#London Father's Day guide

[playingwithapparel]

Father's Day Gift Guide

Father’s Day 2023 is right around the corner. Maybe the dad in your life helped you build a new home, finish a school project, or just loved on you or your kids a little extra this year! It’s time to honor dads for all of the joy, compassion, humor, and love they bring to your life. If you’re a mum of little ones like me, you’ll need to track down the best gifts for your significant other from…

[elysianightsss]

I BURN FOR YOU | PART ONE

Simon’s heavy footsteps echo in your ears, the floor boards of the church creaking as he walked. At least he was courteous enough to help you into the carriage, you thought as you grabbed onto his large glove covered outstretched hand letting him guide you inside before getting in himself and sitting on the plump cushion seating opposite you.

The footman closed the door just as your families came out to throw flower petals and wave you off. The sight of them so happy made you more glum than this whole day had.

“Well that was a dreadfully boring ceremony.” Simon quipped, leaning his head back as the carriage started moving. Your gaze did not move from your parents, their smiles made you grimace.

“It’s rather sad that I couldn’t be entertained at my own wedding. Wouldn’t you agree wife?” The man across from you had almost snarled out the word wife.

You simply roll your eyes at him, something he does not take kindly to.

“If I had been in the country when this was all being arranged, I could’ve stopped this from ever happening in the first place. I wouldn’t be shackled down in this ridiculous sham of a marriage!” He snaps, the scar on his chin that goes right through his lips and stops at his Cupids bow, moves with each word he spits your way, fire in his eyes as he does so.

“Trust me the feelings mutual.” You scoff, snapping back at him.

“Oh, I’m well aware wife. I could tell as much as soon as I lifted your veil and saw the scowl on your face.” He chuckles with no humour, it’s dark and unnerving causing you to shift in your seat. “How fortunate I am to have such a beautiful bride” The sarcasm drips from his lips in a way that makes your blood boil but you manage to bite your tongue even if he seems unable to.

“Even when he’s dead, my bastard father still finds ways to meddle in my life. Arranging a marriage behind my back, of all things.” The leather of his gloves squeak when his fists tighten in anger.

“Well, it’s no matter. As long as we pretend for the next three months, we shall be free to live our lives separately once the London Season ends, per our families’ agreement. It should not be too difficult to accomplish such a task, will it wife?” Simon raises an eyebrow but yet somehow manages to keep the scowl on his face.

“No. Husband.” You say through gritted teeth.

He is thankfully silent for the next half an hour, and again he does help you out of the carriage when you arrive outside the manor that is now your home. You gaze up at the structure with awe, it was much bigger than your old home though your father was a Baron and Simon was a Duke.

“I’m leaving the grand tour of the estate to the housekeeper. Oh and do try to remember where everything is, I won’t be walking you to your bedroom each night, wife.” He says briskly as he walks passed you and ascends the stairs.

He pauses, snapping his fingers like he’s forgotten something before shooting over his shoulder at you, “Sleep well, dear wife. I do so look forward to seeing what excitement our marriage brings. I’ll see you bright and early for breakfast tomorrow!” He hollers back at you and so swiftly disappears inside.

“Not on your life.” You mumble to yourself, scoffing at his audacity. “What an insensitive, intolerable arse.” You sigh sitting down on the steps of your new home. You gaze out at the beautiful gardens. The night sky full of stars and a chill had set in, a sign that winter wasn’t far away.

“Excuse me Your Grace.” Looking up from where you had been admiring the patch of red tulips off to your right, you met eyes with a welcome smile.

“I am Johnny, the housekeeper. I run the house and keep all the staff in check. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Duchess.” You smile softly at him and with his help you stand from where you were on the cold steps.

“The pleasure is mine Johnny. I didn’t think there would be a kind soul here given the master of the house but it appears I am mistaken.” Johnny coughs to cover up his laugh but his smile remains.

“Allow me to escort you to your room, Your Grace, you must be exhausted after the day you’ve had.” His Scottish accent soothed you as he held his arm out for you to take. Hooking your arm with his, you let Johnny guide you inside the manor. The decor and architecture was pleasant on the eyes and by the looks of it very expensive.

Johnny leads you up the grand staircase and into the west wing where he pushed open a cream coloured door to reveal your bedroom. The room was large and painted a dark blue, the four poster bed was the biggest bed you’d ever seen in your life. The fireplace opposite the bed was lit, the wood burning nicely and crackling away creating a lovely atmosphere.

Further in just after the bed were two reading chairs facing the large window, you gaze out of it seeing the very same garden you were looking at before. Except the red tulips were right below you and from here you could see the large pond and the stables.

“Through there are your belongings.” Johnny said, pointing to the door just to the right of the bed, behind you. You had quite forgotten he was there but managed not to show how you flinched at his voice.

You nodded, “I can dress myself for bed, please do not disturb the maids. I wish to sleep now.” You communicated trying to sound as soft as you could.

“Of course Your Grace, I bid you goodnight.” Johnny bowed and left the room, closing the door behind him leaving you all alone. You’re just glad it wasn’t dark in your room. Getting changed out of your layered wedding dress and into your nightdress was a task and a half but you feel accomplished as you crawled into the large bed and snuggled down for sleep.

You are woken up bright and early just as your husband had said. Your maids got you bathed, dressed, and downstairs for breakfast in record time.

Your husband was already inside the dining room, a newspaper in his hand and a cup of tea in the other. He acknowledged you with a good morning but you only nodded back to him and sat down in your seat at the other end of the long, seats fourteen, table. Opposite one another, yet so far away.

A layer of awkwardness settled upon the moment with cutlery scratching against plates, and glasses clinking with the table being the only thing that was heard. Even the servents glanced at each other nervously, the atmosphere tense.

Simon couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to you. You hadn’t said a word this morning, you had a sharp scowl on your face, even the way you buttered your toast was harsh.

“You’re awfully quiet.” He tested the waters, but again you said nothing. Only responding with a nod. “Last night you spoke to me. Or is it that you prefer to mutter things to yourself? What was it you called me again? An insensitive, intolerable arse” he laughed, it was small but held such amusement.

“I must admit, I have never heard such crass language leave a proper young lady’s mouth before.” That makes you pause as you’re about to cut into a sausage, he’d heard you bad mouthing him.

Your cheeks warm with slight embarrassment but Your glare is enough to get him to change the subject, “You’ve hardly eaten your breakfast. Is the food not to your liking? Do I need to have the chef prepare another meal for you?’ At this you shake your head no but that only frustrates Simon even more. “Then might I ask if there is something troubling you?” He tries, eyes holding a curiosity that makes you want to curl in on yourself and hide.

“No” You state.

And that’s it. That’s how it continues for the next two weeks of your marriage. Where other newlyweds would be rolling around together in bed in newly wed bliss. You are avoiding your husband and barely speaking to him during meal times something he is more than happy to point out.

Simon snaps one evening after asking you once more if something is the matter, to which you responded, “What’s it to you?” He most certainly does not take kindly to your attitude.

“Well forgive me if my curiosity is somewhat piqued. You are quite talented at making yourself scarce, so I apologize if my inquiry as to what my wife is thinking is a step over your boundaries!” He slams his knife and fork down on the wooden table.

There is a pause where it seems like the whole world is silent. You stare at your husband, watching closely as he tries to calm down from his outburst. Once he takes his fourth deep breath you decide to speak.

“Do you even care?”

Simon lets out a cold laugh at your question, “Out.” He commands to the servents, they make themselves scarce, the doors shutting behind them.

“Whether I ‘even care’ or not is irrelevant. Like it or not, we are husband and wife. And for the next three months, we must at least look like it.”

“Why should that matter here?” You roll your eyes placing your knife and fork down, though much more gently than Simon did.

“You are truly ignorant if you think we don’t have to pretend even within the confines of this estate. Servants have eyes. And ears. And we have little control over what they choose to share with those outside of this household. I have no doubt word of the state of our marriage has already reached London and spread throughout the Ton.” Simon stands, his chair scratching against the floor as he does. His heavy footsteps make the floorboards creak and it reminds you of your wedding day.

“This is truly disastrous.” Simon says bitterly as he pours himself a drink of amber liquid from one of the many crystal bottles on the side table.

“I’m not exactly having the best time of my life here with you either.” You sit back in your chair, folding your arms over your chest. Defensive and detached.

“Oh I’m well aware, you don’t exactly hide your distaste for me well, and I would be lying if I said the feelings were not the slightest bit mutual. But it would be wise to at least learn to tolerate each other’s presence.” He barks irritatedly swirling the amber liquid around in his glass before knocking it back. The glass is finished in one big gulp, it leads him to pour another before returning to his seat.

“Now with all that settled, I would very much appreciate it if you could cooperate with me in our little endeavor, dear wife.” Simon does what you think is a smile but you’re unsure. It looks more like a vicious dog baring its teeth to you in warning before it bites.

A few moments of silence between the two of you. You didn’t want this. A loveless marriage with a man who had absolutely zero interest in you. At least he wasn’t beating you though, or worse. Your brain pushes those thoughts aside and pushes you to think about what could have been instead.

It makes your heart ache and your eyes well up with tears. The last thing you want to do is cry in front of Simon. You abruptly push your chair back and storm out of the room, slamming the door behind you as you leave.

You’re panting by the time you get to your room, the tears pouring down your face as you heave. You’re on your knees before you know it, sobbing into your hands. The world moves on around you while you cry and pray for a different life. That this is all a dream and you’ll wake up soon in your old house with your old life before your parents decided to give you to this man.

You manage to pull yourself onto your bed where you cry yourself to sleep.

The rain was coming down hard now you noticed, a simple contrast compared to how it drizzled when you had woken up. Well, more like forced awake. The nightmare still fresh in your mind, a life you’d never have, your husband with other women. A loveless marriage and a baron home.

Your nose was blocked and your eyes puffy and sore from your melt down earlier. You washed your face and changed into your white nightgown and dark red robe before lighting a candle and making your way to the library.

The library, you could live and die happily in here. It was full of all your favourites and you always left the room with a smile on your face. A hard contrast to how you had left your bedroom earlier this evening.

You were so immersed in reading when Belle begins to fall in love with the beast that you didn’t even hear the library door slowly creak open.

To be continued…

Taglist | @watyousayin @corvusmorte @callmecurious97

[viridwns]

Phantomhive daughter AU has been taking over my brain.

Masterlist

Vincent Phantomhive, the queen's guard dog. London's most eligible bachelor after the death of his wife. A man with a cold heart and cunning smile. Who has wits like no other and two equally smart sons.

The man who can manipulate people into doing things they never thought of doing. Mostly for his benefit.

This man, one of the most powerful people in London if not in the whole of England, has the sweetest, most kind-hearted daughter. An absolute sweetheart who couldn't even hurt a fly. She would help the servants simply to create a bond with them. She got the stubborness from her father and the angelic looks from her mother. A rare gem that the Phantomhive males set their lives on to protect.

She is always at her father's side. If not him, she's with one of the twins. No one has ever seen her alone. Bright young men are betting against each other about who could sweep the little Phantomhive lady off her feet.

No one has been able to do it yet, but just a few stay determined.

Now, with the twins attending Weston College and Vincent being out for business, it's open season for the young men.

Vincent has prepared for this, of course, and set Tanaka on 'protecting' duty. Alas, it is still his daughter, and his wits didn't pass her either. She's even worse with her tricks than Vincent ever was.

She is able to escape the mansion in one way or another, just to finally go outside again after her father left.

Vincent is strict with his daughter, but it doesn't really bother her most of the time.

It's just that when someone has been inside for two weeks, they would like to leave the premise for a bit.

Even if they have to break a few sacred rules to do it.

Daughter Phantomhive is intelligent, but when it comes to the real world, she doesn't have any knowledge of it.

She's too kind to the people on the street, puts too much trust in the shady man trying to sell her stuff.

Usually, Ciel was there to link their arms and fend of any unwanted salesman or just men in general. [Redacted] was there to distract her when Ciel got a bit...too heated.

But now she was on her own, no protection. Open season.

When the gossiping starts that the Phantomhive daughter is walking all alone on the streets, it'll only take minutes before nobles come from left and right to woo the young lady.

She is overwhelmed by the amount of attention, not knowing how to ward them off or how to excuse herself.

If Tanaka wasn't as 'trained' as he is, she would've thrown hands to get out. He found her in no time after he realized she tricked him.

