#I’ve had this phone for like two weeks and my cousin has had theirs for a year and they only had 100 pictures in general saved to her phone

[billythephoneguy]

Bro I just got this phone and I somehow already have over a thousand Yugioh images saved to it hyperfixations are no joke 😭

[tripleaxeldiaz]

like it’s a little secret, like it’s all he has to give

for @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels <3

read on ao3

He didn’t mean for this to happen.

Well, no. He wanted it to happen, had been planning to make it happen with a lot more wooing and sweeping off of feet to get them to a perfect moment where he could tell Buck exactly how much he loves him and needs him in his life.

So he did want it to happen, of course. He just didn’t expect it to happen like it did — after a night out with the team, in the dim light of his living room, during a tipsy game of Truth or Dare like they were in high school again. Buck had said, “Dare”, and the three beers and two shots swimming in Eddie’s brain said, “I dare you to kiss me.”

And he did.

And one kiss turned into two, turned into making out on Eddie’s couch, turned into stumbling blindly toward the bedroom, turned into fingertips burning trails up backs, whispered confessions into necks, and muffled moans of yes and more and please and Eddie.

So it happened. It’s still happening.

That isn’t the problem. 

The problem is that it happened six months ago and they still haven’t told anyone.

It’s not that they don’t trust their friends or that they aren’t serious about each other. In fact, they’re probably too serious about each other, about making this the thing that sticks. The morning after their first night together, they talked for hours about their past failed relationships and insecurities, laying every, ugly part out for each other to see.

“I just want to be enough,” Eddie said, throat as raw as his insides felt. 

Buck’s hand slid up his back to scratch through his hair. “You’re more than enough for me. And I’d like to stick around and prove that to you, as long as you’ll let me.”

“Forever, ideally.”

“Forever it is.”

“I’m gonna fuck this up.”

Buck shrugged. “So will I. Maybe we give ourselves some time — fuck things up quietly before we let other people know?”

Eddie kissed Buck again, softly, soundly, relief surging through him because Buck gets it and wants to make this work and, this way, he feels like they may actually have a chance.

So that was that. Nothing really changed — Buck was still at the Diaz house more often than not, but now sleepovers meant Buck was in bed with Eddie instead of on the couch (except for the half hour before Chris woke up when Buck snuck out to the living room). They were still a dynamic duo on calls, they just also had each other after calls now too, especially bad ones. They were able to get to know each other as boyfriends instead of just best friends, figure out what they wanted and needed from a relationship, and smooth out the bumps they hit on their own, without any outside influence.

Now, they’re in a good spot. The best spot. And six months is a long time to keep quiet about something that makes Eddie so happy he could explode. But—

“They’re gonna be mad,” he says, head pillowed in Buck’s lap, absently picking at the label of his empty beer bottle. Buck hums, fingers combing through Eddie’s hair, the TV softly playing some reality show about a yacht crew.

“You don’t think they’ll be happy for us too?”

“They probably have a betting pool going on us. Then they’ll be mad and gloating.”

Buck’s hand stills on his head. “Eddie, if you don’t want to—”

Eddie scrambles up to sitting, taking both of Buck’s hands in his because he’s stopping that train of thought right now. “I do want to. I really do. I’m just—”

“Nervous?”

Eddie nods, absently placing a kiss inside Buck’s wrist as he gathers his thoughts. “I trust you. More than anything. And I trust us. I just don’t trust anything else, not yet. We’ve been in our own little world for a while, I just need to get used to that not being the case anymore.” 

Buck’s quiet for a minute before he leans forward, kissing Eddie’s forehead. “I don’t really trust anything else either. I’m happy to wait and follow your lead. As long as you know you’re stuck with me.”

Eddie kisses him quickly before laying back down, Buck’s hand automatically threading into his hair again. “You’re stuck with me, too. Even when cute, injured bikers try to steal me away—”

He feels a sharp tug on his hair. “I knew you did that on purpose!”

Buck’s jealous streak is a mile wide, Eddie’s known that since the day they met. So what if he’s exploited it a little while they’ve been sneaking around? How could he have known for sure that a little extra flirting on a call would get him blown within an inch of his life in a storage closet as soon as they got back to the station? He’d surely expected it, but…

Whatever. Sue him. His boyfriend’s hot when he’s territorial, and he’s only a man.

~~~~~~~~~~

Eddie should have known the universe would start fucking with them almost immediately.

The team has never been shy about trying to set both of them up — there’s always a friend of a friend or a second cousin or a neighbor that would be perfect for, as Hen so lovingly puts it, “our hot and lonely coworkers”. It’s only gotten worse in the past month or so, when a team trivia night turned into a team-and-significant-others trivia night, “forcing” Buck and Eddie to pair up to even things out. Ever since, he’s been cornered almost every day by Hen and/or Chim, each with a handful of people that would love to take Eddie out to dinner, and he knows they do the same to Buck. He’s pretty sure they have a shared spreadsheet about it.

“Come on Eddie, Nick is great! He’s tall, he owns a gym, his dog is cute—”

“Chim,” Eddie cuts him off, pulling his head out of the fridge to face Chimney and Hen seated at the island. He could end it now, just tell them I don’t want to go out with your new personal trainer because I already have a boyfriend, but it’s the middle of shift and everyone is still lingering from lunch and...it’s too much right now. Over Chim’s shoulder, he can see Buck looking at him from the couch, probably thinking the same thing (because they do that a little too often). Buck just raises his eyebrows and shrugs, saying I’m following your lead. Eddie falls a little bit more in love with him.

He focuses back on Hen and Chim. “I appreciate you guys worrying about me in your own weird way, but I’m fine. Plus, I have a thing and Chris’ school Thursday night anyway.” 

He does not have a thing at Chris’ school, and he feels bad using his kid like this, but drastic times call for drastic measures.

Hen holds up her hands as Chim deflates just a little. “Fine fine,” she says. “We know you’re busy.” She looks at Chim, and they have a quick conversation with their eyebrows before he gets up and slowly walks toward Buck.

“So, Buck, my dear pseudo brother-in-law. How’s your Thursday—”

Buck doesn’t even look up from his book. “No. Maddie and I are having a wine night, and we’re gonna talk shit about you the entire time.”

Chim squawks at that, and Eddie does a bad job of turning his laugh into a cough. It does get them to back off for the rest of the week, though Eddie resigns himself to this vicious cycle of theirs until he can finally shake the feeling that everything he and Buck have been building will dissolve through his fingertips as soon as they let anyone else in. 

It’s vicious but predictable. Easy to follow, easy to get ahead of. It gives Eddie a little room to breathe while he sorts his head out.

Naturally, that’s when Abuela decides to get involved.

Eddie’s never been able to refuse her anything — that’s how he ended up at her house on his day off in the first place, fixing a broken dryer and tightening cabinets and anything else she happens to remember she needs while he’s here. He really doesn’t mind, and he’s happy to spend any time with her that he can, but she’s been...prying. All day. As casually as she can, but he can tell she’s fishing for something. 

“Edmundo,” she says as they sit down for lunch. “You’re telling me you can’t even remember the last time you went on a date?”

Of course he can — he and Buck haven’t been able to go on many “normal” dates since they got together, but they did manage to coordinate a weekend in Ojai a few weeks back where all they did was eat, lounge by the pool, and have sex in their much-too-fancy-for-them hotel room. 

That counts as a couple of dates, right?

He shrugs instead. “I’ve been busy. Between work and Chris, I’ve just got a lot on my plate. I don’t really have time for dating.” And I don’t think my boyfriend would be too happy about it, he thinks.

“Of course,” she says. She keeps eating like that’s the end of that, but he knows there’s something else. When she finishes, she pushes her plate aside and looks at him dead on, with that There’s no way you’re getting out of this look in her eyes. “You know, if you did want to get out there again, my friend Diana has a granddaughter around your age that just moved to LA and wants to meet some people.”

There it is.

“Abuela, I really don’t think—” 

“It doesn’t have to be a date, it can just be dinner! The two of you getting to know each other. She’s sweet, she’s beautiful, and she’s a teacher, so she’s great with kids. At the very least, she could be a good friend.” She reaches across the table and grabs his hand in both of hers. “You work too hard, Edmundo. You deserve to do something nice for yourself, and that can be as easy as going out to a nice restaurant with a pretty girl for one night.”

He should tell her. He should tell her everything, even though Buck’s not here, even though he still has a stupid voice in his head telling him that as soon as their bubble pops, the likelihood of everything going belly up will skyrocket. He doesn’t want to lead this poor girl on, but Abuela is also looking at him all sad and hopeful, because she does want him to be happy, and—

“Fine. One dinner.”

Abuela cheers, actually cheers, and hugs him tightly before getting her phone. She calls Diana to set everything up themselves, rather than giving Eddie the girl’s — Chelsea’s — number. By the time he leaves, they’re set for 8pm next Friday at an Italian place downtown, and they each have a description of what the other will be wearing. “Like a real blind date,” Abuela says, and Eddie tries not to actually kick himself for falling into this trap.

He needs to get out of this. Abuela wouldn’t give him her number (“so your first meeting will be as magical as possible”), so he’ll just have to tell her right from the start on Friday. He feels bad, but hopefully she’s as nice as he’s been told and she takes it okay. And should he tell Buck? Probably, but is it even an issue if he’s not actually going through with the date? Buck’s working an overnight on Friday, so he won’t even be around when he’s supposed to be out. He could smooth it all over himself and then really sit down and get his shit together to figure out how they’re going to tell everyone, so no more fake dates happen ever again. 

He’s got this. It’s not his best idea ever, but it’ll have to do. Everything will be totally fine.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Eds? You home?”

Shit.

Eddie scrambles to shut his bedroom door, tripping over himself in the process and landing flat on his back. That’s how Buck finds him, and his stomach drops as he watches Buck’s face switch between worry and confusion as he takes in Eddie’s button down and slacks.

“Uh, hey,” he says. Buck offers a hand to help him up. “Shouldn’t you be at work?”

“I’m on my way, just needed to grab my phone charger,” Buck says as he pulls Eddie up, checking him out again like he’s confirming that his brain isn’t playing tricks on him. “You’re awfully dressed up for your night off.”

Eddie sighs heavily through his nose. This is exactly what he was trying to avoid, and if he had left 10 minutes earlier like he meant to it would have been fine. But now Buck’s here, and he refuses to lie to him. He’s already been lying by omission enough this week.

“Abuela kinda set me up for dinner with her friend’s granddaughter,” he says quickly, panicking when Buck’s eyes go wide and his cheeks go pale. “But,” he moves closer, placing both hands firmly on Buck’s shoulders, taking it as a good sign that he doesn’t pull away, “I’m just going long enough to tell her that I’m very taken and this whole thing was a mistake. I promise, nothing was ever going to happen.” Buck does pull away then, and Eddie’s hands fall heavily back to his sides. “Buck, please—”

“I know,” he says quietly. “I know you wouldn’t do that to me. But Eds, I told you I’d follow your lead when it came to telling people about us, and if that meant fake dating other people that’s cool, I just wish you talked to me about it first. We’ve got to communicate and stuff, we’re on the same team here.”

“You’re right,” Eddie says. He slowly reaches for Buck’s hands, relieved again when he lets him. “I should have told you. It wasn’t supposed to be a big deal, and I didn’t want you to worry or think things were bad with us, because they’re not. But still. I’m sorry.” Buck doesn’t move, just stares at the floor. Eddie squeezes his hands. “Are we good?”

Buck finally looks up, and Eddie can’t get a read on his emotions like he usually can. But he squeezes his hands back and gives him a small smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “We’re good. But I should get going.” He slips out of Eddie’s hands and out the front door without another word. 

There was no yelling or accusations or anything bad, really, but Eddie still feels gutted, like every fear he had about messing up is starting to manifest like he knew they would. He should go after Buck, tell him how much he loves him, how much he trusts him, but he’s 20 minutes late now, and when he pictures Chelsea standing all by herself in a crowded restaurant looking for him, he feels a whole different wave of guilt crash inside him.

He’s going to fix this, all of this. He has to. And he’s got a 30 minute drive to think of a new plan.

~~~~~~~~~~

The drive ends up being closer to an hour, and all Eddie does is convince himself that the next time Buck sees him, he’s going to realize that Eddie’s not good enough for him and break up with him on the spot.

The restaurant is loud and crowded, lit mainly by the low candles placed on each table. Eddie’s eyes scan the room until he spots her at the bar — emerald dress and gold heels, just like Diana had told him. He slides into the empty seat next to her, awkwardly waving to get her attention. “Chelsea?”

She looks at him with a warm smile. “Edmundo, right?”

“Eddie’s fine.” He steals himself, figures ripping the band-aid right off is probably the best thing to do. “Look, I’m really sorry—”

“That’s not a great way to start a date.”

Guilt curls tighter in his stomach and up his arms. “This has been a huge misunderstanding. I’m kind of— I’m already in a relationship, and we haven’t told anyone, and my abuela was just trying to help, and she knows I can’t say no to her, and now everything is falling apart.” He feels even worse dumping all this on a woman he’s known for three minutes, but his brain seems to be doing its own thing at the moment, he’s just along for the ride.

She looks at him for a minute, before waving the bartender over. “Well, you’re here, and you sound like you’re about to lose your mind. Have one drink with me, and tell me everything.”

So he orders a Jack on the rocks and spills his guts — tells her about Buck, about why they kept everything under wraps, his plans to fix everything, how he’s so fucking scared that once everyone knows and their little fantasy world is gone, Buck will realize that he can do better, that he deserves better, and Eddie will have to put himself back together somehow. He’s not sure exactly how long he talks, but Chelsea listens intently to every word, and Eddie actually feels better when he’s done.

She finishes the last of her gin and tonic and looks him right in the eye. “I know we just met, but can I be real with you?”

Eddie nods as he knocks back his own drink.

“Your plans suck.”

He laughs and almost shoots whiskey out of his nose. “Yeah, I think I’m starting to figure that out too.”

“Look — you love your boyfriend, right?” she asks as she hands him a napkin.

“Of course. More than anything.”

“And he loves you.”

He thinks about the way Buck looks at him, no matter where they are, like he's the only person worth looking at. How it took a little while, but now he actually feels worthy of a gaze like that. “Yeah, he does.”

She shrugs. “Then it sounds like you have nothing to worry about. You have each other — everything and everyone else is just background noise.”

It’s such a simple thing, something Eddie’s known for months now, but hearing it come from someone else gives his mind that final shove that makes everything click into place and finally stick. They do have each other, he and Buck are a team, on and off the clock. That’s not going to change, if anything because they’re both too stubborn and in too deep to let it change.

“I know you’re already a teacher, but you should seriously consider becoming a therapist if you ever switch careers.”

“Believe me, this is nothing compared to the middle school problems I deal with on a daily basis.”

He shudders at the very idea of dealing with that many 13 year olds. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but thanks.” Slumping back in his chair, he scrubs a hand over his face. “I don’t even know how to start fixing this.”

Chelsea hums, face scrunched as she thinks. “You said he’s at work right? With all your friends too?” Eddie nods. “Sounds like as good a time as any to tell them. And remind Buck that you're with him one hundred percent.”

Eddie’s never been one for big, romantic gestures, but she’s right, and this is for Buck. He’ll do pretty much anything for Buck.

He stands, takes some cash out of his wallet for their drinks and places it on the bar. “Thank you Chelsea, seriously. This was...weird, and not a good first impression of me, but you’re a lifesaver.”

She smiles that warm smile again, and it feels real, no trace of pity or awkwardness. “No problem, I’m happy to help. Maybe we can get coffee sometime, as friends? I didn’t get a chance to dive into my own relationship woes.”

“Deal,” he says, laughing as he hands her his phone to actually get her number. They hug goodbye, and he all but sprints out the door and back to his truck, mind already racing trying to figure out what the hell he’s going to do once he gets to the firehouse. 

