif of him...need I say more? 🥰

I’m sick of how ya’ll sleep on Rami!! I’m gonna give him tons of love

He would be one of the most affectionate sugar daddy���s tbh

Certainly would spoil the HECK out of you

Whether it be paying off your bills or lavish trips to Greece, Rami always has your back

You never had to pay a SINGLE PENNY when you were around him

Being with Rami, you were a changed person

Your fashion game went UPPPP

Like chanel perfume, all designer clothes, nice handbags, you NAME IT

”Rami, I’m not buying a five hundred dollar shirt from Theory.” ”What do you mean? It would look so good on you, sweetheart.”

Yes, Rami bought you the shirt

You two were at a vinyl place and you saw a limited edition queen vinyl

He buys it (and basically 10+ vinyls you love)

SO RAMI MAKES A WHOLE ASS ROOM IN HIS HOME FOR YOUR VINYLS🥺🥺

This man is omfg i loveee him❣️

Little sneak kisses to your forehead

Seeing you smile as you shop and blush at his complaints makes him so freaking happy HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH

He would take you shopping at the best stores

“I would be fine at a target, y’know” as you look around a Gucci store

Rami would snake an arm around your waist as he cooed into your ear, “My baby deserves the best, and nothing but the best

What started out as an arrangement turned into a genuine relationship

When looking for a sugarbaby, Rami was simply looking for company (and someone to spoil the heck out of)

In all truth, he was simply a lonely guy who simply wanted someone to make happy, and made himself happy in the process

Wherever you guys would go, he would always wanna hold your hand and be close to you bc he’s scared of loosing someone he’s made a connection with

And i’m totally not crying as I write this

Both of you were in dark places when you first met

Rami showed how much he truly cared about you

If you called him all upset, he would SPEED over with whatever you needed whether it be pizza or emotional support

Sitting on your couch, his arm wrapped around yours as you vented about your problems

Rami had convinced you to drop your job and come live with him because he’s a KING!!

”Angel, you’re not gonna have to worry about anymore.” ”What do you mean?”

You ended up quitting your job and moving in with him

What turned into an arrangement became an intimate relationship

The sex between you to was AMAZING

it was VERY intimate

It started off slow but would get increasingly rougher god I hate what I said

Rami would always check up and you and NEVER go past your limits

It would end with the two of you cuddling in bed

Let’s just say you never had to worry about your bills ever again😎😎

I MADE MYSELF CRY WHYYY

Gwilym Lee-

my love for this man? ENDLESS

Seriosuly gwilym lee HAVE MY CHILDERN

anyways to the pLOT

Gwilym is the sexiest and cutest man alive

The sugar daddy that will bring you EVERYWHERE HE GOES

He’s such a gentlemen

Like all relationships start, it was more of an arrangement then a relationship

Your job was to escort Gwilym at all these events as “company”

Gwilym would send a bunch of nice items and a driver to bring you to the location

”Hope you like this ❤️ xxx”   “Treat yourself! 😘xxx”

Like mister I-😳😳

Gwilym is literally such a sweet person

Whenever you were spotted with him, you would get thousands of compliemnts/questions

”You’re with Gwilym! So lucky!”

”That necklace is to kill for! Did Gwilym give it to you?”

”Teach my your ways!”

Whenever you’re at these events all these people give you evil stares

Your like👁👄👁 “is Gwilym a playboy??”

Gwilym is all like “what do you mean?? 🥺Of course not! Your the only one that matters to me right now”

He’s such a king we LOVE HIM

Spontaneous trips to France and Italy

Gwilym and you grow super close

Also your dates would range from fancy galas for Gwilym’s works or peaceful book/poetry readings

He LOVES books and always takes you to bookstores and gives his best recommendations

He literally turns into an english teacher while overanalyzing books

”The greenlight in Green Gatbsy is such a crucial symbol”

”Jane Austen is one of the best feminist writers, she was so ahead of her time!”

You wanna be annoyed but can’t

i can’t I LOVE GWILYM LEE I’M NOT SORRY

The two of you would lie in bed together

You would be slouched against his body as he stroked your hair, reading to you in that accent

As much as you love your gentlemen, you get him into the wacky world of ninety day fiance

”This looks like trash...I’m going to watch every minute of it!”

You guys order chinese food and watch this obsessviely for six hours

I know this is meant to be fluffy but why not add some 🌶

Sex with you and Gwil is like ✨fireworks✨

He would make sure you wouldn’t be able to walk the next day let’s just say😉

He would have to carry you around and kiss your head, saying “You're so adorable, poppet” or “Don’t strain your legs, Cariad!”

Also ceo of AMAZING NICKNAMES

”My anwylyd” (Welsh for dearest)

Would 100% write you romantic poems (over text and in paper)

And yes he WOULD dramatically read them to you😤😤✌🏽

He would always greet you with the most over the top nicknames like “Good morning cariad!” or “Sit there and act pretty, my beloved”

hi mr lee please make me your sugar baby

Gwilym is your sugar daddy but also your sweet, book loving man

He loves seeing you happy so in return, you make him happy💓💓

Joe Mazzello-

This one is a wildcard ladies and gays!! 😌😌

Joe definitely does not strike you as a sugar daddy

He seems more like your boyfriend than anything else

The two of you were inseparable

After dinner Joe would take you to a karaoke bar or for ice cream

After the first date you started calling him Joey

Drunken duets to cheesy 80’s romance songs

The two of you would sing your hearts out before vomiting from the copious ammouts of ice cream and vodka

With Joe it’s eithier mcdonalds or Nobu in TriBeCa

Mr.Mazello has range😌✨

This dude is the ceo of cheesy nicknames

”Yes my little lover muffin!”

”What is it cutie patootie?”

”You look amazing buttercup!”

“What’s up, hot stuff?”

In public he calls you “baby” or “lover” dw he saves you from public embarrassment 

You know that meme of will smith and his wife? That is basically you and Joe

My love for his man is infinite

Joe is super clingy

Hand holding and lots of PDA

He wants people to know that your his sugar baby😤😤💓

he will always send texts like

”miss you baby💓💗💓💗!”

”can you grab milk from the store pls??”

”SUGAR HONEY ICED TEA WHERE ARE YOU😩😩🤯🤯🤯”

”Joe, it’s been a day.”

He has so many photos of you in his camera roll

You are his lockscreen😔💓

The ceo’s of amazing instagram photos, whether it be you wearing a burger king crown at Burger King or You guys kissing on a boat with the Italian sunset on a private boat

Captions would be could “my favorite fairytale is our love story” or “yasss queen slay it!”

It’s cringey but god Joe is so adorable

A combination of a child and gentleman ALL IN ONE

All of his friends are like “you guys HAVE to be dating!’

It’s suppose to be nothing more than an arrangement right?

I mean the two of you were living with eachother and he dropped all of this other sugar babies for you

The two of you are master chefs minus the one time Joe burned mac and cheese and set the stove on fire

Also not to get smutty but the sex between you two? Like

Straight up RAMMING to sweet pillowtalk

Anyways Joe being your sugar daddy would definitely not be a bad thing at all😘

Always exchange those “I love you’s” 💕✨

Ben Hardy-

When first seeing Ben on your sugar daddy app, you were 100% intimidated

But upon meeting him, this tough dude was a PUPPY🥺❣️

On the first date he bought you flowers and gave you a hug

“Y/n, right?”

“That’s me!”

“I just wanted to say you look stunning, love.”

You were wearing jeans and literally smiled so much

You know this date was going to go VERY WELL NOW😩✌🏽✨

Instead of a fancy restaurant, Ben took you to a stroll around London

Whatever clothes you wanted? He got it

Whatever cafe you wanted to stop at? Buy all the tea/coffee and pastries you want

Hotel? Trivago

The two of you walked around the city, hand and hand as you got to know eachother

You ended up walking around the city for five hours up until midnight

You laughed and talked about thousands of things

In confusion, you had to see Ben again

As Ben walked you back to your place, you smiled at him,

”I’d like to do that again.”

”Call me when you want, y/n.”

So your “dates” became more frequent

Ben had the best ideas for dates

Dinners at small Italian places, walking around a museum, or just sitting in his place and watching mindless television

He made sure to spoil you

With gifts, literally and figurreitly

Sex was a large piece in your arrangeemnt

But it was not the only thing in your relationship

And it was!! Amazing!!

”You’re so fucking beautiful” as he would kiss your forehead and dive straight into it 🥺😳

Not only could that man be A BEAST but an absolute sweetheart

Everyday you looked forward to not only getting paid by him, but just talking to him for hours on end

He would stay up for hours just to talk to you, whether it be about your lives or anything

and that ladies and gays is a dedicated MAN

No matter what, Ben always found a way to touch you

He always had his hand on the chair behind you or your thigh

You guys would have pillowforts and nerf fun battles together

It would always end with a cuddle session

Frankie would be skeptcial but love you!!

You guys got so close that he took you on a trip to the greek islands AND PROPOSED!! LIKE!! YES!!😌😌😌

LIKE YES POP OFF MISTER BEN HARDY

[costellos]

HI i LOVE ur "____ realizing they fell in love" series thing AND idk if you've done stardust crusaders but if you haven't i'd love to request that pretty pls luv u Aaa c:

I haven’t done the Crusaders yet!! today is your lucky day. 🥰 ty for supporting this series and I hope you enjoy this one!

BUCCI GANG | LA SQUADRA

tw: general violence, stabbing

❥ ┋ ❝ stardust crusaders realizing that they’re in love!

joseph joestar.

Joseph falls in love with you after you put yourself in danger.

the first thing you need to know about Joseph Joestar is that there’s always something up his sleeve. the second, that he prizes his family above all else. only one of those applied when you sacrificed yourself for his sake.

it happens during a stand battle. Hermit Purple is more of a defensive stand, with its ability to disarm and capture enemies. your stand works best offensively. as such, you make quite the pair when you encounter two of DIO’s subordinates in India.

but while Joseph was distracted, using Hermit Purple to wrap one of the goons in its violet vines, the other came barreling behind Joseph. he sees a glint in the henchwoman’s eyes, a look that tells him that she’s ready to kill. he knows you see it too. and that’s why he’s crying at you to get away.

it only took a moment. yet in that moment did you save Joseph, push the henchwoman back, and find a kukri in your side. it’s the one time that Joseph didn’t have anything up his sleeve, and one of many that he could feel his heart drop.

you didn’t have to defend him. he had already lived his life, and at that point, he had accepted he could die at any moment. he knew exactly what he was getting into when it came to DIO. and he was starting to wish that he hadn’t gotten you involved, too.

he knocks both of the goons out, leaving them in the alley. you’re not quite sure what happens next. all you can feel is Joseph holding you in his arms, frantically looking for help in the streets of Kolkata. he’s screaming. crying maybe? you lose consciousness soon after.

Joseph would visit you in your hospital room once you came to. he makes quite the scene, pushing doctors aside and slamming your door open. at first glance you think that he's mad, with his gritted teeth and clasped fists. he stops for a moment, studying your face. and it’s here that you realize he isn’t mad — no, his face quickly melts to concern, his lip quivering as he wraps you into a tight hug. ↳ “come here.” his voice is shaky. he sounds breathless, as if he ran here as soon as he got word that you woke up. “what the hell were you thinking? don’t go throwing yourself at anyone for my sake! you talk to me in battle, okay?”  alright, maybe he’s a little mad. he’s trying to say his words as gently as he can, though. “we need you, [Name].” and it’s true: the team does need you. but he of all people needs you most. he’s already losing one child. he can’t bear the thought of losing another.

muhammad avdol.

Avdol falls in love with you when he sees how patient you are.

he's a mentor above all else. Avdol’s career depends on guiding others to their destinies, leading them to something that he cannot posses. he’s never particularly minded. like all things, he just thinks that is his own destiny. he knows that fate can’t be changed.

it’s part of the reason why Avdol’s given up on Iggy. the dog is hopeless, fighting for his own wants and needs. he doesn’t care about the team or DIO or why he’s in Egypt. hence, aside from giving him coffee gum when Avdol needs him, the fortune teller leaves him alone.

then he sees you interacting with Iggy. “it’s hopeless,” Avdol tells you. but you look up at him and shake your head, asking him to just give you some time. Iggy will come around, you promise.

Avdol chuckles. “if you say so.”

despite his doubts, he keeps a close eye on you. you keep at it. you’re trying to get the dog’s trust, offering pets and belly rubs during moments of peace. Iggy seems disinterested.

in time, Avdol watches as you realize that Iggy hates being treated like a dog. you share your food with him and talk with him, even if he can’t understand what you have to say. one day, while driving through Egypt, Avdol peers into the rear view mirror and sees you asleep with Iggy on your lap.

the Boston terrier follows you everywhere now. he trots beside you and barks at whoever gets too close to you (much to Polnareff’s chagrin). Avdol can’t help but find this amusing.

well he’d be damned. you really did it. Avdol always thought of him as a good judge of character, and you proved him wrong. not that he minds; Iggy’s cooperation will make this mission much less difficult. it’s just that your unyielding patience and dedication is... well. it’s quite nice with all the other interesting characters on this trip.

Avdol approaches you while you’re reading in the hotel lobby. as always, Iggy is at your feet. he’s fast asleep, thankfully. the fortune teller tries to be quiet so as not to wake him. ↳ “I apologize.” he takes the armchair across from yours, resting his cheek on his fist, an amused smile on his lips. “you’re a lot more patient than I gave you credit for.” maybe Avdol had unknowingly guided you to Iggy. maybe it was fate that Iggy would be brought here, only to be loved by you. “I admire that of you. though I suppose there’s a lot I admire about you, hm?” fate can’t be changed. he knew that. but maybe it was fate that like Iggy, Avdol was brought here to be with you.

jotaro kujo.

Jotaro falls in love with you after you call him out.

he hates showing his true colors. that kind of vulnerability is something that he’s never gotten accustomed to, nor does he think that he ever will. it’s part of the reason why he dislikes displaying more emotion than what’s necessary. a slight twinge of his lip or brow can show enough of what he’s thinking. any more than that is a waste of energy. they get the gist, he tells himself.

you proved him wrong when you lost a game of checkers. it’s a humid day in Cairo and during a rare moment of peace, you and Jotaro opt to play a friendly game of checkers with some locals. though the word “friendly” is subjective. if either of you won, 2500 Egyptian pounds would be yours.

it’s your turn. the game is a close call. although it can be over within the next two turns, you can’t tell what your opponent’s next move would be. thankfully, Jotaro is standing behind him, giving you cues for your next move.

...yet because you misunderstand his cue, you watch as you promptly lose any pieces that you had left. your opponent takes your pieces and the 2500 Egyptian pounds with it.

“what the hell was that?” Jotaro is angry. you are too. after losing the game, you collected your things and began to head back to the hotel, with Jotaro at your heels. “I was nodding my head! that was your cue to move left.” 

you stop in your tracks. “that wasn’t you nodding! you just moved your head down! how was I supposed to know?”

he clicks his tongue in response. a beat, and then finally, “you’re really damn annoying, you know that?” 

“yeah, and you’re an asshole.”

Jotaro’s been called many things. sweetie, honey, the hottest guy at school, but asshole? that’s a first. while he won’t admit it, the name stings. it sounds foreign coming from you. he didn’t think he had upset you that much.

he lets the day pass, partly for you, mostly for him. he needs to gather his thoughts. it’s the first time anyone had called him out for his behavior. moreover, Jotaro hates the fact that you may know him better than he does himself. what else do you know about him? did you know that you could upset him this much? ...when did you start to occupy this much space in his head?

so at sundown the next day, you get a knock on your hotel room from Jotaro Kujo himself. you try to close it, but he sticks his foot between the door and the frame before you can. ↳ “look, I’m sorry, alright?” he’s refusing to look at you. “I just... really wanted to win. I pushed that on you. and...” he sighs. "I’m sorry.” he’s apologizing through gritted teeth, yet apologizing nonetheless. it’s the right thing to do and he doesn’t want to lose a friend to his pride. especially one who calls him out on his bullshit. despite everything, you just smile and unfold your arms, telling him that you forgive him. and for a brief moment, he feels a weight lift off his shoulders. although Jotaro Kujo hates being vulnerable, he would hate losing you more.

noriaki kakyoin.

Kakyoin falls in love with you while eating breakfast together.

he’s never had any real friends. any attempts to share facts about himself, whether about his stand or his interests, would be met with scorn. it wasn’t until he had breakfast with you — one tiny moment in a trip filled with wacky happenings — that led him to believe that maybe the world wasn’t so lonely.

it’s 7 AM. normally at this time Mr. Joestar and Avdol are off running errands or planning something privately. Kakyoin turns beside him to find Jotaro and Polnareff fast asleep. he wonders where you’d be at this hour, yet when he enters the dining room, he quickly finds the answer to his question.

"good morning,” he says, taking the seat from across you. his voice is gentle though far more awake than you’d expect for seven in the morning. you greet him as enthusiastically as you can muster, flashing a toothy grin. but upon realizing that you were still chewing your food, you quickly turn away and wave your hand, apologizing for the scene. Kakyoin laughs in return.

the conversation itself is rather tame. you ask about his life, what Japan is like, if he misses his parents. Kakyoin answers all of this truthfully, because... well. no one else has ever taken the time to ask. it feels odd to be interviewed. though not uncomfortable.

and you take genuine interest in what he has to say, too. you ask follow up questions and give real, emotional responses. while you sympathize with him, you don’t pretend to know what he’s gone through.

you didn’t have to engage with him. sure, you’re the only ones awake right now, but he didn’t expect you to be so real with him. Polnareff never takes anything Kakyoin says seriously. Jotaro doesn’t even pretend to care. Mr. Joestar and Avdol have their own things to worry about. it feels... nice to be considered.

needless to say, Kakyoin feels his heart sink when the others wake up. is that too selfish? should he be disappointed in himself for wanting to spend more time with you?

yet even with them there, with Polnareff hogging the conversation and Jotaro being his usual cool self, you try to keep Kakyoin involved. you refuse to let him fade in the background.

he stops you as everyone starts to clean up and go on with their days. ↳ “we should do this more often.” he’s trying to keep it casual. “ah, if you’re up this early again, I mean. I really enjoyed our conversation. it’s a lot more productive when Polnareff’s not awake.” now it’s your turn to laugh in response. you agree, saying that you enjoyed your time with him, too. at this, Kakyoin could feel his cheeks start to burn. right here, right at this moment with you, did Noriaki Kakyoin feel that he wasn’t so alone. 

jean pierre polnareff.

Polnareff falls in love with you when he hears you humming to yourself.

although he would never admit it, he’s lost. what he’s looking for he’s not quite sure. vengeance? honor? it’s something he’s constantly asking himself. behind those dumb jokes and loud laughs is someone who just wants to find himself.

to be honest, he’s always fancied you. it was pretty obvious from the start. the way he looked at you, how his hands were always at your hip, guiding you away from the others. he just thought it was another crush until he heard you humming to yourself.

it’s such a simple happenstance. he didn’t mean to walk in on you. yet there you are, standing on the roof of their hotel, hanging everyone’s laundry to dry. you look so at peace here, with your eyelids low and your fingers at work with one of Polnareff’s shirts. you’re handling it so gently despite it not being your own laundry.

it’s in that moment that he realizes what he wants to do. Sherry’s murderer is dead. she can finally be at peace. Avdol has been found, affirming that he didn’t die for Polnareff’s sake. and here you are, humming a song that he doesn’t know but appearing so content.

while he may not know who he is, he does know that he wants to make you that happy everyday.

Polnareff takes this as his cue to approach you. you bend down to reach into your laundry basket, and when you come back up, the Frenchman is there. he’s not pulling any dumb moves, though. he’s much quieter here.

he follows your lead, reaching into the basket for one of his pants, then comes back up to hang them. you return his actions with a smile, a wordless indication of thanks, and continue to work. that song you were humming returns once more, and Polnareff swears that he can feel his heartbeat pounding in his fingertips.

you and Polnareff continue to work like this until the laundry basket is empty. it’s the first time he doesn’t say anything for 10 minutes, at least that you’ve noticed. what you don’t notice that he’s trying to avoid staring, sneaking quick glances as you focus on the task at hand.

when all is said and done, you stretch your arms far above your head, cuing a satisfying pop from your back. you thank Polnareff for helping you and begin heading back to your room. however, he’s quick to stop you. ↳ “hey, wait!” yikes. did that sound too much? “err- let me know if you need any help. I’m always here for you, [Name].” he sounds defeated in that last sentence. he can tell. he wonders if you can, too. but when you grin and tuck your hair behind your ear, telling him that you’d keep him in your thoughts, Polnareff can’t help but feel his heart swell. did he make you happy here?

[vindicatedvirgil]

science partners / intrulogical

...yeah idk what it is about this ship but i’m in love. also, remus is still stuck to me, please someone help? he’s really growing on me.

it’s a high school human AU! please enjoy

includes: high school Logan, high school Remus, science experiments, friends to lovers, it’s kind of super fluffy at the end

(masterlist)

“Remus Creative–”

“I’m a present!” Remus cackled, a bow on his head.

“Yes, very nice. Roman Creative?”

“Preseeeent~!” Roman sang out.

“Logan Crofters–”

“Here.” His head was down, and he was jotting in his worn-down notebook. He tuned out the rest of roll call, and was only faintly listening to the assignment the teacher was talking about.

“Ahem. Mr. Crofters?” The teacher was standing right in front of Logan. “Did you hear what I said about your project partner?”

“Uh…” Logan glanced around. “No, sorry.” The teacher just rolled their eyes and pointed to the student sitting next to Logan, who glanced to his left. It was Remus Creative, probably the most inappropriate and wacky student in Logan’s grade. “Um, can’t I… do this project on my own?” Remus made a mocking offended noise.

“Ugh, like I want to work with Mr. ‘I’m better than you because I’m a super smarty pants’ but teach here has already said that we’re working together, so put on your big boy pants and look at the assignment sheet with me,” He muttered, resting his chin on his hand, his tongue sticking out a little bit. The teacher wandered off, and Logan closed his notebook, glancing at the assignment sheet that was set down between the two boys.

“...we have to come up with our own physics experiment?” Logan asked. Remus fluttered his eyelashes, staring at Logan. 

“I have a few ideas for a physics assignment, cutie pie~”

“No. Nothing dirty, you snake.” Logan groaned, running a hand through his hair. Remus made that mock offended noise again.

“Excuse you, I am not a snake! Janus is the snake. I’m more of a stinky rat man, you know?” Remus laughed, then took out a pen and began writing potential ideas for experiments on the paper. Logan watched him scrawl a list of potential experiments, some typical, but a few of them were pretty out there. He was appalled at the fact that the pen wrote in sparkly silver ink, but ignored this.

“Isn’t something with solar panels… overdone a bit?” Logan asked, adjusting his glasses frames, then pointed to one item on the list. “Why does this just say bouncy balls?”

“It’s an experiment on height and linearity of bouncing balls,” Remus answered simply. “But if you think it’s too silly, whatever.”

“No, that’s actually… intriguing.” Logan responded. “We have to record our experiment for the presentations and log our results. We should find a space to film.”

“Not my house,” Remus muttered. “Unless you want to be around Roman.” Logan glanced over his shoulder at Remus’ twin, who was boasting about something. Logan shook his head.

“My apartment is kind of a mess, but my mom is always working, so it should be fine.” Remus looked deep in thought, but he just nodded. “We should get a variety of sizes of balls, so we have more data to go off of. I have carpet, tile, and hardwood, so we can test on surfaces as well.” Remus cackled.

“My balls are bouncy, I promise… and if you want, I have some hard wood for ya,” He grinned toothily, and Logan just rolled his eyes, ignoring the jokes. Well, what he hoped were jokes.

“There’s a dollar store by my apartment. We can do this after school today, and get it out of the way,” He explained. “We can meet out front once the day is done.”

-

Logan sighed, crossing his arms. Thirty minutes had already passed since the final bell rang, and Remus was nowhere to be found. This was why he hated working with others on projects; they couldn’t be depended on, not for anything. He decided to wait another fifteen minutes for his classmate, and if he didn’t show, he’d do the project on his own and tell the teacher that Remus bailed.

Logan was not so lucky. He was nearly tackled to the ground when someone hugged him from behind, arms wrapping around his shoulders. “Lolo!” Remus’ cackle was jarring and it made Logan’s head spin. He peeled the other’s arms off of him and glared harshly at the pouting teen.

“You’re late,” he said. Remus shrugged. “And don’t call me Lolo. My name is Logan, and you will refer to me as that and only that.” He began walking off campus, and Remus skipped alongside him, humming.