Giving the nobles a stern look (if looks could kill) and guiding lady Phantomhive back to the mansion, he had to contact Vincent. With protests of the rule breaker, he eventually managed to get ahold of Vincent.

He was home in a day.

Goodbye privileges.

Vincent knew he wouldn't be able to keep this up. With his daughter growing older, smarter, and more rebellious, and Vincent being away for business all the time while his boys are at school, he couldn't keep her safe forever.

It was a last resort, but Undertaker was his only solution.

Undertaker would love to watch over precious miss Phantomhive, but alas, he is busy himself with some...project.

Of course, he doesn't like seeing his friend so distraught. So maybe he has another solution , one he isn't fond of himself.

Summoning a demon to protecting his daughter at all times.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

If it wasn't for Undertaker’s obsession interest in the Phantomhive family, he would never have helped with or even suggested this.

Vincent would get his hands red for his daughter. His soul was a cheap price to pay.

Finding a sacrafical lamb wasn't hard to come by as well.

Undertaker left right as the ritual started, not wanting to deal with the demon that was about to appear.

Sebastian.

That was the name of your new butler. The one your father hired to watch over you while he and your brothers were gone.

You had made a light joke about him having the same name as your and your brother's late dog. You had picked it out.

Sebastian only frowned at your remark.

What a great start.

The quite intimidating butler hovered over your shoulder day in and day out. Always ignoring your request for some privacy with a smile. Small talk didn't happen regularly as you chose to ignore the heavy presence of the man.

You tried every trick in your book to get rid of him even if it was only for a private strole through the garden. Sebastian only seemed amused by your attempts and encouraged you to keep trying. No matter what, he would always find you.

You never got angry with him, maybe a little fussy, but never angry. You started to like this cat and mouse game. It was something to keep your mind busy in these lonely days.

Vincent was a bit...stunned to see you hanging onto the chandelier when he got home. You weren't wearing one of the gowns he got you. Instead, you were dressed as a peasant boy. Even had your hair tucked neatly under a hat.

You were trying a new plan. Climb onto the chandelier via the stairs. Hide up there until you were certain Sebastian was at the other side of the mansion, and then go out looking like someone completely different to make it impossible to find you.

Your smile was forced as you awkwardly climbed down the stairs. You hadn't expected your father to come home today. Usually, he would send you a hundred letters asking how you were doing and that he would be home soon. He didn't do any of that on this business trip.

You just hoped he wasn't mad.

To your suprise, he took off the hat and kissed the crown of your head. He walked away with a smile as he waved the hat at you and told you to change.

Huh, guess he thought it was funny.

Your father seemed more at ease with this new butler watching you like a hawk.

Your brothers were a bit on the defense, though.

When it was family visiting weekend at Weston College, they could not stop staring daggers at Sebastian. You told them to be nice, but they argued that they didn't trust him one bit. Your father had to tell them off at one point when Ciel would literally shoo Sebastian away as [Redacted] showed you around the school.

Brothers will be brothers.

It was only when your father had a talk with your brothers behind closed doors (that you totally didn't eavesdrop on by hiding in the secret passageways of your home) that you started to get suspicious of who or what Sebastian was.

Your brothers had accepted the butler after that talk.

Your gut yelled at you even more when your father received yet another envelope stamped with the queen's sigil (that you totally didn't intercept when the mailman came), and shortly after he and Sebastian had some business at Weston College.

This was also the first time you were allowed to come along with your father.

Vincent had some business to do with the principal of the school. Sebastian became an undercover teacher. You had to swear to keep secret while you were trapped yet in another building. This time with everyone on your ass at all times.

Ah well, you were looking for a new challenge anyway.

Especially when four prefects were more than willing to help.

If only you knew their real intentions.

Your father wished you inherited his people reading skills instead of his art for tricking people.

[jewish-sideblog]

During last year’s Chanukkah, I toured Yad Vashem. My tour guide ended with a story that will probably stick with me for the rest of my life.

A Jewish father and his son are held prisoner in Auschwitz— they are lucky, all things considered. Most Jews were gassed upon arrival. The Nazi guards instruct the prisoners that they have to dig mass graves for their fellow Jews every day. The father is appalled by this, of course, but he doesn’t have much choice. A week goes by, and the father and the son are subjected to horrors they could not have imagined before. The first Friday evening in Auschwitz, the father goes to his son and says, “I cannot work on Shabbat. I will not dig graves for Jews on Shabbat. For all my other reservations, I cannot do it, because the Talmud forbids it.” The son is barely fourteen, but he knows that if his father refuses to work, then his father will die. So he goes to meet another prisoner, a former Rabbi. The son pleads with the Rabbi to help his father see sense, and so the Rabbi and the son go together to meet with the father.

“The Talmud forbids us to work on Shabbat,” the Rabbi says, “but pikuach nefesh overrides Talmudic law when a life is in danger. Your life is in danger. Your son’s life is in danger. You are allowed to work on Shabbat.” The father begrudgingly agrees, and he saves his family’s life by digging mass graves on the day of rest.

A few months go by, and the Nazis are running low on food, so they start grinding pig hooves and guts into the slop that gets fed to the prisoners at Auschwitz. The father finds out about this and begins to starve himself. “G-d commands in the Torah us not to eat pork,” he says. The son, out of concern for his father, gets the Rabbi again. “Pikuach nefesh overrides the Torah as well as the Talmud. You must eat, for your life and for your son’s sake. Eat what is given to you. G-d will overlook violating kosher if it means surviving in a place like this.” So the father starts to eat what he is given.

Miraculously, the father and the son survive until winter. There’s never enough food for all the prisoners in Auschwitz to eat, and so there are frequent fights over scraps, but the most valuable thing in the slop is fat. Fat can keep you warmer in the winter, and it can be used to cover up and heal small injuries. If the Nazi guards noticed so much as a scratch on you, they would send you to the gas chambers that same day. Fat was gold in Auschwitz. At some point, the son noticed that the father had been ignoring food and collecting fat. He wasn’t trading it for scraps or favors, he was just keeping it. And he was starving to keep it. So once again, the son and the Rabbi approached the father.

“I’m turning it into a candle,” he said, “for Channukah.” The son and the Rabbi were appalled. The Rabbi said, “Channukah is a cultural holiday. It is not ordained by G-d. Neither the Torah nor the Talmud command you to celebrate it. Why in G-ds name would you sacrifice your food for that?” The father replied,

“You can live three days without water. You can live three weeks without food. But you cannot live three minutes without hope.”

The son and the Rabbi helped the father fashion wicks from rags and clothes, and helped steal small bits metal of metal off corpses and guards to make a spark. They lit Channukah candles in the middle of a Nazi concentration camp. The father and the son survived off of hope for the rest of that year, and they both lived to see the liberation of Auschwitz. The father died soon afterwards, but the son, Hugo Gryn, went on to become a Rabbi himself. In fact, the Rabbi of West London Synangoue, and the leader of the British Reform movement. He was described as the most beloved Rabbi in the country. He never lost sight of hope.

[obessedwithfictionalmen]

I'll come pick it up after, the end

John Egan X Female! Reader

Sumarry: It's finally their wedding day...

Warning: Historical inaccuracies/ full/ might not be accurate to real weeding speech in the 40s/ use of Y/n/

Word count: 1,2k

The day had finally come, their wedding day. She was nervous, but she was able to go to London to buy a wedding dress, with Daisy and Elodie. Her dress was simple, it stopped before her ankles and it had long sleeves. She didn’t want an extravagant wedding dress, they were getting married on the base, they weren’t Catholics, but the priest on the base was going to marry them, so it’ll be legit. She’d ask Crosby to walk her down the aisle, Buck was the best men, Elodie was the maid of honor and Meatball was going to carry the rings, with the two kids guiding him. Her hair was down, she didn’t have a veil, just a dress and heels.

He was nervous, but he was really happy. He was marring his girl. ‘’You ready for this?’’ Buck asked, coming in the room. ‘’Yeah, I’m nervous, but it’s my girl, I can’t wait to marry her’’ He sign. ‘’Let’s go its time.’’ Corporal says, as he enters the room. ‘’Thanks, Corporal’’ Bucky says. ‘’She’s a good girl, I’m happy for you, Major’’ he says. ‘’I appreciate it, Corporal, thank you.’’ They entered the room, soldiers were sat, some were still arriving. Nurses were there too, almost all the men and woman on the base were there. The priest was waiting for him at the altar. ‘’Who thought we would see Bucky tie the knot?’’ Lieutenant Dye said, even if he went home because he did 25 missions, he came back to see his friend get married. ‘’Yeah, well you did steal my previous girl, I had to find another one’’ he laughed. Right now, he couldn’t even think about Lil, the only woman that mattered to him was his future wife. When Bucky commented about their previous relationship, she bent her head down, ashamed. ‘’Don’t worry, Lil, he’s the better choice for you. I’m happy for your guys’’ He reassured her. Dye smiled to the groom and took the hand of his lady. Lil smiled and took a relived breath.

Once again, she was pacing around the room, Meatball following her with his head. Harry Crosby came in the room, smiling. ‘’Are you ready?’’ he asked. ‘’I feel like I’m going to throw up.’’ ‘’I know that feeling, but don’t worry I can recommend you to an amazing doctor’’ Crosby smiled, she laughed, it calmed her down a little. She didn’t even know why she was nervous, they both loved each other, but she was nervous. ‘’I’m really happy for you. You deserve happiness, Y/n, you both do.’’ They both hugged. ‘’You’re my best friend, Croz, thank you for everything you did for me’’ She whispered in his ear. ‘’Now, don’t make me cry.’’ They chuckled as Daisy came to get them. ‘’It’s time’’ she simply said.

When the band started to play music, Bucky’s heart stopped; she was coming. He turned around to look at his girl. She was magnificent, her dress was simple, but it was made for her. After all, they didn’t have much time to plan their wedding and their budget was small. Harry Crosby was walking her, he was grateful for him, he took care of her when he wasn’t there. When she saw him in his uniform, she started to smile like she never did before, she’d saw him in his uniform before, but he looks wonderful. When Harry and Y/n reached the groom, Crosby wanted to say something. Normally, her father would’ve give her to John, but Harry needed to say words to him. ‘’Take good care of her, just like she took care of you. Y/n smiled, hearing the word his best friend said to her future husband.

When Meatball came down the aisle, with the two boys, the soldiers chuckled. Everyone on the base knew that Y/n and Meatball came as a pair, they were together all the time. When she worked at the hospital, Meatball was there too, he made soldiers smile. The two boys handed the rings to the bride and groom. They recited the vow that the priest asked them too. It was beautiful, making them promise to each other that they will love the other, no matter what. It said that they would always be there for the other and stuff that made some people cry. When it was time for their personal vows, Y/n decided to go first. ‘’Bucky, my love, when I first met you, I thought you were going to be just another soldier that crossed my path. I was clearly wrong because, I’m now in a white dress in front of you. I did not just fell in love with you, I feel in love with your smile, your humor, your qualities and your flaws. I fell in love with each version of you, the one you show when you’re with your friends, the person you are when we are alone, the person that you’re too scared to show me, but did before you trusted me, and I also fell in love with the pilot version of you. Words aren’t enough to tell you how much you mean to me, but I’m so happy that Meatball came to me that day, so I could meet my soulmate’’ She cried, they were happy tears. Bucky was crying too, he didn’t care if some soldiers thought he was weak, that was the most beautiful thing he ever heard. ‘’My darling, my forever, I feel like the luckiest men on earth, because I get to be your husband. When things were rough, I think about you. Your smile, your laugh, your beautiful eyes and your voice. I’m not as talented with words as you are, but I can tell you this, it’s so hard for me to put our love into words, because I love you in ways, I have never loved anyone else, but I promise that I will spend the rest of my life, searching for them. I love you, my darling.’’ If the crowd didn’t cry to Y/n’s speech, they cried at Bucky’s. Even the priest was about to cry. ‘’ In the sight of God and these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride.’’

They didn’t have to be told twice, their kiss was full of love and passion. It celebrated their love and said all the words they couldn’t find. The crowd applauded and congratulated the newly weds. ‘’I love you Mrs. Egan’’ Bucky said, looking at his wife. ‘’I love you more, Mr. Egan’’ she smiled.