If he’s honest, this “date” really couldn’t have gone any better. He hopes the rest of his night turns out just as positive, too.

~~~~~~~~~~

The team’s in between calls when Eddie finally arrives, which is great but also does not give him a lot of time to prepare himself for whatever comes next. Rationally, he knows everything will be fine — the team will be thrilled for them, Buck will be thrilled — but there’s still that nagging voice telling him that Chelsea was wrong and that everything’s going to blow up in his face.

He shoves that voice as far away as he can and walks into the station.

There’s no plan this time beyond “find Buck”, which he does pretty quickly once he gets up to the loft. Everyone else is up here too, it seems, but he sees Buck first, curled up on the couch and watching Hen and Chim play Super Smash Bros. He has that same blank look he had on his face when he left Eddie’s earlier, and Eddie hates it. But that’s exactly what he came here to fix.

Buck double takes when he notices him at the top of the stairs, slowly unfurling himself to stand. “What are you doing here?”

A thousand thoughts fly through his head, trying to coalesce into some sweeping romantic speech that would reassure Buck of all the things Eddie’s sure he’s doubting right now. But nothing feels right, nothing even begins to scratch the surface of what Eddie’s feeling, has been feeling for the past months. Everything is fleeting and empty, pale in comparison to the technicolor love he feels every time Buck so much as looks in his direction.

Words aren’t working, but Eddie really isn’t a man of words anyway — he is, however, and man of action.

“I’m communicating,” he says, taking three long strides across the loft to Buck, grabbing his face in both of his hands, and kissing him hard. He tastes like smoke and peppermint and something fundamentally Buck that Eddie’s addicted to, and he feels a smile against his lips as Buck kisses him back in earnest. He’s not sure if it’s been seconds or years when they finally pull away from each other, but they’re both breathless and Buck is glowing and Eddie doesn’t care about anything else.

“I love you,” he says, hands still on Buck’s cheeks. “And I’m sorry. I’m always on your team, as long as you’ll let me be there.” 

Buck’s smile somehow gets even bigger. “Forever, ideally.”

Eddie’s laugh bubbles out of him as he leans back in, but stops when he hears a throat clearing somewhere to his right. He looks, and everyone — everyone, including people who were definitely downstairs when he got here — is staring at them with varying degrees of shock and excitement on their faces. Ripping the band-aid off works in his favor again.

“So,” Hen says slowly from the couch. “This is new.”

Eddie shrugs as he grabs Buck’s hand. “Not really. Unless six months old is new, I guess.”

“Six months old?”

“Closer to seven, actually,” Buck says.

There’s a clatter as Chim drops his controller and stands, arms up over his head. “That means I win!”

“Whoa, hold on, you do not—”

The loft erupts as everyone swarms Hen, talking technicalities and logistics of what was apparently a very elaborate betting pool. Buck hides his face in Eddie’s shoulder as he laughs.

“Do you think they’re actually happy for us?” Eddie asks. “Or mad that we screwed up their winnings?”

Buck looks up, resting his chin on Eddie’s shoulder. “Probably both. But I’m the real winner here.”

“And a huge cheeseball,” Eddie says.

“Better get used to it, because you’re not getting rid of me,” Buck says, winding his arms around Eddie’s waist and kissing him again.

“Forever, right?” Eddie asks as they break apart, foreheads resting together. All he sees are Buck’s eyes, sparkling blue in the light of the loft and so full of happiness — happiness because of Eddie — that he wants to drown in them.

“Yeah. Forever. No turning back now.”

Eddie likes the sound of that.

[moonnightyoongi]

puzzle piece | jk

pairing: jungkook x reader

genre: angst, angst, ANGST

word count: 1.8k

description: you just seemed to fit like a puzzle piece

                                     ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

You don’t really remember where or how it started. The desire to love, to be loved. Of course, it is simply human nature, the ancient thought that when you are made you are split in two and you spend your life searching for your other half. Except in this day and age that is a thing of the past for some, they simply spend their life by themselves and they enjoy it. But where does that desire go? Surely it just doesn’t disappear – perhaps theirs gets projected onto the one that comes after them. The double desire to find and be loved. The double desire that eats away at them all night and is quickly put on the back burner during the day when they find a measly distraction. If that’s the case, then you are the one that came after. Growing up you were not deprived of love; your parents loved every bone of you, and you had a fair share of friends who would do anything to see you smile. But it all started when you hit the age of dating, everyone seemed to have it so easy, but you always went for the wrong guy or the guy who loved another or you were simply left alone in the corner of the dance while everyone slowed danced and the teachers watched with hawk eyes to make sure they didn’t get too close. No really. 9th grade, the boy who had asked you conveniently got back with his ex while you went to the toilet, and worst of all you couldn’t go cry in the toilets because you had just come out of them!

All your friends say your time will come. But it’s easy for them to tell you all the cliché things when they had met the perfect partner for them. They were happy and content, living in a world where they don’t need to think about anyone else because they had each other. No dating apps, no more awkward first dates, no more unanswered texts, no late-night cries when you receive the ‘you’re great but…’ texts. Just blissfully unaware of the hell on earth that is dating for people who don’t have it as easy as they do.

Jealousy. It’s hard not to be jealous when you go to their house warmings, or their dinner parties or that one engagement party. It’s hard. Sure, you were happy for them, because at least they weren’t feeling the hell and the social pressure to not be alone for the rest of your life. They don’t get the judgemental looks from the bitchy aunt that definitely didn’t have a rushed marriage when she was your age because she was pregnant (definitely didn’t happen – your cousin was 100% premature).

You hear about love languages and how everyone has a specific one, everyone said they knew yours from a mile away – words of affirmation. ‘You constantly need to hear that someone loves you or that they’re proud or that they haven’t changed their mind. Isn’t it tiring?’. Yes, it was extremely tiring, tiring to be constantly trying to tell yourself that you’re being foolish, and they do still love you and they are proud - yet still having the nagging feeling in the back of your mind that it’s all a lie.

“Any dates lined up?” Yuki asks as she scrolls through her phone.

You sigh and put down your drink, “No. I’m done.”

“You said that year and then met that awful dude that thought he was better than you,” Anastasia chimed in.

“He was better than me,” you reply thinking of the doctor and all his PhD’s. Sure, he was an awful person who liked to bring up just how many he had but he had every right to, he had earnt them.

“Just because he had a few pieces of paper doesn’t mean he’s better than you. You have a personality, he didn’t.” Anastasia scoffs stirring her coffee.

You shrug your shoulders as you look out the window, “He’s engaged now.”

“Poor girl,” Yuki laughs putting down her phone, “Does she have any degrees?”

Yuki and Anastasia laugh at the memory of you introducing your ex and him straight away asking if they had any sort of degree between them. Looking back, it made you feel sick to your stomach, he was so rude, and you were so desperate.

“PhD.” You reply.

“Just the one?!” Yuki exclaims, “Disgusting!”

They both laugh once more as you sat silently staring at the half empty coffee expressionless. It was easy to joke about exes when they weren’t yours.

“Listen, a new guy started at my work and he is so much like you I wanna set you two up,” Anastasia says.

“I don’t know, remember the last set up?” you point out. He was a whole foot smaller than you and at one point you had to help him reach something from the second shelf in the supermarket. Ironically, he didn’t want to meet again because you were too small.

“That was my mistake, I didn’t realise he wanted a 6ft girl,” Anastasia tells you, “Come on! He’s lovely, he’s taller than me and the other day he split coffee down himself.”

“So that means he’s perfect for me?”

“A match made,” she smiles, “Please!”

“I’d just do it; how bad could it be?” Yuki points out as you fumbled with your jumper.

“Getting shouted at in aisle 5 because you couldn’t reach the top shelf bad,” you joke. They both burst out into laughter once more as you sighed and watched the rain fall to the ground outside the coffee shop.

“Fine,” you sigh, “What’s his name?”

“Jungkook,” Anastasia smiles.

~.♥ ~

The lead up to the date was the worst, Anastasia constantly went on about how clumsy he was and how perfect you would be together – her favourite story was him walking into the glass door and simply shaking it off before going into a meeting. With every new story it bought up a sense of hope – but even you knew this was dangerous. For what one thinks is cute and endearing another finds childish and immature. What if he wasn’t as cute and as clumsy as Anastasia constantly explained – what if it was because he saw someone cute in the office and got distracted and he was now using you to make her jealous.

“Stop overthinking,” Yuki demands snapping you out of your thoughts.

“How did you-?”

“I’ve known you far too long. You’re either overthinking or over romanticising.”

You smile sadly before looking back into the mirror and applying some more blush. Maybe it was all the fairy tales growing up that made you this way, or maybe it was the tv shows. Either way they had both set you up for failure.

“Jungkook is on his way to the restaurant. It’s under my name,” Anastasia smiles walking into the room with her phone in hand, “Tae said good luck!”

“So does Jae,” Yuki smiles.

“I need it,” you mutter standing up and fixing your dress, “What do I do if he doesn’t show?”

“He’s on his way,” Anastasia sighs.

“What if he goes to the wrong restaurant?”

“They won’t seat him because my name won’t be on the list of reservations.”

“What if they don’t do reservations?” you challenge.

“You’re annoying me. He’s on his way to the right restaurant where he will give in my name and will be seated waiting for you.”

“But-,”

“Stop! Get in the taxi,” Anastasia shouts cutting you off. You drop your head as you walk down the stairs sheepishly. Anything could happen, you could arrive before him and he could look at you and change his mind. He could arrive before you and when you walk in scream and run out the back entrance. Everything was a possibility.

“Anastasia,” you smile nervously to the hostess.

“This way, your party is waiting for you,” she smiles kindly. Party? How many where here? Did Anastasia set up a conveyer belt to give you your best shot? You don’t think you could handle multiple rejections in one night.

Walking into the dining room you spotted him straight away. He was staring out the window, his leg twitching under the table – so much so he knocked over the pepper. His red face made you flutter and as you got closer the butterflies became more and more active. He was as clumsy as Anastasia had described and a lot cuter than she had as well.

“Your table,” the hostess smiles placing the menu down and walking away.

“Y/N,” Jungkook smiles standing up quickly, “I’m Jungkook!”

“Hi, nice to meet you,” you smile pulling the chair out.

“I should have pulled your chair out for you, shouldn’t I?” he wonders aloud.

“No, because if you couldn’t push it back in, I’d probably overheat with embarrassment,” you laugh pulling your chair in and hitting your hip on the table, “Fuck!”

The restaurant stares at you as you held back anymore swearing.

“Very hard table,” Jungkook jokes before they resume, “Are you okay?”

“I’ve got shivers.”

“You’ll have a bruise tomorrow,” he laughs as you finally sit down.

“I bruise so easily; my whole left side will be.”

“My friend is the same, he once caught his ankle on the door and couldn’t wear a shoe for weeks. The whole thing was swollen. He used all the ice in my freezer too,” Jungkook laughs.

“What about the ice in his freezer?”

“We live together so I guess he used all of his too,” he replied.

You laugh loudly as you opened the menu, all the anxiety had melted away when he smiled in your direction.

~.♥ ~

Days had turned into months and months had turned into a year. There was something about him that was so different from everyone you had met before. Nothing you did was ever childish or embarrassing and the same for him. You two just seemed to fit like a puzzle piece. He made you laugh, he made you feel safe, he made sure you knew he loved you. Whether it was by sending you a midday message when you were in work, or whether it was a cheesy video of him kissing the screen. He would bring ramen when you were stressed, and alcohol when it was time to celebrate. You would attend parties together and would spend all night dancing, drinking and laughing. You finally felt happy when attending engagement parties, housewarming parties and everything else that used to fill your social calendar with dread.

It’s just a shame it was all a lie.

masterlist | tell me what you think

[charlietheepicwriter7]

Hey, Little Songbird

Chapter 11 - AO3

D-Day.

M. Devereux, the history professor, was handing back their projects, finally graded. Felix, of course, knew that his and Marinette’s deserved nothing less than a perfect score.

What grades other people got… well, that was their own business. If they decided to share that information with the class, then he’d take pleasure in it.

He and Marinette received their own before certain other people. He flipped open the professional black binder to reveal their perfect score on the cover page. Marinette’s smile was blinding and Felix found it hard to breath for a second as a soft smile that only existed around his mother began to form on his lips.

“What!?” A screech flung from the front of the class. His smile morphed into a smirk as Rossi stared at M. Devereux with horrified eyes. “How did we get a failure!?”  

“If you have any questions about your results, I will address them after class, Mlle. Rossi.”

“B-But we used Lila’s notes!” Cesaire replied unable to stop a glance at those in the back. In her hands, clear for everyone to see, was the rose-imbedded binder Felix had ‘lost’ the week previous. “It should have been perfect!”

“After class.”

Rossi shot a glare at them—pathetic, she thought she still had a chance—and burst into a symphony of fake tears. “I-I knew I shouldn’t have let Marinette look at our project! She probably swapped the contents of our binder when I wasn’t looking!”

The class turned back to look at them, but M. Devereux would have no accusations of plagiarism in his class. “While it is possible someone could have switched your assignment, it is because both you and Mlle. Cesaire’s names were only on the title page of your assignment. M. Graham de Vanily and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng’s names were on each page in the header, as the formatting instructions required.” His eyes narrowed. “Please refrain from shouting in my classroom.”

“T-Then!” Rossi’s voice cracked unpleasantly, “They must have re-typed the assignment!”

Felix rolled his eyes. “That’s too much work.”

Marinette nodded, then frowned. “Hey… isn’t that the binder you lost last week?” She asked, her voice the perfect picture of innocence, drawing the class’s attention to the rather memorable piece of leather. “The one you reported to lost and found but never heard back from?”

“Yes, I think it is. Why do you both have it?”

Rossi snatched the binder from Cesaire’s arms, clutching it to her chest. “No it’s not! It must be a different one!”

One of the other classmates spoke up—a blond one, the Princess Fragrance girl. “But it has the same rose on it!” By holding it against her chest, Rossi revealed the memorable rose backing to the world. “I remember it because I thought it was so pretty!”

“Y-Yeah, that’s why I bought one just like it!” Rossi’s smile was flawless.

Felix cocked an eyebrow. “You bought a hundred-euro binder that looks exactly like the one that went missing?” Some strain. He shrugged. “Sure, I’ll buy it… if you can provide the receipt.”

“Huh?”

“The receipt, Rossi.” Felix dug around in his back for his receipt pouch and pulled out the one for the binder; it was ready at the front just for this purpose. “I have my own, for my binder. Provide yours, and I won’t report you for stealing.”

“I bought it online,” came the swift lie.

“Then show proof of purchase on your phone,” Marinette quickly rebutted.

“Not that she can,” Felix added. “Since this store doesn’t sell it’s more expensive items online, only in person.” He grinned, watching as the rusty gears in Rossi’s head began to smoke from the pressure. “So how’d you manage to do that?”

“It’s not from the same store, obviously.”

“So another store just so happened to be carrying the exact same handmade binder?” he snorted. “Just tell us the truth, Rossi; some of us want to go to lunch.”

“I… I…” Her eyes were darting around the room, meeting friendly and unfriendly gazes alike when she suddenly burst into tears. “I’m sorry!” she wailed. “I found the binder in lost and found! It, it was so pretty, and I didn’t know it was yours, Felix! Please forgive me!”

The few hostile classmates seemed to be on the brink of doing so, but before Felix could interject, Marinette said, “So you stole it from lost and found? How is that much better?”

“That’s not the same, Marinette,” Adrien said, narrowing his eyes at her. So he would defend the liar and not his own cousin’s stolen property? How shameful… and utterly expected. “It was just lost and found. If it was important to Felix, he wouldn’t have lost it, would he?”

“I’ve found Markov in lost and found; are you saying that he’s not important?” The Gamer boy’s jaw dropped, before he leveled a glare at Adrien. “And Alix’s skates, and Nathaniel’s sketchbook, and Rose’s perfumes. Are you saying those aren’t important?”

“No!”

“Then why isn’t it important when it’s your cousin’s things?”

“That’s enough!” M. Devereux spoke above her voice. “Students, you are dismissed for lunch. Mlle. Cesaire, Mlle. Rossi, stay. We have something to speak about.” The students hesitated, unsure. “I want this classroom empty now.”

Felix and Marinette escaped in the max exodus, Felix gloating inwardly at the scowl Rossi shot him. It felt good to irritate her. They separated from the class to head towards the bakery.

As soon as they were out of sight, Mariette let out a little giggle. “They didn’t even check it!”

“Shows their average intelligence then, though I wasn’t really expecting them too. I did insinuate that the project was complete, after all. And who proofreads the assignment they stole?” It was a bit tedious, go through their own assignment and altering the dates and names so that only half the timeline was correct, but he considered it well worth the effort.

“So that’s what you two did.” They stopped and turned. Adrien had been following them, a stern scowl on his face. Felix felt Marinette falter at his side. “You deliberately made them fail.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say deliberately.” Felix quickly shielded her with his body. “It was more of a happy accident that they didn’t check. My real plan was to use the binder from the start.” No one buys a binder like that unless they wanted it to be remembered, after all.

“But you still let them turn in a false assignment.”

“That they stole. They didn’t have to steal it. They didn’t have to turn in work that wasn’t theirs. They chose this outcome.” Felix tapped his chin. “Or rather, Rossi chose this.”

“They couldn’t choose anything, they didn’t know anything! Lila was probably just… worried about her grade. If anything, you two should have helped her!”

“If she needed help, she should have met with the teacher. Not steal another person’s assignment. If you must, think of it as a prank. Or karma.”

“It’s not karma when you make other people suffer for her actions!” Adrien snapped. “Now Lila’s probably going to get akumatized again!”

“And how is that our problem? We’re kids, we don’t have to deal with akumas.”

Adrien’s argument seemed to stumble, his eyes growing wide. “C-Chat Noir will have to! I’m just trying to keep down the amount of work the heroes face! Although—” Adrien’s eyes gained a rather cruel glint to them— “You wouldn’t know much about that, would you. In fact, if I remember right, you make their jobs harder.”

Felix failed to hide a wince at the thought of the triple akuma he caused. But before he could return fire, Marinette spoke up from behind him, though her voice was too low to hear.

Adrien frowned. “What was that?”

“I said—” Marinette brushed past Felix, her eyes shining wetly with rage. “That’s a LOW BLOW, Adrien Agreste!!” -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Before you leave, I have made a spotify playlist for this fic. You can find it here. Feel free to leave suggestions for the playlist, as it is mostly musical songs at this point (I even surpassed my hatred of Dear Evan Hanson to put a few of those songs on it, so I need suggestions, please). Thank you!

Taglist: @graduatedmelon @novicevoice @dur55 @kris-pines04 @18-fandoms-unite-08 @moonlightstar64 @bee-a-garbage-shipper @sol-o-shade @kittyotakunoir666 @tinyterror333 @allieoftheenemy @marichat00 @xgxmxtx @two-faced-biatch @feliciakainzofspades @evil-cricket @emilytopaz @spicybelladonna @chocolateherringtacofan @user00000003 @wannajointhecrabcult @happymonster-pants @duquesapincarrasca @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen

[pluviophile-bookworm]

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Rewatch pt.3

Ok, full disclosure: I should not be doing this right now. But I've been thinking about it since yesterday and, well, I reckon I can go over 1x4 and 5, and then move on to my actual work. So here we are. I'm really, really excited for these two, so without further ado, I'll dive right into:

1x4: It's hard to believe that I couldn't see... the majority of what happens in this episode when I first watched it

Why is Nini such a pro at making a scene with whoever her current boyfriend is in the middle of a public place? I mean, I get it that she's upset about EJ going through her phone — who wouldn't be — but maybe - and this is just a friendly suggestion — she could try and discuss that in private, not start a shouting match within view of all their classmates. Just saying.

'Ricky would never steal my phone' — well, perhaps not, but he's not quite above deleting stuff from it, either... I wonder if whoever is writing this show knows that there are many other ways to make a relationship unhealthy... it's not funny anymore. Just repetitive.

Ahhh Natalie and her emotional support hamster! At least there's one good thing about this scene.

Sure, Ricky, blame Big Red for the fact that you misplace your stuff... a very nice best friend he's got, indeed.

Gosh, everything is so awkward and there is just so much tension all over the place — Ricky's parents, then EJ and Nini, and then Carlos just being oblivious to the fact that they just broke up... you know, that last part just made me laugh. And then Ricky's reaction to his parents legally separating just broke my heart. That boy's been through too much.

Big Red being completely clueless about theatre terms is super funny and endearing, but let me just put myself in his shoes for a sec. He's followed his best friend into a badly thought-out scheme to get back together with his ex, got dragged into joining the crew, and is now expected to know what everything is. I would not put up with that... ok, who are we kidding, I'm a massive pushover and would put up with anything, but my point is... he shouldn't have to. At least people are doing the bare minimum to help him learn and nobody's laughed at him for not knowing. That's the good thing about this crew.

Ok, so I have posted about my thoughts of their take on What I've Been Looking For before, back when the episode was brand new, so I won't go into detail about that. In short, I think they've got the arrangement all wrong considering that it is a plot point in the original movie, but... the execution is funny. The scene is about Nini and EJ's post-breakup tension and it shows. I just kind of wish now Miss Jenn had pulled Nini out and put Gina in, even just for this rehearsal — and I might or might not be saying this as a Portwell shipper.

Miss Jenn is done with the students' personal drama and honestly, I'm right behind her. These kids are being completely unprofessional — and well, I realise that we can't expect them to be professional at this stage, but... they could at least try to concentrate on rehearsal and not their personal lives for a second.

Ricky hugging a cushion is my spirit animal. That's it, that's the comment.

Ahhh the tension between EJ and Gina though... 'around here seniors don't follow sophomores' — well, we'll see how it goes, Mr. Senior.

What gives Nini the right to shout at strangers about their relationship? I am honestly so frustrated with her these days. Wonder why I never was during season 1. The reasons are all there.

'He loves you' — yeah, like a little sister, he does. Also, Ash is so precious, always trying to see the good in other people. EJ 1.0 is so lucky he had her as an example.

Ok, I'm not going to go into what an amazing best friend Big Red is because we all know that (plus I'm saving it for a certain scene in 1x5), but this must be so hard for him. I mean, he's trying his absolute best to help Ricky feel better and distract him from his problems, and Ricky is turning everything down. I mean, I guess I understand where he's coming from too, but I'm unable to look at things through the lead-centric lens alone anymore. I'm more aware of non-lead characters now (some more so than others) and this is putting a whole new spin on my perception of everything that happens.

I've got no idea how Big Red can sleep with all this noise, though. I could never. But to each their own.

'perfect on paper' — that's EJ 1.0 to a T. I've got to give Nini that.

Ricky wearing the pride t-shirt... we love to see it.

See, this is why I keep forgetting why I ever shipped Rini and then remembering again... their chemistry is just so on-again-off-again, and here it's definitely present, but I just need a couple with consistent chemistry, you know. Hey, isn't that kind of what All I Want is about? Kind of. I don't know. I've been unable to listen to that song ever since it got big irl. I have this... problem with media that becomes popular and mainstream... I mean, I never hold a grudge against things just for being popular, but I just... relate to underrated stuff much easier. Not because it's underrated, but it just so happens that nearly everything I like and relate to is underrated in some capacity. Even HSMTMTS itself — it's practically unheard of here in Bulgaria, so I would not have found it if I hadn't been looking for it specifically. Ok, this comment got derailed several times. I guess I'll just stop here and move right on to 1x5 at this point.

1x5: A bedazzled tablecloth, a perfectly balanced unicycle and bad reception at the barn... not the perfect ingredients, but they can still... Work This Out

'Miss Jenn says that's a life in the arts... well, that and almost constant unemployment' — alright, I know this line is not supposed to be funny, and that it's a painful reality for a lot of people, but... maybe it's the delivery. I just laugh every time.

See, this is what I mean when I say I want to see consistent chemistry — Seblos have it. I mean, I really don't want to jinx things, but... they do.

Big Red seems to be in a more... outspoken mood today, I guess you could say. Too bad Ricky is still shutting everything he says down. Seriously, Big Red and Seb should start a club for people who try their best to be there for their loved ones and still keep being shushed.

I might be super frustrated with nearly everything Nini says and does (can somebody please tell me why that is?), but... flushing her dress down the toilet? Major mood.

Listen, I love Miss Jenn and that she's close to her students, but... emerging from a toilet cubicle and inviting herself to Kourtney and Nini's girls' night was... Will Shuester level of questionable.

Ricky being the mature one about his parents separation is... I mean, it's admirable, but how did he move past the impending depression of last episode and towards being the one who tells his dad to get up and move on? Well, I mean, good for him. But I think the issue is far from buried yet.

'Friend of the year'? Ricky? I don't think so. First of all, if he were, he'd know that Big Red does not have two left feet. Wasn't it you, Ricky, who was stumbling over the steps in HSM a couple of weeks ago? You're one to talk. Plus Big Red's been listening and trying to help while you've just been spouting off about your personal problems for... how long has it been now? I get it, Ricky has issues that he needs to work through, but he's almost legally blind in both eyes when it comes to Big Red.

Ok, but Ricky is the epitome of 'cannot solve his own problems but has a suggestion on how everybody else should solve theirs' in this episode. Maybe take a step back and listen to your own advice?

'My parents think I'm bonding with the livestock' — I've got no idea why I find this line so funny, but I do. And I've got so much love for this entire scene. Carlos' reaction to Seb's response to his invitation is just... the most adorable thing ever! My heart might just burst. Especially given what we're about to go through tomorrow in 2x10... I am. Not. Ready.

The entire karaoke scene just reminds me of... pretty much every extended family reunion on my mum's side. Her cousins love karaoke and are also completely tone-deaf. I love it that they're able to have fun with it, but my ears are still recovering from my great aunt's birthday party two years ago.

'When did you become Nini?' — Why does Mr. Mazzara know so much about his students' dating lives? I mean, Miss Jenn does, too, but he doesn't strike me as someone as invested in them as her. Idk, it just struck me as kind of weird.

'I didn't agree to photos' — please, EJ, I'm sure you'll want memories from your first fake-dating gig with Gina... once you're no longer fake-dating, you know. Boy, these two are going to have stories to tell to their grandchildren.

I've said some stuff about Nini, but... 'a bedazzled tablecloth' is the funniest description I've heard for Gina's homecoming dress.

'Maybe it's not actually about you at all.' Yeah, you tell him, Reddy! Ricky needs to get over himself.

The way Big Red sniffs out the drama, though... I was not-so-randomly reminded of that moment in 2x9 where Seb was like Carlos. and Big Red was like, 'Are you guys fighting?'...

Big Red doing a comedic lip-reading of Gina and EJ's dramatic scene is absolutely hilarious. I might or might not have sold my heart and soul to him after seeing that scene for the first time. But I just remembered how he said earlier that maybe he can't read lips and that just makes this 100% funnier — he was basically like a child who can't read yet making up a story based on the pictures in a book, and I mean it in the best way possible. He's a theatre dark horse, this one, and they should all be intimidated — or inspired, whatever they choose — by his hidden talents. Gosh, I love this guy. But can you blame me?

'You think I'm actually going to confide in you?' — Absolutely. You can't bully someone from your position of authority over them and then act like you're their friend. I do know now that Mr. Mazzara has hidden depths, but he had no right to be as rude to Carlos as he was in 1x3. He was right about one thing, though — Carlos doesn't need a dance partner to dance.

Ricky saying he was going to apologise to Gina and counting that as an apology is giving me major TJ/ Buffy flashbacks. I wonder why that is... * sarcasm *

Nini feeling like a fraud makes me actually sympathise with her for a second. But I feel like Nini's flaw of defining herself through boys and Ricky in particular has been addressed one time too many now, since it was first addressed here in this episode. If they make her and Ricky get back together again in season 2, I will riot. [side note: I feel like the Born to Be Brave scene says a lot about both Rini and Seblos as couples. Nini and Carlos both feel, in the moments leading up to the song, like they are incomplete without their partners. Ricky, too, has built his personality entirely around Nini at that time (and is still not completely over that in s2). And then the song comes in to remind them that they don't need a partner to be happy. I'm just thinking of Big Red's 'perfectly balanced unicycle' comment from the promotional materials, and of how he and Ashlyn, even when they're dating in s2, are never portrayed as being incomplete without each other. I guess there's a reason why they're the Beta Couple of the show — their relationship drama is nearly non-existent, and when it does exist, it's just caused by them caring too much about each other. Every other couple on the show should learn from them.]

Everybody supporting Carlos during the Born to Be Brave number just warms my heart so much... I am actually crying real tears. And then the end, when Seb finally shows up, right in time for the slow dance... I have a lot of feelings about this scene.

Seblos' dialogue here still kind of makes me cringe a little... but like, in a good way.

Yikes... Miss Jenn's getting into trouble... I mean, it was bound to happen sooner or later. But she's lucky she's had enough time with her students for them to love her enough to fight for her. Still, this is a topic for another episode, and so I won't expand on it in this post.

Well, that's it. That was 1x4 and 5. Those were pretty much my favourite episodes when season 1 was airing. And I can definitely see why, even if my views on some things have changed due to stuff that happens later. But, as I constantly say, that's what rewatches are for. In other words, 'once more, with feeling this time' as my choir director used to say.

[rkin413]

All 77 of my current AUs

I’m probably going to instantly regret making this post but it’s four in the morning and also I desperately want to talk to people about these things.

This is just. Copypasted from my AU list page. Some stuff might be outdated in a week. Who knows. Not me.

Star Vs The Forces of Evil:

Monster Carvers (link) - Main Star Vs AU. Stomco endgame + Tom stays with Marco + Star raised by Monsters (specifically Buff Frog). The titular antagonists were originally going to disappear after the prologue what the heck happened???

Pretty Cure vs the Forces of Evil (link) - Exactly What It Says On the Tin, Pretty Cure x Star Vs.

unnamed Pirate AU - Star Butterfly has a perfectly nice, unbearably boring life as a high-class lady, with little to do other than wait to be married to her arranged fiancé that she’s never even met. A week before her wedding she sneaks on board a shipping vessel in the hopes of having an adventure. She gets a little more adventure than she bargained for when the ship is attacked by pirates.

“"Cannon”“ - A cannon-adjacent AU that started as a crossover with Monster Carvers

