#I was ready to be like ‘cheese fest but I can get behind it’

[kaz3313]

Got excited there was a Scream show on Netflix. I expected it to be bad and cringy but wow the plot line “disfigured person killed a bunch of people after being bullied and rejected” Is reallllllyyy great /sarcasm

[luveline]

𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 | 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

Steve doesn't really like the holidays, but he likes you. So, he makes some concessions. Rainbow lit, tinsel-covered, pine tree-smelling concessions.

6k words, christmas centric, fem!reader who celebrates christmas, mutual pining, gingerbread houses, mistletoe, ugly sweaters, friends to lovers, idiots in love, allusions to s4.

❆

Steve hates Christmas. He doesn't want to get into it and he won't, not when you love it the way that you do — quietly, and yet every movement hints at your excitement. 

Your hands are basically shaking when he lugs the new box onto the desk. It's adorable. 

"Thank you for doing this," you say, meeting his eyes and sending him one of your too-nice smiles. Kind that makes him nervous and sick and excited all at once. 

"I don't know why you're so eager. They're the same cheese-fests this year as last year," he says.

You lean over the counter enough for him to smell your perfume. "That's not true. You said you have The Christmas Star, right?" 

"Ten whole copies." 

He pulls open the cardboard box and digs for your desired tape. The case is cardstock and crisp with newness, and it squeaks as he pulls it up and displays it against his chest. 

You beam. "Yes. How much? Expensive 'cos it's new?" 

"Not with the employee discount," he says, placing the tape down neatly. 

Your smile turns shy. Steve has always thought you were pretty, in the same way he thinks that grass is green and stars shine at night, but lately you've turned to a sweetness that has his teeth aching if he thinks about it, all manner of terrible emotions flooding his idiot brain. Jealousy, protectiveness, and — he shudders — affection. Even now he's tempted to round the desk and make up an excuse to touch your arms, or your hands. Your face. 

"Thanks, Steve," you say softly. 

"Of course. There has to be one pro to working in this dump, right?" 

"Is it a dump? It looks super clean." 

He hesitates. "We had to fix it up. Holiday decorations are coming in tomorrow." 

"Make that today!" 

You both turn to see Robin struggling out of the back room, two boxes held in her arms and hiding her face. She stumbles to the desk and Steve leaps to help her, unveiling her grinning face. There's a meanness to her eyes that Steve abores. 

"Well, yesterday. Keith says they got here last night, which means today is officially the first day of Family Video Christmas." 

"It's November," Steve says, narrowing his eyes. 

"Thirty first!"

Robin pries open one of the huge boxes and thrusts both hands in unafraid, pulling out streams of green and silver tinsel like festive innards. Her eyebrows jump up. "Nice," she says appreciatively. 

"I almost wish I worked here." 

"You can stay and help," Steve says. 

Your laughter makes his chest hurt. "I can't. I have decorating to do all by myself next door." You straighten your Palace Arcade polo and your black, plain skirt. "Do I look okay?" 

Steve has a terrible lapse in judgement wherein he thinks about telling you exactly how you look, lips pressed together ready to make a 'b' sound, but he stops himself in the nick of time. Friends don't really do that. 

"You look fucking adorable," Robin says, having wrapped the tinsel around her neck in a makeshift scarf. She sparkles as she turns to Steve. "Doesn't she?" 

"Adorable," he says tightly. 

You scratch under your ear. "Thank you.” 

You promise to come back at the end of the day for The Christmas Star and escape before Robin can poke fun at your shyness. 

The door closes behind you and Steve buries his face in his hands. His cheeks are hot. 

"That was pretty bad. Better, though," Robin says, an air of genuineness about her that he knows she doesn't truly possess. 

Steve scrubs a hand through his hair, temper welled to the surface quick and uncomfortable as usual. He pushes it down and turns away from Robin and the glaringly bright Christmas decorations rather than say something snappy that she doesn't strictly deserve. 

"Maybe by Christmas you'll be able to look her in the eye." 

"Maybe by Christmas I'll have friends I actually like." 

"Points for quickness," she cheers. Steve can feel her moving to stand beside him. "But ultimately weak." 

"It could happen." 

"Could it?"

He rolls his eyes and starts to log The Christmas Star under his name for you. Employees get pretty good privileges, like reduced rates and nulled late fees. You could keep it 'til the 25th, if that's what you want. 

Robin drapes tinsel over his shoulders. "I really, genuinely think that, despite your bad posture, your hair, your clothes," — Steve scoffs — "and your dismal taste in movies, she likes you." 

He's so distracted by her (mostly) joking insults that he doesn't quite hear the end. Then, when it sinks in, his incredulity lends itself to a new target. 

"What?" 

"Steve," Robin says flatly. 

"She likes me?" 

"I think so. She's not coming in here every day for me." 

"How should I know? I'm not exactly a good judge of it." 

Robin taps her foot against his. They're overly familiar if not overly affectionate friends, and he relents in his bad mood, pulling the tinsel from his shoulders with a dejected sigh. 

"I doubt it. She was excited about the new movies." Not me. He doesn’t think you'll be back tomorrow.  

"Why aren't you excited?" Robin asks.

"You know I don't like the holidays." His agitation is clear in his annoyed hand gestures, fingers furling and unfurling. "Weeks of torture. Cranky moms walking around like somebody shoved a candy cane up their-" 

"Steve, that's like, ten percent of the holiday season! There's a bazillion other things to like about Christmas." 

He snorts. "Like what?" 

—

Steve doesn't know how she managed it, but Robin has someone orchestrated the older gaggle of their friends to sit down anywhere but next to him. When you arrive, late and full of abashed apologies, the only seat empty is the chair to his right. 

You collapse beside him and the December chill outside follows you. Cold emanates off of your clothes. You peel out of your black denim jacket and press the back of your hand to his. 

"Cold, huh?" you ask. 

He swallows around nothing. "Cold." 

Your touch lingers. If he were your boyfriend, he'd take your cold hands in both of his and blow on them generously. He'd rub your stiff knuckles until they were loose and your fingers limp. 

Robin opens her arms and a half a dozen boxes clatter into the middle of the table, upside down and on their sides. Steve turns his head to read the font, and then promptly sits up. 

"No," he says. 

"Steve," Robin pleads, already turned away to retrieve a wicker basket full of candy. "Don't be a loser." 

"Too late," Eddie says, painted nails digging into the cardboard flap of his box. 

"You don't want to make one?" you ask Steve. 

"Gingerbread houses are a little elementary school, aren't they?" Steve turns to Jonathan imploringly. "You agree, right?" 

"No," Jonathan says with a laugh. "Me and Will still make them every year. El's getting good at them, too." 

"Will made one with a door that opens last year," Nancy says, pride for her boyfriend's brother clear in her pert smirk. 

Steve rolls his eyes. "That's good for him, and I mean it, but why are we doing this? Tell me there's beer, at least." 

"Yes!" Eddie cheers, slapping his thigh. "Harrington, you're finally saying something I can get behind. I have a little something extra in the van, just say the word." 

"There's beer," Nancy says emphatically. 

Eddie pretends to die in his chair. You giggle like crazy at his dramatics and set about opening your box, fanning gingerbread walls and roof panelling out over the table. 

Steve feels old resentment for Eddie bubble up like it never left. He wants to be the one who makes you laugh like that, all sweet and secret like you're trying not to make a fuss but you just can't help it. The resentment fades when you reach across from him and open a second box, laying supplies out in front of him one by one. 

"I think we should be a team," you tell him. 

"That's not fair," Eddie says.

"Can it, Munson-"

"We can all be teams," Robin says, returning with a blessedly cold six pack, three piping bags, and a handful of metal tips. "You two, me and Eddie, Nancy and Jonathan." 

Steve doesn't miss her suggestive eyebrow wiggle, and neither does anybody else. You turn to Steve in confusion. He shakes his head vigorously in a rapid and untrue show of I don't know, arm weaving under yours to bring your attention to the bigger piece of gingerbread. "This is the floor, right?" 

Steve’s surprised by how good of a team you turn out to be. Your gingerbread house takes shape slowly. Steve holds the pieces in place and you apply the icing seams like caulking, smoothing the lines out with your index finger and licking it clean. You’re a picture of happiness, happy jabbering interspersed between singing along to the Christmas songs on the radio and warding off insincere insults sent your way. 

"My grandma can decorate better than that, and she's pushing ninety. She has glaucoma."

“Cut the shit talking, Eddie,” you warn, flicking him with a jellybean. It hits his neck, and his retribution comes in five more aimed at your gingerbread house. 

The sides wobble unsurely.

Steve frosts the roof, assuming it’ll be easy. It isn’t easy at all, and soon any cuteness you’ve made is ruined by his ugly hatching. He winces, then frowns, then glares, eyebrows furrowed in agitation. 

Jonathan and Nancy are the ones to beat. Both nerds, both neat. Jonathan’s an artist and it’s obvious he does this every year, their house made up of pretty white swirls and gem decorated doors and windows. They're bantering quietly, insincere declarations that make Steve jealous — not of Jonathan, exactly, but of their relationship as a whole. They fit together in a way Steve and Nance never had. They’re effortless. 

Robin and Eddie make a good go of it, surprisingly. Steve had expected Eddie to throw the competition before he could lose, and hates to be proven wrong. Dorks combined with too much imagination, their gingerbread house has become a sort of macabre scene with a dead gingerbread man outlined in the snow surrounding, and icing stalagmites rise under the roof’s overhang.

You pull your chair in as close to Steve’s as you can, your knee pressed into his thigh and your elbow glancing off of his bicep every time you place a jellybean.

“There,” you say, pulling back. “That looks awesome, doesn’t it?”

It’s a hot mess. Unbalanced, too much icing on one side of the roof and not enough on the other, you lean back into Steve’s chest, your skin to his skin and your hair smelling of jasmine, appraising the work you’ve made just as it begins to fall apart. The weight of the roof becomes too much and the walls split either side of one another, in both slow motion and fast. Steve sees it happen incrementally, and it’s too quick to stop. 

Your gingerbread house collapses. 

“Fuck,” Steve says. “Fucking fuck.”

You get second place. 

“It looked good when it was actually standing,” Nancy reasons, her lies obvious in her raised pitch, her queasy shifting. 

“It did,” you agree. 

Steve’s self-loathing abates ever so slightly. 

“Pity win,” Eddie says with a cough. 

You laugh like crazy, and Steve decides gingerbread houses are for kids. 

—

After the gingerbread house disappointment, Steve thinks things cannot get worse. He is swiftly proven wrong. 

It's his turn to host a party, Robin's idea, and Christmas crawls ever closer. When he closes his eyes at night he can see the faces of every annoyed mom asking for The Christmas Star. Carols play in his ears unbidden. He finds himself humming songs he hates out of nowhere and clamping his mouth shut hard enough to chip a tooth every time. 

You love decorations, and so he and Robin have spent the last hour making his big empty house something fit for a rom-com, wreaths and tinsels and rainbow flashing lights. You love Christmas music, and so the stereos dialled to a cruel thirty in preparation for your arrival. You love cookies, and so, to Steve's amateurish expense, plates of sugar cookies line the kitchen countertops, along with all the finger foods one could ever desire. 

Though in Steve's case, that's none. He hates Christmas parties, reminded of his parents' misaligned efforts to earn favour with equally pompous parents. He and Tommy would hide out in backyards with stolen booze, and when that got too cold they'd shuffle inside, warm in their chests and numb in their fingers. 

He frowns at the memory and wizzes it all away. Tommy was an asshole. Steve was an asshole, he still is. This party isn't for his parents. 

It's for you. 

Not that anyone can ever, ever know. 

"What do you think?" Robin asks, pulling at the edges of the sweater she's changed into. 

It's a movie reference he should understand, but doesn't. "I love it." 

She smiles. Rare for them to operate above dry sarcasm and quick wit. Christmas makes Robin squishy, like she's forgotten how shitty the world is, and Steve wants her to have a good time tonight. This includes being nice (which he should be more often, anyway). 

"Go change. She'll be here soon."

"Who, Nance?" 

Robin tips her head back. "Oh, yeah, Nancy. Definitely who I meant." 

He flips her the finger, putting an end to their Christmas niceties. She's still laughing as he climbs the stairs and barrels into his room. He doesn't bother closing the door even as he hears the doorbell ring. The pizza should be getting here around now. 

Steve doesn't rush. He’d left cash on the countertop. Robin can deal with it. 

He ducks forward and pulls his polo up the length of his back, hair puffed out like a cloud. He'd set aside his ridiculous reindeer sweater on the top shelf of his closet. Or, at least, he'd thought he had. He searches once, twice, and then gives in to his short temper and drops his face into his hands. 

Stupid Christmas. Stupid sweater. Stupid party.  

He hears your inhale like a whisper. Breath caught in your throat. 

"Steve," you say, sounding surprised. 

It's his room. He's not sure what's so surprising. 

You're standing in the doorway looking angelic, all things considered. Your features softened by powder, wearing a white Christmas sweater with dainty beaded snowflakes and a plaid skirt. You look pretty, and Steve's not one for dramatics but he wishes he was dead. 

"You look nice," he says pathetically. 

"You, too," you say. You clear your throat. "I mean. Uh-" 

"You okay?" he asks, pushing hair out of his eyes. 

Your smile falters. You look at his naked chest. Steve worries he's making you uncomfortable and turns as nonchalantly as he can to his closet again, says, "I can't find my sweater. It's…" He lifts a bundle of jeans up. "Horrifying." 

"I can help." 

You step into the room. Each footstep silent, you've already discarded your shoes. He looks down to your stockings and then up again, ignoring the blush that wants to emerge at the sight of your thighs. 

"It's brown, and it has a weird red thing hanging off of it. Rudolph's nose." 

You step close enough that he can feel the heat of your arm and run a hand down the shelves. It takes a couple of seconds at most and you've found it, pulling it from the pile carefully. He loves the way you move, each inch deliberate. 

You press the sweater into his chest. His hands come up, his fingers cover your own. 

When he's with you, Steve feels as though everything — every movement, every moment — is broken down into its finest details. He thinks he could draw your fingerprint if asked, each miniscule line embossed into his skin as you touch him. 

"Steve?" 

But that's ridiculous. 

"Thanks. I think I got tinsel in my eyes or some shit," he mutters, averting his gaze.

"You're welcome. Robin sent me to see what was taking you so long. I'll tell her it was a Rudolph related crisis." 

You stroke his arm. 

He loses his shit internally, hand reaching for your retreating figure as you turn your back. He doesn’t know why. Maybe he would’ve kissed you.

"Steve?" you ask, now standing in the doorway. 

He recalibrates, muddled. "Yeah?" 

"Get dressed,” you encourage. You give him a short smile, blinding, and laugh quietly as you leave. 

He's hopped up on hope as he gets dressed, a smile plastered over what had felt to him like a seasonal scowl. He's no idiot; arm-touching, your tinkling laughter. Maybe his crush isn't as hopeless as he'd thought. 

He smooths down his hair for much longer than necessary, listening as the door opens and closes and opens again, friends trickling in with happy hellos and complaints about the weather. It's cold but too wet for snow, and evidence of it trails in from the front door through the hallway where shoes lie discarded in clumsy pairs.

He picks over them and finds his friends, ones he made willing and otherwise, draped over his living room like old throws. Max and Lucas have stolen the couch where they sit laughing, clearly gossiping about something. The rest of the lunch club stick close by, bowls of snacks already claimed and in cross-legged laps. 

"Steve," Jonathan says, "what the fuck is that?" 

"Fucker," Steve says. He's the butt of too many jokes, then, and he glares at Robin even as she plates him some still-warm pizza. 

"Sorry," she mouths. 

You curl up on the couch next to Max. He appreciates the unlikely friendship you've formed, sort of a sistership. You only know her through Steve but he genuinely thinks you'd pick her over him, and that makes him like you more. 

That's all he does, lately. Finds new ways to fall in love with you. 

"That is the ugliest sweater I've ever seen," Max says.

Fucking Christmas. 

—

Steve's been in a bad mood since he came downstairs, and you're not okay with it. Despite your shameless meltdown in his bedroom at seeing him shirtless, you don't quit. You spend some time with Max on the couch, and when she seems a little less agitated you track him down. 

He's definitely hiding. 

"I think Max's glasses are hurting her nose," you say. 

Steve looks over his shoulder at you, and he smiles, the slopes of his face kissed by the open refrigerator light. "They'd hurt anyone. The lenses are like, five inches thick." 

“Poor girl,” you mumble, more to yourself than him. 

He turns back to the fridge and pulls out a two litre of coke. “You want a drink?” 

You shake your head. His hair looks incredibly sweet from this angle, and you don’t mean that in a condescending way. It curls toward the bottom of his neck, that tiny bit too long compared to his usual cut. His neck moves as his head swivels, and there’s ligaments, there’s muscle, the bump of his Adam’s apple, all of it commanding attention. You think about stepping forward to touch him, his neck, to curl your finger around the side of his throat and hold him in place. If there’s one thing about Steve lately, it’s that he’s always fucking moving. He can’t sit still. He looks between you and the empty glass in question, twice, a third time. 

“I don’t read minds,” he says eventually, near pleading. 

You decide some flirtation is in order. 

“I’m glad you can’t,” you say lightly, crossing what’s left of the kitchen tile between you to stop at his side. You pretend that you’d wanted a drink, taking a glass down from one of his cabinets so he can fill it for you. Something he could’ve done himself. You hope that’ll be clear enough for him — the blatant want to be close. 

It isn’t, unsurprisingly. 

“What’s that mean?”

“Well, I think…” You lower your voice,a private confession. “That sometimes what I’m thinking, it might be- Uh, telling.”

Poor Steve. That hadn’t come out anywhere as smooth as you’d anticipated. It’s harder to tell him now you’re confronted with him, his every detail. And Steve, sweetheart, angel Steve, he misses the mark. Forget different pages, Steve’s reading a separate chapter, and your flirtation reads as a deeply unromantic confession. 

“Is there something wrong?” he asks. 

“No,” you say. “Of course not.”

His eyebrows jump and his forehead crinkles. “You sure?” His protective tone melts into something softer. “Let’s hear it, whatever it is.”

Steve isn’t patient. You know that about him. His temper is short and fierce. You like how hot he runs, love his agitated pouting and his dark-eyed scowls — he’s handsome in every expression. 

He isn’t patient, but he tries. He’s kind, and if you wanted to sit and talk about the hypothetical that isn’t bothering you, he’d listen. 

“I actually wanted to ask if everything was alright with you,” you say gently. 

His hand wobbles, fastening the coke cap. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I’ve noticed you don’t really like Christmas.”

He smiles, and soon the smile catches, a shy lip bite that has you fighting with your hands to keep them where they hang at your sides. 

“You got me.”

Steve pushes the twin glasses of coke back and then turns around, resting the small of his back against the countertop. You step in front of him without thinking, head ducked to catch and keep his eyes. They’re such a lovely brown, light and earthy, potted with white dots from the fluorescent kitchen light like falling snow as his eyes slip down. You swear, Steve is looking at your lips. 

“Is there something I can do?” 

It’s a terrible time to ask because you genuinely mean it, you’re not just trying to cop a feel. He doesn’t smirk or laugh as you’d thought he would, he only smiles. 

“Thanks, but I’m good.” He tips his head back, criminal, neck arched and ever-enticing. “Fucking sick of this itchy straight jacket,” he groans, pulling at the collar of his sweater like he’s hot. 

He is hot. You’d both benefit from a sudden winter breeze. 

His head drops, eyes lit with confusion. “What? Something on my face?”

“Something,” you agree. 

You look behind you to check what you’d thought you’d seen was truly there. When it is, you turn back to Steve with a feigned concern. “Here, come step into better light.”

You hurry into the doorway, frowning. 

Steve frowns in turn and follows you. You give the game away without meaning to, looking up at the sprig of mistletoe pinned sloppily above you. 

He sees it. He lights up. The happiest he’s looked all month, Steve scrubs a hand over his face and into his hair, pushing it out of his eyes as he comes to meet you. Your stomach flips with excitement, because oh shit, he looks like he wants to kiss me. 

“Butler, I’m in need of one of your finest cokes, please.”

Oh, no.

Eddie bounces into view with a certified shit-eating grin, hair decorated with tiny metallic baubles. His sweater is surprisingly normal, a black and white knitted affair with reindeer and snowflakes. 

He comes to a stop beside you. “What’s happening?”

Don’t look up, don’t look up, don’t look-

“Shit, hey! Mistletoe.”

Eddie opens his arms. You sigh, to his delight, and lean in so he can give you a chaste kiss on the cheek. You try to look at Steve and find your view blocked by a mass of hair.  

“Wow, sweetheart. And I thought we were friends,” Eddie says good-naturedly. 

You scrunch your hand in his sweater to push him away, not unkindly. Guilt gets the better of you and you pat the place over his heart. “We are.”

He makes a kissy sound and dives in toward your neck. Startled, you squeal, stumbling away from his rabid affection and back into the kitchen. He follows, though he doesn’t try anymore kisses. 

“Harrington! I wasn’t joking about the coke. Can I-“

“Help yourself,” Steve says. 

He sounds miserable. 

—

There isn’t time or opportunity to smooth things over with Steve that night. Actually, a week becomes two, and neither do you kiss nor talk about kissing. You want to explain to him what he probably already knows — you really had been standing there for him, hoping for a kiss, a proper kiss. 

He’d looked crushed. You don’t use the word lightly. Steve looked as though somebody had stepped on his chest and pressed all of their weight against his ribs. Frazzled, unhappy. You can’t get the look out of your head, and Christmas doesn’t feel so cheerful with the gap that yawns between you, an icy crevice. 

You try to explain and things get in the way. At the video store, you show up with a plate of apology cookies hoping for a second chance and suddenly the radio breaks and gets stuck blaring ‘Here Comes Santa Claus’ like a storm siren. You meet up for games night with a twig of mistletoe in your purse hoping to be a tad more brazen about it and he sits on the opposite sofa, doesn’t take any pee breaks, effectively foiling your plan with inactivity. You ask him out for hot chocolate over the phone and he can’t come. 

“My parents are flying home. I gotta pick ‘em up from the airport.”

You don’t know whether he’s lying or not. His parents actually being home feels outlandish. If he is lying, he doesn’t want to see you, and if he doesn’t want to see you… 

He doesn’t like you. Not the way you like him. 

You worry you imagined the whole thing, his enthusiasm, his starry eyed smile. 

So you’re giving it one last shot. If it doesn’t work you’ll spend your Christmas heartbroken and sulking, but if it does you might actually get to kiss him. It’s a huge thing, and your hands are shaking with more than the cold as you bump up the small step to Steve’s front door. 

The green wreath hanging below the peep hole jitters as you knock, a fragrant twining of pine and cinnamon sticks. 

The door opens all at once.

“Hi,” you say, biting the tip of your tongue. “Hi, I’m, uh-“

The man who’s answered, who you summarise to be Steve’s father despite never having seen him, looks disinterested. “Steve,” he calls. “One of your friends.”

He walks away with nothing else to say, a dark brown liquid lapping at the sides of his small glass. You pull the wrapped box in hand closer to your chest, shifting from one numbing foot to the other as a small tumbling sound comes from upstairs. A pair of hinges squeal, and Steve is halfway down the stairs before he’s even looked up. 

He slows as he approaches the bottom. 

He’s in pajamas. Sweatpants, nondescript, but his too-tight shirt clearly of the Christmas variety. A snowman smiles over his chest. 

“It’s laundry day,” he says. 

“Sure.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t go out with you-“

“Steve,” you interrupt, shaking your head. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

“Is that… for me?”

The box in your hands is wrapped modestly. You hadn’t wanted to shove Christmas down his throat, trading reds and greens for a shiny silver paper pressed with fine glitter snowflakes. 

“Yeah. It’s for you.”

Steve stares at you. You stare back. 

“I’d invite you in, but…” He shakes his head. “Let me get my coat.”

Steve doesn’t close the door, to his father’s annoyance, deep grumbling echoing from the kitchen area. You watch him shove his socked feet into a pair of sneakers and scramble to grab his coat and a scarf. 

“Okay?” he asks, stepping out onto the path and closing the door behind him. 

You don’t answer, distracted by his hands suddenly held up, the scarf thrown neatly around your neck. He does a single knot and tucks it under your jaw. “Awesome,” he says. 

You walk down his street. Hawkins is half woods, and soon you’re weaving between naked trees, no destination in mind, not one unspoken feeling acknowledged between you. 

“Why do you hate Christmas?” 

It’s just dark enough for Steve’s clouded breath to show against the sky. “I don’t,” he says.

Your footsteps break over leaves so frosted they crackle. 

“I mean, I guess I do,” he says. “I don’t know. I think I want it to be better than it is.” He stops under a tree that’s clinging to its last handful of leaves and gives a low-hanging branch a playful shake. “I never enjoyed it, as a kid. Or, I don’t remember. I’m sure I liked it when I was still snot-nosed.”

“So, last year?” 

He chuckles warmly. “Exactly.”

You walk a little further, too awkward to hand him his gift. 

“I don’t hate it. But it’s cold, and everyone’s rushing, and the bad outweighs the good.” He sounds tired. 

He breaks your heart like that. 

You stop walking and Steve takes your cue, the two of you toe-to-toe, your sneakers dirty, his socks odd. One white and one grey. 

“I got you this because… um, I have something to tell you. I don’t think I can say it out loud, but- but I hope it adds something to the scale.” You extend the box slowly, your fingers stiff with the cold. “You deserve some good. You deserve a lot of good.” 

You laugh, flustered, and Steve joins in, chest lifting with it as he accepts his gift. 

He rips off the wrapping paper, at first carefully and then less so, shoving little pieces into his pocket as he goes. You take the bigger scraps from him so he can look at the box itself. 

Your gift is actually multiple gifts contained inside, and the first isn't technically a gift at all. The Family Video copy of The Christmas Star.

"Is this-" 

"I've been meaning to give it back to you. I'm sorry, I know it's not a real gift, I just figured- I mean, you've never seen it. I thought we should watch it, and that you'd like it if you did. Or maybe you'll hate it, and that would be fine too." 

He nods and moves to the next gift, lips twitching with an emotion he won't share. 

"That's your size, hopefully. I asked Robin but she didn't know. I kept the receipt." 

Steve smiles at you. "Would you hold this?" he asks. 

You put your hands out and take the box back, worried, but he's only unzipping his coat. Quick as a flash he's shrugging into the sweater head first. It's a simple thing, red wool, soft to touch. A Christmas sweater, though there's no decoration beside a tiny holly leaf embroidered at the collar in dark green. 

"This is fucking sweet," he says. 

You agree. He looks good. 

A shiver racks his spine. 

"Put your coat back on, you're gonna freeze," you say gently. 

He beams at you. "My dead body will be the best dressed in the morgue." 

"Don't joke about that!" 

He laughs and gets back into his coat, zip right up to his neck. He still looks cold. 

The third present is a gingerbread house kit. The fourth, a sprig of mistletoe. They're obvious now the sweaters in action, and Steve seems mildly confused by them. You leap to explain. 

"I thought, I mean- I want a do-over." You tilt your cheek toward your shoulder, scared and fond at the same time. "I wanted you to kiss me. I think you wanted to kiss me, and then Eddie," — you laugh loudly, cheeks burning with the cold — "was being himself. And Steve, I brought that stupid plant with me to Robin's house last week hoping we'd be alone, and to work the week before. But you're hard to pin down." 

You take a deep breath before continuing, eyes determined at his collar, "If you don't want to kiss me, that's okay. That's why I brought the gingerbread house, because ours was awesome before it fell apart, and I'm pretty sure Robin gave us a dud on purpose. We made something really cool together, and I think we can do it again." 

"I did want to kiss you. I do." 

You bite the inside of your lip, nose scrunched up in happiness. "You do?" you ask, and there's this feeling in your chest like you could burst, and all the cold shrinks into nothing. You're warm in your arms, your fingers, your fingertips. 

His hand comes up to his face briefly, shielding his eyes. "Am I obvious?" 

"Am I?" 

His exhale tickles your cheeks. "No," he says breathlessly.  "No, you're not." 

He says it like it's a good thing. A great thing. 

"Everybody else knows," you say similarly. 

"I know." 

He brings a hand to your cheek. It's cold, cold as your face, but he still winces and rubs at the apple with his thumb. "You're freezing," he says as he inches forward. 

His lips are warm. More gentle than you'd imagined, hesitant, and the box you're holding stops him from getting as close as you want him to get. He kisses you once, then he pulls away and kisses you again, his lips slightly parted. 

It's better than you'd thought it would be. His palm stroking your cheek, the pressure, the heat. Knowing he wants to kiss you now as he wanted to then. 

"No fucking way," he says, tilting his head back. 

You tip your head back too. Something wet falls in your eyelashes, a drop of rain. 

Not rain. "It's fucking snowing," Steve says. 

It's snowing. Because it's Christmas, and the powers that be are on your side. 

"Happy Christmas, Harrington," you say jovially. 

You're given another kiss in reward. Reward, or to shut you up. You're not sure. 

—

Steve is impartial to Christmas. He doesn't want to get into it but he will, because you love it. 

The snow — the snow, which had fallen thick and fine as powdered sugar, which you adore, and which makes coming to see you in the days leading up to Christmas near impossible. It's something out of a movie, Steve, seriously, and you need to appreciate what's happening. 

The music you play when he comes to see you, records on your record player and cassettes in your tape deck lying on your chest, knee to knee and thigh to thigh with him. Your quiet humming; you won't sing, but the small sounds alone are enough to make him want to kiss you (though everything does now). He can't hate Here Comes Santa Claus when you hum along under your breath, lips skipping over the skin of his bicep, your hand scratching a rhythm into his hair. 

Everybody knows Santa's coming, I don't see why they have to have a whole song about it. 

Are you jealous? I'll write a song about you. Or maybe I can steal one. You ever hear Santa baby? We can make it Stevie baby. 

Christmas music? Not his thing. You calling him baby? Fine, he can get behind it. At least until January. 

Christmas sweaters! He fucking hates them. They're ugly, they're scary, he doesn't wanna walk around with a pom pom on his chest thank you so much, but he has to allow them. Has to. If only so he can watch you get dressed with one eye hidden in your pillow and the other wide open. Thank little baby Jesus in the manger for Christmas sweaters so you have something to tuck into your skirt, so you have a reason to wear a skirt at all, and a reason to take one off. 

Christmas snacks he can get behind. Or, he can get behind this. You on the couch, a needle threaded in your hand. A bowl of popcorn in his lap, and your face as you lean back. 

He throws a kernel and it lands in your open mouth. 

You both holler, twin expressions of unadulterated joy, popcorn spilling over the sides of the bowl. You just look so happy, he climbs on knees to steal a kiss. A smiling kiss, the very best kind. 

"Aren't you supposed to do this stuff before Christmas eve?" he asks. 

"I've been a little busy." 

Steve digs his face into your neck so you won't see him blushing, hands curling around your waist in an impromptu hug. Yes, he supposes you have been. 

You kiss his temple sweetly. 

"Merry Christmas," he murmurs. He really, really means it. 

❆

thanks for reading! im so out of practice but hopefully this is okay!! i meant to post it yesterday but anyhow, i hope you enjoyed <3

[aalissy]

Speechless

Anddd this officially marks the ending of Ladrien June!! Woot woot!! I hope you guys enjoyed this little series of chapters from me!! If you did, as always lemme know what you though! Also, this chapter does contain a spoiler for Optigami but it’s very brief so it shouldn’t be too bad :)

AO3

Ladybug was struck speechless. Her eyes widened considerably and she stumbled back a few steps, almost falling off the rooftop they were on top of. Shaking slightly, she brought her hand up to cover her mouth. Standing in front of her was Adrien when, only minutes ago, Chat Noir had been standing in her place. She would never have even believed it possible if she hadn’t witnessed him detransform herself. 

They had decided that with Ladybug as the guardian it only made sense for her to know Chat’s identity. At the time, she had thought it through with a clear, level head. After all, it only made sense for her to know. What if Plagg got sick or there was another situation like Optigami where Chat got stuck outside? But she had never even imagined that her partner would be Adrien, the love of her life. Adrien who she had been turning down from the very beginning. It took everything in her to not slap a palm to her forehead.

“L-Ladybug?” Adrien asked hesitantly, his hand coming up to scratch the back of his neck. “A-are you okay? Y-you’re not mad that it’s me... are you?”

She frowned almost immediately, shaking her head so quickly she was surprised that it didn’t fly off. “No, no! Of course not, Adrien. I-I’m mad at myself for not figuring out that it was you sooner. I should have known or at least noticed!” 

He exhaled with relief, his tense shoulders immediately relaxing as he chuckled. Twirling with the ring on his finger, Adrien murmured, “Well, that’s good. I suppose that means I did a good job at hiding my secret identity.”

Ladybug’s gaze softened as she stared at him happily. Nodding her head slowly, she spoke up, “Yes, you did a very good job, Adrien. Especially considering that you’re a celebrity in both forms.”

His mouth popped open in surprise as he blinked at her. She wondered if she said something before he shook it off. “Yeah, I honestly hadn’t realized that you were going to look so shocked when I detransformed. I really thought I had done something wrong.”

“No, never,” she shook her head again, hoping to reassure him. “You did everything right. So right, in fact, that I even chose you to be my partner again. Do you remember Aspik?”

Adrien flushed, a shy smile on his face as he glanced away from her. “I remember. I-I didn’t want to let you down.”

Butterflies swarmed in her chest and she needed to remind herself that she couldn’t freak out here. She was Ladybug, not Marinette. So what if the boy she had been crushing on for ages turned out to be the same boy who flirted with her any chance he got? If she started stuttering and stammering now, he’d know for sure who she was.

Clearing her throat, Ladybug shifted on her feet, placing a hand on his shoulder. He snapped his head back to hers, his glimmering, green eyes meeting her blue ones. Her face warmed but she still squeezed his shoulder. “And you didn’t. We never would have won that fight without Chat Noir and that wasn’t your fault.”

“Thanks, Ladybug.”

It got quiet after that. The two of them simply stared into each other’s eyes, as though they expected the other to step back first. She didn’t want to let him go, though. Her hand tingled pleasantly on his shoulder and she almost wished that she could detransform so that they could be even closer.

Unfortunately, however, their moment was interrupted by a scoff. Immediately, Ladybug scrambled back and away, her eyes wide as she tried to figure out how a civilian got on a rooftop. The sound of someone clearing their throat broke her out of her panic and her gaze shot up to stare at Plagg. There was a knowing smirk on his face as he looked at her before he turned to whine at Adrien, “Now that you two have finally snapped out of your little love-fest can I please have my cheese now?”

Adrien turned a deep shade of red, glaring up at the kwami as he snapped, “It wasn’t a... nevermind.” 

He sighed, reaching into his jacket to grab a piece of cheese. He quickly threw it up into the air and she watched with both awe and horror as Plagg devoured the whole piece of cheese in one bite. Quietly, she murmured, “Wow.”

Adrien turned back to her, his cheeks still bright red as he gestured up at his kwami. “I’m sorry about him. He can be a little demanding.”

Ladybug’s lips stretched into a smile as she giggled loudly. Nodding her head at his jacket, she asked amusedly, “Do you usually keep cheese in your pocket like that?”

“Most of the time, yes. Plagg can get pretty hungry.” He lifted a finger up, scratching the kwami’s chin as Plagg purred. She cooed with awe, watching the two adoringly. 

Of course it was Adrien who was able to keep Plagg’s chaotic tendencies somewhat under control. She couldn’t think of anyone better for the job. God, how had she never figured it out before? It just seemed so obvious now that she knew. 

With a small chuckle, Ladybug nodded her head at the two of them. “You know, I was pretty nervous before but I’m really glad we did this. I think this information is really going to help us in the future. Especially now that I can help you transform in peace.”

“Yeah?” Adrien asked, beaming at her happily.

“Mhm,” she hummed, giving him her own smile in return. “And I’m really glad it’s you, Adrien. I couldn’t imagine anyone better for the job.”

He puffed his chest out with pride before bowing low and deep as he winked at her. “I’m glad that you still trust me with this, m’lady.”

Flushing adorably, Ladybug giggled happily. He was so sweet. And maybe, maybe after everything was over, and if Adrien still had feelings for her... maybe then they really could finally be together. Leaning forward, she brushed a small kiss on his cheek. Then, with a devilish smirk, she whispered, “First one to the Eiffel Tower wins.”

With a mischievous chuckle, Ladybug swung her yo-yo, already on her way to the landmark. She heard an indignant shout behind her but she kept going, ready to win once again.

[oh-for-fic-sake]

The Home Coming

Masterlist

When Henry returns to a depressed pregnant wife its his mission to get his girls back to normal, even if it means a showdown with a new mother at the Paige’s preschool.

Warnings: Swearing, Fluff, Angst, Anxiety and Self esteem issues

A/N: so here is another House to home chapter! wanted this to be a sweet romantic chapter to a point not entierly sure about it but its finished so I hope you all enjoy

Taglist: @two-unbeatable-beaters​ @thatgirly81​ @angelofthorr @iloveyouyen​ @sofiebstar​ @thefangirlsblog​

Henry sighed as the phone rang, he was trying to videocall you but you hadn't answered. He was going to surprise you, filming had over run and he'd been held back an extra two weeks but was currently by the side of your house hiding around the drive he was going to call you and do the whole 'look outside' thing but was loosing hope fast that you would answer. Then suddenly he was greeted with Paiges face holding the phone awkwardly as all children seemed to do.

"Hey poppet! What are you doing with Mummys phone?" She smiled and squealed at him.

"DADDYYY! HI DADDY!" He chuckled watching the way she moved clumsily through the house catching glimpses of kal as he followed her as she went up the stairs, his heart jumped as she moved fast and unsteady tipping this way and that.

"Hey! hey no running! You'll fall! That's it baby, good girl now what have you been doing today then little lady?" She grinned angling the phone to her face where he got a clear view up her nose.

"I went- I went to school! And then we did painting and did our letters and numbers and I got another star on my chart! Then I've been cheering up Mummy...When are you gonna come home Daddy? Shes sad and I think you can make her better..." Henry frowned you were all smiles when he phoned and face timed whats changed?.

"Paige what? Shes sad? Why baby? whats-how do you know Mummy is sad?" She hummed stopping finally holding the phone correctly he could tell she had just sat on the top step of the staircase as kal moved sitting beside her nudging her for a hug. She slung her little arm around his back making him pant happily.

"Well she just is....She stays in her pajamas most of the time and she is sad she cries sometimes..She doesn't think I hear her but I do...And she misses you, she cries in the bathroom and gets angry cos she can't have a bath" Henry frowned that the way Paige had said it, almost like its been happening for a while. He swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Its since the mean lady" Henry blinked confused.

"What lady? What happened to mummy baby?" Paige looked left and right then leaned into the phone

"The-theres a new girl at play school...Shes mean and she kicks and scratches people she keeps getting sent home cos shes bad! and her Mummy is the same...She-she called me and Mummy liars! And she said your not my real Daddy! And Mummy was bad for telling me you was!...Y-you are my real Daddy aren't you?" Henry was shocked to say the least! Just what the fuck has been going on he has never ever heard his little nugget ask something so fucking ridiculous!

"Of course I'm your real Daddy poppet! And don't you let anyone ever tell you otherwise little lady! What else has this nasty lady said?" Henry had to hold back as there was many swear words trying to creep into his outburst and he didn't need Paige to start repeating them.

"Well....Then she was really mean to Mummy calling her names! For a few while ,she said Mummy was fat and lazy and that if you were my Daddy you wont love her anymore when you come home... She was really mean and made Mummy sad....I told Mummy not to listen but she smiles and says she is okay...But she isn't...Patty is still nasty she said her Mummy said that you wasn't my Daddy cos Mummy doesn't have her ring on... " Henry took a moment your not wearing your ring? "Mummy doesn't wear her ring?" Paige hummed and tilted her head

"It's on a necklace..She was sad her fingers don't fit!" Ah, that makes sense your hands and feet swelt whilst you was pregnant with Paige...

Still Henry was shocked you would keep this from him,  he could hardly  believe what he was hearing. Why hadn't you said anything? Why was you letting this get to you? You were fucking amazing sexy and just drop dead gorgeous! And you wasn't fat you were pregnant ... which Henry found incredibly attractive anyway, he loved when you was pregnant, glowing carrying a piece of him inside you. It did things to him, he just loved how when people saw you they saw him to, they saw what he had done. Sure people knew what you'd done when they saw Paige but when you were pregnant it was...a piece of him was still there inside you growing.

He felt honoured that you'd allow him to do that, allowed him to get you pregnant, to undergo such a drastic bodily change. Sure women gain a little weight but he didn't care fuck if it bothered you once he gets the go ahead after the birth he will help you loose weight with giving you regular cardio bedroom style....Even if you didn't want to loose it you'd be undergoing some pretty strenuous cardio with him any way.

"Paige, thank you for telling me your a very good girl and I'm proud of you for helping her feel better but could you put your Mother on the phone please?" She looked up and sighed shaking her head.

"No Daddy, shes sleeping she tries not to but she can't help it! We was watching Paddington and she fell asleep....I was gon' get her fuzzy blankie" he watched as Paige got up moving but he called out to her sighing."No no your not carrying that down the stairs...Poppet come open the front door but be quiet don't wake your mother" she frowned but smiled moving down the steps slower than she had scaled them. Henry circled back to the front of the house waiting by the front door.

"Fuuckdge!-Hold the banisTER...Jesus...Your going to be the death of me child...God I hate watching you on the stairs nugget" she grinned as she made it to the last step then skipped to the door she heard a small sound from Henry ending the call and opened the door.