After the celebration, and almost 4 songs that Bucky insisted on singing, they both pack all their things. Because has a weeding gift, the Corporal gave Bucky the right to go home. After all, he was at 23 missions, he was close to 25. And Y/n made Elodie the chief nurse, because the Corporal also gave her the right to go home. They were going home, they both couldn’t believe it, but it was the case. A smaller plane, that was made for traveling, was waiting for them on the runway. The newly weds were going back home on the same plane as Lieutenant Dye. They hugged their friends, Y/n gave Buck and Croz the phone number at Bucky’s home. That’s where they would live until they could afford a home. When they boarded the plane, they were euphoric. ‘’Can you actually believe we’re going home?’’ Y/n whispered. He shook his head. ‘’The only thing I believe right now, is the fact that you’re my wife, and my ribs are healed’’ he chuckled. She giggled when the decide to steel his watch, putting it in her bra. ‘’Come and pick it up after the flight’’ she teased with a huge smile. It was the beginning of their life together, and they would savor each second, they had together, because they both knew how easily life can change. But it wasn’t on their mind right now. The only thing on Bucky’s mind, was to pick up his watch, just like he did the first time.

A/n: It's the end y'all!!! Thank you for reading this story. I already have more ideas, for other stuff. Love you all :)

[runawaymaven]

guilty as sin? Paul x reader part 1

Part 2 , Part 3

A/N: Ive had this idea for a while but if it doesn't do well, i'll probs still continue to write it lol

Life for y/n hadn't been the easiest. Your father left you and your mother when you were 3. Your mother moved back to her hometown in London, and took you with her. Everything seemed to be okay in England, until your mother got sick. She was sick with cancer, bone cancer to be more specifically. So, when you were 15, you began being a career to her, as well as balancing your studies at school. But it all ended when your mother passed 5 days ago, the battle with cancer ended, and cancer won. You were 16 now.

You had no other family in England. No living grandparents, no aunts or uncles, cousins, none. The social workers tried to contact your father but to no avail. They did end up finding that your father had a son. Samuel Uley. Your half-brother. At least you had the same last name, right?

The social workers contacted Sam, explained the situation, and now here you were, in the airport of Seattle. The plane ride from London was well over 10 hours. You were exhausted.

"Y/n Uley?" A woman asked, approaching you. She spoke with an American accent. Well, almost everyone in the airport did.

You couldn't speak, you couldn't trust your voice, and so you just nodded. The social worker lead you and you luggage to her car, where she drove to the reservation, La Push. You sat in the car, in silence. What could you say? There wasn't anything to say.

The ride was quiet, as you watched the green trees go past. It was mostly all green here. The social worker soon pulled up at a cozy hpuse, nestled away from other people.

As soon as she pulled up, a big guy came out. He looked intimidating. But a woman stood next to him. She had scars on the right side of her face, but she was still devine.

Getting out, when the social worker did, she lead you to them. You trailed behind her as she introduced herself.

"Y/n? This is Sam and his fiance, Emily" the social worker introduced. You looked up, and gave them both a smile smile.

"Oh Y/n, it's so lovely to meet you. I'm so sorry to hear about your mom" Emily said, giving me a hug.

"Oh, um, thanks" You replied, giving her a gentle hug back. Emily seemed excited by your English accent.

"Sam, right?" You asked, as Emily stepped back. He nodded in reply,

"I am, I'm sorry I didn't know about you sooner. Our father has a tendency of abandoning people" He said gruffly. I nodded in reply. I knew what he meant.

"Well, I'll be back in a couple weeks to check how you're doing" The social worker spoke. "And Y/n? If you need anything, give me a call" She said as she opened the trunk to take you luggage out. Sam stepped forward and carried you luggage in.

"Let's show you to your new room, okay?" Emily said, wrapping an arm around your shoulders as she guided you inside.

As she lead you inside, she offered you a snack, and a drink, "You must be exhausted from travelling. Here, have a bite" She offered, sitting you down at the table in the kitchen, grabbing you a soda, and making you a sandwhich.

Sam had appeaered from upstars, "I've put your stuff in your room." He said, as she went over to Emily, wrapping his arms around her, kissing her cheek, in which she giggled in reply to.

You smiled softly. They had seemed to be in love with each other. You hadn't known what love was meant to look like. Your father left your mother, and she had a very bad habit of having bad boyfriends before she got cancer.

Just as you started to tuck into your sandwhich, there was chatter outside, that got louder, until a group of guys came in. All in shorts, and no shirt. They were hot.

"Whose this?" One of them asked.

"Sam's half-sister, Y/n" Emily spoke up, with a smile.

"Cool. Well I'm Embry" He said, as he sat down and tucked into one of the very big muffins that were on the table.

"That's Quil" Embry said, with his mouth full of muffin.

"Embry, that's gross" Emily laughed. "That's Jacob, Leah, Seth, and Jared. I'm not sure where Paul is" Emily spoke as each boy sat at the table, saying hi.

It was nice getting to know them, they were all quite funny and it put your nerves to rest. Until one last boy walked in, who you guessed was Paul.

You glanced up at him, and he met your contact. His face froze, his eyes softening as he continued to stare at you from where he was stood. It was a strange feeling, one you had never experienced before. It was almost like a magnetising pull, and urge to just be near him.

"Oh shoot, Paul. You imprinted on the alpha's sister" Embry laughed, the other boys joining in.

[geronimomo-spd]

and there we go! the full Confidential Archive!

here are all the episodes, according to tardis wiki list, including all of the mini specials and chrismas specials and most if not all in good quality! the full list of everything is under the cut because yeah, its a longgg list!

all in order, including some youtube videos and dvd rips hehe, all according the the tardis wiki list

SERIES 1 -

1x00 - A New Dimension (a prolog to season one, narrated by David Tennant)

1x01 - (rose)

1x03 - (the unquiet dead)

1x04 - (aliens of london)

1x05 - (world war 3)

1x06 - (dalek)

1x07 - (the long game)

1x08 - (father's day)

1x09 - (the empty child)

1x10 - (the doctor dances)

1x11 - (boom town)

1x12 - (bad wolf)

1x13.1 - The Ultimate Guide (another little documentary right before

parting of the ways, about key aspects about filming the season)

1x13.2 - (parting of the ways)

1x14 - Backstage at Christmas (the nine minutes they gave us from some of behind the scenes of The Christmas Invasion)

SEIRES 2 -

2x00 - One Year On (a general preview for season 2, including the series 2 press launch, a lot more behind the scenes of The Christmas Invasion and some Torchwood stuff)

2x01 - (new earth)

2x02 - (tooth and claw)

2x03 - (school reunion)

2x04 - (the girl in the fireplace)

2x05 - (rise of the cyberman)

2x06 - (the age of steel)

2x07 - (the idiot's lantern)

2x08 - (the impossible planet)

2x09 - (the satan pit)

2x10 - (love & monsters) - (featuring the winning of the contest of designing a monster)

2x11 - (fear her)

2x12 - (army of ghosts)

2x13 - (doomsday)

2x14 - Music and Monsters (the behind the scenes of doctor who's first music show, including some behind the scenes stuff of The Runaway Bride)

SERIES 3 -

3x01 - (smith and jones)

3x02 - (the shakespear code)

3x03 - (gridlock)

3x04 - (daleks in manhattan)

3x05 - (evolution of the daleks)

3x06 - (the lazarus experiment)

3x05 - (42)

3x06 - (human nature)

3x07 - (the family of blood)

3x08 - (blink)

3x11 - (utopia)

3x12 - (the sound of drums)

3x13.1 - (last of the time lords)

3x13.2 - Children in Need Special (the behind the scenes of the special where 10 meets 5, really cute stuff)

3x14.1 - Kylie Special (series 3 christmas special. version 1 - the full version in less of a good quality i found on youtube, bless this youtube channel honestly)

3x14.2 - Kylie Special (series 3 christmas special. version 2 - the shorter version that was up on iplayer)

3x14.3 - Kylie Special (series 3 christmas special. version 3 - the version i edited to include the low quality parts that were missing with the good quality shorter version)

SERIES 4 (INCLUDING THE SPECIALS) -

4x01 - (partners in crime)

4x02 - (the fiers of pompaii)

4x03 - (planet of the ood)

4x04 - (the sontaran stratagem)

4x05 - (the doctor's daughter)

4x06 - (the posion sky)

4x07 - (the unicorn and the wasp)

4x08 - (silence in the library)

4x09 - (forest of the dead)

4x10 - (midnight)

4x11 - (turn left)

4x12 - (the stolen earth)

4x13 - (journey's end)

4x14.1 - The Journey (So Far) (a documentary about the entire show so far)

4x14.2 - Confidential Christmas 2008 (behind the scenes of The Next Doctor christmas special)

4x14.3 - Doctor Who: Top 5 Christmas Moments (a sort of confidential behind the scenes clip show of all of the episodes set at christmas)

4x15.1 - At the Proms 2008 (behind the scenes of doctor who at the proms 2008)

4x15.2 - The Eleventh Doctor (the special they used to announce Matt Smith as the new doctor who)

4x15.3 - Desert Storm (behind the scenes of Planet Of The Dead)

4x16 - Is There Life on Mars? (behind the scenes of The Waters Of Mars)

4x17 - Lords and Masters (behind the scenes of The End Of Time, Part One)

4x18 - Allons-y! (behind the scenes of The End Of Time, Part Two. version 1 - full dvd version)

4x18 - Allons-y! (behind the scenes of The End Of Time, Part Two. version 2 - shortend higher quality version from iplayer, this version has a song in the soundtrack that is diffrent from the dvd version, this is the most accurate version to what aired on tv at the time)

SERIES 5-

5x01 - (the eleventh hour)

5x02 - (the beast below)

5x03 - (victory of the daleks)

5x04 - (the time of angels)

5x05 - (flesh and stone)

5x06 - (the vampires of venice)

5x07 - (amy's choice)

5x08 - (the hungry earth)

5x09 - (cold blood)

5x10.1 - (vincent and the doctor)

5x10.2 Monster Files: The Daleks (a little documentary about victory of the daleks/daleks in general)

5x11 - (the lodger)

5x12 - (the pandorica opens)

5x13 - (the big bang)

5x14.1 - Monster Files: The Weeping Angels (a little documentary about the weeping angels episodes this season)

5x14.2 - Monster Files: The Silurians (a little documentary about the silurian episodes)

5x14.3.1 - Monster Files: The Alliance (a little documentary about the alliance of monsters from the pandoica opens)

5x14.3.2 - Backstage at the Doctor Who Prom 2010 (behind the scenes of doctor who at the proms 2010)

5x14.4.1 - Charlie McDonnell - Runner (the first Charlle behind the scenes videos, pretty quiet - Currently not up on the archives as Charlie has expressed the need to remove her old videos)

5.14.4.2 - Charlie McDonnell - TARDIS (another Charlie video, she explores the tardis set this time -Currently not up on the archives as Charlie has expressed the need to remove her old videos)

5x14.4.3 - Charlie McDonnell - Decorating Bus (another Charlie video, she decorates the food place with christmas decorations, i liked them Charlie - Currently not up on the archives as Charlie has expressed the need to remove her old videos)

5x14.4.4 - Charlie McDonnell - Christmas Presents (badger) (the famus Charlie video where she brings the cast and crew presents! this is where Matt gets his badger puppet - Currently not up on the archives as Charlie has expressed the need to remove her old videos)

5x14.5 - Christmas Special 2010 (behind the scenes of A Christmas Carol)

SERIES 6 -

6x01.1 - (the impossible astronaut)

6x01.2 - My Sarah Jane: A Tribute to Elisabeth Sladen (a special memorial for the late Elisabth Sladen 😭😭)

6x02 - (day of the moon)

6x03 - (the curse of the black spot)

6x04 - (the doctor's wife)

6x05 - (the rebel flesh)

6x06 - (the almost people)

6x07.1 - Charlie McDonnell interviews Neil Gaiman (Charlie interviews Neil Gaiman, appewrently causing some ruckes on Charlie's blog at the time hehe - Currently not up on the archives as Charlie has expressed the need to remove her old videos)

6x07.2 - (a good man goes to war)

6x07.3 - The Monster Files: The Silence (a little documentary on the silence, thank god because i needed that)

6x07.4 - The Monster Files: The Gangers (a little documentary on the gangers, my beloveds)

6x07.5 - Charlie McDonnell Becomes A Dalek (the last Charlie video, released late because it had the 1-4 tardis set, also she gets to ride a dalek in this one - Currently not up on the archives as Charlie has expressed the need to remove her old videos)

6x08 - (lets kill hitler)

6x09 - (night terrors)

6x10 - (the girl who waited)

6x11 - (the god complex)

6x12 - (closing time)

6x13.1 - (the wedding of river song)

6x13.2 - The Monster Files: The Antibodies (a little documentary on the antibodies from lets kill hitler)

6x13.3 - The Monster Files: The Cybermats (a little documentary on the little adorable cybermates because awww)

6x14 - The Nights' Tale (a little documentary on on the nights mini episodes! the last confidential stuff ever made rip)

[ohsohoney]

When it comes to love you're just as blinded.