“So, how far away is your house?” Remus asked, wrapping an arm around Logan’s shoulders again. The logical teen didn’t bother to push him off, but glared at him through his glasses. 

“It’s a fifteen minute walk to the dollar store and then a five minute walk from there to the apartment complex,” Logan explained. Remus frowned when he realized the direction they were walking in, towards the more low-income part of town, but he decided to say nothing. They walked in silence, which surprised Logan, until they got to the store. Remus grabbed a cart and wheeled himself down the aisles, giggling. “Remus, please, we need to locate the bouncing balls.”

“Oh, alright. You’re no fun,” Remus pouted, and the two located the area with them. They got several packets of various sizes, and Remus also grabbed a large bouncing ball, which he held by hugging it. Logan rolled his eyes, but a small smile formed on his lips when he realized that Remus looked like a small child when he held the giant ball. They checked out at the front, Remus insisting on paying for everything, which only amounted to about $10. Logan made a fuss, but secretly he was grateful, because he only had a few bucks left until his next payday, and would need to go to the grocery story soon.

Remus toddled along the sidewalk, still hugging the ball, while Logan walked beside him, the plastic bag in his hand holding the rest of the bouncing balls. When they got to the apartment complex, Remus followed Logan up a short flight of stairs and stood awkwardly as the smart kid dug his keys out of his pocket. He opened the door, allowing Remus to go in first, and went inside after. Remus set the ball down gently, glancing around.

The kitchen was small. There was no TV, just a futon with some blankets and pillows on it, a dining table covered in worn books and papers, and two closed doors, one leading to a bathroom and the other to the only bedroom. There were cardboard boxes littered everywhere, with clothes spilling out of them. Logan looked ashamed, but also remained quiet as he set his backpack down on the futon. He fumbled through his backpack to grab his worn notebook.

“...Logan, I–”

“Don’t. Let’s just get this over with,” was the only response he gave. He set up a chart to log height, trajectory, number of rebound bounces, size of ball, and floor type. “Should we start small or big?”

“Uh, big first.”

The two sat cross-legged on the floor in various areas of the room for the next few hours as Remus dropped the balls from a constant height and Logan logged the results. They had set up a perilous tower of books to keep Remus’ phone camera focused on the actions. It was mostly quiet except for the bouncing and the scratching of Logan’s pencil on paper, and he just hoped that Remus wasn’t uncomfortable. He knew that the Creative twins came from a rich family, and he wondered if the jokester had ever been in such a small and worn-down place.

As they were wrapping up their experimenting, Logan’s mother came home, eyes deep set in shadows and hair greasy and mangled. Remus said nothing as Logan explained that they were science partners, working on an assignment, and that he’d be starting their dinner very soon. She just nodded and excused herself to take a shower and a nap.

“What does your mother do for work?” Remus asked, breaking the awkward silence. Logan ran a hand through his hair.

“She’s a nurse during the day, and at night she works at a 24-hour café,” Logan explained. “Ever since my dad died, we’ve lived here. I’ve had to pick up a job as a tutor, and recently I started working at the café, too, to take a little bit of the pressure off of my mom.”

“I’m sorry about your dad,” Remus said gently, placing a hand on Logan’s shoulder. “Actually, I’m sorry about… everything. If I’d have known, I wouldn’t have suggested someplace else, this is worse than Roman singing–”

“Shut up,” Logan’s voice was wavering. “This isn’t worse. This is my fucking life, Remus, and I’m not ashamed of it. Don’t pity me.” Remus looked down at his feet, ashamed.

“I’m sorry. I just…” he sighed. “You deserve better. Everyone in school always makes fun of you for being smart and wearing those dorky clothes. You deserve a better science partner than me, that’s for damn sure.” Logan started to say something but was interrupted by his mom coming out from her bedroom.

“Remus, are you staying for dinner? Logan always makes the most delicious dinners, even though we don’t have much,” She said, sitting on one of the chairs at the table.

“Um, thank you, but I should… probably head home,” Remus didn’t meet her eyes. She frowned and gave a look to Logan, who just nodded. She went back to her room while Logan stood up, heading towards the small kitchenette. Remus watched him carefully. “So… you cook?” Logan smiled, getting the ingredients for his simple soup out from the fridge and pantry.

“My dad was a chef. He taught me everything I know about food, so… yeah, I make all of the food,” He replied. Remus went to join him in the kitchen, and studied Logan’s movements as he cut the vegetables up and put them in the soup pot. “You should stay. So that after, we can accumulate our data and write the report.”

“I don’t want to take what little food you have, though…” Remus’ voice was serious, and it startled Logan, who just shook his head.

“Please don’t worry about that,” he took a deep breath. “I’d… like you to stay. You’re my science partner after all.” Remus sighed, and nodded.

“How can I help?”

-

“This was so tasty, baby. Thank you,” Logan’s mom kissed the top of his head. “I’ve gotta head out to the café now, don’t stay up too late alright? And make sure Remus here gets home safely.”

“I will, Mama,” Logan said. He closed her thermos that he had filled with coffee and handed it to her. “I’ll see you in the morning.” She waved and smiled at Remus and then left the two in the apartment. Remus cleared the dishes from the table and began cleaning them, without saying anything. Logan just helped to dry and put away the dishes, and when their hands met he almost dropped a glass, but he caught it, the red blush coating his face.

“You’re kind of like Wolverine,” Remus said, breaking the silence. “Other than the fact that your name is Logan. You’re strong, and you’ve been through a lot, you’re kinda sexy…” He turned off the water. “You’re like… nerdy wolverine.”

“I don’t know about that–”

Remus didn’t let him argue. He grabbed Logan’s hands which were still holding a bowl and a towel and kissed him, startling the nerdy boy. Logan stumbled back, almost dropping the bowl but he set it down gently, his face bright red and a startled look on his face.

“Don’t! Don’t pity me–”

“Logan–”

“Get out!” Logan threw the towel at Remus’ face. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing–”

“Logan, I’ve had a major crush on you for two years,” Remus said plainly. Logan blinked, a confused look replacing his angry face. “The way you get all excited about science and facts? At the astronomy lesson last month you had this ‘lost in the stars’ expression the whole time. So… I requested to have you be my science partner for this assignment. I wasn’t going to do or say anything but… I couldn’t help it. I’m sorry.”

“I’ve never liked anyone before, so I don’t know if I can just…”

“It’s okay,” Remus looked down. “I’ll go home. I’m really sorry, Logan. I’ll take the data and write it up, okay? You don’t need to worry.” He started to turn away, but Logan gripped his wrist.

“I’m not saying that I don’t want to, Remus,” he clarified, then sighed. “I just… I’ll need a little bit of time, okay?”

-

The bell above the door jingled as Remus stepped into the small café. He didn’t immediately see Logan, but he sat down at his usual booth, setting his backpack down next to him. Logan’s mom bounded over, a smile on her face.

“Morning, Remus,” she said, pouring some coffee into the mug in front of him. “Lo’s on dish washing duty today, but I’ll let him know you’re here, okay?”

“Thanks, Mrs. C,” Remus smiled up at her. He pulled a book out of his backpack and began reading, taking occasional sips of his coffee. After about five minutes, Logan’s mom brought over his usual sunny side up egg with some hash browns.

“Another book on reptiles, Remus?” She asked, settling into the booth across from him. “You two really are very similar.” Remus smiled, dog-tagging the page he was on and setting the book down.  He coated his entire plate with ketchup and took a bite.

“Did you know that snakes and lizards use their tongues to smell the things around them?” Remus asked, and she just giggled, sticking her tongue out. He did too, and laughed. She got up after that, doing her rounds, and he settled in deeper to the cushion.

It had been two months since the science experiment. Remus spent all of his Saturdays in the café while Logan was working. He did his homework, read books, and got to know Logan’s mom, who was quirky and silly despite her constant exhaustion. Logan was still hesitant around Remus, though, and he didn’t want to push anything. When they saw each other, Remus would just kiss the smart boy’s cheek. They hadn’t kissed again.

But they spent a lot of time together, and Remus hoped that some progress was being made. They’d study together in Logan’s apartment after school on Logan’s days off, and sometimes Logan would just rest his head on Remus’ shoulder because he was so tired. On Sundays, Logan would go over to Remus’ house, since Remus had a lot of fancy science equipment they could use together.

Every once in a while, Roman would ask what was going on between the two, but Remus would just shrug and say they were friends. He hoped that someday, he could say they were more.

“Hey,” Logan’s clear voice brought Remus out of his deep thoughts. He glanced up at Logan, who slid into the seat across from him, a plate of toast with jam on them in hand. Remus gave him a sweet smile, resting his chin on his hand.

“Hi, Lolo,” he said. “Are you on your break right now?”

“Yeah,” was Logan’s only response as he took a bite of one of the pieces of toast. Remus took a bite of his food as well, and they ate in comfortable silence until Remus felt a foot brush against his own. He raised an eyebrow at Logan, whose face was bright red.

“What’s up?” He asked, setting his fork down with a slight clang. Logan said nothing and kept eating his toast, but with his spare hand he took a folded note out of his pocket and slid it across the table. Remus gave him a confused glance but picked it up, unfolding the paper.

Remus,

There’s a documentary about eels playing at the dollar theater tomorrow. Wanna go?

-Logan

Remus giggled a little, holding back his desire to make an eel-in-his-pants joke. “Yeah, of course, Lolo. Why couldn’t you just ask?” Logan looked down, his face still bright red, and scarfed down the rest of his toast. He took a sip of Remus’ coffee, then cleared his throat.

“It’s kind of nerve wracking asking someone out on a date, okay?” Logan admitted. Remus must have looked startled, because a wave of panic crossed Logan’s face. “I-if you don’t want it to be a date–”

“No, I do, Lo, I just… I’m surprised, is all,” Remus said, giving Logan a bright smile. “I just don’t want you to rush into feeling ready for that…”

“...I’m… ready for that, Remus,” Logan said, looking down again. Remus nudged his foot again, and the two sat in a comfortable silence for the rest of Logan’s break.

-

“...you’re wearing a suit,” Logan muttered, eyeing Remus up and down. He had just opened the apartment door. “Why, exactly, are you doing that?” Remus shrugged, looking down at his own attire. It was a dark green suit.

“It’s our first date, so… yeah.” He blushed a little. “You look nice, Lo. As always.” Logan adjusted his tie, but felt like his polo shirt just wasn’t cutting it anymore. He always wore this, he figured Remus would show up in his usual torn jeans and tank top and leather jacket but no, he just had to show up looking all dapper and smelling like something he’d gotten a whiff of from a magazine once.

“Hang on,” Logan shut the door quickly, leaving a startled Remus on the other side of the door. He frowned a little, but didn’t move from his spot. Logan ran into his mom’s bedroom and flung open the closet, digging until he got to the box of his dad’s old clothes.

When he opened the door again, Remus’ jaw dropped. Logan was in a tweed jacket. LOGAN. WAS. IN. A. TWEED. JACKET. And he had changed out of his jeans into some nice dress pants and from his polo shirt to a button-down. He wore the same tie, but, god, Remus could have tackled him then.

“Lo, you look… fucking beautiful,” He smiled, pulling Logan in for a hug. His lips brushed Logan’s warm cheek, and Logan reached up to wrap his arms around the taller teen. Their lips met briefly, and Remus swore he could sprout wings and fly into the sky. “Okay, seriously though, we should go before I rip that jacket right off of you.” Logan blushed and stepped outside with Remus, then closed and locked the apartment door. Remus laced their fingers together as they walked down the steps and onto the sidewalk.

-

Logan insisted on buying the tickets for the film since he was the one who had initiated the date, but Remus wouldn’t let him pay for their popcorn and icee. They settled into their seats, the theater almost completely empty save for a few older folks near the middle of the theater. Logan’s leg bounced up and down, and Remus settled a hand on his thigh.

“Sorry, Remus. I’m just… nervous? I don’t know why, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a movie, but–” He cut himself off, looking down.

“It’s okay, Lo. I’m nervous too. I don’t want to mess this up,” He kept his hand on Logan’s thigh as the lights dimmed and the film started. Logan put the drink holder between them up and leaned into Remus a little. In response, Remus wrapped an arm around his shoulders, bringing him closer.

They each made little comments throughout the film, but Logan was almost completely enthralled by the smell of Remus’ cologne, and Remus could barely breathe with the way that Logan was pressed up against him. Once the film was over, Remus insisted on walking Logan home, and once again their fingers were laced together as they walked as close together as possible under the flickering streetlights and moonlight.

As they got back to Logan’s apartment, his mother was leaving for her shift at the café. She gave them each a kiss on the cheek as she left, and then the two stood awkwardly in front of the door to the apartment. Logan rubbed the back of his neck.

“You… um… you wanna come inside for a few minutes?” He asked hesitantly. Remus glanced down, but nodded, so the two entered the apartment. They sat on the futon, barely touching, and Logan sighed. “I… I’m sorry. I just feel all tingly when I’m around you, Remus. It’s a good tingly, but… I don’t know how to cope with it.” Remus let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and scooted closer to Logan, his hand once again finding a comfortable space on the nerd’s thigh and his arm wrapping around the padded shoulders of the tweed jacket.

“Tingly is good. I don’t want to push you too much, okay? If I’m doing something you don’t like, please tell me. You mean a lot to me, Lo,” Remus said before kissing Logan deeply. Logan kissed back, enthusiastically pressing himself against the larger man, a hand tangling in his hair. Logan’s other hand trailed under Remus’ jacket coat, making him shiver and pull back. “Lo, seriously, you don’t need to do anything you’re not ready for–”

“Remus, just shut up and kiss me more, okay?” Logan tried kissing him again but Remus stayed out of his reach.

“If we’re going to go any farther we need to discuss it first, please,” Remus’ eyes were pleading, and it took Logan by complete surprise. He figured that Remus would be ecstatic to take things to the next level physically, considering all of the jokes and hints he thought he had been given over the past few months.

“I… I think this is what I want, but how do you know when you’re ready?” Logan asked. Remus took his hands gently and brought them up to kiss each knuckle.

“I’m not so sure myself, Lo. I’ve never… had someone like you. I’ve never done anything,” He admitted, which honestly surprised Logan, and it was evident on his face. “I did say I’ve had a crush on you for years, didn’t I? I could never be with someone else, no matter how tempted I was.”

“...I haven’t either. But I feel like… I could with you. Maybe not today. But… someday?” Logan’s voice was small. Remus smiled and placed a hand on his cheek.

“I like the idea of someday, Lo,” He said, leaning in to kiss him gently. “It’ll be like a science experiment. As time goes by, we might get more and more comfortable but we will have to test the boundaries. We might get things wrong, but… eventually we will figure it out.” Logan smiled, resting his head on Remus’ shoulder. “Until then, we can take things at a snail’s pace.”

“Did you know that some aquatic snails have lungs?”

“No, but did you know that snail mucus could be good for your skin?”

[redhatmeg]

The boys and their dogs - the Scoob! analysis

Ah, the boy and his pet... one of the best sources of cuddliness and beautiful friendship moments. There is just something about a human being making a connection with an animal that speaks to us on a spiritual level.

And it so happens that relations between dog and a man is one of the main themes of the latest Scooby Doo movie. Kind of understinable, considering the fact that it starts with the story of how Shaggy and Scooby met; and that there are multiple dogs (and dog-like creatures) all around Hanna Barbera shows.

So let’s start with Shaggy and Scooby. Over time Scooby being Shaggy’s dog became kind of a logical conclusion, considering that they are each other’s best friends and always hang out together. They are also very similar - they are both kind of cowardly, they both love food, they both like the same things. Most of the time Fred, Velma and Daphne are doing the investigations, while Scooby and Shaggy are doing their usual shenningans.

The movie opens with pup Scooby stealing a gyro roll and running from the policeman. Then we get a first look at Shaggy - a young boy who has no friends. Maybe he’s just shy. Maybe other kids think he’s weird. Either way - he’s all alone and everything seems to remind him that of his loneliness. Instead of looking for other kids to befriend he decides to make two sand mounds and talk to them. Oh, but it so happens that Scooby is one of those mounds and after listening to Shaggy’s sad story, he decides to come out and make a connection. Soon after that a policeman shows up and that’s how Scooby becomes Shaggy’s dog. And then they meet the others and form Scooby gang we know and love.

This relationship between Scooby and Shaggy is put into the test when it turns out that Scooby is important for some reason. Over the course of the movie Shaggy becomes jealous of Scooby, because of all the attention he gets from Blue Falcon and co... but he also feels abandoned to some extend by Scooby. Especially because at some point Scooby takes off the collar Shaggy gave him and this collar is like a sign of their bond - this collar means that Scooby is Shaggy’s dog and best friend, and Scooby promised to never take it off. But now he has to if he wants to get a new superhero outfit. Over the course of the movie it turns out that it’s this bond between Shaggy and Scooby - a bond that Alexander the Great and his dog shared once upon a time - that saves the day.

Let’s move on to another boy and his dog - Blue Falcon and Dynomutt. Now, this relationship is rather complicated because as much as in the original cartoons they were good friends and partners in crime-fighting, here Dynomutt isn’t very fond of his superhero owner... and that’s because it’s not the old Blue Falcon Shaggy and Scooby grew up with. It’s his rather dumb and self-serving son, Brian. Dynomutt misses his old owner who just retired and passed his legacy unto his son. For Dynomutt Brian is a poor replacement, someone who doesn’t exactly matches his father’s heroic persona. Most of the time it’s Dynomutt and Dee Dee who actually do all the work, because Brian is too absorbed by the appearance and his social media presence. At some point he even runs away from the action. We get why Dynomutt isn’t very fond of him.

Brian and Dynomutt didn’t form their bond yet. Brian is too distracted by other things to see Dynomutt as his partner, and Dynomutt still misses his old owner so he doesn’t try to form this bond.

But in the heat of the climitic battle when Dynomutt sees Brian hiding and typing his father’s number because he doesn’t feel strong enough to fight this battle and help others, Dynomutt talks to him and encourages him to embrace his inner hero. In this moment Dynomutt sees Brian as his master’s kid - a kid who’s scared and doesn’t feel adequate. And in this moment Dynomutt realizes that maybe he was too hard on him and let his resentments cloud his judgement. In the end they finally start to work side by side.

And finally let’s move to Dick Dastardly and Muttley. This one is actually very surprising, considering the fact that in both shows where they were a prominent characters - Wacky Races and Dastardly and Muttley in their Flying Machines - their interactions aren’t very friendly: Dastardly treated Muttley poorly, while Muttley in return laughed at Dastardly’s misfortunes. One would think that Dastardly wouldn’t care if something happens to his cannine companion.

But here’s the thing: in this movie there is a bond between Dick Dastardly and Muttley. All throughout the plot Dastardly refers to Muttley as his partner, because it’s true - they are partners in crime. They always were, but in this movie Dastardly is hell-bent (no pun intented) to get Muttley out from the place he put him in years ago. He even has a little shrine dedicated to Muttley. Later, when he tells a story on how his dog got stuck in the Underworld, his flashback self is all too happy to let Muttley go first in case there is something dangerous in there... but once it seems that the portal is malufanctioning, Dastardly is actually worried for him. And when Muttley gets stuck in the Underworld Dastardly is so distraught that he vows to open the door to it and get him out.

That’s because the bond between these two is a little different then the one between Scooby and Shaggy or the older Blue Falcon and Dynomutt. Yes, Dastardly often treats Muttley poorly in older cartoons, but Muttley often shows that he can fight for himself; he can get something from Dastardly - he’s feisty, he’s sneaky, he’s manipulative, he’s greedy... In some way, he and Dastardly are a perfect match. But I also think that this is the case of Dastardly realizing how much Muttley means to him once Muttley is taken away from him. This is a bond that maybe caught him by surprise; he had to lose his dog to realize that he how much he cared for him. And when Dastardly finally achieves his goal; when he finally finds Muttley in the Underworld, the dog doesn’t react nice to him at first, but Dastardly - even though angry for a moment becuase Muttley bit him - is soon overwhelmed with joy and hugs him. In the heat of the battle they just run away with loot... but they run together and that’s the important part.

In conclusion:

Scooby and Shaggy, of course, share the most perfect bond between a boy and his dog, because it’s a bond born of two lonely souls finding each other and becoming whole.

Brian and Dynomutt have to work on their bond, because it’s in an early stage of their relationship; a dog misses his old boy and doesn’t get along with the new one, so they both need work to establish this bond.

And Dastardly and Muttley’s bond is a bond between a villainous boy and his equally villainous dog, who may treat each other badly but they still care for one another.

The boys and their dogs, ladies and gentlemen.

[mikeyhatesit113]

forever and never: Chapter 12

My Toyota Matrix speeds down the highway, leaving the New York City skyline behind us in the rear view mirror. Janie sits in the passenger seat, admiring the engagement ring I had given to her just hours before in Times Square.

Ahead of us, the sun sinks slowly toward the horizon. Everything about that day had been perfect, and it was sending us off with a beautiful sunset. I felt proud as Janie smiled genuinely at her ring, knowing in my heart that I had treated her like a true princess that day.

“It’s beautiful,” she says. “I love you.”

I look over at her with a smile as wide as the Brooklyn Bridge itself.

“I love you too,” I say, pride swelling in my chest.

“Forever and ever,” she says.

“Plus a day,” I whisper.

2 Years Later

Janie and I step onto our front porch step, anticipation building in my chest. I had not been home in more than 3 weeks, and I had no idea what awaited me on the other side of the front door.

I had spent sleepless nights at my grandmother’s house, mental images torturing me during the night. Wicked animations produced by an imagination hell-bent on punishing me. Images that took place in the very dwelling I was about to re-enter for the first time in over 21 days.

Janie opens the door, and I take in the scene before me.

The smell hit me first. The scent was unfamiliar, as if something else had inhabited the place since my abrupt departure.

Stale cologne?

What was more, the furniture had been rearranged. The kitchen looked different, decorated with additional chairs and flat surfaced stands.

It was at that moment when I noticed that Janie was studying me, awaiting my reaction to the many changes to the place I had previously called home.

This, however, did not look like home. This was a foreign place, accented by a foreign occupant who was hiding in plain sight.

But what, or who, I could not put my finger on.

I forced a smile, hugging Janie. Though I did not recognize this environment, another part of me desperately wanted to call it home again.

Janie gave me a tour, which proved to be an orientation into her new world. A universe she had constructed in my absence, but a galaxy I was almost certain that she did not build alone.

“Wow,” I mumbled as we trudged up the stairs to the bedrooms. Brock’s room looked almost untouched, but James’ room yielded a big difference.

There was now a ball python resting in a tank beside his TV.

“Who’s snake?” I asked.

“Steppenwolf’s,” Janie said anxiously. “He brought it as a gift for the boys,” she quickly explained.

“He stayed here?” I asked, a familiar irritation arising in my chest, despite my best efforts.

“Only when the boys wanted him to, for a sleepover,” she replied.

“Oh,” I said. I immediately felt trapped again, like I was going against everything I had tried to stand for. I felt outraged. I felt like I had been violated.

I felt sick.

“And uh, where did he sleep?” I asked.

“Downstairs on the couch,” she said. “He didn’t stay here often.”

“And where did you sleep when you went to his house?” I asked.

“On his couch or in a spare room,” she replied as a matter-of-factly.

I wanted to believe her. I needed to believe her. It was the only way this could work.

“Ok...” I spoke, trying to shove her truth down my throat.

I hoped to God that he didn’t see the inside of our bedroom, which in fact, had also been transformed during my absence.

My brand new queen-size bed was long gone, currently locked up in a dark storage unit. In its place was a twin bed with a frame that creaked, and a mattress with springs that groaned. Additionally, the right side of our room was lit up with a red light that glowed from another large reptile tank which housed a lizard.

That night, I slept warily beside her in that crimson-lit room. I laid awake, wondering what I didn’t know. Wondering what she wasn’t telling me. Wondering if I was making the right decision.

I certainly didn’t have the support from my friends and family, who were incredulous that I returned to her embrace.

“I just want your support and friendship right now,” I texted my friend one day. “You got it,” he wrote back.

His response was not what I was looking for, but did he have the right words to make me feel like I was doing the right thing?

No one did, but in the effort of leaving no stone unturned, everyone’s opinion could not matter.

This was my journey, and no one else’s footsteps or words could complete the distance for me. I had to do it myself, whether it was 3 days, 3 weeks, or forever and ever, just like we had always promised eachother.

Logistically, the tricky task was moving the right amount of stuff back home to Janie and I’s place. I was not ready to empty my room at my Grandmother’s house, nor did I touch my storage unit.

They had been safe zones, and as happy as I was to be back home, I was still rather uncomfortable. I wanted to take it slow, if there was a such thing for a married couple.