unnamed Infinity Train AU feat. human!Star and human!Tom.

unnamed Post-Cleaved AU featuring forced humanizations, amnesia, and one small time hiccup. Also Dave and Wrathmelior are missing, so that sucks for Tom.

unnamed AU where Marco goes to live with Tom for a while instead of Star during Lint Catcher

How to Train Your Dragon:

Outsiders (link) - Main HTTYD AU. Instead of watching the entire Berk fleet sail off to their dooms with Toothless, Hiccup and Astrid free the arena dragons and take Toothless while he’s being brought to the ship and then they all get the heck out of dodge. Dagur accidentally set himself adrift with Heather back when they were both small. Snotlout learns the hard way that being the Heir/responsibility kind of really sucks actually??? Stoick has to deal with his son going rouge. And Gobber and the Berk Teenagers have to deal with Stoick and Snotlout respectively.

Modern Riders/Time Travel AU - Modern!Hiccup is dragged by his cousin into an unwanted camping trip with the other riders and one electrical storm later, they find their cell phones aren’t working any more. Also are those flipping dragons?! On Berk, Stoick and the other vikings are shocked to find a group of teenagers in the woods who bear a shocking resemblance to some of the members of a dead generation of children.

Unsevered Bonds - Modern Riders (minus Hiccup) meet a time displaced Hiccup who recognize them as his reincarnated friends, even if they don’t remember their former lives.

How To Train Your Lusus - Everyone are trolls on Alternia. Hiccup is a brownblood who’s probably the only troll in existence to get a second Lusus (Toothless) after his first one (Stoick) is killed. Astrid is an oliveblood that Hiccup is flushed for, Fishlegs is a yellowblood, Snotlout is a blueblood, the Twins, Dagur, and Heather are all purplebloods. Dagur killed both his and Heather’s lusus so now he’s trying to take care of her even though she absolutely hates him (and not in a black way), and he had an unrequited pitch thing for Hiccup at one point before they flipped pale (and are actually Moirails now). That’s pretty much all I have for this one.

unnamed Harry Potter AU - Does not actually take place at Hogwarts. Everyone attends Dumstrang (possibly) and the topic everyone avoids is Care of Magical Creatures, because the local Dark Lord is Drago Bludvist. Main trio is Hiccup, Snotlout (Pureblood cousins), and Fishlegs (Muggleborn)… somehow.

Dragon Gang (link) - Mob/Mafia AU set in the vaguely 1920s in a Fake Country so no one can call me out on inaccurate geography.

Rebuilding Bridges - Set in a Multiverse where RTTE and The Hidden World are mutuality exclusive. (Pt.1): After dealing with Drago but before dealing with Grimmborn, Hiccup and Toothless once fought a witch intent on ‘harvesting’ dragons. Now ten years after the dragons have left her apprentice seeks revenge and kidnaps Zephyr and Nuffink, and a panicked Hiccup and Astrid are contacted by the Very Retired and Very Much Done With This Kid witch. Meanwhile in the RTTE-verse, The Dragon Riders only just got back from informing Berk about Johann’s treachery, when some crazy lady spontaneously appears in the middle of the Edge with two terrified children she intends to feed to dragons. Yeah, that’s not happening.        (Pt.2, spoilers for this AU I guess???): Zephyr and Nuffink and their parents have safely returned to New Berk, but their world has been shaken by what was and could have been. Zephyr and Nuffink, after bonding with Dagur in the other timeline, decide they want to try and help him in theirs. This was perhaps not their best idea. Meanwhile, the Nightlights escape the watchful eye of their parents to go exploring outside the Hidden World, and quickly meet the hatchlings of their dad’s brother! (so… their cousins, then?)

Something Wild (name subject to change) - Several years after Berk (along with most of the Archipelago) is attacked and taken captive by a far more advanced foe, Stoick is able to free most of his people but what he finds when they get manage to regroup back to their island is less than a relief- Berk ravaged and their elderly and children, left behind by their captors, missing. To make matters worse, the dragons are still out there, now with some kind of devils riding and aiding them. Now Stoick, Gobber, and the rest of the people of Berk must find safety and a way to fight back against they’re new foe, find what happened to those who are missing, and figure out who these dragon riders are and whether they’re friend of foe (gee i wonder where the Berkians went and who the dragon riders are golly what a mystery). (aka the feral/semi-feral!dragon riders au i keep trying to create)

Lost (name subject to change) - Alternate attempt at the feral/semi-feral!dragon riders au. Several years before the events of the movie could happen, a raid on Berk not by dragons, but by other people, leads to the destruction of an entire generation when the raiders manage to capture the Teenagers of Berk and ship them away. While in captivity, they meet and ultimately befriend the dragons that in another life would be their partners and together they all escape. Unfortunately, they’re Thor-knows-where, and with no one they can trust (or understand) except each other, getting back to Berk might take a while…

The Lego Movie:

Hero with Two Faces of Yellow - Another ‘Emmet and Rex share a body like Good Cop Bad Cop’ AU

Peacemaker AU - Main Lego AU. About a year after the Duplo aliens attack, Emmet is attacked and presumed dead, but he’s actually been taken by General Mayhem to meet Queen Watevra Wana'bi, who remembered and missed her ‘father’. Later, Rex ends up jumping into an entirely different timeline by accident (this one) and decides to try and play the long game by befriending Emmet, who’s now living in the Systar System. That probably won’t work out for him the way he wanted.

Miraculous Ladybug

MiracuClass Knows AU - Prior to Volpina, each member of the MiracuClass finds out the identities of Ladybug and Chat Noir, and just sort of collectively become their secret keepers. Inspired by Epiphanies by PFTones3582 on Fanfiction.net.

Miraculous Sburb AU - The MiracuClass play Sburb and end up dragging a good chunk of Paris in with them when they enter the Medium. Marinette is a Light player, Adrien is a Doom player, and that’s all I got. Gabriel probably definitely dies.

One Is Silver and the Other Gold - aka the Marikimno Brot3 AU. I headcannon that Marinette, Kim, and Nino were close friends as little kids that drifted apart a few years prior to the start of the show. In this AU, that never happened. Also, Alya becomes Adrien’s best friend instead of Nino, and Nathanel becomes their friend too somehow? (someone help Alya, she’s an extrovert and both her friends have social skill levels in the single digits.)

The Ladybug and the Monkey - Main Miraculous Ladybug AU. My take on the ‘Fu chooses Kim to be the second Miraculous wielder instead of Adrien’ AU that I’ve somehow seen multiple times.

Sleeper Miraculous -  AU where instead of the Miraculous being handed out, they’re transported magically to their wielders after they’ve proved themselves somehow. The Miraculous still need to be ‘activated’ by the Guardian to be used on either a permanent or temporary basis, so Ladybug still has to go to Master Fu at first before she becomes the new Guardian, but she knows literally none of the other members of Team Miraculous’s identities. They have a chat group, too, where Ladybug updates team members on whose Miraculous she’s going to activate, and both Chloe and Kagami never blow their identities. Contains both mild Classmates + (even milder)Adrien salt and sugar. (define irony: wanting to punch someone in the face for being an a-hole only to realize that said a-hole is you).

Miraculous! Pretty Cure! - Another Pretty Cure AU. Yep.

Mesapia AU - Butterfly!Marinette AU with a few twists - 1) instead of just facing the villainous user of the Ladybug Miraculous, all of the Miraculous have been lost to villains (save for the rabbit). Marinette frequently empowers her classmates (+Adrien, who’s still under house-arrest in this AU, Luka, and Kagami) to fight the Miraculous Villains, who are also all fighting each other; and 2) This isn’t so much a Kwami Swap as a Kwami Scramble, no one uses their canon Miraculous here (except for Fu briefly, and Emilie had the peacock before what happened to her)!

Boys vs Girls AU (name subject to change) - Marinette vs Lila with the Boys (+Kagami) on Marinette’s side and the Girls on Lila’s.

Labyrinth - Almost the entirety of the MiracuClass go missing (+Lila, Luka, & Kagami, -Chloe) and on a related note, eight very young children wake up in an ever-shifting, monster-filled underground labyrinth and grow up together. And two of them have some special, appearance-shifting jewelry…

Mad Gabriel - Miraculous Ladybug x Mad Father, starring Adrien as Aya, Marinette as Dio, Gabriel as Alfred Drevis, Nathalie as Maria, and everyone else as the doctor’s victims (Lila is Ines).

Miraculous Royal AU - A fantasy AU starring the MiracuClass (shocker) spread out across three fantasy kingdoms.

Quartz Butterfly AU - AU in which Jagged Stone takes the role of (a significantly nicer but still villainous) Hawkmoth as Quartz Butterfly, with Penny taking on Mayura’s role as Songbird. (yes i know peacocks aren’t songbirds SHHHH).

MiracuTrio AU - AU based on fanofanimation’s submission to terrible-miraculous-ladybug-aus, where Kim becomes a permanent member of the team after Party Crasher.

Mitterlicht - horror-ish AU inspired partially by various horror games, Lucidstuck, and Underbright (no, really).  After receiving their Miraculous for the first time, the temporary heroes start having less-than-restful nights. Things quickly go from bad to worse when fragmented, panic-inducing dreams turn into nightly (and solitary) trips into a dark world full of monsters that want to take something referred to just as their ‘light’- a bright light that acts as both a beacon to the hostile creatures and the only way to return to consciousness every night -which just so happen to be in the exact spot (and in many cases, are also vaguely the same shape) of their Miraculouses.

Mirakatsu - Aikatsu AU

Ladybug: Don’t Deal With Hawkmoth - (aka the result of listening to the Cuphead Rap Battle 50 million times) Cuphead AU where Ladybug and Chat Noir have to go around beating up akumas and collecting their butterflies to avoid getting akumatized by Hawkmoth.

Miracle Thieves - a phantom/gentleman thief au where Marinette and Adrien (who have been thieves for years) unwittingly steal a pair of magical artifacts and decide to team up afterwards. Includes Fox!Nino, Journalist-determined-to-expose-their-identities!Alya, and possibly Tiger!Markov.

Homestuck:

unnamed AU inspired by To Live a Normal Life

unnamed Harry Potter AU

Merged Sessions AU - An AU where our favorite trolls and the Beta Kids are all part of the same session

Same Side of the Scratch AU - AU where the Beforus Trolls replace the Alternian ones, and when both sessions get scratched the Alternian Trolls end up in communication with the Alpha Kids

Same Side, Same Session AU - Combines both of the two immediately above AUs, The Beta Kids and Beforus Trolls have a session together that fails and gets Scratched, then the Alternians and Alphas play the game together while the pre-scratch players (all alive) travel to their session and have Meteorstuck Shenanigans.

Relief Was Just a Dream (name subject to change) - aka the mandatory Troll Rebellion AU, inspired by a fic I don’t remember the name of on A03. Sweeps after Karkat and Feferi are (seemingly) culled, Ace Legislacerator Terezi Pyrope -one of the best despite knowing she’s one wrong move away from being culled for her disability- is called in to investigate a series of traitorous attacks on more and more ships. Weirdly, the trolls seen most in the attacks don’t even seem to exist, all seem to bleed a painfully familiar cherry red, and have powers that even Her Imperial Condescension doesn’t seem to have. (not a no-game au)

Freetime AU (name subject to change) - AU where Bro leaves Dave on Dad Egbert’s doorstep, and Dave and John grow up as brothers.

Megaman:

Pokemon Network - Hub lives Pokemon AU with at least two protagonist teams. Team A: Lan, Hub, Mayl, Dex & Yai in Kanto. Team B: Roll, Glyde, Gutsman (Gus) in Kalos. What are Chaud and Protoman/Blues up to? ~Secrets~

Sailor Moon:

Inverse Corruption - When Beryl scours the Earth looking for her reincarnated generals she fails to find them, but she does manage to find the senshi instead. Sailor Moon has to unknowingly face the very girls who were supposed to protect her, fighting side-by-side with the Shitennou instead. (the boys are highschoolers to the girls middleschoolers)

Hazbin Hotel:

Infernal Relations - Why did Lucifer and Lilith wait so long to have a child? Simple; they didn’t. Unbeknownst to Charlie, her parents both had and lost a child thousands of years before she was born, a fact that will have far more of an effect on her hotel than she could possibly realize (even if she had known).

Apprentice Charlie AU - AU where Charlie gets into a fight with Lucifer and leaves before she ever thinks to create her hotel and Alastor ends up finding amusement by taking on an apprentice. (inspired by Helluva Teacher by Sol_Victoria on A03)

Phineas and Ferb:

Cursed Cats AU - AU based on the song Black Cats of Halloween. Phineas, Ferb, and their friends are cursed by a demon who turns them into black cats, save for on Halloween night. They’re then thrown into a world of magic and have to find each other, their way back home, and a way to break their curse, preferably in that order.

Danganronpa:

Online Gamer AU - no one dies/non-despair AU where no one is a super/ultra highschool level anything, no one has met each other in person, and they all play Among Us together. Junko always dies first and she’s low-key going to hurt someone over it.

unnamed AU where the murders of the killing game happen differently (aka the mandatory dr au)

unnamed AU inspired by ask-the-dr-reset-kids - After an incident that forces Hope’s Peak to temporarily close it’s doors, Class 78 all transfer to a different school. Junko is in jail, Mukuro is coping, Izuru is looming somewhere, the Ultimate Despair are waiting like sleeper agents to cause the The Most Despair Inducing Event in History, and Makoto is straight up not having a good time (and has very good reasons not to tell anyone).

unnamed AU where both Class 77 and Class 78, including both Junko and Mukuro but without Chiaki end up playing the Killing Game together.

Double Mastermind AU - similar to the above, both Class 77 and Class 78 wake up one day with no memories of their school lives. They’ll have to work together, somehow, to find out where they are, how to get back to civilization, and how to get back their memories. Meanwhile in the control room, Makoto and a sort-of-but-not-really-reformed Junko are working together as the Masterminds behind the mystery. Well, Makoto’s working, anyway. Junko just kind of wants to give Makoto daily migraines. Contains Junko/Makoto hateshipping.

unnamed Taka Lives AU where instead of switching roles with Hiro during the third trial he just manages to survive the murder attempt. He does not, however, get out unscathed…

another unnamed Taka Lives AU where Makoto, at Kyoko’s urging, decides to stay with Kiyondo the night he would have died, throwing a huge wrench into the would-be-blackeneds’ plans.

Asassain!Makoto AU: The Killing School Life - an au where Makoto is secretly the Ultimate Assassin.

Assasain!Makoto AU: The Killing Mystery - au that’s basically the one directly above but takes place in a non-despair (or maybe averted despair would be more accurate) timeline. After receiving and turning down a job to assassinate a certain up-and-coming politician, The Black Mask (Makoto) alerts his would-be victim, an old former friend, that someone is out for his life.

Remnants of Hope AU - AU that takes place after the end of School Mode, with the class not being picked up by the future foundation right away. (does this. does this actually qualify as an au i’m not sure.)

unnamed Class Swap AU

unnamed AU where Makoto and Kiyotaka are brainwashed into Ultimate Despair in addition to Class 77. Contains both sweet and very effed up Naeishi, as well as Despair!Makoto+Izuru friendship (or as close as Izuru can get, anyway). Technically another 2 (or 3, sort of) masterminds au.

Soulmates AU - In a world where most people are colorblind until meeting their soulmate, Makoto Naegi walks into Hope’s Peak Academy colorblind, blacks out, and wakes up to color. As it turns out, the same thing happened to everyone else!

Scrapbook AU - After entering into Hope’s Peak Academy, Makoto started a scrapbook/photo album of himself, his classmates, and eventually even the class above his own during their time on and off school. It soon became a class diary of sorts after being discovered, shared among everyone… then a chronicle of the events leading up to Class 77 going missing, The Tragedy starting, and Class 78 sealing themselves inside the school bunker, before returning to it’s original purpose as Class 78 lived inside their homemade bunker. In canon, Junko found and burned it. In this timeline, it’s an amnesiac Makoto and his classmates who find it, hidden under the floor in Makoto’s room.

Amnesia AU - A boy wakes up in a school(?) with no memories of where he is, how he got here, or even who he is. As it turns out, there are fourteen other people here… and all of them have the same memory loss he does! (may or may not be an IF Bad End AU)

Polychain AU - Another different Victims and Blackends au, that extends well beyond the original Killing Game. The Tragedy occurs very differently in this one… initially. Also features Junko escaping after the Killing Game, and Hajime and Shuichi being half-brothers and kids of the survivors.

Unnamed AU where Leon and Taka also attended Makoto and Sayaka’s middle school.

Ghost AU - After being killed, the victims and blackened are forced to stick around and watch the Killing Game happen, believing they'll be allowed to move on after they leave. Turns out, they're very much wrong- but at least after it's over their classmates can see them! Too bad they're the only ones.

Teachers Assistant AU - inspired by a fic I don’t remember the name of on fanfiction.net. After Nagito blows up a building and gets suspended, Chisa is forced to take a Teacher’s Assistant or be fired. Somehow, a very reluctant Makoto gets the job, despite being in the class below her own. Cross-class shenanigans ensue.

Unnamed Timetravel AU inspired by a fic I don’t remember the name of on fanfiction.net where Makoto and Alter Ego, the only survivors of the Killing Game, are sent back in time to Makoto’s first day attending Hope’s Peak - Makoto mentally and Alter Ego physically. Not as dark as the premise sounds, at least theoretically.

Crossover

Dagla!Adrien AU - Adrien isn’t the son of Gabriel and Emilie Agreste, but instead his parents are a Modern Dagur and Mala. He still works for Gabriel as a model, but otherwise has had a very different upbringing (most notably the inclusion of a lot of people who have cared about him for his entire life, such as his best friend Zephyr Haddock) and acts more like Chat Noir both with and without the mask. He still befriends his canon friends, becomes Chat Noir, and falls in love with Ladybug. (HTTYD x Miraculous Ladybug)

unnamed Adventure Time x Star Vs AU

Miracutale - Lila pushes Marinette down a hole, Adrien tries to catch her but fails. Undertale ensues. (Miraculous Ladybug x Undertale)

Sailor Bella (name subject to change) - AU inspired by some art from Turning-the-Tides, Princess Serenity reincarnates not into Usagi Tsukino, but Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, and her Senshi are reincarnated into the boys. I have no idea who Endymion became if he exists at all in this AU. (Sailor Moon x Phineas and Ferb)

unnamed three-way crossover between Harry Potter, Miraculous Ladybug, and How to Train Your Dragon.

unnamed Steven Universe x Undertale AU - After returning from the Jungle Moon, Steven and Connie end up stranded in an alternate timeline where they meet what appears to be another half-gem going by the name of False Topaz (Frisk). Things get a little more tricky when it turns out that gems and humans coexist somewhat… on one side of a giant, seemingly uncross-able mountain range live humans, on the other gems, and after a war between the two a few centuries ago, both cultures have a kill on sight policy. To make things more complicated, gems seem to be very different in this timeline. (note: Frisk is not actually a gem, just disguised as one)

unnamed Undertale x Star Vs AU - There’s a new face at the Silver Bell Ball - Frisk, heir and ambassador for the Kingdom of… Monsters?! Star and Frisk are quick to befriend each other, but despite that, Star can’t help but feel that Frisk doesn’t like her… And Frisk may have more than one secret to share… or maybe to keep.

unnamed Miraculous Ladybug x Danganronpa AU - The Worst Most Despair Inducing Event In History was localized to Japan (but the effects are spreading), and the six survivors of Hope’s Peek, aided by Kagami’s father, whom Byakuya naturally has connections to, immigrate to France to pick up the pieces of their lives. Meanwhile in France, Ms. Bustier’s class gain five new transfer students after the events of Miracle Queen.

Games -  (everything)

Wild Things - (everything)

[bsbloglife]

September 23, 2021…tomorrow I leave my family for 3 weeks, to care for my parents back home. I’m nervous, scared, excited, sad, relieved, and so many other emotions that I cannot begin to name off because my mind is a jumbled mess. I’m looking forward to finally seeing my parents after a little over two years, but so heartbroken to leave my children and husband behind. I do have a sense of relief that now I’ll finally be able to take care of the issues regarding my parents’ needs.

I take off from Orlando in the early afternoon, to arrive in Toronto a few hours later, only to wait for 3+ hrs before my flight to Montreal. My sister-in-law will be coming to the airport to pick me up, then we’ll be heading over to the hotel where my parents have been holed up for over 4 and a half months. My parents don’t know I’ll be arriving tomorrow, but the caregiver is aware. She’ll be waiting for my call to say that I’ve arrived and that I’m on the way. In fact, I’ll be the one caring for my parents the first weekend that I arrive. My father is the one who needs the most help, hopefully he’ll be ok with me cleaning him up when he needs it. This will be interesting! Maybe he won’t recognize me and think that I’m another caregiver. I’m laughing at the thought, but it’s painful to think he won’t remember me. We’ll soon find out. Tomorrow this time I’ll be at the hotel with my parents.

In fact, tomorrow almost didn’t happen. I received a call today from my son’s middle school and as soon as I saw that name pop up on my phone at 1:15pm, I knew it wasn’t going to be a good call. When I answered the phone I waited a few seconds, hoping that maybe it was one of those automated calls from the principal. After a few seconds when I didn’t hear that automated voice come on, I knew something was wrong, so I said “hello?”, to which the school nurse proceeded to tell me her name and that she was calling about my son. I’m sure my response, “oh no, this is not good”, confused her a little bit, which I sensed from her hesitation to continue on. I said that for a few reasons; 1 - she’d only be calling me if something bad happened, 2 - I was leaving for Canada the next day, this seriously cannot be happening, and 3 - what if he has Covid?? I would have to reschedule my trip. I think other things popped in my mind, but right now I can’t remember what they were. She then said he was not feeling well; sore throat, chills, headache, but no fever. I told her I’d be there within 10 minutes. When I got to the school he looked ill, with those glassy eyes and sad face, trying to pull his arms into his shirt because he was getting chilly. I carried his bag and we headed to the car. He told me that he was sorry to put pressure on me because he knew that I had to leave tomorrow. I told him that I believed everything happened for a reason and maybe it wasn’t meant for me to go. My first thought was having to reschedule my trip, because if he had Covid I didn’t want to bring it home to my parents. Then I thought that I would need to get him tested, just to be sure. If he was positive, then I would reschedule the trip. If he was negative, then I would continue as planned. Stupid me, I thought that picking up a Covid Home testing kit would be easy. Just go to the closest pharmacy. Little did I know that these testing kits were like hot cakes and everybody wanted them! There were no Covid testing kits to be found…anywhere!!! My very good friend Bri helped me find one of the last remaining kits in town, after she searched and searched and searched, even going to the closest Walmart by her place to pick up a kit which was supposedly in stock. Only to find out that she missed the last kit by a few minutes! She drove with me to the only pharmacy in town with a kit. You know, that’s a real friend. You find out who your real friends are when they inconvenience themselves to help you, but they truly don’t think they are going out of their way. They are helping you because they genuinely care, when anyone else would be telling you, “good luck finding a kit”, instead she said, “let me get dressed and go to my Walmart that says they have them in stock. I’ll pick it up for you then meet you.” I mean, seriously?!?! Then she drove across town with me to get that last remaining kit, which she found after calling several pharmacies in town, and then begging them to hold it for her. I’ll never forget her kindness. I’m sure she had other things to do than to spend hours searching for a rapid Covid testing kit for my son. What was really beautiful, was that she never made it seem like a hassle. She made it seem that she actually enjoyed helping me. I cherish this girl! (Btw, my son was negative, thankfully!!)

Speaking of kindness, when I texted my cousins back home to tell them that I was coming, they offered me their homes to stay in, they offered me cars to drive, they offered me support in any way that I needed it. My one cousin offered me his daughter’s car, only with her permission of course. I told him that I didn’t mind driving his Maserati, just in case she didn’t want me to drive her Mini Cooper. I still haven’t heard back from him regarding this…. Walter? Hello?? My cousin Nadia was there for me that weekend when I decided to resign, because I needed to talk to someone about my decision to leave my career to care for my parents. She understood my pain. She too worked very hard for her career. She listened, offered her advice and helped me decide that the right thing to do would be to follow my heart. My heart wanted to be there for my parents. If I didn’t follow my heart, my conscience would never be clear and I would be useless to my family. I’ll never forget my cousin Alain and how he took care of my parents needs the day after the fire. He went to the house and dealt with the insurance people and helped my parents navigate the first few days of this terrible event. He was my savior, and theirs too. These kindnesses will never be forgotten.

My best friends back home Tina and Karen, offering me clothing, food, a place to stay. Even offering me their time when painting, decluttering and whatever else I’ll need to get done at the house. I cannot do anything without their support…without all of my friends and families support. My sister-in-law Anna will be there for me when I first arrive and each and every day that I am there. She lives just down the street from my parents place and has often been the one that my mom has called when they needed help. I cannot repay any of these people for their goodness, kindness, love and support. I can only hope that someday I am able to provide them with the same.

Here at home, one of my best friend’s has changed her whole schedule at work to accommodate taking care of my son every morning while I’m away. She rearranged her life for mine. She has literally become the family that I don’t have that lives just down the street. You know what I mean, that family member that lives close by that cares for your kids because you don’t have anyone else?? She literally rearranged her entire life to help me. I cannot thank Lisa and her son CJ enough for caring for my son like he is their family. She spoils him like she does her own sons. I told her to back off a little, because I didn’t want my son to like her more than her likes me. She laughed and said that wasn’t possible, because all my son did was talk about me. He better, good boy!

Speaking of family, tomorrow morning our friends, who we call family and in fact made them godparents to our son, will be driving me to the airport. I feel bad for Pat and Kelly, because they’ll be hearing me cry as we drive away after I say goodbye to my husband and children. I know those painful cries won’t be easy to handle. They’ll be seeing me off at the airport, which I know won’t be easy, because this will mean that I’m really leaving.

Honestly though, I really couldn’t do any of this without my family’s support, especially my husband. If he didn’t have my back, supporting my decision, and taking on most of the responsibilities with me gone for three weeks, then none of this would be possible. He has supported me financially, emotionally and spiritually. Without him I couldn’t do this. Without my children helping me by not begging me to stay, I am able to go. They have cried, they have told me they didn’t want me to go, but they haven’t forced me in a corner where the guilt of their pain would make me stay. I couldn’t do it without their support. My daughter stepping up to the plate by being me for the next three weeks, picking up my son from school, making sure he gets fed and taken to his activities.

Part of me thinks that I’m being such a big baby about this. I should just shut my mouth, stop the crying and just face this head on without fear. I want to, I really do. I feel ashamed that I can’t handle this with the grace and dignity that I know most people in my position would have. I try to have the courage and strength that I need to go forward, but the fear of the unknown has me scared. I’m afraid of leaving my family, what if something happens. It won’t be easy for me to come back home. I have to get a flight. I have to get Covid tested, which takes a day or two. I can’t just jump on a plane and come back. I’m scared I won’t be here if I’m needed. I try to get those things out of my head. I try to have relief knowing that I cannot control things out of my control, I have to let whatever may be just be. Then go from there. I know that this needs to be done and now I’ll finally be doing what I set out to do when I resigned from my career. This is the decision I made, now I will continue on with this journey.

Onward and upward!

[imaginesandinserts]

Irreverent Pt. 17 - Big Brother

Title: Irreverent Pt. 17 - Big Brother Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Reader Rating: T (Teen) Words: 2050

Irreverent Series Masterlist

Things had gone back to normal - or as normal as they ever got when you caught serial killers for a living. Cases at work had picked up with Hotch back in the driver's seat, and you were all starting to heal.

The team had successfully wrapped up a case in Kansas City involving missing children, so needless to say spirits were high. You drove back to the airport with Hotch, Spencer, and Garcia, with the others in another car behind you. Garcia had tagged along since the Unsub had been known to hack into home alarm systems and it would be good to have her on the ground with the rest of the team.

"What does everyone have going on for the weekend?" Penelope had obviously bored of listening to Spencer's lecture on quantum physics he'd been telling her about for the past 20 minutes. You and Hotch had conveniently tuned out, choosing instead to argue over your taste in music. You had been doing your best to introduce him to new artists instead of listening to The Beatles for the millionth time, and currently you were making a good case for Hozier.

"Jack's away at the lake with his cousins, so I have a free weekend for once," Hotch revealed. You were happy for him to be getting a break - he'd been working himself ragged trying to be Super Agent and Super Dad - a break was definitely a good call.

Before you could answer Penelope, your phone rang, distracting you and leaving Spencer to tell Penelope about his upcoming weekend of hustling with Emily in Atlantic City. The two of them made a dynamite duo in scheming drunk guys out of their money and had turned it into an annual tradition.

You quickly pulled your phone out of your pocket and saw - for possibly the fiftieth time that week - the name Dominic flash on your caller ID. Your brother had been pestering you for a few weeks now, trying to get in touch. No doubt he was doing your father's bidding. Being rid of him entirely had been too much to ask for.

You quickly dismissed the call, catching Hotch's glance in your direction. You shook your head at him, mouthing, "Later." He nodded in understanding, before tuning in to the conversation in the back once again.

"What about you, sugar?" Penelope asked, looking at you eagerly, awaiting your answer.

You thought for a second - what did you have planned for the weekend? With Jack away and Emily and Spencer off to Sin City, you didn't really have much to do. I should really get friends besides people I work with and their children. "Nothing planned," you said, turning in your seat to look at Penelope.

"Oh come on, Y/N! You're young! Vibrant! You should have plans. Men courting you." Penelope had been the most disappointed when you'd ended things with Cedric during the peak of the Foyet case. You had had more important things to worry about and between both of your busy schedules, actually seeing one another was becoming impossible. That was when you'd started to understand how hard it must have been for Hotch with Haley. He loved the job and he loved her, but she'd asked for him to leave it and in the end he hadn't been able to. While you sympathized with Haley, you got why Hotch had chosen the job. It would have killed him not to.

You chuckled, rolling your eyes good naturedly. "When would I meet men, Pen? The only men I meet are serial killers."

"Actually, statistically speaking, you run into at least fourteen eligible mates every time you step outside," Spencer rattled off in his all knowing voice. "Plus, you're a female of above average attractiveness, so it is actually closer to twenty for you."

"And yet, somehow, I'm single," you retorted. "I must be chasing them away with my attitude." You heard Hotch chuckle from next to you. He should laugh more. It makes him look younger.

*------------*

Penelope had talked everyone into going out once again, using the excuse that Hotch was free and didn't have Jack. You could tell he wasn't thrilled about being used as the excuse - he was so bad about enjoying bar type settings. However, he'd agreed under the agreement that everyone turned in their report to him before they left for their weekend activities. Spencer, Penelope, JJ, and Rossi had gone ahead, having quickly rushed through their reports. Hotch wouldn't leave until everyone had turned theirs in, and you didn't want him to be waiting alone, so you were sitting in his office keeping him company while waiting for Emily and Derek to wrap up as well.