Part Five

Eminem x Musician

Summary: It starts with a drunk embarrassing video, it spirals into something a whole lot more.

Note: Five! Posting in honour of the face-off. It's a long one again, just started and couldn't stop ngl. But it's pretty fluff filled! Brief warning though, TWD is mentioned here, there aren't any real spoilers but if you're a fan then you'll get what's going on!

| Set in 2014, just after the release of LP 2

taglist: @thelastemzy

Masterlist

I couldn’t quite help the way my mind wandered. Back to the diner. Back to Marcie’s words. Back to his smirk. Even as the conversation continued on in the car, Rosie laughing whilst she complained about the radio station that had been put on and Marshall flashing the pair of us funny looks in the rearview mirror. 

Most reasoned that you could tell a lot about a man by how they treated the people around them, not just their kin or the ones they worked closely with. But all people. And somehow, Em kept on surprising me in that regard. 

But maybe surprise wasn’t the best word to use, because it went without saying that his intentions were always pure. Even so, every time he did something I didn’t quite expect I found myself reeling a little further and watching him a whole lot more.

It hadn’t even been a full day and yet, I almost felt at home here in this city I hardly knew, with these people I’d only just recently met. And the entire concept left me waiting. Just waiting for the other shoe to drop, for something to go wrong. Because that was just the way I was wired.

“Sound good?”

I tuned back in at the sound of Marshall’s voice, snapping my gaze away from where it had been trailing out the back window and into the car. Rosie was smiling in the seat beside me, looking all excited, and so I blinked over towards the front seat to meet Marshall’s gaze in the tiny mirror.

“Sorry, I zoned out.” I apologised, blinking once more to try and push away my spiralling thoughts. “What did you say?”

Em took it in stride though, smirking at me before he eventually repeated himself, “Z reckons the park sounds like a good idea.”

Perking up at that, I could easily see why the girl had practically been bouncing in her seat, I peered between the two. “Has it got swings?”

Rosie nodded her head hastily in answer whilst her father just snorted, taking the next right at the end of the road instead of left. And that was that.

It felt strange to say, after having been in the states multiple times before, but everything I did I just kept on finding myself thinking about how it was my very first in America– as in, my first time in Detroit, my first time in a too big car, my first time at a diner. Now, it was my first time experiencing something as insignificant as a park.

It was a nice one though, just to drop that in there, not too shabby and practically empty aside from a far off dog walker in a bright yellow jacket and a couple of runners who were doing laps. 

Em had pulled the car into some sandy lot lined with white lines not too long after the decision had been settled and told us to get out once he’d parked, messing about with the meter whilst Rosie had urged me on.

I let the girl guide us, trying to admire the green grass and the trees that were still slowly changing with the seasons, whilst Z talked a mile a minute about how her soccer team used to meet there. I cringed internally at the use of the American term and vowed that if she ever came to visit London then I would take her out to see just how real football was played.

Marshall managed to catch up to us not long after, though he’d still been muttering about damn machines and dodgy government schemes. Which had me snorting to myself as I’d continue to spin Rosie on the roundabout, jumping on and off its edge to make the thing shake every so often.

The kid seemed to love it though, content to just lie in the middle and watch the sky above fall and swirl. Marshall appeared humoured by the whole ordeal too and had even taken a turn at jumping, landing with just enough weight to produce a loud boom that had Rosie screaming. She’d laughed wildly afterwards, hand over her heart to keep it from beating its way out of her chest.

Em and I watched her spin around some more before it slowed enough so that she could just jump on off, wanting to try her luck at the monkeybars, or ‘jungle gym’ as she’d called it. I chuckled quietly to myself, kicking out a foot to catch the roundabout’s edge to try and stop it completely. Marshall stuck near, watching as it slowly began to steady once more.

“Used to drag motorbikes in here when I was a kid.” I found myself telling him, eyes still stuck on the dragging metal as a memory flashed to the forefront of my mind. I felt Em shift and then caught the way his head then turned towards me from out of the corner of my eye. He waited. I wet my lower lip and felt myself smile, “Would lay ‘em down flat at the very edge here then rev it just enough so that the back wheels would start to make it spin. We would all be crowded in the centre, seven or so of us, clinging to the rails for dear life and screaming bloody murder.”

I glanced over at him then by chance and grinned at the way his brows had since lifted, then huffed out another laugh. 

“The thing would just keep spinning and spinning, until one of us found the courage to throw ourselves off. Or, you know, just yuck up.”

Marshall gave a short snort in return and shook his head with a wrinkled nose and pursed lips, “Fucking nasty. Don’t tell Rosie any of that.”

We shared a snickering laugh, me leaning into him on impulse and him holding me up for just that brief moment. I was quick to reassure, “Promise.”

And what was it with me today and making promises with the Mathers? I bit my tongue to dampen my grin and let the thought go.

The girl mentioned called for us then, having somehow managed to hang herself upside down from the metal bars, practically giving Marshall whiplash as his head spun back around twice just to be certain of what he’d seen. “Girl’s gone be the death of me.” He muttered but was already jogging over to where she was cackling away, hair swinging wildly in the wind.

I followed, albeit at a slower pace, hollowing my cheeks in hopes to hide my obvious amusement, especially when Marshall tried to figure out a way to get his daughter back on even ground. Rosie was far too entertained by the effort though, dodging the man’s attempts and swinging back, forth, left and right to avoid his hands. 

Eventually, she did come down, much to Marshall’s evident relief, which was too easy to see even with the hard frown he’d since taken on. And so Rosie was quick to wave his worries away and hurry over to the next thing, throwing herself onto a swing and gesturing for me to join her. I did, but not before I tossed an impish smirk Marshall’s way as I went to settle in beside her. 

It was Em’s turn to follow me then it seemed, he shook his head at the pair of us when he came to a pause by the swings edge and propped himself against a pole. “You gotta kick a little harder, Z.” He told Rosie after a moment. 

“I am!” The girl laughed in retort, glancing my way to try and match my stride. “It’s not my fault she has longer legs!”

Marshall lifted a brow, arms crossed over his chest, “You can lap most kids on a field and almost give me a heart attack by hangin’ upside down like some sort of bat, but a swing is what stunts you?”

“Dad!” Rosie all but whined, although she was still giggling away. I tried to catch the chain of her swing as I slowed in hopes to pull her with me, but the angle was off and so the most it did was rattle her seat and send me swinging in the opposite direction. 

My hand jumped to grip my own chain once more and I blew out a breathy laugh when the immediate danger of falling flat on my face diminished, but it left me just enough time to have caught the slight startle Marshall had made at the scare. I smirked over at him and raised my palms up so that I was barely holding on by the jut of my thumbs, “All good!”

The man clucked his tongue and looked away from me, almost as if to take a breath, before he was pushing away from the pole and marching over. Instead of stopping by our feet like expected though, Marshall slid behind the two of us and surprised me by grabbing the back of my seat. I jolted at the sudden pull as he lifted me higher, fingertips grazing the back of my jeans ever so before he let go completely. 

I wasn’t ashamed in the least to say that I screamed, dropping so suddenly and from a height I hadn’t expected him to reach was jarring, but then I was laughing breathlessly again as the wind got caught up in my hair, allowing him to give me another hearty shove before he did the same thing to Rosie.

I don’t know how long we sat there swinging, Rosie daring her dad to run between us in between my attempts at trying to teach the girl how to kick her legs a little harder so that she’d be able to swing higher on her own, but we must’ve been at it for a while. At least long enough for the sky to have warmed overhead and then turned into a glazed pink full of bruising purples.

It was then that we decided to call it a day. 

The trip to the playground seemed to have tired Rosie out some though by the time we returned to the car, because the girl slumped into my side not long after we’d set off. Still mostly awake though, she spoke in a soft murmur and pointed out the things that we passed by, her eyes growing heavier and heavier as each moment slipped by but continuing to explain. 

Marshall kept the radio low throughout the drive and let her wear herself out, so much so that she was almost asleep by the time he pulled into the driveway.

“Hey, lovely, we’re here.” I whispered to her, lowering my head just enough so that my cheek pressed against her hair, and rubbed her arm like I would Lottie to coax her into moving, “Gotta head inside now.”

Rosie sniffed sleepily but blinked her bleary eyes open to undo her seatbelt, she smiled as she rubbed at her face then turned to look at me. “I like it when you call me that.” She let slip, leaving me to blink before I realised that she then looked a tad bit sheepish at the admission.

I squeezed her hand and smiled back, “What— lovely?”

She hummed around a tired nod and it was then that the engine and headlights switched off. I peered up in the sudden quiet to find Marshall attempting to appear busy, quietly collecting his keys and the wallet he’d left in his car’s cup holder whilst pretending he hadn’t heard, but I knew he had.

“Just like it.” Rosie murmured again and so I forced myself to glance back at her and her weary smile, she shrugged sleepily.

I couldn’t help the emotion that spread through me and warmed my chest, leaning in to press a chaste kiss to her temple as my hand came up to smooth the back of her hair. “I’ll keep it up then.” I told her in the hush that followed, “Thank you for today.”

Her smile, whilst exhausted, was wide enough to squint her eyes and dimple her chin. “I’m just glad you’re here.”

My nose tingled at the emotion that flooded through me at her heartfelt response and so I was quick to undo my own seatbelt, listening as Marshall’s door opened and the man slid from the car. A second passed, and then two, before there was an audible click and the low light of the driveway crept into the backseat. Rosie smiled up at her father warmly, who extended a hand to help her out whilst I waited, taking a moment to compose myself before I followed, slipping out of the opposite end.

Rosie leaned heavily into his side the whole walk up to the house, muttering about the dog treats she had to give Marcie and how she was looking forward to the coming days, which led to Em softly agreeing with her as he guided his daughter through the front door and gestured for her to head on up the stairs. 

“Night, El.” She didn’t forget to say before she took that first step, kissing her dad’s cheek goodnight and gifting me a quick hug.

I breathed in sharply at the gesture and then smiled softly over at her. 

“Goodnight, lovely.” It only proved to make her grin.

Then it was just him and I, left standing in the hallway, only spurred on by the gentle click of the door that sounded from upstairs. Marshall dragged his cap off and tossed it down onto the ornate cabinet sitting nearby, running a hand over the hair he always kept so short. I moved too, stepping over towards the coat closet door so that I could toe off my shoes and place them neatly inside. 

Em followed and came up behind me a minute later to do the exact same thing, my mouth quirked as I turned towards him though, stealing the shoes out from his hand to set them down beside my own. He shook his head at the gesture but didn’t comment.

The house hummed around us as the door clicked shut, the lights up on the landing soft and yellow where Rosie had just disappeared but enough to stretch out and shine down on us. Marshall jutted his chin in the opposite direction of the kitchen after a minute and when he spoke it was in a low breath, “Don’t know how you’re feelin’ after today but imma watch some tv. If you wanna join.”

It was an offer I was all too appreciative of and so I gave him an eager nod in answer, “Jet lag has yet to hit so I figured I’d just be up unfolding my suitcase until I eventually passed out.”

His grin was small but indulgent, and he shook his head again as he dragged in a slow breath. “Get comfy and I’ll put it on.”

My head tilted on its own accord and I could only guess that the smile I gifted him then was sappy as fuck because he swatted playfully at my chin to turn my face away. I blew out an airy chuckle but kept on grinning, “I’ll be quick.”

Marshall hummed and then turned to walk away, it was only once I’d reached the staircase that he paused and looked back to ask, “Salted or sweet?”

I stopped short, foot dangling in the air just before it could settle on the next step. Pivoting, I shot him a smirk over my left shoulder, “Salted all day, everyday.”

He dipped his chin in a nod and his usual stoic expression melted into something just short of approval. I swallowed down another laugh behind my smile and hurried up the rest of the stairs, anxious to get out of my jeans and into anything else.