She jumped up at him happily giving him kisses as the tears started. He managed to slip into the house relatively quietly muffling Paige's sobs in his shoulder as he tucked one arm under her bottom a she moved reaching up to cuddle into his neck. He moved slowly sliding his suit case by the front door as he closed it, he rocked Paige shushing her trying to sooth her. His other hand was petting and excited Kal who was jumping up at him for his own cuddle.

"I know princess I know....Shh I've missed you to poppet, but I'm home now...That’s it.... Oh baby don't cry see? look daddy's back nugget and I've got a long time home now...Shh shhh good girl...You've been so good looking after Mummy and the baby for me huh?" She nodded whining into him still crying her heart out. He sighed kissing her head. 

Henry moved through the house seeing you crashed out on the sofa, he could see from here you wasn't yourself it was...Uou were his other half, his soulmate and even asleep he could just tell. He sighed looking down and kissed Paige's hair. He would leave you to sleep. Knowing just how tired you got around this time of the pregnancy, the months finally catching up with you and it was almost like your body tried to hibernate readying itself for the big day.

He moved around the sofa sitting in his armchair with Paige curled up on his chest. She sniffled a little fingers twisting into his blazer. He rocked slowly calming his little girl just watching you on the sofa wincing every now and then as you shifted. Our back must be playing up....And your breasts to by the way you held them protectively cupping the now huge mounds in your hands trying to ease their tenderness even in slumber. He sighed and slowly began to plan the night, he had to get you alone to talk, if what Paige said was true then you would be down and most likely have a panic attack or break down.

He knew the final term of pregnancy takes its toll on you physically and emotionally  and with this woman's cruel jabs you were probably down with low self esteem so he had to do something. Talk you through whatever silly notions  had been put in your head and then look after you...He would dote on you and Paige. A smile graced his face when he put together a plan.

"Hey poppet...Do you want to help Daddy with something?" She looked up head still on his chest, he moved wiping away stubborn tears.

"Wiv what Daddy?" He smiled at her then cast you a look, you really looked tired, not that he was surprised you were over eight months pregnant and still had to run around after Paige and kal alone. He cursed himself he would have given anything to be here for you but he had to work, provide for his growing family. He knew you didn't have anything against him working and you would never be angry over the long months apart. In that respect he was blessed not once had you ever used his absence against him even in the most bitter of disagreements, they were rare but they happened...Usually you were right and it ended up with him making it up to you in some overly clich�� romantic way where you'd forgive him just to end the cheese fest.

"Well poppet I think I should use tonight to pamper my ladies...Do you know where Mummy’s nail varnish is?" Paige perked up giving one final sniffle and sat up

."Mummy’s nail varnish?... Can I have painted nails to?" Henry nodded at her tucking some loose curls behind her ears.

"Yes baby you can have painted toes to if you like!....I think Daddy has to make it up to his two special girls for being late. So I'm going to pamper the two of you....I will run Mummy a bubble bath and help her wash then I will paint your and Mummy’s toes and make some hot chocolate and we can make doggy pile in the den and watch a film...Does that sound good?" She smiled brightly

"And foot rubs Daddy?" He sighed and nodded

"Absolutely poppet! Now come on first things first lets look for some treats!" She smiled as he walked with her to the kitchen...he had an idea of what to do, a favorite of yours that he doesn't think you've had in years...Apple pie toasty and it was something Paige could help with...If you have the apples which you probably did for Paige's snacks.

"Aha! Here we go!" He sat Paige on the counter top and pulled a bag of apples from the fridge drawer where they kept longer he pulled out a medium pan and set it bedside Paige.

"Could you put a little bit a water in that baby girl?" She looked a little confused as Henry moved around the kitchen pulling out a chopping board apple corer and knife.

"Daddy? Mummy says you shouldn't cook....’member the soup...Shouldn't we go wake her and...Ask?" Henry rolled his eyes still moving about tipping out the small bag of apples

"Well baby the soup was...A one off”

"Daddy tomato soup's meant to be red...not brown"

"Yes...I know tha-”

"Did you though?" Henry eyed his child...Wow she really got sassy he raised a brow at her and a staring contest ensued... Henry lost his daughter was a force to be reckoned with at nearly four!! Fuck it was beginning to frighten him.

"As I was saying Missy-we are allowed to make these...Mummy’s favorite hot snack I used to make these for her all the time when we just started dating...And now I'm going to teach you pumpkin we are making special apple pie pockets! Now quickly I need some water in there just a little bit." Paige hummed and shrugged crawling the few inches swinging her legs into the deep butler sink and placed the pot under the tap filling about and inch or so.

"That enough daddy?" Henry moved peeking over and smiled.

"That’s perfect poppet here no-No daddy will move it you will spill baby!" He quickly moved the pot by the chopping board and came back guiding Paige as she crawled over and plopped herself down between the pot and chopping board.

"Now baby girl can you put the sliced apple in the pot once daddy has done it?" She nodded enthusiastically watching as Henry made quick work of the apples

"Daddy whats that thing?" She asked she said pointing to the apple corer as she collected the apple slices and popped them in the water.

"This? Well here you want a go?...Hold it with daddy that’s it... see we put it over the stem of the apple and push really hard!...That’s it push push push there we go! Well done!" She smiled as she pulled back and the center of the apple came with it.

"And that’s how we get the core out now wait right there and daddy will quickly chop these up and we can start cooking!" She smiled kicking her feet as Henry made quick work of the apples Paige dutifully collected them she dropped a few slices here and there but Kal was quick to catch them mid fall making Paige giggle loudly and 'drop' a few more to Kal who was tap dancing for more.

"Hey poppet no more for Kal or you wont have any filling in yours, now we add sugar and Cinnamon" she smiled as Henry held out a table spook letting her add the dry ingredients before getting her down.

"Right now poppet go get Mummy’s nail varnishes...and the bottle of baby lotion...The pink bottle by the sink okay? can you do that for daddy?" she nodded and ran off making him call out for her to slow down. he moved the pot to the hob turning it on a low heat before moving to prepare the living room.

It took little sneaking but Henry smiled, he had gone all across the house with Paige's help collecting your favorite blankets and pillows piling them in the den where you had a larger tv with surround sound and got a film ready Tangled was decided for tonight....It was one of Paige's but he knew you liked it to and besides it was more about having one huge family cuddle then watching the film.

Finally Henry left the den walking to the back of the sofa to look at you still asleep good you looked like you needed it, he heard Paige’s foot steps quickly running out of the kitchen slapping the tiled floor

"Daddy? Daddy the apples!" oh fuck he quickly turned running to the kitchen collecting Paige by one arm hoisting her to his hip as he did they were just about to overflow he quickly slid it off the heat they must be ready by now.

"whoa! thank you poppet that could have been our snacks gone!" she peeked over the pot from on Henry's hip

"What do we do now Daddy?" he smiled and kissed her head

"To the apples or for the night?...Well the apples now have to cool so i am going to go draw a bubble bath and give you a bath and get your hair done then give mummy a bath to! then after we are going to sit and watch a flim while Daddy paints your nails and makes the toasties!" Paige smiled giggling looking forward to the night.

It didn't take long to draw the bath and wash Paige, she loved when Henry washed her hair nearly falling asleep as he spent al long as he could massaging her scalp, he actually had a hell of a job supporting her by the back of the neck as she lolled back and forth slipping around in the large tub. But he love this it was something he enjoyed since first bringing her home before long Paige was dry and wrapped up in her new fluffy onesie half asleep and playing in her room. Henry had cut up some fruit snacks and a babybell leaving Kal and Paige in her room to play with the promise of collecting her for movie night! Finally it came to you he took a moment to admire you then crouched next to you, he had covered you with a throw earlier. And thats how you woke.

You blinked bleary eyed feeling something was off and frowned. Then gasped quickly sitting up readying to hit and kick out at the man in front of you. Just as you did you blinked and realized it was your husband before you.

"Henry?! You-when did you? Oh god how long have I been asleep!?" You quickly moved to get up looking around frantically for Paige.  You winced holding your back. Fuck it hurt, not even just and ache it was a throbbing pull screaming with every movement.

Henry stood and moved his arms around you holding you still rubbing his heavy palms across your back soothing the ache. He moved closer pressing his face into your neck kissing you lightly then moved to whisper in your ear then tugged you close rocking slowly with you still massaging your tense back. He frowned he could feel the knots and hard muscles tensing and straining below his palms. A wave of guilt passed over him ,he should have been here! to help ease your pain! It was him who insisted on a second child and he felt as though he just abandoned you during the long months of uncomfortable pregnancy just to show up at the end and 'claim his prize' like a dead beat dad. Henry took a deep breath trying to push aside his guilt tonight was for you and Paige.

"Paige is fine, she's had her bath and is upstairs playing in her room with kal ready for bed, and you my absolute stunner of a wife have your own bath waiting~" you blinked as he pulled away and scooped you up with ease, he noticed to tense and struggle.

"No Henry put me down! I’m too big!" The words were out before you could stop them he stood still, hands gripping you tighter not willing to let you go.

"Babe even if you was pregnant with triplets, quintuplets! You my love will never ever be to big for a carry! Now come on, we are going to have a nice long chat about these new found thoughts whilst your in the bath!" You whined at the tone he sounded serious his deep voice almost scary. You cringed still trying to ease your weight off of him but he made quick work of scaling the stairs.

Once in the bathroom you were quickly deposited on the counter and Henry moved shutting the door then turned on you quickly drawing you into a deep needy kiss his tongue forcing his taste on your tongue as his hands roamed your swollen stomach caressing your unborn child then moved higher dragging your tshirt up over your stomach sighing when his hot palm met the skin of your stomach and he moved trailing kisses down the side of your neck leaving licks and nips along the way.

"H-Henry!...Hen-No stop we-you don't have to!". You pulled away gasping and whining trying to fight back the tears in your eyes so he wouldn't see just how far your self esteem had plummeted. He pulled back but you wouldn't meet his eyes and tried to shimmy off the counter, trying to use your huge stomach to push him back to slide own to your feet. He was having none of it you pressed forward and so did he meeting you in the middle, his strength jolted your knees apart and he stood between them and then closed them around his hips. You took a breath cringing knowing he must feel the extra padding on your soft thighs.

You twitched trying to pull back, to widen your legs so he wouldn't feel how fat you'd got but his huge hands held the outside of your legs keeping them clamped around him.

"I know I don't have to...But I want to! My fucking perfect woman! You are gorgeous how could I not want you?!" You squinted shaking your head at him..How? How could he? This was just that he felt obligated to kiss you and caress you in your state! He sighed and moved a hand to cup your chin.

"Love...Whatever she said is wrong...Yes I know...I face timed you and Paige answered you were asleep...I was hiding down the side of the house had a whole cheesy romeo and Juliet ensemble planned ...To beg for my queens forgiveness for being so late home...She told me everything." You sighed shaking your head that little girl really was to smart for her own good!

"H-henry you can't-I'm fat look at me?! I-I'm fat and hairy and just UGH! And I've got a shit load of new stretch marks and I...I've gained a lot of extra weight and my boobs are all veiny and ugly please stop lying to me- I know what your looking at! I see this fucking thing in the mirror each day!" Henry tugged your tshirt completely off grabbing our hips and dragged you forward forcing his erection to grind against you and dragged his teeth across your neck,  you jumped as he growled low into the flesh trapped in his jaws latching his hot mouth onto the throbbing vein below before sucking harshly, locking his teeth into the sensitive flesh. You whined trying to pull away he moved closer determined to devoure you, wanting to leave his mark across your skin he parted with soothing licks before groaning pleased with the dark mark forming on the sweet skin.

"GOOD! then you know how gorgeous and sexy and soft and glowing and scrumptious you look! My god woman your fucking perfection! A goddess who somehow I managed to trick into marrying me....Fuck your pregnant and healthy and sexy and mine! Mine!. My lover, best friend, soulmate ,better half .Mother to my children and most of all my incredibly beautiful wife! God if only you knew how fucking stunning you was! I'm trying so hard not to fuck you right now! if I didn't think it would hurt our son I'd already be in your fucking tight little cunt!" You flushed at his words each chipping away at the cold lead ball in your chest.

"Just what happened anyway? what has this fucking bitch said?" you gasped it was rare for Henry to swear well since Paige anyway.

"Henry it doesn't-" you shook your head trying to turn away from him but he was faster cupping. Both sides of your face drawing your gaze back to him he leaned in kissing you tenderly before pulling back resting his forehead to yours. His eyes ablaze, a swirling mix of anger ,love, desire but mostly worry.  He was worried for you anxious and rearing to go ready to fight away all your fears and doubts.

"Don't give me that shit woman! your sitting here shying away from me! the last time you did that was on our first night together! what ever happened has got to you, got to Paige and I'm not going to fucking stand here and let it eat away at you! Now tell me what happened...I can't fix it if I don't know love" you wavered he was right but ...Was retelling what happened really going to help? or would he just get angry? You hated to admit it but you found this pregnancy hard, things were different and you'd put on a few more pounds then you had with Paige and it was noticeable. you took a deep breath will he think your stupid? over reacting? you sighed recounting just this had all started.

You were self conscious and had managed to ignore it until...Yes until the woman at the nursery made a few comments a new woman-Abbey just enrolled her gremlin....and it was a gremlin! a nasty little girl Patty the same age as Paige who has already made her self the terror of the group being sent home three times in her first week for being mean and fighting the typical scratching biting toddler but more she was nearly four years old and already a bully but it wasn't really her fault she was just spoilt. Lets just say if Paige ever spoke to you the way this child spoke to her mother she'd be on the naughty step with a sore ass. But this woman was all smiles at first not really your cup of tea but you played nice being polite and friendly, you was an adult...Then she found out who you was. Paige had come around to the idea that her dad was superman after seeing him on some billboards and the tv adverts and suddenly just like that she switched sides and was team superman much to Henry's joy!

But it had caused a problem at the preschool. It was show and tell and Paige had went in wearing her supergirl tshirt and took a magazine with a double page spread on Henry's new film and told everyone that her daddy was superman, all of the children who had seen Henry at the nursery had gotten excited. The new girl had upset her calling her a liar and tore the book shouting the words 'He isn't really your daddy!'. That had really stuck with Paige and she had come out bawling her eyes out asking who her daddy was. You were fucking livid when her teacher came over and explained. Enter the little gremlins mother slinking up with a smirk.

"I'm sorry about Patty but she has a thing about liars she can't help herself" you blinked not believing what this bitch just said. You laughed and her face dropped.

"Excuse me?...My daughter isn't lying... That’s her father" she laughed condescending smoothing her brats pigtails.

"Yes I'm sure you've told her that! We single mothers have to tell them something about their daddies who skipped out on them, but superman is to far don't you think? Shes made a fool of herself in front of the class and will be teased for lying" you looked to Micah’s mother Fran who you were now close with and gaped. Fran shrugged

"I'm not a single mother" the woman snorted

"Well there’s no ring~"

"I’m pregnant it doesn't fit at the moment but I'm wearing it here" she had jeered at you as you pointed to the ring dangling from your necklace.

"Sorry if I don’t buy that...There’s nothing to be ashamed of I’m a single mother to but really lying to your own daughter very bad parenting don't you think?" You could have floored this cunt! You were seriously contemplating it. Fran stepped in to save the day...well save the woman from bitch slap galore!

"She's not a single mother and that is her husband...And I think as a new comer you should calm yourself down!a you and your daughter have been nothing but rude and out of line!" the woman scoffed at her then looked around.

"Excuse me! We have been nothing but fucking pleasant to you stuck up lot of ass wipes! My baby is a strong willed child and will grow up to be a strong minded self made women! and I apologize if I don't believe that a man like that would look twice at this fatty seriously pregnancy isn't a reason to let yourself go! Honestly why would anyone bother with her and take on someone else's kid...She really has you fooled?" Fran gasped

"Not fooled! We know because he is always here picking up Paige... and she isn't fat shes pregnant with his second! Maybe you should go and do some fucking homework before coming here and running your mouth! And teach your brat some manners whilst your at it!"

And that was all it took, the nasty woman had gone online and found photos and interviews, mainly one recent Ellen DeGeneres show that Paige gate crashed and from then on the woman had a grudge against you. Apparently her husband left her and signed away his parental rights away leaving her a bitter single mother and she had tried making friends with you because you never showed up with a man and had no ring leaving her to think you were a man hating single pringle yourself!. Not fucking likely! She became nasty and over the last two months her snide comments had chipped away at you. You knew it was some stupid playground bullshit, just a woman who never grew out of secondary school drama! But it had got to you.

Henry brought you out of your thoughts, you'd played the scenario over and over sometimes thinking of ways you could have changed the outcome, other times you were thinking of snippy comebacks and insults. Everything was to late though.

"Please love?...I know it has something to do with the new little girl at preschool, Paige has already asked me if I’m her real Father or not...So know what ever has happened was big" you looked at him shocked would he think you said something? put that in her head you panicked grabbing his hands praying he would listen before popping off at you.

"H-Henry I swear I didn't say anything! she- Abbey and her daughter have just had it in for us! Paige she took in a magazine- a superman vs batman ad....She was showing you off to her class she was so happy so so excited to let everyone know that you were superman!" Henry nodded now knowing that he was getting the full story.

"Yes I remember you saying she was doing that- but what happened? how did that turn into all this?" you swallowed recounting the first incident.

"Patty-The new girl is a bully-”

"Yes Paige said she kicks and scratches...Being sent home to?"

"Yeah shes a nasty little girl...Well Patty has never seen you before at nursery so..She called Paige a liar and got into two and eight with her...She said you wasn't her real Daddy...Then after school Miss Bou had to have a word with Abbey about Patty's behavior...Abbey took it wrong and accused me of lying to Paige about her Father and called me a bunch of names, Fran stepped in and snapped at her...Apparently cos I didn't have my ring on my finger Abbey though I was a single mother like her and got angry when-"

"When it turns out your not and are married to me?" you nodded cringing as you replayed the first incident in your head.

"Yeah...She continued telling Patty that Paige doesn't have a daddy and obviously kids talk..Paige got so upset I did sit her down and talk with her but it was...She needed to hear it from you I think" Henry nodded lips in a firm line

"Well she has, I will sit her down and have a more in depth talk......I'm fucking livid though...Not at you and don't you think that for a second, I'm angry that Paige is already dealing with this shit! and that you had to deal with it alone...I should have been here for you-"

"NO! no don't do that Henry it wouldn't have made a blind bit of difference...This? I would have brushed it off if it hadn't been the pregnancy hormones...But I'm fine your fine we are all okay-" Henry looked down and  pressed his hands to your stomach.

"Shh...I know...I know love I just wish you had told me! But you didn't want to worry me...I can understand that but I’m home now and tomorrow I will take care of it! But for now lets just relax and have a nice calm night hmm?" You took a deep breath feeling the tears well nodding.

You sighed looking down shit...your tits had fucking leaked again! That was the last straw, the flood gates opened you leaned to catch your face in your palms but Henry was quicker moving forward slipping his shoulder below your head letting you cry. "Oh honey whats wrong? Please we are fine, its okay whats? Oh-" you whined moving your hands to your boobs trying to hide the milk that was dripping adding to the wet patch on your shitty worn maternity bra.

"They- they wont stop oh god you must think this is gross!" Henry pulled back tutting shaking his head with a grin.

"Gross? The fact that your getting ready to feed our child? No love" he moved to unclip your bra taking it off he moved quickly to support your huge heavy breasts. You hissed as your breasts moved they were full and aching. Henry watched fascinated as your nipples leaked the tiny drops."Their sore huh?" You nodded whining as he lightly ran the pads of his thumbs over the nipples plucking them lightly encouraging them to release more making you weep in embarrassment.

"Well lets go time for a bath!"

Henry was still angry, at this woman for getting to you, at you for letting her words get to you but mostly he was angry at himself for not being here for his wife!. He made vows better or for worse! He had broke them plain and simple admittedly he had been working but you had needed him and he wasn't here he had been none the wiser. He hadn't been there to help you take care of yourself when you struggled to and that would eat away at him for a long time. But he had to push that aside you were still fragile your crying began to pick up again though whether it was from pain shame sadness or relief he couldn't tell. You cried into him not the pretty movie star pretty tears, the full on frustrated painful broken sobs that mad your face ache!

"I'm sor-rry I just..It's hard!...I-I know I'm b-bigger than last time...And then she said a-all those things and Paige was u-up-set and she started w-worrying...Then I c-could-dnt shave and the stretch ma-marks got worse and my back hurt so-o I stopped running and-and now I'm fat and ugly and I want this baby out! It hurts he is so heavy and I-I can't sleep or move or do anything! I just sit and eat! And you w-wont want me anymore! I c-can't do this any-anymore! And wh-when you finally come ho-home I’m fucking squirting milk all over you!" You broke down explaining through heartbreaking sobs and he just held you tight rubbing your back in slow circles.

"Don't be silly my love! Of course I want you! I love you! And I'm here now to fix everything I promise... come on my beautiful wife I hate seeing you like this! And don't worry about the milk it happens! I don't mind love shh shh....Come on come here... Here lets get you in here, have a nice long soak off with all this" he moved around you skillfully removing your leggings leaving butterfly kisses across your skin making you smile

"Please y/n I love you don't ever ever question that...you are everything to me! You complete me and have given me an incredible little girl a beautiful home and now this... A little boy of my own, you make each day worth waking up for, you have brightened up my whole life! And gave me my dream of having a family...I love you and nothing will ever change that, don't let some woman s jealousy hang over you" you smiled sheepishly his sweet words ,meant so much to you his sincerity and conviction was enough to snap you out of your funk.

"Oh? Is that a smile? Oh I think it is~ oh my! Don’t tell me that Henry struck again with his boyish charm?" You giggled at him but then without wasting time he hoisted you into the steaming water...you sighed and cringed as you leaned back expecting Henry to leave but he didn't.

Instead he moved to the side collecting your razor and shaving cream placing them on the counter by the sink then moved dipping a flannel into the hot water then wrung it out placing it on your aching breasts you sighed as the milk flowed free faster releasing the pressure.

"Thank you love that’s better already, I will call you to help me out-Henry? what are you-" you were confused when he turned around grabbing a few more things he peeked over his shoulder and wriggled his eyebrows at you

"Shh love~" he scolded then returned with a sugar honey bodyscrub and exfoliating mittens you chuckled as he snapped on the bright pink cheap mittens

"Now my love if you would just bend over and take a deep breath~" you laughed at him splashing some water at him.

"Henry?! you tit! don't make me laugh it hurts my back!" He rolled his eyes and freezes before quickly shrugging off his blazer and shirt staying there topless.

"Naked man servant enough for tonight?...Seeing as I probably shouldn't fuck you senseless~" You smiled shyly and peeked down at him licking your lips.

"Not sure your not naked yet" he smirked

"You naughty little minx!" he gasped before and made a show of slowly undoing his belt giving a seductive hip shimmy making you laugh out loud Henry trying to give a strip tease in bright pink exfoliating gloves was priceless. You flushed when finally he did a arms and legs spread tada! motion As he dropped his boxers and did a comical spin poseing his 'guns' for you like some fucking cheesy swimsuit model.

"Oh my god! Henry!?" He looked down and shrugged seeing his cock standing up right at the sight of you.

"What? Told you you were sexy I can't help it? I'm like a dog with a bone...Or should I say man with a boner?" You snorted at him falling into peels of laughter slipping lower into the water. He moved closer kneeling next to the tub and leaned over following your face peppering you with kisses you squirmed still giggling he just lowered his hands into the tub and held the back of your head holding you still sucking on your neck lathering you with soothing licks from his hot tongue.

"God I love you! your perfect and leave this woman to me~ I will set her straight myself, prove to everyone just how much I fucking crave you my perfect little wife!" you whined at him as he pressed froward capturing your lips in a heated kiss devouring you wholey making you finally melt into him, he smiled feeling you relax into his kiss feeling more relived now.

He pulled back and smirked as you blushed a dark red and gave him another chaste kiss feeling very silly abut your fears.

"Thank you love...I'm sorry I should have spoken to you earlier but ...I didn't want you to rush home and...Your work is important and I don't want to....You know" he nodded pressing his forehead to yours looking straight into your eyes.

"Zack would have understood that you needed me...but enough of that lets get you all clean and comfy! Paige and I have a nice night planned for the five of us" he said rubbing your bump that was peeking out of the water.

You smiled at him nodding and going to reach for the honey bodyscrub but Henry batted you away collecting it on his own glove covered palm and rubbed it through coating his hands then dipped a hand below the water and tugged your leg out of the tub to rest on the rim. You squeaked as the movement made you lean back against the slanted tub, you watched with weary eyes as he pressed small sweet kisses on your embarrassingly hair leg making you squirm but the man had a tight grip on your ankle.

He moved quickly rubbing the scrub in slow deep circles on your tense calf you moaned as he pressed the knots out of your skin moving in an unhurried manor up over your knee making you giggle as he ran his fingers on the underneath. He worked up your leg making you relax and close your eyes sighing. His motions were hard and soothing like a deep tissue massage then he lowered your leg rinsing it in the warm water and pulled your other leg out repeating the same process spoiling you, lavishing you with soft kisses and praising you whispering how sorry he was for not being here and how he was going to make this all up to you. finally both legs were washed and felt like jelly, he moved hissing as he seated his bare ass on the side of the tub reaching over he collected your razor and shaving cream and made quick work of collecting your leg carefully lathering it in the foam then began to drag the razor across you.

You didn't flinch or protest, you were thank full for it you needed a shave but hadn't really been able to reach, you'd been desperate enough even considering asking Paige but.....No. You loved when he did this...There was something strangely romantic in him taking care of you like this, just knowing that he didn't find your body gross sent little flutters in your chest. You watched silently enjoying the attention as he dragged the blade across your skin in long swipes concentrating on each drag of the blade then flicked it in the water until finally your leg was less werewolf more human.

"Woohoo look no cuts! lets go two for two shall we?" He lowered your leg back into the water with one parting open mouthed kiss on your bent knee making you giggle as he bit at it softly licking the now clean soft flesh. Sure enough he was quick to shave your other leg, avoiding cutting you which made him very proud of himself then he quickly pulled you down the length of the tub and began a soothing full body wash that just ended up being a massage. You both laughed as your son kicked out as his fathers hands each time he rubbed across the bump and soon it was a game, your baby trying to catch Henry with a kick. Finally though you were finished or you thought you was Henry was adamant about washing your hair you gave in dipping your hair into the water and lying back letting him scrub away the tension in your scalp using the lavender shampoo to help with the relaxing theme of the night. by the time you were squeaky clean you were half asleep his hands were heaven sent; like the rest of the man.

You felt the best you had in months not grotty, hairy and there was no pain anywhere just calm and relaxed so much so that you couldn't really move.

"You jumping in love?" you said over a yawn he shook his head slipping on his boxers you noticed that his erection was slowly going down. You were to far along and 'adult' time could start the labor...And as much as you couldn't wait for your baby boy to be here you wasn't going to risk anything, as far as you were concerned he could stay in your belly as long as he wanted just so long as he was a healthy baby on arrival.

Henry laughed as he carried you to your bed room patting you dry before wrangling you into your most comfortable fussy pajamas. you smiled at him lounging on the bed as he through on a t-shirt and bottoms of his own then helped you up knocking on Paige's room as you both walked past to go downstairs.

"Come on poppet! time for movie night!...Yes you to kal!" you smiled as Paige ran up to you hugging you tight and kissing your bump

"Are you better mummy?" you nodded to her

"Yes baby much better now...Daddy has taken care of me...But whats this about movie night? are we having snacks?"Paige smiled holding your hand and leaned back on her heels swinging happily.

"We-erm we got the apples!" Henry shushed her and quickly

"shh! that’s a surprise Paige-y" she quickly giggled as Henry hook an arm around her tummy picking her up and tickling her as he carried her down the stairs. You couldn't help the wide grin across your face. Who'd of thought just having a soothing bath and being taken care of by your man you'd snap out of your low mood. You followed as Henry directed you both into the den that was ready for a family movie night blankets and pillows galore almost like a huge slumber party. With in moments you and Paige were being treated to foot massages.

It was more comical then anything as Paige had never had a foot rub before and she was ticklish ,she caught Henry unawares and nearly took out his front teeth with a swift uncontrollable kick. He had retorted by quickly twisted around sitting on her legs and mercilessly tickled her feet until she was screaming and laughing you joined in blowing raspberries on her neck being careful of flailing limbs. She soon began whining and crying through her giggles and you both let up on her. she laid down picking through your nail varnish colours still wanting her her toes painted even thought she didn't want anyone to touch her feet...Which was going to be easy.

Henry flipped on the dvd to keep Paige occupied whilst  you on the other hand had the task of painting the giggling child's toenails a bright aqua blue with tiny metallic pieces. Thankfully though years of painting your own nails meant you had it done in under five minuets.

"Now Paige be careful they won't be dry until the end of the film okay poppet?" She nodded smiling wriggling her little toes. With Paige finally settled you could lay back and relax. Henry got to work digging his skilled fingers into the soles of your feet rubbing away months of tension you moaned and flopped back into the mountain of pillows this was heaven you could get used to this. Henry watched the tv with Paige still working on the soles of your feet adding more baby lotion every now and then just as you were falling back to sleep Paige piped up she was hungry yawning she scratched her head and crawled onto your legs moving to press the side of her face on your belly wiping her eyes after her bath and tickles she was a very tired little nugget.

"Daddy...Daddy I'm hungry when can we have apples?" Henry smiled at her leaning over to kiss her head

"I will got do it now....You wanna stay here with Mummy?" she looked drowsely from him to you and nodded letting her head fall again onto your tummy. You smiled and ran your fingers through her hair, once Henry left Kal was quick to steal his warm spot lying with his spine against your legs head resting on your crossed feet. you moved bundling up Paige putting a pillow under her hips so she wasn't so twisted up and watched the tv. after some cursing and crashes and one broken plate later Henry returned holding the three plates high so you couldn't see what he had made.

"Paige? Paige come on snack time nugget" at the word snack the toddler was up and at'em hands held out high for food. You giggled then gasped when you saw what he had been slaving away over.

"OH?! Henry I-you haven't done these for years!" he smiled smugly.

"I know...Paige helped me so they might be sweeter this time...she added to much cinnamon so we had to add more sugar to didn't we nugget?" she hummed not really listening picking up the sugar sprinkled toasty to take a big bite. you went to stop her not wanting her to burn her mouth but Henry stopped you.

"Love, its cool I did hers first and opened it to let out the steam...That nice poppet?" she grinned nodding swallowing her mouthful.

"I like it daddy...like 'donalds apple pie...Mummy can Daddy cook now...Daddy does sweets!" you chuckled "We will see he might have to when the baby is here" she smiled cutely then looked to the tv again munching on her toasty

"Henry...What did you mean? Earlier? about Abbey?" he just grinned and winked

"Like I said babe leave it with me...I won't be nasty I promise...I just gonna set her straight, tell her if it carries on I’m getting the police involved”

"The police-Henry no-” you began to protest but he held up his hand a stern look

"Its harassment! I’m not letting her get away with it....look I'm just gonna tell her to stay away if she doesn't then I'm taking things further...Just don't worry I'm here now trust me?" you gulped you knew there wasn't really anything you could do but it unnerved you he must have been so angry when Paige told him.

"I do...I just I don't want anything to get worse remember she will still be here when your away" he rolled his eyes and quickly moved in giving you a kiss on your cheek

"Babe with the way her kids going I doubt she will be here by the end of term" you sighed and nodded you couldn't argue that then dropped the topic and snuggled back in with kal between you feeding the bear some apple he had put at the side of his plate.

You quickly found yourself stretched out on the floor, Henry beside you with Paige laying across the both of you. She had eaten her toasty and crawled over you and flopped, facing the tv nibbling the tip of her thumb head on Henry's chest, tummy over kal and legs sprawled out over your lap. It was when you heard her soft snores you both decided it was time for bed,  Henry scooped up and tucked her in at you went to bed you where just drifting to sleep when Henry snuggled up behind you holding you tightly littering kisses to the back of your neck.

"I really do love you y/n I hope you know that" you hummed turning your head to him blinking tiredly.

"Yes I know...I love you to it...All this was just hormones I'm a weepy pregnant woman about to pop...So you gotta bare with me okay?" He smiled kissing your cheek  sweetly.

"A tired pregnant woman more like come on sleep we both need it love" and that’s what you did getting the best nights sleep in a long time.

The next morning you awoke to Henry placing a hot cup of coffee and then moving to your wardrobe pulling out your favorite knit jumper and maternity leggings.

"Come on love we have half an hour!" You sat up surprised to find no backache at all making you smile then you registered what he had said and scrambled throwing your legs over the side of the bed.

"What?! Oh fuck! Paige! is she up? Shit-" Henry moved handing you your coffee

"She is up and ready...Well she wants plaits and I can't I’m all thumbs so you have todo her hair but she is dressed fed and watered, her lunch is done and her bag ready!" You smiled at him

"Well look at you a domesticated kryptonian, you house trained to?~" he flushed and moved to tickle you stopping when you held up the steaming coffee

"Yeah yeah just you wait~.Well I'm going to go make sure Paige is playing nicely see you in fifteen? " you smiled nodding to him.

By the time you came downstairs you had about ten minuets to get going. Henry was busying himself around the house, just doing a general tidy up collecting Paige's toys that had been strewn across the kitchen and living room. You took a second to appreciate him, he had been so sweet only being home for..well not even a day and he had already brought the house back into order, he had taken care of you and Paige spoilt the both of you eased your silly fears and had your daughter ready for school before you were even out of bed...The man needs a medal...Or blowy or two now that you can do!

"Mummy! Mummy can I have braids? Daddy tried he can't he pulls and knots it!" You chuckled when she ran up to you holding her little box pf hair clips and ties. You nodded seeing Henry attempt being a loose....Is that a braid? Honestly your not sure what to call it but it was scruffy and bad and it would be a god send if you could get it out! you giggled and looked to a red faced Henry who had folded his arms watching embarrassed at the state he had left his little pumpkins hair in.

"What? I-I tried okay?"

"That you did and it was a valiant attempt...But seriously you need to get your ass on youtube love~" You moved quickly untangling the...what ever it was you had to use a lot of de tangling spritz but finally Paige had two neat braids and soon you were all out the door.

It wasn't until half way to the playschool Henry had remembered he had to pop to the shop something about getting bacon and more milk. You nodded to him, as he gave you kals lead saying he would meet up with you at the school. You and Paige continued to the school waiting t the gates with Fran and Micah.

"She ain't her yet then?" You asked Fran nodded

"Yeah, Patty is already on one, fucking little heathen just bit Rose look"

"Mummy whats a heathen?"you gave Tran a look giggling out of the side of her mouth you looked and sure enough Rose was screaming holding her cheek crying into her mothers legs as her mother was screaming at Abbey who was coddling Patty shouting at everyone who would listen that patty had a right to stick up for herself. You rolled your eyes at the scene this child was just feral! And the mother no better."Nothing baby...Why don't you go see? Rose look shes sad" she nodded and ran off into the playground pulling rose away from her mother with Micah and a few of the other kids You shushed Kal as he barked at all the excitement you knew he wanted to go see the crying little girl he was attached to these kids, as far as the bear was concerned they were all his!.

Once Paige was out of ear shot Fran spoke up.

"Shes only here because they were kicked out of magpies and dee dee's" you looked to Fran what? She nodded to them subtly.

"Who? Patty?"

"Yeah...Abbey came in to the surgery, wanting to be tested for adhd...Shes convinced thats the problem apparently Patty was kicked out of magpies for fighting and then dee dee's...The kid needed stitches she bit a chunk out of his thigh...She was supposed to go to one of those playschools for the challenging children, you know? with the anger management and quiet times...Got to come here though cos Abbey said its adhd but obviously we cant test for it until shes older she was told to get Patty to counselling but refused....Its not though, I've see adhd and that is just a badly behaved little girl who in my opinion needs a smacked ass and a time out." You agreed laughing just as Abbey came strutting past with Patty...looks like she's being sent home again.

"Don’t you fucking judge me whore! And what have I said about that fucking mutt! Keep it away from the school or I will have it put down!-"

"OH NO YOU FUCKING WONT!" oh fuck she didn't...Not infront of Henry You froze as Henry shouted loud and clear, the playground got silent. Noone had ever heard Henry raise his voice even the children stopped to stare whispering about Superman.Paige held onto Rose

"I-its okay daddy isn’t mad at us...I think?" As far as Henry was concerned it was bad enough to upset you and Paige but threatening Kal's life fuck no!

Abbey faltered taking a step back at the frightening scowl on his face, in one hand he had a bag of shopping the other was a small bouquet of flowers. Your heart melted a little already knowing the lillys; your favorite flowers were for you. But you shook your head moving to him as he squared up to Abbey, he just wedged himself between you and the other woman shushing Kal. who was yipping anxiously about you both.

"So your Abbey and Patty? Well I'd like a word with you if you don't mind..." his voice was a growl you'd never herd before he definetly channeling some inner dark fucking protective alpha shit. I mean fuck he could so play a villain?  where was your soft boy?.

"Mummy? Why is superman here...Is he really Paiges daddy-"

"Oh hush Patty of course he isnt-"

"Thats what I wanted to talk about" she looked to Henry again and stuttered

"W-what I-" You gulped as he gained on you both Kal was still pulling to go see the upset toddler...he was a nanny dog.

"I’m warning you this once.Stay away from my family, I mean it you've caused enough upset and I'm home now and noone...And I mean noone fucking upsets my wife and daughter! She might take it but I'm not. You've upset my heavily pregnant wife ,confused my daughter and now I hear you threatening my dog? You know what you've done is slander...Causing serious stress to a pregnant woman can been seen as intent to harm her and MY baby and is also harassment...I'm giving you this one chance you and your daughter stay away or I will come down on you like a tonne of bricks and have you in court before you know it" your heart fluttered as Henry came to a stop beside you.

"W-what I haven't done anything! Neither has Patty! We havent done anything! I don't know what your fucking wife has said but-"

"You've been running your mouth, I just heard it myself like I said I will go to the courts and get the police involved, its harassment, intent to harm and slander,  which being in the public eye we take very seriously, if I hear any more about it I will be on to my lawyers quicker then you would believe. I'v said my piece. Stay away from my family." He turned his back on her and smiled down at you you glanced between him and her.

“Henry- what are-?” he placed his hand on your arm soothing you

"No-Love I'm sorry I told you...I'm not putting up with it...I will look into injunctions today" that caught the womans attention and she flipped her lid.

"INJUNCTIONS! HOW WILL THAT WORK PATTY GOES TO THE SAME SCHOOL!? WHAT YOU THINK I WILL TAKE MY DAUGHTER OUT?" Henry looked over his shoulder at the woman.

"No honestly I think she will be excluded by that point...Biting and attacking the other kids? I will tell you one thing though Patty ever attacks Paige I will personally see to you both being thrown out on your ass! All these kids here have a right to be safe in school and by law the staff here have a right to Exclude any children who harm the other kids." Abbey huffed eyes blazing

"You think you can do that-"

"Not alone but we do have a pta...One vote and we can demand Patty's removal from the class for the safety and well being of the other children " she screamed angry and turned  screeched and walked of dragging Patty along behinde her.

"B-but Mummy you said he wasn't her daddy! You said-"

"Oh will you shut up! You've caused enough trouble for one day Patricia!" Henry smirked after the woman and turned to you handing you the small bouquet of flowers.

"And these are for you my love~" you blushed sniffing them softly thanking him you felt giddy. Suddenly before you could say anything the other kids all gathered round each taking turns giving Kal his morning cuddles then asking Henry questions about being superman squealing when he played along and admitted it but made them promise to keep it a secret. You chuckled as he answered them each the the best of his ability getting stumped a few times dodging a few bullets here and there. It wasn't long before Miss Bou had to round up the kids for class and you were on your way home after getting a few 'well done' comments from some of the other mothers.

"Soo babe....Me thinks you deserve a little reward for all your hard work..."

"Hard work? babe I just-"you rolled your eyes hooking an arm around his leaning against him breathing him in.

"yes hard work...Putting me straight last night looking after me and Paige, coffee in bed and you tidied the house and now this...Sorting out the vindictive woman and her kid- which by the way was a complete turn on watching you go all alpha scary daddy!UGH fuck my panties are wet" he took a deep breath willing himself to calm down.

"Ugh woman don't even go there you know we can't-" you kissed his shoulder and interrupted him.

"Ah ah~ no your right we can't have full on sex...But there are other ways for me to worship my husband~" he stopped and blinked confused then his face lit up

"what do you OH Fuck!...Am I getting a blowy?" You hummed pretending to think about it.

"Well No" his face dropped and he whined his hopes shattered

"Then what-" you smiled cheekily up at him

"Think Daddy earned more then one blowy Baby~" his face lit up like Christmas and slung his arm around your shoulder holding you tight.

"Oh fuck yes! Come on hurry up~ quickly Kal mush! pull mummy faster! come on woman get a waddle on I need to be in your mouth like fucking yesterday!" You giggled as he ushered you home faster eager to have his well earned reward you laughed knowing that today was going to be a good day.

[hendrickfw]

A ray of hope/LU AU

The end was near. An enormous asteroid, a hundred kilometers wide, was about to impact Earth. The last time it happened was about seven hundred years ago, during the golden years of heroism. A young white duck astronomer wearing a red jacket watched through his telescope, noting the object getting closer to Earth.

-Jet? Please turn off the light and get to sleep.

Jet´s brother, Turbo, was sleeping in a blue pajama. He stood up and walked to his brother.