When you'd brought your report up and then turned and sat on his couch instead of leaving, Hotch had quirked an eyebrow at you in question. "Can I help you?"

"Nope!" you said flouncing down on his couch. "I'm just waiting up here to make sure you can't just bail."

He rolled his eyes at you, but then fixed you with a contemplative look.

"What?"

"It's later now."

You looked at him, confused. "Yes…"

"The phone calls. You got them all week. Don't think I didn't notice."

"Right." Nothing ever really got past Hotch. "Dominic has been calling me, incessantly," you admitted.

"Your brother?"

"Yeah. I think my father put him up to it, and as he and I are no longer on speaking terms, I don't want to open any doors to communication."

"You know," he said quietly, as he walked up from his desk to come sit on the couch by you. "You don't ever talk about your mother."

"Well," you began slowly, focusing on a spot on the opposite wall as you spoke, "she wasn't really much of a mother, I suppose. My parents were that couple that should've separated a long time ago. Pretty sure I was the save-the-marriage-baby." You expected to see some pity on his face, but he simply sat and nodded, so you continued. "But, when it didn't work my mom sort of went away, always in her own world. Say what you will about my dad, but at least he was around, as much as he could be. She could've been there all the time - she just chose not to be."

Hotch had a way of making you want to talk to him. You'd tell him something awful, and sometimes he'd try to help. More often he'd just listen.

This time, he chose to speak, in his deep comforting voice. "You know, you should be proud. It's kind of amazing that you came out the way you did, given everything."  

You felt a warm glow surround you as you looked up at him, sincerity radiating off of him. "Thanks, I think," you laughed.

Derek's voice cut through the moment, "Hey, let's go you two! I've got mine and Prentiss's report here," he said, striding in and placing two files on Hotch's desk.

You saw Hotch get up, undoubtedly to check their work, but you were done waiting. "Nope, that's for Monday. Come on!" And against his protests, you grabbed his jacket and led him out the door.

The four of you drove over to the bar and found a spot a couple of blocks down. As you started walking towards the bar together, you heard a voice calling you from behind, causing you to tense up immediately.

"Y/N! Y/N, wait!"

You turned to see a large dark figure moving towards the four of you, and as it got closer you recognized your brother's face. Hotch and Derek were both instantly on alert as well, ready to come between you and the man hurrying towards you.

He looked much the same as he had the last time you saw him. He stood as tall and broad as Derek, looking even more intimidatingly large in his dark suit. "Dominic! What're you doing? Following me?" You were pissed.

"I need to speak with you," your brother said, moving as if to usher you away from the others.

You took a step backwards to avoid him and instead bumped into Hotch. "Anything you want to say to me, you can say it in front of them. But remember, they're federal agents, so I'd watch my words if I were you."

He glowered at you for a moment, before accepting that he wouldn't be able to catch you by yourself. "Father has a message for you," he announced.

"Oh yeah? Still playing dad's lapdog, are you?"

"You need to go man," Derek came to stand by your side, intimidatingly.

"You're being ridiculous!" Dominic seethed ignoring him, "You're disgracing yourself and everything we've been taught."

"What's the message?" You tried to remain calm, knowing it would rile him up more to see you unaffected by his old bullying tactics. Maybe then he'd just leave.

"Come home. The family needs you." He repeated what were obviously words fed to him by your father.  

"Tell father to leave me alone, Dom. I won't be his pawn anymore." You tried to do an about face and move the others along with you, grabbing Derek's arm with you.

"You're Emily Prentiss, aren't you?" You'd thought he was done, but his words towards Emily gave you all pause. "I've got a message for you as well…Valhalla says hello."

As you watched Emily's face lose all color, your brother turned around and vanished back into the shadows from where he'd come.

The mood sufficiently ruined, you all ended up back at the office so that Emily could fill you in on whatever or whoever Valhalla was.

As Emily explained her undercover role playing the IRA terrorist's girlfriend - Ian Doyle, codename Valhalla - you started to realize that you never truly know a person. Not that it changed how you looked at Emily per se, but that there are parts to people and their histories that you might never know, despite feeling as close as sisters to them.

"So, if Dominic L/N has a message from Valhalla, then that means that L/N Sr. knows Valhalla too, right?"

"Yes, most likely. I'm going to have my contacts at Interpol look into this," Emily said, in response to Derek's question.

Hotch had been pretty quiet, so the three of you turned to him to see what he was thinking. Noticing all eyes on himself, he looked at the three of you and then more specifically at just you, before sighing and pushing up from the table. Hotch spoke, carefully choosing his words, not quite meeting your eyes. "For some time now I've suspected that the CIA has a case open on Mr. L/N, and I think this pretty much confirms those suspicions."

"Wait, what? Why would you think that?" you asked, unsure of why this was the first time you were hearing about this.

Hotch sighed again, unsure of how to tell you. Slowly, he explained, "To be honest Y/N, I've suspected it since you told us about your dad. Your rejection from the CIA  never sat right with me. After your dad was here the last time and the case with Dawson, it made sense that your rejection was tied to some conflict of interest they would have with you being part of the agency and not anything to do with you personally."

You swallowed, trying to process what Hotch had said. If you were honest with yourself, a small part of you knew he was right. It had never sat right with you either, but at the time you hadn't been feeling confident and had assumed your year of partying had somehow been to blame.

"You really believe that, don't you?" You looked up at him as he stood with one hand tucked into his pocket and a furrowed brow.

"Yes, I do."

"Well then, I think a visit to the CIA is also part of knowledge gathering before we can more forward and assess the full threat." Emily's past as a rogue was definitely showing here as she drew herself into commanding position. The rest of you agreed to defer to her experience, deciding that she would get in touch with Interpol and visit the CIA alongside Hotch.

[louiseleblancdiggory]

can you do some rowaelin content based on invisible string by Taylor? pretty please

I love TS!!! Invisible String is so pretty and I had the perfect idea for it immediately. The whole bracelet thing was a real thing where I grew up, so it was nice to write about it. Enjoy!

Invisible string

--

May 1993

Aelin didn’t believe in love at first sight, but the first time she saw Rowan Whitethorn, she wanted to.

She had barely turned fifteen, just two days before, when she saw him for the first time. Then, she didn’t know his name, his age or anything about him, but she wanted to.

She was sitting down on a shaded spot on the green grass. Lysandra and Elide had dragged her to the park in the morning to watch the early Beltane commemorations. Every year on Beltane day, the kids were provided a series of games and prizes in the Centennial Park, and at night the adults would come, light up the fires and dance until the sun shone in the sky once more. Aelin loved Beltane, it was her holiday. Her family used to joke that it made sense that a girl that had so much wildfire inside of her had been born so close to Beltane.

Her spot in the grass gave her a direct view into the yogurt shop on the other side of the park. And there, standing in a ridiculous pink-and-blue apron and white hat, was the silver headed guy she couldn’t stop staring.

“You know who’s the guy working at Emrys’s?” She nudged Lysandra with her elbow, and her friend sat up and looked to where Aelin was jerking her chin.

“The silver headed?” Lys asked, her nose scrunching up. “Rowan Whitethorn. He’s in your cousin’s class, turning seventeen in a few months, I think.”

“Hum.”

“Oh, no. I know that look. Whitethorn is bad news, Ace. Stay away from him.” Lys warned and Elide nodded from where she was laying down.

She nodded vaguely, but her eyes didn’t leave Rowan. Even for his age, he was already tall and toned. His teal shirt was rolled back at the sleeves to reveal a tattoo sneaking up his arm from his wrist. He was completely serious, not smiling at one costumer and seeming infinitely bored.

Rowan Whitethorn looked like bad news, and Aelin was attracted to it like a moth to the flame.

However, she didn’t go up to him. At that time, as much daring as she was, she still possessed that teenage natural shyness, and talking to a boy two years older than her who looked like he wanted to smash everyone’s skulls wasn’t really her area of expertise. She watched him every now and then, though. The morning ended, giving away to a hot afternoon. At some point, a few kids started running around with buckets, giving away little strings to everyone.

“It grants you a wish.” The little boy told her when he stopped by her tree. “You tie it around your wrist and when it falls down naturally, you can make a wish and it comes true.”

“Oh, really?” Elide, always the nicest one of their trio, asked sounding genuinely interested.

“Yes. Anything you wish becomes true. Sometimes it falls after days, sometimes it takes years, my daddy told me. But it falls eventually and you get a wish.” The boy sounded extremely excited. Aelin guesses that being eight and going around giving magical strings did that to a kid.

“I’ll take one, then. Who doesn’t want a wish, right?” Elide said and the little boy nodded eagerly, handing her a purple string.

“I’ll take one too, of course.” Lysandra smiled, receiving a green string and tying it around her ankle.

When the little boy turned to Aelin, she grinned at him. “I wouldn’t waste the opportunity of having a wish come true, would I?”

The boy smiled back at her, giving her the only gold string inside his bucket. He was running off to the next group of people before she could even thank him. She laughed under her breath, starting to tie it around her wrist. As she gave it the final knot, she looked back at the yogurt shop. Rowan had, surprisingly, also accepted a string from a little girl. He gave her a little smile as he knelt near her, and when she sauntered off, his eyes roamed around the park, stopping on her.

Aelin thought she was mistaken, that in no way in hell he was staring at her, but as Rowan finished tying his string, he raised his wrist and winked.

Aelin could only stare at the equally golden string on his wrist.

———————————

October 1996

Rowan was celebrating his twentieth birthday just the way he planned: getting drunk.

He and his friends had been planning this trip to Los Angeles for months now, and they had ditched a whole week in the university to do it . It was completely worth it, though. They had spent the last three days doing fucking nothing other than drinking and playing some shitty videogame. Rowan had watched Fenrys flirt with every woman that talked to him, watched Lorcan and Aedion scowling and Connall and Vaughan acting like the loving couple they always were.

Things were normal and they were good.

“Man, how the fuck did you find this restaurant?” Fenrys muttered, taking a sip of his beer. Rowan had to agree, the pub’s entrance was almost unnoticeable, and if it wasn’t for Aedion, they would have never found it.

The food was great, the drinks were great and whoever was in charge of the playlist had impeccable taste. Rowan couldn’t think of a better place to spend his birthday.

Aedion scoffed, putting his phone down. “I didn’t find shit. My cousin has been to LA a thousand times and pestered me about coming here. She said, and I quote, that it was her favorite pub in LA, that the food was divine, the beer didn’t taste like piss and, even if the two latter statements weren’t true, the amazing music makes up for it.”

“You are Aelin’s cousin!” The waitress exclaimed, a heavy Scottish accent making the words roll out of her tongue. She must have heard what Aedion was saying when she was walking back to their table to ask if they wanted anything else. “You have her face, and I’ve heard her say those words every time she visited us. Lovely girl, wicked smart, too. Tricked poor Rolfe into letting her buy beer at the age of seventeen! We all though she was twenty two until she was tipsy enough to reveal the truth.”

Aedion grinned. “Sounds exactly like my cousin.”

The waitress laughed out loud, looking at the rest of them. For some reason, her eyes stopped at Rowan. “Beautiful girl, isn’t she? Gets prettier every time she comes by. Looks like one of those American singers.”

He smiled politely at her, but didn’t answer. Rowan had never spoken to Aedion’s cousin. Actually, he had only seen her once.

Rowan looked down at the worn string on his wrist. All his friends had lost theirs already, but Rowan’s was still standing strong. He didn’t believe in any of that bullshit, but he had to admit he had grown fond of the soft scrapping the string gave him. The mention of Aelin and the vision of the golden string only helped him remember the only time he had seen her. It had been Beltane little over three years ago, he was just sixteen and working with yogurt because he really needed the money.

He would have never wore a blue-and-pink apron otherwise.

The day was terribly hot, and Rowan hated interacting with people. Hated small talk and it looked like every person that came by decided that they didn’t want only yogurt, but also a five minute talk with him.

Absolute fucking torture.

When the kids had come around with the strings, it was the first time Rowan wasn’t pissed at the need to talk to someone. The kid had been lovely; a little girl explaining how he would be granted a wish if he wore the string and let it fall naturally. She grabbed the only golden one inside her bucket, running away as Rowan tied it on his wrist.

He looked around mindlessly, but his gaze stopped on a golden haired woman looking at him. Being so far away, Rowan couldn’t identify who she was exactly, but there was something familiar about her. And even from afar he knew that the girl was drop dead gorgeous.

And then he noticed the golden string on her wrist. If it was any other color it might have been something he would have missed it, but the golden thing caught in the light and shined, just like the one on his own wrist. Rowan never understood why he did it, but he raised his wrist to how her his string and winked at her.

Later he discovered why she had looked familiar. She was his best friend’s cousin.

“Ace does get prettier every year.” Fenrys’s voice rang, taking Rowan out of his memories. “Much to the dismay of anyone who has to deal with her ego.”

Vaughan laughed at that. He and Fenrys were the only ones besides Aedion who had any contact with Aelin.

Still staring at the golden string, Rowan almost opened his mouth to ask Aedion for her number. He didn’t know why, the thought had come all too sudden to his head, and he bit his tongue to stop the words.

He didn’t know Aelin one bit, and just ask for her number after a waitress said she was beautiful sounded like a way to pick a fight with Aedion who was extremely protective of his younger cousin.

No, Rowan thought, better to just leave things as they are.

——————————————

New Year’s Eve 1999

Aelin never thought she would be spending New Year’s Eve in a dive bar with her friends and her cousin’s friends.

Usually for end of the year celebrations, her parents would organize a gala or some shit that would force Aelin to wear a boring dress. This year, however, her parents decided to go travel to Europe and spend two weeks there.

And because of that Aelin was wearing a mini red dress, extremely high stilettos, listening to obnoxiously bad music in a small dive bar as she and her group drank beer of questionable quality.

It was fucking great.

She toyed with the dull string on her wrist, the thing probably just hours or days from snapping. After almost seven years, it was about time. She had thought about simply cutting it before, but could never go through with it. It had become a friendly bracelet, one she twisted when nervous or distracted. It had been in all her photos since the age of fifteen, and it would be strange when it fell.

“So I wasn’t the only one who didn’t get their wish yet.” A man’s voice came from behind her, and Aelin turned around to stare at her teenage crush.

Rowan had been attractive at sixteen, but now at twenty three he was straight up hot. He had grown even more, his body looking just as defined. Even with the heels, Aelin tipped her back a little to look at him.

They had never talked, never even looked at each other after that Beltane celebration. Every now and then Aelin would consider asking Vaughan or Fenrys for Rowan’s number, but that would have been strange. She had even once looked him up on social medias after a nasty break up with a man named Chaol. Rowan had no idea who she was, but a small part of Aelin would never be able to forget him.

He had been the crush of her teenage years, even if they had never interacted.

“I’m almost.” She said, raising her wrist the same way he had years ago. “Never thought I would enter the two thousands with this thing still on my wrist.”

“Looks like the golden ones are really lasting.” He showed her his wrist, an equally worn golden string laying there. “I’m Rowan.”

“Aedion told me about you. I’m Aelin.” She extended a hand, and he grabbed it with a smile on his face.

“Aedion has told me about you, too.”

“I tremble just from thinking about exactly what Aedion has told you.” She shivered and he laughed. He didn’t look like the angry teenager she had fallen for in secret, but like an easy going man that she would have no problems talking to.

Oh no. We are not going back to our fifteen years old crush. We have grown out of that.

“Want to go to the bar grab a drink?” He asked.

“Sure.”

Fucking idiot.

Aelin almost told her brain to shut up out loud.

“So, what have you been doing? Still with the whole yogurt shit?”

He smiled at her as they walked to the bar. “Fortunately have left those days behind. Most miserable job I have ever had.”

“The blue-and-pink apron and fake smile really did it for you, though.”

He laughed out loud and Aelin smiled, sitting on a stool.

“Was I that memorable, Galathynius? You saw me only once.”

And at that moment, a doubt she had for the past years had been answered. He had seen her that day, and the wink had probably been to her too.

“The sight was ridiculous enough that I could never forget, Whitethorn.” Her grin became wider. “And the little white hat on your hair was the cherry on top.”

Rowan was trying to scowl, but Aelin saw how he had to bite the inside of his cheeks to refrain from laughing. The moment he opened his mouth to reply, Fenrys threw his arm around her shoulders, taking all attention to him.

“My two favorite people.”

“You’re drunk.” Aelin deadpanned as Rowan sighed.

“It is my happiest state of mind, my dear.” He booped her nose. “I’m so glad the two of you started talking by yourselves. I thought I would need to introduce you guys.”

Aelin knew she would regret it immediately, but she asked anyways. “Why would you bother, wolfie?”

“Well,” he started, suddenly trying to act serious. Aelin had to bite her lower lip at the impatient look on Rowan’s face. When he looked at her, his eyes were almost pleading.

As if I could stop him now. She mouthed to him.

Wishful thinking, Galathynius. He mouthed back.

“Three years ago I thought it would finally happen, you know?” Fenrys continued, oblivious to Rowan and Aelin’s silent conversation. “Me and Vaughan always thought the two of you would get along. Same music taste, same movie taste, and bla bla bla… Three years ago,” hiccup. “Three years ago I thought Rowan was finally going to ask Aedion for your number after Aed said that you had been the one to choose the pub Rowan had loved. But he didn’t.”

Fenrys turned to Rowan, scowling deeply. Rowan’s ears were red, his cheeks slightly pink.

“And Aed was a prick and didn’t offer it himself.” Fenrys looked genuinely pissed. “And then tonight I learn from Lysandra about Aelin’s teenage cru—“

“Ok!” She said a little loudly, her own cheeks on flames. She tried not to look at Rowan, hoping Fenrys’s drunk words had been misinterpreted. “It’s two minutes for midnight, Fenrys. Go find someone else to make the last minutes of the century miserable.”

As if he hadn’t been about to drop one of her biggest secrets and embarrassments, Fenrys simply gave her a peck on the cheek and walked away.

She stared at his back, not wanting to look at Rowan.

“What was that, Ace? I didn’t catch it right. Teenage what?” He asked, but by the tone of his voice Aelin knew that he knew exactly what Fenrys was talking about.

She was going to kill Fenrys. And then Lysandra for telling him. And the Aedion for buying Lysandra the alcohol that made her tell him.

“I was young.” She said through clenched teeth. Her cheeks were burning.

When she turned back to him, he had a grin on his mouth.

“You liked me?” He sounded dopey.

“Fuck off.”

He laughed loudly, almost doubling over. Gosh, she wanted to open a hole on the ground and never see civilization again.

“Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, the heartbreaker, had a crush on me?” A little bit of laughter was still on his voice, the smile still big on his face. “I’m flattered. Honestly.”

“Please, please shut the fuck up. And never talk about it again.” She pleaded, looking at the big clock on the bar. One minute for 2000. She was going to spend the last minute in the century dying of embarrassment. “Gosh, I want to kill you right now. And Fenrys, and Lys. Anyone with the information.”

“I remember when I heard that you had made Archer Finn cry when you broke up with him.” Rowan said as if she hadn’t said a word. “And you were head over heels for me.”

“I wasn’t head over heels for you, you insufferable bastard.” She grunted, crossing her arms and standing up. “And Fenrys said you were going to ask for my number three years ago, so stop gloating about me liking you.”

“I was.”

“I know you were gloating, I fucking heard you.” She raised her chin, looking at the clock again. Thirty seconds.

“I was going to ask for your number, I mean.” He explained, still smiling. Aelin didn’t know what to answer at that, so she only stared at him. He sounded so much more comfortable talking about it than she was. “You think these things accept me getting my wish before they fall?”

“What?”

Twenty seconds.

“Like, I get my wish now and when it falls I don’t wish for anything.”

Fifteen seconds.

“I don’t know?” Aelin replied. “I’m not really an expert on fake strings’ magic.”

Ten seconds. Everyone started the countdown.

“Well, let’s pretend then that it was an invisible string.”

Nine, eight, seven…

“Huh?”

“An invisible string. It broke right now and I get a wish.”

Six, five, four..

“An invisible string?”

“Yeah.” He smiled at her, and she instinctively smiled back at him.

They just stared at each other during the next two seconds, and when everyone screamed “one”, Rowan put his hands on Aelin hips and dragged her forward, placing her in between his legs as he bent down and pressed his lips to hers.

Aelin sighed, putting her arms around his shoulders and kissing him back. Rowan’s mouth was soft and warm against hers, and Aelin could feel his smile against her lips. She smiled too, and he took the opportunity to shove his tongue inside of her mouth, deepening the kiss. One of his hands went to the back of her head, holding her in place was his lips moved on hers, as his tongue moved against hers.

“Happy New Century, Galathynius.” Rowan murmured against her mouth, the screams around them sounding muffled by his voice.

“Happy New Century, Whitethorn.” She murmured back, smiling against his mouth as they kissed, not caring for anyone else, or anything else, as they focused on each other during the first minutes of the new century.

——————————————

December 2008

“And she had the biggest crush on me when she was fifteen.” Rowan whispered.

“Rowan Whitethorn, I swear to the gods that if you are telling them I liked you when I was younger, I’ll become a widow today!” His wife’s voice rang from the kitchen, and Rowan fake winced.

His kids only laughed at their parents, bright and happily.

Aelin’s golden head popped out of the kitchen, showing him her tongue. Rowan only winked at her, the same way he had when she had been fifteen. Her face morphed into a soft smile, and she came to them. Aelin sat on his lap, turning to their kids. Rowan pulled her back against her chest, putting his nose on the crook of her neck and breathing in.

He had been wrong eight years ago. The invisible string between them hadn’t snapped.

His wish did come true, though.

Tags:

@abookishfreak @faerie-queen-fireheart @in-love-with-caramel-macchiato @jlinez @courtofjurdan @aelinfeyreeleven945tbln @ladywitchling @maastrash @morganofthewildfire @queen-of-glass

[trillian-anders]

chambers - xx

pairing: bucky barnes x reader

warnings: violence, angst, slow burn

word count: 2.8k

description: post-endgame. Steve Rogers has passed away from old age. The one remarkable thing is that no one knew his heart would be in the condition it was. He was able to save one more life. After receiving his heart, strange things start happening. Including something that would change your life forever. (Inspired by the Netflix series of the same name.)

note: thank you guys so much for being with me for this series, the first one i’ve posted. the first chapter sat half written in my drafts for almost a year before i decided to finish it and post and i’m very happy that i did. thank you so much for reading and i hope to see you on the next one!

if you have any questions about the series always feel free to message me.

xx 

Their names are Allan and Rosa. Your parents who were born, raised, and still live in Philadelphia. Your Mom always in a pair of scrubs and hair in a messy bun before messy buns were even a thing. Your Dad wore glasses and had a fully grey beard, his hair almost fully grey now with age. They taught you how to ride a bike, even though your Mom had been terrified. You remembered your Dad holding the bars over your shoulders and helping you down the street, your little heart beating so fast with excitement.

They taught you to read and write, cuddled under your Mom’s arm as she read you whatever you wanted her to read, pretty covers of books you couldn’t quite understand. Tales of dragons and elves, princesses and epic battles, books on romance. She’d read to you every day. In the hospital unconscious or in your childhood bedroom.

As you grew older and your health problems began to escalate. First heart, then the second. You started enjoying those little things more.

Sudoku with your Dad while he sat next to your hospital bed. Your Mom had a spin with needlepoint that the two of you attempted and your crude flowers sat framed in the living room to this day.

They were always there, all your band recitals, even though you were terrible at the violin. At every science fair. At every school function. They always showed up.

“You were our gift from God.” Your Mother had told you. “We knew you were meant to be ours the second we laid our eyes on you.”

They’d never been able to have children. That’s what they told you and Bucky when you’d gone to see them. They desperately wanted a child, and when they heard about you. How sickly you were. Their hearts broke.

“We thought we’d only have you for a short period of time.” Your Dad was emotional, dabbing his eyes. “We were fortunate enough to have you survive.” No one had wanted you. Not when they thought you were going to die.

“You were a frail thing.” Your Mother said, “You looked like you were at deaths door, but when I first saw you and you grabbed my hand so tightly… We knew you were a fighter. And we wanted to fight with you.” And they did. Every step of the way.

Every surgery.

Every new hope.

Every failure.

It was theirs too.

Not just yours.

And when you were a kid you resented them for it. They didn’t understand that you didn’t want to go outside. They didn’t understand that you didn’t want to get out of bed. You grumbled and groaned as your Mom rolled you out into the sun. The wheelchair after your surgery, she painted it a bunch of different colors and sat you in it in the back yard. The sun poking through the trees and warming your skin while she gardened, and you acted like it didn’t help.

They were always so unwaveringly optimistic. This next surgery would be the one that cures everything. This next surgery will be the one that sticks.

It wasn’t easy explaining them the situation. With Steve, Zemo. All of it and at the time, the less they knew the better. But it didn’t stop them from worrying. So it made sense that when it was all over, you spent a little time at home. A nice little break from the stress of the constant running. The looking over your shoulder.

You’d waited until your bruised face healed, until you were cleared by Bruce. Then you went home.

Your Mother cried when she saw you, Dad hadn’t gotten home from work yet. She gripped your cheeks and lay kisses on your face, pulling you into a tight hug before leading you inside.

The three of you ordered pizza from your favorite place. Cheese fries and soda. You talked to them about your biological parents. Who they were. What just happened to you. But trying to explain time travel seemed a little difficult.

“So… there’s more than one… universe?” Your Dad, trying to put the pieces together.

“Yes, but they’re all interconnected. Like… every decision is a fork in the road, so choosing ‘yes’ leads you down one path while choosing ‘no’ leads you down another and it infinitely splits off from there.” He nods before shaking his head.

“How long do you think you’ll be able to stay with us?” Your Mom asks.

“A week or two at least.” You pick at a fry, “Bucky is going to come get me whenever I’m ready to go.”

Bucky. They remember Bucky.

“The real brooding guy?” Your Dad asks. “He looks like he needs a drink.” You laugh,

“Yeah, that guy.”

You helped your Mom with her garden. You went to work with your Dad for an afternoon, taking money at the register of his barbershop. Grocery shopping was nice. Doing something so normal and mundane after a while. Getting apple cider donuts from the Amish market and browsing, picking out a good watermelon and barbecuing. Something you felt like you’d taken for granted for so long before.

“Hey, how are you?” You stepped inside, away from the noise of your cousin’s birthday party. A small backyard barbecue with just family, an iced sheet cake on the kitchen counter with candles waiting to be lit.

“I’m doing alright,” His voice, you hadn’t realized how much you missed it. “Sam is riding my ass about this paperwork, but it’s just about done. How are your parents?”

“They’re good.” You sigh, leaning against the wall. “They’re happy to have me back.”

“I’m sure.” There was silence for a beat,

“I miss you.” Both said at the same time. You laugh, “We spent so much time together in those last couple weeks… I thought this break would be nice, and it is, I love seeing my family and being here, but…”

“I wish you were here.” Who knew he’d be such a softie? You hum,

“You could always come down when you’re done with that paperwork.” You look out the sliding door to the back yard. “I’m sure my parents wouldn’t mind.” He lets out a chuckle.

“Maybe, I’ll think about it.” You tug your bottom lip between your teeth.

“Have you ever seen the liberty bell?” You can hear him shift on the other line, getting comfortable.

“Can’t say that I have.” You could hear the smile on his face.

“You should come see that at least,” You hear him hum, “Maybe get a cheesesteak, see a couple of museums.”

“That doesn’t sound half bad actually, I just might have to.” You pick at the polish on your nails.

“Wanda tells me that you’re having trouble sleeping.” A heavy sigh. “What’s going on?” Silence.

“I’ll be fine.” But you knew he wasn’t. Being back in the chair, going through that again, even if it was for a short period of time. I was setting him back.

“Have you talked to Tom about it?” His therapist. Another sigh, so no. “Bucky…”

“I know. I know… I’ll talk to him about it this week.” Your Mom steps through the sliding glass door with your Aunt.

“We’re about to do cake.” She says. Telling you to get off the phone without telling you to get off the phone. You nod.

“I’ve got to go, but please don’t forget to take care of yourself. Take a shower, talk to your therapist, and then come see me. Promise?” You can hear Bucky move on the other line.

“I promise.” A grin on your face.

He showed up the weekend after. Hair a little shaggy and beard unshaven he stepped out of his car and into your arms. The hug much needed, giving you a little rush of happiness. A comfort in it.

He looks so tired. Talking to your parents over dinner. Just exhausted. And you know he hasn’t been sleeping. If the bags under his eyes were anything to go by, he hadn’t slept much since you left a week ago.

“They like you.” You tell him later, sitting on the edge of the bed in the guest room. “You don’t have to sleep in here,” You offer, “They won’t care if you slept in the same bed as me.” It’s not 1940 went unspoken but was there. He sighs, rubbing his eyes.

“I’ve been a little restless,” He admits, “I don’t want to wake you up.” You roll your eyes, standing and holding your hand out to him.

“Come on.”

Your bed was a full size. Not as big as the beds at the compound but just about the size you’d had when you were sleeping in the Hydra facility in Austria. Which means you’re snuggled up face to face, looking at each other in the dark.

“I think it would be good for us.” You reason, “I think we need some closure.” He stares at you for a moment,

“That’s what Tom said too.” You shrug, your hands clasped together. “I just don’t even know what I would say…”

“I don’t know either.” You whisper into his hands. “Steve was leading me this whole way and the focus had always been on him, but… I was Peggy’s kid too.” And she had to give you away too. She had to lose a child too. “I think this would be really good for me.” He nods against the pillow.

“Okay.”

“We can go?” He sighs, fingers brushing your cheek.

“Yeah, we can go.”

Steve was buried next to Peggy. With her until death and far after. He was a traditionalist after all. The flowers felt silly in your hands as you lay them on the two graves, lush with flowers of admirers… tourists. You throat so dry and your nerves getting the better of you.

This wasn’t the Peggy that was your Mother. This was a different Peggy from a different universe. But it didn’t erase what was in your DNA. Your biology. You feel a tie to her. In more ways than one.  

You’d done more research on her. Who she was. What she stood for. You talked to Sharon. Your cousin. She talked to you about how Peggy was really into female empowerment. She supported her when she wanted to join the CIA. She supported her through everything. And you wonder for a moment what it would have been like to grow up with Steve and Peggy as your parents. That legacy. If you’d lived long enough, would you have joined SHIELD? Would you have fought the same way they did? Against the injustice they saw in the world?

Yes, you think. You would have. Because even with a different hand dealt in life you still found your way back here. To this very moment.