I made quick work of it, washing my face free of the makeup I’d put on that same morning and tucking my hair behind my ears. I did jump out of the denim too once I’d pulled a pair of shorts out of my suitcase, although I paused just before I could reach for the hem of the hoodie I still had on.

Peering down at it, I wondered if he would care if I wore it for a little longer and chewed on my lower lip. I realised all too quickly how much time I was wasting with the debate so I simply shrugged and just kept the thing on, slipping out of the tee I had on underneath before I was putting my phone on charge and heading back out the door. 

Marshall, it seemed, had already settled in, the smell of popcorn and the light from the tele leading my way into the family room he’d shown me earlier on to find him already spread out on the sofa, arm thrown over its back whilst he scrolled aimlessly through a couple of films.

As I padded in, hands tucked into my pockets and chin ducked into the neck of my hood, he turned to greet me. I watched, rounding one end of the couch, as he raised a brow and let his eyes flicker down to the hoodie I still wore before they darted back up to my face. “I’m not gettin’ that back, am I?”

I snuffed out a short, airy chuckle and rolled my eyes at the idiot before I plopped down to sit on the other side of the popcorn bowl he’d brought in, gaze catching on the stash of drinks and chocolate he had on the coffee table too. “You will,” I assured him, rolling my head against the back of the sofa to look his way, “Just warm, is all.”

Em hummed sceptically, but let the matter drop– for now.

“What are we watching then?” I wondered, pulling my legs up so that I could better settle into the cushions.

He went down a couple slides on the browsing page before he switched from films over to tv shows, “Up to you.” I groaned, hating having to be the decider, and he laughed to himself because he knew it too. “Jus’ pick something, girl. Damn.”

Picking up a popcorn kernel, I tossed it at his head and smiled snarkily when he jolted back just a tad and peered down at the offending piece that had settled on his chest. He shot me a look that had me stifling yet another chuckle and then popped the thing into his mouth. I rolled my eyes once more and sighed. 

“Um,” I drawled out in thought after a brief moment, eyes scanning the few series that were being advertised. I blinked when I spotted the ‘Because you watched..’ portion of the screen, “You’re a Walking Dead fan?”

Marshall glanced over at me, “Got addicted a while back, all I could fuckin’ watch for months.”

My eyes widened in sudden excitement and I felt the way my grin dimpled my cheeks. “Don’t. ‘Cause I was the same. I’m legit sitting on my hands waiting for the next season to come out.”

His brow pinched and he shifted in his seat. “Comes out Sunday, right?”

“Yeah, for you lot!” I immediately argued, straightening up in my chair as I turned to him again, “I have to wait ages for it to even premier back home, so I’ve resorted to using dodgy websites in an attempt to not get any spoilers.”

Em snorted and then tsked, “Oo, she’s bad.”

My eyes crinkled around my next laugh and I reached out to nudge his arm. “Why are you such a dick?” I tutted before I relaxed back into my seat again to chew on the corner of my mouth, wondering if I should even dare ask the next question that came to mind.

“‘Gotta keep up appearances, baby.” Marshall smirked as his gaze slid back on over towards the tv screen, unaware of how I had just gone and paused for a split second. “But see, this is just another reason why America wins.”

I instantly scoffed, “Wins what? Because I can start listing off a whole load of gross shit right now about all the fucked up shit you guys have done and do. Or,” I dragged out, feeling a little triumphant when he rolled his eyes at me, “We can just pretend you didn’t say that.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He sniffed as he jutted out his chin, “Actin’ like your people didn’t come over and colonise this place.”

My head lazed back when I glanced towards the ceiling in hopes of finding the slim chance that there’d be some kind of peace waiting up there for me. But if there ever was such a thing, I knew it wouldn’t be hanging over my head. 

“You have to have the final say, don’t you?” I ended up chuckling, before I let go of a sigh and turned to look back at him, only to find that he was already watching me.

He smirked. “Look, if you shut up we can rewatch this last season and maybe.. Maybe. I’ll think about lettin’ you watch it with me Sunday.”

My jaw snapped shut in my haste to agree to his terms, the clink of my teeth almost audible in the quiet room. Marshall let go of a low chuckle before he scrolled a little lower and clicked start on Season Four.

The prison.

I reached out and took a small handful of the popcorn as a pair of long legs came into view, the camera following them and winding its way lower and further out, I shifted so that I was sat with my feet tucked beneath me.

A couple minutes passed by with the pair of us entirely focused on the scene, and so it was surprising for Em to be the one who broke the silence, “Bet you right now, I can guess who your favourite is.”

Glancing over at him, I let him witness my sly smile, “Oh, we’re doing this then?”

He grunted a hum in response before his eyes flickered between me and the tv. 

“That mean I can guess yours?” I wondered out loud and he thought it over before eventually giving a single shoulder shrug. I didn’t really need time to think about my guess, I could remember most of this season pretty well and I liked to think that I knew Em well enough too. “What do I win if I get it right?”

Marshall’s head lolled against the back of the chair to meet my questioning gaze, “The pleasure of my company.”

I tossed another kernel at him, pulling a face when he somehow managed to catch it in his mouth. “Do better,” I told him and picked up another piece to throw his way again, the pair of us making an odd game out of it. “Come on, what do I get?”

He sat up slightly and actually put some thought into it, “I don’t know,” He eventually muttered before his gaze met mine again, eyes roaming over my face. “You can keep the hoodie.”

I gawked a tad, “I don’t even wanna know how much this thing costs, so no.”

With a mirthful shake of his head, Em wet his lower lip and blew out a huffed breath, “It suits you better anyway. So you can keep it whether you get it right or not.”

I met his languid gaze with a look of my own. “You’re just saying that ‘cause you think I stink, aren’t you?”

It truly was utterly hilarious how fast and how wide his eyes then grew, and I got to watch it all happen, even the moment he spluttered over the handful of popcorn he’d just started to chew on. “The fuck?” 

He coughed and laughter spilled from me, enough so that I was actually unable to breathe with how hard I was chuckling, hand on my chest to keep from wheezing. “You–” I snickered, unable to kill my laughter entirely, “You should– God, Marshall. You should’ve seen your face!”

He grabbed another large handful of popcorn and threw it straight at me. Even as I continued to laugh, I cowered away to shield myself from the attack, only dropping my hands down once the dull thuds stopped to find kernels littering the majority of the seat as well as my hair. 

“Such a bitch.”

“Me?” I gaped around another chuckle, “You literally just shit yourself!”

Flipping me off, Marshall shook his head and moved to pick up the popcorn he’d just thrown, and so I did too, smiling all the while, even more so when he reached out to untangle a stray piece from the side of my hood.

It was quiet for a short while after that, us moving around one another to put the popcorn in the bin, the first episode of The Walking Dead continuing on without us. It was then that I finally decided to make my guess and paused an arms length away, “Hershel.”

Marshall’s head snapped up from where he was emptying his handful into the bin. He blinked, then stood to his full height. “How’d you guess?”

I grinned, or rather, positively beamed at his reply. “So I’m right?” I asked avidly, having stopped dead in my tracks. He reluctantly nodded, rolling his eyes at my obvious enthusiasm even though the smile he wore was almost fond. “I can’t believe it.”

He pushed out a disbelieving laugh and shook his head. “How?” He prompted again, leading me to shrug.

“Can’t explain it, just had a feeling.” I told him truthfully as he wandered back over towards the sofa, I straightened out the cushions and then sat down beside him. The popcorn bowl had been moved onto the coffee table after all the fuss, which meant we were a lot closer now, but neither one of us seemed to mind it.

“Nah,” Marshall said, knuckle knocking into my knee, “Really. What gave it away?”

I chuckled and waved the offending hand away, “Honest. I really don’t know, it just– It felt like the right answer. He’s sort of like you in a way actually.” Em gawked a tad at that but I just continued on, “He’s stubborn,” I listed with a rueful smile, “almost to a fault.” And as Marshall’s lips thinned, I carried on in my observing, “But he believes strongly in what he considers is right and loves his family to the bitter end. All of them.”

He mulled it over.

“Plus,” I couldn’t help but add, “He’s fucking tough. Just keeps on going, even with everything they throw at him. I mean, the leg. Come on!”

I was met by a surveying look before the man finally cracked a smile and hummed. The blue of his eyes were dimmed in the low light of the tv now but they flickered back and forth between my own, “Daryl.” He said softly in retort, to which I frowned. 

Marshall just continued on though, smiling still as he relaxed back into his seat completely. “Your favourite. It’s Daryl.”

The corners of my mouth twitched and I watched him for a second before a gentle chuckle bypassed my lips, “Why?”

His head pressed further into the back of the couch and I found myself shuffling to join him, cushioning my cheek on my forearm. “Hearts of gold.” He murmured, voice deep and low whilst still also managing not to resonate off the surrounding walls, his words meant only for me to hear. “Selfless, too. You’re a fighter and your silence speaks volumes.” 

He paused, watching again, waiting. “There’s just more to you than what first meets the eye, you know?” 

I didn’t really know. Didn’t know how to respond to that either and so I just smiled, reaching up to tilt his chin away from me so that I wouldn’t be stuck under that hypnotising gaze of his. He huffed a chuckle, the sound of it warm enough to hollow out a small part of me. 

It was then that we both chose to move, I shifted just as his arm came up to rest on the back of the sofa, tipping the cushion beneath me a tad so that I was pressing further into his side. He didn’t complain though, merely draped the arm over my shoulders instead and focused back on the tv screen; Rick crouched in the grass, his eyes glossy as he contemplated the decisions people made in a world like his.

“I forgot to thank you, by the way.” Marshall mentioned after a while in not quite a whisper.

The skin between my brow wrinkled, “What for?”

Rick stood, eyes stuck on the burlap sack. Then, almost as if it pained him, he started to walk away, away from the couple, their decisions, their desperation, and back into the woods.

“Today.” Marshall murmured quietly, before he then added, “Rosie.”

I shook my head as best as I could, “I should be the one thanking you.”

But he was adamant it seemed. “No, really. You–” He stopped and took a small breath, “You’re good with her. She likes you. And then that shit at the park, and in the car.” I felt him shrug lightly, the motion thoughtless, and could picture the struggle that warred over his face. So I didn’t dare move. “Don’t think she’s ever really had someone treat her like that.”

Once again today, I found myself wanting to probe, to question. But I could feel how hard it was for him to speak, to get his words out and across in the way he wanted. I kept quiet.

“It–” He forced himself to exhale, “It just means a lot. So I gotta say thanks.”

My arm came up around his waist almost automatically and I squeezed briefly before I pulled away again, swallowing the emotion that had welled in my throat. “She’s a good kid.” I told him in a soft hum, “You don’t have to thank me for anything. It’s not how shit works with me.”

He snorted a breathy laugh out through his nose and finally eased back enough that I could actually feel the tension flood from him. “I’m starting to get that.” He admitted quietly, as though it hadn’t even been meant for me.

I didn’t question it though, or the way it made me feel, because I suddenly felt my eyes begin to droop. I licked at the corner of my mouth and sniffed, “Think it's hitting me now.”

I felt when Em moved to peer down at me, smirking when he saw just how heavy my eyes had quickly become and the way I was now fighting to keep them open. “Come on,” He prompted gruffly, shifting in his seat to stand before he held both of his hands out towards me, “Bed.”

Snuffling a tad, I did end up taking his arms, allowing him to tug me up. I swayed ever so slightly once I was finally standing. “I hate flying.”

He snorted but entertained me, “Yeah?”

I uhuhed, blinking again slowly. 

Apparently, me all doped out due to a lack of sleep was enough to get Em laughing because he cracked up when I almost toppled back down onto the sofa on my way out of the room, pouting at the knock my knee had taken instead. “Shuddup.” 

“Almost there, sure you ain’t gone fall down them stairs?” He teased and the air that escaped him at the blow I hit him with tickled the back of my neck, “Fuck. Remind me not to mess with you.”

I smiled sleepily before his hand came to settle on the small of my back almost thoughtlessly, peering up to find that we’d made it to the staircase. I grabbed at the bannister and pulled myself up the first few steps.

“You good?”

I hummed at his ask, the sound buzzing somewhere in the back of my throat, before my eyes were slipping closed once more and then shooting wide open when I managed to miss the edge of the next step. 

Marshall’s hands were immediately there to catch me. “Careful, baby.” He murmured, so focused on the task of getting us up the stairs without injury that he was blissfully unaware of how his words had chased some of the sleep away.