Of course, there were other things returned. Janie drove with me to my grandmother’s house one Sunday afternoon to grab one of the things she had missed the most; her Lancer.

In the Lancer’s absence, her father had bought her a $300 mid-1990’s Oldsmobile that had an oil leak problem. It did not have a 6-disc CD player, but it did have a cassette player with cracked vinyl seats.

Call it vintage appeal, if you will. A time machine back to the 1990’s on 4 wheels.

I remember handing Janie the car key to the Lancer and her excitedly hopping in the driver seat. “I love this car,” she said, taking in the interior all over again as if it were the first time ever.

When the boys came home from their father’s house that evening, it was the reunion I was looking forward to most. I hugged them both, telling them both how much I had missed them. As far as I was concerned, I was back for good. And they’d never feel that pain again.

I did have unfinished business, however. I had seen enough photos of the boys sporting fedora hats, indicating that Steppenwolf had bought them their very own wacky hats. I did not appreciate these photos, so one afternoon, I found his Facebook.

I simply sent him this:

:)

It wasn’t long before he answered me.

“Hello?” he responded.

I couldn’t resist myself.

“I want to thank you for trying to take care of a family that wasn’t yours, and I hope you kept the receipt from whatever costume shop you bought those ridiculous hats from.”

“That purple sports car will never fill the void.”

“How does it feel to be an empty old man?”

“What’s wrong, Steppenwolf? Answer me.”

Steppenwolf did not respond, and I was blocked shortly thereafter.

Janie, however, was not happy that I had attacked Steppenwolf. When I told her about what I had sent him, she told me that she already knew I had done so, and that she just wanted me to leave it alone.

Nothing had happened between them. He had been just a friend.

Upon our reunion, Janie and I agreed to participate in marriage counseling. One October evening, our pastor showed up to our home and ate a nice dinner with us. Afterwards, with the cool, Autumn air flowing through the screen door near the kitchen table, Janie and I sat across from each other as our pastor looked on from the side.

We had each written down our concerns on a piece of paper, and it didn’t take long before the dialogue spun out of control.

In my endeavor to overlook so much and ignore so many little details, I could not bring myself to believe that she hadn’t lied to me. That she hadn’t kissed one of my best friends.

That she hadn’t betrayed me.

That I wasn’t her fool.

I guess in the end, even though I felt worthless, I owed myself some semblance of the truth.

I felt the conversation turn against me, and our pastor was soon siding with Janie about my paranoia. He hadn’t lived the nights I had, and he hadn’t seen the dark shadows drift in and out of our lives for the past 2 years.

Specters of betrayal. Phantoms that she denied ever existed.

Ghosts and goblins that haunted the life I thought we’d build.

Secrets that wouldn’t stay dead. Rotting corpses that wouldn’t stay buried.

“Michael,” our pastor chuckled. “You have these...construction crews...in your head,” he spoke. “And they build things out of these thoughts you have,” he said, laughing softly. Janie sat beside him, smirking at me.

I’ll never forget the smug look on her face as she stared at me, enjoying the fact that another human being had taken her at her word.

Nothing happened. He’s angry. He’s paranoid.

I couldn’t take it. I had tried to suppress it, bury it, destroy it, even...but the rage had returned. I stood up abruptly from my chair, anger coursing through my veins.

So many friends and family had contributed to my mental health over the past weeks, and this is how I repaid them? This is how I rewarded myself?

Being mocked by my pastor and my wife during marriage counseling?

“You sit there,” I bellowed, pointing a finger at her. “Laughing at me, looking down on me from your pedestal? Trust me, hunny, I’m looking down on you. I have nothing for you.”

I went to walk away, but my pastor called me back to the table.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Ekim,” he said. “Where are you going? Get back to this table.”

I returned to the table slowly, staring at Janie. Her smirk was gone, replaced by a poisonous look of revulsion. I echoed her emotion.

We truly were toxic.

Of course, that counseling session was the start of the downward slope. More odd occurrences around the house sparked more questions and suspicions.

Like the Earl Grey Teabags on the counter, and the Syracuse hoodie I found in the wash basket one morning while I was folding clothes.

Janie was not a tea drinker, nor was she a Syracuse fan. Janie wasn’t home at that time, so I texted her a picture of the hoodie with the simple question, “What’s this?”

“Uh, a Syracuse hoodie,” she responded.

“I get that. Why do you have a Syracuse hoodie?” I texted.

“My family lived in Syracuse for a little bit when I was a little girl,” she texted back.

This was a blatant lie. Her family had never lived in Syracuse, much less another county.

Janie and I hobbled on, but our legs were giving out. The fighting soon made a vengeful comeback, and our tempers boiled over one rainy day.

I struggled with the lies. I struggled with the stories. I struggled with the person I had become. I hated him. I hated what I saw in the mirror. I hated his guts.

I hated what I did to Jay, now that I was at some capacity to understand it years later.

My mood became tense, and the suspicions only increased.

In the kitchen one day, we locked horns. Janie was making dinner when an argument started. It would be futile to try to tell you exactly regarding what, as I cannot remember due to the violent maelstrom we were trapped in. The reasons for conflict and discord were abundant and vicious. Pick one.

After a venomous word exchange, Janie slammed the casserole dish down on the stove top, cracking it. I turned away and marched out the front door into the pouring rain. I unlocked my car, sobbing as I flung open the door and sat in the driver seat.

I had not noticed Janie following me, and she came into my view as I shoved my key into the ignition.

“Where are you going?” she pleaded.

I didn’t plan to say it, and to be honest, I didn’t even know I felt it like I did.

But it came from the heart.

“I fucking hate my life,” I cried, looking her in the eyes. She stared back at me pitifully, the cold rain drops falling on both of us as we took each other in.

Who were we? What had we become?

How had our house of cards collapsed like this? We thought we were the exception.

We hobbled on.

One sunny Saturday morning before Halloween, we were ready to go to a pumpkin patch. However, before walking out the door, I noticed that James was apprehensive.

Everyone else had walked out to the car, and I seized the moment to address James alone.

“James, what’s wrong?” I asked, walking up to him and kneeling down.

“I’m afraid you’re going to leave again,” he said, looking at the ground.

I was taken aback, but I was encouraged all the same.

“James, I love you, your brother, and your mommy very much,” I said. “I love you, and I’m not going to leave you,” I assured him, pulling him into a tight hug.

“I promise, I’m here for good.”

After Halloween, we saw another November 1st arrive. Our anniversary, a day we hailed for years as the day we found eachother.

A day, 5 years earlier, that changed both of our lives forever.

A day I had progressively become more and more ashamed of.

I gave her the gift I had gotten her, a flashy trinket with the engraving, “Forever and ever”.

As soon as she opened it, I could tell she was expecting more. Another disappointing gift on another day we had no reason to celebrate.

Little did I know, that November 1st would be our last.

This is where I’m going to ask you to dig in your memory bank and pull out a date. A date I asked you to remember many chapters ago.

A date with more significance and karma than you could guess.

November 4th.

Welcome to the End.

“Passion or coincidence, Once prompted you to say, "Pride will tear us both apart". Well, now pride's gone out the window, Cross the rooftops, Run away... Left me in the vacuum of my heart.

What is happening to me? Crazy, some'd say. Where is my friend when I need you most? Gone away.”

Duran Duran “Ordinary World”

NOTE: Though this is my side of the story, including my own personal recollections and opinions, the reader should not consider this note anything other than a work of literature. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

[clarkimagines]

Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko with Wesley Crusher (Star Trek TNG)? Thanks a bunch!!!!

Requested by anonymous

Song: Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko

Word Count: 576

A/N: i used a fem!reader for this one because of the song. this is one of those songs I can recite from memory 😂 I hope you like it!

Saw your face, heard your name

Gotta get with you

Wesley’s mind ground to a halt as his eyes brushed past your figure. He did a double take. He had come to the engine room to help with maintenance, and instead, he found the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He drew his shoulders back a little and ran a hand through his hair, hopefully making it look tastefully messy and not just unkempt. Then he walked right up to you and extended his hand in greeting.

“Hi, I’m Wesley Crusher. What’s your name?”

“I’m Y/n, nice to meet you,” you said in reply.

“That’s a nice name.”

“Thanks,” you said simply, brushing off his awkward attempt at flirting.

“Y/n, Crusher, I could use some help over here!”

“Yes, sir.”

You spoke in unison, which brought a smile to your face. The two of you rushed over to the engineer who’d called you. The man put the two of you to work on cleaning the consoles. It wasn’t the most entertaining work, but Wesley chatted with you as he worked, which made it much better than anything else he could’ve been doing. He was almost sad as he dusted off the last keyboard.

On the move collecting numbers

I’ma take your girl out

The two of you hung out often after that; you both helped out in the engine room, and talked aimlessly as you tightened fasteners and checked readings. He couldn’t stop smiling when he was around you. You were ridiculously funny, and the wacky stories you told never failed to make him laugh. You were also insanely smart, even catching a few of his errors before he did.

After another week of engineering duty with you, he worked up the courage to ask you out. His hands were clammy and he felt like he was caught in a ship’s tractor beam, unable to move, but somehow he got the words out.

“I was thinking of renting out the holodeck tomorrow, would you like to join me? As a date?”

You let out a sharp breath, then gave him an apologetic smile. “Look, Wesley, I’ve enjoyed getting to know you, but I just see you as a friend.” You saw the heartbroken look flash across his face before he could mask it and hastily added, “it’s not you, I promise! You’re really nice and smart. It’s just that I like girls, and well, you aren’t one.”

“Oh.” Wesley stifled his frown, turning it into a tight, awkward smile. “Oh, that’s alright!”

“Sorry,” you said.

“It’s no problem, you’ve got nothing to be sorry for. I… probably should’ve noticed sooner. I’m really sorry if I’ve made you uncomfortable,” he replied.

You just shrugged. “No, it’s alright.”

Both of you were silent, grateful for the work that kept you from just standing there wordlessly. After a few moments, Wesley spoke up again.

“If you didn’t want it as a date, I could invite a few of my other friends. I’m sure you’d like them, and I’ve already rented the holodeck, anyways.”

You smiled, a real one this time. “That sounds great!” Then, quietly, you said, “I hope this doesn’t change anything between us. You’re a great friend, Wesley.”

“Of course not!” Wesley replied. “You’re a great friend, too, Y/n.”

We will be everything that we'd ever need

Don't tell me, tell me what I feel

I'm real and I don't feel like boys

[nellie-elizabeth]

Grey's Anatomy: Give a Little Bit (16x18)

I knew Andrew was gonna be right... ugh... poor thing.

Cons:

I really cannot get a read on how I'm meant to feel about Teddy right now, but I basically think she's the worst. She's hurting Tom, she cheated on Owen, she seems completely selfish in all of her motivations. She thought Owen might have gotten another woman pregnant before they were even together, and because of that she slept with another man multiple times. Like... how am I supposed to feel sympathy? This whole plot thread is attempting to paint Owen as this super sweet, super good guy who is being hurt by those around him, but let's be real. Owen has the most terminal case of Nice Guy syndrome I've ever seen in my life, and he gets away with being emotionally unfaithful by giving puppy-dog eyes to everyone. I think he's boring and I think he's scummy.

The hospital is having a pro bono surgery day, and things are chaotic and way too busy, so Meredith extends the day, and says they're going to have pro bono surgeries once a month. This is after she finds out that the billionaire dude from last week's episode gave an insane amount of funding to the hospital, and she learns about Koracick's unethical practices to get that money. I agree that the American healthcare system is bonkers, and it's nice to see the show tackle that in a more meaningful way this season. But all of this just seems wacky to me. Can Meredith really make a promise like that? Wouldn't you think that doing something so ostentatious would draw attention to the hospital and make it more likely that Koracick's crime would be discovered?

Okay, so, the DeLuca situation is that he suspects a woman of human trafficking who comes in to the ER. He's been acting erratic, though, so people don't believe him until it escalates. Turns out, as we see when the woman and her victim leave, DeLuca was right, and they got away. I don't mind the idea of DeLuca having some issues and also being right, but the problem is in the way he couldn't get a single other person to take him seriously. Even Bailey only did a cursory once-over before deciding that DeLuca was delusional. If any other doctor had raised that concern, everyone would have taken it more seriously. I guess I just wish for a bit more balance on this kind of thing, and I hope Bailey feels like crap for doubting him when the truth comes out.

Pros:

Jackson had this cute little subplot where he goes around trying to find someone to go to a basketball game with him. Vic was supposed to go, but they've broken up. He asks Owen, who turns him down. He asks Jo, who is offended at being a backup choice. He asks Hayes, who says it's not really his thing. Jackson has been pissing me off this season, so I'm always on the lookout to be frustrated by the plot threads he's given. But I like how his loneliness and feelings post-breakup have led to him seeking companionship in this sweet way.

He and Maggie have a totally civil exchange as they talk about Richard and Catherine's divorce, and it turns out Jackson has been trying not to take sides, but of course Richard doesn't know that. With guidance from Maggie, Jackson asks Richard to go to the basketball game, and he gleefully accepts. I thought that was really cute! It's nice to see Maggie and Jackson acting like adults around each other for once, and Richard and Jackson finding ways to stay close is something I didn't know I wanted to see until I had seen it.

So... Levi and Nico have broken up. This has been the way the wind was blowing for a while. There's a part of me that feels frustrated that Nico didn't get a fair shake from the writers. We didn't get much time to actually learn about him as a person, separate from what he meant to Levi. But that said, if we take Nico's behavior at face value, Levi really needed to get out of that relationship. Just the fact that Levi wanted to talk, and Nico said "what now" is enough of a red flag for me on its own. What the hell, Nico. And I think Levi is in this strange position of feeling a special connection to Nico because he helped him realize who he is, and come to terms with his sexuality. And yet honestly, Nico has not treated him well recently. At all. And Levi is learning how to be in a relationship, learning how to ask for what he wants. It's not unreasonable to expect to be at least a consideration in Nico's mind as he contemplates taking a job that will keep him on the road half the time. The fact that Nico doesn't take Levi into account is proof that they're not on the same page.

Jo's struggle this week is about what people should call her. She's not Dr. Karev anymore, and she doesn't like Dr. Wilson either... so for now she'll be Dr. Jo. Obviously I'm going to be frustrated about the Alex thing for a very long time, but if this is what we have to work with, I'm glad Jo is doing alright in the aftermath. She's sleeping on her couch instead of her bed, but at least she's sleeping. She's grumpy about going into work, but at least she goes.

My favorite exchange in the whole episode goes to Jo and Levi, actually. As they both lament the ends of their relationships together, Jo offers to let Levi come stay with her for a while. He replies: "Jo, that time in my mom's basement was a one-time thing, I'm a gay man." Jo lets out a peel of her infectious, joyous laughter, and says: "That's why you're getting the invite, dummy!" I've always loved Jo's laugh, and it was really heartening to see her in a place where she could be cheerful like that. I'm all for Levi and Jo being weird roommates for a bit!

The ongoing saga of Owen/Teddy/Koracick/Amelia/Link drama will never fail to piss me off, but it does appear that one "branch" of the drama is officially over. Last week I hoped that Amelia would tell Owen right away that the baby's not his, so we could knock off at least one cause of stupid angst. And lo and behold - right at the start of the episode, Amelia marches into the room, and tells Owen and Teddy both: "the baby is Link's!" I was so happy about this, even as I continue to be pissed off at Teddy for trying to use the possible paternity of Amelia's baby as an excuse for her infidelity.

Tom Koracick really is a good man. He talks about how he's slept with a lot of women, but he has a code about it, and he's not going to sleep with Teddy if she's married. He basically lets her go, and tells her to go fix things with Owen. See, despite all of this stupid shit with him basically accepting a bribe, I still really like this character and I want him around more. Teddy doesn't deserve him, frankly. Maybe Owen does. Have I mentioned that I'm not a fan of Owen?

While there's something ridiculous about the whole "pro bono days every month" thing, and I wish we could get more into the ramifications, I will say that I love the way the broken healthcare system is being demonstrated, by showing all of these patients that the system has failed. Particularly, a black woman in extreme pain who has been turned away by several doctors, and a veteran who has severe PTSD and has been lashing out and having seizures. Both of these patients are having to advocate way, way too hard to get the help they need, and Meredith responds to this, vowing to do what she can to help. These stories really worked to highlight the situation. They were memorable and they made me want to see success!

I think that's where I'll stop. There are things about this show that will always frustrate me, but there are also always thing to enjoy. That's my mantra when it comes to Grey's Anatomy!

7.5/10

[letsbenditlikebennett]

Moonlight Chats || Ariana & Sammy

TIMING: Tonight  PARTIES: @letsbenditlikebennett and Sammy (aka Ace) via @inspirationdivine SUMMARY: Ariana and Sammy sneak back out to their spot in the woods to see each other. They take a stroll over to the cliffs overlooking the beach and chat for a bit. Ariana sneakily follows him back home. 

Ariana had been surprised she had been able to slip out of Ulfric’s without being questioned on where she was going. Celeste had been in the shower and Ulf was outside keeping watch, but she did her best to be extra quiet as she slipped out the door. She’d packed her backpack with some snacks and a blanket so they could keep it low key. The last thing she needed was someone recognizing her from her description. She jogged lightly through the woods, looking for the spot she ran into Ace the night they had met. She’d been bummed she missed him the last time he had been looking for her. Every part of her was hoping he’d be there tonight. With everything going on, getting to spend time with a friend would be nice and a very welcomed distraction. She hoped he was doing okay. Something had been off and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. Maybe if she saw him tonight, she could sneakily follow him back home to maybe find some answers. It was a beautiful, clear night out with the stars peeking through the trees, and she leaned against the same tree she left a note for him on. The note wasn’t there anymore which means he’d probably gotten it. The thought made her smile as she kept an ear out for footsteps. She heard a crunch of leaves and called out, “Ace, is that you?”

This whole sneaking out thing was getting easier, even if Sammy was trying to avoid so many people to minimise risks. Sneaking in and out of Al’s Diner and trying to find the wood working place Ari had mentioned had all failed, so it was back to the woods. This time with a small flashlight, so he could see where he was going. He wandered around kind of aimlessly, enjoying the freeing feeling of just being outside, right next to the ache of not having seen Lydia since this morning. He’d almost started flicking the flashlight from hand to hand, when - shit. “Ari! Yes. Are you okay? That note had me worried!”

Ariana’s face lit up when she heard the response. She’d been hopeful she’d find him again and it was good to hear his voice. She hadn’t meant to worry him with that note, but she’d been in a panicked state when she had written. “Sorry,” she said, “ I hadn’t meant to worry you. I’m not like okay okay, but we’re figuring things out. Have you been alright?” She wished she had a better answer, but anything else would be untrue. “I’m glad I found you though. Think we could maybe skip the trip to town this time? I’m trying to keep a low profile.”

“You’re figuring things out, but something happened that meant you had to change your appearance? Or was that, like, metaphorical?” Sammy asked, looking over at her. “Uh, I don’t know how to answer that without lying, so I’m not gonna. Things are gonna suck extra extra hard in the next few weeks. But like, same as last time, so.” He’d seen the words scribbled out, too. It wasn’t like she didn’t have anything to worry about. “Yep yep yep, gotcha. Oh, speaking of! Here’s what I owe you.” Stolen fresh from Lydia’s wallet, but he’d done that before the previous time he’d snuck out, and she hadn’t noticed yet, had she? It was totally fine. “Maybe we can try the beach? Or, uh, the lake? Get a scenery change. By the way, like the hair! Bangs suit you.”

“Yeah, I know it sounds kinda cryptic and I guess it is? I don’t know, it’s like this whole thing. It’s kind of a lot and I don’t want to, like, totally freak you our or anything,” Ariana responded as she tried to attempt a laugh. It came out more nervous sounding than anything which totally didn’t live up to the badass persona she was trying to maintain. “I kind of figured as much, but it never hurts to ask. I’m sorry things are going to be sucky. If there’s anything I can do, let me know,” It was becoming more and more clear that Ace couldn’t answer that question even if he wanted to. She’d definitely be trying to figure that one out. He was a nice person, if she could help she wanted to. She was surprised that he was handing her money. She took it hesitantly and said, “Oh, thanks. I wasn’t really worried about that.” At the mention of the lake, Ariana’s eyes widened and she immediately exclaimed, “No, not the lake!” She hadn’t meant for it to come out quite like that, but she really didn’t feel like taking on a giant squid monster. “Sorry,” she said, more calmly this time, “We can walk to the beach. The lake is just currently home to a giant squid monster and I’d rather we not become its dinner.”

“Yeah, that’s like fair. But consider this: I can’t tell anyone else about this either. So like, space to vent if you want it, or whatever.” Sammy looked at her with a soft little smile, frowning just as much. She was so young, and woah, yeah, that thought made him feel old, even though it was barely a few years between them. “Yeah. Well. I was. I don’t want to be… indebted.” To anyone other than Lydia, anyway. At her exclamation, Sammy startled, jumping back. “Wait. The lake is what to a what now?!” Sammy stopped short, looking around wide now.  “Is that like… a new thing? Weird that they don’t have that on the welcome sign. Beach it is. Cool. Cool cool cool.”

Ariana looked down at her hands briefly and she nervously fidgeted with her fingers. She hated this whole situation, but venting usually helped. “Well, long story short, there’s a hunter in town who knows about the bounty Celeste’s parents have on me. We made it look like we left town so hopefully we bought ourselves some extra time to figure things out. They’ve wanted me dead since I was like a kid kid.” It still brought a fair amount of stress, but it felt a little better to not have yet another secret hanging between them, She was definitely going to be following him back tonight, she needed to know he was safe. She slipped the cash into her bag and shrugged, “If you say so.” Ariana laughed softly at Ace’s reaction. Clearly a giant squid monster was a lot to take in. “I said what I said. There’s a giant squid that we should probably stay away from. So yep, beach it is. It’s over this way.” She pointed and led them toward the beach. “If you see any coins on the beach, don’t pick them up. They’re like cursed or something. Pretty sure that was taken care of though, but just to be safe.”

“That’s so fucked. I mean, like, no kid is dangerous, no matter their species. Hunters like that, which are so black and white in their thinking are the worst. I’m so sorry. You managing to keep safe, though, yeah?” Sammy asked, touching her shoulder briefly. Sammy followed her until the forest gave way to cliffs, and the soil turned to rocks. “Great. So no cursed coins, no giant squid. Anything else I should remember to avoid? I kinda figured I would only have to worry about the woods.” You wouldn’t get five miles. No shit Lydia moved them to such a dangerous place. Somewhere to hide from hunters. Sammy thought about Annie, and swallowed. Nowhere to go but die, and still he wanted to return to Lydia in the morning.  

“You’re telling me. I don’t know, the whole thing just has me feeling off. Like before I felt determined to fight for my right to have roots somewhere and now just…” Ariana trailed off, unsure of how to explain what she was feeling, “I guess I just have a lot more to lose now, you know?” She welcomed the gesture of a comforting hand on her shoulder and smiled weakly in return. She took in a deep breath as they reached the rocks, appreciating the smell of the ocean breeze. “Well, if you’re in the woods, watch for hedgehounds and spinach deers. Don’t touch the spinach deers, they look spooky and have red heads. That doesn’t sound promising, huh?” It was becoming more apparent that White Crest was pretty dangerous, but she could handle herself. She worried more about Ace sneaking around in the night. “Hopefully you haven’t come across anything crazy yourself… well, at least not crazier than a werewolf.”

“You should! You should be able to live wherever you want without fear of consequence. Fuck letting some assholes control your life,” Sammy said, a little too vigorously. Little too much like it was something he related to. “Are there people you can talk to? Like an anti-hunter committee or something, to keep you safe?” As soon as he said it, he knew it was an absurd suggestion. They would know if there was anti-hunter committees.  “I’m sorry. Do you, uh, want a hug or something?” As Ariana described the creatures of the woods, Sammy couldn’t help but snicker. “Hedgehounds and spinach deers? The most dangerous things out here are plants? No, I know there’s some wacky stuff out here.” He clambered onto a nearby boulder, his sneakers definitely not made for this. “No. There was a mime, the other night, but it kinda left me alone. I mean, he, probably, but he was walking on his toes and fingers and just looked real weird. I’ve heard some of them aren’t human? Maybe? No, I don’t think the most dangerous stuff it out here.”