“Hi, Mom.” It felt strange, talking to nothing, but it wasn’t really nothing was it? “I uh… I’ve been thinking about what I would want to say to you… how I would even… talk to you like I did with Dad and I know it probably wasn’t easy to let me go.” You swallowed roughly, tears already pooling in the corners of your eyes, “I know it wasn’t easy, but I just want to say thank you. I… I’m going to live a long and happy life here, where I might not have survived before. I found something that makes me truly happy, like I didn’t even know… that I was capable of any of that…

but I know it’s from you. Not just from Dad.” Your hands are shaking, and you wrap your arms around yourself. “I think that we kind of got lost in that a little bit. He’s Captain America, the golden boy… American hero that he is, no one even cared that I was your daughter… I just want to thank you for everything you’d done for me… and the person you let me become.”

It felt strange, talking to the grey stone. But relieving. Tension in your shoulders dissipating. There was also a slight emptiness, never being able to meet her. Never being able to talk to her. “I wish I could have at least talked to you,” A sigh, “At least once.”

But they’re always with you, right?

“Are you okay?” Bucky rubs your arms and you lean back into his chest, he wraps his arms around you, resting his chin on your shoulder.

“Yeah,” You sigh, “I think it’s your turn.” Your hand rubbing his forearm that lay across your chest. He stiffens slightly, you were sure he was anxious, he pressed a kiss to your cheek. “I’ll give you some privacy.” You stepped away from him, holding his hand until you were too far out of reach, taking steps away from him to reach the car, leaning against the passenger door.

Bucky looked back at you, you giving him a little thumbs up and a soft smile. He sighs, turning back to look at the stones in front of him. Steve’s name carved out in the granite. He remembers being here before. Carrying the casket. Sore and upset. He remembers you sitting, not too far away. In a wheelchair, recovering from your surgery still, but there to pay your respects to the man who saved your life.

He remembers that day as being very difficult. His fists clenched and angry. Sam had been trying to calm him down all morning, but it had been hard. He couldn’t deal with the loss. He just couldn’t.

It feels like a lifetime ago now.

He swallows, “Steve…” He felt a little ridiculous. “I’m angry that you left me.” He lets out a deep breath. “I was angry… that you left me. I was angry that you left me and didn’t tell me the real reason why…” His fists were tight now. “I would have understood, if you had only told me… I wouldn’t have thought that you didn’t love me enough, I wouldn’t have thought that you didn’t care.

Steve, I… I loved you so much for so long that I didn’t see anything else ever happening. I always thought we would be together, as friends or not. It was hard for me to come to terms with the fact that you didn’t see it that way. It broke my heart to bury you. I didn’t think I had anything else and if it wasn’t for Sam I…” Maybe wouldn’t be here. He squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath and trying to gather his thoughts.

“She’s incredible, Steve.” He could feel your eyes on his back, knowing you looked at him with worry. “She’s so intelligent and kind, she’s strong… I would have left you for her too.” A rough joke with a watery laugh, “It’s easier to say now, looking back that you made the right decision. But at the time it was almost impossible to reason… I just… I wanted to let you know that I love her.” He felt the tension melt from his shoulders, “And I’ll take care of her pal… Thank you for bringing her to me.” The granite felt warm from the sun as he rest his hand on the headstone. “Thank you for everything you’ve ever done for me.”

He met you at the car, standing close, resting his hands on the roof of the car, caging you in. Your eyes fluttering closed as he pressed his mouth to yours. A soft and slow kiss. You sigh, wrapping your arms around his waist, the hug much needed. The emotional turmoil finally settling. A comfortable silence.

When you pull back, he looks down on you, a soft smile, red eyes.

“Are you ready?” You hum,

“To leave or to move on?” He shrugs,

“Both?” You return his smile.

“Let’s go.”

You couldn’t help but feel like, when you sunk into the passenger seat and let Bucky drive you away, that you were leaving that part behind you.

You hadn’t had another memory of Steve since actually sitting and talking to him, there was a little emptiness there that hadn’t been before, soothed over with the fact that you felt changed by this. Your hand was in Bucky’s, over the center console, his thumb running over your wrist. He brought your hand up to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of it as you pulled out of the lot and onto the street.

“I think we need a vacation.” He sighs, his eyes a little red rimmed still from the emotional toll of the day. You nod,

“Where should we go?” A side smile,

“Wherever you wanna go baby.”

[word-addict-lisette]

Dear Lisette,

I am back in you inbox, yay! How was your day? How's life? How's school?

I am really mad because we had this piece of work and it was like "pen down your idea on this statement, 'i can do whatever i want on the internet as long as i don't get caught' and i put down my thoughts which were 'this statement is true, i stand by it and you can do whatever you like as long as you don't get caught and don't own up' and then people were like throwing shade at me and i looked at it. I have 5 comments.

My teachers tried to delete it, my classmates literally lectured me and then she read it out loud and the whole class went looking for that one note i made. In the comments, people are spelling my name in caps. It was my opinion, and oh, look all of them are basically hypocrites. Let me just say, these people make me uncomfortable, they don't talk about exactly nice things or approriate things and they are all commenting ( without names too may i add) like "KAT, THAT'S NOT HOW THINGS WORK!" but with my real name and just arghhh.

Also if my teachers wanted me to say, "no, that isn't the right thing to do," or any other answer that the others provided them with, they shouldn't have asked for my opinion. They should have just forced us all to just type the same thing. The other people all wrote like, "no, its unethical and bad" or "False, no, its bad" and stuff like that, filmsy evidence and elaboration. I HAVE MORALS, i am just saying the truth. I feel like the victim of a hate crime. People don't like me enough already, i am a very intresting person, uh, yeah, we are gonna stop there.

Enjoy the rant i guess? I don't know? I am sorry for loading on you but there's a little extra rant so uh, yeah. im just gonna take this out, one sec.

Ok, so uh my teacher was like, next week, we are making pancakes. Fluffy pancakes. It was changed to pancakes without eggs? and now we have to make it ourselves, at home. Where do i get flour? What do i do with the extra flour? I don't know how to cook at all, my partner who has been extremely controlling and like kinda driving me insane, ( ahem i did the whole coursework) also she uses my friend's name for everything? Like, bestie i was literally helping out and you went all, "Oh you don't want (friend's name) to see you burnt right?". Obviously i don't but if i burnt down my house, she wouldn't be surprised. I BURNT MYSELF LAST YEAR, SHE SAW ME BURN MYSELF. Well, my friend burnt me and then the week after that, she burnt herself.

This happens a lot. Also, the very common questions and statements of, "Are you straight?" , "aren't you and (friend's name) dating?", "you guys would make such a cute couple" , " aren't you bi?" and "i thought the two of you were dating," there is nothing wrong with being bi but i am not attracted to her like that. So, they use her for leverage over me to get me to do what they want and also think im dating her? If we were dating, we would both be homeless. I like my house. This doesn't only happen with her. I once got shipped with my brother. I hugged him and some guy was like, "oh you guys like each other," that was awkward. Can i just add, a lot of people like majority of that community know we are siblings.

I also get shipped with his best friend, thanks to a rumor my brother made up. So, sometimes, i would get like comments like, "oh, you like him" or "(brother's name) told me that you and (brother's best friend) are dating," we are not dating. WE ARE JUST REALLY GOOD FRIENDS. I LIKE A FICTIONAL CHARACTER. LEAVE ME ALONE. Also, everytime i have a picture of a guy on my phone or something my cousin just has to tell my brother. THEY ARE STREAMERS. ONE IS OF V FROM BTS SO I CAN TRAMATISE MY FRIEND.

Everytime i cry, someone comes in my room. It is so annoying. LEAVE ME ALONE, I WANT TO CRY. This is why i started reading sad books, listening to sad songs, watching sad movies so i have a reason to cry. There was this once, i wasnt selected to be part of my choir's competition and i was sad about it because i didn't feel good enough. THEY SAID I WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH. So, i cried but it wasn't enough so i read the saddest book i could find so i had a reason to cry but by that time, my feelings were gone. This is why i get breakdowns when im overwhelmed because of all this. You know how old i am. I have to deal with this and the pressure of always wanting to be perfect. What else can i do? I am not pretty or smart or talented or have friends, i have like 6 friends and nobody ever keeps me company. So, i focus on being perfect. 100%, i deal with not having any attention because my parents didn't pay me any attention just because i was "independent" or something?

Did i mention, i babysit all my siblings? I am the second child. I baby-sit my older brother. I am sleep-deprived because i can't sleep well at night and i constantly worry about everything and i have to take care of all my friends and it is so exhausting. Yet, i can not cry.

Thanks for staying with me through whatever that was. Uh, yeah, i took the quiz and got chaotic academia. That is my aesthetic. I really want one of those fancy skirts they wear like on pintrest and stuff? Like you know what i mean? The academia skirt? Yeah, i don't have one yet.

Question of the day, what is your dream profession or you could answer my other question which is what would you want to look like? Or you could answer both?

Ok, thank you again. i am gonna go study. Love and hugs and just literal joy sent your way!

- Kat, the ultimate dino mom of Leo, Billy Bob, Jessica, Sophie, Jackson, Sarah, Lily, the Micheals and all her other kids. (Jessica, Sophie and Jackson are mailboxes and Lily is a computer, Micheal is my screwdriver and laptop pencil, there are two micheals.)

Dear Kat,

It's really good to see you in my inbox. I'm sorry for replying late, but exams really had occupied my schedule today and I got my Saturday exam tomorrow. This week is going to be stressful and today's day has been pathetic. I had nothing to do except study and write exams. I feel like I haven't really been social recently and That I'm losing touch with people that I used to be close with and basically I'm letting overthinking take over my mind.

That is so sick. Why is someone's genuine opinion bothering them so much? I totally wouldn't be able to tolerate that. They ought to understand that there is a fine line between a fact and an opinion, and what you stated was just an OPINION. they have no right whatsoever to come at you like that. I totally agree... the teachers ought to have not asked for your opinion if all they desired was a particularly specific answer which opposed the statement. one of the reasons I hate the schooling system has to be THIS. people who are putting comments like that ought to realize that what you stated is exactly what they do in real life. They just want to be seen as the good kid here. At least you have the guts enough to speak the truth.

Miss! You don't have to worry about ranting out to me. You can rant to me for days and I'd still listen. Just go on ranting nobody is stopping you.

Ahhh! I've had that happen to me. I really understand how tough that can be. I really really hate being shipped with someone who I am just platonically friends with like you've got no valid proof to believe that we are romantically involved with each other. I've burnt myself plenty of times too. It's not a pleasant experience. Plus I also hate having controlling partners. Cause all they do is boss you around while they are barely doing a thing. It sucks.

Why? Just why? Why does it even matter to them? Who you date and what your sexuality is, is none of their business. I have no idea why people concern themselves with topics that really don't involve them. It's like people are just ready to make gossip out of anything. A person can't have a bestie without not liking them? I don't get what's so difficult to understand about that. I hate it when I'm casually talking to a guy and people start shipping us and start spreading rumors of us being in a romantic relationship. Another thing they do is, if a person likes me, they automatically assume that I like him back when I've barely even ever spoken to that guy. And yes! I like fictional characters! Don't even assume I like any of you fools cause You idiots bully me and ship me with total crackheads... And my standards are good enough for me to not include you guys in my list of *appropriate candidates* which consists of non-existent people.

Similarly, the moment I'm chatting with some guy, or like have a pic with someone on my mobile phone people just assume that fact that I'm crushing on him. Like no! I don't. We are friends... the others are celebrities, Why can't you understand that? I can't imagine how thick their skull must be considering they can't let a small statement like that sink in.

The crying thingy... I feel personally attacked. Nobody lets me do anything in peace, let alone crying. I literally use the washroom in my room and even my sister comes in there just banging on the door asking me to get the heck out of there and go somewhere else, like can't she use the other two washrooms or what? I like listening to sad stuff and reading angst cause somehow or the other it calms me down... it makes me feel at peace cause I know I'm not the only one who feels like crying. I've got a lot of friends, nobody remembers my birthday, I remember all of theirs'. They don't even text me, It's always me who takes the first step. All my friends just want me by their side cause I'm a smartass they want to show off as a trophy and cause I've got much better sarcasm than them. They just want to benefit from me. That's all. GOD, I'm not pretty at all. I look like a random idiot all the time. I look pathetic. And I lack talent... And you! I warned you, miss! You are pretty, beautiful, talented, smart, friendly, caring, kind and THE BEST!!!

I've never been given attention. Never ever. My sister has always stolen the spotlight. And I hate it. Not even my friends acknowledge me, my parents just ehhhhh. No matter how good I score, No matter how good I behave, No matter what. I'm just never good enough. My parents think of me as a rebellious kid. And I don't know what to do about that. All I've ever done is listen to them. My parents never allowed me to go out and play with my friends when I was a kid, they never let me go on overnight trips, and they barely let me spend time with the few friends I have. They never let me go to outings my school friends planned. Despite that, I never complained. I never had good friends because of that, yet I never complained. A lot of kids my age roam around in shopping malls by themselves, have sleepovers, spend money, roam around with tons of makeup on their faces, are in relationships, and even get into illegal shit. I've never done anything Like that. And yet... I'm never the good kid. I'm still the rebel.

I've got to take care of my sister almost every day. Get her to study, study myself, take care of myself while tolerating my grandmother. I really don't like my grandma, she s very fussy and just keeps yelling around the house the moment my dad and mom leave the house. I've got sensory overload because of her voice. And now I sit and have an anxiety attack almost every time she speaks. I've always got to strive for perfection as well. And I too can't sleep well at night just cause all the worries of the world, keep weighing me down.

Chaotic academia sounds good. It's the same aesthetic my sister got when I asked her to take the test! And oooh! Me too! I love those skirts and outfits they show on Pinterest. I'd love to have them someday.

My dream profession has to be that of a writer. Or perhaps even running a library. just something cozy. Ohh! I'd love to have brown hair, and I'd want to be tall just a little shorter than What I am right now. I just reached my father's height yesterday. And more or less, I'd like the rest to stay just as it is. and perhaps a lighter shade of skin tone. What about you though?

My question for you! If you were to be stranded on a beach island for a week. Who would you bring with you and how would you spend your time there. You can include whatever elements of nature you want to include like forests, lakes, and all.

Sending love, warmth, hugs, and whatever I have to spare that you would like to you!!!!

-Love from Lisette

P.S. That's an interesting family you've got, right there!

[soyeahitsmiddleearth]

Dimension Jumping pt. 2

The Fellowship x Reader

Fluffy pants, creepy coworkers, and grocery lists. Fun times

Trigger warning: mentions of stalker.

After that kind of rocky introduction and confusing explanation of their quest and what they were doing exactly (also what happened to their wizard ‘Gandalf’) things began to work out better. 

At first, they were in a kind of panic since they aren’t able to destroy that ring thing if they’re in your world, but then you reminded them that they can’t destroy it, and this Sauron guy can’t get it. 

This seems to ease their worries a bit. 

It was very easy for you to get along with the two blond 'hobbit’ cousins Merry and Pippin, and Samwise is a wonderful help in the kitchen. Mr. Legolas kinda just awkwardly stands around most of the time (he doesn’t sleep apparently), while the 'dwarf’, Gimli, likes to bother said 'elf’ which you find to be quite amusing. The two actual human dudes seem to be the more authoritative figures here, so they help to keep everyone in check and ensure they don’t break anything.

Penny has, quite literally, fallen in love with that brown-haired bastard Aragorn, and you’ve sworn that if he breaks her little fluffy heart you’re going to fucking murder him. Lucky for him, it seems he is quite fond of her in return since he sometimes sits idly on your couch with her laying across his lap. This asshole must have dog treats in his pocket or something because there’s no way she would ditch you for some scraggly handsome stranger like in the movies. 

Of course, you don’t complain about it or anything, rather you just leave it and enjoy the fact that Penny is happy (while silently plotting his painful murder in your mind). 

You also had to show them how to work the bathroom, and after they got over their initial shock and awestruck, they all bathed (thank god for your poor nose) and you offered to go get them more clothes later on so you can figure out how to wash theirs.

Overall, it seems that everything is going smoothly and will continue to do so. 

You have yet to give them a chance to mess with your laptop or phone (or even the TV), but mostly because you’re afraid they’ll die of shock. 

Before you know it a week has passed, and not only are they still in your damn home but they’re so freaking well-behaved and polite you actually find yourself not wanting them to go. 

“Why do you wear those fluffy pants?” The sweet little Pippin asks. 

Everyone insists he and his cousin are mischievous little monsters, but you find them to be nothing but adorable and polite. “Because, my dear boy, they are really freaking comfortable. I’m gonna go to the store later and get all of you a pair. They will change your lives." 

His eyes grow wide at your overly dramatic description of fluffy pants and he suddenly seems excited, "Really? Some for all of us?" 

You nod your head with a bright smile on your face, lifting your leg up for him to touch it. "Feel how nice they are!" 

When Pippin places his hand on the soft, fuzzy fabric he looks surprised, "I don’t think I’ve felt trousers so soft before!" 

"Fluffy pants, Pippin. They’re called fluffy pants." 

"Fluffy pants.” He repeats in confirmation. 

His cousin, Merry, chose then to walk into the room, and when he sees the two of you he looks confused. “Pip, what are you doing?" 

"Oh! Merry, come here and feel these!” He exclaims, not bothering to answer his question. 

Merry does as he says, albeit hesitantly, but when his hands touch that miracle fabric he looks just as shocked, “You’ve got such peculiar clothing… I like it." 

"Well, I was just telling my buddy over here that I’m going to get everyone some and absolutely ruin your wardrobe since you’ll never want to wear anything but these ever again.” You tell him smugly, jumping to your feet suddenly, “Oh, I’ve gotta go do something. Keep an eye on Penny for me, won’t you?" 

Yeah, they don’t need to since she’s busy sleeping on a napping Aragorn, but you ask nonetheless. 

You retreat to another room and begin to organize the things you moved from your guest bedroom, wanting everything to be less cluttered while they stay here. 

The air mattress had to come out and everything because of how many there are, but you don’t mind a little extra work for some companionship in response. Heaven knows you need someone to keep you out of your own head.

While you’re neatening things, the blond elf guy walks in and observes you for a few moments, saying nothing and kinda just standing there. You turn after a minute or so and look at him questioningly, "Is there something I can help you with?" 

He doesn’t say anything right away, and so you grab a couple of books and straighten them while you wait. 

"What are you doing?” He asks instead of answering you (a very Pippin move). 

Despite your heart wanting you to be sarcastic in your reply you answer him seriously, “I’m cleaning up a bit since I had to take all of this stuff out of my guest room. It’s kinda messy if you couldn’t tell." 

You wipe your hands on your fluffy pants and smile at him. "I’m almost done. Did you need me for something?" 

He actually acknowledges your question this time with a shake of his head, "No. I wanted to see if you require any assistance." 

Ah, that makes sense. He definitely seems like the helpful type. 

"Oh, well some help would be nice. Maybe you could move those boxes,” you point to some cardboard boxes in the corner of the closet you shoved everything into, “over there.” You then point to a shelf that is mostly empty. 

He nods again and goes to do just that right away, and you go back to sorting through a box full of papers.

“What made you allow us to stay?” He suddenly inquires, lifting the boxes you asked for help with easily. 

You’re a bit surprised at his engagement in conversation and the topic he chose, but you answer despite that. “Well like I said before, I know a group of sad saps when I see it… I didn’t know you’d lost your friend, but I could tell something wasn’t right. And… I don’t know, your hobbits looked so hungry and tired, I couldn’t kick you all out and keep a clean conscience.” It’s true, but what you leave out is the desire you had for some company. Penny is more than enough, but recently you’ve been feeling lonely and inadequate, so you jumped on the opportunity to be useful in your monotone life. 

“There’s something you’re not saying.” He says it like a statement rather than a question, and while he’s right you only shrug. 

“My reasons are my own, but what I told you is my main explanation. Take it or leave it.” You don’t mean to act so cold and aloof, but the thinking about your flaws and recently depressive state only serves to dampen your mood. 

“I meant not to offend, I apologize if upset you. I was only curious." 

You smile at him over your shoulder apologetically yourself, "No, don’t say sorry. I’m just a bit cranky is all, haven’t been getting much sleep." 

He can tell that’s not the truth, but he nods anyway and lets it drop. 

Suddenly the sound of Penny barking reaches your ears, and you sigh knowing that someone is probably at the door. 

When she abruptly stops, you pause and decide to finish with the last small stack you have before going out to check.

Big mistake.

Once you walk out of the storage closet, you’re met with the sight of two hiding hobbits, and Aragorn at the  freaking  door. Your eyes widen in horror, and you turn and close the door in Legolas’ face before he can exit. 

When the door slams, someone pokes their head around the tall 'ranger’ and smiles. 

"Oh, Y/N there you are!" 

Uh oh, he’s not supposed to be there. 

"B-Brian, hey, what… what are you doing here?” You ask slowly, walking over to try and diffuse whatever situation is going on here. “I didn’t even know you knew my address…" 

He smiles brightly despite that and waves his hand, "Don’t worry about it, the boss gave it to me and told me to check up on you! You haven’t been answering your messages and this is the most work you’ve missed in the past, like, 4 years.” His tone is bright and cheery, but you can see behind that mask of pleasantries is nothing but a prying brat who has to know everything 24/7. 

You ignore your dark thoughts and simply smile at him in return, “Yes, well I’ve been very busy. And, actually, I texted Marissa about my absence for the week ahead of time, so I don’t see why she would send you. She told me that I can work from home until I’m ready to come back.” You never liked Brian. Much too nosy and too much of a snake for your liking.

You pull your phone out of your pocket and see that you have… holy shit, 43 missed messages? All from Brian? Ew, okay, that’s weird. 

But you decide not to comment on it.

“Right, well, who is this? I haven’t seen him before." 

Shoot. 

You look up at the brown-haired man sharply, then back at Brian. "W-Who, him? Oh, this is just my… boy…friend… Ara- Er, Aaron. He’s, uh, staying here because his house burned down.” God, you’re a horrible liar, but you try to keep your face straight either way. “Who he is doesn’t matter, I’m kinda busy right now so if you could just…" 

You go to close the door, but he only steps a bit closer, "Wait-! I didn’t know you have a boyfriend!” His expression is more panic stricken now, and dare I say upset,

Ughhhhh  fucking Brian . 

Suddenly a voice pipes up from behind you, “Is there an issue over here?" 

Oh great, another challenger has appeared, and his name is freaking Boromir. 

"Wait, who is this then?” His countenance goes kinda sour, “Your other boyfriend?" 

You face-palm and slowly drag your hand down your cheek, groaning internally at his horrible timing (also electing to ignore Brian’s bitter comment). "This is… Aaron’s druggie brother, Bo…Beau. He likes meth.”

Brian looks alarmed at your mention of him being a meth head, but you only smile and internally kick yourself for coming up with something like that . “You have crackheads staying at your house?! With how you’ve been recently?! S-Should I-" 

You only shake your head once and slam your hand on the wall, "Brian, I am a big girl, and big girls don’t need their  coworkers  to keep them safe. I’ve been nice, but what I do is literally none of your fucking business, so leave me alone or I’ll call Marissa and tell her about,” you pause and lean forward, whispering with a faux sweet voice, “The janitors closet…" 

His face goes pale at the mention of the horrid sight you’d walked into that one faithful Tuesday, and he nods his head in understanding, "R-Right, sorry to bother you! I’ll uh, get going now then. Enjoy your break!" 

He’s gone before you even close the door. 

You simply stare at the closed door for a few moments, trying to process what the hell just happened.

"Miss Y/N?” Merry calls from behind the couch. “What did he mean by 'how you’ve been’? Are you alright?" 

Unable to keep your cool, you reach up and bury your fingers in your hair and groan loudly from frustration, "Ugh! Fucking Brian! Why did you have to open the door to that loser!?” You yell incredulously, pulling on your hair rather harshly. You don’t even entertain the idea of answering that question.

Aragorn seems surprised by your sudden angry outburst, so much so that he steps back and bumps against the wall. 

“He’s always in my damn business! Acting like I haven’t caught him doing  unmentionable  things in that closet! Why him? Why did you think it was a good idea to open the door?!” You don’t mean to yell or to get so angry, but it’s almost like a splash of cold water in the face. A reminder that things are temporary and unexplainable to outsiders. “He’s such a stalker! God, this is going to come back and bite me in the ass!”

You drag your hands down your face and simply stand there for a moment, ignoring all the people gathering in your living room to stare at their mental brake-down having hostess.

“I apologize, I-I didn’t mean to-” Woah he actually trips over his words.

Before he can finish his apology you raise a hand up in a silencing motion. “No, shut up. Don’t apologize I’m not actually mad at you.” It sounds like you are, but you aren’t.

If you were looking at him, you’d see that he visibly relaxes. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell I just… he frustrates me. I’m not angry at any of you, I promise.” You drop your hands back to your side and stare at the door for a few moments before turning and walking back into the living room.

“You’re kind of scary,” Sam states from Frodo’s side at the entrance of the kitchen. 

You look over at the two and furrow your eyebrows, “Scary? Me? No way. Just a little irritated.” If anything they’re the scary ones, with their swords and evil ring and all that. 

You glance back at the dark-haired man still at the front door and bite your lip, “I’m really sorry." 

A small and forgiving smile creeps onto his face, and you feel relieved right away. "Perhaps I shouldn’t have opened the door." 

This earns a small laugh and nod from you, "Now that freak thinks you’re my homeless male friend and he’s your drugged up brother. Not a very good reputation.” You don’t bother going over calling him your boyfriend in a panic - if they even know what it means in the first place. 

Suddenly ever innocent Pippin asks, “What’s meth?" 

Lord save your soul. 

—

After explaining to everyone what meth is and how you straight up just called Boromir a doped up loser to someone none of them know, you all have a good laugh. And once you’re all done laughing, you join Sam in the kitchen and notice that he’s taken an inventory of your kitchen. 

"Hello, chef Ramsay. What can I do for you?” You ask with a cheery smile, watching him go through your cupboard while literally standing on the counter with Frodo watching from the floor. 

“Who is chef Ramsay?” Sam asks, looking down at you from his leveraged spot on the counter. 

Oh, right, the poor soul doesn’t know the meme. 

“Nobody, what are you up to?” You change the subject quickly, a part of you hoping he approves of your kitchen. 

“Well… your shelves are lacking a lot. And your… what did you call it, fridge? It is basically empty. What do you eat all week?" 

You don’t reply right away, staring holes into him at his obviously spotty memory. "Well, Sam the thing is, I am one woman, and this one woman didn’t think she’d need to buy groceries for 8 men who all eat like they haven’t seen food for the past week… every meal." 

"So then perhaps we should go shopping!” He exclaims, closing the cabinet and hopping back down to the tiled floor. 

Excuse me, did he just say 'we’? Uh, yeah no.

You shake your head quickly, “No, Sam there aren’t people like you in my world. I can’t take you." 

His face falls and he looks around at the kitchen, crestfallen, "But I can’t tell you what to get if I don’t go…" 

Aw… he looks so sad. It makes your heart pang uncomfortably, and you find that you wanna make him smile again. "Here, I’ll tell you what. I’ll get some paper and a pen, and you can write down everything you want me to get on that. How does that sound?”

Almost immediately he perks up and nods his head, “Oh, that sounds wonderful!" 

Bingo. 

"Did you hear that Mr. Frodo? She said she’ll get whatever we want! Come help me make the list!” Okay, maybe this wasn’t a good idea. 

You gather the things you promised from a drawer to your right, then hand them down to him. “Here you are, dear. Take your time, and I’ll go tomorrow. And don’t forget to ask everyone else what they want.”

Hopefully, you won’t live to regret this. 

Without further ado, he rushes out of the kitchen calling for Merry and Pippin. 

These fellas are going to bankrupt you… but if you get to see those happy smiles again, then it’s definitely worth it. 

[lovemesomesurveys]

Layers Layer 1: The Basics

Name: Stephanie. Age: 31. Birthday: July 28th. Gender: Female. Zodiac Sign: Leo.

Layer 2: Your Family

Do you have any brothers or sisters? I have two brothers. Do you have any pets? I have a doggo. Do you still live with your parents? Yep. Do you have any stepparents? No. How many cousins do you have? Like over 50. Only two of them are from my dad’s side.

Layer 3: Your Friends

Who is your best friend? My mom. Who have you been friends with the longest? -- What do you like to do with your friends? -- Do you have more friends online or in real life? -- What is a good way to make friends with others? *shrug*

Layer 4: Your Home

Do you live in a home, apartment, duplex, trailer, etc? A duplex. How many rooms are there in your house? 2 bedrooms. Is your home large or small? It’s small. What is your favorite room in your house, and why? My room. It has my bed and all my stuff and I spend majority of my time in here. Do you prefer having people over to your house, or would you rather go to theirs? With friends I preferred going to theirs. I don’t like playing hostess.

Layer 5: Can You

Can you fold your tongue into the taco shape? Nope. Can you touch your toes without bending your knees? No, cause I’m a paraplegic. Can you tie a cherry stem in a knot with your tongue? Nope. Can you hold up your end of a physical fight? I’ve never been in one, but I’m still going to say no. It wouldn’t go well for me. Can you do any yo-yo tricks? I haven’t played with a yo-yo since I was a kid, but I never could get the hang of any tricks. I couldn’t even get it to go back up easily.

Layer 6: Who

Who inspires you the most, and why? I haven’t felt inspired in a long time. :/ Who helps you maintain your sanity? Uhhh. Who do you go to most often for advice? I don’t ask for advice very often to be honest. Who knows you better than you know yourself? I don’t even know myself anymore. Who is someone that you would die or put your life on the line for, no questions asked? My mom and brother.

Layer 7: Do you

Do you still eat sandwiches without the crusts? Yeah. I’ve never liked the crust. Do you typically finish your meal at a restaurant, or need to take a container home? I don’t finish my meal completely ever because I get full fast and I’m such a slow eater that everyone is done for awhile and I feel bad having them wait. Depending on what it is I might take the leftovers home, but honestly I usually don’t. Do you pull an Oreo apart in order to eat it? Yep. Do you read a lot of gossip magazines? I haven’t read a magazine in several years. I used to all the time as a teenager. Do you make friends easily? I don’t have an issue getting along with people, but I don’t develop friendships with a lot of people. I don’t really try either to be honest. Especially not these past few years. I haven’t tried or wanted to make any friends.