“I’m okay.” I reassured him once I’d finally managed to find my voice, but his hands remained on my hips all the way up the stairs and to the landing.

We stopped there, at the patch of hall that separated his room from mine. “Sure?” He quizzed, dipping his head to catch my eye.

Unable to do anything other than smile, I chuckled. “I’m sure. Sorry, I was fine and then it–”

“I get it.” He cut in, “Hits you hard and sort of comes outta nowhere.”

“Yeah.” I croaked out another laugh, tired eyes trailing between his. “Bet I won’t even sleep that long either.”

Marshall perked up a little at that, understanding exactly where I was coming from, “Well, you need anything you know where I am.”

I rolled my eyes but kept on smiling. “I’ll be okay.”

He hummed, not entirely satisfied with that, but took a step back once he realised I really was fine. “Just say okay for my own fuckin’ peace of mind.”

Raising my hand I saluted him stupidly, but it had him biting back another smile. 

“Dork.”

“Dick.” I shot back.

He shook his head, “Go to sleep, asshole.”

“I am.” I snorted just as my hand gripped the handle to my room, “So fuck off.”

Marshall continued to stand there though, tucking his hands into the joggers he was wearing as he waited for the door to swing open and for me to step inside. 

I paused just short of the threshold, fingers playing with the handle for a second. “See you tomorrow then.”

A small smirk worked its way across his face.

“Tomorrow.” He repeated before he finally took a step back and turned to head down the hallway. I watched him go, until he disappeared into the shadows and I was left alone for the first time since I’d arrived.

Tomorrow, I thought to myself as I moved to shut the bedroom door.

–

Turned out that I had been right. 

It must have been around twelve or so when Marshall and I had finally turned in, but I was blinking back to consciousness no less than a few hours later. 

One glance at the clock told me it was only half five and the hour had me biting back a hefty sigh. Still, I knew I wouldn’t be getting much more sleep so I took the shower I hadn’t had the chance to the night before and started to get ready for the day, playing music low to keep myself company in the quiet my room offered.

An hour or so must have passed with me just puttering about, pulling out some clothes and drying my hair, it was when I’d just finished applying a little makeup to mask the darker circles that had appeared under my eyes over the last couple of weeks that I first heard it. A slight scuffle.

I paused and set down the makeup bag I’d been packing back away, waited for a second until I heard it again. Just a slight shuffle of feet beyond the door.

Forcing myself up off the bed, I stood and wandered over towards it, watching as a small shadow casted under the foot of the door before I turned the handle. The face I was met with shot over towards me in startled surprise and I chuckled inwardly, choosing to smile instead.

“Hey, lovely. You okay?” I asked, peering out down the hallway to find that the lights were still off, probably for my sake.

Rosie was chewing heavily on her lip when I looked back at her, the girl already dressed for school. She nodded and lifted her mouth in an apologetic grin, “Sorry, hope I didn’t wake you. Dad said to be a bit quieter.”

I grinned at the thought but rolled my eyes at the man and bumped the door open a little wider with my hip, figuring that Rosie had been shuffling outside for something but unsure on whether or not it could land her in trouble. Especially seeing as Marshall had instructed her to keep the noise down, thinking I was still asleep.

“You’re all good, been up for a while.” I told her, wandering back over to the foot of the bed after I’d gestured her inside. I packed away the remaining products which were still laid out on the bedspread and let her peer around a little. “Excited for school?” I asked, glancing over to where she still stood by the entrance.

She hummed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, “It’s school.”

Releasing a soft chuckle, I dipped my head in an amused sort of nod. “I can understand that. You got a favourite lesson at least?”

Rosie chewed her lip again in thought before deciding on History. I smiled at the way her little face lit up at the mention, but I prolonged the silence a little in hopes that it would get her to open up about why she’d been shuffling about outside. It was a trick that had worked a dozen times over on Lottie.

Seemed it worked on Z too, who toed at the carpet just as I moved my makeup bag off to the side. “You any good with hair?”

The question did catch me by surprise, I couldn’t lie, but then I was grinning. “My sister had me learning all sorts,” I divulged to her, “and when I was back at school me and my friends would spend our lunch hour plaiting each other's hair. Drove the teachers mad.”

Rosie giggled at that and finally seemed to relax, moving further into the room. “Would you braid mine?” She wondered and peered up at me with those doe eyes I knew Marshall must have a hard time saying no to, “Dad’s getting better but he usually says it's just good up and out of the way in a ponytail.”

I pulled a face, wrinkling my nose at that. “Well, sure. But I reckon it’s just ‘cause he spends too long trying to work it out all over again each time you ask. You’re lucky though, my brother won’t even try.”

We shared a giggle as I wandered around to grab a few products I’d need. “Didn’t know you had a brother.” Rosie stated once I’d pointed her over to the chair closest and started on brushing her hair, being careful not to tug or pull.

I hummed softly in reply, “He’s a little younger, has a job that takes him all over the world so I don’t see him too often.”

“What’s he do?” She quizzed me, and for all that I’d learnt about how excitable the girl could be, she sat almost stock still in the seat as I sectioned off her hair. 

“He’s in the Army,” I answered her, figuring that I’d do two dutch braids and use the black ribbons I’d gotten in New York to tie them off. “He’s good at it too, loves it there.”

That set her off and she began asking question after question, probably curbing all of her enthusiasm into it seeing as she couldn’t move. I rambled away too, regaling lighter stories of my brother’s experiences, as well as the pair of us as kids. Rosie seemed to prefer those, smiling up at me and wondering if she could see the picture I’d just told her about, of Danny and I at the beach covered in thick, muddy sand. 

I wrapped up her two braids, tying the bows before I moved away to grab my mobile, finding the picture easily enough seeing as though Danny had sent me it the last time he’d been on leave.

“You look so alike!” Rosie giggled when she took a look at it, taking in the obvious traits we shared.

I chuckled as she stepped back, “Not really, he’s got a much bigger head.”

She laughed at that but then appeared to catch her reflection in the mirror on the dresser, she gasped and hurried closer to get a better look at the braids. She admired them for a long moment before she eventually grinned up at me, “It’s so pretty.” Rosie murmured gently, fingers toying with the black ribbon before she wrapped her arms around my waist, “Thank you.”

Anyone else I would have waved them off and said it was nothing, and in a way it was, but with Z I could only hug her back and smile. “You’re most welcome.” I told her as we parted, “Just glad you like it.”

“Like it?” The girl’s eyes widened like something straight out of a Disney movie, “I love it!”

I did chuckle then, “Well, I’m glad.” It was in that next moment that I went to tuck my phone into my back pocket and blinked at the time, “Best to go find your dad, don’t want you to be late.”

Rosie nodded around another grin, looking in the mirror one last time whilst I gathered up the last of my things to join her. We headed out together, Z telling me all about the lessons she was supposed to have today as we trailed down the stairs. 

All of our talking must have alerted Marshall because he only lifted a brow at his daughter when we entered the kitchen. “What I tell you?”

I gifted the man a placating grin as I wandered in behind her. “It’s fine, I was already up.” I reassured him, “And besides, I was doing God’s work.”

Rosie snickered at my words, but did a twirl when I pointed over at her. She was giddy when she approached the kitchen counter in a rush, pushing against it to beam up at her father. “Like it?”

Marshall’s face softened at the sight of her so smiley and went to run a hand over the girl’s head, but there was just enough time for Rosie to duck out of his reach.

“Dad!” She admonished, shooting him an appalled look before she moved to settle onto a stool on the opposing side.

The man held his hand up in surrender, eyes disbelieving. “Apologies, didn't realise I was talking to Dolly Parton.” He muttered and shook his head before turning and mumbling under his breath, “Jesus.”

I snorted to myself and glanced about the kitchen, not an avid breakfast eater but used to having at least a brew first thing. Marshall must have noticed after he’d slid a bowl of cereal towards his daughter and glanced my way.

“Thanks for that, by the way.” He said quietly to me, gesturing over to where his daughter sat, munching away. “She didn’t bother you none?”

My head shook quickly, “No, not at all. It was nice, I’ve missed the days of doing my sister’s hair. She’s long grown out of that phase now.”

Marshall quirked a small smile of his own and then padded towards a cupboard, it was there that he dragged out a box. I frowned at the wicker exterior and honed in closer when my eye caught on something familiar poking out the top. 

I gasped. “No shit.”

“Dollar!”

My head spun back to find Rosie grinning at me from around her spoon. I winced at the slip and shot the pair an apologetic smile which Em just waved off, but I jumped to grab a dollar from the small card case I’d brought down with me anyway and slapped it on the side. “I have a feeling this house is going to bankrupt me.”

Rosie giggled whilst Marshall just shook his head and pushed the dollar back to me. I hardened my stare and dared him to fight me on it. To my surprise the man just huffed out a short sound that could only have been a laugh before he gestured back over to the box.

“Was meant to give it to you yesterday.” He revealed as I carefully moved to peer into it again, marvelling at all the little treats that sat inside. “But things got real busy.”

I released a breath, my mouth parted whilst I reached a hand into the box. I grinned, heart warming at the item I held. “Tea.” I practically exclaimed as I looked back at the pair, not having had a cup since I’d arrived in The States, “And my favourite kind, too. How’d you even know?”

“Mentioned it before.” Em said breezily, before he moved back over to the island.

Had I? I wondered, perplexed by the idea of him even remembering before the sound of another cupboard opening dragged my eyes away from what else had been in the box.

I watched closely as Marshall dragged out a metal appliance from under the counter, only furthering my shock.

“The girls went through a herbal tea phase a while ago, bought this stupid thing and used it a half a dozen times.” He mentioned and settled down a kettle for me to use, “Figure you’ll need it.”

Rosie laughed then, breaking my daze as she slurped up the remaining milk which lined her bowl, “Think she’s speechless, Daddy.”

I narrowed my eyes playfully in turn, but she hadn’t been wrong. I just couldn’t quite wrap my head around it all. With a short snort, Em smirked and glanced back at me. 

“Come on,” He egged, “we only got a bit before I gotta go. Make me one.”

Unable to dim the smile that then chose to overwhelm my face, I simply shook my head in disbelief but jumped into action, “Grab me two mugs then– the milk too.”

I plugged the kettle in by the simple coffee machine in the corner and peeled open the familiar gold box full of heaven, popping two teabags into each of the mugs Marshall then slid on over to me. I prepped each one a little differently, knowing that Em wasn’t too big a fan of milk in his coffee before I added a couple spoons of sugar to sweeten it. It was always nicer to taste that way the first time around, but most were weaned off of it by the time they were old enough to realise that the practice was sacrilege. 

By the time I was clinking a teaspoon on one edge and had dumped both tea bags out, I padded back over to where Marshall was now sitting with Rosie, both of them having been content to just watch me work, and settled it in front of him. I urged him to try it with a raise of my brows.

He wet his lower lip, shared a brief look with his daughter which made me muffle a giggle, before he finally took a slow sip. He blinked at the taste and my grin widened. “Good, right?”

Em blinked again down at the muddy brew and I watched as his mouth pursed before he tried it once more. Rosie hunched over to get a look too, “Can I try?”

Marshall looked to me to ask if she could and I couldn’t see a reason not to, had practically been drinking tea for as long as I’d been on solids. So I dipped my chin, “It’s similar to coffee, but not. Won’t send her into a caffeine frenzy.”

With a cluck, Em let the girl take a sip, warning her that it was hot just before Z pulled away with a heavy grimace. The girl shook her head to show her evident disgust and both Marshall and I laughed at the reaction. “Gross.”

“Oi.” I rebuked teasingly, pointing at her from around my mug, which earnt me a giggle of my own before she was settling back down on her stool.

“Not for me.” She declared and then jumped off the chair to place her now empty bowl in the sink, “Sorry, El.”

I laughed at her apologetic wince and waved her off, “You’re alright, sweetheart. Isn’t for everyone.”

Rosie’s wrinkled expression eased at my words and she smiled as she rounded the island to lean into my side, “You coming to drop off too?”

Blinking, I glanced over at Marshall in confusion. “Drop off?”

The man continued to sip at his tea, which amused me to no end because I knew by the time I had to leave I’d have him hooked, and licked his lower lip before answering, “School.”

Oh. I nodded in a way that showed an understanding then peered down at the smiley blonde beside me, “Sure, if it’s okay with your Dad.”

Rosie nodded eagerly and looked towards the man in question, who’s eyes darted between the both of us before he ultimately shrugged. It got him a giant grin. “I’m going to grab my bag!” The girl told us and barely even gave anyone a chance to get a word in edgeways before she was darting across the room and up the stairs.