-I can´t. I´m a witness of a cosmological event never seen before!

-Wait. Space, you mean?

Turbo loved space. He pushed his brother apart and started watching through the telescope. His eyes opened wide at the incredible sight of the rock.

-Guys, someone is trying to sleep here- said Rebel, putting his pillow over his head.

Jet, Turbo, and Rebel were triplets, all brothers of the large Duck family. They lived in Acmetropolis in their uncle´s Nash Duck house. Their mother traveled through all the galaxy, so she rarely was with them. The trio also passed their time with their uncle Ebenezer McDuck.

Rebel went with them after his complaints were unheard. He used some green pajamas. He wasn´t so happy about being out of bed.

-Wow, that´s so cool! You never told me a pink lady was flying over there!- exclaimed Turbo, making Jet curious.

-Pink lady? What are you talking about?

Jet pushed his brother and started watching through the telescope, impressed by the phenomenon before his eyes. A strange pink-dressed woman flying near the asteroid fired some kind of ray to it. The meteor was destroyed, although some debris continued its trajectory to Acmetropolis.

-That´s impossible! That is some abnormal event! How is a woman able to fly? What did she fire? Why...?

-Kids. What are you doing?

Another white duck opened the door. He was Nash, the uncle of the ducklings. He seemed mad after seeing his nephews out of bed late at night.

-Nothing, Uncle Nash- responded the three, hiding the telescope behind them.

-You should be sleeping. Remember that tomorrow we´ll visit your uncle Ebenezer.

-Ok, Uncle Nash- the trio responded again in unison.

The ducklings returned to bed, ready for the next day. Although, the strange event they have just seen got them intrigued.

While they were sleeping, some meteor debris fell to the city with some cosmic energy. Fortunately, it wouldn´t affect any individual. Right?

Acmetropolis University

It was a summer day in the city. The people could feel the heat of the day. There was, at least, one person, or animal, without that kind of problem. He was Tech E. Coyote, a Ph.D. student of the Technology Department of the biggest and most important university in the city.

Tech, as his ancient name suggests, was a coyote with brown fur. His green eyes, concentrated on his latest invention, still showed a wild persona, but also wisdom. He was wearing a lab coat. Despite someone's sound entering into the lab, his concentration didn't leave the device in front of him. Smith Pierce, Tech's professor, entered the lab. The coyote did not hear his presence until he felt someone touch the chair where he was sitting.

“You should rest. We're going to have a meal with the rest of the class at Pizza Fest. You coming?”

“I don't think so, sir. If I want to investigate the astrological phenomenon of the time, I must finish the intercosmic suit.”

Of course, the genius knew about the asteroid in the direction of the planet and wanted to investigate it closely. Very close. Smith, as much as he wanted to convince Tech to get out, knew he wouldn't make it. The professor sighed and walked out.

“If you change your mind, we will be waiting for you. Warner Street corner with Mouse.”

Tech nodded from afar, still adjusting the suit's protection systems. There wasn't much time, as the asteroid would arrive in a few days.

“You know? If you listened to me, I'd introduce you to my friend the roadrunner. Both could complement each other very well in the lab” asked a female voice. Tech had to start paying more attention to his surroundings while he was working.

“The delivery guy? You know I don't trust working with anyone since Casey, Lexi.”

After Smith's departure came Lexi Bunny, a tan fur bunny. She didn't study anything related to science. Instead, she was an athlete. She had been a cheerleader in high school and was now looking to pursue basketball. Despite this, she had taken some physics and engineering courses (specially to learn more about those subjects than his brother) under Tech's mentoring. Since then, they have become good friends, although Tech has had confidence issues.

And that's why Lexi wants to include him in ger close group of friends. In addition to the roadrunner whose name went through Rev, there was his older brother Ace. Rev also claimed to have two friends who would introduce them today. Just the ideal situation to take Tech.

“Today Rev will introduce me and my brother some friends. You should come, it'll be fun.”

“I can't. I have to finish this before I miss the opportunity.”

“Then do it as a favor. Remember the time you...?”

When Lexi pursued an objective, she usually made it. That's what he admired her. Well, he had to admit that, from the few times they'd come out, he'd had more fun than usual. Maybe he'd do the same this time, even though there'd be more people outside of her brother and herself.

“All right, all right. I 'm going. Just help me put some things in store” the most he tried to hide his smile, he just couldn't. He really enjoyed the company of the bunny.

As they both began to pack the objects Tech used, Tech recalled a recent comment from the bunny. That would serve to kill the silence in which they were involved.

“And... are you sure you want to do it?”

“I don't know. It's a big step and, so far, Ace hasn't taken it well.”

“We can postpone it so you can think about it better, discuss it with him and, well, with me. We haven't decided everything.”

“Doesn't it bother you? It's a decision that's yours too.”

“Not at all. I'd rather you be comfortable, specially.”

Lexi felt unsure of the action to take, but at least she was happy to have Tech's support. It was comforting to some extent.

Once they both finished storing everything, they left the University and walked to the city subway, from where they took transportation to downtown. Tech felt somewhat uncomfortable about being in such unhygienic, crowded environments, but at least having Lexi by his side giving him conversation took those thoughts out of his head. Soon they arrived and took to the streets of the metropolis. A short time passed, and they entered the Pizzarriba establishment.

Pizzarriba was a pizza restaurant created in the 21st century, miraculously afloat after losing almost all its establishments to Pizza Fest. Luckily, the original restaurant was still standing. It continued to maintain the same style as in its founding years, specially to attract customers.

Lexi, followed by Tech, walked through the door. It was Tech's first time on the establishment. Lexi quickly ran to one of the tables. Tech recognized her brother, Ace, whose grey fur was unmistakable for the coyote. He wore a jacket and jeans, his typical outfit after finishing his auditions. He was the only one on site, probably saving space for the group. The table was big. How many friends would the roadrunner bring?

- What's up, Doc? Ace asked Tech after hugging and greeting her sister.

-Hi, Ace.

Ace gave room for both of them to sit down. Lexi sat next to him and Tech was left next to her. Before they could start chatting, the three of them heard the door of the restaurant open with an unusual sound of someone talking.

“... a-robot-commissioned-by-my-dad-so-I-had-to-look-for-a-replacement-and-you-know-how-difficult-it-is-to-find-a-modulator-at-the-middle-of-desert-so-I-improvised-putting-together-several-remnants-of-old-inventions-with-something-of-cheese--which-reminds-me-have-you-proven-this-pizza-is-delicious-and-look-there-are-my-friends-hello-Ace-Lexi-and-you-should-be-Tech-is-a-pleasure-Lexi-told-me-a lot-about-you-and-your-inventions-sound-awesome...”

Tech started to feel dizzy. He didn't know what it could be, but it started a little after the roadrunner arrived. By focusing on his problem, he failed to hear the last words of him, at least until Lexi interrupted him.

“Hello Rev. Tech, he is the friend I have told you about.”

Tech tried to return to his posture and reached out to say hello. He didn't expect a loud, quick handshake from the roadrunner. He heard that he continued to speak with the same speed and joviality, which caused the coyote more dizziness. It was nothing to his liking. Rev was the typical roadrunner one could find in the desert, with blue plumage on the body and violet on the tail. He was wearing a sports suit because he probably was used to run a lot. After the introduction, Rev returned with his friends and introduced them.

“He-is-Slam-the-Tasmanian-demon-and-he-is-a-professional-fighter-and-very-good-at-it-I must-admit...”

Slam was a little bigger than the average Tasmanian demon. He was huge in Lexi's opinion, but behind his smile she saw the personality of someone friendly rather than intimidating. They hoped it would, even though Lexi didn't hesitate. Tech failed to understand Slam's growls, but by his raised hand he suspected it was a greeting.

“... and-he-is-Duck-and-between-him-my-brother-Rip-and-I-we-are-best-friends-practically-brothers-or-what-do-you-say?”

The black duck was crossing his arms, without saying a word. Everyone noticed that he looked coldly at Ace, who looked back at him the same way.

“Rev, I didn't know you knew the duck.”

“Umm-yes-why-do-you-know each other?”

"Unfortunately," Duck replied.

"And this got awkward," Tech said louder than he wanted. Slam made sounds agreeing.

The three newcomers sat in front of those who were already there. The large size Slam occupied in the chair explained the size of the reserved table. Lexi was the first to break the tension when she saw Duck's shirt.

“Where did you get that? I've been looking for that shirt for centuries!”

Duck watched his shirt. He changed his expression of discomfort to a smirk. He looked at the bunny pointing at his shirt.

“This shirt? Please, the biggest fans of Duck Dodgers are the only ones who can carry them.”

"I-didn't-know-that-you-were-fan-of-Duck-Dogers-too-Lexi-I-mean-it-is-fantastic-other-thing-that-we-have-in-common.”

“Well, lady, it is your lucky day. I´m the Duck Dodgers fan club leader so I may allow you to join us. Do you know where we are?”

“Please give me something easy. Here was Dodgers' first fight in 2021 during the concert of a famous band of the time.”

“2021? Wasn't he a hero in 2500?” Ace asked, intrigued or her sisters´ knowledge of the character. He knew of her love for the hero, but not how much she had dived into his history.

“Actually, no. It's a common mistake. Duck Dodgers debuted at this restaurant in the 21st century but is best known for his heroics in the 25th century. Besides, it wasn't at a concert by a famous band of the time. The Caballeros were not popular when they played in the incident" corrected Tech. Everyone looked at him and Tech felt uncomfortable. “What? You can't be the only ones interested in superheroes.”

“Told you” bragged Lexi to her brother with a big smirk.

"Sure, I already knew that." Duck bragged too, though everyone distrusted his sincerity.

“Wouldn’t-it-be-amazing-to-have-superpowers-or-what-do-you-think-guys?” Rev asked with his speaking speed. “I-mean-I-already-run-fast-but-I-wouldn´t-be-annoyed-if-I-was-faster-or-which-powers-would-you-guys-like-to-have?”

"Definitely jump higher, be able to reach places I couldn´t." Lexi replied, already knowing the answer.

“Besides the intellect, which I already possess, probably some form of technokinesis. It would be helpful to me when working.” Tech replied, showing off and being honest at the same time.

Slam made incomprehensible sounds to others again, but Rev interpreted them as the ability to eat more.

“I don't want superpowers. With my agility I could kick any thief” said Ace confidently.

“Finally, you share my opinion, Ace. I wouldn't need either. Duck Dodgers never needed. I just need my natural duck strength.” Duck added.

“Where was that strength when you needed my help moving a ladder in the supermarket, Duck?” The others couldn't help but laugh a little bit about the anecdote.

“The ones with wheels to move around, Ace?”

“Nice deduction, Tech.”

"You are despicable..."

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

The afternoon passed quickly and was fun, even for Tech or Duck, who were the most apathic. After eating the pizza and getting to know each other a little better, everyone returned to their homes. Everyone had their own responsibilities to attend.

Rev was the first to get home thanks to his speed, despite being the one who lived the farther away. The roadrunner arrived at his parents' house. Ralph, his father, greeted him immediately, diverting the little attention paid to his son Rip. He asked his favorite son to help him build his new Robo-Amigo as Rip was too "inexperienced" in the robotics area. Without hesitation the roadrunner arrived to the garage, where he began to work.

Slam, after lunch, arrived at the arena where he had a contract to fight. At the moment his fights were against unexperienced players, as his sponsor, Pierre Le Pew, still kept him to fight the great cup champion for later. The demon didn't want to serve just cheap entertainment because he wanted to have fun with the fights, besides being able to have an extra income if it wasn't too much, because the economy wasn't going well lately for him.

Duck came to his apartment, which was extremely messy, with dirty laundry all over the place. It looked like a homeless man lived there. And, honestly, it was near the truth. Despite the ducks´ confident and arrogant behavior, Duck was nothing but a drag on society. Not even that house was his: it was an unpaid hotel room for four months. Duck's life was miserable, and he knew it very well. Only his job of picking up trash from a public pool said it all. Duck threw himself in his bed and looked at a photograph of his adoptive parents, dead at that point. Duck missed them and would do anything to bring them back. It was the best thing that ever happened to him.

Tech returned to college, to the same lab where he spent the rest of the week working. He was already late and had to continue with his armor. He had Lexi's insecurity in mind. The coyote hoped she could solve the problem. But the voice of the roadrunner didn't go out of his mind either. In truth, listening to him speak so much, with that force and speed caused him a terrible headache. He didn't dislike him, on the contrary, they were almost “birds of a feather”, but that voice detail was still there.

Lexi and Ace returned to their apartment. It was humble, the best they could get. With Lexi's scholarship and Ace's salary as a stunt, it was the best they could rent. It was cozy, but Lexi wanted to change. Between the two brothers several discussions had been emerging and Lexi thought the best was to take some time apart. Luckily, she had found support in a coyote, who was willing to share the same roof with her. It was a possible way out.

Ace, meanwhile, was saddened by the constant conflicts with his sister. He understood that she needed her space and was no longer a child, but he was the older brother and their parents had commissioned him to protect her. Was he wrong to want to do his job?

But, despite each other's problems, the same event brought them together. It wasn't their meeting at Pizzarriba. At about 6:30, they all fainted without any apparent explanation. It was only a matter of time before someone noticed and they were taken to the hospital.

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

Some general stuff. This is my AU fanfiction of Loonatics Unleashed where the heroes have some solo adventures before they form the team. This is an awfully done introduction. I don´t really trust my English writing abilities, so please tell me if you find any grammatical mistake. If any hero wants to help me with that part I will not be able of thank you enough.

I finally decided to make it a shared universe with my other fanfiction: Los Tres Caballeros viajan de nuevo. I´m not sure if I´ll use any characters referencing that story because I want to focus on the show cast. For now I just want to put the important pieces on place before starting everything.

And feel free to comment. I´ll try to upload more but, I´m finishing this semester and the exams and essays will take my time. Anyway, for those shippers, I may have some Tech/Lexi at the start but I´ll transition it to Tech/Rev and Danger/Lexi.

I hope you like it and happy weekend to everyone.

[cynergy-laughter]

Obey Me! One Master to Rule Them All! Fanfic #3

Garlic Tomato Bisque

(MC x Levi) (MC x Lucifer) (fluff, comedy) (mild language?) [inspired by one of the boys’ D.D.D. Chats where Lucifer was sick]

By: @cynergy-laughter

Word Count: 4,187

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You really liked Lucifer, besides all the drama that happened between you two, he was a very sweet, dependable, charming guy. A bit of a sadist yes, but adoring. But now, you hear that Lucifer was sick, in bed, so that’s why he wasn’t at breakfast right now.

“Pfftt Hahahaha! Lucifer is sick?! Oh my gosh, this is too rich!” Mammon chuckles over his food.

“But Lucifer never gets sick, I don’t even think he’s had a cough.” Asmo said, frowning. “I guess there’s a first time for everything…”

“Just knowing that our brother, our eldest brother, is so vulnerable right now… it… shakes me…” Satan said, balling up his fist.

“Yeah, with mirth. You and Mammon are probably the ones taking the most joy in seeing Lucifer suffer…” Belphegor pointed out, “Not that it isn’t interesting to see our brother in such a state… interesting and worrying.”

“And on top of that, Beel is standing guard over Lucifer, it’s both adorable, and sad… to have the second youngest brother protect you… it’s entertaining all on its own.” Mammon snickered as he kept on eating his breakfast.

“Mammon, let’s not forget, Beel works out because of how much he eats, he could twist you into a pretzel and eat you if he wanted to.” You pointed out, making Mammon gulp a bit while Asmo straight up laughed.

“Ahahaha! Chalk one up for [MC]!” He giggled. “But Lucifer’s lucky we’re having a weekend off, otherwise he’d have to miss student council meetings.”

“Well, I’m gonna be playing my game if anyone needs me, which I doubt.” Leviathan said, finishing his breakfast, and getting up.

“Uh-uh-uh, Levi, you are on dishwashing duty this morning.” Satan reiterated. “Dishes, then you can go up to your room.” Earning a groan from Levi.

Soon, everyone finished breakfast, while Asmo and Satan went to go and deliver the leftovers to Beel standing in front of Lucifer’s bedroom door.

But while you were heading back to your room, you couldn’t help but think about Lucifer sick in bed. You wanted to do something for him, and then an idea occurred to you. You headed for the kitchen where Levi was still washing dishes and you looked in the fridge.

“Beel, shouldn’t you be watching over Lucifer’s room? Oh, [MC], it’s you… you come to laugh at my failed attempt to get out from doing the dishes?” Levi said, turning around.

“No, I was just seeing what we have, I was gonna make something for Lucifer for lunch.” You say.

“What? You do know Lucifer is sick, right… like if it’s a cold strong enough for someone like him to catch, you might catch something stronger if you catch it…” Levi tried to warn you.

“Well, he’s not gonna be visited by anyone if everyone is so scared of catching it… I wanna help him feel better.” You say, “I’m thinking about making him soup… but I know it won’t be enough…”

“Well… I heard that Beel’s gonna be taste testing anything that is for Lucifer.” Levi said.

“Yeah, I figured I would make Beel some too…” you trailed off and then you got an idea… “My grandmother’s famous garlic tomato bisque, and a patty melt, with 3 cheeses…” you say with a smile.

Levi blinked. “Patty melt?”

“It’s like a hamburger, but make it grilled cheese style…” you explain.

“Oh… oh wow… that sounds pretty good actually…” Levi said, “something that sounds so normie… sounds delicious.”

“Do you know if Lucifer has any allergies, or does he not like beef?” You asked, excited.

“Umm, not that I know of… I’ve seen him eating steak before…” Levi thought about it. “I think…”

“Close enough! I’m gonna make him and Beel a get-well lunch they will never forget!” You say clenching your fists. You then turn to Levi who seemed to be sneaking away. “Levi! I need your help. Would you come shopping for the ingredients with me?”

“W-What?! Why me? I have streams to do today!” Levi leaned back a bit because you were so close to him.

“Please? I really need your help, I’ll owe you some game time, it’s been a while since we did a livestream together.” You say, you held your hands together pleadingly. “If you help me, I’ll make you your own patty melt too…” now you tried bargaining.

Levi blinked. “W-What? You think I would wanna try one of your weird meat grilled cheeses? Just how old do you think I am?” Levi grumbled, folding his arms and turning his head away from you.

You frowned and sighed. “Okay… I understand… I guess I can ask Belphie or Asmo if they want to go food shopping…” you said as you turned to go and find Belphie or Asmo, when you were suddenly stopped by an exasperation from behind you.

“W-Wait! Gosh, don’t you know a dramatic pause when you see it? U-Umm… Will I get to be the first one to try one of your patty melts?” Levi blushed a bit as he crossed his arms and looked down.

You gave a small smile and held his hands, looking into his eyes. “I promise you’ll have the first melt I make.”

Levi blushes more as he was sharing this tender… normie… moment with you. He pulled his hands away in a huff. “Well, I guess I can spare some time and get to gaming later tonight… but next time, you’re gonna be helping me with a video game release livestream.”

“Deal! Alright, let’s get ready to get shopping to get ready to cook!” You say triumphantly as you grabbed Levi’s hand and rushed out the door with him.

-One Grocery Shopping Montage Later-

You spent a good amount of time shopping for the ingredients, you were happy that Levi had agreed to help you, you weren’t sure how helpful Asmo would have been, but you also knew that Belphie would have slumped down and took a nap while you began cooking. But there was a reason why you wanted someone to really help, and why Levi would be perfect for this.

“I also need a witness, a documenter of sorts.” You said as you put the groceries down on the counter.

“A documenter?” Levi rose an eyebrow.

“Well, this morning, Mammon and Satan were talking pretty mercilessly about Lucifer… I don’t know about Satan, but I wouldn’t put it past Mammon to try and sabotage this and make Lucifer more sick…” You explained.

“Well, in the group chat, Satan was talking about a book about poisons for demons…” Levi said, “So, I wouldn’t put it past either of them…”

“Now that you put it that way, I definitely need you to be my witness. I’m counting on you, Lord of Shadows,” you said, smiling to Levi.

Levi blushes and smiles, “You can count on me, Henry!” He said, clenching his fist, “I’ll go get my camcorder!” He said, heading on upstairs.

You smile as you took out one of your notebooks, and you flipped to a page that had your grandmother’s garlic tomato bisque recipe in. You learned your cooking directly from your grandmother on your father’s side, and she had helped you to keep her recipes alive. She always used to say that her ancestor’s cooking was like a love letter, it had a beautiful presentation, and was full of emotion in every part from beginning to end. You just hoped you could translate the recipe well without her this time. Suddenly, you jumped a bit, feeling a hand around your waist, and someone was pulling you in close.

“What’cha reading? Grandma’s Garlic Tomato Bisque?” Mammon read over your shoulder to which you closed the book.

“Mammon! Don’t do that!” You held your notebook over your chest.

“Heh, sorry, so, what’s all this? You making lunch or something?” Mammon asked, picking up some of the ingredients.

“As a matter of fact… yes, I thought about it, and I wanna make everyone lunch.” You say, “I’m making Patty Melts and my Grandma’s Garlic Tomato Bisque.” He said.

“Patty Melt?” Mammon asked, leaning on the counter, “Excuse me for living but what is that?”

“Picture a hamburger cooked like grilled cheese.” Levi said from the doorway of the kitchen, holding his camcorder.

“Oh? Well then, can’t wait to try it. You will let me know when it’s ready? You know, cause I am your first guy.” Mammon said, trying to get a rise out of Levi.

“Actually, I promised Levi he would be the one to have my first patty melt.” You said, earning a smirk from Levi, and a stunned look from Mammon.

“Ha! Now I don’t regret doing the dishes.” Levi smirked.

“No! No! I asked you to switch dishwashing shifts with me, I demand we switch back!” Mammon growled. “It should be me in your position!”

“You don’t get to change the game when it’s convenient for you! And plus, I got [MC] owing me a hangout day~. So that’s what you get for pawning off your duties!” Levi smirked back.

“Levi… the camcorder?” You ask as Levi set the camcorder up and pressed record on it as he continued the insult match with Mammon.

You sigh and shake your head as you began to start your cooking, starting with the forming and seasoning of the burger patties, making sure they were shaped like ovals so they would fit on the wide bread slices you had. All while you were cooking, you felt someone watching you, and felt someone’s warmth behind you, which you figured out was one of the other brothers, but you were too busy focusing on the patties that you didn’t acknowledge whomst was behind you.

“... And that’s why your feet stink!” Levi fired at Mammon. “They stink so bad, you got a Venus fly trap hacking!”

“Oh those are fightin’ words, your feet stink so bad, when you take your shoes off, the flies die!” Mammon growled as he got into Levi’s face.

“Could you two take your stinky feet somewhere else? [MC]’s trying to cook.” Satan said calmly as he was standing right behind you as you worked on prepping the soup.

“O-Oh… right, sorry [MC]…” Mammon said as he began to leave the kitchen.

“Oh! I’m sorry, Satan…” Levi shied away, following Mammon out the kitchen.

It only took a few seconds before the footsteps came rushing back into the kitchen.

“SATAN?!?!” Both Mammon and Levi shouted in unison.

“You two really are idiots. Letting [MC] cook all by themself while you’re having a little insult fest.” Satan said, smirking, trying not to laugh as he had almost got them to leave.

“You’re the one just standing behind [MC] just watching them cook!” Mammon growled.

Levi realized that they were in the presence of the last two people they wanted in the kitchen right now, so he had to be diligent. “Y-yeah! If you’re gonna be in the kitchen, you’re gonna have to do something to help with lunch.”

“Like saying how badly both of your feet stink?” Satan turned to them crossing his arms.

“THEY DON’T STINK!!” Both Mammon and Levi shouted again. It was at this point of your cooking that you had enough, you hadn’t even started on the bisque yet, and the three of them were standing around having a quarrel.

“ALL OF YOU!” You shout, causing them to turn their attention to you. “I’m already done shaping and seasoning the patties, and I need to start making the soup, if none of you are going to help me, then I need you all to leave the kitchen.”

Mammon, Levi and Satan looked taken aback, they didn’t see this side of MC before.

“Well, I wanna help, what do you want me to do?” Levi asked, walking up to you.

“H-Hey, I wanna help too!” Mammon followed Levi.

“... You know, if you didn’t make a pact with anyone here, you probably would have been in danger of getting hurt…” Satan began, “But… I guess we aren’t earning your cooking if we didn’t help… So you’re making tomato bisque? That’s pretty ambitious, especially for a house of seven.”

“Well, this is my grandma’s recipe, and I wanted to give a lunch that warms the heart as well as your mouth.” You said, softening your smile as you recruited two more brothers to help cook. “I wanna keep my family’s recipes alive.”

“Ah… that is noble of you. Well, I can start chopping the vegetables.” Satan said, smiling.

“Yeah, I’ll start cutting the cheese for the patty melts.” Levi said.

“Umm, I can start buttering the bread, and cook the patties!” Mammon said as the boys started getting everything ready.

It warmed your heart to see that you all were working together. You felt like the head chef, supervising the next three eldest brothers after Lucifer, and you all came together to show how you made the garlic tomato bisque. Eventually, you cooked the patties and started to make them melts.

“Thank you all so much for this… I really do appreciate your help, by the way, Mammon, Satan? Could you go and tell Belphie and Asmo that lunch will be ready shortly?” You asked.

“Why can’t Levi do it?” Mammon asked.

“Because I’m trusting you with this task, Mammon. And you too, Satan.” You replied, smiling.

“Understood, come on.” Satan said, walking out of the kitchen, with Mammon.

You smile and look at Levi. “Thank you so much, I think they were pretty behaved, but check the footage, just to be safe.”

“Of course. Oh, and don’t forget that the first melt and soup bowl is mine.” Levi mentioned as he began to play it back.

You kept your eye on Levi’s patty melt, not wanting to flip it too late or too soon. And at the first flip over, it was a delightfully toasted brown. “Yes!”

Levi smiles as he saw the joy on your face, but then as he played back the video, he noticed you had only made 7 patties… it should have been 8… were you not gonna make one for yourself?

“Oh Levi, here you go, fresh and a perfect toasted brown and cut in half, I hope you like it.” You say, handing him his sandwich and the bowl of garlic tomato bisque.

“Oh wow, it looks so good… thank you, [MC]!” Levi said, closing the camcorder. “And you’re in luck, I didn’t see any sabotaging, but maybe taste the bisque before you try it…”

“Oh right…” you said as you went over to the bisque and tasted it, and you got transported back to when you were sick in bed, and your grandma made you this soup. It made you fall asleep easier, and helped you feel better the next day. You remembered going down to grandma’s kitchen and giving her the biggest hug, cause you felt the best you had felt in your life.

“Hey… [MC]? What’s wrong?” Levi asked, lowering his head to meet your eyes, which he grew misty.

“H-Huh? O-Oh nothing… It just… tastes just like how grandma made it…” you shook your head and wiped your eyes.

“Well, now I’m sold and I haven’t even eaten yet.” Levi smiles, “By the way, how are you going to get past Beel with those sandwiches? He’s eating anything that comes in for Lucifer…”

“Well, I’m gonna cook Lucifer’s and Beel’s at the same time, but then, I’ll cut them both in half, and swap out one of the halves for another. So Lucifer can have some of Beel’s, Beel can have some of Lucifer’s, and They’ll both still have a whole sandwich.” You explained. “And I can show the footage to Beel to back it up.”

Levi blinked, surprised that you thought it through. “It’s pretty scary that you are this thorough… I don’t think even Satan is that thorough…”

You blush and chuckle. “Well, go and eat, everyone will be down soon.” You say, nodding as you shoo Levi off. Eventually, one by one you cooked the patties and grilled cheese’d them, and served them with bisque to brothers who also came down. Soon, you made the last two at the same time, cooking them side by side while the camcorder recorded you. You finally made a beautiful presentation, two halves of each sandwich indicated by ornate toothpicks, two colored red, and two colored orange surrounding but not touching the bowl of garlic tomato bisque. You put it on a tray and made your way up toward Lucifer’s room, where Beel stood guard.

“Oh, [MC]. How are… what is that?” Beelzebub said, giving you a smile, but then it dropped into longing. You swear you could hear his stomach growling.

“Oh, I made everyone lunch, and I made one for you and Lucifer.” You explained. “Four cheese patty melt with garlic tomato bisque, and water with lemon slices because… hydration.” You listed, giving a smile

“... You do know I gotta eat both because of Mammon and Satan. Right?” Beel asked, frowning with an eyebrow raised.

“Well, not necessarily, I cut the sandwiches in half, and swapped the left halves, the soup was made in the same pot and I tasted it. I have recorded footage as well. And even though Mammon and Satan helped, Levi and I made sure that nothing wrong happened.” You say.

Beel blinks, and took one of the plates offered to him and began to eat the sandwiches, he nodded impressed, and then dipped a half of the sandwich into the soup and his eyes widened in joy. “I need more of this soup… and this… patty melt… it’s like grilled cheeseburger… [MC]... I didn’t know you could cook this good…”

You blush as you saw Beel enjoying it so much. Suddenly, Beel opened the door. “Lucifer, [MC] made you lunch, you’ve gotta try it!” He said into the room.

“... Send him in.” Was all you heard.

“Go on in, I’m gonna see if there’s more.” Beel said, running off excitedly to the kitchen.

“There’s more soup, but there’s no more… beef…” you called out but stopped halfway because Beel was already gone. You went into Lucifer’s room, closing the door behind you.

“[MC]... what’s this I heard about you making food?” Lucifer asked from his bed in his dimly lit room, he sounded like he was suffering. He had never had a cold before, and it must have come as a shock.

“Oh, I wanted to help you feel better, so I made you a patty melt, which is basically a grilled cheese-burger, and some of my grandma’s garlic tomato bisque. She made me this when I was younger whenever I felt sick. And I always felt better after.” You said, sitting down on the bed next to Lucifer.

“Oh… I appreciate it, but I heard that Mammon and Satan helped you make it… I hope you understand…” Lucifer said, solemnly.

“Well, I served everyone else before serving you, and I don’t think Mammon and Satan would have eaten something they sabotaged.” You explained. “Please? I’ve been worried about you all day ever since I heard you were sick this morning…”

Lucifer looked at you and his face softened. “Well, if you insist that nothing’s wrong… it does smell good… although I’m not a fan of greasy food…”

“Don’t worry, the grease adds flavor to the bread, here…” you gave Lucifer a fork and knife, to which he started laughing.

“You know me so well.” Lucifer said, smiling, as he took the utensils and began to cut into it.

“You just strike me as the kind of person to eat everything with a fork and knife, you’re not exactly a hands-on eater… oh, and if you want, try dipping the bites you cut into the bisque.”

“... Well maybe I’ll try them separately first before marrying them.” Lucifer said as he was given a spoon as well and began to eat his soup. “Ooh… and you said this was your grandmother’s recipe? Your grandmother knows her flavors, this is delicious!”

“Oh good, I’m glad you like it…” you sighed in relief.

“I don’t like it, I love it…” Lucifer said, smiling at you, “Your grandmother would be very proud of you...”

You blush as you start to feel pretty warm yourself, it felt like Lucifer was holding your hand, or holding you close even though he continued to eat.

After Lucifer has finished his food and his water, he smiled at you, and slightly sniffles.

“Thank you for such a delicious lunch, [MC]. And thank you for such great company… didn’t you make some for yourself?” Lucifer asked, tilting his head.

“Oh you’re welcome! And no, I had a taste of the bisque, and I think that Beel might have eaten the rest of the soup… I’m just glad that you all had yours.” You say, shaking your head.

“I see… I suggest you eat as well, after all, you made us all lunch, you should enjoy your cooking as well.” Lucifer said, holding your hand. “You deserve yours.”

You blush and smile. “I will, don’t worry… now get some rest, and give me a message if you need anything else, okay?”

“Of course, I hope I feel better fast.” Lucifer said, but before you left, you went over and gave him a kiss on his forehead before leaving his room. Lucifer was blushing now, “Heh… I hope I feel better for your sake…” he said after you had already left.

You came out of the bathroom a few minutes after leaving Lucifer’s room to wash your hands, and your lips. Levi was right, you didn’t want to catch the Common Cold 2.0: The Sequel. You smile as you walk back down to the kitchen, and pull out your D.D.D. You were about to call for delivery when you went to the kitchen and you heard;

“Surprise!” The other brothers said as you gasp and almost drop your D.D.D. Mammon was holding up another patty melt while Levi held a bowl of what looked to be fresh garlic tomato bisque.

“W-Wha? What is this?” You ask, going up to them, not sure what to say.

“Well, Beel went Gaga for your soup, and he finished it off.” Belphie said as he pat Beel’s back as Beel blushed and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

“I’m sorry, it was so good…” Beel said, biting his lip.

“And Levi noticed that you didn’t make a patty for yourself, so, he naturally told us, and we decided to go and get the ingredients to make YOU your lunch to us~.” Asmo winked.

“I-I just thought it wasn’t fair for you to make us lunch and not get your own lunch to enjoy…” Levi blushes a bit, looking down.

“You left your notebook in the kitchen so we kind of looked through it… sorry for snooping around your things… but we made you some fresh bisque as well.” Satan said, smiling.

“I hope this is up to your standards, and I hope we did your grandmother’s recipe proud…” Mammon said.

“Yeah, even though Mammon suggested we make this and make a market out of it.” Belphie smirked at Mammon.

You didn’t even hear what Mammon said to that because you were touched that the brothers had come together to make lunch for you. You smile sweetly and took the dishes from the brothers, set them down on the kitchen island and gave them all a hug.

“Thank you, all of you. You don’t know how much this means to me… thank you all so much! Especially you, for all of your help today, Levi…” you said, giving Levi a kiss on his cheek.

“Wha-WhoooOOOOAAA!! What was that for?!” Levi blushed madly.

“H-Hey! Why did Levi get a kiss?!” Mammon’s eyes widened and bared his teeth.

“Cause no one wants to kiss you, scummy Mammon~.” Asmo teased.

“No one asked you Fifty Shades of Pink!” Mammon growled. “And everyone wants a piece of The Great Mammon!”

“Yes, especially those three witches you still owe a debt to.” Satan smirks.

“You know what Satan, I’m getting sick and tired of your mouth, you always got something smart to say!” Mammon stepped up to Satan.

“Well someone has to cut through the idiocy that comes out of your mouth.” Satan crossed his arms.

Belphie snuck your food to you from behind their fussing. “You’d better eat while Beel doesn’t try to grab it.” He said, winking at you.

You smile and head to your seat in the dining hall, and you chuckle as heard them fighting as you are carefully.

“You know what?! I don’t need to take this from someone whose feet stink!” You heard Mammon throw out.

“What does that have to do with anything, Mammon?” Beel asked.

“My feet don’t stink!” Satan growls. “And that statement is irrelevant to the topic at hand, and is proving my point!”

You chuckle a bit louder as you try to calm yourself down to continue eating. “Oh I love it here… Never a dull moment with these brothers…

[captainsourwolf]

Secrets and baking together! Based on the birthday pie tradition but the message is "Will you marry me?"

first of all, this killed me when i read it

second of all, enjoy the absolute cheese-fest that is this ficlet

***

Rhett is usually the one that does the cooking and the baking. Link tries to help, but more often than not he’s chaotic at best and dangerous at worst. After a mishap with a knife at the start of their relationship Rhett said no every time Link wanted to help. Sometimes he’s able to pout his way into helping, and Rhett allows it with constant supervision, but otherwise he’s not allowed in the kitchen when Rhett is whipping something up.

But today is different. It’s Christmas Eve and their families are set to descend upon their home in exactly fifteen hours, bearing gifts and food for the table. It sets Link on edge so Rhett keeps him out of the kitchen until it’s time to prepare the pies.

Rhett is meticulous as he gets everything out that he needs. Double checks the recipe, triple checks he has all the ingredients and didn’t forget anything in their rushed trip to the store earlier, and then checks the pocket on his Santa’s Helper apron. He thinks he’s checked that pocket ten times just in the last few minutes. Satisfied he has everything he needs he yells for Link.

“About time! I’m ready to make some pies,” Link grins as he comes walking into the kitchen, apron only half-tied around his waist and hiding the matching graphic on the front.

“You’ll get your shirt dirty,” Rhett points to Link’s tee. Link rolls his eyes and nudges Rhett to the side so he can grab a mixing bowl.

“It’ll be fine. Now, which one are we making first?”

And so they set out making their pies. One apple, two pecan, and a chocolate. The kitchen smells of a delicious mixture of fruit, butter, and chocolate, and Rhett inhales deeply every time they set about starting the next pie. Link works diligently on mixing the ingredients Rhett tosses in the bowls for him, only pouting slightly when he tries to move on to cutting the pastry for the tops and Rhett taps his hand with a spoon.

By the time they’ve reached the last one, the apple, Link is a mess. His clothes are covered in bits of butter and sticky fruits, there’s a pecan stuck in his hair, he looks ridiculous. Rhett laughs and picks the pecan out of his hair before planting a sugary kiss on his forehead.

“I’ll finish, you go clean up.” Rhett nudges him away from the counter and takes the spoon out of his hand before turning him by the shoulders to guide him towards the kitchen door.

Link starts to protest only for Rhett to lightly shove him through the door and close it behind him. He huffs loudly on the other side and Rhett can hear him stomping off and up the stairs, grumbling the entire way.

With Link gone, Rhett hurries to put the finishing touch on the last pie. It still needs the pastry on top and he has just the thing. He keeps an ear out for Link the entire time he’s cutting the pieces the way he wants them. After covering the fruit with the pastry, he takes the cut out pieces and places them in order across the pie so they spell out the words he wants it to say.

Will you marry me?

It’s kind of sloppy and crooked, his freehand cutting skills lacking. But it gets the point across and just looking at the words makes his heart race. He shakes his head, willing the nerves away; the time hasn’t even arrived yet, he shouldn’t even be this nervou already.

As he’s slipping it into the oven Link comes walking back into the kitchen. He’s freshly changed and cleaned up, and he grins when he gestures to himself. Rhett whistles in response. He unties his apron and secures it around his waist, subtly checking the pocket once more. Satisfied it’s contents are safe, he makes his way across the kitchen to Link.

“Smells good!” Link comments as Rhett joins him at the door and backs him through it.

“Yep. And it’ll be done soon enough so don’t go getting any ideas about sneaking a peek.” He reaches around and pats Link on the butt, making him laugh and jerk away in surprise.

“Somethin’ special about this pie? It’s just apple,” Link raises a curious eyebrow. Rhett just shakes his head and keeps backing him towards the living room.

Link shrugs and gives it up, letting Rhett pull him down onto the couch next to him with a sigh.

*

In no time the pie is finished. The oven dings and Link jumps up before Rhett can even think about it. He races off to the kitchen and Rhett follows, right on his heels and a bit of panic settling in his nerves. When he reaches the other room he finds Link bent over with oven mitts on his hands.

“Link, wait, it’s hot!” Rhett tries but Link scoffs and holds up his mitted hands.

“Why are you so weird about pie tonight?” he asks as he opens the oven before Rhett can stop him. He can feel the blast of heat as he comes closer and tries to pull Link away. It’s no use. Link is already reaching into the oven and pulling out the pies one by one. “It’s just pie, nothing to get excited about! So what--”

Link stops, apple pie resting in his hands. He stares at the dessert quietly and Rhet sees his mouth pop open in shock. Rhett doesn’t know what to do so he just stands there and wrings his hands together nervously.

It’s too quiet for too long. Rhett sighs and reaches into the pocket of his apron, fingers closing around the small box he’s been holding onto for a month now.

“This was supposed to be for in the morning, before our families got here,” Rhett mutters. Link doesn’t flinch.

Instead he sets the pie down on the stove top and yanks off the oven mitts, then he’s spinning around to face Rhett. He’s wide eyed and flushed and if possible his eyes get wider when he sees the box in Rhett’s hand.

Rhett doesn’t have time to react before Link is reaching out and smacking him on the chest. “It’s about damn time, McLaughlin! What took you so long?” Link smacks him again and Rhett grabs his hand to stop the assault. “And you wait till Christmas? I’ve been waiting for you to do this since we were six!”

Blushing red hot, Link glares up at Rhett. Rhett rolls his eyes and drops the hand in his, expecting nothing less than an outburst when he’s trying to propose.

“Six year olds can’t get married,” he murmurs as he opens the box and reveals the simple gold band inside. “I’m sorry you’ve been waiting that long, but we were six and kind of dumb.”

Link’s wide grin in response makes Rhett laugh, cheeks rounding out and growing warm. Link sticks his hand out and wiggles his fingers back and forth, waiting. Still laughing, Rhett slips the band on his finger and before he can finish Link is throwing his arms around Rhett’s neck and squeezing.

They stay like that for a moment, in contented silence.

“Hey, Rhett?” Link asks and squeezes Rhett again.

“Yeah?”

“Can we eat some pie now?”

Rhett heaves an exasperated sigh and lets him go to retrieve plates and a knife. When he turns back around, items in hand, Link is smiling softly and staring at his finger. He keeps staring even after Rhett has cut into the hot pie and served him a slice.

Rhett pushes the plate across the countertop to Link with a quiet, “Merry Christmas.”

Link just beams at him.

[airis-paris14]

Human Nature Part 5

Summary: T’Challa has a secret but he’s tired of loving her in secret.