Normally, Ariana would have found herself having Ace’s kind of energy. It was what she had said only weeks ago. She wanted to fight for her right to live here. But now, with Celeste’s parents arriving seeming like a much more likely possibility, she couldn’t help but feel worried someone she cared for would get hurt because of her. Still, she did deserve the right to have a home and friends just like any other teenager. “You’re not wrong. It’s not something I should have to fight for, but here we are.” She was slightly stunned at the idea of an anti-hunter committee. That would be an awesome thing, but then again, there were hunters like Celeste who chose to judge people on their actions rather than their species. “It’s okay, I wish something like that existed. I wouldn’t say no to a hug.” She carefully made her way over the boulder looking slightly concerned at Ace’s lack of footing. “Slow and steady is the best way over these things. Also, they’re not plants. They’re like giant animals, though the hedgehounds look like moving plants. Much more vicious though.” Ariana giggled as she jumped up another rock. “Mime sightings aren’t rare in White Crest. Think I know the one you’re talking about. Pretty sure it eats cats. Still wouldn’t get too close. Couldn’t resist the mime restaurant, huh,” she said, playfully nudging him once he was steady on the rock beside her.

“Yeah, here you are. Doesn’t mean you have to feel okay with it.” Sammy agreed, watching her carefully. Once they were on the boulder together - and her balance was so much better than his, but Sammy had trained with hunters even if he would have been a shitty one even with the right genetics - he wrapped his arms around her tightly, and tucked his chin against her  head. God, it was the only hug he’d had in months, and he squeezed her gently. “Yeah, slow and steady.” He let her go after a moment, and  after a moment took  a big step onto the next boulder. “That’s what I don’t like in this town. Why is a weird mime never just a weird mime? Why does it have to eat cats? Yeah, you know, big fan of…. Mime food? Is it striped?” He playfully nudged her back, and sat to stare across the ocean. “Do you know what’s weird? It feels like when I’m out here my head starts to clear a little. Like, uh, removing cotton whool or something. I bet this beach is real pretty in the daytime.”

“I’m not okay with it. Still gotta figure out how to live with it or make it stop,” Ariana responded somewhat defeatedly. Eventually, they’d have to face Celeste’s parents and this would be over with. Until then, the whole thing was stressful and she was pissed off about it. She relaxed a bit as Ace wrapped his arms around her and rested her head against his chest as she hugged him back. It brought a certain level of comfort with it. The sound of his heartbeat drummed in her ears and she found it to be soothing. Something about hugs were a nice reminder that you weren’t alone in the world. Now more than ever, she had actual friends and hope of surviving this whole mess. “Thanks,” she said softly as he let go, “That did make me feel a little better.” She looked over the ocean and marveled how it also sparkled under the moonlight. A laugh escaped her lips at Ace’s rant on mimes not just being mimes. “It’s part of the White Crest charm, nothing’s what it seems. Pretty sure there’s something magical about the mimes. I’ll keep you posted on that one though.” She took a seat down on a larger rock overlooking the water and patted the space next to her, indicating she wanted him to join. “Weirdly, I haven’t been in the daytime yet. It was like night time here for like nearly a month thought. I kind of prefer the beach at night anyway. I love the way the moonlight reflects in the water. I know, stereotypical werewolf loves the moon. Tonight it’s in the Waxing Gibbous phase so it looks almost full. If you’re ever able to come during the day though, I’d join.”

“That’s the aim of the game!” The moment Sammy said it, he flushed bright red. Why… why did he have to say stuff like that? Cheering her up, like, totally not a game. When she sat, Sammy slowly clambered to his feet, and stepped over carefully to join her. When he sat, his foot slipped, and Sammy winced as he landed on his ass hard. “Whoops!” Sammy looked at the scrape on his hand, his pulse starting to rate. Nope, nope, he had to stay calm. Totally calm. Or it would wake Lydia. Not that she’d find out about it in the morning anyway. “I’m okay,” he said quickly, looking back over to Ariana. “But, I uh, probably won’t ever come during the day. Very Cinderella like that. Might turn into a pumpkin.” He swung his arm around Ari’s shoulder, not like in some goofy teen movie, but to give her another quick hugging squeeze. “Hey, I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t love the moon. It wild, to think a rock a million miles away has an effect on the oceans, and magic and people, too.”

Ariana let out a weak laugh at Ace’s joke. She could tell it left him a bit flustered after she said it, so she tilted her head and smiled at him to indicate it was totally okay. He’d still made her feel better than she had been feeling all day. She was slightly startled by him slipping as he sat down. She tried to reach a hand out to help, but it was too late. “Can I take a look,” she asked as she reached for his hand. It had a scrape on it so she went digging into the backpack she set down. “I’ve got a hiking first aid kit in here somewhere, and oh, I brought snacks, too. You feeling sweet or salty?” She took his hand and warned, “This might sting a little bit.” She took the sanitizing wipe to his scrap before applying a bandaid to it. “There you go. Just gotta be careful getting back down from here.” A frown crossed Ariana’s face as he mentioned he’d probably never get to come during the day. It only affirmed every suspicion she had that he was in a bad situation. She’d definitely have to sneak follow him back to wherever he was staying if she had any chance of helping him. For right now, she enjoyed another gentle hug and made an effort to lighten the mood. “Cinderella, huh? Does that make me Prince Charming? Are you going to leave behind a shoe so I can search the town for you? You know, it’s the carriage that turns back into a pumpkin, not Cinderella herself, right?” She nudged him gently with a laugh, hoping it brought a little light back to the situation. “Yeah, I don’t know if it’s a wolf thing, but I’ve always been captivated by it. My physical strength is also influenced by the lunar cycle, so there’s that. It’s also just… beautiful, you know?”

Sammy curled his hand into a fist, before sighing and unfurling it, holding it out in front of Ariana. “You’re a modern scout, aren’t you.” He winced anyway, despite her warning as the alcohol stung his palm. “Sweet, please.” He flexed his hand, watching the bandage curl over it, and knew he’d rip it off before he got back in the house. “Thanks, Ariana. I’ll, uh, try to be less clumsy.” He gave another squeeze to her shoulder. “Hell yeah it does! Except, kinda need my shoes, so you’ll have to find me some other way.” He chuckled. “Yes, of course I do! But it would be so much cooler to turn into a pumpkin, don’t you think?” He nudged her back, staring over the water. The sky was beginning to lighten. “Yeah, it’s so cool. Do you get, like, physically stronger near the full moon?”

Ariana knew alcohol on a fresh scrape stung like hell, but it was better to clean it than let it possibly get infected. “I was never actually a girl scout, but I’m sure I have more camping and hiking skills than most.” At the request of something sweet, Ariana pulled a thing of Double Stuf Oreos out of her backpack and a couple of bottles of water. “Hope you like Oreos then.” She smiled and handed him the package so he could enjoy some cookies. She munched on one before she jokingly said, “I hope this doesn’t sound totally creepy, but I could always sniff you out. Weirdest re-telling of Cinderella ever. That’s gonna be a no from me. I like you just as you are. Plus, I’d have to keep people from trying to like turn you into a pie or something and it sounds exhausting.” She smirked and let out a breath as he nudged her. This really was kind of perfect. The view of the sky over the water and knowing they were both safe, at least for this moment. No hunters or no whatever clearly had some sort of hold on Ace. “Yeah, I get stronger as it gets closer to the full moon. Further away from it, I’m closer to human strength. Given being an athlete and training in carpentry, I’m way stronger than you’d expect a girl who’s 5’1” to be.”

“I’d be a great pie! But yeah, just a tiny bit creepy. But hey, I know how to track- certain… types of people?” Hitting the boundary of those promises mid sentence, it was. Great. Sammy hoped she was joking, but not enough to ask whether she was joking. Something deep in his chest stopped him from asking her not to track him. God, he could practically hear Chloe already, scolding him for letting anyone even close enough to joke about it. Sammy scratched the back of his head, before accepting an oreo and pointedly ignoring his head-Chloe, to listen to Ariana. “I mean yeah, I’m not surprised you’re so much stronger, anyway, but it’s so cool that it changes. Like, do your muscles physically grow over the course of the month?” Sammy looked up at the sky, and held up his oreo so it briefly covered the moon. “Speaking of being Cinderella, I probably have to bounce soon. Not right yet, though. You doing anything nice at the moment, while hiding from hunters?”

“I know being a snack is a compliment, but being an actual pie is not what they meant. My bad, super wolf sense of smell. Kinda the main way I navigate the world. Certain types of… okay? I’m guessing you can’t finish that thought,” Ariana said with a small frown. The bright side was he didn’t explicitly tell her not to sniff him out, so her plan of following him back without him knowing was still ago. She needed to know he was safe and if he would be for much longer. The whole situation with him was very cryptic, but he was so sweet and she enjoyed his company. She felt inclined to try and get him out of whatever trouble he was in.  “Thanks, I like that me being strong isn’t a surprise,” she said with a small laugh, “No, they don’t physically get like bigger or anything, but I can feel a big difference. Having the extra strength makes me feel a little faster, too.” It was getting late, even without looking at her watch, she could tell by the sky. She knew the whole house was probably wondering where she was. It has hard to sneak away in a house full of wolves and a hunter. Still, she gave him a pout, “Fiiiiine,” she said dramatically, “But really, that’s cool. I do have school in the morning unfortunately. Outside the hunter thing, yeah, things are pretty nice. Prom’s coming up, so gotta find a dress for that and graduation. Apprenticeship is going nicely, too. I’ve actually been working on a pretty dope coffee table as a birthday gift for a friend.”

“Hey, I’m a snack and I still stand by being a great pie. I’d be the most delicious pumpkin pie in town!” Sammy grinned, “Yup, definitely can’t finish that thought. Oh well. It would be easier if I could tell you what I can’t tell you but I’m not even able to tell you that.” He swallowed, unwilling to let the darkness creep back into the conversation, so he barrelled on into the rest of the conversation. “So like the Kanye song, then. Sick.” School in the morning. Despite the hunters, despite the hiding and the hair, she still had school, normality and friends. (Was it a tiny bit weird hanging out with a high schooler? Yes. Was Sammy feeling picky? Absolutely not.) He stood up slowly, sliding down the rock and gesturing for her to walk with him back to the road. “What kinda dress are you thinking? I bet your friend will love the table too.”

“Alright, alright. You can be a pumpkin pie when you turn back into a pumpkin. It is my favorite pie,” Ariana agreed with a laugh that was quickly cut off at the mention of things he couldn’t say. It would be nice if he was able to tell her what he can and can’t talk about. Something like that would make it easier for her to figure out what had a hold on him. “Right, that’s okay.” It seemed Ace didn’t want to dwell on it too much which she could understand. She nodded and looked back out at the water sparkling under the night sky. “Something like that.” A quiet laugh escaped her lips and she focused on enjoying the rest of their time together. It seemed like they both had plenty to worry about. “I’m not too sure about the dress. Going shopping with a friend soon. Nothing too poofy. The table is coming along beautifully, I’m sure he’ll love it.”

“Next time we meet you’ll have to show me what you chose,” Sammy said, with way way way too much enthusiasm. They reached the road, and Sammy looked down to fiddle with a tiny corner of the band-aid. “Right, so I’ll see you around, yeah? Best of luck getting that table finished and stuff. I’ll try not to miss you, either.  Just watch out for the bat signal.” He nudged her teasingly, giving her a short wave before jogging off. As soon as she was out of sight, he ripped the bandaid off his palm, rubbing the scab idly. He’d start with the clay work early tomorrow, it would be fine. The bridge to Harris island wasn’t far, and Sammy had learned that it was one of the few places you were unlikely to run into anyone - anyone who lived on the island would be driving along the bridge, not walking. Then it wasn’t far to a small grove of trees, covered in ivy or some other dangly plant, Sammy had no idea. What he did know was that when you moved them out of the way, it lead to a a bunker style tunnel, that led right into Lydia’s home. Rather, it led out - Chloe had found an emergency bunker in the basement, for whatever reason someone in a town like this might have needed it.

“You got it, there will be plenty of picture updates on the prom experience,” Ariana said with a wide smile. Having some semblance of a normal high school experience was something she was looking forward to. The brief excitement faded when Ace said he had to head back home. “Yeah, yeah,” she said, “I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for bat signals. Stay safe out there, Ace.” She gave him a quick hug and was mindful of his scent, committing it to memory. With a wave, she began walking in the opposite direction to let him believe she was going back home. Once he was out of sight, she began following his trail. The smell of him was still fresh in the air and she found herself quietly sneaking through the trees. She noticed his bandaid on the ground and furrowed her brows. Why would he need to take that off? She supposed if he was sneaking around behind someone’s back, the band aid would make it obvious. She shook her head and kept following his scent until she reached the bridge. Ace was up ahead, just nearly all the way across. She ducked down so he couldn’t see her and waited until he was out of sight again before crossing the bridge and following his trail into a grove of trees. This was odd, but she kept tracking him. She was shocked to find a tunnel. His scent was still fresh, he must have gone into the tunnel and she went into it herself. With every step, Ariana was mindful to make sure she was being near silent. When she reached the house, she decided it was best to turn around. She could probably find the front of it without the tunnel, but it was getting late. She would take the not tunnel route when she came back, earlier in the evening one of these nights soon. The whole tunnel thing definitely confirmed her suspicion that Ace was being held against his will, likely by something magical since he physically couldn’t tell her certain things. Her stomach felt like it was twisting. Whatever situation Ace was in, she knew she had to get him out of it.

[bxoken-heartss]

NIGHT CHANGES: H.S PART 2.

A/N: Hey everyone! So this is part 2 of the Harry Oneshot I posted. Sorry for the long wait Mamita and hope you enjoy it!

WOrds: 2000+

Warnings: Cringe?

Genre: Cute, Fluff.

Pairings: Harry x Samantha (@papichriscnco)

Samantha’s P.O.V:

I woke up to the loud tapping (more like thundering) at my bedroom door. lazily open my eyes and before I can utter a quiet ‘Come in’ the door flew open as I jerked up and sat on the bed in shock.

“Wake up you lil shit…” yells a voice as I shielded my poor ears

“Well hello to you too loser….Now leave me alone Stella…. You’re just too annoying..” (I’m a bit of a conceited jerk..Forgive me) I reply as I rub my eyes stretching my arms up a bit

I absolutely hated being disturbed in my sleep..

“Okay DArLin’…You can sleep and I’ll tell of your BOYFRIEND to leave you alone…” Stella says as she smirks emphasizing on boyfriend

Shit…So all that confession wasn’t a dream! I mentally thanked the guts I had gotten a week ago.

Things turned out pretty good for us.. Our parents were more than Happy (at least mum was…Dad looked a bit protective…but eventually agreed)

Yesterday at Dinner he had asked me if we could go on a date..And I obviously agreed…cause why nOt??

But it wasn’t any date…It was my FIRST date…That’s why it bothered me so much…

“No! Oh my goodness! I can’t believe I slept through! I just thought I’d rest my eyes for a while…”

“If I were you I’d keep myself busy with something else…Cos’ I wouldn’t trust myself..”

“Ha.Ha.Ha…So funny Stel..Sometimes I wonder if you’re my best friend or my rival.” I reply as I get off my bed

“Your best friend definitely..or wait…I’m your savior…You would have slept through and kept Harry waiting.Thank Me!” Stella remarks as she shoves a towel and a lot more things into my arms as she pushed me into my washroom.

“Freshen up quickly!! We can’t waste anymore time..QUICK!” Stella yells as I lock the bathroom door.

I asked for a best friend…not a god damn mother or a loud speaker. I wish there was a volume controller in her or something. Don’t mind me.. I’m just grumpy I didn’t get enough sleep.

                                                      ~ ~ ~

“Aha! Looking Fresh and Gorgeous Sammie!” Stella remarks as I walk out of the bathroom in a bathrobe

“Okay…Now what do I wear? What hairstyle do I do? What shoes do I wear? What nail polish do I wea- -” I begin rambling,my anxiety kicking in as soon as realization sinks into me

“Done, done and done…” Stella remarks as she points at all my requirements for the night

“Oh my! Stel…You’re just…” I begun

“Amazing, Awesome, fantastic…I know!” Stella finishes off as she does a sashayed her hair

“You’re a lifesaver!” I reply gratefully

“Yeah yeah…I know…Now go change into these and I’ll help you with your hair…”

“Okay sure…” I reply as I go back to the bathroom to change into the dress she had given me.

                                                      ~ ~ ~

“Umm…Stel…Why am I wearing this again?” I ask her staring at my own reflection in boredom

“Let’s just say I know Harry..And he wouldn’t like anything fancy..so maybe a picnic or maybe a I don’t know..some cozy place…Nothing fancy.” Stella replies as she does my hair

“So…did he tell you something about the date?” I ask her hopefully

“I may or may not have helped him.” Stella replies as she smiles smugly

“Come on Traitor…Spill the details..” I threatened

“Oh come on… It’s a surprise darlin’.. and Harry would probably sue me if I did to…so ehh…Can’t do..” She replies merely shrugging

“At least give me a hint…” I insist

“It’s a Date…Ta daa!!!” Stella replies stupidly yet with pride.

“That’s downRighT obvious!!” I reply rolling my eyes

“Come on Sammie!! Just waittt a bit longer… It’ll be worth it..”

“I remember you texted me the day I confessed…At midnight or something.. how did you know I did…?”

“You told me you were going to confess and besides I was there spying on you…”

“You were what??” I asked surprised

“Ah…What? I said nothing! Did I??” She asks nervously looking away

“You were there??”

“Duh! I had to check if you messed up or not…If you did, then I had to obviously butt in and make sure you don’t mess..Somehow you had gotten the guts and nope! No you couldn’t mess up so as a supportive caring respectful bestie- -” Stella begins

“You DeCiDe to SpY on ME and HARRY?!?” I ask as I wear my sneakers

“Tsk..Tsk…you make it sound so stalker- ish…I was just observing to make sure nothing went wrong.. That’s all..” Stella replies as she folds her arms

“Okay okay..Thank you I guess?” I reply

                                             ~ ~ ~

We began talking about abSoLuTe nonsense trying to pass time and it was considerably working. Suddenly I hear the doorbell ring.

“Go get it!!” Stella ushered me as she practically shoved me off the couch

I quickly hurry up and open the door only to reveal Harry standing in front of me, looking as perfect as usual

“Hey…Manna…” He breathes out surprised as he continues “You look.. Beautiful..I mean you always do..But I don’t know..you look even better today..” Harry says as he hands me a box of chocolates…not just any chocolates..my favourite chocolates.

“Haz…You didn’t have to..” I reply as he leans down and pecks my lips

“PDA!!! MY EYES ARE BLEEDING!” Stella says as she shields her eyes

“Sorry that you don’t have a boyfriend Stella…”

“At least I had the guts to go and confess and not waiting for my crush to confess because I was too scared, eh Styles?” Stella remarks proudly as Harry stayed silent

“Oh will you stop harassing my boyfriend for heaven sake Stel.” I reply rolling my eyes playfully as I handed Stella the chocolates “Keep them somewhere…”

“No promises Sammie!! Well you kids have fun..but not too much FuN…” Stella replies as she shuts the door.

We both walk over towards Harry’s car…He being the obvious gentleman he was opens my door for me as I smile gratefully at him..

The ride was comfortable and quick too.

“Where are we going Haz?”

“It’s a surprise! Did Stella tell you about it already? As you already looked rightly dressed for the venue..”

“She just gave the clothes to me..No explanation..”

“Thank goodness…I thought she’d ruin it.”

“She didn’t…” I reply

                                               ~ ~ ~

Harry parks the car and gets out, opening the door for me again as I took a hold of his extended hand..He locks the car and guides me towards the venue linking each of our arms’ together.

“Hey…Could I blindfold you? I want this to stay a surprise!” Harry admits a bit nervously

“Oh okay! Sure.” I reply as Harry ties a blindfold around my eyes restricting my vision as he holds my hand, guiding me through.

                                                    ~ ~ ~

“Where are we going Haz?” I ask within like two minutes of blindfolded walking

“Well…we’re…We’re here…” Harry replies excitedly as he removes my blindfold

I let my eyes adjust to the lighting. It was an ice skating rink arena sort of things, a few couples skating around.

“Surprise? I thought…this would be nice…” Harry says as he looks at me

My face just looked absolutely surprised as I gaped at the ice skating rink. Probably one of the biggest ones I’ve ever seen

“D- -do- -err..do you l- -ike it?” Harry asks nervously

“Haz!! I love it!!! This is absolutely amazing!” I reply hugging him

“Now let’s go get our skates and we’ll be all set to go…” Harry says as he takes my arm

                                                 ~ ~ ~

“How are these?” Harry asks showing me a pair of ice skates as I tried them on

“Too loose…” I reply as I remove them

“These?” He asks

“Too highlighter ish Haz…My eyes!” I reply as he softly giggles

“This one?” He asks handing me a pair of ice skates

“Perfect!” I reply as I put them on

                                                  ~ ~ ~

You make it look effortless Haz..“ I say as I skate beside him

“Oh come on babe…You are a natural.. I’m just awestruck by how terrific you are at this..” Harry says as he hold my hand spinning me around…

“I really like this a lot…I hope you realize that.” I say as I spin around  and stop.

The laces of my ice skates come off. Before I could even bend down to tie them, Harry takes up the initiative and kneels down

“Allow me babygirl…” Harry says as he ties them tightly safe and secured.

“Thanks Haz” I reply as I plant a quick peck on his cheek, a tint of pink evident on his cheeks.

“Anytime princess…” He says as he holds my hand

                                                    ~ ~ ~

We try skating around as if we were dancing. Both of us were naturally talented dancers so we skate elegantly whilst dancing around carefully with grace, well most of them time Harry was just goofing around like a clown showing me super cool tricks.

Harry stops after a little bit as his gaze turns to a couple who tried out super wacky poses that would be hard even on bare ground.

“Manna…Look at that! We should totally try that out!” Harry urges as his eyes gleam with happiness

I really don’t think that’s the cleverest idea Harry had come up with..but I didn’t want him upset.

“Are you sure it’s going to work out? I mean, it looks super risky..we could end up hurt or something..”

“We’ll be careful..come on let’s try it out…It’ll be fun!!” He remarks

                                                      ~ ~ ~

We observed the entire steps for a solid ten minutes as we mildly practiced it. The last part was the hardest….It involved a lot of lifting and spinning around.

It was fun…well it would have been perfect…if the both of us hadn’t fallen and broken a bone or two?

“You don’t know how sorry I actually am right now…” Harry almost whispers, tears glinting his eyes “ I just wanted this to be perfect..” He breathes out as a nurse patched up the sprain in his left arm with a huge white plaster

“It’s okay Harry…I had a lot of fun.. Dates were never meant to be movie perfect, eh Haz? It was fun! I absolutely enjoyed how you goofed around… honestLy,it was perfect… I couldn’t have thought of anything better.” I reassure him whilst squeezing his hand softly

“But I hurt you…” He said as he looked at my ankle, which was sprained

“So? Your arm’s sprained too… It’s fine! We are both used to ending with up injuries one way or another!” I replied laughing as I remembered the endless amount of times we had gotten injured..

“I’m sorry…” Harry mutters and before he continues to ramble on, I interrupt him with a kiss…

Well a simple kiss slowly turning heated..until a cough snapped us back to reality.

“Look y'all..I appreciate young love and stuffs..But can you continue this after I patch her up?” The nurse asks Harry with a smirk on her face

“Oh right..sorry..We got a bit carried away..” Harry admits sheepishly

“Well too obvious..” The nurse muttered as she plastered my sprained ankle

“The night is ruined all thank to me..” Harry grumbles to himself

“Nope Haz…The night’s still young. How about we we take out some food and go over to your place and have a movie marathon?” I suggest

“That sounds great…But are you sure you enjoyed the…now ruined date?” Harry asks as he looks down, evidentially disappointed

“Haz…Come on…I li- - loved it.. nothing was ruined. So what if it was a bit messy? We can learn from these silly messes so that our future dates turn out good…It’s completely fine Harry!” I reassure him

He smiles shyly at me as he quickly pecks my cheek.

                                                  ~ ~ ~

Our drive back (I drove, because my left ankle was only sprained, as Harry couldn’t steer the wheel and control the gear) was comfortable…I mean, everything involving him was obviously supposed to comfortable.

We took in a lot of takeout, drove our to Harry’s house as I parked the car and helped him out. He helped me walk in and shut the door behind them.

“Let’s get changed into something more comfortable…you can use the room downstairs.”

“Okay..Thanks…I can help you if you need help..” I offer

“I’ll manage…” Harry replies as I walk into the guest bedroom changing into one of his oversized t-shirts as I walked out only to see him changed I to a loose shirt

“Wow…You look cute in my shirt..I mean extra cute..” Harry smiles as I settle down next to him, our food laid out in front of the mini table laid in front of us.