I smiled after the retreating figure, amused by her antics, but eventually Marshall dragged my attention back to him. “You good with comin’?”

Withholding a sigh, I shot him an exasperated smile and another nod. “‘Course. Stop questioning shit.”

He pulled a face. “Just tryna be hospitable, shit.”

“Hospitable isn’t the word I’d use.” I chuckled then finished the last of my drink, peering into the still warm mug, “Thanks for this though. It means– well, I can’t explain how much it means to me. Like having a little bit of home here.”

Marshall dipped his chin in silent understanding, still sipping away. “Can understand why, I’ve had this shit before but it ain’t ever tasted like this.”

That had me grinning, “You pulling my leg?”

“Nah, for real.” He said, nodding his head, “You put somethin’ in it?”

I glared and swiped his cup away, taking the two of them over to the sink to rinse. “No clue why you went into the music business, should’ve just been a clown.”

He was smirking when I looked back over, forearms pressed against the counter as he watched me clean the mugs and Rosie’s bowl. “Have a dishwasher, you know.”

Wrinkled my nose, I shrugged, “Probably have a lot of shit that makes life easier.”

“What’s that meant to mean?” Em laughed, the sound of it low but rippling the otherwise quiet kitchen.

“Take it as you will,” I retorted smugly, drying the dishes off easily and placing them down on the draining board. “We gonna start writing today?”

I asked it as I turned back to face him, pressing back against the sink to meet his stare. He shook his head though and pushed up out of the barstool, grabbing the keys he’d since set out on the side, “Figure I’d show you ‘round first.”

The smirk he wore made me question what it was exactly that he meant for us to do, but before I could even think up a reply he was already trailing away and calling up the stairs to Rosie. 

Still, the thought lingered.

[athymelyreply]

A highly recommended read. Full text of article under cut

On October 7, I was not hiding with my child in the safe room. My house was not burnt to the ground, and my husband didn't blow me a last kiss before his killer fired a fatal bullet.

I was safely at home in London where I have lived for over 30 years when my elderly peace-activist parents, Oded and Yocheved Lifschitz, along with 77 others members of the community, were taken hostage, barefoot and in their pajamas from their homes in the kibbutz where I was born and raised.

Israel's hostages in Gaza: A matter of life and death

Israeli peace activists who lost loved ones in the Hamas massacre stand their ground

What we can learn from released Hamas hostage Yocheved Lifshitz

For the past 229 days, together with the families of the other of hostages taken captive which now number 128, we have taken part in the fight for the lives of our loved ones.

A photo of the writer, Sharone Lifschitz's parents, Yocheved and Oded Lifschitz, who were both kidnapped by Hamas to Gaza on October 7. To date, only Yocheved Lifschitz has returned. Credit: Amiram Oren

In Nir Oz, my family's kibbutz, one in four people (117 in total), were either executed or kidnapped. We are still piecing together the events of that brutal day that Hamas terrorists and some Gazan civilians, perpetrated medieval levels of cruelty, driven by hate and revenge, blinded by radical religious ideology and super-charged with amphetamines.

Last month, at the "Seder in the Streets" event in New York, activist Naomi Klein spoke as if none of that ever took place. Instead, addressing hundreds who gathered for a combination Passover Seder and protest of the war in Gaza, she spoke of what she termed the "False Idol of Zionism", comparing Jewish support of it to the Israelites "worshiping" the golden calf and recalling Moses' rage seeing the spectacle.

Klein's interpretation seems to miss the point: Moses, unlike Klein, did not disengage. He did not give up on his people when they worshipped a false idol. Instead, without compromising his integrity and beliefs, he guided them through the desert for forty more years in their journey to become a nation. Klein, at this dangerous moment in history, is failing to lead her listeners to take responsibility, to engage and work towards a shared future in the region for Jews and Palestinians, one built on the preciousness of life on both sides and an understanding of the original intention of Zionism: the necessity for a safe home for the Jewish people.

"Seder in the Street" was also protesting the heartbreaking and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and settler violence in the West Bank. Many in Israel, like my parents, would agree. Yet their plight and that of the other hostages – most of them civilians, from a baby boy of one year to a man of 86 - are not mentioned at Seder in the Streets or other gatherings of far-left pro-Palestinian Jewish activists.

My father, Oded Lifschitz, who is 83, and his friends who are also hostages, all in their late 70s and 80s, have worked for peace for decades. My mother, Yocheved Lifschitz, was thankfully released after 17 days of captivity.

Yocheved Lifschitz after being released from 17 days in Hamas captivity, in Tel Aviv, Israel in late October. Credit: Tomer Appelbaum

How much more effective these protests could be if activists abroad could act as a bridge between the pro-Palestinian movement and progressives fighting for peace in Israel?

Hamas, a terrorist organization which has been systematically stripping freedom, women's rights and democracy from the Gaza strip since 2006 are also strangely left out of the discussion. In fact, I see more criticism of the Hamas attack and crimes from moderate Palestinian voices than from prominent Jewish voices of the pro-Palestinian movement in the United States and Europe.

Klein is instead content in disengaging from Israel based on a distorted idea of Zionism and in so doing offers no solidarity with the moderate, progressive Jews living in Israel and for whom rejecting Zionism is irrelevant at this moment. Whether we like our government's policies or hate them as many do, Israel is home. Just as Canada is Klein's home, whether or not she likes the policies of the Canadian government or condones its mistreatment of its Indigenous population.

I consider myself pro-Palestinian. My family has always fought for a shared future for our two peoples, understanding this key point: our fates are interlinked. My parents have advocated for peace and equality for and with the Palestinians since the 1960s. We have united as a family to protest policies of the current Israeli government we find abhorrent. I wish for the Palestinians what I want for my own people: to live without bloodshed, in their own democratic state, as part of a negotiated two-state solution.

The facts are indisputable to Zionists and non-Zionists alike: There are about 7 million Jews and 7 million Palestinians living in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza. Jewish Israelis cannot be expected to reject the idea that they can and should have the right to live safely in Israel. Without Israel, where would they go?

Everyone who cares about what's best for the region must strengthen those who are working for a peaceful future. As my father always says, "You make peace with your enemies."

A Palestinian family rides on the back of a donkey-drawn carriage next to damaged buildings in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, in April.Credit: AFP

Thanks to international efforts to formulate a plan for the "day after" the war in Gaza, we are potentially closer to a long-term political agreement to lift us out of conflict than ever before. To help facilitate it, American and European progressives must distinguish between religious fanatics on both sides and those working toward a path of justice and peace for everyone in the region.

We must differentiate the liberal American pro-Palestinian activists from those who justify Hamas atrocities as acts of resistance. The dominant current narrative of the American far left, including the Jews among them, unwittingly aligns with Iran, and with antidemocratic and illiberal forces.

Instead of fostering hate and promoting disengagement from Israel, progressives abroad should help those in the region regain a sense that another future is possible and advocate for a negotiated political agreement that would create a state of Palestine established alongside the state of Israel. It won't be perfect, but it will be a good start.

The work of advocating for a different, sustainable future, must start with a call for the immediate release of hostages as part of a long-term agreement, backed by America and its allies, including moderate Arab states, that has the potential to transform the lives of Palestinians and Israelis by rescuing them from this ongoing tragedy. To fail to do so is to fail not just the hostages and their families, but to throw all the people of the region further into the abyss and undo the inspiring work of moderate forces within Israeli and Palestinian society.

In this, our darkest hour, we ask ourselves, who is our enemy? My enemy is the blind hate that seeks to erase the humanity of the other side. All of us who are horrified by what is unfolding in Gaza should work toward empowering the people of the region to move away from our common enemy. That's not Zionism, but rather the religious fanaticism we have within both our societies – Israeli and Palestinian – that threatens to engulf us all.

Sometimes, I want to shout at the news on TV, to remind people that their indulgent engagement in hatred of one side is so futile, so self-congratulatory. We can do better.

As we bleed and grieve, and in the case of families like my own – hang suspended between hope and despair for the fate of our loved ones, we must seek points of human connection between Jews and Palestinians, we must fight, not against one another, but for a practical solution that dismantles the status quo so that we can all survive – and live in freedom and security.

Sharone Lifschitz is a London-based filmmaker and academic originally from Kibbutz Nir Oz, whose parents were taken hostage on October 7. On Twitter: @Lifschitz_sha

[holylulusworld]

Designed by pain (15) FIN

Summary: Broken hearts are hard to put back together. 8 years ago, Dean lost something he didn’t even know he had in the first place. Will he get a second chance?

Pairing: former AU!Dean Winchester x fem!Reader

Warnings: angst, language, post break up, daddy Dean, fluff, new beginnings, hopeful ending

A/N: This was an alternative idea for the first chapter of my Bucky story: Monster-in-law masterlist. I decided to use it for a story with Dean.

Designed by pain masterlist

Designed by pain (14)

“So, uh—how did your interview go?” Dean watches you walk back inside his home. While you had a meeting with Bobby, he was babysitting your son. “Y/N. What did Bobby say?”

“Bobby said that I could start next week. I told him that I’d need a few more days to talk to organize everything. I need to sell my house and get my shit over here,” you grumble. “Bobby offered to help me with everything. He’s got a dude for everything.”

“A dude?” Dean snorts.

“His words, not mine, Winchester,” you stick your tongue out. “So, you offered your help. I’d like to go house hunting next week.”

“Oh—sure,” he nervously plays with his phone. He points at your son, shushing you when you sit down on the couch. Michael is sleeping on Dean’s couch, cuddling his favorite plushie, and you smile. “I can ask Sammy to check on the legal stuff.”

Dean is squirming in his seat, nervously glancing at Michael sleeping soundly on his couch. “Why are you so nervous?” You watch him place his phone on the coffee table. “Dean, what did you do?”

“I did nothing,” he raises his hands. “I swear it was all his idea. That’s not my fault at all, sweetheart. Michael decided that he wants to live here with us from now on.”

“Enlighten me, Dean, lying bitch Winchester. How did my son get the idea that I’ll allow him to live here with you?” You put your hands on your hips and glare at Dean. “I’m waiting, Dean.”

“He doesn’t want to live here with me,” Dean grins now. “He wants to leave here with us. Mommy and Daddy.” That bastard dares to wink at you. You harrumph. How dare he put ideas in Michael’s head. “What do you say? Do you want the left or the right side of the bed?”

Dean enjoys the struggle on your face. You don’t know if you want to laugh about his cockiness or strangle him. Maybe both. His cocky attitude and smirk got you weak in the knees in the past.

“DEAN WINCHESTER!” You hiss under your breath. “You can’t ask me that after everything happening over the last few days. What happened in the past can’t be undone. We cannot just start over, Dean.”

“Why not?” He questions. “You are here. My son is here. We are going to work together from now on. You got your revenge on my mother, and the ring looks good on your finger. If there was ever a moment screaming second chance, it’s this one.”

“That was cheesy, Dean,” you snort. “Only because I turned my back on Ketch, my job, and my life in London doesn’t mean that we are going to get back together. It’s not that easy.”

“Why not?” Dean says again. He slowly gets up from the couch to cup your face with both hands. “I still love you, Y/N. I never stopped loving you. And, if fate doesn’t want to fuck me over again, you love me too.”

“Mommy?” Michael stirs in his sleep. He slowly wakes up and rubs his face with his plushie. “I’m tired.”

“I’m here, baby boy,” you say, shaking your head at Dean before you take care of your son. He slowly gets up and lets you guide him toward the guestroom Dean offered to your son for the time being.

“So—what do you say, Michael?” Dean pokes your son’s side, making Michael giggle. “Can I ask your mommy out?”

“Only if you get her ice cream too!” Your son exclaims. “Mommy said a perfect date ends with ice cream.” Your son whispers the last part, conspiring with his father. “Don’t tell her I told you so. She likes vanilla.”

“Vanilla,” Dean nods. “Noted.”

“BUT NO KISSING!” Your son suddenly says. “You can’t kiss my mommy. All her kisses are only for me.” Michael pouts. “That one guy asking her out tried to kiss her.”

Dean nods thoughtfully as his son tells him he kicked the poor man’s shin. You never heard of Steven again. He ran for the hills, never looking back.

Dean grins. “You protected your mommy from other men. Well done, son. But I can kiss your mommy, right?”