Warnings: None

A/N:  Only one more part to go. Let me know if you would like to be added to the tag list. I’m also working on a complete master list of all of my works so be on the lookout for that soon. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Looking out, across the morning

The city's heart begins to beat

Reaching out, I touch her shoulder

I'm dreaming of the street

-Michael Jackson “Human Nature”

T’Challa Udaku was madly and blissfully in love. He’d never felt anything like this and he knew that if Naomi were to leave him, he would never find anything like it again. Which is why he was staring at his reflection in a mirror, his fingers running over the fabric of his button-up. M’baku and the other groomsmen had left to check on the venue a few minutes ago. He knew they had gone because he probably looked like a nervous wreck pacing the floor of the hotel penthouse, but he didn’t care. He was grateful for the peace. He shouldn’t have been nervous. He and Naomi were already married. They had done the hard part. They’d already said their ‘I dos”. The church was just for show, but it seemed like his stomach had missed that piece of information. A block away from this room he knew that Naomi was in her room, probably pulling on her wedding dress as he spoke.

Of course, he hadn’t seen it yet. She had made sure to hide any and all information about her attire from her husband. She and Shuri went as far as to encrypt her purchase information in the palace’s internet server so that he couldn’t find out where she bought the dress from or who made it. T’Challa laughed at the memory. He’d spent hours trying to guess her password. He and Shuri knew that he could have hacked the information if he really tried, but he knew that the dress was something Naomi wanted to surprise him with so he left the information password protected. The king stared at the midday sun over the Mississippi River. He glanced at his watch and noticed that it was almost time to leave. He took another glance at himself in the mirror and smiled. Today was the day that Naomi would no longer be a secret, she would be made his wife in the eyes of the world.

“T’Challa, it is time my friend,” M’baku’s voice boomed through the door. With a final look in the mirror, he grabbed his suit jacket and headed out of the room.

A block away at the Roosevelt hotel, Naomi Udaku was losing her breakfast and it was not because she was nervous. Not that nerves weren’t contributing to this bout of sickness, they definitely were. Hunched over the toilet, she knew that one of the best decisions she had ever made was having her hair pulled back into a sleek bun for her wedding. She reminded herself to thank Beyonce for the suggestion. “That’s it, let it all out” Gabrielle rubbed her friends back as Naomi sat back away from the toilet. Tasha stood at the door with some ginger ale and nausea medicine. “I can’t believe I’m pregnant on my wedding day,” the blushing bride grumbled as her oldest friend handed her the medicine and soda.

“Well, technically you weren’t pregnant on your wedding day,” Tasha shrugged from the doorway. ”Shut up” Gabrielle and Naomi answered simultaneously. “Don’t shoot the messenger,” Tasha grinned while Naomi finally pulled herself off of the bathroom floor. “Hardy har har,” Naomi deadpanned, “Seriously though, I can’t even drink at my own toast.”

“First off, stop whining,” Gabrielle smiled, pulling her friend in for a hug, “We are in one of the most expensive hotels in New Orleans, about to live out your dream wedding. Thousands of people are lining the streets to catch a glimpse of you in your dress. You should be on top of the world right now baby girl.”

“Exactly you’re marrying the love of your life and he’s a king.” Tasha grinned at her friend. “You have pulled together one of the best weddings anyone could ask for! You look drop-dead gorgeous and you aren’t even in your wedding dress yet.”

“ So finish that bottle of ginger ale so we can get you dressed and ready to go.” Gabrielle reassured her friend. “And know that we bought you some of that sparkling cider you like. Red grape, white grape, and white grape with peach. That way it looks like you are enjoying all of the delicacies of a non-pregnant bride.” Tasha added, “We got you.”

Naomi smiled, her hormones swirling up and out as tears. “I love you guys,” she cried. “This is why we saved the mascara for last,” Tasha mumbled. Gabrielle elbowed her before hugging Naomi, “You know we love you too. Now let’s get you in this dress before we’re late.”

Naomi laughed and quickly finished the drink. She brushed her teeth and her friends double checked to make sure everything was put away. She and T’Challa would stay together in the Ritz-Carlton while the bridesmaids enjoyed another night in this penthouse at the Roosevelt.

While the bride waited for the medicine to kick in she smiled hearing the squeals and pitter-patter of little feet running around outside of the bedroom in the living room. She assumed that her niece and friend’s daughter were wreaking havoc on the rest of the bridal party awaiting her entry. A few minutes ago everyone had finished getting ready and was lounging around until it was time for Naomi to get dressed, until Naomi had run out of the room sick for the second time that morning. She knew that everyone in the room would eventually wonder why she was so sick today, but Naomi chose to focus on the little girls. The two flower girls Carter-Giselle and Rumi had bonded instantly when they meet yesterday morning at the airport. When Naomi had originally called and asked Beyonce’ and Rumi to be in the wedding, the singer had joked that Rumi and Carter would be the best of friends before the whole weekend was over, it seemed that she hadn’t lied. The two had become thick as thieves and she knew they would have a hard time being separated tomorrow afternoon. Watching the two had made her start to imagine what she and T’Challa’s child would look like. What would they like? Would they be as friendly and rambunctious at the two little girls rampaging through the living room?

The sound of Beyonce’ and her sister in law, Porche, calling both of their daughter’s names at the same time snapped Naomi out of her daydream. She drank down the rest of the ginger ale and went to grab her gown out of its bag. “You can’t get dressed without your bridesmaids,” Tasha teased as she and Gabrielle walked out of the bathroom with their makeup touched up. “I’ll get Bey and Porche.” Gabrielle peeked her head outside of the door and waved the other two women into the bedroom. “It feels so surreal,” Naomi smiled, her fingers running over the beading. “It’s definitely real,” Tasha squeezed her friend in a hug.”

“Not too tight, we don’t need a repeat of earlier,” Gabrielle teased as she walked in with Porche and Beyonce.”

“Definitely not, we’ve got a schedule to keep, chop chop!” Porche clapped at the bride. The small friend group chuckled. “So can you step into the dress or do we gotta go over your head?” Beyonce asked as she lifted the gown off of the bed. “We gotta go over my head, it laces up in the back. Naomi slipped off her robe while her friends lifted the gown up and over. “Dang girl, you couldn’t get a normal dress with a zipper?” Tasha grunted as the group maneuvered the dress over Naomi’s shoulders. “Corset backs are better for curvier bodies, they give more support,” was Naomi’s muffled reply as the tulle and flounce at the bottom of the dress enveloped her. “And they make your body look good from any angle,” Porche added in. Bey cosigned an “Amen” as the dress finally slipped into place over the bride’s head. The room went silent as Proche deftly laced the back of the gown and tightened it. Her best friends cheesed at Naomi as a tear slipped down her face when she turned to look at herself in the mirror. The bridesmaids wiped a few tears of their own before fawning over the gown. “Fawn Giselle Elizabeth Udaku you look stunning,” Gabrielle smiled pulling her friend in for a hug. “I remember the first day on campus, when I was moving in and we met at the sign-in table and found out we were roommates. Now look at where we are, my name’s gonna go down in history as one of the luckiest bridesmaids on the planet.”Gabrielle teared up as Naomi laughed a little and dabbed her tears away.

“Okay, no crying on the dress y’all” Tasha fanned her eyes to keep her tears at bay. Beyonce laughed and pulled Naomi in for a quick hug as well. Porche and Tasha followed suit. A knock on the door interrupted the hug-fest. “Everything alright? Y’all left these two old ladies and poor Shuri out here with these children, and we wanna see the bride.” Naomi’s mama called through the door. The woman erupted into laughter, “Coming mama,” Naomi yelled back dabbing at her eyes again. Gabrielle helped Tasha to clip the veil into place and after a few more tears, hugs, and dabbing of makeup the group entered back into the living room of the penthouse.

Ramonda and Naomi’s mother smiled at each other locking hands as they stared at the young queen in all her glory. Shuri’s grin stretched for a smile across her face, “He’s not gonna be able to keep his hands off of you in that dress.” The fitted silk gown hugged Naomi’s curves perfectly. The silk was covered in beading that created roses and swirls all down the gown until it flowed out in a soft wave along the bottom of the dress. A train spilled out for ten feet behind the bride as she walked into the living room. Carter-Giselle, Naomi’s four year old niece, and Rumi Carter gazed at her in awe. “You look really pretty auntie,” Carter-Giselle giggled running to hug her. Rumi followed suit hugging Naomi’s other leg. Watching the bride receive hugs from the flower girls had the entirety of the wedding party on the verge of tears. The bridal party packed everything up and headed down into the lobby of the hotel. Beyonce and Gabrielle helped to carry Naomi’s train and veil while the other three women watched and helped the flower girls down the hall.

Naomi could hear the roar of the crowd outside of the hotel before she even stepped out of the elevator. “Holy-” Tasha started as the mass of cheering people became visible outside of the Roosevelt’s glass doors. Naomi waved at the crowds as her friends, the videographer, and the photographer fussed with her wedding gown. After taking a few photos together in the lobby, the all-white vintage Rolls Royce limos arrived outside of the hotel. Tasha and Gabrielle made sure to gather Naomi’s train, with Shuri and Porche helped hold her train up as the party headed out of the doors. Smiles erupted on the entire party’s faces as they climbed into the large limo. No one was immune to the infectious energy that surrounded them in the crowds. After watching her mother and mother in law climb into the Rolls Royce in front of them with the flower girls Naomi’s nerves hit full force. Her smile grew by the second as the cars pulled away from the curb and headed up to the church. Progress was slow because the streets were choked with people hoping to catch a glance of the new royal. Naomi waved back through the untinted windows. This was more than she could have dreamed. Seven months ago she had married T’Challa at a last-minute courthouse wedding. Only the women present in the car with her even knew it had happened. She knew that one day she wanted a ceremony, but she could never have guessed that the ceremony would look like this.

“I can’t figure out who they’re cheering more for, Bey or you Naomi,” Tasha teased as everyone chuckled. “I’m pretty sure this crowd is for Naomi. No one knew I was gonna be here,” Beyonce laughed. “But how is the bride feeling?” the singer smiled as she reached for Naomi’s hand. “A little nauseous, overwhelmed, but excited too,” Naomi laughed back. “Just breathe, that’s what you told me remember?” The singer smiled. Naomi nodded thinking back to that day, “Just don’t breathe too hard or you’ll pass out,“ Naomi smiled back. The limo slowed to a stop and everyone sucked in their breath. “Welp, back out into the fray,” Tasha pretended to pull up her gown as the driver got out and headed around to open the doors of the limo.

The crowd’s roar crescendoed as each bridesmaid stepped out of the car. Porche first, followed by Shuri, Beyonce, Tasha, then Gabrielle. The women all waved to the crowds lining the street and the square. Naomi took a deep breath, then allowed Gabrielle to help her out of the car. The cheers grew to deafening. Naomi smiled and waved as her close friends helped to lay out her train and long veil. Once everything was in order, security opened the doors of the cathedral Naomi’s father walked out to stand next to his daughter. The bridesmaids were going to walk down the aisle unescorted, with Porche walking Carter Giselle, and Beyonce walking her daughter Rumi. With everyone stationed and in order, the organ began to play and the procession began. With each bridesmaid disappearing into the cathedral Naomi’s stomach began to twist. While awaiting their turn to tackle the aisle Naomi’s father squeezed her hand. “You look, beautiful baby girl, you’re gonna knock his socks off.” Naomi’s father kissed her cheek. “Thank you daddy,” Naomi kissed his cheek back and the doors opened for them to walk in.

Two hours later, with many giggles, tears, kisses, and laughter, Naomi Udaku walked out of St. Louis Cathedral a twice-married woman. Before exiting the cathedral Naomi and T’Challa stopped in the foyer grabbed their custom second line umbrellas from a footman at the door. The roar of the crowd sent energy through them. Naomi fingered the feather and beads lining her umbrella. As T’Challa smiled at her. “Did I tell you that you look breathtaking in that dress, T’Challa murmured kissing her forehead then her lips. “Only a million times your highness,” Naomi giggled. “And I’ll tell you a million more times,” he promised. “I have a surprise for you,” Naomi smiled up at him, his hand finding a way into her own. “Can I guess what it is?” The king asked. “No, you wouldn’t be able to anyway.”

“Can I know now?” The king whispered leaning in to kiss his wife. “No,” Naomi murmured back into the kiss. “How about now? T’Challa leaned in this kiss lingering for a little while longer. The looby of the cathedral filled with “Ooohs” and whistles as the bridal party and groomsmen filled in around them. Each of them now holding customized handkerchiefs embroidered with T’Challa and Naomi’s names and wedding date. “Aye, y’all save all that nasty stuff for later, we got kids in here now,” Kimbe, one of T’Challa’s friends from college teased, gesturing towards his son, the ring bearer, and the flower girls. Everyone broke out laughing as Naomi hid in T’Challa’s chest. T’Challa pulled his bride in for another kiss as some guests began to file into the lobby as well.

The sound of the brass band began to float into the cathedral and everyone started to get excited. T’Challa nodded and a footman opened up the doors to the street and the bride and groom stepped out to the roaring crowd once again. After sharing another quick kiss for more pictures, they raised their umbrellas and the party began. The crowd pushed up against the barriers as the bridal party danced past. Everywhere around them, people started dancing and waving handkerchiefs to join in the couple’s celebration. Naomi looked behind to find her bridesmaids and groomsmen laughing, singing, dancing, chanting, and smiling contagiously. Jay, Sir, and Blue Ivy had joined Beyonce and the Rumi. She carried Rumi on her hip as Bey and the toddler waved their handkerchiefs. Her niece was dancing with her father on his hip. Shuri looked up and waved as she danced along with Tasha, Porche, and Gabrielle. Queen Ramonda was dancing with Naomi’s parents, and the people of New Orleans joined in from behind the security and barriers. Naomi let out a loud laugh as she gripped t”Chala’s free hand in her own. “I love you, he smiled.

“I love and adore you,” Naomi grinned. The paused to share another kiss Confetti and rice began raining down from behind them. The couple stopped kissing and watched as their bridal party laughed and showered the newlyweds. “I couldn’t have imagined a better wedding,” T’Challa grinned. “Me neither. It’s beyond perfect, but wait until the after-party. If you liked this dress, you’ll love that one.” Naomi grinned as they continued to dance towards the Ritz-Carlton. “Can I have my surprise then?” T’Challa smiled. Naomi paused and smiled up at him, she glanced at the hotel about a block in front of them. She knew that once they entered the doors, they’d be pulled away for wedding pictures along the river bank and the city. They’d be in a limo with the rest of the wedding party, and then they’d be separated again to change for the reception. Now was the last time they’d be alone until later tonight. She smiled to herself and pulled the king in for a kiss. Cheers erupted from the crowd and the wedding party. She pulled back and whispered against his lips, “I’m pregnant.”

T’Challa’s mouth dropped open and Naomi let her head fall back in a loud laugh, her arms now wrapped around his neck. Before she knew it she was up in the air being spun around. No this wasn’t the wedding she had imagined. Her and T’Challa’s love playing out on a world stage was not something she could have guessed. But with her husband spinning her around, the crowd around them screaming and dancing, and her friends and family dancing through the streets with them, she could not have imagined anything better than this.

Taglist:  @almostpurelysmut @blackbypurpose @nyneebee @hutchj @tchoking @sisterwifeudaku @wikiwakanda @royallyprincesslilly @90sinspiredgirl @strictlyashley @afraiddreamingandloving @thedelightfulone @autumn242 @purple-apricots @kumkaniudaku @queertrex @kaciidubs @halfrican-heat @skysynclair19 @dramaqueenamby @gorjiss @leahnicole1219 @kreolemami @mzbritt @yoyolovesbucky @derangedcupcake @builtalongthewayside @ilcb7 @chaneajoyyy @lalapalooza718 @ororowrites @leahnicole1219 @dopegalkk @sarcastic-sunshines @sarahboseman @shesakillerkween @waitingonafriend @faatassbitch

[incorrect-countryhumans]

My own Wisconsin headcanon

So this may be a long post, but I wanted to know your idea on my headcanons of Wisconsin, so heres a list of attributes, likes, and dislikes. Once again, sorry it's so long, but as a cheesehead myself I have extensive knowledge of America's Dairyland.

Wisconsin is near the middle of the political spectrum, so she is pretty chill and won't get too fired up. She sees a bunch of the other states as overly dramatic because of this, and even poked fun of the polarazation by making the website, the Onion. The only things she does get angry about is Sports and the fact that Califirnia thinks they are the better Dairy State.

Wisconsin is extremely family oriented, but family to them isn't always blood. While they may seem a bit distant at first, the second you are invited to a Friday fish fry, a bonfire, or a potluck you become family, and they will die for you.

Wisconsin is 100% American, but she still respects and celebrates her heritage. She has all the fests (Germanfest, Summerfest, Irishfest, Polishfest, etc), speak other languages (German, Irish, English,  Polish, and just a little Finnish, Dutch, and Swedish), so I think she would get along with other (basically European) countries very well. 

Food is also a large part of Wisconsins culture. She is a pretty happy chub who will always be ready to feed someone with her arsenal of different cheeses, beer, brats, burgers, frozen custard, etc. Wisco can drink you under the table with either alcohol or milk. Mealtime gettogethers are sacred, along with tailgate parties and, as stated before, if you are invited to any of those you are basically family.

Wisconsin also loves her activities, whether they be outdoors or indoors. She is scarily good at beer pong, loves to hike, play in the snow, swim and kayak in lakes and rivers, play cornhole, go to the range or hunting, and have fun at county fairs. 

She gets along with most her fellow states, although she sees them as a tad dramatic. She often gets forgotten or left behind by more popular states, but that's ok, because she is fine being just the way she is. She is also a little scared by Illinois's driving habits. Overall, she is happy, playful, accepting, and always has a little alcohol in her bloodstream.

[aivaehdaevis]

The More Things Change: Ch 4

The More Things Change

by Aivaeh

Disclaimer: Familiar characters, plot elements, and settings belong to L.J. Smith, Julie Plec, and the CW. The author of this work of fanfiction has made no money from it. Summary: I have no idea how it happened, but one morning I woke up in the world of The Vampire Diaries. Which, aside from the insanity of waking up inside a television show made real, might not be so bad—if I weren't stuck in the body of vampire magnet and doppelgänger herself, Elena Gilbert. Pairing(s): OFC x Damon, OFC x Stefan, OFC x Elijah, OFC x Klaus Rating: M Warning(s): Graphic descriptions of violence on par with the show itself. References to sex and drug use. Mind control and all the issues of consent that go along with it. Character death. Master List External Links: AO3 | FF.Net | Wattpad

Chapter Four

Forehead resting against my knees, arms hugging my legs, I rocked back and forth even after the tears had stopped. Sinuses stuffed, I focused on the aftermath of my sob fest rather than the life I had no idea how to get back to. Thoughts of home and the grim conclusion that I had no idea how to leave Monster Falls did nothing but bring me to tears.

I couldn't afford that. I had to survive until I could find a way out.

The forest had left its mark on me. Apart from my mysterious scratches and bruises, there was dirt and sweat clinging to my skin. Given what had happened after skipping the cemetery, there was no way I wasn't going to show up at the Grill. Which meant another shower.

It was slower going than the first that morning. The hot water was soothing and helped clear my clogged sinuses. I ended up leaning halfway out of the spray to spare the bite marks. Not that they were huge, I was surprised by how small they appeared in the mirror compared to how much blood he'd gotten from me, but both punctures were fresh and still sore.

Part of me hoped Damon switched to blood bags soon, but the idea of being fed from again aroused feelings that frightened me. Maybe it was Elena. I hadn't ever been that turned on by the thought of being bit before. Now I had to avoid the memory, because this wasn't my body and I really wasn't in a head space for dealing with new and potentially dangerous kinks.

I rooted through Elena's closet while I dried. I found t-shirts and jeans, but most of her clothes were much nicer. Since the Grill was a casual get together, I picked out a sky-blue sweater that matched a lightweight patterned scarf and dark pair of jeans. From her twenty pair of shoes, I grabbed a pair of sneakers, because this was Mystic Falls. I wanted to be ready to run.

Not that it'd help, not with teleporting vampires, but it made me feel minutely better to know I was ready to sprint if I had to.

I was finishing up with the scarf when I heard the rumble of a garage door. The sun was low enough that golden light poured in through all the windows. Downstairs the side door in the kitchen opened.

Jenna had several take-out bags spread across the counter by the time I arrived. "Hey, Elena," she greeted, grabbing a stack of plates from the cabinet.

"Jeremy isn't here." I hadn't heard him come in, anyway.

Jenna frowned but replaced the bottom dish.

"And I'm going to the Grill."

Another plate joined it. "Guess it's just me and Basilico's then."

"Sorry."

Placing the remaining plate on the counter, Jenna flipped the kitchen lights on before opening the sacks. "No problem. Means more leftovers. Which means less of my cooking." The box she pulled out smelled divine. Savory tomato sauce, buttery cheese and herbs. "I think we can all agree that's cause for celebration."

Since I had no idea what Jenna's cooking tasted like, I answered with a noncommittal hum.

The lid lifted to reveal a pan of lasagna that looked amazing and made me regret waiting to get to the Grill. "When's Bonnie picking you up?"

Crap. In the show Elena had gone with Stefan. But he had no reason to come over. Had she driven? Had he? "Actually, I thought I'd drive."

Jenna's brows rose so high they'd practically summited her hairline. "Saywhatnow?"

"Unless that's not okay."

"Nonono. I mean, yes, of course it's okay! Elena!" Smiling, she grabbed my hand. I stiffened, but she didn't notice. "This is great!" She squeezed. "I'm so proud of you!"

I stared, flummoxed, but managed to return the squeeze before letting go. "Oh, um. Thanks Jenna."

She beamed as she unpacked the rest of her dinner. I distracted her by asking how her day had gone. She launched into an excited recitation about her meeting and her plans for her dissertation. Given all the practice I'd had today, I'd gotten excellent at mhmm-ing and adding the occasional nod or sympathetic noise where required.

Jenna was halfway through her meal, getting into something to do with childhood regression, when a doorbell chimed.

Pausing mid-sentence, Jenna pointed a fork with a bit of cheese hanging off it towards the archway. "Mind getting that?"

"Nope."

The sun had set while Jenna and I had talked. Except for a weak stripe of light leaking from the kitchen, the hallway between the dining room and front door was a long stretch of darkness. I found and pushed the light switch, but nothing happened. Since all I had to do was walk straight to avoid the walls, I crossed to the entryway anyway. Fishing for the handle, I pulled the door open as soon as I found it.

The porch was a little better lit from the streetlight. I could tell it was a man. One dressed in dark colors. "Hold on a sec." I felt around the wall for a switch to the either the hall, entryway, or the porch. One of them had to work.

Sure enough my fingers soon traced a series of flat switches. I went down the line, pressing each of them in turn. Half the bulbs in the house must've needed changing because the only one that would turn on was the porch light.

"There—oh!"

Stefan Salvatore blinked against the sudden burst of brightness. Once his eyes readjusted, he smiled. "Hi."

"Hi," I replied, when what I really wanted to ask him what he was doing there. I hadn't gone to the cemetery. Elena's diary was upstairs on her desk.

As if he could read my mind—could he?—he said, "We haven't met. I'm Stefan. Stefan—"

"Salvatore." I opened the door a tad wider. "We have history together."

His eyes lightened. "And English. Sorry to show up out of nowhere. I thought you might like this," his hand rose, lifting a familiar leather bag in its grip, "back."

"My bag." What. The. Hell. He handed it over to me. "I thought I forgot it at school."

There must've been enough doubt in my tone that he was able to pick up on it. "I found it on the ground not too far from here."

A chill that had nothing to do with the evening air fell over me. My suspicions that Damon had done something to my memory were confirmed. Not that I'd had much cause to doubt, but here was proof. I struggled to keep the dismay off my face and stay calm. "Weird." I smiled up at Stefan, whose stare was intense. Was he gauging my reaction? The idea made me even more anxious. I squeezed the strap, and the responding creak of leather reassured me that at least something today had turned out alright. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." He tucked his hands into his pockets. "You might want to check inside. Make sure everything's there. Some books and folders fell out. I think I got them all, but…" Stefan trailed off with a shrug.

"Oh." I opened my mouth, an invitation to come inside on the tip of my tongue, but I remembered Stefan was a vampire. I should never, ever let him in. "Just a second."

"Okay." If he was disappointed by the lack of invite, he hid it well. He just leaned a shoulder up against the door frame.

I carried the bag to the stairs. Light from the open door spilled across the floor and crept up part of the steps. I set the bag down at the bottom. I hadn't taken a complete inventory of everything that had been inside it earlier. Even so, all the folders and books from today were there, along with a few notebooks I hadn't had a chance to use. "I think everything's there."

"Good."

My thumb ran along the leather strap before I returned to the threshold. "Can I ask where, exactly, you found it?"

Stefan straightened. "You know the woods west of here?" My stomach churned, but I nodded. "About a ten-minute hike from King street."

"Oh." I stared down at my free hand where a few scratches stood out on my palm. "Well," I cleared my throat as I lifted my head again, "I'm glad you found it."

"So am I." Stefan's superhero chin jutted at the bag. "I'd be worried about losing that many textbooks."

"I hadn't even thought about that," I confessed. Elena's classes had been the last thing on my mind.

"And now you won't have to."

Relief widened my answering smile. "Yeah. Thank you. Really."

He shook his head. "I was in the area. Least I could do."

We watched one another. The silence stretched.

Stefan was the one to break it. "Well. I should," he stuck a thumb out behind him.

"Okay. Right." I lifted my hand in farewell. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

We shared tentative smiles, and then I moved to shut the door. Stefan turned, walking back across the porch towards the stairs. He'd almost reached first step when I remembered—The Grill! He was supposed to go with Elena!

After everything that happened when I skipped the cemetery, I was leery of messing up anything else I'd seen on the show. "Stefan?"

The porch creaked underfoot as he turned about. "Yeah?"

I opened the door all the way. "My friends are having a little get together at the Grill tonight. Would you like to go?"

His brows arched in surprise. "I—yes. Absolutely."

Relief brightened my smile to something genuine. "Great. I'm just going to get my purse and jacket. I'll be right out."

"Alright." His answering grin was smaller, but sincere. "I'll be here."

"Good."

I slid the door shut and hurried up the stairs to Elena's room. I dropped the bag back by the desk where I'd found it that morning and grabbed the purse sitting at the top. Snatching her jacket from the bed, I headed back downstairs.

"Jenna?" I called, leaning over the railing.

"Yea—why's it dark in here?" The hall light flicked on. Jenna looked up. "What's up?"

"Where're the keys?"

"Aren't they still on key holder by the side door?"

I pressed my lips together, waving a hand. "Right. 'Course." I 'hah'ed. "Guess I'm spacey today."

"I'll grab them."

I reached the bottom step as she disappeared back into the dining room. "Key holder. Duh." I rifled through the purse's contents as I crossed the hall. Wallet. Makeup. Pens. Small notepad. Kleenex. Lip balm.

Hold on. Where'd I put her phone?

Her school bag. "Dammit," I muttered. The phone hadn't been inside when I'd checked. It must have fallen out and was now wherever Stefan had found the bag.

"Here you go." I looked up in time to hold out my hand as Jenna passed along the keys. "You'll be careful?"

"Course."

She smiled. Beamed really. "Okay. Have fun!"

"I'm sure I will." Provided I didn't screw up and let everyone know I was a body snatcher.

I rounded back towards the front door when Jenna called out. "Elena? Where are you going? SUV's in the garage."

I paused. "Yeah. I left a friend waiting for me on the porch. I was going to let him know I'd be pulling around."

Jenna's brows furrowed. "Why didn't you invite him in?"

"He's… shy."

Jenna's brows furrowed further. They were almost one.

I gave a firm nod and a grin. "So. I'll be… right back." I pointed back towards the dining room. "To go to the garage."

"O-kay."

I cringed as I turned around. I was careful to smooth my expression before opening the front door.

Stefan was leaning against a post, arms crossed. He was also sporting furrowed brows, but they relaxed as soon as he saw me.

"Hey. I'm just going to pull the SUV out." I stretched out to search the street in front of the house and then the driveway. "Where's your car?"

"I walked."

"Oh." I bit my bottom lip before offering, "You can ride with me." Elena must have driven them both in the episode. I'd be fine.

Stefan wasn't Damon.

He uncrossed his arms and straightened up. "Alright."

"Just," I held up a finger, "one more minute."

Stefan nodded and I smiled as I shut the door.

I blew out a breath. This was ridiculous. If this had been on television, Benny Hill music would've been playing.

I was about to head back when I heard a low buzzing. Suddenly, the light blew out with a pop, drenching the hall in darkness again. "Dammit."

Fortunately, the dining room and kitchen were still lit. Jenna looked up from the fridge, most of the takeout gone from the countertop. I was almost out the door when, "Wait!"

I stopped. Jenna shut the refrigerator and stood up, pointing. "Don't stay out late. It's a school night." The smirk that followed was smug with accomplishment.

I nodded, said a rushed, "Okay," and sped out the door.

Fortunately, once I was in the SUV the garage door opener was on the visor. I didn't have to waste time hunting it up. It occurred to me that if I was stuck in this mad world, I'd better become familiar with more than Elena's kitchen drawers.

Stefan was waiting beside the driveway, hands again stuffed in his pocket, slouching. He really had the seventeen-year-old act down. He came around the front to the passenger side and slid in.

He fastened his seat belt. We stared for several moments before I cleared my throat and finished backing out of the driveway.

I remembered Bonnie had gone left. What I wouldn't have given for GPS. I figured that if I kept heading west, I was bound to get to the center of town at some point.

Stefan sat quietly in the passenger seat. After a few minutes of the heater blowing, the low hum of the engine, and several turns, I remembered to ask where he found Elena's things. "Oh, I was missing something from my bag."

Stefan turned toward me and frowned. "What?"

"My phone."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah."

"I'll go back in the morning before school. See if I can find it."

"You don't have to go to the trouble. I just thought you could let me know where—"

"It's no trouble. I go hiking at sunup. I'll be out in the woods anyway."

Right. Breakfast.

He reached into his pocket. "If I could have your number," he said, lifting out a flip phone, "it'd make finding it a lot easier."

Shit.

Sitting in the turning lane at a red light, the blinker clicked as I hunted for some excuse. Stefan watched me, phone open, thumb hovering over the dial pad, waiting. As the clicking went from a few seconds to a minute, he glanced down at the screen. "I'll delete your number as soon as I've found it."

Crap. "No, it's… it's not that." I squeezed the steering wheel. "It's um, just." I blew out a breath. "You'll think I'm stupid—"

"I won't."

He was so earnest I couldn't help but crack a smile. "I'm… really bad with numbers."

To Stefan's credit, his expression didn't shift a millimeter. "You don't know your phone number?"

The wheel creaked under my hands. "…No."

His phone's lid snapped shut. "I'll do my best, but I'm not sure I'll see it."

Damn. Then I realized Elena couldn't be the only one who knew it. "Bonnie! Or Caroline. They'll have it in their phones and their both going to be at the Grill."

"I'll ask—"

"Bonnie."

Stefan glanced at me before sliding his phone back into his pocket, "Bonnie for your number."

The signal turned green. I glanced at the street sign before pressing the gas.

Washington Street.

Holy crap. I actually made it. Turning onto Mystic Falls' main street with a grin, I could see the clocktower in the distance and headed for it. The Grill hadn't been that far from City Hall.

I remembered that Washington drew a square around the historic building from my walk. Passing the clocktower, I wondered if it had been there when Stefan was born. Fortunately, I remembered right about the Grill being visible from the town center. The restaurant and bar were down a street which fed into Washington. There was no parking left around the Grill, and the nearest alley had stairs leading down. I passed the building, and Stefan didn't make any comment, so I supposed there must have been parking elsewhere.

I was right. A small lot filled with cars was a short distance away. We got a poor space in the back, narrow and far from the street or the lights. I didn't mind when Stefan kept close as we made our way to the sidewalk.

It was cool but not cold, and the night was clear. The city's lights dimmed the stars, but the few that were visible dotted the black sky. "The comet must pass pretty close to see it without a telescope."

Stefan glanced at me. "Are you going to the festival?"

If I didn't wake up. "Caroline, Bonnie, and I volunteered to help out."

"Do you do a lot of volunteer work?"

"Caroline makes certain of it."

The soft murmur of music filled the street as we passed beneath the Grill's awning. Light shone from the windows. Approaching the door, Stefan reached out and held it open. I thanked him with a gentle smile.

The murmur of people, the tumble of ice clacking together, and the distant crack of pool balls greeted us. I smelled cooked food and a fainter hint of citrus. The lighting was soft on the eyes, and the largest impression was of wood. Wooden floors, tables, booths—all polished and shining.

We walked by the greeting counters, beyond which I could see the bar and wall to wall mirror. I half expected the song from the episode to be playing as we walked in. Everyone I recognized had their eyes on us. "Fashionably late," I said quietly, nodding towards the table holding Matt and Bonnie as I shucked off my jacket.

Folding it over my arm, we both slowed as Matt slid out of his seat to greet us. Soon as he was within reach, he held out a hand. "Hey. I'm Matt. Nice to meet you."

"Hi," Stefan said as he accepted. "Stefan."

Letting go, Matt's attention shifted to me. There was strain in the tense lines of his face. I offered a small smile. "Hey."

His blue eyes gentled. "Hey. Glad you came."

"Me too." When the emotion in his stare became too much, I glanced away and caught sight of Vicki carrying a tray of food and drinks to a back table. Unease bloomed in my gut and climbed my neck as I watched her, very much alive.

Damon was going to kill her, and then Stefan would have to stake her.

A touch on my elbow startled me back to Stefan and Matt. Stefan's hand dropped back to his side. I pulled my lips into something resembling a smile. "Let's sit."

Matt led the way back to the table he shared with Bonnie.

Grinning as we neared, Bonnie said, "Hey. You made it."

"Yep."

I turned, about to grab a chair when Stefan pulled one out for me. I glanced down, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear as I thanked him. I draped my jacket over the back and sat. Bonnie arched a brow, mouth edging upward.

Stefan sat beside me as Caroline and Tyler left their game of pool to join us. There were introductions all around. Caroline wasted no time, starting right in with the interrogation. "So tell us everything."

Tyler pressed his lips together and cast a flat look at Caroline. She either didn't notice or chose to ignore it.

Stefan spread his hands across the tabletop. "There's not much to tell."

Caroline glanced Bonnie's way before smirking. "I highly doubt that."

His eyes sought mine, though not to plead for help, like I would've expected. Instead, they glinted with amusement. Stefan turned back to Caroline. "I was born here."

"No one would live here who wasn't," Tyler declared as he leaned back into his seat, grabbing a glass slick with condensation.

Stefan shrugged. With everyone's chairs packed together, his jacket rubbed against my sleeve. My arm tingled.

"So you were born in Mystic Falls..." Caroline prompted after sending a warning glare Tyler's way. Tyler made a 'what?' face before rolling his eyes and turning away.

Stefan followed the exchange. "And moved when I was still young." Not necessarily a lie. Seventeen would be young to a hundred and sixty-year-old.

I wondered if he'd spin his answers from the frayed threads of truth the whole night.

Bonnie decided to join in the impromptu grilling. "Parents?"

"They… passed away."

A moment of discomfort passed as all eyes shifted unerringly towards me. Subtle. Remembering what I'd seen of his father, and how that ended, I thought of the little boy who'd lost his mother. "I'm sorry."

Unlike the others, Stefan's steady stare held an unspoken understanding that made me feel like a fraud.

Thankfully, Caroline was eager to throw out bait and try to reel his attention back to her. "Sisters? Brothers?"

In an instant, the gentle warmth his eyes had shone with all evening was swallowed by a darkness that, ironically, made him resemble his brother. "None that I speak to." He left that bomb on the table as he turned back to Caroline. "I live with my Uncle."

The first lie.

Caroline looked disappointed by the lack of elaboration in his answers. Not that she was prepared to give up. "Are you going to the party tomorrow?"

"He's new, Care. He might not know," Bonnie said. "It's a back to school thing at the falls."

Stefan turned to me. "Are you going?"

Never let it be said Stefan Salvatore was ambiguous about his interest. The guy had serious tunnel vision. Caroline's forehead crinkled as her brows tightened. Even Matt frowned. Bonnie beamed as she said, "Of course she is." She ignored Caroline's sharp glance.

But I was again thinking about a certain attack. My gaze drifted back to Vicki, now standing near the bar.

The last time I tried to avoid an encounter, I ended up making everything worse. I'd given Damon the opening he'd lacked with the real Elena. The party would have lots of people, which arguably made it safer than Elena's house. So long as I stayed among them, Damon couldn't do anything. I met Stefan's waiting stare, wishing I could ask for the vervain necklace early. "Guess I'm drafted."

Stefan's lips quirked. "Then I guess I'll see you there."

Our eyes held, the green within his bright and shining like sun dappled leaves.

"So," Caroline said, sharp and demanding. "Likes? Hobbies?"

Back slouching into his chair, Tyler scoffed. "You writing up the guy's profile or something?"

"Shut up, Tyler." Her lips barely moved, but a frosty Forbes glare did more than enough talking. Tyler huffed before settling back, acting as if he hadn't just been chastised.

"I like to read. Hike." Stefan said before turning to regard the rest of the table. "The woods around here are beautiful."

"And dangerous," Matt said, frowning. "With all the attacks lately."

"I heard." Stefan's expression never changed. Not even so much as twitch. "Predators don't stick around in one place for very long. I'm sure the animal responsible will move on."

I couldn't help but glance to the window overlooking main street. With the sun down, traffic was a trickle. The night pressed in around the slender yellow glow of the streetlamps. I looked for the shadow of a man, or a bird, but found neither.

"Hey, Elena." Vicki's voice drew my attention back inside the Grill. Pad out, she stood beside our table, eying Stefan before focusing on me. "Usual?"

I had no idea what that would be. "Actually, could I have chicken and some juice?"

"What? Like chicken tenders?" she asked, scribbling. "And we got orange, apple, cranberry—"

"Orange is good. And yeah, tenders sound fine."

"Okay." Vicki smiled at Stefan. Caroline rolled her eyes while Tyler tensed. "And—"

"Stefan," he said. "I'll have the same, but with a coke."

"Alright." Vicki's pen scraped along her pad. "Be back with your drinks."

"Thanks, Vic," Matt added.

"My job, ain't it?" she replied before moving off.

"My sister," Matt said.

Stefan nodded.

Caroline kept the conversation focused on Stefan for another ten minutes before Tyler had enough and dragged Matt off to a game of pool. Bonnie then redirected talk to their classes. Caroline contributed something other than a hundred questions for Stefan by sharing the latest gossip already going around.

I didn't say much aside from commenting on my classes. Bonnie and Caroline didn't seem to expect me to talk. Bonnie kept soliciting my opinion anyway, which was sweet of her, if inconvenient. I didn't know what the real Elena would say. I kept my answers brief, smiled and nodded a lot.

Stefan watched me. Not in a way that made me uncomfortable, surprisingly. He just gazed every so often, catching my eye and holding it until I had to grin and look away. He'd have a little smile on his face when I'd glance at him again.

Vicki brought out our food. I wasn't blown away by it, but finished most of the basket. I kept peeking at Stefan eating from beneath my lashes. It was both odd and not, knowing what he was, and yet it was such a normal thing for someone to do.

When I finished my glass of orange juice, he offered to go up to the bar to get me another. "I can wait for Vicki."

"I'd like a refill too," Stefan replied as he stood. He smiled. "I'll be right back."

"Okay."

I was impressed that Bonnie waited for him to get a whole five feet away before pouncing. "Elena," she demanded, leaned over the table on folded arms, "what happened?"

"Yeah." Caroline stirred at her iced tea with a straw before quirking a brow at me. "What are you two doing together?"

Bonnie shot her a look that Caroline returned with an arched brow. I shrugged. "I lost my bag on the way home. Stefan found it and brought it over." I picked up a napkin and wiped at my fingers. "So I invited him."

"You lost your bag?" Bonnie frowned. "How'd that happen?"

"I must have set it down for a minute, spaced and forgot it." Crumpling up the napkin, I dropped it in the empty basket. "That reminds me, he needs to get my number from you, Bonnie."

"Okay, but," she added her own napkin to my basket, "why not just give it to him yourself?"

"I forgot it."

"You forgot it," Caroline repeated, incredulous.

"It's not like I used it a lot, Caroline," I replied defensively.

Bonnie looked as if she regretted asking. "Sure, Elena," she interjected. "I'll tell him."

"Thanks," I smiled.

"So what's he drive?" Caroline asked.

"What, you don't already know?" Bonnie smirked.

Caroline rolled her eyes.

"I don't know." Which I didn't. I honestly couldn't remember from the show. "He walked."

Bonnie asked, "So how'd you get here? Did Jenna drop you off?"

"No. I drove."

Both girls stared.

"Elena!" Bonnie beamed at me like Jenna had. "That's great!"

Caroline fiddled with her straw. "So you won't need rides to school?"

I blinked. "Um. No?"

Before anyone could say anything else, Stefan was back with the drinks.

"Here you go," he said, setting another orange juice in front of me before sitting with his own soda.

"Thank you." I smiled at him before taking a sip.

His gave a little smile back. "My pleasure."

The conversation continued. By the end of the evening, as we were all leaving and saying our goodbyes, I felt much better, buoyed by Caroline and Bonnie's company and Stefan's flattering attention. The concern for the doppelgänger's draw to each other had mostly disappeared to the back of my mind, along with the fact he was a vampire.

That didn't stop me from checking the parking lot as we crossed it.

Unlocking the SUV, I realized it would be strange if I just drove us both back to Elena's. If Stefan had really walked, and wasn't a vampire, Elena would be rude not to offer to drop him off at home.

But would Damon be there?