Layer 8: How Many?

How many people live in your house with you? 3 people and a doggo. How many pets have you had in your lifetime? A couple hamsters, 4 doggos, and a fish tank full of fish. How many tries does it take you to become successful at something? Uhh. I don’t know. I don’t think I’m all that great at anything. How many meals do you eat a day? Usually just two. How many people can you honestly tolerate? Just a few people at a time.

Layer 9: How

How do you typically get to school or work? I’m done with school and I don’t have a job. How do you deal with a breakup? Not well. How do you like to help others? I used to try and help people with what I could when I could, but admittedly I haven’t been very helpful or useful to anyone, including myself. How do you know when you’ve found “the one”? I guess I don’t know because I truly thought I did with Ty, but that went nowhere. How do you sleep in bed? I sleep in the middle slightly turned to my left with my head propped up.

Layer 10: What

What do you think happens when we die? I believe in heaven and hell. What do you do if there’s no toilet paper left on the roll and you’re already peeing? At home I call for my mom and ask her to bring some or I have to just get up and get some more from the bathroom pantry. What do you eat most often? Wingstop and ramen. What toys did you enjoy most as a child? I was obsessed with Barbies. What do you do if you witness someone being awful to someone else? I don’t know what I would do.

Layer 11: Where

Where is your favorite place to eat out? I’m more of takeout gal, even pre-COVID, which now takeout is all I do, but anyway I love getting Wingstop and breakfast from this local place. Where is the place that has the best ice cream in your area? I’m not a big ice cream person and haven’t had any at all in years, but apart from the common places like Baskin Robbins and Cold Stone, I know we have a few trendy, cool ice cream places in town I haven’t been to thatI hear are really good. Where did you meet your current or last significant other? We met through a mutual friend. Where can you be found at 7 PM. typically? Here at home, most likely in bed on my laptop. Where can you find the best French fries? This local place has delicious beer battered garlic fries.

Layer 12: When

When did you find out the truth about Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy? I don’t remember exactly when I found out about the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy, but I stopped believing in Santa when I was 8. I feel like I stopped believing in the other two prior to that. When do you typically fall asleep? Around 6 or 7AM. When was the last time that someone paid you a compliment? I don’t remember. When do you feel most comfortable? When I’m lounging in bed. When did you last go to the bathroom? A couple hours ago.

Layer 13: Why

Why do you enjoy taking surveys so much? I’ve enjoyed taking them for so long now it’s hard to imagine a time where I no longer do them. I mean, here I am at 31 and see no stopping in sight. I think they’re good distractions and give me a place to vent and ramble as well when needed. They’re like my diary entries. Why do people gossip so much? They’re bored and other people’s lives are either more interesting or they serve as a distraction from their own. Why can’t humans fly? We don’t have wings. Why aren’t you doing something else right now? I want to be doing this. Why is the sky blue? Cause that is the color God intended it to be.

Layer 14: If...

If you had a million dollars, what would you spend it on? I’d pay of mine, my parents’ and my brother’s debts first, then I’d buy us a bigger house and furnish/decorate it, do some other shopping, travel for sure, and then I’d have to be smart and careful and save as well after having some fun. If you found out someone was cheating on you, would you ever take them back? I honestly don’t know. It would depend on a lot of things and if I did, it would take time and work. If you found a wallet with cash in the street, including identification, would you turn it in? Why or why not? Yes, absolutely.  If you could have any food right now, what would you like?   I just had ramen so I’m good right now. If you found out that the world was going to end tomorrow, how would you spend your last day? Freaking out? ha.

Layer 15: Firsts

When did you lose your first tooth? Like 5 or 6. Who was your first teacher that you ever had? I don’t remember my preschool teacher’s name. When did you first learn how to ride a bike? I didn’t. When was the first time you had sex? I haven’t. Did your first birthday have a theme to it? I’d have to ask my mom.

Layer 16: Lasts

Last person you texted: My brother. Last drink you sipped: Starbucks Doubleshot energy drink. Last time you rode a bike: -- Last time you swam in a pool: Like 8 years ago. Last person you hugged: My aunt.

Layer 17: Favorites

Favorite Color: Pastels, rose gold, sea foam green, coral, and yellow. Favorite Season: Fall and winter. Favorite Shape: Hearts and stars. Favorite Letter: I don’t have one. Favorite Number: 8.

Layer 18: This or That

Pepsi or Coke? Coke. Movies or Television? Both. Phone or Tablet? Phone. Fruits or Vegetables? I like some of both. Animals or Humans? Animals, ha.

Layer 19: Which

Which Poke’mon is your favorite? Let’s go with Jigglypuff. Which day of the week is your favorite? I don’t have one. My days all blend together. Which birthday celebration was the most memorable for you? Various ones throughout my life. Which holiday is your favorite? Christmas. Which shoe do you put on first? I think my right.

Layer 20: Love Life/Relationships

What is the name of your first love? Joseph. How many times can you honestly say you’ve been in love? Twice. Have you ever been in a relationship before that was abusive in any way? No. Have you ever been engaged or married before? No. Do you have any children? Nooo.

Layer 21: Jobs, Dreams, & Goals

What did you want to be when you grew up (as a little kid)? I wanted to be a teacher. What do you aspire to be now? What interests you? I have no idea. :/ What is the most recent goal you’ve achieved? I haven’t achieved any in a long time. What is a goal you are still striving to reach? I should be setting some, but... Have you ever won any sort of awards before? If so, for what? Honor roll certificates and award from school clubs I was in.

Layer 22: Opinions & Beliefs

Pro-life or pro-choice? Pro-choice. Were you raised with any sort of religious background? If so, then what? Both sets of grandparents were the ones who tried to influence me in that way and they were of different religions, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christians. It made things very confusing and complicated and I struggled with what I believed for a very long time. I went through phases of being atheist, agnostic, and then slowly started to open up towards Christianity. Democrat, Republican, or Independent? I don’t want to get into that. For or against the death penalty? It’s very complicated. Thoughts on assisted suicide? That’s a very touchy, sensitive subject.

Layer 23: Currently/Today/Present

What day is it? Saturday, March 6th. What’s the weather like outside? It’s currently 46F. What have you eaten? So far just ramen. Did you run any errands? It’s only 5:21AM, but I won’t be going anywhere today. What time is it? ^^^

Layer 24: Yesterday

Did you have a work shift? I don’t have a job. Did you eat out anywhere? I had breakfast delivered and then got Wingstop takeout for dinner. Was it snowing? No, it doesn’t snow here. Who did you last say goodnight to? My mom. Did anything unusual happen? No.

Layer 25: Tomorrow

Do you have to go to school/class? Nope, I finished school back in 2015. Does this day have any sort of significance to you? No. What is a chore that needs to get done? I don’t have anything I need to do right now. Will you hang out with friends? I don’t have any friends. I’ll hang with my family at home. What time will you be expected to be awake by? Like 4 or 5PM most likely.

Layer 26: Have You Ever

Performed a magic trick successfully? Nope. I dabbled a little bit with card tricks when I was a kid, but I was never any good at it. Sat or laid on a rooftop and looked at the stars? No. I’d be too scared to do that. Walked around with your underwear on inside out or backwards all day without realizing it? Probably. Touched a snake? Nooooo. Been bitten by an animal? If so, what animal? Nope.

Layer 27: School Life

Are preschool and kindergarten mandatory where you live? I’m not sure if preschool is, actually. I went to preschool.  Were you or anyone you knew homeschooled? I was for a brief periods of time after some long hospital stays in 5th, 6th, and 8th grade. Did you attend public or private school? Public. Were you bullied in school, popular, or somewhere in-between? I wasn’t bullied and I most definitely wasn’t popular. What is the highest level of education that you completed? I have my BA in psych.

Layer 28: Your Appearance

Eye Color: Brown. Hair Color: A mix of red and my natural dark brown. Height: Like 5′4. Weight: Somewhere in the 70s (pounds), I think. I haven’t been weighed in years. Do you have freckles. moles, beauty marks, or birthmarks - and where? I have some freckles, some moles, and a birthmark.

Layer 29: Electronics, Internet, & Social Media

How much time do you spend on the internet per day? It really varies. Which social media platforms do you belong to? All the big main ones. When’s the last time you replaced the batteries in your television remote? I don’t recall. Are you more likely to stream movies and shows on your laptop, or cast them to your television? I prefer to on TV. Do you have an e-reader, or do you prefer actual books? No, but I do use the Kindle app on my phone.

Layer 30: Are You

Are you still in school? Nope. Are you a member of the LGBTQ+ community? No. Are you looking forward to anything coming soon? There isn’t anything coming up that I’m looking forward to. Are you dreading anything coming soon? Upcoming doctor appointments.  Are you gullible or naive? I wouldn’t say I’m a gullible or naive person, but I can be gullible and naive at times.

Layer 31: Does

Does your workplace make you feel like you can never take a day off without feeling guilty about it? -- Does someone currently hold the key to your heart? Myself. Does anyone out there hate you? Probably.  Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable? Yes. Does crying make you feel less strong? Sometimes I do feel like that because I’m just so sensitive and moody and feel like such a baby sometimes. I don’t think crying makes you weak, I’m just hard on myself and feel like I cry too much and over ridiculous things at times. I’m like seriously, you’re crying again?? Or wow, you’re crying over this??

Layer 32: Would You

Do the Polar Bear Plunge? Helllllllllll no. Ever try to walk across a room blindfolded? I’ve done that. And with just my eyes closed. Swim with sharks? Noooooo. Go into outer space, given the chance? Noooooo. Go out in public, looking how you do right now? Ew, no.

Layer 33: Pets/Animals

Do you have any pets? If so, what type, and their names... Yep, I have a 4 year old German Shepherd/Lab mix named Princess Leia. If not, what type of pet have you always wanted? -- What is your favorite animal? Dogs and giraffes. Do you think it is cruel to have circus animals? Yes. How often do you walk your dog, if you have one? How often do you scoop the litterbox, if you have a cat? I don’t walk her because it would be too hard for me to do, but my dad does a few times a week.

Layer 34: Food

What is your favorite breakfast item? Scrambled eggs, biscuits, and hash browns smothered in country gravy, scrambled eggs with spinach, garlic, and green onions, breakfast burritos, and breakfast sandwiches. What is your favorite kind of dessert? Cheesecake, brownies, cupcakes, muffins, donuts, cookies, Little Debbie snacks. Do you eat all three meals everyday? Nope. I usually just have two. What’s the longest you’ve gone without food? Ever, like 2-3 days because I had just had surgery. Otherwise, just a day without any food at all. I’ve gone days with very little when I’m really sick or having appetite issues. What do you like to eat when you are feeling sick? I don’t like to eat when I’m sick, which becomes a problem. I have to try and at least eat buttered toast and soup.

Layer 35: Past

Does your past ever come back to haunt you at times? I’m always dwelling on my past. What is one of your favorite memories of the past? Childhood memories. What is something that you used to do in the past, but no longer do? I used to have somewhat of a social life, but now I don’t have one at all. If you could have a meal with someone from the past, who would it be, and what would you ask them? My grandmother. I’d just want to spend time with her and catch her up on the past 15 years as much as I could. Which historical time period would you like to go back to and check out? Hm. I don’t know.

Layer 36: Future

Do you think you will ever get married one day? Honestly, no. I really don’t see it happening. Do you plan on ever getting a different job in the future, or are you happy with the one you’ve got? I don’t have a job currently. What age do you plan to retire at? Or do you plan on working til you’re dead? I don’t know what my plans are in regards to work.  What is something on your bucket list worth mentioning? One that pretty much everyone says, but traveling.  If given the opportunity to see how your future plays out, would you take it, or no? The future terrifies me, so no I don’t think I would. It could possibly end up being encouraging if I saw things turn around for me in a good way, but I’m afraid it would just show more problems and things getting worse. :/

Layer 37: Hygiene

How often do you shower? Every couple days. How often do you brush your teeth? At least once a day. Do you actually iron any of your clothes? I’ve never ironed my clothes. How often do you do laundry? It gets done about once a week. How long do you use a bath towel before switching it out? I only use it once.

Layer 38: Clothing, Makeup, & Style

Do you wear nail polish? If so, how often do you paint your nails? I haven’t painted my nails in almost 5 years. How would your describe your sense of style? Super casual? ha. I live in leggings and oversized graphic tees. Are there any popular trends that you do not find appealing? Of course. Where do you typically buy your clothing from? Boxlunch and Hot Topic.  What sorts of accessories do you wear/use? I haven’t worn any accessories in awhile. I used to be a big accessories person, like I stuff to match all my outfit and my arms would be full of bracelets.

Layer 39: Hobbies

Do you still color, even as an adult? Yep. I love that adult coloring books became a pretty big thing a few years ago, I love ‘em. Do you/would you like to crochet, knit, cross-stitch, etc? Nah. What’s the last thing you crafted all by yourself? I’m not an arts and crafts person. Do you use Pinterest at all? I do. What’s the last thing that you cooked or baked? Ramen, of course.

Layer 40: Dislikes

List some of your pet peeves here. Eating sounds is a big one. What are some things that annoy you about yourself? Oh jeez. Many things.  Is there anyone out there who you actually hate? Who? Myself? What is a feeling that you dislike? Feeling sick. Do you get some ugly road rage while driving? I don’t drive.

Layer 41: Random

Have you ever successfully pogo’ed on a pogo stick? No. Not sure how that would work with a wheelchair, ha. Have you ever mastered the jump rope? Again, kinda hard to do, but I’ve kinda jumped rope before. Not the actual jumping part course, but did the movements while just wheeling over the rope instead and continuing to move forward. It’s kinda hard to explain, but yeah. Do you know what it feels like to be truly happy? Uhhh.  Is it winter in your part of the world right now? Yes. What’s your favorite type of survey, and why? I enjoy themed ones like this and ones with random, interesting questions that allow me to elaborate more than just simple yes and no. I don’t mind some of that thrown in and some basic questions, but I want more.

Layer 42: Music

What are some of your favorite genres of music? I like variety. What are some music genres that you can’t stand? I’m not into dubstep.  If you had a blank pair of concert tickets, who would you hope to be going to see? Hm. I’d have to think about that. Do you still listen to music on the radio from time to time? It’s been like 4 years since I’ve listened to the radio. iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, or YouTube? Spotify.

Layer 43: Books

What were some of your favorite books as a child? How young are we talking? Like around 4th grade I started getting into Goosebumps, Nancy Drew, The Baby Sitter’s Club, Ramona and Beezus, and choose your own adventure books.  What genre of books do you typically read most often? Well, for the past couple years now I’ve just been reading murder mystery and psychological thrillers. Apart from those, my favorite genres are fiction, YA, and NA. What are some of your favorite books as an adult? I have several favorite murder mystery series.  What is a book that you were required to read for school that you actually enjoyed? One of them was A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Do you read any newspapers or magazines anymore? I haven’t in years.

Layer 43: Around the World

Where’s the best place you’ve taken a vacation and/or day trip to? My Disneyland trips are definitely some of the best. Where is somewhere that you’d like to go someday, assuming you have the funds to do so? There’s so many places I’d love to visit. Where do your family members originate from? Most are from here, but some from different cities and states. What is your favorite type of ethnic cuisine? Italian. What is something that is typically representative of your own culture? Hm.

Layer 44: Would you Rather...

Drink apple juice or grape juice? Ew, neither. Wear pants or shorts? Pants. I don’t do shorts. Be taller or shorter? Taller. Go to a zoo or an aquarium? Zoo. Visit an art gallery or a museum? Museum.

Layer 45: Movies

Do you remember what the first movie was that you saw in theaters? No, but the first one I remember seeing is The Rugrats Movie. What are some of your favorite movies you’ve seen? There’s so many. What genre of movie do you typically enjoy? Horror, psychological thrillers, drama, superhero, fantasy and sci-fi, romcoms.  What is a movie you’ve seen that you weren’t expecting to like, but were pleasantly surprised? I didn’t think I’d love Star Wars and the superhero movies like I do, honestly. I got into them late, but once I started I was hooked. How many movies do you own? Are they all DVD’s, or do you still have some VHS ones left? I have like 10 DVDs in my personal collection. I also have my Disney VHS tapes stored away.

Layer 46: Personality

Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert? I’m an introvert all the way. Are you more easygoing and laid back, or anal? I think I come off as easygoing and laid back to people who don’t know me, but I am not. I mean, in some cases I am, like when it comes to traveling I’m pretty much down to do anything and I’m cool with just chillin’ and checking things out.  Are you kind to everyone who shows that they deserve kindness? I believe so. Describe your sense of humor. I honestly don’t know. Like, I like corny, punny, cheesy jokes, but apart from that I’m not sure how to describe it. People will show me stuff they think is funny and they can be dying of laughter and I can be straight-faced or just give a little chuckle or blow air out of my nose, ha. So yeah, it’s hard to explain. Random stuff will just really strike me as funny. And even if I do think something is amusing, it doesn’t always mean I’m laughing hysterically ya know? I haven’t had a good laugh in a long time. Do you tend to over-share? In surveys I do sometimes.

Layer 47: Celebrities

Which celebrity has given their child the most unique name, in your opinion? Meh, I don’t know. Are there any celebrities that you keep tabs on/read articles about often? Not as much as I used to, honestly. I used to be wrapped up in celebrity gossip and entertainment. I still like that kind of stuff, but I don’t know I just haven’t been following it as much. Who is/are your celebrity crush(es)? Alexander Skarsgard. Have you ever personally met someone famous before? If so, then who? Jamie Lee Curtis and Drake Bell. Who is a celebrity that you’re getting tired of hearing about all the time? Hmm.

Layer 48: Emotions

When was the last time you cried? A couple days ago. What are some things that you’re afraid of? Losing loved ones, dying, never getting better/getting worse... What is something small that makes you happy? That first sip of coffee. Who is the last person that you were angry with, and about what? It’s been awhile since I’ve been angry with someone. Are you typically a shy or outgoing person? I’m very shy.

Layer 49: Digging Deeper

What is your favorite alcoholic beverage? I don’t drink. How old were you when you got drunk for the first time? 21. Do you smoke? Nope. Have you ever taken and sent naked pictures of yourself? No. Have you ever done any drugs other than marijuana? If so, which ones? Nope.

Layer 50: Games

What are some of your favorite video games? Mario Bro games. Do you have any computer games that you play regularly? I go through phases with The Sims where I’ll play all the time and then go years without playing. The last time I played was 3 years ago. What was your favorite board game, growing up? Sorry!, Trouble, and Life. How about your favorite card game? Growing up I liked playing Uno and Crazy 8′s.  How good are you at solving puzzles? (such as a Rubik’s cube, word puzzles, or putting together a jigsaw puzzle) I love word searches and such. I used to enjoy doing actual puzzles when I was a kid. I’ve actually been wanting to do a puzzle lately.

[ohsh1t2wksl8]

[totally-incorrect-theatre-quotes]

Dust Covered Eyes (Fanfic)

 Wendy meets the family :)

Two months. It was absolutely crazy to Lydia that her and Wendy had been officially dating for two months now. It took some awkwardness at first with neither of them being sure at first if the other wanted something more than friendship despite the obvious signals they were sending each other. It was a grey area for the first two weeks where they would hold hands in the hallways at school, or Wendy would randomly run and hug Lydia from behind. Their friends would remark that they would make a cute couple, or how they were practically an old married couple already but being young they weren’t sure what to make of their relationship. It the end it took Lydia calling Wendy frantically about how she hadn’t picked out a Halloween costume and when she asked Wendy what she should be the response was “my girlfriend.” to which Lydia blushed and agreed but on the condition that she still got to be it when Halloween was over. Ever since then they had been a perfectly happy couple. 

They were hanging out at Wendy’s house one afternoon watching some cheesy show that neither of them were really interested in but were just using it as an excuse to be with each other that afternoon. Wendy’s mother ran off to go pick up a pizza that they had ordered for dinner that night leaving the two of them alone. Being teenagers left at home with no parents around that only lead to one thing….they impulsively built a blanket fort around the television and brought Wendy’s dog with them while they made a mess on the floor after throwing popcorn at each other. About thirty minutes into the episode Lydia was leaning on Wendy and she lamented, “Your mom is really cool.”

Wendy just kind of laughed in response, “She’s alright I guess. I wish she wouldn’t be so embarrassing whenever you came over.”

“Oh trust me my family is so much more embarrassing.”

“I would believe you but you still haven’t had me over your house yet. I haven’t even gotten to meet most of them!”

“You got to meet my dad and Delia.” Lydia pointed out

Wendy giggled, “Oh my god at the ice cream shop like over a month ago! I’d hardly call that a good first impression, I was wearing that stupid uniform and my hair was a disaster that night. I mean I’ve been dating their daughter for plural months now, don’t you think I should properly meet them and all? Come on, I’m charming, I’m polite. I’m like a well-trained dog, you don’t have to be embarrassed to show me to them.”

“I’m not embarrassed of you! I’m embarrassed of them, my family is far from traditional. I’m just worried it will throw you off how overbearing they can be.” 

“Lydia, my mom literally texts you. You don’t have to be worried about me getting weirded out by overbearing parents.”

“It’s a little bit more than my dad and Delia,” Lydia held back a shy smiled, she figured that the longer she put it off the more awkward it would be to tell Wendy about her entire family. She took in a deep breath, “Okay I’ll tell you but you have to promise not to laugh at me. I’m being one thousand percent serious, okay? Do you promise?”

Wendy snickered, “Okay I promise, what’s the big secret anyway?”

“So I live with my dad and Delia, that’s established you already know that, but I also live with three ghosts and they’re like a family to me now too. The two ghosts that live in the attic, they’re named Adam and Barbara, they’re really nice and they’re kinda like a second set of parents to me I guess? And then there’s this other half-ghost half-demon, his name is Beetlejuice, he’s at the house more often than I’d prefer. I guess he’s like a brother to me? That or the really annoying cousin at family reunions who always asks if you have games on your phone. Oh and also there’s the cats, but you already knew about them.” Lydia paused looking at Wendy for any kind of response, just bracing herself for the worst. That Wendy would laugh in her face and think she was so stupid and a liar and not want to be with her anymore. Lydia sat up off of Wendy to get a better look at her face and was just shocked by the expression. Wendy had a goofy grin on her face like she was about to laugh, but not in a mocking kind of way. Lydia relaxed a bit but still wanted the verbal response. 

“Liddy I wish I could say I was surprised, but you are exactly the kind of person to live in a haunted house and love it. Okay, okay, so you live with ghosts? That’s...okay, well if they’re like a family to you I want to meet them all! You brought my mom chocolates the first time you met her what do ghosts like?”

“You’re okay with this? Like no questions at all?” Lydia asked completely blown away at Wendy’s lack of doubt, “Like nothing at all? You’ve just accepted the fact that I do in fact live with ghosts?”

“Duh? Why would you lie to me about something like that, and so elaborately? I’d believe you less if you told me that you had a typical white picket fence family”

“Wow, alright then. Good to know that you trust me.” Lydia smiled

“I do have one question though.”

“Shoot.”

“Beetlejuice?” Wendy asked with a wrinkled nose, “What kind of name is that?”

Lydia laughed, “We usually just call him BJ and trust me he is just as chaotic as his name is.”

Still astonished about how well Wendy took the reveal of her whole family situation Lydia immediately went to work trying to prepare everyone at the house for them all meeting Wendy. She was oddly nervous at the whole situation and she wondered if Wendy felt the same way when she ha Lydia meet her family. They were all so awkward around her at first, the only person who wasn’t trying desperately to not embarrass themselves was Wendy’s little brother Silas who upon meeting Lydia for the first time promptly told her that he “hopes drinks lots of milk because she needs to get taller.” Wendy was absolutely mortified but Lydia thought it was hilarious, the boy was about the same age as Skye so she didn’t take offense to the jab at her shortness. 

The most difficult person to get on board, as expected, was Beetlejuice. They were hanging out in the attic painting their nails like almost every Saturday, it had become a sort of tradition of theirs when Lydia started school and wasn’t home as much. It gave Beetlejuice a chance to tease Lydia, and a planning opportunity for any pranks they were going to do that week.

“Come on, just do it for me!” Lydia begged

“I don’t even know what what’s her face wants to even meet me? It’s weird that you want your ex to meet your new girl.”

She punched him hard in the arm, hating it every time that he teased about how they technically were married at one point, “Shut up! God no, you said yourself it was a green card thing stop being weird.”

“I’m joking! I’m joking!” He replied covering his face with his arms while Lydia tried to smack him with a pillow, “You’re like the annoying little sister that my mom never had.”

“Little sister?” Lydia scowled, “I’m sorry please remind me who had to rush home from school one day because you lost your ice cube and then had to explain to you that a puddle hadn’t replaced said IceCube but that ice...in fact, melts.”

Beetlejuice fake sniffled, “I’m still mourning you asshole”

“Look can you please just act semi-normal around Wendy? I will literally pay you money if you behave.” 

Beetlejuice considered this, “I don’t want your money kid, besides wouldn’t Walton-”

“Wendy..I’m gay?”

“Wouldn’t Wilhomena want to get to know your real family? You know you really shouldn’t change your personality for someone just because you think it will make them like you, it makes you seem desperate and the last thing I would want is to make a terrible first impression on this girl you’re madly in love with.”

“I am NOT madly in love with her!” Lydia shrieked knowing there were tints of pink on her ears

“That’s not what I overhead when you were pathetically musing to Barbara about how “beautiful, and smart, and funny” this girl was. That doesn’t sound like just gal-pals to me.”

“She’s my girlfriend!”

“So you are madly in love with her?”

“No I….I just-”

“Come on just admit it. You looovve her, and you want the whole world to know.”

“I guess I love her…” Lydia mumbled, hoping Beetlejuice wouldn’t hear. She guessed wrong

“What was that? You love her? That’ll be something fun to share when I meet this chick for the first time. Girls love honestly, remember that

“Beetlejuice you CANNOT tell her I said that. Come on I am actually begging now, I will DIE if you say that to her. I don’t know if she feels the same way, we’ve only been dating for two months!”

“Relax relax, don’t have a tantrum. I’m not going to tell Winona how bad you’ve got it for her.” Beetlejuice looked at his fingernails examining the color he had picked, “But I can’t promise I’ll behave.”

Lydia smacked him again before adding a quick thank you for promising to not ruin her life and relationship by revealing how Lydia felt. It was a lot easier to get everyone else on board. Delia, Adam, and Barbara were thrilled that Lydia was bringing a girl home and while her dad tried to put on a tough “nobody is good enough for my baby girl” act, Lydia knew how happy Charles was that she was happy. As the day got closer to when Wendy was going to come over for dinner Lydia felt anxiety coursing through her chest. Everyone was trying to reassure her that everything was going to be okay but she still couldn’t help but worry that everything was going to go horribly wrong. Wendy had such a typical family and Lydia didn’t want to scare her off with her unique family, but she also didn’t want to hide this part of her life from anybody that she dated. She loved her strange and unusual family, they were always there for her, always supporting her, and they would always hold a special place in her heart. 

“Liddy I’m sure I’m going to love them.” Wendy assured her as they walked up to the door of her home, hand in hand, “If they’re anything like you I’ll love them.”

“Okay as long as you’re sure because we can just go hang out at your house again if you’re having second thoughts. I just want to make sure you’re not nervous about this.”

“I think that you’re the nervous one, just relax alright?” Wendy put her hand on Lydia’s face and Lydia stood on her tiptoes as she leaned in for a quick kiss, “It’s going to be perfectly fine.”

Lydia took in a shaky breath and lead Wendy in through the door and around the house. Everyone was already sitting in the kitchen and she could tell how badly Barbara was holding back the urge to gush about how adorable it was that Lydia had a girlfriend. Lydia gave her a stern look and Barbara glanced away while she tried to gain composure. She noticed how everybody was there but a certain demon was absent. She wasn’t sure if she was mad or relieved that Beetlejuice wasn’t there. On one hand, she wanted Wendy to meet the family in one sitting so she didn’t have to go through the awkwardness again, but on the other hand, now Lydia didn’t need to worry about Beetlejuice ruining everything by playing some elaborate trick or revealing to Wendy what Lydia had said in the attic

“Guys this is Wendy. Wendy this is my family.”

“You weren’t kidding when you said they were ghosts.” Wendy whispered, “I knew you weren’t lying but like actually seeing ghosts...with my own eyes. Wow.” She turned her attention back to the family looking at both of them eagerly, “Hey!”

Charles was the first to greet her he walked over the table and went in for an awkward handshake, “I’ve been hearing a lot about you, Wendy. It’s a pleasure to get to meet the girl my daughter’s been spending most of her time with, more so than she spends doing her math homework.”

“Dad!” Lydia hissed

“I’m kidding! Wendy, it’s really nice to meet you, well for the second time. Can I just say 

you sure know how to make a good ice cream sundae.”

“Oh thanks, Mr. Deetz, when you work for tips you kinda become a perfectionist at those kinds of things.” Wendy laughed to herself, “So you must be Delia?”

Delia looked the girl up and down before announcing, “She has a good energy Lydia, I like her.”

Lydia tried to laugh the remark off sheepishly but Wendy didn’t seem to mind the remark, and went on to compliment the crystal necklace Delia was wearing saying how she wears a similar one when she is taking tests because she thinks it’s lucky. Lydia made a mental note to not joke about crystal magic around Wendy again as she introduced Wendy to the pseudo-ghost parents. 

“This is Adam and this is Barbara, they live in the attic.”

Still in awestruck that she was meeting actual ghosts Wendy stammered out some form of greeting but Barbara went right in for a hug while Adam, similar to Charles, tried and failed miserably to pull off some kind of strict dad greeting. Wendy’s eye widened in amazement when she realized that the ghosts were solid but definitely not alive. “This is literally the coolest thing ever.”

Barbara smiled, “Yeah we think it’s pretty neat too. It’s fun to switch between solid and not, makes getting down the stairs so much easier when you can kind of just fall through the floor or appear in the kitchen at will.”

“I bet!” Wendy went to sit down at the kitchen table and Lydia sat down next to her. Charles ran into the kitchen to bring out the dinner he made. He had never been a good cook so Lydia was nervous about what was going to come in but Adam assured her that he closely supervised Charle’s cooking. They started eating dinner just making polite chit chat, asking about how Wendy was doing in school, asking about her family, and plans that the girls had for the upcoming weekend. Everything was going very smoothly and Lydia couldn’t have been more pleased that Wendy was getting along with her family. She would have considered it a perfectly relaxed evening if a certain demon had randomly appeared in the middle of dessert.