“Thanks Haz…” I reply blushing a bit as he wrapped his arms around me

“Which movie are we watching?” He asks as he hands me the remote

“I was going to ask you the same..” I reply as I look at him

“Well… We’ll just watch anything then..” He says as he switches on the TV and flips through the channels as he found the opening credits of Titanic playing…

“Titanic? Aww!! Yes please!” I usher him as he keeps the remote down

I grabbed a few snacks and handed a few to Harry as we shared everything, cuddling each other just simply enjoying each others’ presence and watching a movie…

Nothing Fancy…nothing out of the ordinary apart from the amount of excessive love surrounding us…this was all I’ve ever wanted.

I looked at him, as he looked at me… Our gazes fixated on each others’ eyes. He wrapped his arms around my waist as he pulled me for a passionate kissing, our lips moving in sync as my hands trailed into his brown curls..

“I love you Manna…” He breathes out as he looks at her

“I love you too Haz…” I reply as I pull him into another kiss.

[the-quiet-winds]

Little Lies they Help Us to Remember

so i suppose this could be called “the prequel to the ward au”. it’s really what inspired it, and afterwards @ichlugebulletsandcornnuts and i were like... “what if we did this?”

so we did it.

nice.

after rehearsals, a tour, a long set of London performances and finally about to start a second tour, jane had spent more time with the other queens than she had with most people in her life. she knows all their little habits; how aragon can’t function without coffee in the morning, how boleyn should NEVER be allowed coffee in the morning, how parr takes at least one day a week to herself for writing, even cleves’ signature drinks order. what she notices most, though, is katherine. katherine with her endless energy, her childish enthusiasm, her natural curiosity and willingness to learn. there’s something about katherine that’s so young and vibrant, and on some days it warms jane’s heart. on others, however, it just serves as a reminder that this young girl had her life ended too soon, cut short by a tyrant; a man, jane remembers guiltily, that jane herself had loved.

that guilt bites at her almost everyday on stage, hearing how katherine’s long, painful history with men started when she was only thirteen. how she had been used and abused for six incredibly short years before a cruel execution.

every time she hears katherine say that all she wanted was a friend, jane has to fight down a deep and shameful blush, knowing that, if she hadn’t died, maybe, just maybe, katherine would have found that friend. and maybe she wouldn’t have been executed.

but who really knows, right? despite that, jane can’t help but to dwell on it.

she’s thinking about it one evening while sitting on the sofa, the tv on but without her paying any attention to it. she’s so lost in her thought she barely notices katherine entering the room with a blanket in her arms. with a yawn, she invites herself onto the space next to jane on the sofa, draping the blanket over the both of them. jane instinctively raises an arm so katherine can curl up against her.

“do you ever think about... what would have happened if we’d known each other in our first lives?” jane says suddenly but quietly.

katherine is taken aback by the question. “not really...but it would have been interesting to say the least.” she thinks for a second. “we probably all would have kicked henry off the throne,” she says with a quiet laugh. “cleves and boleyn would have partied hard together...you and parr may have formed a book club...why do you ask?”

“just wondering,” jane says noncommittally. they fall into a comfortable silence, katherine’s attention being caught by the gameshow that was playing on the tv and jane deep in her thoughts. she still can’t stop thinking about katherine, trapped in a terrible marriage with a terrible man at such a young age, the latest in a series of abusers, and her heart aches. she feels a protective rush run through her and she can’t help but press a kiss to the top of katherine’s head. she would give anything to go back and stop anyone from hurting katherine, and she wishes she’d had the chance when she was alive.

jane goes absolutely still as something that she had contemplated many times flashes in front of her eyes again.

if she hadn’t died, katherine wouldn’t have been executed.

if she hadn’t died, katherine maybe would have been one of her ladies in waiting.

if she hadn’t died, jane could have protected her.

“i’m so sorry, katherine,” she murmurs very quietly, not meaning to speak out loud.

“huh?” katherine asks, tilting her head to look at jane. jane freezes for just a moment as she suddenly realises what she said. then she offers katherine an apologetic smile.

“nothing, love.”

katherine looks concerned and sits up, eyes concerned.

“wait, what do you mean? why are you sorry?”

“it’s really nothing, love, just a slip of the tongue,” jane insists. “i meant nothing by it.”

katherine looks at her for a long, hard minute before pulling back to sit upright.

“you’re hiding something from me...please tell me,” she pleads in a tiny voice.

jane sighs slightly. “i’m not, darling. really.”

“you are!” katherine says, a touch of hurt in her voice. “you’re not telling me something. you can tell me anything, you know that!”

“i know, sweetheart,” jane soothes. “i just- it’s not important, that’s all.”

“you’re always telling me that my thoughts are important,” katherine frowns. “why aren’t yours the same?”

jane is torn. she doesn’t want to lie to katherine, continue to hide something from her, but she doesn’t want to put her own guilt on katherine. the girl had been through enough as it is.

“it’s really not important, love, just some...silly idea, that’s all. there’s nothing to worry about.”

katherine clearly doesn’t believe her, but she drops it with the tiniest hint of a pout.

“fine.”

she settles back against the couch and doesn’t look at jane, evidently sulking. jane despairs internally but she’d rather have katherine annoyed at her briefly than add to her hardship.

jane sits back as well, trying to bring her attention back to the wacky game show but her brain won’t do it. she’s just too preoccupied thinking about her past life, if she hadn’t died, if she had been able to protect katherine.

before she knows it, there are tears running down her face.

katherine looks up when jane lets out a shaky breath and a half-sob, and her face immediately drops into one of panic.

“mum!” she sits up properly and turns to face her. “please tell me what’s wrong?” she pleads, anxiousness coming through in her tone. jane can barely speak though, a lump caught in her throat as the tears continue to stream from her eyes.

“my darling girl,” she chokes out. she raises her hands, brushing tangled pink hair out of her face, then resting both hands on her cheeks. “i’m so sorry.”

“you’re scaring me, mum, what’s happening?” katherine asks, eyes wide and a bit teary herself.

“i could have saved you,” jane half-sobs. “i could have saved you.”

“saved me from what?” katherine asks desperately. “mum, i don’t understand.”

“from him,” jane sobs. “from- what happened. back then.”

the words start to dawn on katherine, but only half the meaning becomes clear.

“how, mum?” she asks, voice cracking. “you couldn’t have done anything. he-” katherine swallows as a few tears escape; talking about henry never got easier. “he was a monster. besides, you weren’t even there. there’s nothing you could have done.”

“if i hadn’t died!” jane tries to yell, but her voice comes out as only a choked whisper. “if i hadn’t died, he wouldn’t have married you. you would have been my lady in waiting...” jane huffs out a quiet sigh mixed with a sob. “i could have saved you-“ she cuts herself off. her voice quiets to a barely audible whisper. “he wouldn’t have executed you.”

katherine can’t even say anything in response as jane’s words settle in her mind. there’s flashes of a concept in her brain, of her being a lady in waiting to jane, of getting to spend her days in jane’s company instead of with Henry, maybe even being an older sister figure to little Edward, and her heart aches. but then she shakes her head.

“it wasn’t your fault,” she says. “and even if you had lived, we both know henry had no issue with taking whatever he wanted.” her expression grows dark and her voice is tinged with bitterness. “it might have happened to me anyway.”

“he wouldn’t have left me,” jane responds with a shake of her head. “i gave him his heir.” she exhales a long, trembling breath. “remember? ‘only one he truly loved’?” she chuckles mirthlessly, tears still running down her cheeks. “i could have saved you,” she repeats very quietly.

“no,” katherine sighs, brushing away one of jane’s tears with her thumb. “no, mum, it’s not your fault. it’s nobody’s fault except his, and, well-” she didn’t want to say culpepper’s name, so she just moves on. “you can’t blame yourself for what happened. and i mean,” she offers jane a soft half-smile, “you saved me this time around.”

“you didn’t deserve anything that happened to you in the past life,” jane says firmly. “if i has been there...maybe i could have helped.” something in her heart shifts when she realizes the weight of katherine’s words. her lips twitch into the faintest hints of a smile. “and you saved me, love,” jane says honestly. at katherine’s confused look, she continues. “i would have been so consumed with grief about my son if you hadn’t come along, kitty-kat...” she trails off, her gaze finding a spot on the wall as she zones out.

katherine doesn’t say anything, instead shuffling closer and wrapping her arms around jane in a tight hug. jane blinks and looks down at her, almost surprised, but then returns the hug and pulls katherine even closer.

“i love you, mum,” katherine says softly. “everything you’re doing for me now, it’s more than enough.”

jane twists her fingers in jagged patterns over katherine’s shoulder blade. “i just wish...” she whispers.

“it’s not worth wishing, mum,” katherine says. “we can’t change it now.” she has a sudden flash to that day at the hospital, the day jane thought she would die. “all i want is this lifetime.”

it takes jane a moment to respond, but then her lips quirk into a half-smile.

“and we’ll have this lifetime, kitty-kat. i promise you that.” she wants to tell katherine that nobody will ever hurt her again, that jane will protect her for the rest of their lives, but emotion overwhelms her and all she can manage is a soft “i love you, sweetheart.”

katherine curls up against her even more, a contented smile on her face. “i love you too, mum. in this life, or any other.”

[itsomgitsgreenblogging]

Break My Heart: Chapter 12 (A Solangelo Fanfiction)

The penultimate chapter of Break My Heart finally arrives. I honestly can’t believe the next chapter is the last chapter, it’s sort of crazy. Anyways, this is a lot of set up, end of the summer, making fun of Maine, zombie summoning, and first kisses. So, I hope everyone enjoys! 

Read on Tumblr: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11

Read on AO3

Preview:

“I’m just saying you should throw the jacket in the lake. Or I can convince one of the satyrs to lend me the snowplow and I can accidentally take out the dock,” Cecil offered. “That way your dream can’t come true.”

“I’m not sure the nymphs would be okay with that plan,” Lou Ellen said as she took a sip of her Moxie that she had gotten in a care package from her dad. Cecil had opened his own and was taking experimental sips. Will had been stealing sips and still wasn’t entirely sure of the drink. Actually, he pretty sure that it was a Yank thing and that New Englanders were crazy.  

“I don’t think I would be okay with that plan either,” Will told them with a dreamy sigh as he thought about Nico for probably the hundredth time that day, but with the leather jacket on it was such  pretty picture. “I like the leather jacket.”

“You are so extra,” Lou Ellen said, sounding exasperated.

“I know,” Will added with a probably very dopey looking grin. “But I love it.”

“So I guess due to Will’s inability to resist bad boys we’re all at an impasse,” Cecil said with a shrug.

“I’m just saying you should throw the jacket in the lake. Or I can convince one of the satyrs to lend me the snowplow and I can accidentally take out the dock,” Cecil offered. “That way your dream can’t come true.”

“I’m not sure the nymphs would be okay with that plan,” Lou Ellen said as she took a sip of her Moxie that she had gotten in a care package from her dad. Cecil had opened his own and was taking experimental sips. Will had been stealing sips and still wasn’t entirely sure of the drink. Actually, he pretty sure that it was a Yank thing and that New Englanders were crazy.  

“I don’t think I would be okay with that plan either,” Will told them with a dreamy sigh as he thought about Nico for probably the hundredth time that day, but with the leather jacket on it was such  pretty picture. “I like the leather jacket.”

“You are so extra,” Lou Ellen said, sounding exasperated.

“I know,” Will added with a probably very dopey looking grin. “But I love it.”

“So I guess due to Will’s inability to resist bad boys we’re all at an impasse,” Cecil said with a shrug.

“Hey,” Will said with narrowed eyes before he leaned back on the blanket and stared at the sky. The sky stared back at him, a forgiving robin’s egg blue, and clouds that were white and puffy passed by. Will sighed, letting his arms flop at his side. Lou Ellen poked his stomach, making Will huff and swat her away with a chuckle. “I’m just happy to let things go as they will.”

“Really? Really?” Cecil said, sounding not so convinced. “You are fine to just go with the flow? Are you sick or something? That is the least Will Solace-like thing I think I have ever heard you say.”

“Oh shut up, I’m very chill,” Will told him as he kicked out his leg to poke Cecil, who pretended to be injured and rolled dramatically off the blanket and onto the grass. He wiggled around much like a pony who had just gotten out of the stable. “You wish you were as chill as me.”

“But really Will? You are fine to let things be as they are,” Lou Ellen asked as she leaned over him, brushing a curl behind her ear. Her green eyes were concerned and Will tried to meet her gaze with a comforting smile. As far as he could tell, it didn’t really work to alleviate Lou Ellen’s very fair concerns.  

“What else can I do?” Will asked with a sigh. “Since when has messing with the fate the gods give us been a good idea? Everything will work out one way or another I think.”

“Amen to that Brother,” Cecil said as he clapped his hands together as if in prayer, returning to his spot on the blanket between the Mountain Dew and the Doritos. Will just scoffed at his friend’s ridiculousness.

“You are both impossible,” Lou Ellen said with a shake of her head before her gaze caught on something. Will sat up, following her gaze to where Jason Grace and Piper McLean were laughing and talking down by the dock. “And talking about impossible.”

“I thought you weren’t interested in girls,” Cecil asked as he propped his head up on his chin.

“I’m not all that interested in boys either, but if I was, now that’s a Big Three son that I can appreciate aesthetically if you catch my drift,” Lou Ellen said with a dramatical toss of her hair. “I wouldn’t mind putting a spell on him, that’s for sure. If I wouldn’t get in trouble with Chiron for not being responsible with the use of my magic that is.”

“He’s a relatively good-looking dude,” Cecil submitted for questioning. Lou Ellen stifled her cackles under her hand before clearing her throat of her burst of merriment.

“I wouldn’t say that in the vicinity of Ares Cabin or you might either break somebody’s heart or get a broken bone somewhere,” Lou Ellen warned him. Cecil just gave her a look before snagging a potato chip and crunching it annoyingly between his teeth.

“He’s…decent,” Will said before shrugging, “I think Piper’s way cuter though.”

“She does have the daughter of Aphrodite thing going for her,” Cecil pointed out.

“That she really does, and the dad being famous thing,” Lou Ellen said.

“My mom’s famous,” Will said as he sat up. “And I have a parent who’s a god. Do I have that going for me?”

“But your dad’s Apollo and he sided with the Trojans soooo…” Cecil said before fist bumping Lou Ellen.

“Screw you guys—also didn’t Aphrodite like basically start the Trojan War?”

“Oh, hey,” a voice cut into their conversation. All three of them looked up from their stand-off to see a rather confused Jason Grace, his hand which was raised in a wave seemingly wilted under their attention. “Were you guys busy?”

“No, hey, what’s up?” Will said, giving his friends a warning look before turning his attention to Jason. He pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, and shifted on his feet. He gave them all a rather hopeful look.

“Piper pawned some sandwiches and cookies off the dryads and we were both wondering if you guys wanted any?”

“Any Reubens?” Cecil asked for hopefully.  

“I think so,” Jason told him.

“I’m so there,” Cecil said as he stood up. “We got chips and cheese puffs and soda, why don’t we pull the blanket over there too?”

“Sounds good, I’ll go tell Piper,” Jason said as he went to relay the message. Will quickly folded up the blanket as Lou Ellen and Cecil packed up the snacks for transport. Jason and Piper had set up their stuff right by the dock, and Piper smiled as they spread their stuff out and joined them. Will snagged a turkey sandwich, while Piper cracked open a coke and took a swig. She immediately cringed.

“What is this?”

“Everyone needs to stop dissing my Moxie,” Lou Ellen grumbled as she took a vengeful looking gulp.

“It’s not our fault that you South-Canada folks have a wacky concept of what coke should taste like,” Will said.

“First off, don’t call Maine ‘South-Canada’, secondly it’s not even coke why do you call all soda coke?”

“I actually kind of like it. It tastes…well, if Coca Cola and Dr. Pepper had a baby or something,” Jason said as he bumped shoulders with Piper who just smiled up at him. The way that Jason smiled back at Piper like she was some kind of gift was ridiculously cute. Alright, Will sort of had to grudgingly admit Jason Grace was really cute in the way that boys were made cuter when you found out that they were utterly sweet to girlfriends, their mothers, and fluffy puppies they rescued from animal shelters.

“Thank you, Jason. Thank you,” Lou Ellen said with a huff.

“So sensitive,” Will teased and got a jab in the side for it.

“So tell me this, what are your guys’ plans for the school year?” Cecil asked curiously changing the subject to keep Lou Ellen from spitting out any curses. “You heading back to California?”

“Yeah, we’re going to be going to high school out there, living with my dad with Hedge maybe,” Piper explained. “Chiron said underaged demigods not living in the camps really should have a protector especially Big Three Kids.”

“You excited?” Lou Ellen asked.

“Very,” Jason said with a smile. “It’s all going to be a nice change, you know I’ll still be busy but I’ve never actually gone to a…you know…high school. I’m looking forward to it all, even though that probably sounds pretty lame.”

“Not lame at all,” Will promised him. “You do sort of deserve a little time off to enjoy the pleasures of being a normal high school student.”

“Better hope that the world doesn’t almost end in this upcoming year, huh?” Piper asked Jason as she tossed him a smile that would’ve melted a glacier.

“Oh Gods don’t even jinx us,” Jason told her warningly, looking up at the sky like his dad might pop down any second with some kind of awful revelations. When that didn’t happen, it seemed appropriate for all of them to burst out into well-meaning laughter. But only after, for good measure.

“Well, that’s what we’re up to for the coming school year. What about you guys? What are you doing?” Piper asked as she stretched a leg out and leaned against Jason, who put an arm over her shoulders. She leaned against him and stole his chips as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and Jason let her do it, only occasionally not giving up a chip.

“I think we’re all staying,” Will told her. There was a very noticeable glint in her eyes at that information.

“So is Nico,” Piper said with an innocent smile. “Good, I’m glad he’ll have some friendly faces around here. Make sure he socializes and eats and all that good stuff, okay?”

“Oh, and badger him to Iris message us. I know he won’t, even if I ask him too,” Jason added.

Will suddenly felt lightheaded. Summer was well and truly ending, yes, but in the few days after their decision to officially “go out” plans for the near-future hadn’t been discussed at all. Will hadn’t even thought that Nico would stay. But then again, what else was Nico going to do? The idea of Nico going out and attempting to live as normal of a high school life as he could was almost laughable, and Nico certainly didn’t have anywhere else to call home. But still, Nico would be there with Will and he might have time and the space to take whatever fledgling thing that was between them and make a full-blown relationship. Just the thought alone was enough to redden Will’s cheeks.

“Yeah, we will,” Will promised Jason and Piper, before they continued to eat their impromptu lunch together.

“You guys be good, okay? Antonio, don’t drive your mother crazy. Violet, good luck and let me know when your next performance is alright? Emma, if you have any issues in school you let me know, kay? We’ll try to work it out but you have to try to bring up your math grades alright? I know it sucks but you can do it.”

“Yes, Will,” his three younger siblings said as they all hugged him. Violet sniffed and Will wiped away her tears. Will also fixed the buttons on Antonio’s shirt and watched, very pleased, as he took Violet’s hand.

“Love you guys, I’ll talk to you soon okay?” Will promised them. They all promised the same before entering the bus. They all waved at him from the window until the bus pulled away and left him standing alone. Kayla and Austin having already left and gone to say good bye to their own friends.

“You staying for another winter?” Drew Tanaka asked him as she stood next to him, quirking one brow that was perfectly on fleek. She was dressed more like she was walking onto a catwalk as opposed to a school bus in a high-waisted patterned pants, high-heeled boots, and a fleece lined denim jacket but Will didn’t think he could fault her. To Drew Tanaka the whole world was a catwalk to slay.  

“That would be the plan, I can’t seem to get enough of this place,” Will said with a shrug.

“And enough of one boy?” Drew asked as she walked in front of him, fingers twisted and knotted behind her back.

“Don’t be petty,” Will told her, amused by her antics rather than annoyed. She scoffed and twisted a strand of hair around her finger.

“As if. Sweetie, I wrote the textbook on petty,” Drew told him before giving a long-suffering sigh. She was following the track of the kids who were loading up to the bus with her eyes, following Percy and Annabeth as they spoke with Nico. Will wondered idly what she saw in them but as always he was way too afraid to ask. Will knew better than to get Drew going if he could help it. “I can do without Camp Half-Blood for a couple months, since this place is so dreadfully uncool. Like, it’s desert status for sensible footwear and life choices.”

“I think the place has its charms,” Will said with a scoff of his own before smiling fondly. “And we have important memories of important people here. That’s the special thing.”

“Ugh, you are so sentimental,” Drew said with a crinkle of her button nose. “You are going to make me barf, for real.”

“Your bowel functions are the least of my worries young lady,” Will told her with a roll of his eyes.

“Gods, this is why Selena liked you,” Drew told him as she crossed her arms over her chest. “You are such a mom friend.”

“And yet again you prove why Michael thought you could dish out an insult like no other,” Will told her with a smile. She gave him one in return. “Don’t get into too much trouble out there, Drew. Otherwise I’ll definitely hear about it, and I really don’t want to.”

“Me get into trouble? Ha, no. The people I go to school with? Most definitely. Gods, you should have seen who turned up to one of our school dances,” Drew said, before with a toss of her hair and a sway of her hips. She paused for a moment and looked back, seemed to twice think about it, and then she was off to torment another group of kids for the school year. Will turned only to see Clarisse waiting for him to finish up with Drew. She offered her arm, and he took it in a grip.

“We may have had our moments, and by moments I mean sometimes I couldn’t deal with your pansy-ass—”

“Clarisse, you have always had a way with words. Want me to make them rhyme?” Will asked, causing her to cackle as she met his gaze firmly.

“I’ll be with Chris in Arizona, but I’ll try to come up and visit as often as I can. You know, just to check on the kids. It was an honor to serve beside you, both in combat and at home. I’ll be counting on you. I’ve worked with Sherman to prepare him, but as you know, nothing can really match experience. I’ll leave him to you.”

“And I shall do my best, though as you know, it’s very hard to keep Ares kids alive.”

“Don’t I know it,” Clarisse said, and with one more parting nod she left.

“Will!” Katie called and suddenly he was nearly run over by a bunch of the Demeter kids but mostly Katie who seemed content to hug the stuffing out of him. This was followed by a good portion of kids who wanted to wish Will a good year and good luck.

By the time the rest of the buses finally departed Will felt like he had filled his hug quota for the next few months. As always, the day of the end of the summer camp was generally a day where Chiron let everyone have off from regular programed camp activities. With Kayla and Austin off doing their own things, Will felt like he was drifting aimlessly through camp without any specific direction. This was always his least favorite part, Will thought ruefully. He decided that going to the infirmary and moping for a while was probably his best bet, so he began dragging his feet in that direction.  

“Will,” Nico’s voice cut into his wandering. Will looked over to see Nico standing by the training fields.

“Hey, what are you doing over here?” Will asked as he jogged over.

“I was waiting for you,” Nico said plainly, as if he were stating an obvious fact. Will’s cheeks suddenly grew warm, and his heart leapt into his throat at Nico’s attention. Will wasn’t sure he would ever get used to this, but he hoped he would. He didn’t think his heart would take it if it stuttered like that all of the time.

“For me?” Will asked him, not quite believing that this was real.  

“Yeah,” Nico said shortly. He was running leggings and a tee-shirt, despite the cool weather was without his jacket. “I was going to train, I was wondering if you wanted to train with me.”

“Train? Like, with a sword?”

“That would be the idea?”

“With me?”

“Yes, Will. With you.”

“Why?”

“Because you are the godsdamn Pope, obviously,” Nico huffed before adding under his breath. “Are you seriously that dense?”

“I don’t know, it sort of sounds like you want to spend time with me,” Will teased as he knocked his shoulder against Nico.

“In your dreams,” Nico told him as he moved forward a few steps.

“Probably,” Will admitted. Nico didn’t turn around but the way he slightly stumbled over his feet made Will smile. When Nico threw a practice sword at him, Will caught it before putting on a familiar set of armor. Nico decided against it, per usual, but with a few badgering words Will at least got Nico to put on a chest piece.

As always Will was utterly outmatched by Nico. Nico fought more like a wild animal and less like any person that Will had ever met. He struck out hard and fast and seemingly disappeared as soon as a person attempted to get in their own blow. Nico was always just out of reach, and he always managed to disarm Will rather quickly. It also didn’t help that Will was almost laughably bad at sword play. He could hold his head up with the bow, but no matter how much he practiced he always felt clumsy and uncoordinated with a sword.

At one point, after a well- placed body slam Will ended up sprawled face up on the grass, staring up, exhausted, and with his hair sticking to his neck. He winced as he sat up, and unhooked the heavy chest-piece of his armor before tugging off his shirt with a bit of grumbling. Free and feeling much cooler, Will lay back down on the slightly wet grass and decided that maybe commiserating would get him out of another round of ass-whooping.