Settling inside, I debated with myself the whole time. My fingers had gone cold, and I missed the ignition the first time I tried to insert the key. When I finally got the engine turned on, I sucked down a breath and cleared my throat. "Do you want me to drop you off at your place?"

Stefan was quiet for a moment. "I can walk from yours."

The knot in my stomach began to unwind. Still, anyone else would probably find it odd and worrisome. They'd make sure. "It's late."

His answering grin was more than a little self-deprecating. "I'll be alright."

The ride was quiet. It wasn't awkward, though. A Black Eyed Peas song filled the car. Between the food, the bloodloss, and all the stress of the day, the headlights were pulling my attention like a moth to a flame. Rolling up to a red light, I stared into the other cars' lights until spots danced in front of my eyes. The mechanical chords of the music started to sound like a horn. And the lights got bigger and bigger until they were filling my vision as the horn blared—

"Elena?"

Stefan's hand on my shoulder snapped me back to my senses. The light was green. The car behind us was honking. Spots floated around my vision like psychedelic fireflies.

I took a breath, working on getting my head on straight as I accelerated through the intersection. "Sorry."

"It's alright." Stefan frowned.

"I guess I'm more tired than I realized." I blinked, as if that might clear the afterimages from my retinas. "I didn't mean to space off."

"It's fine." The warmth in his voice was lulling. "It's been a long day."

I cracked the window to stir in some fresh, chilled air. It helped keep my mind focused despite the weariness that crept around the edges of my thoughts. Leaning forward, I hit the search button on the radio and let chance pick the next station. It landed on country.

As if he could sense the fight I was waging with my own exhaustion, Stefan said, "I had a really nice time tonight."

Like the cool breeze, his words helped keep the weariness at bay. "Me too."

"Your friends seem nice."

"Once you get past Inquisitor Caroline, you mean."

He chuckled.

The sound made me feel stupid and drunk and happy. No. Murderous vampire. Eater of small woodland creatures. It wouldn't do. I tried to remember what happened when I let the last one in. Except that brought up thoughts of Damon's mouth pressed against my neck and his body curved over mine. I concentrated on the road to give myself time to arrange my expression into something less fawning and glow-y. Once I was properly composed, or at least less obviously besotted, I said, "You realize she's going to tell the whole school everything about you."

One glimpse of Stefan's slight smile and the ridiculous feelings were back. Worse, they'd brought friends. "I'm new. They'll lose interest soon enough."

"You have seen you, right?" I was pretty sure he had a reflection. A glanced at the passenger window as we passed under a streetlight and… yep. Reflection.

Stefan kept his eyes on the road, but the corner of his mouth turned up again. "Once or twice."

"Once or twice," I mimicked as best I could. Which wasn't very well, not in Elena's voice. Not that I'd do much better in mine. "Sorry to break it to you, Stefan, but they're not going to lose interest anytime soon."

He gave a doubtful hum. "I'm not very interesting." I scoffed at the idea. He shrugged. "I mostly keep to myself. I'd rather stay home and read then go to a party." He glanced over. "They'll find something or someone more exciting to talk about."

"You're going to the Falls."

Stefan smiled. "You're going to the Falls."

Oh, that little shit. I had to purse my lips to ward off the stupid smile that was determined to break through. Why did everything vaguely complimentary send me into a tizzy? It had to be the pull of the doppelgänger.

That and he was far too handsome. It really wasn't fair.

Big fluffy bunnies. Being eaten.

"You don't have to."

"I know."

"I mean if you want to spend time with me." What was I saying? This was a bad idea, but my stupid mouth kept going. "You could call. Make plans." Why couldn't I shut up?

We pulled up to another red light. I took the opportunity to look over. His eyes somehow shone, even in the heavy shadows cast by the dim dashboard lights of the car. "Plans."

I gripped the wheel and nodded. Ugh. I hate myself. No self-control.

"What kind of plans?"

"I don't know. Like tonight."

"Hang out. Have dinner."

He was doing this on purpose. I would have angled an unamused look his way, but the light had gone green and I needed my sights back on the road. "Yes, like hang out."

He answered with a grave nod, as if this was important information. Like I'd shared the solution to some complex mathematical equation. Or the secret to the cure for cancer. "Okay."

"Okay?" My eyes narrowed. There was a trick here.

"Okay," he reiterated.

I waited for the follow up. The dreaded 'date' word. It was an obvious opening, and anyone would have taken it. Except he didn't. As if some tentative accord had been reached, a soft and easy silence fell between us. One only the soft croon of Love Story filled, until the tension bled out of my body and I settled back into the seat. I was never going to be able to listen to Taylor Swift the same way again. My shoulders relaxed as we passed out of the business district and into the still and soft lit neighborhood streets.

How could Stefan be dangerous? He felt safe. So unlike his brother, who made every primal instinct in my body scream at his nearness. Stefan was calm and steady. Cautious of boundaries. Respectful.

It stayed comfortably quiet all the way to Elena's house. Shaking myself from the lull the rest of the drive had lured me into, I turned to thank Stefan.

Whose eyes were fixed on my neck.

I stilled, but my heartbeat rabbited as I held my breath.

Gritting his teeth, Stefan's jaw flared. He turned his head away and stared out at the garage. After a moment, he opened his door and slid out into the night air. When it shut behind him, I was finally able to breathe.

Okay. So there was the fear I'd been waiting for. My hands tightened into fists as I struggled to keep my breathing even and calm my racing heart. The last thing I wanted to do was tempt him.

I guided the SUV back into the garage. What was I doing? Wasn't one vampire's attention enough?

But Stefan had himself under control. For now. And if I was stuck in this world, and events started happening, I'd need to have him around.

Wow. Not to be selfish about it.

Given everything that happens to him, it'd probably be better for Stefan to run for the hills and get far away from Elena. She'd bring the Originals into his life. Lure Katherine back.

But no. He'd already proven his fascination with her. He wasn't going to take off.

Feeling calmer, I let out a long breath and got out of the car. I left the garage door up, figuring I'd close it once I went back inside. Stefan was waiting just beyond, hands tucked back into his jeans.

"Thanks again for inviting me," he said as I exited the garage.

"Thanks for coming." I fiddled with a key, winding it around the ring.

He smiled, and it eased more of the fear lingering in my chest. "I better get going."

"Yeah. It's late."

He nodded. "Good night, Elena."

"Night Stefan."

I watched as he strode off, until I lost him to the darkness between the houselights further down the street. For all I knew, he had sped off.

The house was dark once again as I walked into the kitchen, Jenna and Jeremy nowhere to be seen. I went to flip the switch and—

"Son of a bitch."

The lights wouldn't turn on. Frowning, I made a note to myself to check for spare bulbs the first chance I had to do some snooping. Until then, I had to feel my way around the counter and through the rest of the first floor.

The light under Jeremy's door was on, and I could hear him speaking to someone, though the exact words were lost. I moved on to Elena's room. And promptly discovered the light in here was out, too. I let out a disbelieving huff. "You gotta be kidding me."

What was going on with all the lights? I flipped the switch a few more times, but it remained dark except for a mix of moon and streetlights seeping in through the thin curtains.

I tossed the purse onto the desk and decided to deal with it later.

I'd had reading to do for class tomorrow. But between the bloodloss, the turmoil of emotions, and now the lights being dead, I wasn't going to be able to concentrate. And it wasn't as if I hadn't done all this before. I'd be fine leaving it tonight.

Besides, what if I woke up?

It was with that hopeful thought that I went to bed.

[koganeirou]

Ikemen Revolution - Fenrir’s Route

Aaaand here’s one for Fenrir’s route!

My main comments are: FUCK those avatar challenges. It took me five thousand years to finish this damn route because I was stuck grinding for Lin for five thousand years because according to cybird, I can’t get the good ending w ma man unless I look cute smh.

The night that Alice lands in Cradle, she pretty much goes out to the garden to sob her eyes out because of the stress of being killed (oh honey don’t worry this game doesn’t have any bad ends. If you were in a game like Amnesia then I’d start crying LMAO). Fenrir happens to see her and wipes her tears away (*๓´╰╯`๓). He decides to spend the month with Alice to make her have as much fun as possible, and makes her promise that so there will be no regrets, the two will not fall in love.

But we all know that’s not gonna happen.

I guess because the boys finally learned from Lancelot’s route to never send a nameless faceless nobody with Alice, Ray assigns Fenrir as her personal bodyguard. 

Fenrir takes it upon himself to be Alice’s personal tour guide, so they go on a date around the Central Quarter eating all kinds of sweets like a bunch of dorks D’AWW. Of course the red army are full of party poopers who crashes their alone time.

@Red army boys, I LOVE YOU ALL BUT YOUR SOLDIERS NEEDA CHILL. Like my grievances from Lancelot’s route carry over in twofold because the nameless red soldiers are once again, STILL a bunch of blood thirsty hooligans who are clearly letting “may glory flow crimson through our veins” slogan get to their heads WAYY too much. 

(☪̤̆_̆ ☪̤̆) THAT’S SO SPECIFIC LMAO.

But anyhoo I guess having a body guard with actual plot armor was really beneficial because Fenrir drives off all of the Red soldiers! And as it turns out, they were sent by Edgar (but of course why am I not surprised smh).

They return home and a few black army soldiers comes out shitting their pants because apparently there’s a ghost, and when Fenrir hears that HE shits his pants. 

Luka has his priorities straight.

Fenrir pussyfoots outside the army headquarters for a few minutes because GHOST but then big bear Sirius comes out RURL pissed because everyone keeps making a ruckus.

WHY DO I FIND THIS SO FUCKING FUNNY. LIKE IT’S PICTURE PERFECT. I CAN IMAGINE HIM DOING THIS IN MY HEAD FRAME BY FRAME.

So the ghost was actually a magic cult goon creeping around like a lech looking for women's’ underwear, whom Seth covered for. I had zero interest in Seth before but I do find it interesting that more hints about Seth’s connection to the magic cult goons are being dropped, and if anything it makes me want to play his route now.

I’d love to be your friend!!! But unfortunately Fenrir is a giant stick in the mud and won’t let me! But never fear because your route is coming out soon so soon I’ll be more than just your friend LOL!

 Fenrir gets news that some of their soldiers got cornered on the Red Bridge. Well what do you know, turns out the nameless red soldiers are still mad that they busted a nut in anticipation for nothing because they didn’t get to skewer any soldiers in Lancelot’s route, so now they’re taking out their pent up frustration here.

Luka hears the news as well and rushes to the red bridge just in time to see Jonah and the rest of the red soldiers man handling the black army soldiers (wtf Jonah I expected better of you). Luka goes from simmering with rage to boiling with rage and charges at the red soldiers. Obviously the red soldiers don’t care (or... they just can’t comprehend) that Luka is their superior’s freaking brother because all they can think about is reaping the reward for unnecessary stabbing and so they go into Ultimate Shish Kabobing Mode and decide to kill Luka.

Jesus christ... these fucking red soldiers. I am so sorry but I think the only people in this clown of an army that has any shred of honor or self control are the red army love interests LOL.

Anyway Fenrir drags Luka’s delirious bloody corpse back to the black army and the scene ain’t pretty. But it’s okay because we all know that this game doesn’t have the balls to actually kill anyone so it’s not like there’s any need to be worried.

See even Alice acknowledges it lol. This game’s too soft (not that that’s necessarily a bad thing... if I want angst I’ll just read fanfiction ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

Apparently the one who actually made swiss cheese of Luka was Jonah. At first I was just SO CONFUSION?? JONAH WOULD NEVER DO THAT! until this bomb dropped and my only reaction was honestly just “...yikes”.

CRIES @ MY HEART

Jonah sneaks into Black Territory unarmed and Fenrir decides to arrange for him to see Luka like a the great wingbro he is. Alice’s left awkwardly keeping Jonah company but the ice quickly breaks and they end up spending the day talking about Luka ♡(.◜ω◝.)♡.

Fenrir successfully sneaks Jonah into Luka’s room but the two end up just having a screaming match and Luka boots Jonah out of his room. Understandable, considering how all the red soldiers are like little kids that you needa put those backpack straps on because who knows what the fuck they’ll do if left to their own devices.

me whenever I have any kind of guests over.

eat my ass @ Sirius 

When it’s decided that the Black and Red army are gonna go to war for realsies, Alice requests to go onto the battle field with Fenrir so she can repel magic. Sirius freaks out going all like “ojou-chan, you mustn’t! It’s not a walk in the park!!” but Alice ain’t having any of that and essentially tells Sirius to eat her ass. Fenrir being the amazing bro he is sticks up for Alice and asks Ray if he can take her with him, swearing he’ll protect her. Ray’s like sigh fine. This scene was honestly my favourite because I loved how much confidence Fenrir had in Alice and how he respected her desire to help. Unlike a certain someone ੧| ‾́ェ ‾́ |੭ (totally not throwing shade at Sirius LMAO).

CRIES SOME MORE THAT’S SUCH A CUTE NICKNAME.

I could have asked the exact same thing of you Sirius.

The rest of the Black Army can clearly see sparks flying between Fenrir and Alice but unfortunately, Fenrir has to join Sirius in the emotional constipation of “what is this feeling in my chest?! Definitely not love!” Granted Fenrir has an excuse because of the promise he made her, but it’s still frustrating nonetheless.

oh my god can you shut up about this dumbass slogan for one minute. 

Ngl despite the heart warming moment of resolve when Fenrir decides to take Alice into battle, it’s pretty damn hard to take the war seriously because it feels like a bunch of 14 year old teenagers doing a play-war considering of how almost comedic it is. Again, I’m not saying that this game needs to be an angst fest where everyone dies, but for a story about two armies on the brink of war, it does a pretty bad job at building any real tension or showing this war as a source of any real conflict with any real stakes or any real consequences.

I totally *do not* dislike that nickname 👀

We cut back to the red army who are all quite frazzled because they all had that “oh fuck” moment when they realized that they’re getting their asses whooped by the black army.  Lancelot decides to stay his hand, whereas Jonah rages at Edgar’s incompetence but Edgar’s ultimately like “¯\_(ツ)_/¯ King’s orders”.

Alice you’re doing amazing, sweetie.

Alice continues to fight with Fenrir on the front lines but she realizes that she really loves him and she doesn’t want to go home anymore! UNFORTUNATELY FOR HER, our lovely gentleman Fenrir “this feeling in my chest is totally love but I WON’T ADMIT IT!” Godspeed repeatedly dodges her attempts at confessing (¬_¬). GOOD SIR I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING. You’re just trying to put off having a heart to heart about your feelings until the full moon so you can boot Alice back to her world without ever having to talk about it (ლಠ益ಠ)ლ.

Alice tries once again for the nth time to confess her feelings to Fenrir but this time they’re interrupted by the magic cult goons who are hell bent on capturing Alice. This plays out exactly as you’d predict and the two get cornered at a cliff LOL. Alice gets blown off the cliff and Fenrir jumps after her to save her.

This, my friends, is what we call: plot armor.

They miraculously (and conveniently) survive their fall and end up in the castle ruins in the forbidden forest. I guess being lost in an abandoned forest with a totally not haunted castle next to them sets the mood for sexy time because they end up making out like their life depends on it. Conveniently, without actually saying they love each other ლ(ಠ_ಠლ). 

GUYS... THE DRIVER IS LITERALLY RIGHT THERE.... GUYS....

They make it back to Black Territory in one piece with the help of Loki and Harr and Ray loses his shit because he thought they died T T T.  Fenrir is sent back to the front lines and Alice is totally ready to go back and kick some ass but I guess all the fire and confidence in this power couple completely deflated because Fenrir becomes Sirius 2.0 and refuses to take Alice SMH. 

Alice finds Fenrir boarding a carriage to leave, and she stops him and tries to tell him that she loves him. Fenrir responds by pulling Alice into the carriage with him and at this point I was HYPED because “is he actually gonna take her with him?!?!” but my hopes are quickly dashed when he shoves her into the carriage, initiates round 2 of INTENSE MAKE OUT SESSION LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT..... then throws Alice’s sad ass back out of the carriage and leaves her behind once he’s finished (┛ಠДಠ)┛彡┻━┻.

UGH! FENRIR! JUST--- AGHHHHHHH. 

YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN. Like yea sex is great, but have you ever heard of proper verbal communication??

(I also find it funny how the driver was just sitting there the entire time they were making out doing a big boi sweat).

me with group assignments in school.

Fenrir comes back on the night of the full moon and Alice for the 100TH DAMN TIME IN THIS ROUTE, tries to tell him that she doesn’t want to go home, but Fenrir, again, dashes her hopes and tells her she has to go back he won’t be able to protect her all the time. Which we all know is bullshit, but nevertheless Alice decides to listen to him. 

Ha ha ha you are so full of shit.

And so Alice once again goes to the gates of hell garden portal which I officially dub as “The Hole Where Bad Things Happen” or more accurately, “The Hole That No Player Ever Wants To See”. 

Anyhoo Alice leaps back home and spends about a month moping in London until one day a black army soldier comes to London and begs Alice to go back with him because Fenrir’s in danger! Alice, having literally zero self preservation because I guess her time on the battle field taught her jack shit, blindly follows this fellow back to Cradle and the moment she arrives, the guy reveals himself to be a magic cult goon and so she’s kidnapped and taken to Amon’s sex dungeon.

Look. I’m not gonna accuse Alice of “dumb mc syndrome” and I don’t necessarily blame her for falling for it but at the same time, COME ON. THIS IS THE DUMBEST PLOT POINT EVER. Of all the possible reasons she comes back to Cradle, THIS IS THE ONLY THING THEY COULD THINK OF? What makes it so aggravating is that it’s stated multiple times that any person from Reason can repel magic, so if that’s the case, the cult goons could have just kidnapped any random off the street instead of wasting time and energy looking for Alice. And if they could conveniently stroll into the land of Reason, why didn’t they do that ages ago?!

You know that writing rule “make your villains smarter, not your protagonists dumber”, or something like that? Well in this case, everyone is dumb!

Anyway during the month Alice was gone, Lancelot finally decides to stop going radio silent and consults the Black Army about Amon and his weed stash. This felt really convenient and almost inconsistent with Lancelot’s character because in the other routes he was hell bent on not talking unless 100% cornered, but in Fenrir’s route he spills the beans like it’s no big deal. 

Fenrir hears the news of Alice being kidnapped by Amon and the Black army pretty much storms into the Magic Tower and fishes Alice out. Amon finally reveals himself but honestly he doesn’t put up much of a fight because Fenrir shoots him with one of those hiccuping guns and that’s enough to deflate all of Amon’s fighting spirit lmao so he gets arrested in the end. Talk about anti climatic as hell. This entire thing just felt really stupid because if all they had to do with storm the damn tower, they should have done so ages ago.

Admittedly I do like the resolution to this whole fiasco. Fenrir is totally ready to get down and dirty, but before that Fenrir and Alice actually, finally, and at long last, properly talk about their feelings and sort out their relationship mess. 

Dramatic End:

Alice officially joins the Black Army, and they hold her enrollment ceremony. Hosting it is usually Ray’s job since he’s king but since Alice is his best friend’s babe, he decides to let Fenrir take over. Unfortunately, Fenrir can’t keep his excitement in check and ends up picking Alice up and spinning her around in joy ╭(๑ ॔ㅂ ਂ ॓)و ̑̑. THIS WAS SO CUTE I LOVE THIS ENDING.

-----

Honestly I have a lot of mixed feelings about this route. There’s the good, the bad, and the ugly, but since I don’t wanna end this post on a salty note so I’ll just start with the ugly and work my way up.

The Ugly: The route starts losing momentum their promise of not falling in love morphs into the source for Fenrir’s self cockblock fest for the rest of the route and him repeatedly rebuffing Alice’s attempts to tell him she wants to stay in Cradle became unbearable frustrating. Playing Sakuya’s route in Norn9 alongside Fenrir’s route did not help at all because his route also had a “promise of not falling in love” premise and had the exact same problems as Fenrir’s route so honestly my frustration was just doubled at this point.

The Bad: The plot is balls off the rail in the second half if it isn’t obvious enough from my complaints earlier. The Hole That No Player Ever Wants to See making a reappearance in Fenrir’s route kills a lot of the build up between Alice and Fenrir and there was honestly no point of having Alice go back to London. The circumstances that lead her to returning were so stupid it had me head banging against the wall.

The Good: I think Fenrir and Alice have a very strong “friends to lovers” romance going on and it was honestly really sweet and wholesome. I loved how their friendship and subsequent romance builds them both up and makes them better people-- they’re both stronger together, they’re equals, they’re partners. You really get a sense of camaraderie between the two and their relationship is founded on mutual respect, understanding, trust, and confidence in each other which I’m 100% on board with. Fenrir taking Alice onto the battle field with him is a testament of the rock solid trust between them. They have a very strong partner in crime vibe that I love! 

I adore how Fenrir refers to Alice as his “best friend” or his “best buddy” and it was just so cute, it made my heart swell because I’m a firm believer that your s/o SHOULD be your best friend.

Overall imo, Fenrir’s route is about on par with Lancelot’s, though it has higher highs and lower lows than Lancelot’s route did.

Anyway, I’m making my way through Edgar’s route currently (♥ω♥*).

[fullmetaldevil-blog]

Batim: Stitched AU Ch.4

Well writing took a little bit longer then I would have liked, but as they say life tends to get in the way.

Some of the scenes I absolutely adore and do plan on drawing them out when I catch a moment.

Anywho without further adieu on with the show~

Ch 4: The Gears are Turning

Allison woke the next morning to her dismay that Tom had once again left before her. She didn't even remember him coming home from work the previous night either. The last thing she remembered was reading a book on the couch waiting for him to come home, she had long since eaten her dinner and vowed to stay up to wait for him. Now she found herself in their bedroom tucked neatly in bed still wearing the clothes from the previous night, and no sign of her husband at all.

She sighed in annoyance while she got out of bed and grabbed a change of clothes. She washed herself up and came out to the kitchen. Despite her husband's questionable behavior irritating her, there was only one thing that tugged a smile out of her. Benny. The thought of coming to her dressing room and seeing the toons excitement as he would throw himself at her in a tight embrace warmed her heart. Her heart danced in excitement at how the little plushdemon would react to the days food choices.

Allison rolled up her sleeves, threw open the fridge and started grabbing ingredients. She laid out a fests worth of food, eggs, pancakes, sliced fruit, ham and cheese sandwiches, potato chips, and soda pop. She eyed all the fixings for breakfast and lunch, but then she realized that the most important meal that lasts the night is missing; dinner. She drifted through the kitchen wondering what her own dinner was going to be let alone her cartooney friend. At a loss, she opened up the fridge and gazed over it's contents. Her eyes ultimately landed on a bag containing fish her neighbor had brought to her the other day saying that her son had caught too much for their family to eat, and that she was more then welcome to have some. She pulled the bag out and examined the fish inside. It was all cod, and the best thing to make with cod for is Fish n' chips.

Allison pulled out oil and poured it in two pans setting the flame on high while she mixed up the batter for the fish. She was thankful she had already cooked up potatoes the night before and set them in the oil to fry. She patted the fish dry and drenched them in batter and gently laid them in the second pan of oil. The house soon smelled of fresh fish and chips. Allison pulled the fish out one by one and laid them on a cloth to drain the excess oil. While she waited for the fish and chips to cool she started to pack her bag.

With the addition of another meal, Allison opted to carry two baskets. The larger one to carry breakfast and lunch and an additional smaller basket to carry dinner. She gingerly picked up all the breakfast and lunch items and packed them carefully so the sandwiches wouldn't get crushed. When the fish and chips had finally cooled enough she pulled out the smaller basket and pack them away. She was more then grateful that the bag was large enough to house both baskets as well as her other personal effects.

With the day pack packed and ready to go, Allison grabbed her keys and headed out the door. She was thankful that the traffic leading to the studio was light since few wake in the early morning hours, but as she neared the studio her road was joined by more and more trucks. By the time she reached the studio there was a conga line of supply and utility trucks with her dead stuck in the middle. To her fortune the trucks were moving at a good pace and her progress to the studio was only slowed down, but not a dead stop. She pulled up in front of the studio to see it overloaded with equipment being loaded and unloaded. She could only stare in awe at the amount of activity that was taking place at the studio, she had never seen so much activity and GENT staff at once.

Allison stepped out of the car and briefly spotted a massive boxy mechanism with what looked like hose attachments and a large nozzle surrounded by gears being loaded into a truck, while another truck was unloading an even larger yet similar device. The other device had larger hose attachments and some sort of nozzle large enough to fit a person, it was more boxy then the previous one and lacked gears around the nozzle. Everything in her gut told her that the glimpse of equipment she just saw was the ink machine, or at least a part of it. Norman had told her that he heard the machine was tested, but the result was Benny whom was a 'reject'. She suspected that the original machine was being scrapped since it was 'experimental'. This new one must be the final version, and it looked like it wouldn't take long to get it operational. In the corner waving the machine into the building was her husband. She wanted to call out to him, but as soon as she saw him was as soon as he was gone. She gritted her teeth, they didn't have a lot of time before the final ink machine was running and their window of opportunity would close.

Allison tightened her grip on her bag and hastily headed for the entrance of the studio, ducking and dodging equipment and staff. She tuned out any and all obstacles as her primary focus was to reach her dressing room, feed Benny and seek out Norman and the band. With her goal in sight Allison heard voices coming from her room yet again. 'This is getting old' She thought to herself as she grabbed the handle throwing open the door to see her entire room full of the band members and Norman.

The group all looked at her initially wide eyed until realization as to whom they were looking at settled, and they all greeted her in unison “Hi Allison”.

With her name barely left the groups tongues, a black blur shot out from the group and attached itself to her chest nuzzling her shoulder. “Good Morning Allison!” her face was met was Benny's, the energetic toon clinging to her in excitement.

Allison laughed as she tried to pry Benny off, but the little demon was like a koala. “Alright Benny, if you don't let go you won't get any breakfast.”

Benny instantly released her dropping to the floor with his hands behind his back and rocked on his heel patiently waiting. Allison couldn't help but be amazed at how the toon's attitude changes so suddenly when presented with food. He can go from a sweet little devil to borderline invasive on ones personal space, if not so. The band members all laughed at Benny's sudden mood change, Norman just chuckled in the corner and commented about 'don' be denyin' a growin' boy his eats.'

“Where's Earl and Edgar?” Allison had noted that the 2 out of 3 'terrible trio' band members where not present, which would explain why the room was far quieter. The 3 young men Leonard, Edgar, and Earl combined were a force to be reckoned with and more mischievous then the devil himself.

Giovanni sighed “Those boys can never be on time even if you paid them.”

“Umm... Gio. They are being paid.” Leonard commented with a cheeky grin, and earned him a stern glare from Giovanni. Taking the hint, he removed himself from Giovanni's 'grabbing range', opting to stand near Allison's desk.

Allison strode to her desk past the band and set her bag on the desk. Leonard and Benny both at her side instantly.

“Ooooo~ What did you bring?” Leonard's face burrowed in her pack, Allison grabbed the back of his shirt pulling him away from the bag. The man seemed to have little understanding over not invading other peoples personal space or belongings.

“Not for you.” She scowled. Leonard sheepishly grinned in her grip, and something in the back of her mind told Allison to check her bag. She glanced over at her shoulder at the bag to see Benny's head buried within it just how Leonard's was a few moments ago. “Not you too!”. Allison grabbed Benny resulting in a small yelp from the demon whom instantly looked remorseful as he dangled in her grip while she looked at him eye to eye.

Allison held both the offending violinists and toon devil at her mercies. She walked 3 full paces away from the desk dragging Leonard before releasing him, but now held Benny with both hands looking at him strait in the eye. “Don't always do what you see. Some people-” she glared at Leonard before looking back at Benny “ aren't really a good influence. Ok?” Benny nodded profusely in her grasp.

“If that ain't the 'ya done effed up son' look I'll eat mah hat!” Norman laughed from the corner. The rest of the band all burst into a joyous laughter and the antics of their fellow member and their cartooney friend. Leonard slunk over to Aaron and stood next to man, making sure he kept out of Allison's reach and far away from Giovanni's. The bass player did 2 small gestures at Leonard. Two fingers to his eyes then pointed at Leonard followed by him cracking his knuckles. The man's message was clear, and Leonard hid behind Aaron.

“I'm sorry.” Benny bowed his head looking thoroughly chastised.

“It's ok sweetie.” Allison brought him into a small hug “You're still learning.” With apologies said, Allison walked back to the desk and set Benny down so she could start pulling out the baskets for Benny could eat. Benny was baffled as to why there was two baskets in comparison to the one she carried the previous day. “two baskets?” The demon looked up at Allison.

“Yep” She pulled the larger basket out of the bag. “This is the basket from yesterday, and it has our breakfast and lunch.” She set the basket down on the table and opened up the basket to let Benny look inside at the pancakes, fruit, sandwiches and other items for the day. She then pulled out the smaller one “This one has dinner.”

“Dinner?” Benny looked up at her in confusion, he thought there were only 2 meals a day.

Aaron tapped Allison on the shoulder “I got this” he smiled at her. He turned his attention to Benny whom was now looking up at him. “See most people eat what we like to call 3 square meals a day. That is breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Now there may or may not be an occasional snack in between, but for the most part it is the 3 meals. Allison made you all three so you won't be hungry while she is gone.” Aaron lowered his voice to a whisper “Now, what do we say?” The man winked at Benny earning a bright grin from the devil.

“Thank you Allison!” Benny once again attached himself to Allison nearly knocking her over, the woman yelped in surprise. Then glared when she realized she'd been had.

“That's dirty pool.” She grinned at the man. She had to admit he set her up, he knew full well the demon would be over zealous when it came to food, especially since she was the one giving it to him. Allison peeled Benny off herself and set him down at the desk. She rummaged through the basket pulling out  his breakfast and set it up for him. The demon happily sat and ate while she fingered for the band to follow her to the other side of the room.

“What's up?” Leonard piped up, and was shut up when Giovanni grabbed the man's shirt pulling him down. The bass player finally getting his hands on the overly energetic violinist.

“Boy don' ya know how t' use yer 'inside voice?'” Norman scowled at the now silent Violinist. The last thing the group wanted was for anyone outside to hear them all talking.

“Thank you Norman.” Giovanni smiled at the projectionist but refused to release the violinist. Leonard hung in the man's grip like a small child in the death grip of their mother.

In a low tone Allison recounted what she saw in the studio lot. Each person's eyes were wide while she described the sheer size and look of the 2 mechanical items that were being shuffled around. The overall conclusion she drew that what she saw was the removal of the prototype ink machine, and it was being replaced by the final version. Worst yet, the second machine looked to be already mostly assembled and it wouldn't take long for it to be operational. That meant that they would have to figure out how to get Benny out during the window of the new machine parts coming in, and the old ones going out. Upon reaching the end of her story each man looked at each other, then to Benny, then back to Allison.

“This is one hell of a risk. Joey's got the studio all buttoned up to a point where no one goes in or out without someone noticing.” Aaron spoke before he looked at Benny again whom noticed the man looking at him and he tilted his head slightly. “but for his sake, I'm willing to do what I can.”

The rest of the band nodded in agreement. They all knew with whatever project Joey was developing that the studio was kept under lock and key. Any and all material was being gathered instead of being thrown away like most other studios. Every time a cell or drawing was completed and processed it was immediately taken and never seen again, rumor floated around that a few animators got in trouble for trying to sneak out cells that they had worked on. The only 'safe' place from the art confiscation was the music department since it was only music and not images. Only the music department staff seemed to be able to move about a bit better then the rest of the staff since they had nothing to do with the animation production. What better way to hide a cartoon then in the last place you'd look?

Leonard suggested to hide Benny inside one of the instrument cases, but that idea got shot down when Aaron told him that they have even started checking the instrument cases after a few animators got busted for trying to sneak cells in a lunch box. Giovanni offered to talk to Shawn to see what is being done to the toy factory staff and any of the products being produced there. He suggested that since Benny was originally a Bendy plush that they might be able to swing something with the moody Irishman and get him out through the toy factory and it's supply shipments. The rest of the group had to agree that idea was their best shot at the moment, but Aaron and Norman both suggested having other plans in place, should the primary one be thwarted for some reason.

“Well is everyone is 'bout that time.” Norman gestured to his watch. The group broke from their planning session and watched as Benny emptied Allison's bag prompting wide eyes from the men since it was that infamous taboo of going in a woman's purse. Allison chuckled at Benny whom grinned up at her brightly and opened up his hammerspace. The entire band was stunned into silence while they watched Benny slide Allison's belongings within him one by one and crawled into her bag closing it up behind himself.

Leonard broke free of Giovanni's arm leash and rushed over to the bag and peering inside “Benny how'd you do that!?” The man's eyes aglow with curiosity and excitement.

“Well the cut I have on my stomach I can treat like a pocket, and since I'm a toon a hammerspace pocket.” Benny chimed from the bag.

“Cool. So can you hide just about anything and pull out anything?” Leonard's face nearly buried in the bag. Allison once again grabbed the back of the mans shirt and pulled him away to give Benny some space.

“Well I can't fit any large items, that basket of Allison's is about my limit. I don't know how to pull out anything that isn't in the hammerspace already”  Benny sheepishly replied. Even for a toon he didn't know much about how toon logic worked.

Norman relieved Allison of her grip on Leonard, replacing it with his own and turned the young man to face him. “Boy you must love getting' the back o' yer shirt yanked, and do keep in min' that Benny 'ere is only a few days old. He ain't been 'round long enough t' know 'ow toon logic works cause there ain't no other toon t' teach 'em, and we ain't got the luxury to have 'em watch any cartoon's without someone seein' 'em.”

“Well...” Leonard squirmed in Norman's grasp “Actually we do.” Norman raised a brow at Leonard's comment prompting him to continue “Well see you have all those film reels that Sammy makes you play in the screen behind us while we play. Why don't you have Benny hang with you and have him watch the shorts that are being played behind us.”

'So you basically are planning on having a impromptu 'movie night'” Aaron spoke up, raising his brow.

“Exactly!” Leonard spun in Norman's grip to face Aaron, hi face beaming with excitement. “If he doesn't know much about what is it to be a toon then we show him the toon's that star here!”

“Well Benny has made it clear as day that he doesn't like Alice Angel much.” Allison joined in. It seemed that Benny didn't like the image of Alice using the voice some someone whom he cared for.

Leonard finally broke free of Norman's grip and hopped up in the desk, throwing his arms out as if greeting a crowd. “Then we show him Bendy! He is patterned after him so why have him learn from the best!” The man was over zealous about the idea despite the desk groaning under is weight.

“Boy git down from there, we ain't got time fer this. We'll figure it out later durin' lunch.” Norman tried to reach for Leonard in order for Giovanni to beat him to the punch. The bass player snatched Leonard by the collar of his shirt pulling him off the table. Giovanni looked at the struggling violinist and only said one word “March.” Giovanni turned towards the door while dragging Leonard right behind him, the violinist resigned to his fate.

The rest of the group all laughed at the ensnared violinist and Norman commented about how 'that boy is too energetic in the mornin''. One by one the band filed out of the room to head to the department to start the day. Each of them eagerly looking forward to finishing up the session as soon as possible to not only try and find a weakness in Joey's hold on the studio, but to also interact with their new friend.

------

Sammy was completely overjoyed at the quality of the performance the band was giving. Each instrument resonating off the other as they all played a joyous tune with Allison singing along side them. The recording staff all eagerly listening and swaying along to the beat. The recording session was successful yet again, Sammy quietly thanked whatever god was smiling down on him and his crew. With each recording that was on point meant less pressure from Joey and that was something Sammy could easily be grateful for. The only nuisance he had at present was the blasted pump controls that the GENT staff installed in his office, but if that was the price he had to pay to appease whatever was gracing his department, then he was fine with that.

Throughout the entire session Norman was playing all the respective reels that were required for each song as they came. Benny whom would normally would be with Allison, was encouraged to stay with Norman and watch the films as they were played. The toon enjoyed the scenes with Bendy and Boris, but scowled at any and all scenes with Alice. Since Allison wasn't with him and per Norman's encouragement, Benny once again tried his hand at dancing. He practiced all the while watching his 2D counterpart doing the same thing on the screen, imitating him as best he could.  However as soon as he heard Allison's voice coming through the speakers in the room he stopped dancing and sang alongside her. Norman smiled at watching the little devildoll singing to his hearts content, it was obvious that Benny enjoyed singing more then dancing.

The lunch break was kept simple with Norman locking the door to his projection room so He, Allison and Benny could eat in peace. Much to the dismay of Leonard who glued himself to the door wailing like a sick animal begging to be let in, till Earl and Edgar each grabbed an arm and dragged him away from the door.  Leonard initially protested at his removal, but upon remembering his promised 'movie night' he eagerly told the twins about the planned evening. The 3 young men all dashed off to gather the 'necessary materials' and to cause mischief and mayhem for another department, providing much relief for the older band members whom all separated to eat and socialize on their own. Once the break was over the band members reconvened at their respective instruments and Allison returned to her booth, leaving Benny to stay with Norman to continue watching the shorts.

Sammy called the session to an end after the second round of recordings and passed out the next round of music to the band, surprising them. Normally Sammy left them to their own devices in retrieving their respective sheet music, but the director was in a good mood and passed out the music personally and thanked them one by one for their efforts. With a skip in his step Sammy bid them a farewell for the evening and left.

When the band was completely certain that Sammy was gone and before Leonard got even one foot towards the projection booth where Benny was, Aaron's hand shot out and grabbed a hold of this shirt restraining him. “Don't even think about it.” The pianist firmly grasped the man. “Walk, not run.”

Aaron walked Leonard to the booth like a dog owner walking an over energetic puppy. Norman gladly opened up the door letting the duo inside. Earl and Edgar rushed up to the booth with snacks they had purchased during their lunch break eagerly looking forward to having a movie night with Benny. Benny thanked them profusely for the snacks they gave him, but kept messing up their names since they were identical twins. Giovanni brought spare chairs from the orchestra pit and set them up in the booth while Norman set up the desired film reels per Allison's request. Allison gave Benny his dinner so he could eat while watching the movie wanting to make sure that the snacks the twins brought wouldn't 'spoil his appetite'. The toon happily ate the dinner first so by the time Norman was done with his setup he could enjoy the snacks throughout the films.

Allison sat in the middle of the group with Benny on her lap so he could see, while the youngest members were sitting on the floor in front of her with Giovanni and Aaron behind her. Norman sat off to the side monitoring the projector and the audio that was being fed through the speaker. The group all either laughed or cheered at the antics of Bendy and his friends, from Bendy's failed attempt to scaring Boris, to Bendy using his face to 'roll' cookie dough, they all sat and enjoyed the little devil darling on the screen as well as their little devildoll amongst them. Whenever a dance solo from Bendy came on the screen Leonard, Edgar and Earl insisted on having Benny dance along side his 2D counterpart. Benny was too shy and simply turned them down saying he wasn't as good a dancer. The twins and Leonard vowed to get Benny to dance with them someday.

------- Tuesday through Friday-------

The group soon found themselves in a routine as the days crept by. They all would show up to work an hour early and join Benny for breakfast. Each member brought food of their own to not only eat for themselves, but to offer some to Benny for him to try. Benny learned that he liked pretty much any and all food brought to him, even the vegetables Giovanni brought. The man saying something about him needing to 'have a proper balanced diet' while shooting Edgar and Earl glares while they tried to hide their candy bars. Benny learned that apparently candy and chocolate is not a breakfast item. Allison herself couldn't help but wonder exactly how much Benny could eat in a single day since each and every band member, Norman, and herself would all bring food for Benny, and each and every time he would eat it all. Leonard joked about the toon having a 'bottomless pit of a stomach' which rewarded him getting smacked by Giovanni since Benny got embarrassed about having the internal hammerspace that spans the length of his stomach.

During the lunch breaks the group would split up and socialize throughout the studio. Giovanni would chat with Shawn and learned that much to the groups dismay, that after Tom had taken a rejected doll from the trash heap of Shawn's factory a few days ago, Joey came in hours later bellowing about the immediate disposal of any and all Bendy dolls that were defected. Not to mention the threat of a pay cut or no pay at all if there were any additional mistakes made during production, each and every doll, specifically Bendy, had to be perfect. The toy factory was no longer allowed to have a trash heap and instead had to keep the dolls within the factory.  While the Bendy plushes seemed to be the target of Joeys aggression, the Alice Angel plushes were becoming an increasing problem with lack of popularity, which at times resulted in them jamming up the belts when a doll would accidentally get snagged by the moving parts.

No matter how much Shawn complained about the Alice dolls there was no answer given, but if it was a Bendy doll, it was destroyed on the spot. Giovanni quickly vacated the room when he watched Shawn blow up on Joey, the mans Irish accent grew so thick that while he knew the irate Irishman was speaking English it was difficult to discern one word from another with the pace for which he was shouting the words. Just before Giovanni fled the factory he spotted a small pile of rejected Bendy dolls and saw that one little dolls looked exactly like a doll version of Benny, say for the stitches. He quickly ran over and stole the doll before it could be destroyed and pocketed it to give to Benny later. The bass player abandoned the factory and immediately retreated to relay the new information in regards to the factory's status. It was a bitter reminder that Benny wasn't supposed to exist and the hopes of using the Toy factory as an escape route dashed on the spot.