“Sorry I’m late everyone, but in my defense, I wasn’t ever planning on coming on time. I wanted to be fashionably late.”

Lydia tapped her fingers on the table impatiently, “You’re literally two hours late!”

“Fashion is always changing Lyds, look it up.” Beetlejuice hovered over to the table and piled a stack of cookies onto his plate which he promptly proceeded to practically inhale much to Lydia’s dismay but Wendy’s amazement.

“It’s Wendy right?” Beetlejuice asked in a tone that Lydia honestly didn’t hate, she briefly thought maybe the introduction would go alright by Beetlejuice standards, “I’m Beetlejuice or BJ, or ghost with the most. Whichever you prefer kid. Just don’t call me Lawrence, I’ll kill you if you call me Lawrence.”

“He’s kidding! He’s kidding!” Charles frantically tried to laugh it off as a joke when he saw the fear in Lydia’s eyes

“Nice to meet you BJ, Lydia told me a bit about you.”

“I could say the same thing.” Beetlejuice gave a teasing wink to a now fuming Lydia, “I have to say, Chuck, the cookies were a bit dry. Hey, Wendy want to see a magic trick?”

“NO!” Lydia shouted

“Sure?” Wendy replied, giving Beetlejuice all the permission he needed to animate all the plates and make them spin around the table and fly around everyone’s heads. Wendy’s grin grew bigger as the display went on and Lydia relaxed a little bit when she realized that Wendy was enjoying herself and that she wasn’t about to run out of the house screaming. Lydia gave a remorseful smile to Beetlejuice thankful that he found a way to still be himself but not embarrass Lydia in front of her girlfriend. The rest of the night went on full of laughter and fin conversation. By the end of the evening, Wendy thanked everyone for the delicious meal and wished them a goodnight when they went upstairs to go to bed. Lydia had already told her parents that they were having a sleepover in the living room, her father wasn’t exactly on board at first not feeling comfortable letting Lydia spend the night with her girlfriend but when Lydia compromised by promising to stay in the living room Charles reluctantly agreed but had Adam and Barbara on tap to check in on them periodically through the night.

Lydia and Wendy were sitting on the couch, sharing a blanket as they scrolled through Netflix trying to find a show or movie to have in the background while they either talked or played games with each other on their phones. Lydia had a winning streak in pool against Wendy and though every time Wendy threatened that the streak would come to a dramatic end Lydia always ended up winning, and Wendy pouted for five minutes before challenging her again. They were both getting tired around three in the morning and after bidding a truthful goodnight to Adam and Barbara Lydia came back downstairs with blankets and pillows for them to sleep on. Wendy took the couch and Lydia took the loveseat partly because it was polite to give the guest the bigger sleeping place, and Lydia was tiny enough to fit on the loveseat comfortably. They were still whispering to each other while they tried to fall asleep but the topics were becoming more and more incoherent the closer to sleep they got.

Wendy asked, “So like how did this all happen? Like how did you realize you were living in a haunted house?”

“It’s a complicated story that involves Adam and Barbara trying to scare us into moving out, Beetlejuice tricking me, and me briefly getting lost in the underworld.”

“You say that so casually.” Wendy snorted, “You literally have the most interesting life out of anyone I’ve met. They only interesting thing about me is how my older brother Levi got super drunk at my Bat mitzvah and fell off the stage and into the cake.”

Lydia chuckled, “Wasn’t he only like seventeen?”

“Yeah! That’s what made it even funnier, my mom and dad were so pissed at him. I was mainly just upset that my cake got ruined. Silas didn’t discriminate, he ate it right off the floor.”

“Seems typical of him.”

They both laughed and then there was a silence before Wendy whispered, “Can I ask you a question?” Lydia nodded hoping Wendy could see it in the dark, “If Adam and Barbara are ghosts….is your mom a ghost too? It’s just that you never mention her being around the house and if ghosts are real, I would think that she would haunt the house too I guess?”

Lydia instantly tensed up, “No my mom’s not a ghost. Not that I know of anyway. It’s kind of complicated, my mom is probably in the Netherworld which is like the afterlife I guess? Once a ghost goes to the Netherworld they can’t come back, Adam and Barbara are only still in the house because they never went there.”

“But that Beetlejuice guy he comes back and forth from the Net-Netherworld?”

Lydia rubbed her eyes sleepily, “Yeah that’s kind of complicated too. He’s half-demon and his mom is kind of the lady in charge of the Netherworld so I guess he just sorta figured out how to go back and forth as he wants? I can summon him from the Netherworld if I wanted to, and I tried to with my mom too but it doesn’t work.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry I brought it up. I know it’s a hard thing for you to talk about, I was just curious. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, it’s okay.” Lydia wiped away a stray tear in her eye, “You don’t need to apologize for asking. I know the whole situation is really confusing and I asked the same questions when I was figuring it all out too. I miss my mom a lot, I wish she was still here even as a ghost just so I could talk to her one more time. I mean she’d love you, I never got the chance to tell her, but I know she would just love you.”

Wendy shifted on the couch to sit up and look over at Lydia who was very evidently trying to hold back tears. She slid out from under her blanket and went over to the loveseat to pull Lydia into a tight hug. When they broke the embrace Lydia rested her head on Wendy’s shoulder and held her hand in her lap, “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to get all emotional.”

“Does it still hurt to think about her?”

Lydia shrugged, “Sometimes, a lot of the time it just hurts to think about all the stuff she’s going to miss in my life. I was only fourteen when she died, I still had so much more that I wanted her to see. She’s never going to see me graduate, or get married, or even have kids one day. It’s the small things sometimes, like this whole you meeting my family thing. I wanted it so badly to go perfect, but it just felt like somebody was missing. She’s never going to get to meet the people that I fall in love with, or give me those cheesy warnings about dating. Everyone here tries their best and I really appreciate it but times like that I still wish my mom was alive.”

“I wish I could have met her too. She is so important to you, and I’d have loved to get to know her.”

“She was pretty cool.” Lydia said with a soft smile

“Well now I know where you get it from.”

She rolled her eyes playfully, “You know you don’t need to charm me anymore, you already got me to date you.”

“Sorry babe I can’t turn off the charm, I’m just a chick magnet that way. I can’t help it.”

“Remind me again why I put up with you?”

“Because you loovvee me.” Wendy teased before giving Lydia a quick peck on the lips

“Yeah I suppose that’s a valid point. Now seriously you can’t share the couch with me my dad will freak if he wakes up to this tomorrow.”

Wendy begrudgingly slinked back to her couch and after a few more minutes of just talking to each other Lydia heard the soft snoring of the other girl and knew she had fallen asleep mid-conversation. Lydia pulled the blanket close to her face trying not to blush whenever she thought about how Wendy knew she loved her. 

[bangtan-madi]

I thought of an interesting idea for a senario :0 what if MC, when told by the RFA that she should stay at the apartment, she suggests she can use it like an office instead? (and/or MC feeling uncomfortable living in their dead friend’s apartment. Depending on if you think they’d prefer her live in the apartment or not)

Hey, Nonnie! So sorry it took so long to get to your request. I have been soooo behind with my Askbox, so thank you for your patience! Hope you enjoy!!

_________________________________________

Rika’s apartment didn’t bother you at first, but after spending nearly two weeks living there, dealing with a stalker, let alone a bomb, you’ve become more than uneasy in the space. There’s something about the air that sets the hairs at the back of your neck on edge and sends shivers down your spine. You knew you were just seeing things, but after dark, you felt like Rika’s spirit was watching you.

Shaking your head, you push those thoughts away and turn back to your laptop. You knew you’re just hearing things. It’s your imagination, but still. After everything that’s happened, you don’t feel like Rika’s apartment was the best place to live. You already had plans to make it into an office space and had already looked into another home nearby.

A clicking noise comes from the front door of the apartment. It doesn’t take you long to jump to the worst possible conclusion, that it’s either a ghost pranking you or someone trying to break in. 

“Not ghosts,” you mumble to yourself, getting up from your sofa to grab the nearest heavy object: the small yet heavy statue on the desk. 

You wait beside the door, hoping to god that the intruder gives up after trying to unlock your door for a few seconds. You take the time to quickly message everyone in the RFA chat room that someone’s in the house. 

The door opens, and you launch the statue at whoever dared to break-in. Unlucky for you, you realize who it is too late. Seven is entering, looking down at his phone at the text you just sent.

The statue makes contact with the back of his head. The redheaded hacker trips over his own feet, landing on the floor in front of the door. You cover your mouth with your hands in horror as he lies on the floor in agony. 

“What the hell!” he shouts.

“I’m so sorry!” you exclaim, falling to your knees to make sure he’s okay. “Are you alive?”

Seven closes his eyes and rubs the back of his head while still lying down. “I’m alive. I can tell because of the pain.”

“You scared the hell outta me, Seven!”

“Well, I’m naturally terrifying.”

You scowl at him as he opens his eyes, chuckling at your face. “This isn’t funny. I almost killed you.”

“Isn’t that how we met? Or am I losing my memory thanks to your awesome aiming skills?”

“That’s not funny.”

Seven starts laughing harder at your reaction. “C'mon, MC. It’s a little funny. Let me laugh. You just hit me with a statue.”

You roll your eyes and stand up, leaving him laughing on the floor. “I should’ve hit you harder.”

Others enter through the doorway, the darkness giving way to the light to show the faces of your RFA friends. Jaehee looks mildly concerned, and Yoosung helps Seven from the ground as Zen waves at you and Jumin shakes his head disapprovingly. 

“You invited us over, or did I imagine that, too?” Seven asks as he brushes himself off.

Zen rolls his eyes. “You’re supposed to knock, Defender of Justice, not use your spare key to break into her home!”

Seven gives a cheeky grin as the rest of them shuffle inside. Yoosung plops down on the sofa, and Jumin takes the armchair. Jaehee stands at your side, and Seven makes a beeline for the kitchen. Zen sits in your office chair, turning it around so that he can lean his arms across the back.

“You said you wanted to talk to us,” Jumin prompts, folding his hands in his lap. “What about?”

Breathing a sigh of nervousness, you nod a reply. “Yeah. actually, I did…but I don’t want you guys to take this the wrong way.”

Jaehee places a kind hand on your shoulder. “You can tell us anything, MC. You know that.”

“Yeah, you’re one of us,” Yoosung chimes with a boyish grin. “We got your back.”

You return his expression and continue, eyes flickering from one person to the next. “You all have been so kind to let me stay here in Rika’s apartment. Really, I can’t thank you enough…”

Zen is the first to sense your hesitation. “But…" 

”…But I can’t live here,“ you continue, averting your gaze altogether. "This was where your friend lived. Now she’s dead. Do you realize how strange it is to be using a dead woman’s things? To sleep in the same bed she did? To see her belongings scattered around? It’s haunting. This place, especially after dark…I just can’t be here. Not at night.”

“You want to leave?” Yoosung asks softly.

You shake your head. “No! Well, yes, but only partially. I can’t live here, but I was thinking of still using the apartment as an office. All the RFA work can still be done here, and I can have a separation between work and personal. I’ve found a place, it’s just a block or so away. I could walk here, that’s the only thing that would change, I swear.”

At their silence, you close your eyes and cross your arms over your chest. “I know this was her home. I know it means so much to you. But…But I can’t be here all the time. It feels so strange. I’ve felt this way for a while, but with the party and everything that’s happened, I didn’t have the time to tell you. And I didn’t know how…”

Yoosung is the first to move. He rises from the sofa and walks up to you. He takes your hands in his, pulling them out of the tangle across your chest. When your eyes shift up to meet his, he smiles sweetly down at you.

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” he inquires, tilting his head to the side. 

You release the breath you’ve been holding for the last few seconds. “Rika was your cousin, Yoosung. I–I didn’t want to hurt your feelings by saying anything bad about where she lived.”

“The very last thing we want you to feel, as a member of the RFA, is discomfort,” Jumin says. 

“He’s right,” Seven adds, adjusting his glasses with a side-smile. “You’re our friend, MC. If you don’t like this pastel shitshow of an apartment, I don’t blame ya! I’d feel like I was haunted, too, if I had to stare at this many colorful things all day.”

Jaehee nods in agreement with the others. “You should’ve said something sooner.”

“Jaehee’s right,” Zen adds. “We only offered the apartment because it was convenient, but if you’re not happy, then we understand.”

You shrug your shoulders, tears of happiness pricking your eyes. You knew your friends were kind, but you never expected them to be this understanding. “So, you would be okay with me using this as an office?”

“Duh!” Seven cheers, scurrying from the kitchen to your side. “Please tell me you’re gonna repaint it, too.”

“Well…” Your attention shifts to Jumin. “Only if V is okay with it.”

The brunet gives you a small expression of approval. “I’ll speak with him, but I am certain he will be all right with the changes. This is yours to do with it what you will.”

Your grin widens, and you turn back to Yoosung. “And you?”

Yoosung pulls you in for a tight hug. “I think we’ve been over this. You’re not Rika, and this place is yours now. If you know what you want to do with it, I’ll help you!”

“Have you designed anything yet?” Jaehee inquires.

“Oh!” You pull away from the blond and grab your laptop from the desk. Scrolling through your designs, you show the others what you had in mind. The six of you spend the next half-hour reviewing what you’d created. “Different colors, different vibe, different RFA. What do you think?”

Seven fist-pumps the air while Jumin gives a small smile. Jaehee claps softly, and Zen gawks at the designs. Even Yoosung has stars in his eyes.

“These are amazing!” Zen guffaws. “You did this all by yourself?”

A swell of pride courses through you, and you nod. “Yep, this week I did a little work. Do you guys have any ideas? I need some help with some of the finer details.”

Seven motions for your laptop, and after you hand it over to him, he cracks his knuckles and opens a new document. “Let’s help MC brainstorm some more ideas! We’re gonna make this the best RFA HQ ever.”

“I want a coffee machine!” Jaehee cheers. “With an espresso option.”

Seven giggles and adds it to the document. “You got it. Fuel. Done!”

“Oh, oh!” Yoosung exclaims. “Can we have a gaming station somewhere?”

“I like the way you think! Anything else?”

“Karaoke section,” Zen shouts, as if hit by an epiphany.

“We’re going to run out of room in the apartment,” you laugh, though thoroughly enjoying the excitement from the group.

Jumin leans forward, glancing at the document in Seven’s hands. “Well, if Jaehee gets coffee, Yoosung gets video games, and Zen gets a karaoke section, I want an entire corner for Elizabeth the 3rd.”

Seven’s eyes light up at the mention of Jumin’s beloved cat, whilst Jaehee and Yoosung look concerned. You make a face at his comment and begin to say, “Jumin, I don’t kno–”

Zen cuts you off by pushing between Jumin and Seven. He glares at both of them, scarlet eyes flaring. “No.”

Seven pouts and begins to argue with, “Awe, Zen, c'mon–”

The white-haired man turns to look Seven in the eyes and places both hands on his shoulders. The intensity of a thousand suns emanates from the actor onto the hacker. “No. Absolutely, one-hundred percent, no.”

Yoosung stifles a laugh, turning his head into your shoulder to keep the sound quiet. Jaehee does the same, though she hides her giggles behind her hand. You bite your lip as the three boys turn to look at you with confusion written all over their faces.

“Something funny?”

“Oh, nothing,” you retort, forcing yourself to swallow your laughter as Jaehee and Yoosung lose control of theirs. 

Eventually, Seven bursts into boisterous laughter alongside you. Although he shakes his head, Jumin smiles, and Zen flops down on the sofa with a smirk. The room fills with joyous sound as your friends bring light and love back into Rika’s apartment.

After the giggles die down a bit, Zen shakes his finger at everyone, especially Jumin. “I’m not kidding, though. No cats!" 

[saiilorstars]

The Girl in the Forest

Chapter 15: Left Waiting

// Story Masterlist // 

Fandom: The Originals

Pairings: Klaus Mikaelson x Original Female Character

Pronunciation of OC’s name: Ma-leh-nee

Requested tag: @queenmj10​

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

Chapter Summary: Davina and Klaus each force Maleny to finally decide which side she's in during their war. Unfortunately, Maleny hasn't figured out a way to make both sides attainable.

Maleny paced back and forth inside her room while having a heated conversation with someone over the phone, "No, Isabelle, it's fine, honest. Well - Isabelle, please-"

"Mal?" Hayley knocked on the open door, concerned with the blonde's expressions.

Maleny motioned to be given a minute so she could handle the phone conversation, "Isabelle, I don't need help here. And no, please don't send her either - Amarrah said she would be going back to the police station anyways. I'm fine, please. Bye."

Hayley arched her eyebrows and crossed her arms, though having heard everything on the other line she still remained confused, "Who exactly was that? She sounded French."

"She is," Maleny sighed, tossing her phone on the bed, "and she's beyond worried."

"Wait," Hayley came into the room, "is she part of that family-"

"The Collins," Maleny clarified.

"They're the family that took care of your original body all these centuries?" Hayley asked, receiving a confirming nod from Maleny, "What's going on?"

"Isabelle - she's worried about my condition here," Maleny shrugged, "She's so worried she wants to send in her daughter to 'look after me'. As if I didn't already have enough babysitters."

Hayley knew Maleny was mostly overwhelmed with all the problems they had, so this small new thing was like the tip of the iceberg for the poor blonde. She walked up to Maleny, "Listen, maybe you should go take some air. I can go with you if you'd like," she knew under no circumstances was Maleny supposed to go out on her own. Despite the tensed air in the house, that was still rule number one (behind Maleny's back of course).

Maleny silently walked over to her bed, sitting on its side and leaning towards the nightstand to open its drawer. Hayley watched her pull out her old journal in which she wrote every detail she could remember from her past lives. Maleny skimmed a couple pages before growling in frustration and glancing back at Hayley.

"I can't look at this anymore," she said, almost to tears suddenly, "I need to get rid of it."

"Those are your lives, Mal," Hayley softly reminded, but received a harsh scoff in return.

"And yet, it may not matter anymore. I can return to my cycle at any moment. What does it matter if I tear these memories to shreds? They're just constant reminders of what I may be going into again."

"So...what do you want to do, then?" Hayley curiously asked.

Maleny stared long and hard at her journal before deciding, "I want to burn it."

"O-okay..." Hayley looked around, unsure of the idea.

"I mean it," Maleny rose from her spot, turning to the hybrid, "Can you...can you go downstairs for me? We can make a little fire in the kitchen."

"But Mal-"

"Hayley, please?"

With a sigh, Hayley agreed and left the room. Maleny waited a minute after Hayley left to grab her phone and journal and stuffed inside her bag. She snatched her jacket from her dresser and hurried out her room. As she went down the stairs she looked all around the place as she made her escape out the compound.

By the time Hayley returned to Maleny's room, the blonde was long gone. Hayley called out for her friend, going to different rooms hoping to see her somewhere. Eventually, defeated, she came into Klaus' art room where he was currently working on an artwork.

"Klaus, we have a problem," Hayley released a big breath, wondering how he would take it. However, something completely different came out instead.

"Maleny has escaped," Klaus casually said, raising a jar of blue paint to inspect its color shade. Hayley blinked just as he glanced at her, "You're about fifteen minutes late."

"How did you...?" Hayley made a confused face.

"Simply because we're not speaking to each other doesn't mean I stop keeping an eye on her," Klaus put back the jar on the table and left his work to walk up to Hayley, "Speedy steps coming from the staircase can only mean someone was in a hurry to leave - Maleny, clearly. Had it been you or Elijah you would've sped out."

"Why didn't you stop her, then?" Hayley scowled, "You make it a big deal she shouldn't go out and yet you let her run out without protection?"

"Now who said I was going to let her go without protection?" Klaus challenged, walking around the woman into the hallway. Hayley turned and went after him, "I was giving Maleny some time to head off before I went after her. I can't exactly go right behind her, could I?"

Hayley stopped by the stairs while he went down, "So...you're gonna be with her today, then?"

"From a distance, yes."

"Why not beside her? That would be safer for her wouldn't it?"

Klaus stopped at the bottom and looked up, earnestly replying, "Because she clearly does not want me beside her. I thought it was apparent by our current situation."

Hayley rolled her eyes, leaning her arms on the banister, "Your current 'situation' is beyond stupid. Instead of acting like children sit the hell down and have a proper conversation," and before Klaus could make an irritated response, Hayley added one last suggestion, "And like last time: avoid shouting. It does wonders sometimes."

Klaus didn't have anything to come back with anymore. Throwing her a glare, he went out in pursuit of Maleny.

~ 0 ~

Cami anxiously watched her new friend Gia stand against a wall with her eyes shut as another vampire stepped forwards and flung a dart with all his might. Without opening her eyes, Gia caught the dart just several inches from her nose. She laughed and opened her eyes, triumphantly waving the dart.

"Pay up!" she wiggled her fingers at the vampire who'd thrown the dart. As she was being paid, she high-fived Cami on the side.

"Told you you would learn," Cami smirked as Gia now waved the $100 bill between them.

"We just made $50 bucks each," Gia laughed and soon Cami joined in.

It had been quite the relaxing time for Cami as she spent time away from the Quarter, at the Algiers. While Marcel had been initially concerned with Cami's move, he allowed her to stay in his loft, but sometimes she would stay at Gia's place. It'd only been about two weeks but Cami had never felt so close to her human days like she did now. Yes, they were all vampires and they did vampire things together but it was different now. She had started her college studies again, and was promised she would definitely graduate. She'd made a good friend in Gia and together had fun - along with the other vampires.

But unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.

The party stopped when a vampire's corpse was flung through one of the loft's windows. As the group got closer to see who it was, they realized it was one of theirs. It appeared to have been a werewolf attack judging by half the throat of the corpse lying out. Seconds later, the loft was filled with Esther's werewolves.

Furious, Gia stalked up to the leader, a young man named Aiden, "The hell is wrong with you people? We didn't do anything!"

Aiden stared at her with an unimpressed look, "This is nothing your kind hasn't done to us. Learn your history."

Cami silently came forwards to pull Gia back while Marcel went towards them as well, "I don't know who the hell you are, but we had a deal. Vampires stay out of the Quarter? Everybody's cool."

"That's not good enough anymore."

"Yeah?" Cami raised an eyebrow, "Says who? Your leash holder, Esther? You know, I've only been a vampire for a couple of months but I know how werewolves work. You were independent creatures, loyal to each other...must have missed the part where you went rogue for some stupid rings."

Aiden smirked and nodded to one of his werewolf friends. One of them snatched a vampire by the neck and bit him. A second one went for Davina's friend, Josh, to do the same when Aiden called.

"That's enough!" Aiden looked at Marcel, knowing he was the leader, "Your privileges here have been revoked. Permanently. So, when we come back, you need to be gone. Because next time? I won't call them off. Consider this a warning, Marcel. It's the only one you're gonna get."

With that, the werewolves began leaving. Gia turned to Cami with an expectant look and pulled her to the side of the room, "Now would be a really good time for you to call your cousin…or your boyfriend."

By now Cami knew Gia's teases very well and air strangled her, "He's not my-" Gia broke into a light laughter, "-I hate you," the blonde said seconds afterwards.

Gia sobered up and became serious, "But seriously, I think a call is in order here. Call one of them, please?"

Cami gave a deep sigh as she looked around, seeing how the other vampires were frantically discussing with Marcel about the plans. She didn't want to see any of them run, no one should. No one should have to.

~ 0 ~

Maleny was quietly sitting at a park bench, passing a couple pages in her journal...and ripping them out one by one. She would have much rather preferred the fire but she would take a peaceful day out on her own (or so she thought anyways) than being stuck in that lonesome compound. Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she saw someone taking a seat beside her.

"I know who you are," she said without looking up, "Finn," she then turned her head at the man inhabited by Finn Mikaelson. The dark-skinned man with chocolate brown eyes gave her a crooked smirk reminding her of Klaus. She quickly shook her head and returned her attention to her journal.

Finn lightly smiled and leaned back on the bench, "I must say, it's actually very good to see you, Maleny. What's it been? A thousand years?"

"Hmm, that's the most amusing thing you've said to me in a thousand years," Maleny muttered as she passed a different page and ripped the previous one out.

"I know you and I didn't always get along but we were family, weren't we?"

Maleny scoffed and looked up from her journal, "Sometimes," she gave him that, "but other times you were just plain mean to me."

Seeing her fruit fall to the ground and roll away in separate directions, Maleny groaned. She put down the basket she'd been carrying to go retrieve the fruit she'd lost. She brought back most of it eventually, and thankfully no one in the village took note of it, but when she went to pick up an apple, someone else did it.

"I think I might keep this one," Finn flashed her a wide smile.

"You will not," Maleny declared sternly and reached for the apple but he held it up high. Due to the height difference, it was impossible for Maleny to get it back. "Finn! I need that for tonight's festival. Give it back,"  Finn shrugged and walked past her, biting into the apple. Maleny turned after him, crossing her arms and glaring after him, "You're being completely childish, you know!" she called after him.

"Am I the one shouting over an apple?" Finn turned back, rolling his eyes before he gagged, "Eugh..."

Maleny narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "What is it?"

Finn spit out what he had been chewing on, "This is rotten fruit!" he promptly chucked it back to Maleny, hitting her knee.

"Ow!" the blonde yelped and jumped back in surprise, "That was not polite!"

"Next time leave the fruit gathering to those with actual eyes," Finn sarcastically pointed to his own, "Maybe they can bring in better food than you," he grumbled more things under his breath as he walked away.

Finn raised his eyebrows and suddenly chuckled, "Are you really still upset I threw you an apple?"

"It hit my leg!" Maleny exclaimed but wasn't going to argue over something like that, "I never understood you, Finn. Sometimes you were actually a good guy, but other times it's like you were prone to be this evil brother. What side am I getting from you today, hm? What do you want?"

"You know my mother wants to you come to the Lycee with me," Finn began but Maleny scoffed and interrupted him.

"She can keep dreaming."

"What my mother offers you is your freedom, how is that a bad thing?" Finn shrugged, genuinely unable to understand Maleny's anger, "Listen, right now our priority lays on the white oak stake which can kill my siblings."

Maleny closed her journal and glared at Finn, "And you want to know where Davina is. Well you and I are on the same page because I don't know where she is either. No one does, okay?"

"I'm sure Elijah or Klaus have worked it out by now," Finn insisted calmly.

"I can assure you Elijah has not. As for Klaus, I wouldn't know."

Finn smirked upon detecting the extra bitterness Maleny had when speaking of Klaus, "Trouble in your deranged love story?"

Maleny scowled, "Don't you have somewhere else to be? I'm kinda busy."

"Shredding your memories, I see," Finn raised a crumpled journal paper from the bench.

Maleny snatched the paper from him, "At least I'm not killing people or forcing them to work for me like packs of mules. Tell your mother I don't know where Davina is, and even if I did know I wouldn't tell her. Also feel free to mention I don't want her help."

Finn got up from the bench, his smile vanishing, "Oh Maleny, before you know it, you will be coming for my mother's help, begging her to."

"I'd rather die," Maleny declared casually, "So buh-bye," she waved him off and smiled to herself once she was alone again. She grabbed her bag from her other side and stuffed the crumpled papers into it before taking the journal and continuing to rip out the remainder. She only stopped when she heard her cellphone ringing and upon seeing the caller ID she dropped everything to answer, "Hello!?"

"Maleny…" came Davina's nervous from the other line, "...heeeey…"

"Don't 'hey' me, young lady, what the hell are you thinking?" Maleny wasted no time in scolding, realizing at the moment she sounded more like a mother than a friend, "Reviving Mikael? Stealing the white oak stake!? Are you kidding me!?"

"I know, it's bad," Davina sighed but that didn't stop Maleny from continuing.

"N-n-n-n-n-no, no, bad is when you shoplift. This is beyond horrendous! Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you're in? You are in way over your head!"

"Mal, you can't be angry with me," Davina huffed, "After everything Klaus and Elijah have done to me, I'm pretty justified in attempting revenge."

"Look, I'm angry with all of you for your behavior, but under no circumstances do I want any of you dead," Maleny truthfully said.

Davina remained silent for a good minute before darkly saying, "I'm sorry Maleny, but you knew sooner or later this would come. You have to make a choice between the Mikaelsons and your friends. I want Klaus dead and I will do what it takes to get it done. I'm sorry."

Maleny's eyes widened in horror, "Davina, no!" but the line went dead, signaling Davina had hung up. Lowering her phone, Maleny stared at the ground as she felt a knot in her stomach form. A decision? She didn't want to make any decisions - especially ones that would mean losing a friend or family.

"So," a different voice spoke up, making Maleny shoot right up from the bench, "What's your choice?" Klaus stood behind the bench with his hands behind his back.

"You...scared me!" Maleny put a hand over her chest, "Were you listening in on the entire conversation?"

"Let's be honest, we both know the answer to that. I knew sooner or later Davina would try to contact you so all I had to do was wait," Klaus casually came around the bench and stopped mere inches from her, "But you haven't answered my question, Maleny. What's your choice? Davina...or me?"

Maleny sucked in a breath and looked to the side, "You don't speak to me for two weeks and now you're asking me this? I don't think so!"

Klaus balled one of his fists but kept himself restrained, he suspected that would be more or less her response after their two week of silent treatment. It hadn't been his intention to leave such a large gap. After their argument, and after cooling down, he attempted to give Maleny some space to review all that had been said and done, hoping she would realize her mistake and finally accept her feelings. Unfortunately for him, his "attempt of space giving" had been taken by Maleny as a rude silent treatment. She was irritated with him for being "childish" but deep down she was more hurt. After getting back to the Quarter, she wanted to see him and be alright. She didn't like it when she walked into a room and seconds later he would walk out. Their arguments in the past never lasted more than a couple of hours back in their human days.

But now they could go two weeks without directing a word to each other, or a full month...

Maleny didn't want to continue this cycle anymore. And now that she knew what would be happening - a true fight between him and Davina - she didn't want to let him out of her sight.

"Take me with you," she whispered, confusing Klaus for a minute, "I know you know where Davina is just by listening in to my phone call. I don't want her getting hurt," and before Klaus made some sort of remark about her already choosing the teen, Maleny quickly added, "And that doesn't mean I pick her! I just want to...supervise."

"Will you be able to handle sitting in a car with me?" Klaus sarcastically asked, "Or will you pile one more excuses to stay away?"

Maleny shook her head, "Of course I can handle being close to you. The real question here is will you decide to direct a word to me the entire drive? Look, I need to come, okay? Can I?"

"Fine," Klaus turned away and started walking, leaving Maleny to scramble for her things and hurry behind, "But I must warn you that if you cannot reason with Davina I will end her."