“I don’t think I’m helping you much,” Will commented as Nico sheathed his sword, he was still looking away from him as he did so.

“You aren’t,” Nico conceded, “but that wasn’t the point I think.”

“Then what was the point?” Will asked as he played with the beads on his necklace.

“Maybe I thought it would be nice to spend time with you.”

“When you say it like that, I might start thinking you like me,” Will told him with a grin. Nico rolled his eyes, but Will noticed the pink color in his cheeks. “If that’s how you feel I don’t mind it when you beat me up, so, feel free to do so any time.”

“Oh? Really?” Nico said as he flopped down next to Will.

“Yeah since it gives me a chance to look at your legs, which, I have to say look very nice.”

“Shut up, Solace,” Nico told him as he tugged on Will’s necklace. Will traced the line of his mouth, seeing Nico’s gaze catch his.

“Shutting up.”  

Will’s heart fluttered in his chest at the sight of Nico’s expression softening. It was the way that Nico just warmed, his sharp features complimented by the sweetness. Will didn’t realize he was reaching out before his hand smoothed against Nico’s cheek.

“Hey,” Will said, feeling starstruck and forgetting what he had just even said, as well as his name, home address and phone number, and what year it was.

“Hi,” Nico said almost shyly, eyelids fluttering. “I’m glad you are feeling better, you looked so down earlier and I didn’t know what to do to make you feel better and I—”

“Nico, you’re babbling,” Will said with a laugh.

“Sorry, nervous habit,” Nico conceded.

“Am I making you nervous?” Will asked worriedly, tracing down Nico’s cheek, to his jaw, fingers trailing against his neck. Nico was cool to his touch, and Will could feel Nico’s heart thrumming in his veins just as hard as his was.    

“No, not really,” Nico said as he caught Will’s hand.

“Then what—”

“Can I kiss you?” Nico asked suddenly, before Will could get another word out edgewise. As if had Nico not spoken up at that very moment, he would have lost his nerve completely. Will blinked furiously, resisting the urge to pinch himself to check if this was a dream.

“Me?” Will asked with a very undignified squeak, his voice creeping up numerous octaves to accommodate.  Nico squeezed Will’s hand in his own.

“No, Austin. Yes, you, you dork,” Nico said with a scowl.

“Okay,” Will said way too quickly. “But I just want to tell you that I haven’t brushed my teeth since before breakfast and I probably still smell from the training and I—”

Nico dove down on him and Will ceased thinking all together. From the angle that Nico had descended on him their lips didn’t quite match up perfectly, but as far as he was concerned they didn’t have to. Goosebumps broke out over Will’s skin, heat crawled up his throat, and his heart pounded wetly in his ears. One second, the light pressure of Nico’s soft peck on his lips. The next second Nico was balancing back on his knees and his heels, and Will was staring at Nico completely dumbfounded.

“You were babbling,” Nico said.

“I…huh?” Will asked, feeling lightheaded. “What?”

“So was it okay?” Nico asked hopefully, his cheeks burning red and Will could see he was struggling to keep his neutral expression, but a crooked yet elated grin was attempting to tug at his lips. Kissed lips, lips that Will had just kissed. They had just kissed. Will suddenly felt as if Nico had gifted him the moon.

“I don’t know. I think we have to do it again,” Will told Nico sheepishly as he sat up. “I think I just blanked out or messed up or something.”

“You are ridiculous,” Nico told him with a huff. “It was fine, we don’t have to do it again—”

“Just fine? Our first kiss was just fine? Okay, so we totally need to have a better second kiss,” Will said eagerly resting his forehead against Nico’s, meeting his dark gaze. “Unless, you don’t want another kiss? If you don’t want another, that’s fine. But…but I’d like to kiss you this time. Otherwise it wouldn’t be fair.”

“Fair, huh?” Nico asked, eyes flitting to the side.

“You children of Hades are all about the fairness, or so I’ve gathered.”

“Are you trying to steal a kiss off me?” Nico said as he leaned forward

“It’s not stealing if you are repaying one kiss for another,” Will said back.

“You are absolutely ridiculous.”

“I am,” Will breathed before he kissed Nico again. Nico pressed against him, Will moving his lips against Nico as one kiss melted into the next, into the next. Nico’s fingers were curled in Will’s hair and brushing against the back of his neck and setting his skin on fire. Nico gave a gasp as Will curled his fingers with his, as Will immediately felt as if his stomach was twisting into knots. Will pulled away as fast as he could, taking in a deep breath.

“What’s wrong?” Nico asked suddenly, blinking furiously as if he were dazed.

“I feel really light headed,” Will said as he clapped his hands on his burning cheeks. “And I just got the feeling that if we kept kissing it’d be bad for my health.”

“Oh…oh,” Nico said dumbly.  

“Thank you,” Will said as he turned away slightly gathering up his shirt, resisting the urge to trace his tingling mouth.

“Why did you just thank me?” Nico asked confused.

“For…uh…kissing me?” Will offered, and when Nico snorted he leveled a glare that felt anything but truthful as Will struggled to pull back on his shirt. Finally wrangling it on correctly, he huffed. “I don’t know, what else am I supposed to say.”

“You’re an idiot, Will Solace,” Nico said as he offered his hand.  

“I am, sorry about that,” Will said with a smile as Nico helped to haul him up.  

“That’s alright, it’s one of the things I like about you.”

“Gods above and below, I hate this about you. Why are you like this?” Nico demanded, arms crossed across his chest.

Will and Nico were standing at the edge of a crossfire. Will was refusing to back down on this one, even though Lou Ellen was watching from the side with Cecil like two spectators viewing a tennis match, eyes flitting between them, and Austin and Kayla had hidden behind some benches though they were peaking out every once in a while.

“I’m sorry that I’m trying to keep you from keeling over,” Will said with a huff.

They were standing slightly past the main section of the training grounds, where Lou Ellen had scrawled a huge magic circle into the ground. Nico was standing inside of it, tapping his foot impatiently. Will sighed as he faced off against him. Nico was glaring at Will, which was relatively intimidating, but if that was enough to deter Will from his purpose then he wouldn’t have gotten as far as he had in life.

“I’m fine, I don’t understand why we are doing all of this!” Nico snapped at Will. “I’ve never needed a magic circle before, and I swear it’s messing up my jumps.”

“Because first off, we’re practicing your powers to see what you can actually do, and I don’t want you to stretch yourself too thing. Secondly, I don’t want you to ooze dark energy all over the place. And thirdly, and this one here’s the kicker, because I don’t want you to die!”

“Fight me,” Nico dared, eyes sparking with the challenge.  

“You keep being stubborn and I’ll go over there and make you regret saying that!”

“Do it, Solace!” Sherman called from the side not missing the opportunity to egg on a fight. Miranda smacked the back of his head.  

“No, Will, that’s possibly the worst idea!” Kayla cried out.

“Fine, we’ll keep the stupid circle,” Nico huffed, his heart obviously not in the fight for real.

“Good,” Will said resolutely. “Okay. Let’s see how this goes.”

To be all honest, Will wasn’t entirely hopeful about this little experience. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Nico to succeed, just the opposite, Will wanted Nico’s powers to work for him. Will’s own powers certainly didn’t come without a price if he wasn’t being careful. Will had gained a healthy fear of second degree burns through his many trials and errors. But Will had never been afraid of his own powers, afraid that the use of them could make him disappear. Will had no idea whatsoever how that fear might translate, or even be proven true.

Nico planted his feet apart in a track start, as if he were planning to run the 100 meter dash. His eyes were trained on the thicket of trees and the darkness in the shade. Nico pushed off and sprinted past the crowd of curious onlookers. Without stopping he dove straight into shadow, which pulsed and twitched as if it were alive and then swallowed him up whole.

“Holy Hera, he’s gone,” Cecil commented from the side.

“Where do you think he’s going?” Austin asked, popping his head up from behind the bench.

As if to answer his question, there was a distant scream. Will had the strangest sensation as if his feet had been dunked in ice water. Will yelped and fell over as suddenly his shadow bulged and Nico came falling out of it. Nico skidded, hit the side of the magic circle, bounced off like a sugar high kid bounce house, and lay in a groaning heap on his back.

“Are you alright?” Will asked worriedly as he knelt by Nico. Nico slammed his heels into the ground as if he were a child, glaring up at the sky as if Zeus had personally insulted him. Which, honestly, Will was sure had probably happened at some point.

“I don’t know why I can’t do this,” Nico said, colorless eyes searching his face. Will’s heart tugged into his throat, twisting something inside of him. “This should be easy…but…”

“But?”

“But nothing,” Nico huffed sitting up. Immediately his face went white, and he lost his balance. Will caught him, and for a blissful moment Nico rested against Will’s side tucked in safely by his arm. He was cool to the touch, and as Will grasped his hand for a moment Nico felt unworldly light. As if he was grasping a shadow, Will thought in a half-panic.

“Hey Lou, break the circle please?” Will requested. “Kayla, grab me a Gatorade?”

Lou Ellen smudged out an edge with her boot and Kayla ducked into the circle fast. She quickly handed Will a bright orange Gatorade, which Nico took begrudgingly. He sipped it and leaned off of Will, and thankfully this time Will sensed his full weight. He looked more material by the time he wiped his mouth and set down the bottle.

“Feel better?” Will asked hopefully.

“Yeah, a little bit,” Nico conceded. Will held out his hand and Nico allowed Will to take his own. The darkness in his veins was more active then before, but it wasn’t at a worrying level as Will had feared. But for good measure, Will sent a pulse of his power to warm Nico’s fingertips. Will looked up to see Nico staring at Will, as if he were seeing Will for the first time. The look was so intense that Will began to blush—

“Get a room!” Ellis Wakefield called to them as he walked by.

Nico went bright red, flushed and he spluttered. Will didn’t have time to formulate a response to Ellis to explain his very pointed feelings about him and his no good rotten mouth when something reached out from the ground and stopped that line of thought where it had started.

Ellis screeched as a zombie arm grabbed at his leg.

“Oh my Gods!” Austin screamed and jumped on the bench, taking Kayla with him.

“YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY BROTHER!” Sherman shouted as his war-cry and he grabbed the closest weapon which was a gardening hoe. Brandishing it like a spear, he swung it. However he wasn’t expecting the half-emerged zombie to grab it and hold on. Sherman played tug-of-war with the zombie until he wrenched the zombie’s arm off. The sudden freedom sent the hoe out of Sherman’s hands and sailing through the air until the hit a bed of flowers.

“My marigolds!” Miranda cried. “Sherman, seriously what the Hades!”

“My brother!” Sherman pointed out.

“My flowers,” Miranda said, as if it were perfectly understandable that she should put those first. Sherman made a face as if he understood her point.

“Guys! Zombie!” Cecil pointed out as he gave said one-armed zombie a thwack with a broom while Lou Ellen was searching her bag, probably for something that would make this situation worse, and Will grabbed the both of them before the zombie grabbed them and took a bite and hauled them backwards out of the zombie’s one-armed reach.

Nico unsteadily got to his feet with little fanfare. He grabbed the arm, which was seemingly scrabbling for its body but had lost its way and was under the bench that Kayla and Austin were on top of. He gave it a terse look, and it went limp and stopped grabbing at him like it was a puppy that had gotten stuck with its nose in the food bag. He handed the arm back to the zombie who smacked it a few times with his limp arm before succeeding in gripping it. Will kind of wanted to give it a gold star for effort even though he was sweating out of fear for the looming zombie apocalypse.  

“You, get.” Nico ordered, shooing it with the side of his boot.

“Uaaaaaagh,” said the zombie.

“Don’t you sass me. This is your dark prince speaking, get yourself back down into the underworld. Pronto.”

“Eurk?”

“Yes I know I summoned you. But it was an accident. No- no you do not need to devour their faces, though I appreciate the thought. Now move along, nothing to see here.”

If the zombie wasn’t a zombie and wasn’t dead, Will could’ve imagined it gave Nico a cross look before disappearing back into the earth that had coughed him up like a hairball.

“Nice going Ellis,” Sherman growled at his brother and punched his shoulder.

“But this means I can summon zombies,” Nico said, very pleased with himself, clenching and unclenching his fists as if testing the raw power that was flowing through his veins. “And that didn’t even bother me one bit.”

“What did you mean you appreciate its thoughts!” Austin said in return, dramatically testing the ground with his toe as if more zombies would come popping out like daisies. Nico just shrugged, obviously not comforting Austin in the slightest.

“Okay okay, everyone let’s break this up. Lunch is starting in a few minutes, so let’s just leave it at that,” Will said as he clapped his hands to get everyone off the slightly gruesome thoughts. He convinced his siblings to get off the table before turning back to the crowd of demigods. “That was a request, I can make it an order.”

“You aren’t the boss of me,” Ellis argued.

“Ellis, how about you don’t dig your own grave,” Cecil offered, grabbing his shoulders and steering him towards the pavilion with Lou Ellen helping to tow him away. Sherman and Miranda followed, Miranda comfortably tucked into Sherman’s side.

“Well come on then, Death Boy, time for lunch,” Will said as he motioned for Nico to tag along.

“Don’t call me that,” Nico said as he stuffed his hands into his sleeves, and then put those into his pocket. He trudged forward, but only a step or two ahead of Will, Kayla, and Austin. Kayla quickly began to chatter about music lessons, Austin pitching in with his two cents every once in awhile. Austin, who was a master at the saxophone, had recently begun challenging himself with the violin to various degrees of success.

Will wasn’t really listening to Austin, he was more concerned with the way that Nico’s curls bounced when he walked. His hair really was getting long, and Will wanted nothing more than to knot his fingers in it. Will wanted to grasp Nico’s arm, to walk in step with him, but he held himself back for Nico’s sake. He had asked that they keep everything on the DL for a while, just as he got comfortable enough to say it. Will wondered with an acute form of misery how long it would be. Will would wait for Nico as long as he needed to, that was sure. And he would never out someone without explicit permission, since Will had nightmares about that kind of thing. But he hoped beyond all hope that it would be soon. Mostly because Will didn’t think he could contain his happiness around Nico all that well if even Ellis was picking up on the vibes.

“What are you sighing for?” Nico asked, walking backwards for a second so he could face Will while they were talking and walking.

“Just tired,” Will lied with a smile. “Don’t walk backwards, you might trip—”

Will spoke the words far too soon as Nico tripped backwards over his feet on a tree root. Will yelped and reached to grab him, but Nico was too far gone and yanked Will onto the ground. Will pushed up, and at that very moment Will’s eyes met Nico’s.

Their faces were close. So close. Too close—

Nico’s face went bright red, and at the feeling of something grabbing Will’s hand, he looked down and found another zombie hand.

“Oh no,” Nico said, rather succinctly.

“I can’t believe Chiron did that,” Nico groaned as he turned over in his bed. All of the other bed-takers due to the short lived CHB zombie apocalypse had vacated the infirmary, having taken a regiment of ambrosia and nectar and having been promised by Nico that none of them would actually turn into zombies. Will was only a little worse for wear, having needed to do some spontaneous healing on poor Paolo Montes who had gotten a little gnawed on, meaning that he was nearly asleep at his seat. But worse things could happen.

“I know, it was kind of ridiculous,” Will cackled as he pulled his chair close to Nico’s bed. “Alright, give me your leg.”

“I don’t need a babysitter,” Nico grumbled as he offered his leg with a dramatic huff.

“But sitting with me and my siblings at lunch might be fun at least until you get the whole spontaneously summoning zombies thing under control,” Will said before giving Nico’s leg a teasing brush. Nico’s leg jerked back and he glared, but Will definitely saw the blush staining his cheeks. “Why? Do you hate the idea of sitting at meals with me?”

“You know I don’t,” Nico admitted but it also sort of sounded like he was choking on his words, as if he had gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Will couldn’t help but laugh at Nico’s feeble attempt to hide how pleased he was at this turn of events. “But you also realize that to keep sitting together after I get this all sorted out we’ll have to come up with excuses.”

“Chiron won’t be that hard to convince,” Will said with a shrug.

“Why do I get the feeling he knows we’re…you know…going out?” Nico asked Will suspiciously.

“I have no idea of what you are speaking of good sir,” Will said primly as he washed Nico’s sprained ankle with his power before wrapping his foot quickly and efficiently. This was the kind of injury that Will could tend to in his sleep, and honestly with how the infirmary could sometimes get in the height of summer, Will probably had.

“What are you smiling about?” Nico asked Will as he leaned back against the headboard.

“Nothing, I’m just happy to be with you is all,” Will told Nico, realizing that he had indeed been smiling the whole time, but finding no reason to lie.

“I suppose I can live with sitting next to you at meals if I must,” Nico said dramatically with a sigh.

“You’ll well and truly suffer,” Will returned before being unable to help his yawn. He blinked out the tears that wet his eyes, and stretched his arms over his head.

“You ought to be the one laying down,” Nico observed.

“I might just do that,” Will said sleepily, feeling blurry and tired, the pool of warmth in him only a spark. Everything in him was telling him that it would be a wonderful time to sleep, stretched in the sun, deliriously comfy and warm and he was finding it hard to refuse. “Do you mind?”

“As if I would,” Nico said as he brought one leg to his chest and seemingly settled in. “Go lay down and take a nap.”

Will gave Nico a smile, before laying into the bed under the window, curling up above the sheets he fell into a deep and restful nap that could ease any mind. His dreams were unfettered by his waking worries, he had no worrying dreams, just a sleep that was as soft and sweet as autumn sunlight and sank into him.

And then he woke up.

[baneismydragon]

"You love me, right?" For Ladynoir

It was not the way he expected it to go down. Which, honestly, was rather impressive because in the past two years of their partnership Chat Noir must have plotted out at least 50 different possible scenarios in which he finally heard the coveted words. 

They had been joking around, legs swinging off the edge of of the parapet and laughing, enjoying the warm breeze. 

“Come on, you can’t tell me that your birthday is this week and not let me get you a present,” Chat whined, “what sort of partner would I be.” 

“The last thing I need for my birthday is a dead rat on my doorstep,” Ladybug teased as she once again failed to do a Jacob’s ladder with her Yo-yo. She scowled down at her weapon and Chat had to bite back a laugh. There was something incredibly endearing about the fact that for all the truly amazing things she had done with the magical item, she couldn’t seem to get the hang of a simple trick. 

“Ah, but you know that I won’t be giving you that, because I don’t know where your doorway is,” Chat grinned, “so your argument against my giving you a gift is invalid.” 

She rolled her eyes, but he could see her fighting back a smile. 

“Come on,” he whispered, dropping his chin onto her shoulder, “I’ll get you anything you want.” 

“Anything?” she asked, twisting her head to look at him and causing their noses to brush together. 

“Cross my heart and swear not to die, because I already promised you I wouldn’t after what happened last month.” 

She narrowed her eyes at him, her lips twisting into the disapproving pout that had become one of his favorite expressions. Not that he had a lack of those where she was concerned. Still, this particular look of fond annoyance was easily in the top 20. 

“Please?” he cajoled, stretching out the vowels like a hopeful child asking for a new toy. 

She looked away and Chat smiled. If she couldn’t meet his eyes it meant she was caving. 

“If Mayor Bourgeois is allowed to give you a statue, the least I should be allowed to do is get you a birthday present,” he whispered, trying not to fist pump as he saw her bite her lower lip. Victory was almost assured at this point. “Please?” he said again. 

“Anything?” she asked hesitantly. 

“Anything,” he assured her in the same quiet voice while internally he screamed in triumph. In fact he would probably be annoying Plagg later with his obligatory victory dance. 

Ladybug said nothing, continuing to stare out into the night, but Chat had learned patience was the key to these sorts of moods, so he simply waited, his head continuing to lull against her shoulder. 

“Chat?”

“Yes My Lady?”

“You love me right?” 

He felt his breath catch in his throat. He knew she didn’t mean it the way he wanted her to. It was a friendly statement, a joking lead-in to a request that usually meant she was insecure about something. It wasn’t the first time she had said it, but he still couldn’t help but be affected by the words. 

“Of course, to the end of my nine lives and beyond,” he said, his tone light despite the rapid pounding of his heart. 

“And you won’t make fun of me?” she said, with just enough of a tremor in her voice to belie her playful smile. 

“Never. Cat’s honor.” 

She took a deep breath and reached her hand up to pull at the collar of her suit. 

“What are you doing?” Chat squawked his face turning beet red as her fingers slide beneath the fabric and down towards her collar bone. 

She gave him a bemused smirk as she pulled out a carefully folded note, much to Chat’s simultaneous relief and dismay. 

“Never figured you for a prude,” she said tapping him on the nose with the paper. 

“What is so important that you felt the need to carry it around under your suit?” he grumbled, then instantly regretted his outburst when her shoulders hunched slightly. “Is it a picture of me? Admit it you pull it out to stare at it when I am not around.” He gave her his most salacious smirk and she gave him a playful shove, the momentary flash of doubt replaced with amusement. He mentally high fived himself on the nice save. Another thing to brag to Plagg about when they got home. 

“No. It’s a letter.” 

“I assume you are either going to elaborate, or you have decided to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming the world’s greatest calligrapher.” 

“What?”

“Never mind, you never did appreciate my sense of humor.” 

“It’s a letter for my crush.” 

His heart sank. 

“It’s stupid,” she said hurriedly, “it’s not even signed. I don’t know what is wrong with me that I can’t even bring myself to give him an anonymous love letter. I stupidly thought that maybe I would get lucky and could run in to him as Ladybug and maybe then I could…” she trailed off with a miserable laugh that broke his heart far worse than her infatuation with someone else. 

“My Lady-” 

“It’s horrible,” she cried, scooting back just enough so that she could look at him, “seriously, you have no idea how pathetic I have been.” 

“Come on it can’t be that bad.”

“For months I couldn’t even speak a complete sentence in front of him,” she wailed, “much less tell him how I feel!” 

“That’s totally normal.” 

“Oh, it get’s better. Because I wasn’t just content to make a fool of myself. No then I compensated by getting worse! My room is plastered with pictures of him. I have one framed on my nightstand!” 

“You are hardly the first person alive to go overboard about a crush,” Chat said thinking of his own hoard of fangirls that had only increased as he edged closer to adulthood.” 

“I wrote down his schedule on my calendar. In detail! Every time I learned something new, up it would go in big swirly cursive with little hearts and everything.” 

“OK, that’s admittedly a little weirder,” Chat winced, although he was somewhat amused at the image of her dotting little hearts all over the place, “still it could be-” 

“I stole his phone!”

“OK yeah, you’re crazy.”

“I told you. Instead of just confessing to him like a normal person I turned into,” she gestured helplessly at herself, “this.” 

“But at least you admit it,” he said kindly. “and if need be I can get you the name of an excellent therapist.” 

She gave him a weak smile, and he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into a gentle hug. 

“I thought if I could just give him this letter, even if he didn’t know it was from me, then I could… I donnow, not move on exactly but, get better, maybe?” 

She fiddled with the piece of paper in her hand and somehow, seeing her like this- relaxed and vulnerable, and just a little bit insane- made him love her even more. 

Maybe they would never amount to anything. Maybe she would end up with this mystery crush, or the next one. But in that moment Chat knew that he would never regret loving this girl. He would be happy to stay by her side in whatever way she needed him. That would be enough. 

“Do you want me to give it to him for you?” he asked, any regret he might have felt vanishing at the hopeful look that sprang to her eyes. 

“Would you?” 

“Of course Bugaboo. Although, if this turns into some sort of wacky rom-com where he thinks that I am the secret admirer and starts chasing after my dazzling good looks and unparalleled charm, you are not allowed to make it my fault.” 

“Ok,” she laughed, leaning her head back against his shoulder with a sigh that he could swear reverberated in his very soul. 

“So who am I delivering this to anyways?” he asked a little shakily carefully plucking the letter from her and slipping into into the pocket of his suit. “Who is this dashing rogue who has turned you into a literal lovesick schoolgirl?” 

“Adrien Agreste,” she confessed with a blush. “I’m in love with Adrien Agreste.” 

It was definitely not how he had expected things to go down. Never in a million years would he have dreamed up this scenario when he finally heard the coveted words- his name on her tongue, her voice saying that she loved him, HIM, of all people. 

It was not what he expected- but damn if it still wasn’t the greatest moment in his life. 

Look who’s back to her 4 word prompts! On to the next one! (Not taking any new ones just finishing up the ones I have.