With the Toy factory out of the question, Earl and Edgar proposed the idea of having Benny dress like a small child and use Allison's make up to cover his face to get him out. That idea never even got near the runway to take off since Aaron bluntly pointed out that no children are allowed within the studio. Even more so with all the construction that GENT had been doing. The words didn't sway the twins much as the boys eagerly brought in their old childhood clothes the following day and tricked Benny into wearing each and every outfit they brought. To their surprise the clothes fit Benny perfectly say for the collar of the shirt since Benny's head floated above his body. They liked the outfits on him so much the twins agreed to let Benny keep their old clothes for when he did get out of the studio. So he could look like a normal human child and travel. Benny happily accepted the clothes and hid them within his hammerspace, but not before giving each twin a koala hug.  

Allison proposed the idea of sabotaging the ink machine parts so the deliveries would have to keep coming to try and complete it. If they could delay the completion till Sunday where there is little to no staff within the building, then they might be able to get him out with the crates and supplies that GENT transported throughout the studio. She offered that since she was smaller then Tom the lead GENT worker and her husband, she could sneak a spare pair of his work clothes so she could blend in with the staff and sneak Benny out. Allison didn't want to cause more stress to her husband, but she couldn't bring herself to trust him to help her since he couldn't be honest with her about Benny and the Ink machine.

With Allison's proposal being the last reasonable one on the table, with the younger members getting an occasional smack upside the head for stupid ideas, Aaron had taken to talk to Grant Cohen the financial advisor/accountant for the studio. While the man had no control over the comings and going within the studio he was a swath of information about the studios expenditures. The man would rant and rave about Joey's wild and overly expensive ideas, and Joey would tell the man to 'just make ends meet' even though there wasn't much of an end left. It was painfully obvious that the studio was in financial straits, and with the development of the ink machine it was running the place into the ground financially. Since Aaron was on good terms with Grant he would talk to him and lightly encourage him to make small cuts to security funding on the weekends, in particular Sunday since most of the studio didn't work on Sunday except the GENT team. After 2 days of chatting and coaxing, Grant finally agreed to cut the funding for Sunday thus lowering security and saving the studio some money. Joey would be none the wiser, and what he doesn't know, doesn't hurt him.

With Sunday set as a the best day to try and sneak Benny out since only the GENT team will be present within the studio and Grant's cuts to the security funding, the hardest part was sabotaging the ink machine parts while not getting caught. The more energetic members of the group, Earl, Edgar, and Leonard gladly volunteered for the role. One young man individually was trouble, getting all three together was an unholy union of high energy, youth, and mischief. The terrible trio ran throughout the studio and would 'accidentally' bust a pipe, hide tools or cause a GENT team member to slip up and break something. Tom more often then not, was hot on the trio's tail about their 'unwarranted horseplay'. Wally would try to sneak away from the disaster the trio would leave behind, but Tom would have none of that. Wally was often seen cleaning or fixing something all the while under Toms watchful glare. The lead GENT worker clearly having enough of the energetic band members antics, and the laziness of Wally.

Tom even got frustrated to a point and confronted Sammy about keeping his department members in line. Sammy whom had already had enough of the GENT team and the ins and outs of his department, in particular his office, blew up on Tom. Sammy refused to rein in his staff since they had been giving him repeated success after success in the recordings, and who was he to stop the groups fun? As far as Sammy was concerned, as long as his band performed perfectly on stage then he could care less what they do off stage. Tom was outraged at Sammy's blatant refusal to assist him, he didn't have the time nor the patience to be continuously working on the ink machine trying to finish it, especially when he had a threat lingering over his head. Both men shouted at each other at the tops of their lungs and had to be separated by staff for fear of a fight breaking out.

Norman bore witness to the entire confrontation between Tom and Sammy. He knew Tom had a underlying temper but had never seen it boil up in such a manner. There was a sense of desperation and frustration in the mans voice as his drowned out Sammy's. Norman couldn't say anything but watch the entire exchange and quickly disappeared while staff was separating the two bellowing men. He retreated and told Allison about what happened between her husband and Sammy and asked if she wanted to have the trio lighten up on the amount of sabotage they were conducting. His only response was a 'no'. They didn't have the luxury of waiting any more since the improved ink machine was installed and final preparations were being made, their window of opportunity wouldn't be open for much longer.

------- Saturday At the dressing room--------

Allison herself found a strange sense of distance growing between herself and her husband. She hardly saw him, even at home. Tom would leave for work before she woke up and would come home well after she went to bed. The only time she would see him is during the lunch break period, and that would be because she actively sought him out. During one of the couples quiet breaks together they had decided to spend it in Allison's dressing room. Allison had stepped out of the room to use the bathroom leaving Tom alone in her room.

Tom feeling completely famished decided to look for the lunch basket within Allison's bag that she was borrowing from him. He figured he could spare his wife the trouble of getting him his food when he could do it himself.  He already felt bad that he hadn't been able to enjoy breakfast and dinner with her at home and that she would go through the trouble to cook for him regardless. He wondered what he did to be blessed with a woman who stood by him, even when at times he felt he didn't deserve her kindness.

Benny could hear the conversation between Allison and someone named 'Tom' that he knew was someone special to her whom she called her 'husband'. What ever that meant. He knew she had stepped out for a moment to 'use the restroom'. The room for the most part was quiet till the bag suddenly started to shift and he knew full well Allison was not in the room, and panic set in fast. 'Oh No! No no no no!' He thought to himself as he listened to the clasps that kept the bag closed being undone. A pair of rough hands gently pried the flap of the bag open and a worn face looked down at him.

“what the?” The gruff looking man uttered as he looked at Benny. The man had tired brown eyes, dark brown hair that was matched by short facial hair and a mustache. Something about this mans face looked familiar to Benny, but at the moment it was the last thought on his mind. The toon remained still hope that the man would think he is a toy.

Tom reached into the bag wrapping his hands around Benny's sides lifting him out of the bag gently. Tom was utterly baffled. He had never seen a Bendy plush so large and that actually looked like he came out of the screen vs. a different iteration of the classic 'teddy bear design' except with a horned head. What really struck him as odd was the fact that this Bendy plush had yellow coloring, off model eyes and large black stitches that ran across the face and stomach. Tom turned the plushtoon over in his arms examining him, running his fingers over the stitches on his stomach and feeling the fabric that made up his body. Tom felt a hint of sadness hit him, this doll that was in Allison's bag reminded him of the little off model Bendy toon that Joey attacked and most likely killed. There was no way the little toon could have survived the blow and was most likely reduced to a puddle of ink somewhere in the studio. The resemblance between the doll and the deceased toon were unsettling and it felt like he was looking at a ghost from his past. Tom turned him over again and started to run his rough but warm fingers over the stitching on Benny's face, sorrow all over the mans features.

The longer he looked at the doll in his arms the more grim reality hit him, he helped bring a little creature to life and watched it get fatally injured and most likely died. He was now tasked with refining the accursed machine with the threat of his wife's life on the line so that another creature to be brought to life and possibly meet the same fate as it's predecessor. Tom's body shook with a growing anger and sadness that was warring within himself. He held a new born life for it to die, the one he cares about will die if he doesn't finish his job, and the next one will most likely die the same way as the first. Everything around Joey dies and that he has no choice to to provide the life that Joey has no qualms about removing. The arrogant director couldn't understand that life needs experience and that it won't have everything at the start, you have to teach it. Each and every time Joey will use the machine to bring something to life, that life will be cut short cause it will never be 'perfect' simply because LIFE ISN'T PERFECT. Tom realized that no matter how much convincing  or defending he would do, each and every toon created by the machine will be killed, and each and every time Joey will summon him to work on the machine. No matter how many times he tries he will fail, he is stuck in a loop of misery.

Tom brought Benny close to himself and hugged him, seeking some sort of comfort from what he viewed as a stuffed animal. The man's mental walls broke down and he quietly sobbed resting his head between Benny's horns. Benny was stunned by the turn of events, this man, something about him felt familiar. Benny searched his memories and had little luck till he decided to search his earliest, the ones that gave him such pain. He remembered a rough looking man cooing at him and petting him on his head. Then it all clicked together. This man was the one whom introduced him into this world, showing him such warmth and kindness. His protector from the crazed ax wielding man whom attacked him shortly thereafter. The overwhelming desire to comfort Tom overtook Benny, he wanted to comfort the man whom took care of him at the start of it all. Taking a huge risk, Benny slowly lifted an arm making sure the man holding him couldn't see him and gently rest it on his back rubbing it slowly. This prompted more quiet sobs from Tom, and Benny just continued to rub his back slowly.

Allison entered the room expecting to see Tom sitting and waiting for lunch, she didn't expect to see her husband crying while hugging Benny, let alone Benny rubbing his back. She was utterly baffled by what she was seeing. Tom was such a strong caring man whom would shoulder the world for someone, but to see his strong character break down, it broke her heart. She didn't know what all he was going through, but whatever it was had taken a toll on him. She quietly crept across the room and rested her hand on Tom's back relieving Benny of him comforting the distressed man. Tom seemed unaware of her presence even when she was comforting him “Honey? You ok?” She quietly asked him while rubbing his back.

Tom's sobs quieted down and Allison didn't say anything more while she waited for him to calm down. It took some time for Tom to compose himself and slowly let go of Benny, setting him on his lap. “Sorry you had to see that.” Tom straitened himself back up and looked at Allison with tired eyes.

“It's ok, you're probably just tired and stressed out” Allison warmly smiled at him.

Tom nodded and leaned back in the chair stretching as best he could. “So...what's for lunch?”

Allison looked immediately at Benny, with the toon in Tom's grasp he can't pull out the basket without Tom noticing. A little idea danced in her head and she wondering if Tom would fall for it, but it was worth a shot. “First you'll have to close your eyes” She winked at him.

Tom raised a brow but didn't question Allison's actions and complied to her command. Allison waved her hand in front of Tom's face making sure he couldn't see before nodding at Benny. The plushdemon carefully moved his arms to open up his hammerspace and pulled out the basket handle. Allison assisted him and removed it all the way, all the while Tom had his eyes closed and unaware as to what was going on in front of him. Both Allison and Benny were careful in their movements in the hopes that Tom didn't catch on, but once they were sure that everything was secure, Allison finally spoke up “Good, now open.”

Tom opened his eyes to see Allison holding out the lunch basket packed to the brim with food. A gentle smile graced Tom's tired face and he set Benny on the desk so he could start eating. The lunch between the couple was spent in silence. Allison simply sat next to Tom with her head resting in his shoulder leaning against him, her mere presence provided all the comfort and security Tom needed. He relaxed himself into the chair and quietly ate the food that had been provided, all the while occasionally glancing over at the doll that was laid against his wife's desk. Tom stared at the devildoll on the desk, it was so detailed and carefully made, not a single visible seam, nor blemish in the fabric, the entire body was almost like it was one solid piece of material. Now a little question burned in the back of his mind. Where did she get it?

“H-Honey?” Tom's soft words breaking the momentary bliss of the room. Allison hummed against him in acknowledgment. “Where did you get the Bendy plush? I mean he is very well made, he is too nicely done to have been made by our grouchy toy maker.” Tom chuckled at the mere thought of Shawn actually taking care in the toys he made. While the man was a professional, he did make the occasional mistake that resulted in a tirade from Joey. Though in recent weeks the man would deliberately make a mistake just to irk Joey.

Allison looked over at Benny whom was laying perfectly still, she could tell the toon was looking at her with a hint of nervousness in his eyes. “A coworker made him for me.” She wouldn't dare tell her husband that Benny came from the ink machine. “He was a gift for helping them out with a small project awhile back.”

Tom smiled at hearing her words. Allison had a lot of compassion when it came to people, and it was comforting to know that people showed their appreciation for her efforts, that she wasn't being taken advantage of. His smile disappeared when he saw Allison looking downwards towards the floor and had a small frown on her face “Honey you ok?” He gently nudged her with his shoulder.

“It's just with Joey acting strange lately I can't take him home, I have to hide him here.” Allison sighed leaning into her husband  “He is such a lovely gift and I can't enjoy him.”

Tom looked over at Benny then back at Allison. “Tell you what, my project is nearly complete. I have one more day to finish up and afterwards I can bring him home for you. Joey won't be bothering me after his project is done, and I'm sure I can bring your friend home then.” he hugged her gently. He didn't want such a lovely gift ruined by Joey. He only had to endure one more day of hell and he would be free.

Allison looked up at her husband and gave him the biggest smile she could muster, she lifted her hand up to Toms cheek leading him down to her and she kissed him. As she broke away she quietly whispered “Thank you Tom.”

Tom's words were music to Allison's ears. He would be able to easily get Benny out of the studio after Joey has been pacified. Her mind instantly thought of how she would introduce her husband to Benny properly and all the things they would do once they were together. Images of the three of them all together as a family floated through her mind.

Benny sat there watching the scene unfold before him and could see the pure joy on Allison's face when the Tom told her he would take Benny 'home'. From the conversation Benny had concluded that Tom and Allison lived together, and that he will be taken with them in a day's time. The toon could barely contain his own excitement at not only getting out of the studio and away from the man named 'Joey', but to also go to a place called 'home' with Allison. His trademark grin got a little wider at all the thoughts that danced through his head about how a world beyond the studio must be like. He could hardly wait.

Tom glanced at his watch and realized that the lunch period was nearly over and he had to go back to work. Allison cleaned up the remains of their lunches and waved Tom off as he left to resume his task. She turned back to Benny flashing him the brightest grin she could possibly muster and was met with an equal grin from the toon. Both were equally excited to finally see a light at the end of the tunnel and that their nightmare was nearly over. Benny eagerly inhaled his lunch before stuffing the basket back within himself and returned to Allison's bag, his grin bigger then ever as he peered out the bag at Allison. With a spring in her step, she nearly skipped and danced down the hall towards the music department. She couldn't wait to tell the band the good news.

Tom returned to the redesigned ink machine looking over the accursed mechanism. The contraption was far bigger and seemed intimidating compared to it's previous counterpart. Joey had taken to drawing strange patterns around and in the machine, much to Tom's dismay. He couldn't understand what the strange patterns were and Joey's only excuse was that they were for 'decorative purposes' and weren't anything to be wary of. The machine itself was ready, but needed to have a secure supply of ink. The constant pipe bursts and Wally's laziness was the only thing holding the machine back.  All of which were quick and easy fixes, but the sheer amount of bursts felt deliberate, but lacked proof or witnesses to whom was the culprit behind his delays. He could only hope that he would be able to secure enough pipe to go through with the activation of the machine tomorrow.

------ After recording------

With the recording once again successful and wrapped up for the day and Sammy nearly hopping down the halls with a beat to his step, the band all came out to play. Allison eagerly told them what Tom wanted to do once the machine was finished, and ironically it was scheduled to be completed on Sunday which is tomorrow. Norman immediately asked if Tom was aware of Benny and Allison told him no. Tom didn't seem to know that Benny was a living plushdemon and seemed to only think he was a gift after Allison told him that Benny was a present from a grateful coworker. The unholy trio Edgar, Leonard and Earl asked if they should cease their sabotaging the ink machine and they got a simple 'yes'. They needed the machine to be completed now since Tom was a oblivious participant in their getting Benny out of the studio. They were to cease their destruction immediately and if possible assist without being seen. If there was an pipe rupture or spill, repair it to the best of ones ability and clean up the mess. The sooner the machine is up and running, the sooner Benny is out of the studio. The band all cheered in excitement at the realization that Benny would finally be free of the hell hole studio and at a place where he belongs. Each member took up their instruments and played a lively tune while for grins Norman played some of the dancing scenes on the walls behind the band to help set the mood.

The band watched in amusement as Benny actually tried his hand at dancing properly. For grins, and use of toon logic, Benny gave off the appearance of him hoping in and out of the screen during the dance solo all the while mirroring his 2D counterpart, and at one point even looked like he was dancing with him as partners. Benny was simply elated at the reality of finally getting a place to call home rather then a crate at the bottom of a shelf. Singing was out of the question when he felt like dancing to show how truly overjoyed he was. The band, Allison and Norman all encouraging him as he dipped in and out of one musical number to another. The sense of relief, happiness, and belonging danced through the air strong and true.

Unbeknownst to the partying group there was a set of eyes staring dumbfounded at the scene before him. Sammy didn't seem to be at all aware of the band playing as his focus was dead locked on Benny, the toon had his back to the director all the while doing a simple little tap dance. Sammy had jokingly commented about how he felt that Bendy was blessing his department with the overwhelming success as of late, but he never thought that Bendy was physically in his department, let alone a real entity. The man stood there in complete shock until Benny finished up his dancing number and took a bow before walking away. The stunned musical director spun on his heel and burned rubber up the stairs and down the halls to Joey's office throwing the door open.

The sudden intrusion into Joey's office set the older man off, he frantically grasped at papers covered in strange circles and writings hiding them from view, all the the while shouting at his sudden intruder. “Mr. Lawrence! What on earth is your major malfunction now!?”

Sammy was winded from his mad dash to the office and struggled to catch his breath “S-Sir! It's-It's Bendy!” The musician rested his hands on his knees still struggling to subdue his gasping for air. Joey lifted a brow and rose from his chair, with cane in hand he cautiously approached the over excited musical director. “What about Bendy?”

“H-He's real! And he's in my department!!” Sammy looked up at him with a excited madness to his eyes “He was tap dancing in my department, hopping on and off the screen!”

Joey frowned at the description Sammy had given him. There was no way Bendy could hop off the screen, at least not yet. That meant that the abomination that he failed to eliminate thanks to the stubborn refusal  from Tom was still alive and in the studio, and seemingly in good health. Not only that, but it was playing within a department that only made music and had nothing to do with actually creating Bendy nor ink for it's needs. The music department was the last place he'd look for a freak of ink. Joey's frown soon slipped into a sly grin, which he quickly moved to his 'golden smile' and decided to exercise his 'silver tongue'.

“Why Sammy, you should feel blessed!” Joey helped Sammy to his feet properly and brushed off his shoulders. “Bendy has appeared to shower you with his blessings of success, your department has been nothing short of perfection these past few days, and you have Bendy the thank for that. Your dedication to your role of writing his music has pleased him, you should feel happy that our lord Bendy has ascended the lighter side of hell and now resides in your department.”

Joey's words sunk deep within Sammy, Bendy was a god who ascended from the depths of hell to shine light onto his life. His dedication and wishes had reached his lord and now he was getting everything he ever wanted. He was bathed in a wealth of success, respect and recognition, the very things he never had when starting out in his career. He was used to being the 'bottom dweller' and his only talent was writing music and playing instruments, but now that talent was being rewarded in the most spectacular way. Sammy's eyes were alight with a passionate flame of determination. “What should I do for him sir?”

With his trademark smile back on his face Joey looked Sammy dead in the eyes. “If you find him, bring our lord to me. He deserves a proper welcoming to our world.”

“Yes, nothing but the best for him.” Sammy whispered in agreement and turned on his heel to return to his department to find his lord.

Sammy finally out of earshot Joey burst into a boisterous laughter, he couldn't believe how things were falling into place. He now had Sammy out looking for the abomination for him and will present the failure to him so he can finish it off, and by the morrow he will have his ink machine and the real Bendy the dancing demon. Sure he had a few set backs at the start of the week with Tom's little stunt and the escapee freak of ink, but now none of that mattered. The older man returned to his desk and rested in his chair, his Grey eyes joyfully looking over the papers he had been studying earlier prior to Sammy's intrusion.

Joey by no sense of the word was a religious man, but when he found a strange book called 'The Illusion of Living' and how things can be brought to life with the use of mechanics and magic, everything had changed. A bit of magic here, a few sacrifices there and you have the conditions to make life, and what better way then to use them to bring cartoons to life? He was already well aware of his studio's short comings with the increasing difficulty in animations being completed on time, rising costs and labor, and the grim truth that with other studios introducing color film which his studio lacked, he was falling behind. If he could bring the characters to life then no matter what the other competitors did with their color films, it wouldn't top a real life toon.

He had all the necessary conditions and pieces, no all he has to do is wait til tomorrow when the machine will be complete and he will have his rise to glory.

--------Meanwhile Back at the Music Department------

Sammy made a mad dash back to his department to find that everything was closed up for the day. All the instruments were put away, the projectors were cleaned up and off, and not a trace of Bendy to be found. The director frowned at the fact that he missed his chance, but surely there will be more. As long as his band performed splendidly meeting the demon's needs, then he will reappear. He tried playing the recordings of the band and had the projector running to see if he could summon the demon, but no matter how many records he played, nor reels in the projector, not a single hint of Bendy was to be seen. The man frowned and started to clean up the records when he slipped on a puddle of ink, sending him crashing onto the floor spilling all the accumulated records. He cursed his rotten luck sitting up and spotted something that had his undivided attention. A lone Bendy cutout. It was a cardboard cutout that Joey had made up by the animation department and it sat in the far corner of the orchestra pit hidden by a stack of chairs.

Sammy got up and wandered to the cutout pulling it out of its hiding spot examining it, the thing looked exactly like the devil darling. Then a little idea crossed his mind, what if Bendy only came out when the cutout was present, but now that it was hidden he got upset. Sammy set the cutout in a corner at a vacant chair and went back to collect the fallen records. There weren't many cutout made and they were scattered throughout the studio. If he could gather all the current cutouts and use them to decorate the department and have the band playing with the shorts playing behind them, then surely that must appease Bendy. However that will have to wait for tomorrow since there was no way he could gather up all the needed cutouts after hours since much of the studio was put to bed for the day.

Tomorrow is another day.

[fallforcs]

Feel Again

Author: @thislassishooked

Summary: Killian had not been expecting to walk in on the blonde goddess dancing to very loud music in her knickers, but as he pounded on the door separating them, it flew open. After an awkward meeting, the two form an instant friendship, but what Killian feels for Emma is so much more. Can he convince her that they are meant to be, before fate steps in and tears them apart?

Rated: M for language and eventual smut

Betad by: @ilovemesomekillianjones​

Art by: @branlovesouat​

With a large pizza box balancing on his right hand and a fanny pack, which his brother insisted was the most efficient way to carry cash, Killian closed the door to his black Chevelle and proceeded to the building’s entrance. It was a large brick apartment building with four floors, and of course the bloody apartment he was looking for was on the fourth floor.

“Today is not my day,” he groaned as he eyed the out of order sign taped across the elevator. He knew this day was going to utterly suck when the usual delivery driver called in sick, and Killian was the only one with a free schedule after having finished prepping fresh toppings in the kitchen. One of the many “perks” of co-owning a pizza joint with Liam, Killian lamented.

As Killian reached the fourth floor, he could hear familiar music coming from the direction he was headed in. Sure enough, he arrived at apartment 413 and the source of the catchy tune. OneRepublic's Feel Again was playing loudly as Killian knocked on the door. After a moment he surmised that the occupant couldn’t hear over the music so he pounded on the door and gasped when the door flew open from the force. Killian would have been mortified by the accidental intrusion, but instead he fell into a sort of trance as he watched a beautiful siren dancing in a red lace bra and matching panties with what appeared to be an unbuttoned men’s shirt loosely hanging off her shoulders. She didn’t seem to notice him as she continued to dance and shake her hips. Her gorgeous blonde locks swayed as she carelessly spun in circles, eyes shut, giving Killian a view of all her assets. He tried to speak, but found that no words were coming to him. It was only when she bent down, her arse on full display that Killian knew if he didn’t get her attention soon, he was going to have a very noticeable reaction. He cleared his throat as loudly as he could, then flinched as he watched her freeze. She turned her head to peek over her shoulder and let out a surprised scream, then bolted to the room to his right. Killian was so startled that he lost control of the pizza and cursed as the box fell upside down on the floor.

“Hey!” he heard over the music. He looked to his right to spy her head popping out from the doorway. “Go over to the coffee table and hit pause on my phone,” she calmly instructed.

He did as he was told and suddenly felt very awkward in the heavy silence. He had to say something. “I’m terribly sorry lass. I had to knock loudly to get your attention over the music and the door, it just…”

“It’s fine,” she affirmed. “The latch is broken and I guess I forgot to lock the deadbolt.”

She stepped out of the room with the same shirt, now buttoned up and what he assumed were sleep shorts. Her face was flushed, probably matching his own beet red face.

“Do you always dance in your knickers after ordering a pizza?” he quipped, hoping to break the tension and praying that it didn’t backfire. The corner of her mouth lifted just a bit as well as an eyebrow.

“I didn’t order any pizza,” she stated while walking up to him. Killian’s stomach fell as he rechecked the order details.

“It says here that an order for a large carnivore was placed by one Ruby Lucas at 216 Queensbury Street, Apartment 413.” He held up the receipt and saw her nod of recognition then patiently watched as she quickly placed a call, holding her finger up as she held the phone to her ear.

“Ruby…” she started. “Yes, it just arrived. You could have said something, I was caught completely by surprise.” He noticed her blush deepen and couldn’t help the grin that grew as her conversation continued. “Wait, let me get this straight. You ordered a large pizza with enough meat to satisfy a pack of wolves and you’re not even going to make it home to eat any? What am I supposed to do with that much meat?” Killian could hear her friend giggling loudly, then watched as the blonde walked passed him to a drawer in the kitchen. “Yep, there’s definitely enough here,” she stated as she pulled out a wad of cash. Then she sighed exasperatedly and looked at him, eyes trailing up and down his form and stopping once their eyes connected. Killian never understood what people meant by butterflies in the stomach until this moment as they gazed at each other for what felt like hours. Finally blinking, she cleared her throat, uttered a quiet response to her friend and hung up.

“Everything alright, love?” he asked after a long stretch of silence.

“What? Yah, sorry, just have a lot on my mind. Ruby, my roommate, ordered the pizza then realized that she was staying at her boyfriend’s place tonight. Anyway, this should be enough to cover it and a tip.” She offered him a few bills, but he sat the pizza down on the counter and waved her off.

“Afraid I can’t accept that, love.”

“Why is that?” she asked indignantly.

“Well, you see…” Killian reached up to scratch behind his ear, “when you reacted to my presence I panicked and lost my grip on the box. I’m afraid it fell upside down and is probably a right mess.” The tension in her shoulders eased a bit as she eyed the box then him.

“There’s only one way to find out.” She reached for the lid and slowly lifted the cardboard to reveal exactly what Killian feared. Cheese and meat were stuck to the top with strings of gooey mozzarella leading down to an unidentifiable saucy mess. But the lovely woman to his right was not disgusted or angry, she was… laughing, hysterically. Killian found himself cracking up as well. Once they stifled their giggling, the blonde held out her hand to him. “I’m Emma.”

“Killian,” he greeted, taking her hand. Something passed between them at the contact. It was almost like electricity, and judging by her quick intake of breath, she felt it as well. She pulled her hand away and bit her bottom lip in contemplation. Killian began to back up to the door, not wanting to take his eyes off Emma, but felt it best to make a hasty exit. “You may want to have your super take a look at your latch soon, before something like this happens again, lass.” He turned to reach for the doorknob, when he heard her speak again.

“Killian?”

He turned to face her and could see she was nervously tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

“Would you like to stay and perhaps help me eat this giant meat fest?” She was biting her lip again and Killian breathed a sigh of relief. “That is, if you’re free. If you have other deliveries or somewhere else to be or perhaps a girlfriend or family to get back to then you should definitely go.” She spoke quickly and almost incoherently. “Sorry I tend to babble when I’m nervous,” she admitted sheepishly.

Killian stepped away from the door and took two long strides toward her, a goofy smile on his face that she readily returned “As luck would have it, Emma, I am completely free for the evening and would love nothing more than to assist you in consuming that bloody mess of a pizza… on one condition,” he said with a quirk of an eyebrow.

“And what would that be?” she asked breathily after a moment’s hesitation.

“I would like to know your full name, love”

“Swan. Emma Swan.”

“Swan.” He spoke softly as he lifted her hand, bowed his head, keeping eye contact and placed a light kiss on the back of her hand. She gasped at the intimate gesture. “Killian Jones, pizza connoisseur, fan of scantily dressed beauties and all around nice guy.” Emma chuckled at his ridiculous introduction and he decided that it was now his favorite sound.

“Yeah, about the scantily dressed dancing...” Killian’s eyebrows reached his hairline in anticipation. “It’s laundry day and this is literally the only clean clothing I have for the next,” she checked her phone, “twenty five minutes.”

“You’ll hear no complaints from me, Swan.” She was laughing again and Killian’s body was practically vibrating.

“I’ll grab some plates and something to scrape the toppings off the lid.”

Killian couldn’t believe his luck. Today was supposed to be a rotten day, but now he found himself having dinner with the loveliest woman he had ever set eyes on. He watched as she reached for the plates in the cupboard, exposing her toned, long legs.

“Beer?” she asked, snapping him out of his reverie.

“Aye, love, thank you,” he answered taking the offered plate and beer.

“So, what do you do when you’re not delivering pizza, Killian?” she asked as she used a spatula to remove the cheesy mess from the box lid.

“I actually never deliver pizza. My brother and I own Neverland Pizza and Pub. I was just finishing up prepping the toppings that we’d need for the evening when one of our drivers called in sick. Your roommate’s pizza was ready to go and the replacement driver wasn’t going to be there for at least ten minutes, so I begrudgingly offered to take it meself.” He took a long swig of his beer and settled in across from her at the kitchen island.

“Begrudgingly, huh?” she teased.

“Yes, well, most deliveries don’t end with me sharing a meal with a beautiful, half-naked woman.” He flashed her a philandering grin as a blush covered every inch of her exposed skin.

“Most?” she ribbed.

“None,” he corrected.

They continued to eat and learn about each other. He discovered that she was a criminal justice major at Boston University. He was also attending Boston University as a grad student in filmmaking. After graduation he wanted to get a crew of his own and finally make his documentary.

“Liam thinks it’s reckless and we have a good thing going with the restaurant, but making pizza and bartending is not my dream. Besides, I don’t really like people that much, aside from you lass.”

Emma gave a very unladylike, but adorable snort. “I can relate; not a people person myself. But your brother is right about one thing, you do have a good thing with the restaurant, this pizza is amazing.”

It was his turn to blush as he scratched behind his right ear bashfully.

“Why Neverland Pizza?” Emma asked.

“When my brother and I were younger we watched Peter Pan many times. Being in the system, it was every kid’s dream to be taken to an island full of other lost boys and girls. As we aged we realized Peter was a bit of an unpleasant brat, so we found ourselves rooting for Captain Hook. In the book Peter and Wendy he’s portrayed as an intellectual and a clever leader. I even found myself researching historical pirates and that was my focus as an undergrad history major.”

When he raised his head to look in her eyes, he saw something akin to sad recognition. Her eyes were wet with unshed tears.

“Have I said something to upset you Emma?” he asked tentatively.

“No, it’s just… we have a lot in common, but we can save that conversation for another time,” she assured as she dabbed her eyes with her sleeve.

Killian would let it go for now, with her promise of another time.

As the hours passed, they finished off the now cold pizza and beer, while discussing everything from movies to music to pastries. Emma loved bear claws and pop tarts, which Killian couldn’t help but make a face at. She playfully shoved him, but he caught her hand before she could retreat. The laughter died down and they just sat facing each other, gazes locked, until Emma’s phone buzzed and the moment was lost. She pulled her hand away and began cleaning up.

“I suppose it’s getting late,” Killian started, then nearly choked on his last gulp of beer when he saw that it was past midnight. They had been talking for six hours!

“Yeah, time flies when you’re…” she trailed off, unsure of her next words. Something had changed in her demeanor. She seemed suddenly distant and jumpy. Killian could sense that his presence may be making her uncomfortable.

“This was fun, Emma Swan, so, another time?” he asked recycling her words.

“Yeah, maybe. It’s really late and you should go.”

She led him to the door and taking the hint, he made his exit with a nearly whispered, “Goodnight Emma.”

“Goodnight Killian.”

As he made it back to his car, he wracked his brain wondering where he went wrong. He’d had a wonderful time and they’d had a comfortable conversation, which is really saying something considering the circumstances of their meeting. Running his hand through his hair and down his face, he let out a long, frustrated sigh and started up his car for the short drive home.

----------

Emma looked at her phone shortly after sending Killian on his way. Walsh had texted her again, a half assed apology that she had no intention of accepting. The text had startled her into awareness. She was enjoying the company of a strikingly handsome stranger with the bluest eyes she had ever laid eyes on, one who had seen her half naked! The dopey, shy smile he gave her had her walls crumbling faster than she was comfortable with. His raven black hair kept falling over his forehead and her fingers actually itched to swoop it back. It had only been a week since she’d discovered Walsh in their future apartment, with another woman in their would-be bed, and she was already flirting with a relative stranger? So naturally, she’d panicked and rushed the sexy delivery boy, strike that, man out the door, and immediately felt the loss. Sleep would not come easy to Emma, so she busied herself with discarding the empty pizza box and beer bottles and settled on the couch with Netflix and a fuzzy blanket.

“Okay, what is up with you lately?” Emma flinched at the question that her sister-in-law threw at her. “One minute you’re celebrating the end of your relationship with that scumbag Walsh, and the next you’re moping around the apartment asking if anyone wants pizza.” Mary Margaret was always annoyingly observant.

“I just…” Emma stumbled over her words, “realized that perhaps I didn’t take enough time to mourn the end of my relationship,” she lied. “I mean, I was with him for two years, Mary Margaret, maybe I could have been a better girlfriend.”

“Why are you blaming yourself for his mistakes? You were a great girlfriend, always cleaning up after him, suggesting fun things to do on weekends. He was a bad boyfriend. He never put any effort in, never took you anywhere. He was a bum Emma. You deserve better,” Mary Margaret affirmed.

The moment Mary Margaret said she deserved better, her mind immediately conjured up Killian’s handsome face and kind, blue eyes. She missed him and his stupidly sexy accent. And she probably fucked up any chance of speaking with him again after rudely rushing him out of her apartment.

“Hey, where’d you go just now?” Mary Margaret snapped her out of her thoughts.

“Nowhere, just thinking,” she deflected.

“Well, it’s time that we get to planning your birthday party.”

Emma laid a pillow over her face and groaned.

“This year MnM, can we just stay in, invite close friends, maybe play some games?”

Mary Margaret considered her for far longer than she was comfortable with.

“That’s an excellent idea. I’ll have David get the word out to the guys, we can move your couch off to the side, and we can set up the round card table that August has. And we can order tons of that pizza you can’t seem to get your mind off of.”

Mary Margaret continued to visualize where everything would go, and prattled on about decorations, but Emma’s traitorous mind went to Killian again. She hadn’t told anyone about him except Ruby, because she would never hear the end of it if she didn’t give more details about her encounter to her roommate. She wished he could be there, but after her behavior that night, she doubted he’d even want to talk to her.

----------

“Killian, will you please pull your head out of the clouds and help me with this order?” Liam grumbled. They had a full restaurant for lunch, plus a call in order of six large specialty pizzas that was meant to go out at seven, and Killian only had one thing on his mind. “Are you thinkin’ about that lass again? What was it... Emily?”

“Emma,” Killian quickly corrected.

“I know brother, how could I forget the object of your obsession.” Liam jabbed Killian playfully in the ribs.

“Oh, are we talking about Emma again?” Belle asked from the doorway into the kitchen.

Killian just huffed at his friend’s interest in the non subject. He clearly had no chance with her, she made that clear when she practically threw him out of her apartment two weeks ago.

“Killian, you know where she lives, just go over there and see what happens. This constant pining has to stop. You can’t even prep a proper pizza anymore.” Belle gestured to the scrambled mess of ingredients that sat atop his current creation. “You used to make it look like an artform, and now you just toss the toppings on and move on to the next one.”

“I have a lot on my mind Belle. Not everything is centered around pizza in my life. I have school to think about, next semester’s tuition, rent…”

“Emma,” Liam interjected. “Listen little brother…”

“That’s younger brother,” Killian corrected.

“Fine, younger brother, you have the weekend off, in fact you shouldn’t even be here. Go home, get gussied up and go out. If you’re unwilling to try to pursue anything with the Lady Emma, then get your arse out there and meet another lovely lass.”

Killian had no choice but to relent. He didn’t really feel like prepping pizzas all day anyway. He could go home and continue working on his final project for his Master’s degree. He had yet to perfect the storyboard. Going out and meeting someone was not an option in his opinion. He needed more time to get Emma out of his system.

“Alright, I’m leaving, satisfied?”

Both Liam and Belle gave him wide, cheesy grins and nodded.

Killian stepped into the hot shower and was flooded with images of Emma’s beautiful, nearly naked form dancing. He saw the swell of her perfect breasts when she spun to the music in her living room. The image of her immaculate hind quarters as she bent herself in half swirled in his mind. He had a problem, a very prominent problem that needed to be taken care of. So he sighed and turned the water to cold and thought only of her lovely smile and laugh. He wanted to hear it again. He wanted to banter with her and let her wit and charm wash over him. He wanted it and he was determined to try again with her. He finished his shower, dressed in his best outfit and went to grab his wallet which wasn’t in its usual place. He must have left it at Neverland, so he snagged his keys and headed back.

“Killian, welcome back, what are you doing here?” Robin asked as Killian walked in.

“Wallet, must have left it here,” he explained, breezing past the bartender.

“Order up for those six specialties!” Liam’s voice boomed from the kitchen.

Henry, the delivery boy for the evening retrieved them and read out the address just loud enough for Killian to hear. “216 Queensbury Street, Apartment 413. Okay, I’m off!”

“Hold up Henry.” Killian rushed to get his wallet and pulled out enough money to pay for the pizzas and a large tip for Henry. “I’ve got this one, lad,” he said with a wide grin.

“Awesome, thanks Killian!”

Killian couldn’t believe his luck. He had an actual excuse to see Emma again.

“Okay, what was that all about? I thought you were going out?” Belle asked.

Killian turned and placed his hand on the large stack of pizzas.

“These pizzas are going to Emma’s apartment,” he clarified with a bright grin and a wink.

“Don’t stay out too late,” Bell winked back.

Killian loaded the delivery into his car and raced to Emma’s, eager to see her again.

----------

“Emma, it’s a party, your party. At least try to smile?” Ruby begged.

Emma smiled wide for her friend. She really was being a bit of a downer. Why did Killian still have this affect on her two weeks later. She only spent six hours with the man. And now pizza from his restaurant was on its way and she knew his gorgeous face would not be greeting her at the door.

“Ruby, why did you order so much pizza? There’s only eight of us here?” David asked, flabbergasted.

“Because it’s the best damn pizza in town and I wanted to make sure everyone got their fill.”

“And because she’ll easily wolf down a whole pie on her own,” Victor added endearingly. Ruby nodded in agreement.

A moment later a knock came from the door and Emma asked Ruby to answer it.

Ruby strolled to the now fixed door and opened it wide to find a pair of legs, waist, and arms holding a stack of pizzas covering the upper half.

“Here, let me help you with that,” David offered. He took three of the boxes to reveal Killian’s face. Ruby instantly knew it had to be Emma’s mystery man and object of her affection.

“Are you Killian by chance?” she whispered closely.

“Aye.”

Ruby looked him up and down shamelessly, nodding her head. “Emma was right, you are the hottest pizza delivery boy, er, man on the planet.”

“Let me guess, that’s what she whispered into the phone after looking me over, quite like you just did,” Killian smirked.

Ruby just winked in reply.

“Ems, you should come say hi to our delivery boy,” Ruby called over her shoulder.

Emma huffed, but knew better than to ignore Ruby’s requests. She could be quite pushy. Emma got up from the couch that was pushed off to the side of the living room and made her way around the card table and then found herself momentarily frozen when her eyes met his. He’s here, at her door, delivering pizza again. Ruby took the remaining three boxes from him and invited him in. When Emma finally felt she was able to walk again without stumbling, she made the rest of the trek to meet him.

“I thought you said you didn’t deliver pizza,” she said breathlessly.

Killian reached behind his right ear to scratch what was probably a non-existent itch. He was clearly nervous. “I don’t, but when I heard the address these pizzas were heading to, I offered to take them myself. I wanted to see you again, Emma,” he said with a shy smile.

Emma couldn’t help her own shy smile. She also noticed that everyone was staring expectantly at them.

----------

God, she was even more beautiful than he remembered. And she appeared to be happy to see him. She grabbed his arm to drag him in the door so he could see everyone else in the apartment.

“Everyone, this is Killian. Killian this is Mary Margaret Nolan, my sister-in-law,” she said as a woman with dark hair, cut into a pixie style strolled up to him with a huge smile.

“It’s very nice to meet you Killian. This is the first time Emma has genuinely smiled all day, or maybe weeks.”

Emma visibly blushed at that and Killian found it adorable.

“It’s nice to meet you as well Mary Margaret, and to be honest, I haven’t found myself smiling much in weeks either.”

Emma bit her lip and smiled even wider at him.

“Okay, I’m confused, what exactly happened weeks ago that I know nothing about?” a tall man, with blond hair asked.

“Killian this is my brother David Nolan.”

Killian extended his hand to shake David’s hand, but he kept his arms crossed in front of him awaiting an explanation.

“David, don’t be rude. I’ll explain everything.”

David extended his hand then, but the handshake was a tad bit tighter than necessary. Killian figured he was very protective of his sister.

“Killian delivered a pizza to me two weeks ago that was meant for Ruby, but she was staying at Victor’s place, so he stayed and we talked for a while.”

Emma left out a few minor details for obvious reasons. She was blushing again, probably from the memory of the part she left out.

“That still doesn’t explain why you’ve been in state of mourning for the last two weeks. Did he do something to upset you?”

A pained expression passed over Emma’s face.

“No, it was all me. I panicked when I realized I felt so comfortable with Killian, who was practically a stranger. It wasn’t long after the Walsh incident, so I kind of kicked him out of the apartment, and I’m really sorry about that Killian,” she said turning to him.

Emma had a look on her face that told Killian she was worried he might be upset with her. “Love, it’s alright. I must admit I was very confused and worried that I had done something to offend you. You’re right, we are practically strangers to each other, but I’d very much like the opportunity to rectify that.”