Maleny knew of course he would do that, but even then she couldn't fathom seeing Davina hurt, "I can reason with her," she announced rather sure of herself, earning a sharp look from Klaus, "I can," she added seconds later, "I know I can."

But as they walked Maleny silently admitted to herself that perhaps Davina was beyond reasoning by this point. It was true, the Mikaelsons had hurt her in many ways and on some level, her revenge was justified. But still, Maleny hoped it wouldn't come to that.

~ 0 ~

Back in Marcel's loft, Cami and Gia quietly conversed in Marcel's loft regarding the werewolf attack earlier in the day. Marcel was out gathering the rest of the vampires in the area to give them the update on their current situation.

"Marcel says we shouldn't run, but Josh is afraid," Gia was in the middle of saying as she came to take a seat on the couch across Cami, with a stolen drink from Marcel's bar, "I, on the other hand, think we need to be far smarter about it."

Cami was listening but she didn't have much to comment on the subject. She knew she didn't want run, nor let the vampires do the same. But she just wasn't experienced in all this. Since she turned, she always had, well...Elijah to take care of the trouble. Klaus had always been locked in his room brooding and sulking while Hayley took to biting witches in the bayou and whatnot, thus leaving only Elijah. And when Cami thought about who she called for help, she shamefully looked down.

"I mean, I don't know how to fight or anything but I think we can learn, no?" Gia then realized her words were practically flying over Cami's head, "Cami?" she snapped her fingers and got the blonde's attention, "Where are you?"

"Sorry," Cami straightened up on her spot, "I was just thinking."

"Right," Gia sipped her drink, "So, what do you think we'll end up doing?"

But before Cami could answer Elijah entered the room, having the perfect response, "I would hope it didn't involve running away," he said with a small smirk, "That's not what we do anymore."

Gia raised an eyebrow, "Anymore?" she'd picked up on the key word and leaned forwards, more than interested, "Who'd you run away from?"

Elijah ignored the question as he went straight for Cami, "It's nice to see you again, Camille," Cami gave a silent nod, "How long has it been again?"

"I don't know," Cami looked up, detecting a sense of smugness in his tone as if he was pleased to hear she finally needed help from him, "I've been having too much fun to notice."

Gia cleared her throat awkwardly and stood up, "Well, I'll leave you guys to discuss. Try not to kill each other," she parted with that final warning.

"Well," Elijah watched after the new vampire with a sense of surprise, "I see you two hit it off. Am I to assume she's part of the reason you refuse to come home?"

"Home?" Cami raised her eyebrow, "The compound's not my home, Elijah. It's yours."

"Are you saying you never felt welcomed with us, then?" Elijah went ahead and took Gia's seat across Cami.

"No, I did…" Cami said quietly, "...but this has nothing to do with it, okay? Besides, originally, I was pissed off at you for leaving Gia behind like that."

"The woman was not our responsibility, Cami," Elijah reiterated, and still stood by it, "Marcel turned her therefore he should train her. I wasn't going to waste time on her and I frankly can't understand why you were doing so."

"What? So I was supposed to follow you around like I always do nowadays?" Cami scoffed at the idea, "No way, no more. I know I needed a lot of help in the months before but Mal's back and it's time for me to get my own life back."

"You still need my help though," Elijah reminded with another hint of triumph, something that irritated Cami.

Cami couldn't take that and rushed to get up, "I do, honestly, every vampire on this side does, but I won't take it if you'll continue to be so smug about it like you were just waiting for me to come asking for help. We can find help somewhere else," she turned to leave but Elijah quickly grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"I'm sorry," Elijah sighed and slowly Cami turned back, expecting more than just those two words, "I want to help, honest. Why don't you tell me exactly what happened?" he motioned for Cami to take a seat beside him.

Silently, Cami walked to the couch and plopped down, "Okay," she sighed and began to recount the werewolves' threat earlier in the day.

~ 0 ~

Deep in the bayou, Maleny was trudging back and forth holding her cellphone up in hopes of getting more service. She'd managed to slip a text to Davina warning she and Klaus were on their way but Maleny wanted to get at least another phone call in.

"Is this seriously why you made me stop the car?" Klaus called from a higher ground, the road ground actually. Maleny had found a small lake just down a small hill - she thought it was the best place to sneak away from supernatural hearing. Apparently, she was wrong.

The blonde stumbled back a couple steps and quickly hid her cellphone behind her back, "I said I'd be back in like five minutes."

Klaus started making his way down the small hill, grumbling as he did. In the middle of their 'roadtrip' Maleny had practically forced him to stop the car with the excuse she was tired and wanted to stretch her legs. He faulted himself for being so naive to think Maleny wouldn't try contacting Davina.

"So you made your choice, you can at least tell me face to face, Mal," he stopped a couple feet away from her.

Maleny sighed and brought her phone from her back, "I didn't choose her, okay? I was just warning her that we were coming so...she would control herself."

"You met the girl for a couple of months, how the hell can you be...thinking about choosing her?" Klaus was failing to hide his own fear that Maleny may have already picked someone over him.

"I love Davina, she's like a little sister to me," Maleny tried to explain, "and I don't want to see her get hurt."

"You only knew her for a short time, Maleny! Months!" Klaus snapped, making it seem impossible that she could form such a strong attachment to the teen.

Grimly, Maleny said, "I don't see why I have to choose," she turned around, giving him her back as she stared at the crystal blue lake in front of her.

"You knew sooner or later this would happen," Klaus said similar words Davina had without realizing, "One day, she will succeed in hurting one of us and then you'll have to choose what side you're on. So choose!"

"I don't want to," came the childish, low voice as Maleny sat down on a rock, her gaze maintaining itself on the lake.

"Mal!" Klaus exclaimed, more distraught, "I don't know what to think anymore…"

"Why can't you just think that maybe I like Davina, and maybe I like you too," Maleny snapped at him, "and maybe I want all of us to stay alive and just…" she swallowed hard, "...be happy."

Sensing her voice was signaling she would soon begin to cry, Klaus held back another comeback and instead walked over and bent down beside her, taking on a softer tone, "Because those are fantasies, Maleny. This isn't the village anymore - people despise us and it's kill or be killed."

"I-I'm not ready for that," Maleny confessed, meeting his look with her glossy blue eyes. "This curse, it's...it's taken so much away from me that the little that I have I need to preserve. I want to keep it all."

"But witches, vampires and werewolves despise each other. In this particular city, there is no peace amongst us."

"I'm a witch," Maleny gestured to herself, knowing it was a weak response, "Does it seem like I despise you or your family?"

"You're a special exception," Klaus shared a smile with her, "But there's no one else like you, I'm afraid. So we must fight to be safe - so that our loved ones can be safe."

"You're doing this for Hope?" Maleny looked at him, genuinely missing his double implication.

"...yes," Klaus nodded after a moment. If she couldn't make a choice between him and some teenager, would it really matter if he told her he wanted to fight to keep her safe as well? She would just end up making another excuse on why they should just stay 'friends'.

"I don't get it though," Maleny started suspiciously studying him, "Mikael's pretty strong...how are you planning on killing him? Crossed as I am with you I don't want you stupidly going into a fight without a plan."

Klaus smirked and rose to his feet, pulling out Papa Tunde's blade from his jacket's pocket, "You thought I wouldn't take precautions?"

Maleny's eyebrows raised at the familiar weapon, "Oh, goody, Papa Tunde's Mystical-Knife-of-Ludicrous-Torment. Glad that's still around," she got up from her rock seat and made a face at the blade, "I'm telling you right now I will not care for your father."

"Wouldn't let you even if you wanted to," was the response back.

"You wouldn't 'let' me?" Maleny made another face, "Change my mind," she said suddenly, "I do want to care for him."

Klaus just rolled his eyes at her as he put away the blade into his jacket's pocket, "Your sarcasm never ceases to amuse me."

Maleny smiled, "Cos that's what I strive for - being an entertainer," she gasped upon hearing her cellphone ring, "I have service!" she quickly moved to answer it but Klaus snatched the phone from her and raised it up, "Hey!"

"Look at that, it's Davina," he kept her back with a hand on her arm, "Moment of the truth, Mal. Pick a side because it's not going to be pretty."

Maleny stopped struggling and crossed her arms, "I don't want to and I don't think I should have to. I want everyone to be alive, why can't you just kill Mikael instead? He's the one that's dangerous here."

"It seems you've forgotten Davina's warning," Klaus lowered his hand holding the cellphone that stopped ringing shortly afterwards, "She's told you to pick a side as well, meaning she's prepared to go with everything she has. I admire her for that, truthfully," he tilted his head, "But it's not gonna do much for her in the end."

"Klaus, don't do that, please," Maleny resorted to plead for her friend's life, "I will talk to her, I swear, but please don't hurt her."

"Centuries ago that may have worked," Klaus admitted and handed her back the phone, "But centuries ago things weren't as difficult as they are now."

"Time may have changed us but we're still the same underneath…"

"Are we really, Mal?" Klaus stepped towards her, slightly intimidating her with his close gaze, "Centuries ago you would have chosen me in a heartbeat."

Centuries ago, she didn't have many people in her life. Now she had a lot more to care for - Cami, Hayley and Davina. It was difficult to choose - she wasn't used to it!

"I never said I didn't choose you," Maleny weakly said, looking up at him, "I know that's what this whole thing is about. You're angry with me, I get that - I deserve it. But please don't think that I would ever stop caring for you, it's impossible."

Klaus couldn't help his frustration leak out, "Then choose already!" he almost shouted at her. He wanted her to choose because he needed to hear her say 'I pick you' like she always did. He wanted to know that even though such a long time had passed and she had changed so much she still loved him in the end.

But he wouldn't say that out loud.

"I'm sorry," Maleny bit her lip, "But I just don't want to. I want both of you alive, I want both sides alive, alright? I don't think that's a bad thing here."

Klaus stepped back from her, trying to drown all his frustrated shouts, "I will try to consider your thoughts concerning Davina...darling," he added the word with a tensed tone then super-sped away.

"Klaus!" Maleny shouted after him, attempting to run up the hill to catch up but it was impossible and she fell to her knees, "Klaus!" she called again but it was no use.

He had left her - God knows what he would do to Davina out of pure frustration from their argument.

~ 0 ~

"You can't be serious," Cami declared after hearing Elijah's plan for the day.

"What would make you think I'm not serious?" the Original raised an eyebrow as he shook off his jacket and began rolling up his sleeves of his shirt.

"I don't want to fight you!" Cami shook her head and took two steps back from him.

"Cami, it's very simple, you wanted help and you have it," he gave a shrug.

"Yeah, for the other vampires," the blonde frantically waved a hand to the open door, "And they're training outside with Marcel. Why do we have to train in here?" she gestured to the empty loft, "Why do I have to train at all!?"

"Because you need the help."

Cami huffed, once again feeling like he wanted her to keep needing him...and that was something she wasn't going to take, "Fine," she declared and walked up to him, deciding he could use some punches.

"Whenever you're ready," Elijah motioned he was in place. Cami scrunched her nose before attempting to punch him in the face. However, it was easily caught between Elijah's hand, "As a devout feminist, I refuse to say that you hit like a girl."

Cami narrowed her eyes and stepped back, "You're way out of line today, Elijah, I swear," she attempted another punch but was easily taken down again.

"How so?" Elijah questioned as he blocked another blow from her.

"Acting so triumphant when I called you earlier, for starts," Cami growled as both her hands were restrained by him, "Like you were expecting me to call for help! I mean what was that!?" she went for a kick but that was also blocked off, "And then now, it looks like you enjoy my defenselessness!" she took a breath as she momentarily paused, "I don't want to follow you around anymore. I want to live again."

Elijah then stopped as well, staring at her silently for a minute before uttering the soft words, "It was never my intention to make you feel like that, Camille."

"Then what is your intention?" Cami ran a hand through her hair that'd gotten in her face with the fast movements, "Because it really just feels like you're waiting for me to mess up and call for you."

It would be a lie if Elijah said he didn't know, because of course he knew. The thought merely startled him because he hadn't quite realized it himself. But standing before Cami he could see it now, and perfectly. The only problem was the way she could possibly react to it.

"Well?" Cami asked again, impatience lacing her tone.

"Over the past month that we've been communicating, searching for Maleny, and you coming back to visit...I've grown accustomed to having you close by," Elijah said with a small smile, "Even when Mal returned, we became closer and...when you chose to stay with Gia, and then preferred staying here," he gestured to the loft, "I was a bit...lost."

"Ooh," Cami blinked, the response really taking her back. She felt her heart ping in a way it hadn't before, and before she knew it, she was asking more questions, "What exactly does 'lost' mean in this situation?" before he replied, he motioned for Cami to keep trying and with a small groan she did, "Well?" she asked again.

"I liked having you around," Elijah began again, managing to block one of her attacks but she was beginning to find her rhythm and thus was more tricky to anticipate.

"Because I practically followed you around like a lost puppy," Cami reminded with a sour smile before successfully kicking and pushing him to the wall.

Elijah took advantage that her emotions had become a distraction and easily used a hold on her arm to switch positions with her. Cami sucked in a light breath when she realized how close they were, "Woah…" came out of her mouth before she could think clearly.

Elijah was more intact with reality and was therefore able to clarify Cami's doubts, "This may be out of line as you said but I enjoyed your company up to the point where it...hurt that you chose to stay here."

"I...I didn't mean to," Cami slowly said, feeling guilty even though she was telling the truth.

"I know you didn't," Elijah smiled softly at her, "And, in a way, I technically was waiting for you to call for help...because it seemed like that was the only way I would get to see you again."

Cami's eyes half-widened at the confession, once again only able to utter, "Woah…" she felt her heart rate increase with their proximity and she would really like to know why she was feeling so nervous all of a sudden. It was just Elijah after all...wish his...sweet words...and...nice face...and voice…

"Elijah?" Hayley's voice cut through the moment and immediately saw the distancing of the two vampires. Hayley knew they were just itching to get together and it would happen eventually, she just preferred it to be later so that it wouldn't hurt as much as it did now. "We need to talk," she managed to say without falling apart. As she entered the room Aiden came in behind her.

"What the hell is he doing here!?" Cami angrily moved for him when Elijah grabbed her arm to stop her.

"We're not here for a fight," Hayley quickly clarified, "Just hear him out, okay?"

"Speak," Elijah then ordered the werewolf, "I suggest you be succinct."

Aiden sighed, understanding he wasn't the most welcomed of visitors at the moment, "Please, I need your help."

"I'm sorry, wasn't it one of your orders that all vampires here needed to run?" Cami interjected, "Now you're asking for help?"

"Cami, it's serious," Hayley softly said, making the blonde calm down slightly, "Just listen..."

~ 0 ~

Maleny walked along the side of road with a heavy breath, making way for Davina's cabin which was still pretty far away by foot. She could not believe Klaus had done to that her...well, she actually kind of could. It hadn't been the first time he'd tried something like that. This time however, he'd gone away because he was hurt. Maleny berated herself for causing so much trouble in the little time she'd been back.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she stopped suddenly and sighed as she began taking off her jacket, the heat becoming too much with her speed walking, "You just couldn't give an answer, could you? Course not. That would be to 'easy'."

She was supposed to be telling Klaus she loved him, not that there was someone more important than him. She loved Davina, truly, but if Maleny got to real thinking...the teen wouldn't equal the level Klaus was on. What Klaus had said was true, she'd only known Davina for about a month or so. Yet she'd known Klaus for centuries. In those centuries, whilst there had been plenty of arguments, in the end Maleny always knew she was loved and that he loved her back with equal intensity.

As Maleny folded her jacket, her mind began to wander to those moments...

"Maleny? Maleny, come on out already," called Klaus, grumbling as he went through the forest, "I know you're here, your scent is strong."

He stopped at the sound of footsteps coming towards him, and he couldn't help smirk when he saw the blonde woman emerging between two trees, still seemingly crossed with him as she held an unfinished flower crown in her hands. She pretended to be more interested in it her fingers twisted the small flowers' roots.

"I only came out because I got tired of your shouting," she clarified.

"Thankful, nonetheless," Klaus mocked a bow which made her roll her eyes, "Still upset, I see," he commented once he straightened up.

"What are you talking about? I came out to find more flowers, see?" she gestured to the crown.

Klaus smirked and came towards her, even more amused when she gave him her back, "So, you're no longer upset with me?"

"Of course not," Maleny answered dismissively.

"Great-" Klaus began when Maleny added something else.

"Just as long as you realize we no longer have anything between us."

Anyone else who didn't know Maleny would have been overly concerned with that statement, but Klaus took it with a light chuckle, "Oh, is that so?"

"Mhm," Maleny nodded, focusing on one certain flower that refused to work with her, "Clearly, you have more interest in that woman so you might as well go running for her. She probably has some interest in you, so..." she shrugged.

The jealousy laced in her tone made Klaus feel even more smug about the situation, "And yet," he slid his arms around her waist, making her stop her flower crown work, "my eyes cannot seem to look away from you.

Maleny huffed and dropped her flower crown to the floor, "Tatia can appear to be this happy, kind woman but I know - just like all the other women - that she is a two face," she turned around, "Do you know she also made eyes towards your brother, Elijah? I saw her, with these eyes," she pointed at herself, "Yesterday it was him, today her eyes are set for you and tomorrow they will be set for another. I am only afraid that you will fall under her charms. I am not blind - she is beautiful and young."

"As are you, but you exceed hers and any other woman's," Klaus put a hand on her waist and leaned to rest his forehead on hers, "No one will ever reach you, my darling."

Maleny still seemed unsure of his acclamation and questioned, "Tell me the truth, Klaus," she whispered, "if you had to choose between me and Tatia to...marry," she blushed crimson, "who would you pick?"

Klaus chuckled at the absurdity of the question, "I would pick you in less than a heartbeat."

Maleny gave a crooked smile, "And that also includes any other women who comes up to you? I know vampirism can alter your feelings...so, will it?"

"Absolutely not," Klaus assured her and placed a kiss on her lips.

Maleny giggled as the kiss went on and she was walked up against a tree. She pulled away to take a breath, "Okay, I feel more sure now," she chuckled sheepishly, her cheeks tainted pink.

"That is how I always want you to feel, Maleny," Klaus spoke earnestly as he cupped her face, "I will always choose you over anyone."

Maleny slowly nodded, her heart hammering within her chest, "Okay," she whispered, her hands crawling up to his shoulders, "I guess I can go back to finishing my flower crowns..."

"I have a better idea," Klaus smirked before kissing her again.

Maleny took a deep breath and threw her jacket over her shoulder. She continued to walk whilst thinking back to her sweet memory. He'd promised her she would always come before anyone...and now this was how he was repaid? It wasn't a matter of repaying, Maleny then thought, it was simply a matter of...well, love. He promised her and even now, though angry with her he always came through. Maleny felt even more determined now to get back to him and tell him how much he meant for her.

At the sound of a car getting closer, she turned around and started waving a hand, hoping it would stop by her.

~ 0 ~

As it turned out, Aiden really was on good terms for the moment. It appeared Esther was planning on forcing young werewolves to trigger their curse in the night. This had both sides, vampires and werewolves actually working together to send the kids deep into the bayou and away from Esther's grasp. It was a detailed plan that was sure to work. It only involved certain people to do their roles as given.

In the party streets of the Quarter, Gia 'drunkenly' ran into one of the werewolf leaders and soon started what looked to be a fight. Just before, Marcel appeared behind the werewolf and snapped his neck. The two vampires glanced at Aiden, appearing to be running away from them.

Aiden, along with the other two leaders, chased after them and left Oliver to take the children away. He led them into Rousseau's where Hayley, Cami and Josh were waiting.

"Ollie, this way!" Hayley motioned for them to hurry in.

Josh had a passage way waiting for them, one hidden behind a cupboard, "It's a passageway from the Prohibition days. It'll take us pretty much anywhere we want to go."

"We better make it quick," Cami ushered the kids into the passageway.

Josh led the way through the tunnels with and flashlight and Hayley motioned to the kids to keep quiet. It would only take a sound to alert the werewolves they were on the move. They came out to a metal gate where Gia was already waiting for them.

"Hey, where's Marcel?" Josh asked quickly.

"Uh, he's getting the getaway car!"

"Hey! Big-mouth! Shut it!" Hayley hissed, earning a glare from Cami, "There are werewolves everywhere."

"She's new," the blonde snapped as they hurried out.

Eventually, they reached the gas station where Marcel had an ambulance acquired for them as a means of a getaway.

"Let's go!" he ordered the kids as he opened up the back doors of the ambulance.

Aiden spotted his younger brother and quickly hugged the kid, "Nick!"

"Aiden! You made it!" the young boy hugged back, relieved to see things were not going to go like that woman, Esther, had ordered it to be.

"Of course I did! I told you I'd be here, didn't I? Go," Aiden ushered his brother into the ambulance and looked about for any remaining kids.

"This worked out well," Gia cheerfully declared as the doors of the ambulance were shut.

"It's not over until we're all together," Cami muttered, unable to feel at peace knowing Elijah was probably handling some sort of fight with the werewolves.

~ 0 ~

Klaus had finally found Davina's cabin shortly after leaving Maleny. He was pretty irritated to find the nuisance of a spell blocking his view of the interior of the cabin. He found a staff made of wood that bore a mark only owned by his father of course and decided to fling it through the window.

"Enough games, Davina!" he shouted, "Send out my father! Let's finish this!"

Unbeknownst to him, his actions had caused Davina to injure her head and pass out. While her newfound friend, Kaleb, or rather Kol Mikaelson, remained conscious he found himself in a choke-hold by his own father who still didn't know of his true identity.

"Release me! Or I will kill you right now!" Mikael threatened and forced the teen onto the floor.

Outside Klaus only grew more angry, "DAVINA! Is this not why you brought him for? I'm not afraid!"

It wasn't long before he heard the creaking of the front door followed by Mikael's footsteps, "Hello, boy," he greeted in and usual sneer like voice.

Whilst Klaus did feel a bit afraid he certainly didn't show it. He was ready to fight, just like always, and even more since he was already angry. He had more incentives to do so.

"You seem rather impatient," Mikael remarked, "Are you so eager to meet your end? You've bid goodbye to Maleny, I assume?"

The mention of her name out Klaus into a deeper rage, "Do not mention her name, this is between us."

Mikael took it all the same, really uninterested in the blonde woman, "I've traveled all the way back from hell for this moment."

"Well, then, I'd hate to keep you waiting!" Klaus smirked before lunging for a first attack.

Though the hits were almost equal in strength, it was Mikael who eventually kicked Klaus to the ground. In a weakness, he grabbed the hybrid by the neck and intended on finally using the white oak stake when Klaus kicked him back. With a quick stomp on the hand, Klaus was able to reach for the stake. However, Mikael once again had an upper hand and put the hybrid down to the ground again. Whilst holding him down, he tried driving the stake through Klaus' heart. The stake found its way to his shoulder instead, still managing to cause a grand amount of pain to Klaus. But through his pain, Klaus snuck Papa Tunde's blade from his jacket and plunged it through Mikael's chest. With a scream of agony, Mikael fell back to the ground and the blade fully entered into his body.

Klaus managed to pulled the stake from his shoulder and slowly got to his feet. He kept a tight grip on it whilst watching Mikael writhe pain, waiting to see him finally lose conscious. He had about fifteen minutes of silence before he heard familiar shouts.

"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" he heard from the trees and looked up to see Maleny running towards him. She stopped and leaned on her knees to catch her breath, "I swear to God that is the last time you leave me behind. You owe me a new jacket!" she panted for air, her eyes scanning the area, "Davina, is she…?"

"Fine," Klaus rolled his eyes, figuring she would care more for the teen, "She'll wake with a spectacular headache, but given her intentions for me, she should count herself lucky."

"Thank you," Maleny finally stood straight and took a deep breath to gather her bearings.

"'Course, if you drop dead of a heart attack, I may have to kill her on general principle."

"You ditched me you jerk!" Maleny scowled and ran a hand through her hair, "I had to hitch-hike and then run on the backroads of the Bayou!"

"Well, your perseverance is duly noted," Klaus said, eyeing her with some amusement but mostly irritation, "Davina will be most pleased."

Maleny rolled her eyes, "I will brand you as the stupidest man alive if you seriously think I did all this for Davina," she rushed up to him and hugged him, leaving him startled for a second or two.

It didn't take long for him to hug back, momentarily relieved to hear he'd been her motivation.

Maleny pulled away wearing a crooked smile as she placed her hands on either side of his face, "Are you okay? You're not screaming so I assume no white oak stake was used here."

"I'm not in pain," Klaus turned them behind where Mikael laid on the ground.

"Is...is he still alive?" Maleny blinked.

"No, I decided death was far too easy for him and so I left him in agony."

"Nice," Maleny chuckled then looked at him, "I mean...not nice, that's totally bad, but…" she rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean."

Klaus smiled in amusement, unaware his arm had found its way around her waist.

~ 0 ~

Later that day, the vampires regrouped in Marcel's loft to celebrate their triumph against Esther. Hayley watched Marcel pour her a drink for their celebration and gladly took it, "Well, we did it! I never thought I'd see the day when "we" meant us."

"Well, you're a vampire now. First rule is never say never, 'cause never ain't that long," Marcel laughed with her, "And, what we did today was the right thing. But, you know it's gonna make things worse between your people and mine."

Off to the side, standing in front of a window was Cami who blankly stared out. Gia came over with two drinks in hand, intending on celebrating as well.

"Cheer up, we did it," she nudged Cami and motioned to take the glass.

"I can't count it as a triumph until Elijah walks in," Cami quietly said but nonetheless took the glass.

"And he will," Hayley approached the two women, easily noticing the stiffening in Cami, "It's alright, Cami. You're not doing anything bad so why hide your concern?"

Cami wearily looked at the brunette, "We're not...he and I...it's not what…" she sighed and returned her gaze to the window, "It's not what it looks like, nor what anyone thinks."

"What ever it is, it's okay," Hayley assured, understanding her nervousness, "We're all free here. So, will you finally be coming back home?"

Cami exchanged glances with Gia, and Gia immediately excused herself away. Cami cleared her throat and turned to Hayley, "I'm not sure."

"Why'd you leave? Mal was so distraught about it. I don't get it, aren't you two cousins?"

"That's just it, we're not. We're not family," Cami shook her head, "She's, whether or not she wants to admit it, a Mikaelson...just like you are. I'm not. I'm not part of that family I'm just someone who got caught in a crossfire."

"So was I," Hayley felt the need to remind, even raising a hand.

"But you're different," Cami said, frustrated, "You know how to fight, you're not afraid. Plus, c'mon Hayley, you had Klaus' child. That's an unbreakable link. Mal has a centuries old love story with him. I've got nothing with anyone.

"So that's why you left, then?" Hayley raised an eyebrow, "Because you think you're not a part of the 'family'?"

Cami sighed, "I know you think it's stupid, but it's how I feel okay? Before I came here I went back to the compound to talk to Mal about me starting college now but I found you and her having a conversation, and laughing, and…" she shook her head, "It just felt like I didn't belong there."

"Maleny loves you, Cami. You are family, whether you think or not," Hayley put a hand on her arm, wearing an honest smile on her face, "You're one of us."

Cami gave a small smile back, a little more inclined to believe that. However, once she remembered Elijah still wasn't around she looked back at out the window, any source of happiness fading away.

~ 0 ~

After Mikael had been loaded into the car, Klaus begrudgingly returned to the cabin where Maleny and Kol (still in his Kaleb charade) were checking the unconscious Davina inside.

"I think we should get her to a hospital," Maleny spoke with a frantic concern.

Kol glanced to see Klaus at the doorway, still unable to enter without the invitation, "Oh. Hello, darling. Back to huff and puff and blow the house down?"

Klaus raised an eyebrow, his hand gripping the white oak stake, "You know, it's funny how often a person's sharp tongue can end up cutting their own throat."

"Don't waste energy on a kid, Klaus," Maleny looked at him wearily, "He's just scared."

"Yeah, she's right," Kol quickly said but then added, "You know, you may want to try a bit of lavender under your pillow. Does wonders for stuck-up pillocks with anger issues."

Maleny then turned on him, irritated, "That wasn't an invitation for you to be a jerk either. Shut up."

"I promised not to kill Davina. I said nothing of this insolent sod," Klaus reminded to Maleny, glaring at Kol who only smirked back.

"Boys, please," Maleny sighed as she gave Davina a last look before coming out to meet Klaus, though moving him away from the cabin for security measures, "Okay look, the quicker we get Davina to the hospital the quicker we leave the kid behind. So…?" she held a hand out, motioning she wanted the keys.

With a deep sigh, Klaus handed the car keys over to her, "Fine."

"Thank you," Maleny beamed, "And this is not to mean I pick her okay?" she clarified afterwards.

"Well," once he handed her the stake he gripped her hand, pulling her closer, "does that mean you've made your choice, then? A clear one?"

Maleny swallowed down and gathered her courage, "I think we need to talk after this. I have something important to tell you."

Klaus nodded, agreeing to her terms, "Then let's hurry."

"Thanks," Maleny smiled and hurried towards the car, her heart thumping as she thought of how she would tell him her feelings.

Klaus started back for the cabin, thinking of ways to restrain himself and not kill Kaleb if he made another remark. The boy was as irritating as all the humans commonly were, only this one had something extra.

"You've got a way with words," he commented to the teen once he reached the porch again. Kol looked up from Davina, "You seem to have crossed continents to order to weasel your way into Davina's good graces, thereby meddling in my family business. Strange, isn't it?"

Kol simply smirked, knowing it wouldn't be long before Klaus figured it out.

"Unless it's your family business," Klaus continued, "You know, ever since my mother and Finn showed up, I was wondering when you might make an appearance, Kol."

Kol laughed and mocked a bow towards his brother, "Then the jig is up! Hello, brother!"

"It's not that I begrudge you hitching a ride back to the land of the living. It's just that you're making all the wrong friends, brother. And, I have half a mind to show you how wrong you are."

Kol swayed his way up to the porch, "But you're not going to do that, are you? Because good ole Mal told you to leave me alone. She hasn't changed much, has she?" he pretended to look out in search for Maleny, "I'm curious, does she take one of those little baggies out when she takes you for a walk?"

Klaus angrily called out to Maleny, "Maleny? I changed my mind, I am going to kill him after all," Kol smirked again, but the eerie silence that had fallen put Klaus on edge, "Maleny?" he called again and turned towards the driveway. Still, there was no response.

He hurried to the driveway and found the car door of the driver side open and the window smeared with blood. He rushed to the trunk of the car and saw it was also open and with no Mikael inside.

Mikael had taken Maleny.