[lordzuuko]

Heeey Cath! I'm hoping that you are doing okay and that life is treating you well, you know, yesterday I was happily thinking about your amazing AUs when I *gasped* realizing something... you know what the Vld Fam needs? SLAV! the wacky old neighbor who shares the same workplace with our beloved Dr. Takashi Shirogane who simply *adores* him *evil laugh*

I AM PISSING MYSELF AT THIS IDEA ITS BRILLIANT I LOVE IT

[The Voltron Family] Keith just got out of the shower and he only had a towel wrapped around his waist. He entered the walk-in closet they have in the master bedroom and Shiro already had pants on and was trying to find a nice dress shirt for work. It was a typical morning for the Shirogane Family. Keith began drying his hair with a smaller towel and he saw his phone lit up. He checked it and grinned as he walked towards Shiro because his husband was near the underwear section of the room.

Keith: *bends down to get a new pair of underwear* So, I just got a message.Shiro: *still finding a shirt* *not looking at Keith* Hmm? From who? Keith: *puts on his boxers* Well, a reminder actually. Shiro: Ah. *FINALLY finds the shirt and grabs it* A reminder about what?Keith: *puts on pants* About dinner.Shiro: *buttons his shirt* *faces Keith* Are we celebrating something? Am I forgetting a monthsary or something? *eyes widens*Keith: *shakes his head and faces Shiro* You know we don’t do monthsaries anymore. We’re married for, like, what? 10 years? *raises an eyebrow* *elbow leaning up on the wall while his left hand was on his waist*Shiro: *stares at Keith and grins* And every morning you give me what photographers experience when taking photos of a model.Keith: *snorts* *straightens himself* Too early for flirting, Takashi. *turns around to grab a button up shirt*Shiro: *approaches Keith* *grabs a navy blue button up with thin white stripes* Hmmm, I think this would be nicer for you today.Keith: *ponders* You think so?Shiro: *places the shirt in front of Keith* *squints* Yeah. It’s perfect.Keith: *smiles* Alright. *grabs the shirt and begins putting it on* Anyway, about the text message.Shiro: *laughs* Oh right. We were talking about that. *grabs a pair of socks*Keith: *snorts* Keep up, old man. *grabs a necktie* It’s—Shiro: Let me do that for you, sweetheart. *does Keith’s tie* Continue.Keith: Anyway, it was a message about our formal dinner later. About someone joining us. Shiro: *sticks his tongue out while working on Keith’s tie* Hmmm. Is it one of the kid’s friends or something?Keith: *smirks* No. It’s Slav.Shiro: *abruptly stops and stares at Keith in horror*

Slav was their new neighbour and someone Shiro worked with at the hospital. So, he was Doctor Slav as most people called him at work and Shiro hated him. Well, hate was a strong word, but the guy wouldn’t stop being so annoying to him that sometimes Shiro just wanted to strangle him—and Shiro was a calm and collected guy! And when Shiro found out they were neighbours, Slav just kept reminding him of that ugly fact and once saw them having a formal dinner that he invited himself to the next one. 

The dreaded night arrived and Shiro just wanted it to end already and it hasn’t even started yet. Keith was fixing his bowtie and he kept telling him to relax.

Shiro: I don’t see the point why we need to dress up for him. *annoyed*Keith: *snorts* We’ve been dressing up for this formal monthly dinners for years, regardless if we have a guest or not. *done with the bowtie*Shiro: *rolls his eyes* Yeah, but it’s Slav of all people!Keith: *chuckles* The guy loves you!Shiro: *pretends to vomit* YEAH, IN ANOTHER REALITY. But not in this one!Keith: *pats Shiro’s cheek affectionately* Poor baby.Shiro: *gets more annoyed* Don’t patronize me. *pouts*Keith: *laughs* *leans in to give Shiro a kiss* Sorry. You’re just so amusing.

The doorbell rang and Shiro just wanted to fly somewhere else. Keith told him to stay in place and get the kids ready because their guest was already at the door. Keith opened the door and there stood Slav in all his formal glory, all dressed so nicely like he was going to a gala.

Slav: *smiles* Good Evening, Keith. I’ve calculated all the probabilities on how this greeting should go and 90% of it gave me the idea that it would please you if I give you a kiss on the cheek as it is customary for us Europeans. Keith: *didn’t have time to react when Slav gave him a kiss on the cheek* *blinks* Uh, thanks, I guess?Slav: *beams* *pleased at Keith’s reaction* I’m always 99% right. *looks behind Keith* Is the husband and the kids in? Keith: Yes, they are. Do come in, so we can start.Slav: *enters and sees Shiro* *smiles brightly* Oh, there is my favourite colleague and neighbour! *approaches Shiro to pull him into a hug and a kiss on the cheek* I can’t wait for us to bond more and become closer after this! Shiro: *looks at Keith for help*Keith: I’ll just go prepare our food. *grins*Shiro: *mouths* TRAITOR!! YOU FRICKING TRAITOR OF A HUSBAND!Keith: *mouths* I love you!!!! *leaves to go to the dining area*

The next day, Slav kept announcing at the hospital how he had such a wonderful time with the Shirogane Family last night, how wonderful Shiro’s husband was and how smart their kids were that Slav even promised to go back just so he could bond with Shiro’s kids.

Shiro: *on the phone with Keith* HE WANTED TO BOND WITH THE KIDS, KEITH!! OUR KIDS!!! Keith: I don’t see what’s wrong with that…? Shiro: EVERYTHING ABOUT IT IS WRONG! What if our kids turn crazy like him?! This is a disaster!Keith: *laughs* You’re overreacting, baby. Slav isn’t that bad.Shiro: I work WITH him, you don’t. *frowns*Keith: *laughs even harder* And boy am I thankful everyday that I don’t.

[starzki]

Happy Birthday Angie

I told @mirsan that if she gave me a prompt, I’d write her a story for her birthday, today. Mirsan College AU was one of them, and I had just been thinking about writing a prequel for my fic “Getting Even.” So that’s what this is.

It’s only a second draft because I wanted to post this while it was still her birthday. Even when I fully edit and fix this up, it’s still my gift to Angie.  Sorry it’s not in its final form yet, but I hope you like it anyway.

Also, as a last note, this is actually heavily borrowed from my own college experiences at frat parties. By my senior year, I really did wonder why they let me through the doors...

Title: The Terror of Phi Delta Theta Author: Starzki Pairing: MirSan Genre: Wacky College AU Word Count: 1900 Summary: Sango goes to a toga party and meets a few people.

-x-

"I'm gonna need to be a whole lot drunker for this," Sango said as she and Kagome made their way to the fraternity party.

"You like parties, Sango," replied Kagome as she readjusted the drape of her green toga over her shoulder while tottering on her new heels. They had both pre-partied kind of hard with a leftover bottle of Goldschlagar that had them both already tipsy and breathing cinnamon fire. "Plus, you're not the one about to see a recent ex..."

 "Asshole," groused Sango. But it was the end of the fall semester with only a few finals left, and the Phi Delt toga party was the perfect stress reliever. Yes, Sango thought, I need to be more drunk, but luckily, the party would have a ton of free drinks.

 Kagome smiled warmly at her friend. "We're forgetting about him for tonight, anyway. Let's find you a boy."

"Ha," Sango laughed without mirth. She was determined to keep her foul mood. "Like anyone will notice me with you around." Sango really wasn't bitter. More of a realist. Kagome was delicately beautiful and you couldn't help but notice her and her kind spirit. Half of the men at their university at least had a crush on her, and now that she and Inuyasha were taking a break, they were sure to be circling her tonight.

 "Oh, please, Sango. All the boys notice you. And you picked the prettiest pink for your toga; you look like you're glowing!"

Sango glowered but accepted the compliment, shooting a smile that was half-apology at her friend. They turned down the sidewalk and passed their practice field. They were both on the women's soccer team at their school, and Sango had risen to co-captain, even as a junior, just that season. The field actually lifted her spirits. The season had been over for a month, but they had done well in their conference for once.

"Hmm," mused Kagome. "I wonder if it's coincidence that the Phi Delt house is across the street from the practice field..."

"Coincidence?"

"I mean, half the men's team pledge there.  Maybe they're only Phi Delts so that they can sleep in a little longer before morning practice."

"It sounds like something those idiots would actually take into consideration," agreed Sango.

Kagome laughed. "Yeah. They may not be bright, but they're definitely pretty."

 "Hey, we're forgetting him tonight, right?"

 "Well... I could have been talking about any of the others..."

 "Mm hmm." Sango didn't believe for a minute that Kagome was referring to anyone else, either on the soccer team or in the frat. In fact, if Sango were a betting woman, she'd put money on Kagome and Inuyasha getting together again before the party was over.

 A minute later they were at the door showing their student IDs as well as their licenses to show they were old enough to drink. The young pledge and the campus security officer at the door nodded them in.

 The door swung open and Sango and Kagome were hit with the full volume of the party all at once.

 "Kagome!" was the united chorus as they stepped inside. Sango gave Kagome a pointed look.

Charmed, Kagome could only answer, "It's only because I used to come here all the time to see... you-know-who."

Sango rolled her eyes, but couldn't help her smile. The press of bodies and the smell of beer in the low light of the house was perfect. Before she knew it, she had a can of cheap, awful beer in her hand and Kagome was dragging her to the dance floor.

After that, the night became a swirl of energy and sound and Sango could feel it sweep her away it its inescapable current.

-x-

 One hour and three beers later, Sango was stumbling through the house on her way back to the dance floor from the bathroom. She swung her way into the kitchen to grab another beer for Kagome on her way.

 "Sango!" came the delighted shout from behind the kitchen's island. She pushed her damp hair away from her face and looked around until she saw the voice's owner.

 "Monk!" she shouted back. Miroku was looking very nice in a purple toga that showed off his soccer player physique. He wasn't a member of the Delts, but being on the soccer team gave him an open door there any time he wanted.

"Looks like you've been having fun," he yelled over the music that was blasting its way in from the next room. He rounded the island to get closer.

"Oh, is it because I'm a sweaty mess from dancing all night?" she teased.  "Or is it something else?"

 "It's because you're about to have a toga malfunction," he said. "This whole party is about to get a lot better."

 Sango swung around trying to find the issue with her toga. Yes, it was dragging when it hadn't been before, but in her current state of inebriation, she couldn't figure out what was wrong.

 "Wassit?" she asked.

 He smiled and helped her readjust the fabric around her middle and over her shoulder. "So, you're not driving tonight, right?" Miroku asked, hinting that she was way over her limit.

"Nope. Staying with Kagome at the sorority house, so I'm walking."

"Good, I think your toga's all set. You could dance for the rest of the night without exposing anything... unless you want to," he said with sexy smile.

Sango laughed and smacked his arm. "And you didn't even cop a feel. I thought you had a reputation to uphold, Monk."

"How about this?" Miroku pulled Sango into a warm hug.  Damn, but he was a good hugger. "And tomorrow, I'll cop all the feels you want me to."  It was a moment between songs on the dance floor, so he lowered  his voice into a low purr in her ear. She felt goosebumps chasing their way down her neck and back and allowed herself to smile at the possibilities.

Just then, right as a new song blasted its way into the room, Inuyasha entered.

"Fuckin' beer me, Monk," he said. "And then get a fuckin' room. I swear, you and these girls..."

Sango spun and the expression on Inuyasha's face went from bored to terrified.

"You!" she said, everything else forgotten.  "You!"

Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest, but Sango was on him in an instant, index finger poking into his chest as she stared him down.

"How dare you! Do you even know how amazing and wonderful Kagome is?"

"Uh..."

"She's beautiful and smart and the most spectacular person you will ever have the pleasure of meeting in your entire life and you go off with Kikyou?"

"It wasn't..."

Sango was having none of it. She continued to poke into Inuyasha's chest, advancing on him until his back was fully pressed against the wall. "Fuck. You. You hurt Kagome's feelings and I have made it my mission to end anyone who hurts Kagome in any way. Including you."

A small crowd was starting to gather to gawp at the small young woman who appeared to be terrifying a rather large, muscular fraternity member.

"I won't..."

"Don't even try with me, Inuyasha. You're lucky that she's the kind, forgiving sort who asked me not to take your head as my prize tonight. But I will let you know that if this happens again, nothing will stop me from being your worst enemy."

Hands up in supplication, Inuyasha finally said, "I promise."

Sango smiled and backed away, allowing Inuyasha to move away from the wall. "Good. Now she's on the dance floor in case you were wondering. And I think I saw Kouga headed that way not too long ago."

Inuyasha's eyes darkened as he spun his head to the next room. "Humph," was all he said before he left.

Sango turned around and saw Miroku with his mouth hanging open. Then he smiled. It wasn't the fake, sly smile he usually wore, but a genuine, open smile that lit up his eyes. "You are terrifying," he said.  

"That was fun!" Sango said. "Come with me. I have more Phi Delts to yell at. You can't break the heart of my teammates and expect me to do nothing!"

-x-

Three lectures and one stomped foot later (the foot stomping had been mostly an accident, but Sango wasn't sorry it had happened), Sango dragged Miroku back to the kitchen for another beer.

Sango was still giggling about her latest rant when the door to the kitchen burst open and Inuyasha entered, carrying Kagome over his shoulder.

"Oh, hi Sango!" called Kagome as Inuyasha strode through the room. "You can stay at my place tonight! I'm staying here!"

"Monk. Sango," Inuyasha acknowledged as he walked by.

"We made up!" Kagome cried as Inuyasha kicked down the door to the rest of the house and slammed it behind them.

Sango just shook her head with another laugh, then smiled up at Miroku.

"You knew that was coming, right?" she asked him.

"Duh," he answered with is own smile, passing Sango one of the few remaining warm beers.

They stood closely, shoulder to shoulder with their backs against the island. After a moment, Miroku threw his arm across her shoulders.

Miroku gulped down his own beer.  He tried not to let it show, but he had been a little nervous earlier. Some of the guys Sango had dressed down weren't the nicest guys. And they had all been in front of their friends or girlfriend, making it less likely that they'd receive her criticism with any kindness.  But Sango was fearless, and those guys had sensed it.  She had gotten promises for apologies from all three, and Miroku believed that they'd follow through.  The last thing any of them wanted was for the ferocious co-captain of the women's team to start a shitlist with their names on it.

Sango sipped at her beer thoughtfully, her eyes lingering on Miroku. He was widely known as a ladies man on campus, but he'd spent much of the night with her, backing her up as she tore through the frat house. It felt like she didn't know so much about him, but everything that she saw, she really liked and admired.

He caught her eyeing him and smirked. "Wanna dance?" he asked.

Sango heard the synth beats coming from the next room, remembering the anonymous press of bodies from earlier, and shook her head.  "You know what I want?" she ventured.

Miroku squinted at her and licked his lips. Then he stood up straight and hugged her shoulder into him tightly. "Let's see. I bet you want to go out on that practice field outside and kick the ball around some."

It was Sango's turn for her jaw to drop. "That's fucking uncanny. How did you do that?"

"It's what I want to do, too.  A drunken late-night soccer practice in togas seems like the perfect end to this party, right?"

Still a little mystified, Sango nodded.

"I know where they keep a ball? Shall we, m'lady?"  He offered an arm.

Sango curtsied, then surprised him as she jumped up onto his back.  Miroku tossed his beer can at the sink and piggy backed Sango through the party and out to the field where they would get muddy and gross and create one of their favorite college memories ever.

END.

[oneshot-twoshot-redshot-blueshot]

Bring ‘Em Home, part 2

Requested

Part 1

*Dean-centric

**Vietnam War AU/Soldier!Dean

______________________________________________________________

Dean had been at the hospital for almost two weeks. The doctors had taken his measurements and were having a prosthetic made for him. Meanwhile, an empty room had surfaced in the hospital and Dean was moved.

He liked it better in this solitary room. He was free to brood without having to listen to the moans of the other soldiers. Nights were more peaceful here, too; the only screams that woke Dean were his own.

You still made a practice to come see him every day, checking on his overall health and attitude. When you stepped into the room, Dean immediately felt lighter. He would put on a brave face for you, not wanting you to leave him like a parent leaves a fussy child.

“Things are looking up for you, Mr. Winchester,” you said one day, noting the chart. “And the doctor believes your prosthetic should be done in about ten days.”

“Wonderful.”

“That won’t be your final one, though. It’s just a practice, to make sure it’s going to fit properly. Any adjustments that need to be made will, and your final one should show up about a week later.”

Dean nodded. While he knew that prosthetics were meant to make him feel whole again, he couldn’t help but feel broken. He would never been a whole man again.

One day, you stepped into Dean’s room just as the lunch cart was leaving. “I’m terribly sorry, Mr. Winchester. My schedule has been completely wacky today. I meant to stop in earlier. I’ll leave you to your meal and check in later.”

“You… you don’t have to,” Dean said.

You gave him a tiny smile as you stepped to the end of his bed, picking up his chart.

Dean studied you. “Y/N… would you… maybe want to stay with me? You could have part of this sandwich if you wanted it. I’d even share my pie with you.”

You chuckled. “Are you asking me on a date, Mr. Winchester?”

“Oh, yeah, sweetheart. A wonderful meal of hospital-mandated food followed by a roll down to the rec room.”

You said nothing for a few moments before sitting down in the chair next to Dean’s bed. “I’ll make you a deal, Mr. Winchester. I’ll stay in here while you eat if you actually go through with the rest of your promise and go to the rec room afterwards.”

Dean shifted in his mattress. He’d gone to the rec room once or twice during his stay, but he never enjoyed his time there. While he knew he was no worse off than any of the other guys here, he always felt as if they were staring at his stump, even though it was hidden under the blanket in his lap. But if you were going to stay down there with him… “Deal.”

______________________________________________________________

And so, just like that, you somehow convinced Dean to go down to the rec room every day. He found a comfort in being pushed down the hall by you. His self-consciousness over his stump was lessening because… you treated him as whole. You seemed generally happy with spending time with him: playing cards or completing puzzles. Things Dean hadn’t really been interested in before he’d gone to war. But you made the ordinary seem extraordinary and Dean wanted to experience more.

You pushed Dean into the rec room, positioning him in the corner of the room, nowhere near a table.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“You’ve got some visitors today, Mr. Winchester.”

“Visitors? What?”

At that moment, three people stepped into the room, shattering Dean’s world. His baby brother’s smile threatened to split his face, his mother’s shaking hands were covering her mouth. Even his father’s eyes seemed to be shimmering with a tear.

It had been months since Dean had seen them. None of them looked any different, but Dean felt as though he’d lived through four lifetimes without them.

“De,” Sam said, leaning down and wrapping his arms around Dean’s shoulders. Sammy always was the go-getter, the first one to cross the bridge over troubled or unusual waters. Dean wrapped his arms around his brother, holding him tight.

When Sam pulled back, Mary immediately took his place. Dean felt tears spring to his eyes—he hadn't been sure he’d ever see his mother again in this life. She smelled the exact same, the scent that had infiltrated Dean’s dreams when he was overseas, the scent he desperately tried to find in the letters she sent.

When she pulled back, John stepped forward. “It’s nice to see you,” he said, clapping a hand on Dean’s shoulder.

“Y-yeah… you, too.” Dean swallowed. He’d gone through drill, he’d gone through war, but his father was still one of the most intimidating men he’d ever encountered.

Dean’s family sat in the chairs you brought over. He desperately wanted you to stay, but you disappeared down the hall with a small wave.

Dean spent the next hour with his family, trying to enjoy his time with the people he loved the most. But he couldn’t help but notice that his father’s gaze lingered on the blanket, knee-level.

“Does it hurt?” Sam finally asked. John smacked him upside the head.

“No,” Dean said. “I barely notice it anymore.”

“What’s the care plan?” Mary asked. “How long do they think you’re going to be here?”

“I don’t know. But they’re working on a prosthetic for me.” Dean was surprised with how easy his tone was—you must be rubbing off on him.

“That’s wonderful, sweetie.”

John said nothing, but Dean could sense a hardening about him. Soon, he stood, indicating that his wife and other son should do the same.

“We’ll try to come back soon,” Mary promised. “I’ll make sure that nurse contacts us when you get your prosthetic.”

“Thanks, Ma,” Dean said, closing his eyes as Mary pressed her lips to his forehead. He was a grown man, but the moment she did that, he felt five years old again. He swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to look his father in the eye as manly as possible.

“Take care,” his father said, turning and heading down the hall.

______________________________________________________________

“Oh!” you said, nearly running into John. “Mr. Winchester. Thank you so much for coming to visit your son. I know it lifted his spirits and I think it will really help in the long run.”

“Is it true what he said about the prosthetic?”

“Yes. The doctors and surgeons are working on a test model which they hope to get done by Friday. His official one should be done by the end of the month.”

John nodded, but his jaw was clenched.

“Mr. Winchester, is everything all right?”

“You have kids?”

You laughed slightly. “No, sir.”

“Then you can’t understand what it’s like to see your child, your flesh and blood completely disfigured like that.”

His words took you aback. “Well… I understand that it’s hard, but I assure you that Dean will be able to walk soon and–”

“It would have been better if he had died over there.”

“W-what?”

“I’m damn proud to have a son that served our country. But to have him come back with such a huge piece of him missing? To have him have a fake leg for the rest of his life?” John shook his head. “It’s shameful. He’s not the same man anymore.”

You swallowed the lump in your throat, trying to find something to say. At that moment, the other two members of Dean’s family stepped up; his gorgeous mother trying to hide tears and his brother trying to keep a strong smile on his face.

“Thank you so much for helping him,” Mary said, reaching out and squeezing your hand in hers. “It means a lot to us.”

“N-no problem, Mrs. Winchester.”

“Please let us know when the prosthetic arrives. I want to come see him walk again.”

You nodded, watching the family walk down the hall. John slipped his arm around Mary’s shoulders, a moment of faux compassion and understanding for what she was going through.

You peered into the rec room. Dean was sitting stock-still, eyes trained on the floor. You could practically see the grey cloud hanging around him.

You fully understood the idea of doctor/patient confidentiality, but you knew that in order to protect Dean, you would have to enact nurse/parent confidentiality; Dean could never know what his father truly thought about him.

[forkanna]

[AO3 LINK] [EF LINK]

NOTE: See if you can spot the BTTF3 reference!

CHAPTER 5

"You're awfully quiet this morning."

The inside of Anna's truck had been like a coffin until halfway to school. She felt bad about it, but wasn't sure what else to do. How could she explain to Punz what she had been through in the past week – a week that didn't exist to her?

"Um… so let's just say…" Clearing her throat, she redoubled her grip on the steering wheel. "This is gonna be pretty weird. And not just 'I might be gay' weird, but more like the 'aliens melted my brain' variety. Bear with me?"

The quick glance showed her that Jennifer was looking confused, right on cue. "Um… yeah, okay, I'm with you. Like the Doc's version of strangeness."

"Exactly! Exactly that, like the Doc. In fact, let's say… hypothetically, one of his crazy inventions worked."

Punz let out a little cackle. "Hah, yeah, okay. No wonder you're apprehensive – it's hard to believe you from the first sentence!" Anna glared at her from the corner of her eye. There was no real malice there, but Punz still made a showing of zipping her lip. "Sorry. Continue."

Clearing her throat, Anna nodded. "Okay, so, one worked – hard as that is to believe. And we managed to do a successful test with a live control, but then other stuff happened and basically I had to use it and it has literally changed my life."

"Okay, um… look, Anna, whatever it is… I'm not gonna be like… mad or anything." At that, Anna gave a dry laugh. "What?"

"You can't say that, you don't know what it is yet. Or what I did."

"Look, it's not going to be anything completely bananas like a time machine or something."

Anna's laugh was strangled and her hands failed to keep the wheel quite steady. Punz stiffened visibly in the seat next to her. Anna's expression was mildly panicked.

"Anna…" Punz slowly turned to face her, her expression morphing into a one of shock and concern. "Are you… feeling okay?"

"Fine! Fine. Yep." She sounded anything but, her eyes fixed on the traffic in front, her face a rictus of normality.

"So what was it then? The invention?" A sliding note of concern was edging into Punz's voice.

"Well… I mean…. what if it was a time machine?"

This time, Punz didn't laugh. She just fixed her girlfriend with an unimpressed look. "Come on, be serious here."

"Stick with me. Like, say he invented a time machine. It's built into a car-" She had to ignore a snort "-and it runs on nuclear energy. A-and say that I had to use it to escape with my life, because Doc pissed off the wrong people to get the power for the experiment."

"Anna, this is pretty-"

"And say it took me back to the eighties, and then I was stuck there, and my phone didn't work, and my dad was a creeper, and there were kinds of Coke I'd never heard of, and my mom looked like Aimee Mann, and I had to say 'rad' all the time, and Hans was pretty much a rapist, and I was scared to death I'd never get home! Wh-what if… what if I told you that all happened? Would you like, call the police and tell them I'm a lunatic, or what?"