She smiled and bit her lip again. “I’d like that.”

David seemed satisfied so Emma continued the introductions. He met Graham next, an Irishman with curly brown hair and eyes, and a smattering of scruff similar to his own. Ruby was striking with long brown hair and very red lips. Her boyfriend, Victor, was a weasley man, in appearance only, with terrible bleach blond hair. They were an odd pairing, but very affectionate toward each other. Elsa was also striking in a regal way, with light blonde hair and very blue eyes. He also learned that she was not attached to anyone at the party, and she was definitely Liam’s type. A plan started to form in his head. The last guest was August, a scruffy man with brown hair and eyes, who apparently loved to gamble. Killian would enjoy beating him at poker.

Everyone dug into the pizza and for a few moments the only sounds in the apartments were moans and chewing, but Killian tuned out everyone else but Emma. When she took her first bite, she closed her eyes and let out a sensual moan that sent desire coursing through him. He was sure he was falling for her and falling hard. He needed a distraction before his body reacted to her sounds of pleasure. That’s when he noticed there was a birthday banner hung across the living room wall and balloons everywhere.

“Who’s birthday are we celebrating?” he asked David.

“Emma’s, actually.”

Killian whipped his head back to Emma, who was working on a pretty big bite, and she just gave him a guilty shrug.

“Happy birthday, love. I suppose the pizza will have to do for now as your gift.”

“Oh shit, I never even offered to pay. How much do I owe you?” Ruby asked.

“It's already been taken care of, lass, you don’t owe me anything.”

“This much pizza must have cost a fortune!” Emma blurted out.

“It was worth the cost to see you again, love.”

Emma blushed at his words.

“So Killian, what do you do when you’re not delivering pizza?” David asked.

“I’m a film student at Boston University working on my master’s actually.”

“That’s impressive,” Mary Margaret piped in. “What kind of movies do you want to make?”

“Documentaries. I’m working on my final project right now which is a documentary about Black Sam Bellamy. I’m hoping to finish my storyboard by the end of the month and get some filming done before winter sets in.”

“Who’s Black Sam?” August asked.

Emma jumped in before Killian could answer. “He was a pirate captain during the Golden Age of Piracy. If I remember correctly he became the richest pirate in history. He’s also sometimes referred to as The Robin Hood of the Seas, and he never killed his captives except in self defense.”

She looked to Killian for confirmation and he was so impressed that it took him a moment to respond.

“Aye, that was all correct. Emma you’re amazing, how do you know all of that, love?”

Emma blushed as she explained. “I’m kind of, really into pirates, ever since I was a little girl. I used to pretend I was Anne Bonny, sailing with Calico Jack on the Kingston. You have to have an active imagination when you grow up alone in the system.”

This woman would never cease to amaze him. Whoever this Walsh character was, he was a right git for letting her go. He understood now why she looked so sad when he regaled his story about him and Liam being orphaned.

“How about a game?” Mary Margaret chimed in.

Everyone agreed on charades, and by the end, Killian’s sides hurt from laughing so much. When Emma suggested poker, there were some obvious groans. Killian realized after three rounds of Emma winning that she was the reason. She had an uncanny talent for detecting lies. However, Killian got the best of her the next three rounds, turning on so much charm, that he threw her off her game.

Later, Emma and Killian lounged on the couch, making each other laugh, both a little tipsy, when he blurted out something he instantly regretted.

“You’re so amazing, how could anyone not love you.”

He only meant it to be a compliment, but he knew the second the words left his mouth, that it was a poor choice of words. Emma’s face fell and his heart hurt so much for her.

“I’m so sorry, love. That was a stupid thing to say.”

He waited on bated breath for her to say something. He feared she would shut him out for his callousness, but she continued to surprise him. He watched her face morph into something resembling resolution.

“You’re damn right, I am amazing.”

He let out a relieved sigh and she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

“Thank you Killian, for making me feel wanted. You’re pretty amazing too. I hope you know that.”

God, if she knew how much he wanted her, she’d probably slap him. He had no words so instead he gave her an appreciative smile. Elsa came over at that moment to flop into the armchair next to them.

“So Killian, Emma said you co-own Neverland Pizza with your brother?”

“Aye, Liam, he’s an insufferable know-it-all, as stubborn as they come,” Killian said with a smirk. He was only half serious.

“He sounds charming,” Elsa laughed out.

“That he is lass. He practically raised me. As soon as he turned 18, he filed for guardianship to get me out of the orphanage. He worked twelve hour days at the docks to support us while I finished school. When I graduated and moved here on scholarship, he joined the British Royal Navy for a few years, even rising to the rank of Captain,” he said with pride.

“How on earth did you two end up owning a restaurant?”

“After I earned my bachelor’s degree, he left the Navy to join me in the states. I was giving him a tour of the city when we walked past the vacant building and Liam started telling me all the potential it had. We knew we wanted to make it a bar, but it also had a large kitchen and dining area so we researched surrounding restaurants, found there was a lack of pizza and the decision was made. We combined our savings to pay the deposit and did the renovation ourselves, with the help of some good friends.”

“Wow, I’m impressed. I should really stop by to see the place.”

Killian remembered that Halloween was coming up soon, which meant the night of the annual Neverland costume party.

“Why don’t you all come on Halloween, we host a party every year. We even hire temp workers so the employees get to join in on the fun.”

“Ooh, that sounds like fun. Do you dress up?” Ruby asked.

“Costumes are not required, but definitely encouraged.”

“What do you dress as?” Emma asked him sleepily.

“Sorry Swan, that’s for me to know and you to find out. Will you come?” he asked hopefully.

“How could I say no to that face? Of course I’ll be there.”

“Count us in,” Ruby said, gesturing between Victor and herself.

“Us too,” David said.

Eventually everyone had agreed to come after they checked their schedules. By this time, Emma had fallen asleep leaning against him. Everyone started trickling out except David and Mary Margaret. Ruby had decided to stay with Victor for the night. Emma’s head started to slide further down his side so he grabbed a pillow and settled her head in his lap. He wasn’t sure if he should get up or let her sleep. She looked so peaceful.

“You’re probably stuck for the night. Emma is a hardcore insomniac. If you move she may wake up and will probably not be very happy with you,” David told him.

“Aye, thanks for the advice. If you wouldn’t mind getting a blanket for her and turning out the lights when you leave, I believe I’ll be just fine.”

David nodded and started to head in the direction of Emma’s bedroom when he paused to tell Killian something.

“You’re good for her. She’s had a rough life, been let down and betrayed too many times. She doesn’t trust easily or open up to many people, but she seems to trust you. And I honestly have never seen her happier than she was tonight. Just… be patient with her. Don’t move too quickly.”

“Aye, mate, I understand,” Killian said appreciatively.

David nodded again then moved to grab her favorite fuzzy blanket. The couple bid Killian goodnight, turning off the lights as they left, shrouding him and Emma in darkness. He settled in, happy to be with the woman who had stolen his heart.

----------

There was light shining against her closed eyes, threatening her sleepy state. She was so comfortable and desperately didn’t want to get up. Wait, why is there light in my room, she thought, there were blinds in her bedroom, after all. She opened her eyes and realized she was on her couch in her living room. She heard soft snores coming from above her so she rolled onto her back and was greeted with a glorious sight. Killian had his head tipped back against the top of the couch, one arm propped on the arm of the couch, and the other was resting on her stomach. Her head was resting in his lap, thankfully with a pillow between them. She must have fallen asleep on him and he stayed like this all night so that she could get the most restful nights sleep she had had in months. Her heart fluttered at the thought. She took a few minutes to study him, not wanting to wake him just yet because the sight of him sleeping was gorgeous. A swoop of his hair was resting on his forehead and it was adorable. His mouth was parted slightly and she longed to find out if his lips were as soft as they looked. She itched to rub her hand against his scruffy cheek.  A soft hum escaped her which was enough to stir him awake. Suddenly she was feeling very self conscious. Her hair and make-up were probably a mess. He lifted his head, rubbed his neck and then smiled down at her.

“Hello, beautiful,” he said with a gravelly voice.

Emma felt her face warm at the endearment. Her eyeliner and mascara had probably given her racoon eye and the first thing he said was that she’s beautiful. She felt a swell of affection for him.

“Good morning, handsome.” His smile grew at her words. “I’m sorry if your neck hurts, that must not have been very comfortable.”

“On the contrary, love, I slept like a rock. It must have something to do with the lovely woman sleeping in my lap.”

She giggled, then decided it was probably time to give his lap a break and rose from her position.

“Would you like some breakfast, or do you need to be somewhere?”

“I would love to have breakfast with you, Emma. As it turns out, I have nowhere to be all day,” he replied, still smiling.

She didn’t move to get up though, finding herself lost in his too blue eyes. He gazed back, seemingly content with their little staring contest. It should have felt uncomfortable or weird, but with him, she could do this for hours. Finally blinking herself out of her trance she rose from the couch and offered her hand to help him up.

“I’m going to brush my teeth first. I have some new toothbrushes if you’d like to as well.”

“That would be lovely, thank you.”

They brushed their teeth together, then Emma had a laugh over Killian trying without success to get the hair at the back of his head to fall correctly. He had incurable bed, or in this case, couch head. He eventually gave up with an exasperated sigh and they made their way into the kitchen. They worked in tandem to prepare the food, Killian tending to the bacon and eggs while Emma flipped pancakes. Every once in a while they would flash smiles at each other. It was so domestic and Emma was surprisingly okay with that. She still feared the panic would set in and she’d need to distance herself from him, but for now she wanted to embrace it while she could.

“Would you like to spend the day with me Killian?” she asked boldly while nibbling on some bacon. Killian looked pleasantly surprised at her request. “I mean after we both have freshened up. That hair of yours isn’t going to go back to being perfect until you’ve showered.”

“Why Swan, you think I have perfect hair?” he asked with a raise of one eyebrow.

His demeanor practically oozed sex and Emma was tempted to reach over the table and smash her mouth to his. Instead she laughed off the question.

“Please, you know you do.”

He gave her a cheeky grin. “I would be happy to accept your invitation on one condition.”

“And what’s that?”

“You let me plan the day.”

Emma paused at his request. It sounded too much like a date and she was not ready for that. But she desperately wanted to spend more time with him. She probably hesitated a bit too long because she could see his face fall.

“Agreed,” Emma blurted out. Killian’s face lit up instantly. They finished eating, cleaned up together and then Emma saw Killian to the door. “So what are we doing today?”

“It’s a surprise, although I will advise you to dress in something warm, it’ll get a bit windy, love.”

“Okay, you’ve piqued my interest. What time should I be ready?”

“Give me two hours.”

“I’ll be ready, but Killian, this isn’t a date, right?” she asked anxiously.

“No love, this is us spending the day together.” He leaned in closer to add, “When it’s a date you’ll know it.” He winked at her and bid her farewell; and Emma was left breathless.

Emma stood at her closet door, staring into the mirror that was attached, for what seemed like hours. She had tried on several outfits, finally settling on an oversized purple sweater and dark blue skinny jeans. She’d been trying to guess where he was taking her, but kept coming up empty. The knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts.

Killian greeted her with a huge toothy grin. “Are you ready for our adventure today, love?”

“Since you refuse to clue me in, I’m not sure. Do I look ready?”

He raked his eyes over her form before replying, “You look perfect.”

She could say the same thing about him. He was looking sinful in a dark blue Henley and dark, tight, but not too tight, jeans.

He held out his hand to her. “Shall we?”

She grabbed her bag and allowed him to lead her down the stairs to his car. God, he even drove a sexy car. Killian was serenading her as he sang along with the radio, and of course his singing voice was amazing. She realized they were heading toward the water and her excitement grew as Killian turned into the parking lot of the harbor.

“Sailing?” she asked hopefully.

“Aye, I want to introduce you to the other love in my life.”

Was he being flippant, or did he just admit to being in love with her? Why wasn’t she running? That idea would scare the shit out of her if it came from anyone else. She filed that thought away for now, not wanting it to ruin what was already a fantastic day.

They were making their way down the dock when he stopped in front of a beautiful sailboat. The hull of the boat was painted a rich blue-gray with dark walnut trim running along the edge of the vessel. It was about 30 feet long with an actual wheel at the helm. It didn’t fit in with all of the pristine white boats surrounding it, but it had character. Someone popped his head out from below deck and smiled as he made his way up the stairs and down the gangway.

“She’s all ready for you, little brother.”

Emma could hear Killian mumble something about younger brother, and she got the idea that this was not a one-time thing with them.

“Emma, I would like you to meet my older brother, Liam. Liam this is Emma.”

“It is a great pleasure to finally meet the famous Emma,” he said as he extended his hand. Liam was a bit taller and broader than Killian, with curly, light brown hair. His eyes were the most familial trait, a perfect match to Killian’s.

“Likewise,” she said as she took his hand.

“Alright, I’m off, you two enjoy yourselves. I don’t have to remind you to behave, do I Killy?” Killian’s ears turned red. Liam patted Killian on the back and briskly walked back to land.

“Killy?” Emma snickered into his ear.

“Okay, let’s just pretend that never happened,” he said as he scratched behind his ear. He took her hand and lead her up the gangway. “Welcome to the Rolly Joger!” Emma’s snickers got louder. “Bloody hell, I mean the Jolly Roger.”

“Jolly Roger, huh, does that mean I have to call you Captain Hook?” she asked with a smirk.

“You can call me anything you like, love,” he replied with a raised eyebrow.

“Okay, Captain, just don’t call me Smee and we have a deal.”

Killian cringed at the thought. After giving her a quick sailing lesson so that she could help out when needed, they launched The Jolly out to sea. “Let’s sail away, love,” Killian said as he navigated his way through the mass of other boats.

Emma watched him at the helm, his crystal blue eyes sweeping over his surroundings. The wind kicked up, making his raven hair wave from the invisible force. It was a perfect fall day, not a cloud in the sky. As they got further out to sea, Killian’s demeanor relaxed.

“Come here, Swan,” he said, holding his hand out to her. She took it and let him place her hands on the handles of the wheel. She could feel him pressed against her back and her body shuddered from the contact.

----------

Killian was in awe of Emma as she handled the Jolly with flawless precision. The wind was whipping through her golden tresses which occasionally hit him in the face, giving him a chance to take in her scent of apples and cinnamon. She smelled like a scrumptious apple pie. He stepped back to admire her form, leaning against the mizzen mast.

“Why do I get the feeling I’m being watched?” Emma asked knowingly.

“I’m just admiring the way you handle my boat.” He stepped around her and leaned against some railing so that he could see her face. Her jade eyes sparkled in the sun. She smiled at him, but said nothing. “Emma, I was hoping I could ask you something? Something about your past.” Emma stiffened a little at the question, but nodded her consent. Killian breathed a sigh of relief. “You shared that you grew up in the system, yet David is your brother. How did that familial connection happen exactly?”

“When I was 15, I ran away from my group home and decided living on the streets was safer than returning. I had to steal to eat and one day David caught me attempting to stuff poptarts in my jacket. When I noticed he had seen me do it, I dropped the poptarts and ran out of the store. He followed me and eventually caught up to me. I didn’t make it easy for him though. He asked me why I was stealing and, for some reason, I told him the truth. I’ve never trusted people easily, especially back then, but something in David’s eyes comforted me.”

Killian could see that. Everything about the man screamed honorable.

“He asked me if I wanted a hot meal. I just stood in stunned silence as he told me that he had just moved out of his mother’s house, so I could sleep in a bed as well. I was so hungry and it was freezing at night, so I allowed this strange man to lead me to his truck and drive me to his mother’s house and feed me. It turned out to be the best decision I ever made. Ruth was so kind and a really good cook. She didn’t smother me at all, said I could stay as long as I liked. So I did.”

“So the lost girl found her home at last.”

“That she did. Ruth, David, and Mary Margaret have always been there for me, even through my darkest hours. But that’s a tale for another day,” she said wiping at her slightly damp eyes.

An hour later Killian retrieved the food and drinks that Liam had left for them and they enjoyed sandwiches, picnic style on the deck of the Jolly. When the sun started to lower behind the Boston skyline, they packed away the food and Killian guided them back to the docks. He despaired having to drive her home and say goodbye, knowing that he wouldn’t see her again until the party, but he would be happy with whatever time he got with her. Emma had classes all week, and a job at the University’s police station. He’d be pretty busy as well, completing his storyboard and renting some equipment. He already had a full crew signed on to his final project.

“So, until Saturday?” Emma asked wistfully.

“Until Saturday,” Killian confirmed with a kiss to her hand.

“Goodnight, Captain,” she said with a blush.

He smiled, despite his inner turmoil. “Goodnight.”

----------

Emma had been a nervous wreck all week. She spent way more time visiting costume shops than she should have, not finding anything.

“Oh, my God Ems, I found it!” she heard Ruby scream in another aisle. “It’s at Neverland Pizza, right?”

That piqued her interest. “Yes,” she confirmed cautiously

“Eep, that is perfect!” Elsa piped in.

Emma had to see what all the fuss was about. “I am not going as a sexy pirate,” she stated as she rounded the corner.

“Nope, you’re going as a sexy Tinkerbell,” Ruby said, handing her the bag.

It really was kind of perfect. And it wasn’t too risque. David would probably be watching every man there like a hawk. She tried it on and her friends would not take no for an answer. Not that she would have said no in the first place.

“Killian Jones is a dead man,” Ruby said, eyeing her up and down.

“Yeah, cause David’s gonna murder him,” Emma quipped.

“Not before you stop his heart with that outfit,” Elsa added.

Emma blushed and finally felt the tension in her release. Tomorrow night she was going to leave Killian Jones speechless for the first time since she’d known him.

“Rubes, come on, we’re gonna be late!” Emma called from the door.

“Don’t have a fit, I’m ready,” she said exiting her room in a sexy red riding hood costume.

“Is Victor going as the big bad wolf?”

“Are you kidding? His name is Victor and he’s a doctor. Apparently, he dresses as Dr. Frankenstein every year. He’s held up at the hospital until 9, but I can’t wait to see it.”

“Alright, let’s go, she-wolf. We’re meeting everyone else at the restaurant.”

Emma took one last look at herself and gave a confident nod. They jumped into their Uber and the nerves from excitement were making her a bit queasy. She didn’t know what this was between her and Killian, but she knew that it was something big. As they pulled up they saw the rest of their party, minus one mad scientist. Mary Margaret was dressed as a modestly sexy Snow White, if that’s a thing. David, however, refused to dress as Prince Charming, but he did make a pretty cool Arthurian Knight. Graham was dressed as a cop, because he had just finished his shift. August was a cowboy of all things, but looked like he could fit in with the James Gang. Elsa was vision, dressed as the blue fairy in a shiny dress that screamed regal.

“Emma, you look amazing!” Mary Margaret squealed. David did not share her enthusiasm.

“Thanks, let’s get inside. I can’t wait to see what mystery costume Killian is wearing.”

They gave their names at the door and were immediately led into a freaking jungle. The place was made to look like Neverland at night. The ceiling resembled a canopy and the walls were covered in fake greenery.

“Emma, you made it,” said Liam from the bar. He was dressed as Peter Pan minus the dorky hat.

“Very appropriate for tonight,” she said, nodding at his costume.

“As are you, Tinkerbell. If you like this, you’re really gonna get a kick out of Killian’s.”

“I can’t wait. Guys,” she said waving her friends over, “this is Liam, Killian’s brother and co-owner of this fine establishment.”

“Why thank you, Emma.”

“Liam, this is everybody.” She introduced everyone to Liam, but when he greeted Elsa, he momentarily lost his voice. She seemed as affected as him, and the two were left to talk.

Emma was searching the crowd when a pretty brunette wearing a gorgeous medieval dress approached her enthusiastically. “Ooh, you must be Emma.”

“That’s right. I take it Killian talks about me?”

“More like, thinks about you... really loudly. But he didn’t fail to describe your beauty, as he puts it. His description was pretty spot on. I’m Belle, by the way, I work in the kitchen with him.”

“It’s nice to meet you Belle,” she said shaking her hand. “I don’t mean to be rude, but…”

“You want to see Killian,” Belle interrupted with a knowing smile.

“Yeah, I’m dying to see his costume.”

“I happen to know Killian feels the same way. And when he does see you, remind him to breathe.” Emma blushed at the praise. “He’s right over there,” she said pointing behind Emma, “in the long black jacket, currently comparing his cutlass with Robin’s bow.

Confused, Emma turned. Killian had his back to her and was indeed joking with Robin Hood. Then she saw him raise his left hand in an exaggerated gesture and spotted the shiny, silver hook. He was dressed as Captain Hook, an extremely sexy Captain Hook. She noticed him stiffen and he must have sensed her staring at him because he turned then, and holy God, he was glorious! He was clad entirely in black leather. The trousers were deliciously tight against his powerful legs. His vest only covered his abdomen, exposing a smattering of sexy chest hair. When did I become a fan of chest hair? But it was the look on his face that had her hot and bothered. At first it was shock, but then his eyes darkened as they raked up and down her scantily clad body, and the shock morphed into lust.

----------

The vision before him had him instantly feeling tighter in his trousers. He moved his eyes up her long, slender legs, particularly enjoying the intermittent sections of her creamy, smooth thighs on display. The pixie dress was low cut, exposing a fair amount of cleavage. He had seen more of her on the day they had met, but he hadn’t known her then. He sauntered up to her, trying his best to keep his composure.

“You look stunning, Swan.” He delighted in the pretty pink blush that spread from the apple of her cheeks all the way down to the swell of her breasts.

“Thank you, you look…”

“I know,” he interrupted with a smirk.

She laughed at his self confidence.

“So, this is the mysterious Emma,” Robin said, coming up from behind Killian. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, milady, I’m Robin Lockhart and that lovely creature behind the bar, micromanaging, is my wife Regina. We manage the bar, apparently even on our days off.”

“The Pleasure is all mine, Robin Hood,” Emma giggled, extending her hand. Robin took it and promptly placed a kiss on her knuckles.

“All right, Rob, maybe you should go give your wife a hand, or at least distract her so she doesn’t drive the temp workers completely crazy.”

“Will do, boss,” he said with a flourish.

“Do all British men greet women with a kiss to the hand? And that’s another thing, why are you all British? Did you all come to the states together or something?”

Killian took her hand and led her to a quieter corner of the building. “We all met at B.U. There was a foreign student club that I stumbled into one afternoon, my Freshman year, and we just kind of hit it off. Robin and I became roommates the next year and Will joined our dorm shortly thereafter. I’m sure you’ll meet him tonight, he’s the one who follows Belle around like a puppy dog. Belle is actually Australian and Regina is a Yank.”

“A Yank, is that what you would call me?” she asked teasingly

Killian leaned down so that his mouth nearly grazed the shell of her ear. “I would call you the most beautiful and sexy pixie in all the land.” He was beginning to believe that her blush may be permanent for the evening. Suddenly the music slowed and Killian seized the moment to hold Emma in his arms. “Care to dance, love?” he asked, his hand extended.

“I don’t know how.”

“Have you forgotten, Swan? I’ve seen you dance and you’re quite good.” He cocked his eyebrow at her, eliciting a chuckle.

“That was different, I was just moving to the music. I’ve never slow danced before.”

“There’s only one rule,” he said, leading her onto the dance floor. “Pick a partner who knows what he’s doing.” He guided her hand up around his neck, the other following the same path. He slid his hand and hook slowly down her sides until they rested on her hips. He used the tiniest amount of pressure to encourage her to sway them as he set a slow and intimate pace. His eyes locked on hers, everyone else on the crowded dance floor seemed to disappear. She let her head fall to his shoulder as she let out a contented sigh. He never wanted this moment to end.

Just as the music started to pick back up again, he had an idea. They had set up a photo shoot with a large backdrop that featured the Jolly Roger from the cartoon.

“What better way to immortalize your first slow dance with a pirate than a photograph,” he quipped. Before she could protest, he literally swept her off her feet. Supporting her back with his hand and her legs with his hooked arm, she giggled furiously in his grasp.

“Alright you two, smile big for the camera.” Emma did as instructed, but Killian couldn’t take his eyes off of the angel in his arms. He knew in that moment that Emma Swan was the love of his life. Now, he just needed to convince her that he was hers.

As the party wound down, guests started to trickle out. Killian had convinced Emma to dance with him during every slow song, but he could see that she was tired when she yawned against him during their last dance. He desperately didn’t want to say goodnight, but the night was coming to a close. He made sure to bid farewell to all of her friends before turning his attention solely to her.

“I had a wonderful time tonight, Killian. You really know how to throw a party,” she said with a sleepy smile.

“It certainly was a night to remember, love. Sweet dreams.” He brushed his lips lightly across her knuckles and witnessed goosebumps rise along her arm.

“Goodnight, Captain,” she breathed.

Killian longingly watched her pile into an Uber.

“Hell of a woman,” Liam slapped him on the shoulder.

“Yes she is.”

----------

After Halloween, Emma didn’t see much of Killian because he had to use his weekends to start shooting his documentary. They talked every evening, sometimes pushing past midnight. She missed him so much. He had become her best friend and secretly so much more, but she wasn’t ready to admit that yet. The entire group spent Thanksgiving at Neverland, becoming fast friends. Liam and Elsa had started dating, and thankfully Killian was finished filming for the year. During their short break he would come over to her apartment and they would cuddle on the couch, bingeing on Netflix. Then one night, Killian asked her about Walsh. She told him everything without hesitation.

“Honestly, I don’t know why I was with him. I guess I was searching for normalcy, and Walsh was as normal as they came. He was a safe choice, that is until he wasn’t. He didn’t break my heart though, because I never truly gave it to him. After my first relationship ended so badly, I figured I’d never be able to give it to anyone else again.”

“Do you still feel that way?” he asked hopefully.

“No,” Emma breathed. “I don’t.”

Killian smiled, but didn’t push the subject anymore. She was worried he was going to ask about Neal, but the question never came. She was so grateful that he understood she wasn’t ready to share that sad tale yet.

The first few weeks of December were hectic while they studied for finals. Killian would still come over as often as he could, but the t.v. stayed off while they studied silently. After finals, Emma picked up extra hours at the police station so she could afford gifts. Unlike Thanksgiving, everyone would be separating to visit family. Elsa wanted Liam to meet her family, so Emma and Killian decided to have their own little Christmas. They spent Christmas eve at his home since he had a fireplace and he’d decorated the place to look like the North Pole.

----------

Killian couldn’t be happier, watching the fire burn with Emma in his arms. He loved her so much. He knew she cared for him as well, and he was a patient man, he would wait forever for her. Suddenly she spoke, and what she was saying surprised him.

“I was 17 when I met Neal. I was happy, living with Ruth and things were going well in my life. She had officially adopted me, and I was truly happy for the first time in my life. He seemed perfect, a few years older than me. Ruth didn’t like him at all, so we had to sneak around to see each other. My teenage heart fell hard and fast for him. One day he asked me to run away with him. I adamantly refused, but then he told me he was wanted for robbery. He had to leave the state. I was torn and also foolish.”

A tear slipped down Emma’s cheek and Killian used his thumb to dry the others threatening to fall.

“I agreed to grab a bag out of a locker for him, only to find out that it contained stolen watches. He placed one of the watches on my wrist and told me he loved me, and that’s when I decided that I would leave with him. But when I got to our usual meeting spot, all packed to leave, the only person that greeted me was a cop.”

“He set you up?” Killian asked, stunned. She nodded her head.

“The judge took pity on me, and since I was still a minor I was placed under house arrest for two months, only being allowed to leave for school. The hardest part was seeing the disappointment on David and Ruth’s faces. It took time, but I eventually earned back their trust.”

Now Killian understood everything. Her unwillingness to trust, David’s overprotective big brother act. She had her life nearly ruined and her heart broken all at once. It was the worst kind of betrayal. Yet he had come into her life so suddenly and she had let him. It was apparent to him now more than ever, that they were truly meant to be. He was going to prove it to her, no matter how long it took.

“Neal was a fool. When I win your heart, Emma, and I will win it, it won’t be because of any trickery, it will be because you want me.”

Emma gasped at his words. She looked at him with awe and what he hoped were similar feelings. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his. He responded instantly, moving slowly and cautiously. Her lips were silky and slightly salty from tears. It wasn’t how he imagined their first kiss, but it was perfect all the same. “I know,” she whispered against his mouth before pulling away. He held her until she fell asleep. He shifted them carefully so that his back was to the couch, and she was cradled against him. He wished he could end every night with her in his arms.

It would be weeks before Emma would kiss him again. She had to work on New Year’s Eve so he missed that golden opportunity. She understandably was not a fan of Valentine’s Day, so he treated it like any other day, until midnight when he handed her a single red rose on his way out the door and murmured, “Happy February 15th, love.” She unexpectedly grabbed his jacket collar and hauled him to her lips. It was a sharp contrast to their first kiss. Her mouth moved hard and passionately against his, her tongue sliding along his lips, demanding entrance. He groaned at the taste of her, chocolate and cinnamon. Her hands moved to the back of his head where she threaded her fingers through his hair. The kiss got his blood rushing to the point that he didn’t want to say goodnight. He pulled back regretfully as Emma chased his lips. He was breathless at first, unable to speak.

“Happy February 15th, Killian,” she said with a shy smile. “Goodnight.”

“Indeed,” was all he could say. She closed the door and he had to take a deep breath to get his bearings. She would be the death of him for sure.

Spring arrived with the chance for Killian to resume filming. He and Emma would share the occasional secret kiss, but he had yet to take her on a date. Not for lack of wanting to, but Emma had asked that they wait. He reluctantly heeded her request. He distracted himself by throwing himself into his film. He would sail his crew to the cape on weekends and get footage of the exact location that the Whydah, Black Sam’s ship, went down centuries ago. He enlisted some residents of the small coastal town as extras and even found a woman willing to play Mary Hallet, Sam’s mysterious love. It was a sad tale of woe and loss. Mary had been waiting for him to come home with enough money so that her father would give his blessing. Having accomplished his goal, he raced to the cape, only to get caught in a storm just a few hundred yards from land. Of course, the love story may have been exaggerated and is mostly considered folklore by scholars, which he mentioned in the film, but it was the story that he wanted to tell.

It was a warm April afternoon when he announced to his crew and actors that filming had wrapped. They were given a warm send-off by the locals the next day, before he made his way back to Emma. He still had a lot of post-production work to do, but at least he would see Emma at night.

Killian submitted his completed film a week before graduation. He was proud of their work, the film turned out better than he thought possible on a student budget. Since he and Emma were both graduating, Liam and the crew at Neverland threw them both a party.

“What will you do now?” Emma asked him after they had feasted on pizza.

“I suppose I will start by sending my resume to every production company that produces documentaries. What about you, love?”

“I submitted my resume to the Boston PD. I’m just waiting to hear back. I’m really nervous,” she replied shyly.

“Emma, there is no reason for you to be nervous. You have loads of experience with the University’s police department,” he started, ticking up his fingers with each accomplishment, “you’ve broken records in physical fitness training, put in voluntary hours at community events, have a high gpa, and excellent references and recommendation letters. What police department wouldn’t want you?”

She blushed at his praise. “Thank you Killian. I could say most of those things about you.”

He smiled and placed a tender kiss on her cheek. “I have a feeling, everything is going to work out for us.”

Two weeks later, Emma started work at the Boston PD and Killian was beaming with pride. He knew she could do it, his beautiful Swan. He had every intention of finally asking her out on a proper date when fate stepped in.

A few short days after Emma started training at her job, Killian got a letter in the mail from a production company he didn’t remember applying to. Authentic Entertainment never hired fresh graduates without some professional experience. When he opened the letter his heart nearly stopped.

----------

Emma had just finished a shower and was slipping on a comfortable shirt when Killian came crashing through her door.

“Emma!” he called from the kitchen.

She checked her reflection and rushed out to see what all the commotion was about. He was donning the largest smile she had ever seen, so at least it was good news. He lunged for her, picking her up and spinning them.

“Killian, what is going on?” she gasped as he set her down gently. His happiness was infectious as evidenced by the giggles escaping her mouth. He handed her the letter. “Authentic Entertainment Production Company,” she read, as realization dawned on her. “You’ve been offered a job. Killian, that’s wonderful!” she declared as she threw her arms around his neck. “Is this one of your top choices?”

“Nope, I didn’t even apply because it’s a highly respected company that only hires experienced professionals. Apparently, my professor sent them my film, without my knowledge, and they are offering me the chance to make a high budget version of it for the History Channel.”

“You were right, everything is working out for both of us. When will you begin?”

“I leave at the end of the month.”

“Leave?” she inquired, dread washing over her.

“Aye, we’re to film on location in the Caribbean. I’ve been asked to direct and act as a historical advisor.”

She visibly deflated. Then she felt Killian’s hand caress her cheek. “Emma, I don’t want to leave you, that’s the last thing I want, but this is the chance of a lifetime. If I don’t muck this up, I’ll likely have my choice of projects in the future. I’ll not have to take a job that takes me far from you without a scheduled return.”

“I know, and I would never ask you to give this up. I’ll just miss you so much. When will you come back?” She could feel hot tears begin to well up in her eyes.

“End of August, before hurricane season sets in,” he uttered remorsefully.

The tears started to fall freely now. “Three months,” she whispered shakily. He pulled her into his arms and she could feel her tears mixing with his.

“But I will come back to you Emma, I will always come back to you,” he spoke huskily against her neck.

They spent the rest of the evening together, mostly embraced in each other’s arms. The end of the month was next week so Emma planned to spend as much time with Killian as she could, before she had to give him up.

“Emma, he is leaving tomorrow, you have to tell him,” Mary Margaret stated diligently. “He deserves to know. Besides, it may motivate him to come back sooner.”

Emma had confided in her friends the night before that she was, without a doubt, in love with Killian Jones. There was no more denying it, no more excuses.

“I know. I’m taking him to the airport after my shift. I swear I’ll tell him then.”

“You better, because that man is the best thing that has ever happened to you. And he worships the ground you walk on,” Ruby added.

Emma felt her face heat up from her friend’s assurances. Killian had never explicitly confessed his love for her, but he found other adorable ways to make it known. She still felt that little bit of self-doubt stir up inside her from time to time, but she didn’t want to lose him. It was time to put on her big girl panties and face her feelings head on. She wished she could tell him tonight, but he had a lot to do to prepare for his departure, and phone calls to make. She went to bed that night with nervous butterflies flitting about in her stomach.

“Swan, you’ll be covering Spicoli’s shift tonight,” Captain Holt declared during their morning staff meeting. Emma’s stomach lurched at the news.

“No, there has to be someone else,” she panicked. “I have to take someone to the airport today.”

“Then that person will just have to find another ride. You’re still a rookie and therefore expected to fill in when someone is sick,” he stated with authority.

There was no arguing with the Captain. She struggled to keep her composure as she texted Killian the bad news. He was understandably upset about not getting to say goodbye, but also so supportive of her situation. She couldn’t tell him through text message about her feelings. No, that was something that he needed to hear in person, so she settled on telling him the instant he returned. Luckily, he didn’t have to take a cab. David offered to take him when she had texted him about her dilemma.

Later that night when she stumbled through her door, exhaustedly, she discovered her girlfriends all waiting for her with popcorn and milk duds and a slew of sappy romance movies. She lost it right there in her doorway, sobbing uncontrollably. Ruby lunged for her before she crumbled to the floor.

“It’s alright sweetie, we’re going to help you get through this,” she cooed comfortingly, tears trickling down her own cheeks. They sat on some blankets on the floor in a huddled mass, tears flowing freely from everyone. Emma fell asleep halfway through the first movie, flanked by Ruby and Elsa. In that moment she had never been more grateful for her friends, her family.

The first month was the hardest. She would talk to Killian at night when he returned to his hotel. Unfortunately, cell service was spotty at best, so they had to settle for using the landline. She missed his face, his expressive eyebrows, his smirking lips and most of all, his ocean blue eyes. He would regale her with his daily adventures. They had a reproduced 18th century pirate ship named The Lady Washington that Killian had fallen in love with at first site. She could picture him sitting in the director’s chair, no scratch that, he’d be too excited to sit, advising a surly crew of swashbucklers how to speak and act like pirates.

The second month Emma threw herself into her work, graduating the trainee program to become an official trooper. Her colleagues admired and respected her, and she was no longer the rookie. Her partner, Jefferson, was quirky, possibly slightly mad, but the harmless type. She visited Liam and the Neverland crew often. One of those evenings, Liam approached her with an interesting question.

“Emma, you know Elsa better than anyone,” he said nervously. “What kind of… jewelry does she like?”

“You can’t go wrong with a princess cut,” she answered knowingly. He blushed and she assured him, his secret was safe with her.

The third month had finally arrived. Killian’s crew had traveled to Jamaica to get some town shots so he was able to FaceTime her for the evening. She awaited the call anxiously, checking the mirror countless times to make sure she didn’t have anything hanging out of her nose or something in her teeth. Then the call came.

“Hello, beautiful,” he greeted with an elated smile.

“Hello, handsome.”

“I prefer devilishly handsome.”

Emma giggled at his quip. His hair had gotten shaggier and his scruff just a titch longer. He had a sunkissed tan that gave him a ruggedness that was outright sinful. No man had a right to be that sexy.

“How was your day? Arrest any thugs?”

“Or pirates?”

“Touche, you can arrest me anytime you’d like when I get back, Swan,” he said with a wink.

“Just give me a reason.” His eyes darkened the moment the words left her lips.

“Challenge accepted, love.”

“Please, you couldn’t handle it,” she teased.

“Perhaps you are the one who couldn’t handle it.” He popped the “t” in a way that made it feel lewd. Her abdomen coiled tightly as her body responded to his words.

All she wanted to do in that moment was pull him forcefully to her lips and claim his mouth. She thought about their second kiss, the fact that he knew how to use that sinful tongue of his. She thought about him lavishing her entire body with the damn thing.

“Love, are you alright? Where did you go just now?”

She snapped herself out of her fantasy and greeted his lustful eyes and smirk. He knew, the bastard knew exactly where she had gone.

“I’m fine,” she answered a little too high pitched for her liking. He licked his bottom lip lasciviously and gave a slight nod to indicate he was finished torturing her, for now.

The rest of the conversation revolved around schedules and planned shoots. If they stayed on schedule he would be returning on August 24th, a day she promptly marked on her calendar. After an extended yawn from her, he insisted that she get some sleep. She was reluctant to hang up.

“I miss you, Emma,” he declared with the same yearning look and doey eyes that Regina had pointed out to her. She was sure her face reflected his.

“I miss you too, so much Killian. Come back to me, come home.” It wasn’t a plea for him to drop everything and race home. It was meant to be a reminder of his promise.

“I will, my love, as sure as the sun rises, I’ll come back to you, always. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, my devilishly handsome pirate,” she said with a watery chuckle.

He ended the call with a smile that stuck in her mind and inspired dreams of their reunion.

Emma and Jefferson arrived at the station with a very disgruntled perp. He had been caught smashing out car windows in covered parking lots.

“Nice work guys, we’ve been looking for this one for a long time,” the Captain noted.

“It was all Emma, Cap. She spotted him and ran the guy down in a matter of minutes.”

“Swan, in my office please.”

Emma was nervous. The Captain had never called her into his office before. However, few things could get her down today. Killian was scheduled to come home any day now. They just needed a few more shots.

“Don’t worry, Swan, I didn’t call you in here to berate you about anything.” Emma let out an audible sigh. “I actually wanted to discuss your career path. Where do you see yourself five years from now?”

Killian’s face as well as a house near the waterfront flashed through her mind. But the Captain certainly wasn’t asking about her personal life.

“I see myself here, working a case as a detective.”

“Those are some high aspirations, but I do believe you’ve got what it takes.” He nodded, indicating that the meeting was over.

When her shift ended she rushed home, anxious to hear if Killian was coming home. She’d been on edge since their last call when he told her that any sailor worth his salt knows when a storm is brewing. She immediately turned on the Weather Channel only to see that Killian was right. Not just any storm, but a hurricane. The last time she had checked, their location in the Caribbean was not in the path of the monster.

When she managed to make it home, Ruby already had the Weather Channel on. Ruby turned to her, and the look on her face made Emma’s heart sink.

“Ruby,” Emma started cautiously, “please tell me everything is fine.”

“I can’t. The storm changed course Emma. It’s projected to hit Santo Domingo head on and very soon.”

Killian’s current location was only fifty miles from the capital city.

“It’s only five-thirty, what if they’re still out on the water?” Her words were laced with panic and fear.

Ruby couldn’t do anything except pull her into a protective hug. “Killian is a masterful sailor, he’s smart and resourceful. If they are on the water when it hits, he’ll know what has to be done to get them through it. Nothing, not even mother fucking nature, can stop him from getting back to you,” she spoke adamantly.

Emma nodded, then followed Ruby to the couch where they continued to watch images of trees being whipped every which way. The sight of the waves on the beach made her blanch. Concern was building inside her with every minute that went by without a phone call. Friends and family were trickling in as night fell, but Emma hadn’t noticed. She was in a fear induced trance. The hurricane was battering Santo Domingo and everything within a one hundred mile radius. Mary Margaret squeezed her hand, momentarily breaking her out of the haze.

“He’ll be alright, Emma, he always struck me as the survivor type.”

“It’s true.”

Emma jumped at the accented voice. When did Liam get here?

“When Killian was 16 he acquired a job on a fishing boat. They would go out on weekends and I would always worry for him. My fears proved warranted when they sailed right into a squall. The boat’s engine was damaged by floating debris as it rocked back and forth violently. Killian was small enough to climb under the fallen articles to repair the engine.”

“He knew how to do that?” Elsa interrupted.

“Aye, Killian has always been curious about how things work, and in the past had taken our car’s engine apart just to see if he could put it back together again.” Unshed tears threatened to fall as Liam continued to reminisce. “I was so angry with him, sure that he had broken the car. Of course, I turned the key and the thing ran beautifully, and you can imagine the smug smile he gave me.” Everyone chuckled because they’d all been on the receiving end of the smug grin. “Anyway, my point being, Killian fixed the engine and saved the lives of every soul on board, in the worst conditions, just like he’ll do again, because he is a survivor.”

Emma grasped Liam’s arm. “Thank you, Liam. He never told me about that.”

“That’s because my brother is too humble to brag about it.” Liam pulled Emma in for a bear hug that she didn’t know she needed. Emma desperately wished she was in Killian’s arms at the moment. “I also came by to bring you this.” He handed her a large envelope. “I was supposed to give it to Killian months ago, but I misplaced it and Elsa is the one who found it when she was helping me clean the office. I’m really sorry, Emma,” he said sheepishly.

Emma opened the envelope and out slid an 8 by 10 inch photo of her and Killian from the night of the costume party. Her sharp intake of breath was followed by a shaky sigh. She remembered Killian holding her bridal style, but she figured he had smiled at the camera, but there he was lovingly staring at her, smiling at her.

“Thank you, Liam,” she said on a choked sob. She placed the photo back in its envelope, vowing to only view it again when she could share it with Killian.

Someone was always with Emma during the waiting period. It had been nearly 24 hours since the category four hurricane hit land. The weather channel continued to report on the damage that Patty had inflicted.

Emma just stared into the blasted box, unaware that another day had gone by. She had called in to work to tell them she would be taking her paid vacation days until she heard from Killian. If she heard from Killian. Mary Margaret had begged her not to think like that, but it was getting harder with each passing day.

Emma was a mess by the fourth day. Mary Margaret, Ruby, and Belle were cleaning up after dinner when they heard her mumble something.

“What did you say, honey?” Ruby asked, grabbing her hand.

“I didn’t even get to say goodbye,” she choked out.

“No Emma, don’t.” Ruby placed her hands on each side of Emma’s head. “Keep in mind that most of that area doesn’t have electricity yet. He’s probably having trouble locating a satellite phone. He’ll call, don’t stop believing in him.”

“And if he doesn’t? God, I never even told him I love him.” Moisture was streaming down her tear stained cheeks. “And now I may never get that chance.” Her body heaved with each cry of anguish. “He’ll never know… he’ll never know,” she repeated until words were impossible to form.

Ruby laid her down on the couch, begging her to get some sleep. What a foreign concept sleep had become. She’d had none since the night before the hurricane. She must have passed out because the next thing she knew it was dark outside.

“It’s just past eight,” Mary Margaret informed her.

Suddenly her phone rang, awakening some hope in her. She looked at the foreign number lit up across her screen. Any other day she would decline, but she was desperate. What if Killian had found a satellite phone after all. The dread Emma felt at the thought of someone calling to inform her Killian had died made her want to vomit. But she had to take that chance. On a shaky breath, she answered.

“Hello?”

“Swan.”

One word. One single word had flipped her whole world right side up in that instant.

“Killian,” she sobbed. The water works were flowing now. Mary Margaret dropped what she was doing to join Emma’s side.

“Aye, I’m sorry it took so long to contact you.” He sounded breathless and a little shaken. “We were caught in the storm. The Lady will need some repair work, but we all made it.”

“That’s wonderful news. Do you know when you’ll be able to come home?”

“I’m afraid the airport won’t be an option for weeks, but I’ll secure passage on a cruise ship if I have to. I made you a promise and I intend to keep it, love.”

“Good,” was all Emma could say in that moment. He had to give up the phone so the rest of the crew could call their families, but he promised to call as soon as he had an exit plan. Emma suddenly felt hungry, starving actually. She ate some delicious leftovers that Mary Margaret had made the day before and then she felt the overwhelming need to sleep. Sleep away all the agony, all the pain.

Killian called two days later with news that he was boarding a cruise ship bound for Boston. They would be making some stops along the way to drop survivors off at different ports. With the airport out of commission, cruise companies were offering services to people who needed to get back to the states. It’d take eight days, but Killian was finally on his way back to her.

“Are you ready for this?” Ruby asked her the morning of Killian’s arrival.

“As ready as I’ll ever be. I’m supposed to be at the the Boston Cruise Terminal by six o’ clock.”

“Well, I’m staying at Victor’s place tonight if you wanna, you know, bring him back here and have your wicked way with him,” she winked, and Emma’s stomach flipped.

“He’s probably going to be exhausted, Rubes.”

“Oh, right, from all that lounging by the pool and eating delicious food.”

Emma chuckled at the image of Killian doing those things, because that’s not what he would be doing at all. He would probably buddy up with the Captain and get inside the helm.

“Anyway, sweetie, the place is all yours. I packed enough for two days so don’t worry about any interruptions.”

“Ruby, he has a brother he probably wants to see. I’m not gonna trap him in here for a two day sex marathon.”

“Whatever you say, Emma… bye,” she chortled as she shut the door.

Emma paced outside the cruise terminal, choosing to stay clear of the large crowd of people who had come to pick up their loved ones. She anxiously watched as one by one passengers exited the building. Sounds of joy and relief filled the area. Then she saw it, a shock of black hair as he whipped it out of his face. And then she ran to him.

----------

The moment his eyes met hers all instinct to breathe was forgotten. He dropped his bag and awaited her embrace as she ran to him. She leapt into his arms, legs wrapped securely around him as her arms looped around his head. He could feel wetness against his neck as his own tears of joy rose to the surface.

“You’re really here, you came back to me,” she murmured against his neck.

“Did you ever doubt I would?”

She pulled away to bring their foreheads together. “Truthfully, the hurricane gave me pause.” She backed her head up just enough so her eyes were on his. “I love you, Killian, so much.”

She punctuated her declaration with a searing kiss that had Killian feeling weightless, even with her body still wrapped around his. Her lips were just as soft, just as supple as he remembered. He groaned with pleasure when her tongue slipped in, frantically tasting all of him. She moaned when he nibbled on her bottom lip and that’s when they heard a cough. He reluctantly released Emma’s kiss swollen lips as she unwound her legs. Flushed and slightly breathless, Killian tilted Emma’s chin up so their gazes met again.

“I’ve been in love with you, Emma, since the night we met.” She let out a watery chuckle at Killian’s admission. “How about we go somewhere with a little more privacy, love?” he asked, realizing they now had an audience.

“I’d like that.”

Emma contacted an Uber that mercifully was right around the corner from the terminal.  Once inside the car, he called Liam to let him know he’d made it home, well, in the metaphorical sense anyway. They agreed to meet at Neverland for a welcome home beer the following night. He couldn’t wait to get Emma alone, where he intended to shower her with his affections. His need for her grew stronger the closer they got to their destination. Emma had given the driver her address, and with any luck, Killian hoped Ruby would be gone for the evening.

The car pulled up to Emma’s place and she nearly pulled his arm out of its socket when she yanked him out of the car with her. “Someone’s eager,” he murmured against the shell of her ear.

“And you love me for it.”

She slammed the door shut and assisted with carrying his bags up the four flights of stairs. They were nearly out of breath when they finally reached her door, but Killian had no intentions of letting a little thing like oxygen, or lack of, ruin his plan to resume what they had started. He longed to feel Emma’s strong legs wrapped around him again. She pushed open the door, and after throwing his bag on the ground, he whipped Emma around, slamming his body into hers as he claimed her lips once more. He backed her up until she was flat against the door. His right hand flew to her golden tresses while his left trailed down her side, making her shiver.

Her hands had found their way into his hair, raking her fingers through it. Their tongues danced around each other, moving in a practiced rhythm like they had done this for years. He pulled away only for sheer need of air, breathing in between wet kisses he was peppering down her neck. Emma let out a delicious moan that shot straight to his throbbing cock when he hit her pulse point, so naturally, he doubled his efforts.

“Killian,” she whined. “Wait.”

He stopped dead in his tracks. Was it possible Emma didn’t want the same thing? He cautiously met her gaze, but found her eyes filled with lust and want. Now he was really confused.

“I sort of, had a plan,” she explained coyly.

“Aye?”

“I need you to take off everything except your underwear and wait here.” He cocked his brow and felt his arousal build when she mirrored his expression. He desperately wanted to peel her out of her clothing, but his curiosity won out.

“Alright, Swan, I’ll play along,” he leered at her. “Just don’t be long,” he leaned in and grazed her ear with his nose, “or I may have to start without you.” He watched her slender neck as she swallowed hard at his assertion. She turned without saying anything and retreated to her bedroom. Moving quickly, he pulled off his shirt and it threw aside, then worked on his belt and gingerly slid his pants over his aching erection. He now stood clothed only in his blue boxers, decorated with little black anchors.

Suddenly he heard a heartbeat, then another, Emma’s plan becoming clear to him when the beginning chords of Feel Again started blasting through her speaker. Then the object of his affection stepped out of her room, clad only in that same alluring red lace bra and panty set. He moved to lunge for her, but she held up a finger to stop him. Then she began swaying her hips and twirling, and that same finger crooked in a come hither motion. His Swan wasn’t the only one who could cut a move in their knickers. He shook his hips to the beat and threw in some fancy footwork like a discount Bruno Mars. Emma was beaming at him by the time they reached one another. He leaned in to kiss her, but she turned suddenly and he growled at the sensation of her supple ass rubbing relentlessly along his length. She threw herself into a bent position as she continued to dry hump him with her barely covered backside, driving him mad with desire. Just when he thought he couldn’t take anymore, she righted herself and spun back to his front.

“You’re a bloody marvel,” he uttered in a gravelly voice.

“I know.”

He captured her lips in a passionate, needy kiss. She responded with the same white hot fervor. He moved his hands to her hips and hoisted her up, loving the feel of her, once again, wrapped around him. He carried her to her bedroom, all the while having to endure the sweet torture of her tongue lavishing his pulse point, giving him a pretty good idea of what she could do with that devilish muscle elsewhere. She nipped at his earlobe, nearly sending both of them crashing to the ground.

“Minx,” he huffed, finally reaching his destination.

Killian had seen many beautiful sights in his life, three different oceans, the English countryside, but none compared to the beauty of Emma Swan splayed out on her bed after he had unceremoniously thrown her onto it. Her pale skin flushed down to the swell of her still covered breasts. The teasing manner in which she ran her hand down her neck, over her heaving breast and along her taut stomach. The same path Killian wanted to follow with his tongue, only not stopping at the hem of her panties.

“Killian... I need you.”

Her plea snapped him out of his reverie, and he heeded her request. He climbed onto the bed like a predator stalking its prey. When he came face to face with her, it was as if time stood still. She gazed at him with such love and sincerity, striking him witless.

“I love you,” she breathed. “I love you so damn much.”

He brushed the pad of his thumb across the apple of her cheek. “And I love you, Emma, to the end of the world or time.”

When he kissed her then, it was unhurried and with a need to convey the depth of his love for her. The gentle caress of Emma’s lips, the woman who had given her heart to him, truly, shook him to his core. She was his, finally, and he was hers. That thought reignited the flame, his need for her growing. She responded by rutting her hips against his groin, coaxing a guttural groan from him. Moving his mouth to her neck, he reached around her arched back and unhooked her bra. He’d be pretty impressed with his work if he wasn’t so far gone. He threw the offending material off the bed and gazed upon her newly revealed flesh. Her perfect pink nipples were already pebbled, anticipating his next move. He would taste them, but first he needed to return his attention to her neck, dead set on following the path Emma had previously drawn for him. Like a pirate, seeking buried treasure. His hand, however, wandered down the expanse of her body and slipped into her knickers. What he found there had him cursing.

“Fuck… so wet and ready for me, darling,” he hissed into her neck. He retracted his hand, delighting in the little whimper of protest he heard leave Emma’s lips. He needed that hand if he was going to properly worship his Swan.

He moved lower, teeth nipping at her collar bone. Emma was writhing under his ministrations, but he needed more from her. He needed to hear her cry out for him. He reached the swell of her breast, his hunger for her increasing. He traced a slow circle around her pebbled flesh then took it into his mouth, sucking gently.

“Fuck!”

He smiled against her, intermittently flicking the bud with his tongue and sucking it into a stiff peak. He diverted from the map only to show her other breast the same attention, then lowered himself to place hot, wet kisses across her belly. Emma’s breathing became rapid when he traced the hem of her panties with his tongue. Killian met her hazed eyes, looking for any sign that she didn’t want this. Finding none, he hooked his finger under her panties and tugged them off, throwing them to join her bra. He had found where “x” marked the spot, now he just had to do a little digging. Killian urged her legs further apart as he inhaled the overwhelming scent of her arousal. Without warning, he licked one long stripe with the flat of his tongue from her entrance to her clit, eliciting a yelp from Emma. Her taste was intoxicating, surely likened to ambrosia. He returned his tongue to her clit, flicking it wildly then taking it into his mouth and sucking hard.

“Oh, God, Killian… yes!” she screamed, rolling her hips and panting erratically.

He devoured her like a man starved. Tracing circles around her swollen nub, swirling her bundle of nerves. He pushed one finger into her slick heat, earning him a moan from above. Then another as he continued to lave and suck on her, lapping up her juices. He relentlessly plunged his fingers into her, searching for that spot that would trigger her first orgasm. He knew he’d found it when Emma’s body convulsed. The tell tell sign of her inner muscles fluttering around his fingers told him she was close. He sucked hard on her clit, using his teeth as extra stimulation and then he heard Emma cry out as she pulsed around him. He gently eased her down from her high, giving her sensitive flesh one last good lick before kissing his way back up her body.

“I need you now, Killian, please, make love to me,” she begged on a heavy sigh. Killian was all too willing to oblige.

“Condoms?”

Emma met his eyes. “I’m protected and I… I trust you. I want to feel you, Killian, all of you.”

A puff of air escaped his mouth. Emma would never stop surprising him, and his love for her would truly never stop growing. He leaned in to place a gentle kiss to each cheek, her nose, and then brushed a chaste kiss to her lips. When he pulled away her eyes fluttered open, confusion etched in her features.

“I love you,” he kissed her again. “I love you,” another kiss, with more heat. “I love you,” he muttered against her mouth.

“I love you too,” she laughed against his lips.

The kiss morphed into a heated tangle of tongues. Any self-control Killian once possessed had evaporated with her words. She held him in the cradle of her thighs, his cock sliding through her slick folds, causing him to see stars. She snaked her hand down her body and grasped his throbbing length, lining him up with her entrance. He sank into her slowly, his eyes never leaving hers as he felt her walls envelop him, the sensation sending a shock up his spine. He shuddered when he was fully seated. Emma let out a satisfied moan and rolled her hips, encouraging him to move. He pulled almost completely out then slammed back in, eliciting a much louder moan. He set a rapid pace, studying Emma’s reaction to every thrust. Emma’s cries of ecstasy and the scrape of her nails along his back had him teetering on the edge. He was getting close and he needed Emma to get there too. He angled his hips a little higher and she gasped on his next surge forward.

“Yes, Killian, right there, don’t stop!”

“Never.” He doubled his efforts, savoring Emma’s cries of pleasure. The sound of skin slapping skin urging him on. “Come for me, my love. Come around me and take me with you.”

That was all it took. He barely had any warning before Emma screamed with pleasure and clenched hard around him. His thrusts became erratic as he chased his release. The pressure at the base of his spine was too much and he came with a shout into Emma’s damp neck. She cradled his head, running her fingers through his hair as he caught his breath. He slipped out of her and rolled to his side to take in the beautiful sight currently coming down from orgasmic bliss.

----------

Emma’s body was both limp and electrified. She turned her head to find Killian staring at her.

“What?”

“I’m just taking a mental picture, love.”

Picture. For some reason she couldn’t wait a second longer to show Killian the photo that Liam had given her. She leapt out of bed, much to Killian’s surprise and delight.

“Should I be worried, love?” he called to her as she ran into the the front room completely naked. She retrieved the envelope from a small desk on the far end of the room and hurried back, jumping into bed. “What has you so exhilarated, Swan?” he asked on a laugh. He had risen to a sitting position now, back against the headboard.

“I wanted to show you this. Liam dropped it off when we were waiting to hear from you and I looked at it just once, but it didn’t seem right to see it again without you,” she said with a watery chuckle. She handed him the photo and a broad smile lit up his face.

“Do you know Emma, that in the very moment this photo was taken, I realized you were the love of my life. I knew then that you were it for me, and I made a vow to do everything in my power to encourage you to have those same feelings for me one day. Even if it took a lifetime.”

The raw emotion in Killian’s confession made Emma’s heart burst. She couldn’t help the tears of pure joy that were welling in her eyes. Nothing she could say could express what she was feeling in that moment so instead she expressed them with action. She took the photo from his hands and lovingly placed it on her nightstand then climbed into his lap and kissed him with everything she had. She could feel him growing hard against her still wet core. He gave a groan of approval as she rolled her hips into his again and again, each time with more vigor. He flipped them so that Emma was on her back, his cock sliding maddeningly through her slick folds. But this time, Emma wanted to take control. She rolled them quite forcefully so she was once again on top. Killian made no sound of protest as he ogled her breasts on full display, but just out of reach.

“You see Killian, I’m a woman of action. I’ve never been any good with expressing my feelings through fancy words like you. So I’m going to show you that I,” she leaned down to place a quick kiss to his lips, “feel,” a second kiss to his neck, earning her a growl, “exactly,” a third kiss to his chest, “the,” a fourth kiss to his navel, his breathing kicking up a notch, “same.” She kissed the tip of his hard cock, licking the precum that had spread across her lips. “Mmm,” she moaned and he gave a pained groan. Showing him the tiniest of mercies, she licked around his belled tip causing him to grip her hair ever so gently, pleading for more. She took him fully into her mouth and relished the animalistic growl that flew from his mouth. The taste of their combined essence drove her mad with want. She bobbed her head, licking every last inch of him. It was when his tip hit the back of her throat that Killian finally found his words.

“Emma…” he pleaded. “Please, I need to be to be inside you, love. I don’t wish to come this way, not this time anyway.”

She released him with a wet pop and a self satisfied smirk graced her lips. As he fought to gain his composure, she climbed on top of his lap and sank onto his throbbing cock. They both let out sighs of relief at being joined once more. After a moment, Emma began rocking her hips, loving the little grunts and groans she could draw from his pretty mouth. Once she started lifting her hips in a swift motion, Killian watched in awe as her breasts bounced with every strenuous thrust. He suddenly sat up, changing the angle and making Emma gasp in ecstasy. He pulled a nipple into his mouth and sucked arduously, adding to the tightening swirl in his abdomen that she knew would burst at any moment.

“I love you, Emma, you’re my true love, nothing will ever change that,” he gasped out against her neck. Emma felt the floodgates break as her body shook from the most intense orgasm of her life. She came on a silent scream, Killian wasn’t far behind her as he emptied himself inside her. They both fell to the bed, a sweaty and sated mess of tangled limbs.

Neither one could move much after Emma managed to roll herself off of her boyfriend. Killian quickly pulled her to him so her back fit snugly to his chest. After catching their breath, Killian started placing soft kisses to the back of her neck and shoulder. What he said next shook her to her very core.

“Move in with me.” It was phrased not quite like a question and she wasn’t sure if it was the post coital bliss that made him say it. Then he spoke again. “Marry me.” Again, it didn’t sound like a request, but Emma knew Killian would never force her into anything that would make her uncomfortable. “Make babies with me,” was his last plea that had Emma rolling over to meet his hopeful gaze. She could see the sincerity in his face and a hint of fear that he may have overstepped his bounds. Emma thought back to that time when Captain Holt had asked her where she saw herself in five years. The first images that popped into her head were of her and Killian living a blissfully happy life in a beautiful home, and now the image of staring lovingly at a precious baby in her arms was a part of Emma’s fantasy future that she desperately wanted.

She pulled Killian’s face to hers and kissed him lightly before declaring, “Yes.” Then she rolled herself on top of him and placed another soft, but sincere kiss to his lips before another yes slipped out. By now Killian was smiling widely, all fear and insecurity wiped from his features. The third yes came with a more passionate kiss, a promise that she wanted everything with him, forever.

They made love one last time that evening, before succumbing to exhaustion. As Emma laid in Killian’s arms, sleep not far from claiming her, she realised that Killian Jones had truly made her feel again. Feel everything that she feared she never would again. He made her heart beat fully for the first time in her entire life, and she planned to never lose that feeling again; she had faith that Killian would never, ever let her not Feel Again.

[mariposalass]

July Babies Soup and S’mores Birthday

Summary: It’s the July Babies’ Soup and S’mores Birthday Party and you’re invited to celebrate in the fun.

Setting: Mari and co.’s home in Daly City, California; July 17, 2019, nighttime

Notes: It’s the big joint soup and s’mores birthday party for me, Kairi, and Harry since we’re all July born babies. You can definitely use this as a prompt to write, draw, etc. to accompany this fun story.  Also, I will be traveling to Hong Kong with my mom and aunt for the annual summer sale from the 25th to the 28th. Four days after my birthday, which is a first for me as we normally go there some time before my birthday and is becoming a birthday tradition for me. Apologies in advance if I have to do this really early. Also, there’s not too much dialogue in here as to allow everyone to contribute to the event.

Tags: July Babies, birthday, tons of fluff, crossovers, self shipping, soup and s’mores birthday party, joint soup and s’mores party

“Hey there, thanks for coming over,” Mari greets the guests as they arrive in her house one calm July night as she escorts them to the living room for a big birthday party held in her and her adopted siblings’ honor.

She and the fam bunch have been planning this out for a few weeks since during the planning of her brother Harry and her sister in law Issa’s wedding, although due to the time constraints they have with the wedding, they have to settle with a join birthday bash for her, Harry, and Kairi somewhere in the middle of the month as a compromise. But it’s a compromise they’re willing to make this year, and they went for a soup and s’mores party. The three siblings have shared a birth month with their birthdays being separated by 10 days from each other (Kairi being on the 11th, Mari on the 21st, and Harry on the 31st), the main reason why they’re sometimes called the July Babies.

The living room and dining area may have not been wholly decorated to the theme, but it’s pretty clear that there is a soup buffet with four choices: Chunky Lentil Vegetable, Chicken, White Bean & Corn Chowder, Beef Barley, and Classic Mexican Tortilla, a cheese platter enough to feed an army, kale and Parmesan salad for the healthy minded and vegetable eaters, an assortment of bread with jam and butter, a Funfetti cake Kairi and Issa have baked for the occasion and covered with a glass cover and is protected by a spell Harry has placed on that prevents sneaky cake thieves from getting to it before even dinner could be finished, and a drink station with water, lemonade, and iced tea on hand. Outside, the fire pit area has been prepared with roasters on one side, chairs prepped and ready, and an S’Mores bar with assorted chocolates, graham crackers, marshmallows, and various add-ons have set up beforehand nearby at the patio.

The birthday celebrants and the rest of the fam bunch have dressed up well for the event: Mari in particular is wearing a plain white off shoulder top, button-front denim skirt, a pair of brown flats with braiding details, a pair of gold heart earrings, and a gold, ruby, & pearl choker necklace which matches the one Kairi is also wearing with her slim black dress, distressed blue denim jacket, white sneakers, and her usual single bead pendant necklace. Harry didn’t look out of place either in a slate gray chambray shirt, black slacks, and the same leather dress shoes he’d worn on his wedding day. Issa also dresses well for the party in a white & black vertical stripe long-sleeve top, blue denim jacket, black jeans, and light tan flats along with her old silver heart locket necklace, a stack of mixed metal bangles, and her engagement & wedding rings on her right ring finger; Harry also has his wedding ring on his right ring finger too.

“Thanks for coming over here, everybody,” Kairi starts the talk off, “We know this seems not to be a proper birthday in one way or the other, but since we just came off from Harry and Issa’ wedding last week, we thought we’ll just settle on a joint birthday party for me, him, and Mari instead.”

“You can say that again, sis,” Harry chuckled upon hearing that last part, “To be honest, it was due to the timing it had that we felt having three separate birthday parties this year doesn’t make any sense at all.”

“And it’s a good thing it isn’t a surprise party for you either,” Issa reminded him as well, “The last time we did that, you literally dove behind the sofa in fear and annoyance.”

“Oh Merlin, not that one again...” he moaned in despair after hearing that embarrassing moment.

“Don’t worry, we promise no more surprise birthday parties for you,” she cheekily reassured him while giving the concerned wizard-journalist a heartwarming kiss which got him blushing hard.

“Pardon that off topic tangent: Harry hates surprise parties thrown for him A LOT,” Mari apologies to a slightly confused group of guests before continuing her talk, “Anyway, we have soup being warmed up, some cheese, bread, and salad tonight, and s’mores & cake for desserts later. The S’Mores are also the main stars with the soups, but we also have cake if you’re not into roasting marshmallows on an open fire. Either way, I hope you guys will enjoy tonight’s party.”

With that, the brief meeting has been adjourned and everyone soon start getting some soup, sides, and drinks for the dinner portion. Mari’s cousins Edith and Agnes get to play with other children guests in the party with Margo keeping an eye on them, and so does Kirby who also decides to show off some of his Copy Abilities for a quick showcase along with doing his well-known Kirby Dance with some copies of himself for backup dancers in the middle of the event. Mari’s pets Scooby, Marie, Scorbunny, Torchic, Piplup, and Rowlet enjoy playing with the other pets of the guests who got invited to the party.

Meanwhile, Ahk, Sora, Riku, and Vinny are keeping a close lookout on the S’Mores bar as not to get the supplies ruined or stolen before the S’Mores portion can begin while eating dinner with some of guests at the patio, while Ron and Hermione are trying to see if using the Fire Conjuring spell does a better job in lighting up fire pits than normal procedures, which didn’t went too well compared to Harry’s more modest attempts in every S’Mores Night. When guests finished dinner, they’re more than welcomed to play some games and talk with the birthday celebrants and other guests in the house and the backyard.

Either way, the party goes on well for everyone after dinner was done and leftover soups have been poured onto takeout bowls for the guests to bring home when Mari informs everyone that it’s time for the S’mores and Cake time at the patio. Her godmother aunt Diana carefully brought the cake down to the backyard and held onto the glass cover to avoid it falling over and breaking on the ground while Issa and Harry carried plates, dessert forks, and a cake server as they follow her lead.

People soon head for the backyard and to the patio and fire pit area where the S’Mores fest begins: people who would to make them roast up the marshmallows (though some have to go through trial and error in not burning them to not being edible), assemble the chocolate piece and graham cracker, place the roasted marshmallows onto said chocolate, and sometimes customize them to their liking or follow the S’Mores recipes at the bar before placing that last graham cracker and eating them up and, in some cases, rinse, lather and repeat the process.

Then came the cake: Issa carefully took the glass cover from the Funfetti cake and lights up the 3 candles (one for each July Baby), informing everyone that they will sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the celebrants and, once that was done, the siblings blow the fire from the candles together and start offering cake to anyone who would like some cake and there’s a couple of them who did, along with those not in the mood for S’Mores time. While some of the guests began to dig into the cake, Mari got one slice from Philip, walked up to the table he was in with the Doctor and a few other guests, and sat besides him as she gave him the cake slice and a fork.

“Hope you like some Funfetti cake, deary,” she attempted to flirt with him as she gave him the cake slice.

“A cake like this?” he asked her inquisitively though it was mixed with concern, “Did the Minions tried to bake this like the last time?”

“Actually, Kairi and Issa are the ones who baked it, so no accidents or food poisoning involved,” Mari gladly replied back, “Don’t be so worrisome, have a bite or two.”

He did took a few bites before realizing that it tastes really good that he whispered to her that he’s giving both Kairi and Issa props on baking of the cake before greeting her (Advance) Happy Birthday and sealing it with a playful kiss on the cheeks, which got her blushing. Harry and Issa are chatting with some good friends when they caught wind of the kiss and smile on with pride. They’re aware it’s taking awhile for Mari to get used to dating and Philip to be patient with her and her quirks, but, at the same, they’re quite proud of them taking their time slowly, take things one at a time, enjoying moments as they come, and working on issues they come across.

The party continues on until around pass 10 in the evening when the guests leave with leftover soups for favors, but the mood hasn’t left the fam bunch at all even as they clean the place up and retire for the night. It is one of the best nights they have spent together as a quirky group and, for the birthday celebrants, it is certainly a great moment they shared in the nearly 13 years they have spent as siblings. Perhaps they should hold another one of this party in the near future, who knows?  Still, the party is a resounding success with their friends and family and it will surely be a conversation starter for weeks to come.

The End

[doomedandstoned]

Ohio Doomed & Stoned Fest

 ~Doomed & Stoned Festival Scrapbook~ 

Words by Dan Simone   |   Films by Scott Goldy of Project Concert 150

The inaugural Ohio Doomed and Stoned Fest took place over two hot and heavy days in July at the Buzzbin Art & Music Shop in beautiful downtown Canton, Ohio, and it was a blast!   24 heavy bands from Ohio and the surrounding region came together and just fucking rocked out. I was asked to do a year-end review as the lead organizer of the fest and I gotta admit, my recollections are a bit hazy. It was six months ago, after all, so while my memories may be lacking in specificity. I can assure you of this, however: while I began the first day stressed-out and more than a little bit scared of the many little things that could go wrong when coordinating so many people into something coherent and successful, it was so fucking worth it.

DAY ONE

Saturday, July 21st, was a pretty nice day, all things considered. Sunny and warm, with a threat of rain in the forecast, but we had planned for that with tarps and pavilions galore. A couple of the bands got to the Buzzbin right around the same time as me and though I didn't really know these guys well at the time, they immediately volunteered to help with the final preparations. I mention this to make a point about the heavy music scene here in Ohio. Everyone's just cool. It's something we love about our scene here. There really isn't much bullshit. Everyone involved just wants to make a bunch of really awesome music and play it really loud for everyone else.

Doomed & Stoned in Ohio by Doomed & Stoned

Anyway, got everything set up. Killer. We had two stages set up to run in 30-minute time slots, one stage inside and one outside (hence my concern about the rain). While band "A" played on one stage, band "B" set up and soundchecked so they'd be ready to go as soon as band "A" was done. Day One had 14 bands scheduled to play and for the first few acts I was running around like crazy making sure that everything was going well and everyone knew where to be when. Monastery from Cleveland started things off on the inside stage, nice and hazy and we were off!

God's Grave by Monastery

OctoSkull #1: Original Soundtrack by Doom Christ

Ascension by Cult Of Sorrow

Acceptable Level of Misery by DeathCrawl

Red Sky EP by Black Spirit Crown

Somewhere Out Among the Stars is Home by Matter of Planets

Tria by Night Goat

Dumb enough to care by Enhailer

Kali Yuga by Maharaja

International House of Mancakes by Bridesmaid

PALE GREY LORE by PALE GREY LORE

Astrological Passages by Weed Demon

Dead Seeds, Barren Soil by Horseburner

Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 2 by Howling Giant

You guys, it was fucking great! The bands were on point, the fans were way in to it, the taco truck was selling grilled cheese sandwiches, and once we played and I settled down a bit, I was in heaven. Everywhere I turned my pals were having a great time. Someone brought in a bunch of ferns in hanging baskets and hung them around the outside stage, and then there were running fern battles throughout the rest of the evening.

Official Sponsor: EarthQuaker Devices

DAY TWO

Sunday, July 22nd dawned nice and sunny as well. My brother and I bummed around downtown Canton, which isn't particularly lively on a Sunday morning. There was some parade - we never really found out why - but we found our way around and had some food and drinks and girded our loins for what was sure to be another adventure of a day...and boy was it!

By the time we got to Buzzbin to start getting everything back in order, it was obvious that we weren't going to get a repeat of Saturday's perfectly beautiful sunny summer weather. The rain started misting down before Reflex Machine, our fist band of the day, even started inside. That was ok, as I said before we had pavilions and tarps set up all over outside, and the stage was covered on three sides.

Then the wind started blowing -- right in to the face of the stage. We delayed our second band, Urns from Pittsburgh, to see if it would blow over. The rain slackened enough that they were able to set up and play safely, if slightly damp, but it was obvious that it was only going to get worse. So we improvised! In a stunning display of Stoner Teamwork, we cleared the entire second stage area of all gear and transferred it inside, P.A. and all, in about 5 minutes. In another 10, we had recreated the outside stage and set it up perpendicular to the main stage. It got a little tight, but it worked and the show went on!

Reflex Machine/Ghost Embryo Split by Reflex Machine, Ghost Embryo

Borrowed Light by Sweaty Mammoth

Amps. Anecdotes. Annihilation. by supercorrupter

Good As Evil by BlackWater

BY GOD by goosed

Deny Everything by Contra

Abandoned by Pillärs

VI by Close The Hatch

Another Way to Fly by Silent Monolith

So there you have it, my recollections of the Ohio Doomed and Stoned Fest. I probably could've gone in to detail about each band's act, but I honestly missed several while dealing with behind the scenes stuff. The bands I saw were fantastic, as they always are, and judging by what I heard about the ones I missed, they were, as well. All-in-all, the festival was a total blast and we're very excited for Ohio Doomed and Stoned Fest II coming in July 2019. Stay tuned for details!

[shall-we-imagine]

Lovely. (Sigurd Curtis×Reader *AU*)

Requested: 15. "If my day gets any worse, I'm asking hell if they're having an exchange program." + 22. "Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops." From the prompt list.

Genre: Fluff.

(Second Person Point of View)

"I'm telling you, Amelia! This psycho lady kept insisting I give her a cheese burger with no cheese! And when I tried to explain to her that this is basically just a burger not a cheeseburger, she went nuts!" You complain into the phone, as you struggle to open the door to your apartment without dropping your grocery at the same time.

"Like what even is this?! And when I finally gave up and told her I'll get her that cheese burger with no cheese.." you recite the customer's words in a tone of mockery, "She just still wasn't having it! She asked to speak to the manager who wasn't even there at the time! All my coworkers and even some customers had to intervene before she tries to kill me or something.."

You hear loud laughter from the other side of the phone. "I'm sorry; it's just-" your friend pauses to laugh even harder, "it's actually hilarious; I'm sorry."

"Amelia!" You whine dramatically, "Stop laughing at my sorrows!" Even though you let out a little laugh yourself, you were still willing to demand she doesn't laugh...just because.

After locking the door, you slip off your shoes, placing it near the door frame, then walk into the kitchen to put the items you bought in their correct places.

"At least it's over, though, right?"

"Well, that's not all. After waiting at the bus stop for like 15 minutes, I realized I had forgotten my purse in the changing room, so I had to go back to get my purse then walk to the bus stop again, and by now, I'd already missed the bus, of course. Therefore, I had to wait for 30 minutes for the next bus." You sigh, "And don't even get me started on that weird guy from the supermarket!"

"What happened?" Amelia giggles, still amused by your irritation.

"So, you know how I prefer buying groceries alone because it makes everything quicker and helps me focus better and not forget anything?" You begin placing items on shelves and in the fridge, not planning to stop the phone call before you're done ranting.

"Yeah?"

"Well, this random dude that I never even met before decided that my angry aura wasn't enough to keep him away, no! He decided to just walk up to me, for no reason at all, and make conversation. Now, this wouldn't be too bad if he didn't follow me throughout the entire time I was shopping. Even after I expressed my discomfort and annoyance, he just couldn't take a hint! And I was in no mood for being flirted with or being talked to at all actually." You huff.

"Woah, it's like the universe is just purposely pissing you off."

"Tell me about it! If my day gets any worse, I'm asking hell if they're having an exchange program."

Amelia laughs. "Just get some sleep; you'll be fine." She assures.

"Yeah, I'm really exhausted; I just want to pass out for a week!" You become more and more eager to drown in your own bed the closer you get to your room.

"Well, I'll let you nap for now, but don't forget the essay; we have to hand it over on Tuesday!" Knowing your habit of procrastination, Amelia never fails to remind you of the stuff you need to do. Multiple times.

"I know I know; I'll get started right after I wake up..and eat..and maybe watch an episode of-" She cuts off your already clear intentions of procrastinating.

"(Y/N)! Right after you wake up and eat! Don't make me come over there and supervise as you write!" She threatens.

You groan, "Fine; I'll do it."

After Amelia declares her temporary victory, you end the phone call and get comfortable in bed, ready to get some rest before you have to do your assignments. You set your alarm for an hour after the current time then place your phone on the nightstand.

The mattress and pillow partly engulf your body in heavenly softness, and you happily let the irritation from earlier float away.

However, life seemed to have more troubles to throw at you today.

The sound of drilling coming from the other side of the wall behind your bed startles you into full consciousness. Frowning, you wait a few minutes in hopes the drilling would stop, but, sadly, life still hated you and had no plans of having mercy on you. Trying to ignore the drilling was a hopeless case, too.

"Honestly, what the fuck is wrong with my neighbour?! It's been 25 minutes! What's up with all the noise?!" You complain to yourself, pushing your face into the pillow out of frustration.

You let out a huff. "I'll go talk to them. I'm not sacrificing my sleep for them to put up some decorations or whatever the fuck they're really doing."

Smoothing down your hair to make it look presentable, you contemplate whether you really need to change your pyjamas to go knock on your next door neighbours and ask them to keep it down. Nah.

You rub your eyes, still feeling sleepy and exhausted, as you wait for your oh-so-lovely neighbour to answer the door.

"Hello?" Greets a male about your age. Well..let's just say he certainly is really really really lovely. And suddenly, you regret not changing into something nicer than your my little pony print pyjamas.

He gave you a sweet smile as if he wasn't just chasing the sleep away from you with his drilling.

"Uh, hi." You shuffle your weight from leg to the other awkwardly. "Would you mind..um..not drilling into the wall right now? I've had a long day, and I'm trying to sleep.." You waited for a rude reaction, but the expected response never came.

Instead, the purple-haired male pokes his head back inside the apartment. "Vincent! Hey, Vincent!" He yells.

You hear a faint yeah? come from inside before the neighbour you never knew was so handsome shouts again, "I told you you're gonna bother our neighbours, but did you listen?! Nooo, you decided to try it anyway! Just stop drilling!"

"What neighbours? There's only one other apartment on our floor; don't make it sound like I'm bothering the entire buildi-" the other voice kept getting louder, indicating the person was walking closer to the door. When he finally reached the door and pulled it open, Vincent that was yelling from inside paused mid-sentence.

"Ooh, I see why you're so concerned about the noise." The redhead shoots a wink towards what you assumed was his flatmate before walking back inside, leaving good-looking neighbour flustered.

"Uh-um, never mind him. He just likes joking around; it's nothing, re-" His embarrassed rambling was cut off by a yell from inside.

"Shut up; you know you were calling her cute earlier, Sigurd!" Sigurd's panicked eyes meet yours, and you could practically feel the temperature rising in the hallway, due to the heat emitting from both your faces.

Despite how embarrassed you are, you were still absolutely flattered, which caused you to let out a small giggle, further increasing Sigurd's blushing.

"He's only joking; don't take him seriously. He just likes to embarass me." Sigurd tries to indirectly deny his flatmate's comment. You would be disappointed if it weren't so amusing and adorable watching him sheepishly sputter out excuses and defences.

"Are you saying you don't think she's cute then?" A blond pokes his head outside. You could tell he wasn't wearing a shirt, but he didn't seem to mind being seen like that.

Sigurd falls into another spiral of panicked, embarrassed babbling. "No!" He quickly turns to look at you, "I don't mean you're not cute! You're certainly cute- I mean if I were asked, I'd say you're cute- Like I wasn't just thinking about you being cute; not that I wouldn't think you're cute- oh my god, I'm sorry; just forget about this! Klaus, just go put a shirt on and leave me alone!"

By now, you were full on laughing hysterically at the interaction between Sigurd and his other flatmate.

"It's only fair, compared to how much you tease me." The shirtless male shrugs, walking back inside.

Sigurd sighs. "I'm sorry about Klaus and Vincent; they're practically family, so we tease each other all the time." He scratches the back of his head.

"It's okay." You smile. It was as if you'd completely forgotten you came here, ready to fight whoever disturbed your sleep. "Must be really fun living together like that, though."

"Yeah, I suppose." He nods. "Things sometimes get insane, but we're used to it by now. Insanity runs in my family. it practically gallops." He chuckles.

You let out a laugh, "Yeah, I totally know what you mean."

Seeming to have forgotten about being sleepy just a while ago, you allow yourself to have a full conversation with Sigurd. It may have lasted for a full hour, and you wouldn't even know.

"My goodness, just ask her out already!" Vincent yells from inside.

"Shut up!" Sigurd yells back.

"You really have no idea how to get the ladies, huh?" Klaus joins the yelling fest.

"Says the guy that thinks insulting the girl is a good way to encourage and motivate her!" It seemed like Sigurd had gotten comfortable around you, so he was no longer affected by their teasing; he was ready to talk back now. It somehow made you feel warm inside.

"I'm just being honest!" Klaus defends.

"You're just being mean!" Vincent argues.

"I'm not mean!" Before long, Vincent and Klaus had gotten in an argument in the backgroud, allowing you and Sigurd to retrieve your one-on-one conversation.

"Well, um, do you wanna go grab some coffee later?" Sigurd smiles. "You know..to prove them wrong?" He fakes an innocent smile.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's why." You giggle. "But, sure, why not?"

After deciding the time and day, you said your goodbyes, and you went back to your apartment.

At least now when Amelia calls again you can distract her with news about your date, so she doesn't have to scold you for not working on the essay until now.