It took her a second or two to answer. "I'd say that at least you aren't your own grandpa because of some wacky time traveling oopsie." Punz laughed in a more relaxed manner, clearly having decided this was some kind of joke.

"So you think I've just been watching too many cartoons. Fine… it's fine, don't worry. Just wondered what you would think."

As they pulled into the school parking lot and came to a stop, Jennifer reached over and placed a hand on Anna's arm. "Okay. So… what it sounds like to me is, Doc invented some kind of… really, really intense VR? Or a new drug. Is… that where you were going with that? You tested this out for him and now it's got you all fucked up in the head?"

Nodding, she let out a long, shaky breath. "Yeah. Let's go with that."

"Anna…" Now, her voice was smaller, more genuinely concerned. And she hated it. She wanted to reassure her and yell out "April Fool!", anything but actually tell her the unfiltered truth.

"We're gonna be late for class. Um… can we table this until after? Or lunch or something."

Pressing her lips together, she sighed and shrugged. "Okay. But you can tell me anything, okay? Literally. I might not believe you off the bat, but I'll listen. Promise promise promise."

Anna believed her, but their conversation in the car had put her in a bad mood. She'd expected it – the backlash. The disbelief. Didn't mean that it didn't hurt though.

How was she going to get Punz to believe her? It was starting to feel like a necessity: she needed Jennifer to know and understand and say, "Man that's fucked up but I'm here for you." Anna stopped short on the steps of the school. Punz paused too, turning to look at her, but Anna was a million miles away. Until that moment she hadn't realised how desperate she was for that. More than her weird relationship with her mother, more than her intimacy with Punz… she needed their acceptance. Acceptance of what happened and her related feelings.

It was like she was twelve again, trying desperately to find the words to describe how she felt about girls and not about boys. The terror of 'I know my parents love me but what if?'

Goddamn she needed to see Doc again. Maybe Punz could have a nice chat with him, too…

                                          ~ o ~

Classes felt even longer than usual. Anna spent most of them staring out the window and double-checking with herself that she was really sane, and had endured all the insanity that she accepted as fact. No matter how much a hallucination or weird VR experience would comfort Jen, it was not the truth. And that sweet girl deserved no less than the truth. The trick was getting her to believe it. Thinking back, Anna probably shouldn't have started with "hypothetically", even if it was a good way to broach a tough conversation.

Her only saving grace seemed to be that Jennifer hadn't told any of their other friends. Merida would have laughed and cracked a few puns, and Anna definitely didn't think she could cope with that. By the time lunch was over, Anna was feeling much more normal.

Until Mr. Weselton appeared.

"Well, well, Miss McFly. What are we up to this time?" His mustache twitched back and forth as he stood blocking her way.

"Uhhh… going to class?" He shook his head. "Not going to class? I mean, okay, but if I'm not then I'm really curious what I'm doing here."

"Oh, I wonder that every time I see you. But this isn't an existential debate. You forgot to attend a very important meeting, didn't you?"

Anna had to squint at him for a few seconds before it caught up to her. Both of her teal orbs squeezed shut in a silent cringe.

"Detention."

She almost argued. Almost.

"Because of your tardiness," he said, spittle flying, "You're going to have to make it up. After school." And with that he was off, scolding other kids for holding hands or turning up their sleeves. Finally free of his glare, Anna let out a groan.

"What the hell – when did I get a detention?" she asked, turning to her friend. Punz looked at her, puzzled.

"On Friday, when you attached fishing line to his toupee and dragged it around school?" she said. "Honestly, I still think you were lucky not to be suspended. It was only because Principal Oaken couldn't stop giggling that you got off as easily as you did. Why didn't you just go?"

But Anna wasn't listening. Not really. She was too busy chuckling at the picture it painted – which was not one she remembered vividly from her own memory. "Man, that sounds like a good one."

"Yeah, yeah," Punz snorted with a roll of her eyes. "But the fact remains, you did the crime and now you have to do the time."

"What are you, my dad?" That one came out naturally; Kristoff was the type to say a phrase like that regardless of the timeline. "But alright, I'll go to detention. I swear, if he wasn't always on my case, I'd think I really was going crazy."

                                          ~ o ~

So Anna attended her punishment. It was only an hour, because the school had to get special permissions to keep children after 5 P.M. so it seemed easier just to let them go then. She rode out the time by writing down a few things in her notebook about her experiences. Thinking of her father again, she scrawled 'STORY IDEAS' at the top so that if anyone else found it, they wouldn't realise she had actually lived out any of the things she was jotting down. Fortunately, the detention meant she could play hooky with band practise, and instead use the time to follow through with her idea from earlier.

Swinging by Café 80s to pick up Punz, the two of them drove over to Doc's. Punz still looked highly skeptical, but she hadn't laughed once since Anna made it clear that this was important to her. It was a positive sign, at least.

"Alright, now," she muttered quietly as she fished the spare key out from under the side doormat. "I… did call him on my way over to get you, but he never picked up. So I'm not sure if he's in."

But he was. The DeLorean was parked with a large tarp over it in the garage, and Doc Pabbie was dressed in something akin to 'normal' clothing: a drab grey suit with a moss-green pocket square. He was also reclining in his easy chair, reading his way through a scientific journal of some kind or another.

"Ah, Anna," he said genially, turning to smile at them. "And Miss Punzel – it's been quite a while since you've rode sidecar."

Neither of them knew what 'rode sidecar' meant, but Anna guessed he meant since she visited. "Yeah. Um… so you got my missed call, I guess?"

To her surprise, he shook his head. "Nope. I just had a feeling you'd be around today with Miss Punzel. I would ask what has brought you to my door, but I have a feeling I can guess."

That would have been great, except now it seemed like a rehearsed skit. Punz even looked over to Anna, eyebrow raised. There was nothing she could say, so she just marched right on in.

"Why did you think we'd be around today?"

Pabbie clambered from his chair, stepping past them and walking back towards the DeLorean. "Well, considering the week you've had, and the weekend you had planned, I merely extrapolated from the available- that is, I guessed that you would tell Miss Punzel of our experiment. She, naturally, wouldn't believe you, so you would bring her here to get me to convince her."

Wow. He was right. Damn scientists and their processes of elimination.

Anna was saved from having to actually find a reply when Punz stepped forward. "Sorry, Mister, uh… Doc," she said. Anna suppressed a snort – Jen never had been quite as comfortable around Doc as she had. No one was, really. "I'm sure you both put a lot of effort into this prank, but… well, you can't honestly expect me to believe you, can you? Like, if this is some elaborate scheme to break up with me, what's the point? All you have to do is tell me you don't like me and don't want to see me anymore. At least that would be respectful!"

"I don't quite expect you to believe me, no," Doc began. "Though I would hope you can trust Anna enough to give her the benefit of a doubt." Punz looked away, shame filling her face. Anna glared at Doc, but he didn't seem to notice. "And if that fails, I'm sure she still has the video on her phone from the experiment with Olaf."

"Hey, that's right!" Anna interrupted. "And the letter – your letter!"

Punz arched an eyebrow. "Letter?"

"I don't know if that'll matter, Anna. I mean, only because anybody can write a letter about anything they wanted." But Anna was already pulling out her phone, grabbing the video she had made sure to copy over once she got back to modern equipment, so Doc fell silent and merely looked on as she pulled up the video.

And Jen watched it. Anna could tell the scientific explanations were washing right over her head, but when the car started moving by remote control, she paid a little closer attention. Then when it disappeared, she blinked a few times, but then sighed and turned to them.

"Okay, this is… creative, but I've seen Vines like this. I'll admit, it's really… really well done." There was definite doubt in her voice; she wasn't firmly committed to disbelief, but wasn't convinced yet, either.

"It's not a Vine. Like… okay, Punz, I know. It sounded like wacko bullshit to me, too, but I swear to God it's a hundred per cent real."

Her finger flicked the video back to the moment the DeLorean disappeared, and she watched it again. Then to the end, where Doc was screaming for Anna to run for it. "So… okay, I have a lot of questions."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to answer all of them," Doc told her, in a firm but not unkind voice. "Anna is my assistant, and even she doesn't know all of the particulars of how time travel works. But the rest I must keep under lock and key. Wouldn't do to have the technology too widespread. But we can still chat about the basics, of course."

"Fine," Jennifer crossed her arms, looking between the two warily. "Like, the only reason I'm even entertaining the idea that this isn't a Vine, like Anna claims, is because she's terrible at doing effects like these. Couldn't even get the Powerpoint presentation working on our tenth grade class project. The only way for her to pull off something like this off and make it look like it's actually happening is either because of pure luck, or you got some whiz kid to do it, or… because it's actually real."

"Hey!" Anna frowned in offense, even while a part of her was relieved that there was something that Punz was using as proof to believe her. "I'm not that bad."

"Oh yeah? Don't you remember the one music video you and Merida tried to make? The one where you wanted to make a firework effect go off at the end but somehow you managed to make the effect go off throughout the entire thing? You also made so many of the effects go at once that you caused your computer to crash because it couldn't handle the continuous lag." Punz gave her a small smirk. "It took us a week to get it fixed. And you know I have at least five more examples."

Anna cringed at the embarrassing memory. "Yeah, okay, I suck." Almost immediately, Punz's expression went back to being pensive.

"So anyway… how long have you two been working on this little… experiment, exactly?"

"The past thirty years," Doc went on with a slight shrug. "Although, originally I would have said Anna had only been assisting me with it for a few weeks, I think recent events have changed the length of employment - even if she wasn't offering continuous contributions."

"Interesting… but I mean, I'm sure you can see how I'd be skeptical. This is a lot to take on faith. Like, how would that even work? Time only moves in one direction."

"You aren't thinking fourth-dimensionally. Much the same as the sky was not open to us before we learned to use wind resistance to defeat the laws of gravity, we only need to… well, the point is, there is always a way. Science just has to catch up to Mother Nature before it can best her."

"Wish you could have seen it, Jen," Anna sighed, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. "Dell Valley… it was so different. Freaky."

"Ah, and I have something for you." Hopping up and sprinting to one of his bookshelves, Doc nipped out a tall book, covered in red leather. A white outline of a bulldog also graced the cover, along with the date "1985".

"What's this?" Anna said, reaching for it – but Doc was flipping through it himself already, so she waited. Then he put it into her hands, tapping the page and gesturing for Jennifer to look with his other hand.

"Recognise anyone you know?"

At first, her girlfriend only shook her head at the strange outfits. But then she saw the picture he had pointed to… and her eyes focused on someone on the stage at the homecoming dance.

"I… that's you! Wait, but… I mean, this can't be real. It has to be some Photoshop job."

"It's not Photoshop, it's photography," Doc said baldly. "And I'm still upset with the level of timeline pollution, but it couldn't be helped by that point."

"It's me, Punz," Anna confirmed, petting along the page. She wished Elsa was in one of the pictures, but even so, it was fun to see herself in her terrible prom outfit, minus her shoes, playing her heart out. Maybe she could still manage to repeat history in her own time.

But then she realised – there was a picture with both of them. Fishing out her wallet, she quickly located where she had slipped the Polaroid. It had not lived there very long, after all.

"Check that out."

Poor Jennifer Punzel looked far more shocked to be gazing at an image of a very young, very excited Elsa Baines. And right next to her was an uncomfortable looking Anna. The picture looked brand new, but the technology and outfits were distinctly dated.

"No… guys…" But she didn't keep naysaying, only frowned harder at the picture clutched in her fingers. "Okay, so this is pretty cool, and the video… I'll try to believe it's real, too. But I mean, why would you need to travel through time? What's the point in going to the past, especially? The future, I can kinda understand; that'd be dope, finding out where humanity's going to be a hundred years from now…"

"It wasn't intentional," Anna informed her, "Doc set the time to the 80s as an example, and when those thugs attacked us… well, I wasn't exactly in the right state of mind to switch it. So I ended up in the past. Whoops!"

"And as to why we would need to travel through time," Doc began manically, "Why! Just think of the possibilities, young Jennifer! There are so many potential uses for this!" Doc looked so excited, his eyes twinkling with such a glee that both girls took steps back in case he began to dance or something. He began to pace instead, his arms gesturing as he went on a long spiel that neither girl was particularly into listening to.

"Okay, so, say I believe you." Punz leaned over to Anna, casually ignoring Doc and his rant on timeline dilation and refraction. Or something. "You just… popped to the past and then came back. I don't see what the issue is."

Anna grimaced. This was where it was going to get hairy. "The issue is that… I had to spend a week in 1985 because the car wouldn't work. I mean, it would work, but the time-travelling thingy didn't. It takes a lot more juice than just gas, yknow? So while we were figuring out how to get me back to my future, I was there for a week, and I… met someone."

Punz's eyes widened. "You did? Wait, that's the girl you um… yeah. Okay. But that's all in the past now – literally."

At that, Anna nodded. Biting her lip, she hedged, "Well… technically… yes…"

Doc had seemingly tuned into their conversation by now. "Stating for the record here and now that I was very much against any meddling in the timeline, for reasons which will eventually become clear. But to Anna's credit, none of her meddling was intentional; once I explained the concept of time paradoxes, she tried to avoid such events, however meager her efforts proved."

"Thanks a bunch, Doc," she grunted.

"Meddling?" Punz asked. "I don't understand."

"Well… say you go back and accidentally keep your parents from meeting. If they don't meet, they can't fall in love, and they can't have children. Can't have you. So then, um… what's the word again? Paradox?" Doc nodded. "Right. If your parents never give birth to you, how can you go back in time and stop them from giving birth to you? It can't happen, so it's kinda… really horrible. Like, world-destruction horrible. It's like what happens when you smash all the keys on an old-timey typewriter at once; it can't handle that and the keys jam."

Already nodding along, seemingly pleased with how bright his assistant was despite not being a scientist herself, Doc put in, "Of course there are other theorems which state no events can unfold which were not already predestined, and therefore time travel in and of itself was preordained from the beginning. But I mostly think of those as hogwash – though of course if they proved correct, I would be forced to accept their validity."

"I'm… this is a lot to swallow." But from the fear in her eyes, Jennifer definitely seemed to be growing more open to believing them than she had been when she got there. "And I admit, the video and the yearbook together, that Polaroid… I mean, it all looks legit."

"I swear to God, Punz, we're telling the truth. Part of me wishes I wasn't, but we are. It's just… a really weird truth."

"Oh geez," she said, swaying on the spot. "I need to sit down…"

Anna surged forward, grabbing her arm and guiding her to a seat. "Sorry," she said. "I really shit the bed on this one."

Tenderly, Punz reached up a hand and pat Anna's cheek. "It's okay," she said, running her thumb across the soft skin. "Obviously whatever fuckup happened, you fixed it. Right?"

Anna looked away, giving a nervous cough. "R-right."

"Anna?"

She let out a sigh through her nose. Doc made a show of trying to sidle from the room; unfortunately for him, he wasn't looking where he was going and tripped over something that sounded expensive. It didn't distract Punz for long – a glance in his direction before turning her gaze back to Anna.

"Remember… I said I met a girl…"

Jen's eyes widened. "Holy shit… Anna… it wasn't my mother was it?"

Eyebrows furrowed, Anna just looked at her. "What?"

"Well you're being all weird about it!" Punz cried. "Which means I probably know her and- and ew my mom, Anna?"

"It wasn't your mother!" Exasperation laced her tone. "Don't worry. Far as I know, I didn't even see her at all while I was there."

"O-oh," Punz said, ears burning red. "That would be because they… dinmrv…" she trailed off in a mumble, and finally a smile twitched at Anna's mouth.

"What was that?" she asked, leaning forward. Punz sighed.

"We didn't move to Dell Valley until I was in the fourth grade," she admitted. "Remember? So you wouldn't have seen my parents. Anyway, who was it then?"

Now they had reached the truly challenging part. Unbidden, the image of her mother's face between her own thighs swam into Anna's memory, and she knew it wouldn't take long dwelling on that for her cheeks to turn pink so she forced the image away. Not that it was easy. She was supposed to be telling Jennifer the truth, not examining her own mental state from when the incident happened. No, that would come later. Over and over for the rest of her life.

"Yeah. Soooooo…" Might as well get it over with. "Ikindamademymomcrushonmeokay?"

This time, Doc really did leave the room, and much more soundlessly. He was already edging out into the garage when Punz asked, "What?"

It had been too hard to say it the first time. As she usually tended to do, Anna tried to be cheerful and gloss over how awful the implications were, letting out a nervous little chuckle. "You know, shit happens sometimes, and… I mean, there's this whole thing about attraction, and separated family members, and…"

"Enough double-talk. What did you say the first time? It almost sounded like… your mom."

Something akin to panic was brewing in her sparkling green eyes, but she was suppressing it… so far. But not forever. That was too much. Anna cleared her throat, looked around, then got up to start walking out the front door. She wasn't running exactly, but for whatever reason she simply could not sit still on Doc's couch anymore and see those eyes stabbing into her.

"Anna! Hey, what- HEY!"

Once outside, she gripped the side of the truck bed and took a few deep breaths. But she couldn't seem to get enough air. On top of that, she felt silly for overreacting when Punz hadn't even said anything negative about it yet, but just the idea that she might was horrifying to her. She didn't want to feel this shame, didn't want to fall in the eyes of her girlfriend, the woman she had been expecting to take on many more dates. To take to their senior prom. To…

Growling, she brought her hand back, punching the metal with the palm of her hand. It hurt like a bitch, and tears sprang to her eyes. It wasn't from the pain. This whole afternoon had been a mistake.

"Anna!" Punz cried, finally catching up. She hovered, a little way away – she'd probably seen Anna's outburst and figured the safest place was not right next to the angry redhead. God. Yet one more thing she had to apologise for later. If Punz ever decided to speak to her again.

But Punz didn't say anything. She didn't move forward or back, either – she just stood there, watching Anna. Finally it became too much, and Anna croaked out an "I'm sorry…" that sounded so much more pathetic than it was.

"Oh God."

And there was the negative reaction. Anna squeezed her eyes shut, head falling to rest on her hands where they pressed against the car metal. "I'm sorry," she said again. It took a few seconds to get a reply, but Anna was grateful when she did. For a moment.

"That's- that's okay, Anna. I mean. She didn't know who you were, right? And it's not like anything… happened…" Silence. More was sinking in. "You- you said. At the lake…"

Still not looking, Anna nodded. What words could she give this moment? How could she explain it – her feelings, her mother's? So, she just whispered, one last time, "Sorry…"

She didn't see Jennifer leave, there were no further words. Just heard footsteps a minute or so later, then heard the distant sounds of someone being sick in the bushes off to one side of Doc's house. Of course, she could try to fool herself that it wasn't Punz, that it was coincidence…

'What did you expect?' she demanded of herself as she slumped on the hood of the car. After a few more sniffles, she forced herself to crawl into the truck cab. She couldn't drive yet, but she could at least close its doors and muffle the sounds of her sobs. 'Punz is not a complete freak like you are. She'd never do that. Nothing in the world could make her cross that line the way you did. So no wonder she thinks you're disgusting.'

The thoughts swirled around and around in her head as she beat her forehead against the steering wheel. Should she try to drive off, anyway? No, that would leave Punz without a ride. Doc might offer her a lift, but he was part of the madness; she might reject that. She might reject Anna and walk home after this was all said and done.

But finally, ten or twenty or who knew how many minutes later, the passenger door clicked open. Without looking up, she could tell Punz wasn't the same as she had been before they came to Doc's house. That they weren't the same.

"Um… I have homework… so… i-if you can't drive m-" A quiet retching noise. "If you can't drive me, it's okay. You look upset. I'm… I'll walk…"

"No, I can get you home," she sighed as she scrubbed at the tear tracks on her cheek, digging for her keys. She dropped them into the floorboard, then bumped her head when she tried to stoop down and retrieve them.

The tears came afresh. For the first time in her life, she cried in front of Punz and didn't feel arms around her right away. And the worst part is, there was no earthly way she could even be mad about it. What would she do if their places were reversed?

Finally, she did feel a hand in the middle of her back. "Sorry," was all Jennifer could offer for now. But it was strained, and real, and the word broke in the middle. She rarely said anything she didn't mean, so she must have really meant this small scrap of sympathy.

Anna simply nodded, starting the car. She was able to stop the tears from building at her eyes on the way there, however her entire drive home was spent sobbing, stopping on the side of the road each time it became a little too intense.

Of course, when she got home, she had to face it. Face Elsa herself.

                                          ~ o ~

"Anna?" she called out from the kitchen. Elsa, for her part, seemed to be in good spirits. Why wouldn't she be? From her perspective, everything had gone great that morning and there was no reason to believe otherwise. "How was band practice?"

No answer. Anna dragged herself into the bathroom to lock the door and sob some more. Even tried to throw up, like Punz had done, but it didn't really work. She wasn't disgusted, just sad.

A soft knock came a little while later. "Anna, honey… are you alright in there?"

"NO! Go away!" It was stupid to lash out at her for this, but she didn't have anything else to grab onto at the moment.

"Can you let me in?" The doorknob jiggled; Anna stayed where she was, sitting on the edge of the tub. "Alright… I'm sorry. I can go."

And she did. Anna let her, because she didn't know what she could say that wouldn't be accusing Elsa of things that weren't her fault. So she stayed in there, by herself, sobbing into a washcloth.

An hour later, she finally dragged herself into her bedroom. Elsa didn't come by right away, but about ten minutes after, a knock at the door frame announced her.

"Can I come in, or would you rather I not?"

"Sure," she groaned. By now, she was past the racking, all-over-the-body sobs and the screaming into her hands. Her heart still wanted those things but she didn't have the energy left. Nor the energy to feel anything when Elsa sat down next to her.

"Sweetheart… I'm right here. Tell me whatever you want, or don't. And you can say whatever you want to me; I think you know that by now."

"I fucked up, Mom," she said – and she very much felt like it was a mother she was talking to, not… anyone else. "Big time. And now-" She had to pause for a second, eyes filling with tears once again. Fuck, hadn't she finished yet? "Now Jennifer probably hates my guts and never- never wants to see me again…"

"Jennifer?" Despite her initial surprise, Elsa moved past it. She leaned in close, and Anna felt warm arms wrapping around her shoulders. Elsa said nothing else, either, letting Anna speak at her own pace.

"I told her," Anna said when finally she could. It had taken a few minutes to compose herself, and she still wasn't really 'put together'. It was enough. "I told her about Doc and the DeLorean. Took her to see him because I couldn't keep it a secret. Not- not from her..."

Elsa's hand gently rubbed Anna's arm, soothing her as she listened. She could probably already guess where Anna was going with this, but she still said nothing.

"And- and then I told her that you- I met you. In the past. And I'd said some other stuff before and she put two and two together… I fucked up. So bad, and I don't know what I can do to make it better…"

"Oh, Anna…" Her voice wasn't disappointed or angry. Just sad on her behalf. "I don't know that there was much point in telling her this suddenly… but… well, I understand." Then she leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "And Jennifer might too, given time. Or she might not. Even if she doesn't…"

When Elsa didn't finish right away, she bit out, "What? What if she doesn't, Mom? I just ruined the only good thing I had!"

"Well, I was going to say 'it's not the end of the world', but you made me realise that's going to feel pathetic in the face of what you've been through today." Another squeeze of reassurance. "Relationships face these challenges all the time. Your father and I had our ups and downs, and even if we aren't truly 'married' anymore… we're still committed to our family."

For another minute or so, Elsa just let Anna cry. Then she rolled over and buried her face in her mother's neck. To both of their surprise, she blubbered out something she hadn't said since she was probably five years old.

"Why can't I just marry you?"

At that, Elsa snorted. "Because it's against the law, Anna. On top of a few dozen other very good reasons."

"I know… but you understand me. Punz doesn't, she can't – not after all this crap. No other girl will, either!"

"I'm not a girl, though. I'm a woman. I'm your mother. Besides, I can be pretty high-maintenance sometimes." Anna let out a wet laugh, and Elsa petted up and down the back of her neck. "I try to understand you. That's my only secret: trying. If it's not Jennifer, then someone else will."

Again, Anna was wrapped in a gentle blanket of scents, warmth echoing up into her body from the soft form beneath her. Temptations flared up, and she was just about wrung-out enough to give in. But she wanted the gentle comfort of a mother's love more than she wanted that, and so she simply clung there, like Elsa was the last piece of driftwood keeping her from going under.

"C-can you stay here tonight?" she asked softly when finally her tears subsided and she felt about as empty as her life seemed. Elsa's arm paused, just a brief stutter.

"Anna… that isn't a good-"

"Please, Mom. Just… please…"

Elsa didn't say anything else; she resumed rubbing Anna's arm, though, pulling her just a little tighter. That was all either of them could manage anymore.

                                          TO BE CONTINUED…