Michael nods while looking at the picture of you and Dean in the photo album he found on the coffee table. After you claimed his bedroom and told Dean to sleep on the couch, he was looking at old pictures last night.

“Hmm…” Michael wrinkles his forehead, thinking about Dean’s question. “Only if I can drive your Impala.”

“Bud, you’re too young to drive a car.”

“Not now,” your son grins. “When I get my driving license, you’ll give me your car.” He purses his lips and crosses his arms over his chest.

Dean gasps. His son is the devil in disguise. “You’re a hard negotiation partner.”

“Mommy or your car!” Michael grins. “You can have one kiss if I get your car!”

“You are selling your mommy for a car, Michael?” You lean in the door frame, giving your son a stern look. “This means no ice cream for you.”

“Aww…man. Now I won’t get ice cream,” your son sighs deeply. “It was worth a try.” He grins. “One day, I’ll get his car. Right, mommy?”

“Sure, baby boy.” You smirk at Dean. “Your daddy will give you his car because you allowed him one kiss.”

“Well, in that case,” Dean gets up from the couch to stalk toward you. “I’d better get that kiss and lots of ice cream.”

“I thought you loved pie,” you chuckle.

“I love you,” he replies.

Dean steps closer and closer to cup your face. He brushes his lips over yours, ready to claim your lips in a soft kiss.

“Eeek…” Your son scrunches up his nose. “No kissing before you bought mommy ice cream.”

Dean and you start laughing and hug each other. It’s the first time that you can forget about the past and think about the future.

The End...

Tags in reblog.

[honeybeezgobzzzzz]

𓅨 Momma

Momma: You had fallen into the habit of feeding some stray kittens near your house in London, soon encounter a beautiful black tom cat. What’s the worst that could happen by befriending a tom cat and his passel of kittens?

Warnings: Meowpheus, Morpheus is in Love (And A Little Stalkerish in Cat Form).

To Note: Meowpheus x Female!Reader.

Word Count: ~3.7k

Morpheus was once again walking the streets of London in cat form, heading in the direction of a family of stray kittens that had been cruelly abandoned on the side of the road by humanity. His pitch back fur blended in easily with the shadows, enabling him to wind his way through the city with little to no attention drawn. Though one glance at him, and one might question the size of such a large house cat. The little pack of kittens he had happened upon by chance once day had all been scrawny things, undernourished with patchy hair. They had been so lost without the guidance of their parents, so Morpheus has stepped in. He had guided the kittens on how to safely survive on the streets, taught them how to feed themselves on mice and other rodents, and all around provided a comforting parental figure.

Then the little ones had started to gain more weight, their scrawny figures filling out so their weight was far more healthy then it had been. Morpheus had noted that there were little trays of water set out in the alley the kittens resided in, they were regularly refilled and cleaned. It was obvious that someone other then Morpheus had taken notice of the strays.

Morpheus padded his way into the back alley, and the moment the kittens spotted him, they all came charging over to him with chirps and meows of greeting. They all had gotten into the habit of calling him father, a notion that tugged on Morpheus’s heart as thoughts of his long dead son surfaced, but he couldn’t bear to tell them to stop. Not when they looked at him with such happiness and innocence. Morpheus walked himself over to a nice spot to stretch out and plopped his body down, enjoying watching the kittens wrestle with each other. They had been dealt a bad card, but it hadn’t affected their happiness. He was in the middle of carefully observing the two youngest rolling around, fighting over a bottle cap, when all six kittens froze in place and perked up. Morpheus himself twitched an ear at the sound of incoming feet. Seconds later all six kittens were scrambling in the direction of the far side of the alley, their little voices echoing the same word, over and over. Momma. Momma. Momma. Momma. Momma. Momma.

Morpheus saw feet appear, and lifting a lazy but attentive blue eye, he watch as you made your way down the alley, the kittens all running towards you with cries of happiness. You stopped short to avoid stepping on the kittens circling your legs, and as they further cried up at you with repeated ‘Momma’, you bent down, setting the box you held aside and and stroked their heads with a giggle. The youngest of the kittens rose up on his back legs and pressed his claws into your stocking covered knee. You ignored the pinpricks of pain the kitten claws gave your skin and chuckled at the kitten demanding your full attention.

“It’s lovely to see you too, little one,” You spoke softly, your voice just barely traveling across the alleyway. More kittens started pawing at your legs, ripping into your stockings. You gently started peeling the mewling kittens off your legs and reached into the cardboard box you had been carrying. Your hands pulled out a stack of metal bowls and you carefully started setting them down, one after another, right in a row. Morpheus eyed the bowls, now understanding that you were the reason that the kittens were doing so well now. You had been feeding and caring for them. The kittens were being extra loud now, boisterous even, as you started scooping kibble into each of the dishes. It was amusing to watch as the kittens devoured the foot you gave them with the gusto of a fully grown cat. You were pacing away the plastic container of kibble when you finally noticed Morpheus.

He hadn’t moved from his lounging spot, bright blue eyes watching you ever so carefully. You adjusted were your squatted, a frown appearing on your face.

“Oh, I didn’t notice you,” You quietly commented, your head tilting to the side. Your frown deepened as you looked at the container of kitten kibble. “I only have kitten kibble but you’re clearly an adult… I’m sure it makes no difference to you.” You wished to offer him food? Morpheus had no need for sustenance, and anything you offer to him was better spent on the little ones. You stayed long enough to let the kittens finish their meals and pack away their metal bowls. When you were lifting your box up, you gave Morpheus one last look. The kittens had returned to him, their bellies full, and were content to pile up for a nap around him. It was a very familial sight. “They’re lucky to have you, I’m afraid I can only do so much for them as a human.”

It was week three of you stopping by the alley after work to feed the kittens, and Morpheus had gotten to know your weekly habits well by following you around in his cat form. He had even dipped into your dreams when you slept at night to get a better picture of what your hopes and dreams were. You were an unusually kind human and the sparkle that glowed in your eyes when you visited the kittens had taken the Endless’s heart captive. His interest in you had finally led him to follow you home this night. You were oblivious to your follower, that is until Morpheus had hopped up onto the stone wall that ran in-between your cottage and the neighboring one, and you checked your postbox. You blinked in confusion as Morpheus sat on the wall and stared at you, his tail swishing around lightly.

“Well hello, handsome,” You spoke with that lovely smile of yours. In the last couple of weeks, the older cat that had been a regular in the alley had taken more interest in you and even let you pet silky black fur. You weren’t sure if he was the kitten’s father, but he sure acted like it. The cat blinked at you and sniffed the air, you looked down at your work blouse. “Do I smell bad? My coworker wore an ungodly amount of cologne today and I swear the entire floor could smell it. It’s going to take weeks for it to dissipate.” Your nose scrunched in distaste and you offered your fingers to him. “I won’t blame you if you don’t want to even touch me, I’m getting a headache just thinking about it.”

Morpheus could agree that the stench of cologne was quite repellent… but he could smell your own sweet scent beneath the noxious notes of the male coworker. You never smelled bad, even after a bad day. So he stretched his neck out and brushed his cheeks across your fingers, marking them with his scent in a territorial way. He could defend his actions by simply stating that he was acting as a cat should… his own territorial desires aside. You finished getting your post and dug out the key to your flat, glancing at the cat once more.

“Would you like to come in?” You offered to the obsidian feline. “You’ve proven to be quite the company, Mr.” Morpheus would gladly follow you into your home to spend just a few minutes more with you. So he nimbly jumped down from the stone wall and trotted after you as you opened your front door. Morpheus didn’t need any direction in your home, he knew the footprint of your flat quite well after watching you piddle around through the window of your kitchen. So he trotted through the front hall to your kitchen and jumped up into the spare chair at the table. You came walking in, riffling through your mail and muttering under your breath. “Be glad you are a cat, Handsome, because junk mail is the worst.” You slapped the stack on the table and went to turn the kettle on for tea.

You further rambled about your day at work to Morpheus, who had learned that you had a coworker who consistently harassed the female staff on your floor, someone who repeatedly stole lunches from the communal fridge, and the worker in the next cubical over tended to play their music a touch too loudly at the worst of times. Morpheus often wondered why you stayed at your job in the first place since it gave you much grief, not to mention overtime… you often came to the alley looking rundown and in need of a good rest. By the time you were sipping your tea at the table, you looked worse for wear. You fell asleep at the table that night, Morpheus calmly watching over you.

You had beaten Morpheus to the kittens this night, but unlike your usual routine, you were far from smiling and giggling. No, you were hunched over in place, ignoring the London rain flooding downwards from the sky. You were soaked, shivering, and very much obviously upset. Morpheus didn’t like that. Rather than approach you in cat form like he had the past five months, he shifted into his human form and slowly approached you. You were oblivious to him until a coat was draping around your trembling and wet shoulders.

You jerked in place slightly when the fabric was placed around your shoulders and looking up, you saw than inhumanely beautiful man. It was his coat around your shoulders… but you were wet, dirty! You went to remove the warm and fancy material from your shoulders. He stopped you with a voice that was hypnotizing.

“I believe you have more use for my coat that this moment.” Morpheus spoke to you as his eyes stared into your red and puffy face. You had been crying and the mascara and eyeliner had ran. You sniffed and wiped at your cheek.

“That’s kind of you, thank you,” You whispered out, your fingers curling into the jacket. It was unbelievably warm and dissipated the chill that had set within your bones since you had marched your ass out of your work— no, that wasn’t right, you had quit before you got fired for smacking the shit out of your now former coworker. One of the kittens mewed and stood up on its hind legs, balancing on your shin as it stared at you with its big and innocent little eyes. “Today has not been my day I fear.”

Morpheus blinked and tilted his head to the side. Oh today was most definitely not your day. He had never seen you so worn down your upset. A few of the kittens marched over to Morpheus and started demanding his attention. Father. Father. Father. Father. Father. Morpheus joined you in your crouch, giving the demanding attention.

“I’ve never seen you before but the kittens seem to be familiar with you,” You softly commented as the youngest started batting at your fingers, playing with them. Morpheus gazed at your with a soft smile.

“I visit periodically,” He explained simply. “Today I decided to change my schedule.” You hummed before looking around for the silky black tom cat.

“There’s usually a gorgeous black tom cat hanging around,” You commented, teasing a kitten with a twirl of your fingers. “I think he’s their father or at least guardian. It’s strange that he’s not here today.”

“I’m sure he is close by,” Morpheus reassured you, knowing that you were rather fond of his cat visits and proclivity to follow you home. “Forgive me for prying, but it appears that you are in distress.” You sniffed again and wiped your nose with the back of your hand with a strained chuckle.

“Oh, yeah, kind of.” You started, tilting your head back to look up at the stormy skies overhead. “So… I punched my coworker today because I couldn’t take his sexual harassment of my friend anymore and then subsequently quit my job so I didn’t get fired and I don’t regret anything because the hours and pay sucked and my coworkers looked at me like I was their hero but now I’m out of a job and it sucks and—“ You stopped mid word vomit. “Sorry I didn’t mean to dump that all on you.”

“I doubt it would have done you any good to keep that bottled up.” Morpheus gently told you, secretly glad you had finally quit that horrid job of yours. You deserved so much better. A few of the kittens got into a fight a few feet from you, and standing up, you quickly stepped over to break them apart.

“Oh you naughty little ones, you aren’t supposed to be fighting with each other!” You chided them as you placed them back on the ground. “Stop picking on each other.” Morpheus couldn’t help but smile at the sight of you chiding the little ones like you were exactly what they thought you were. Their momma.

“You are quite gentle with them, do you have any of your own?” Morpheus asked while rising to his feet. He knew the answer but wanting to extend the conversation for as long as he could. You shook your head and wrapped his coat further around your shivering body.

“No, I— well I suppose my job kept be so busy with work I thought it wouldn’t be fair to keep an animal at home always waiting for me, so no, I don���t have pets of my own.” You sighed softly and and looked at the mystery man. “I probably wouldn’t be a very good parent.” You thought you would be a bad parent? After everything you had done for the little ones?

“I wouldn’t say that,” Morpheus answered, looking down at you wrapped up in his coat. “You are taking care of these little ones quite well.” You flushed under his praise and looked down at the jacket you wore around your shoulders. At times you could have sworn that you saw stars glimmering on the silken underside of the jacket. Then you remembered that if you were wearing his coat to protect you from the rain, what was protecting him? You went to remove the coat once more, his hands were physically stopping you. “I have business to attend to and I should not like to leave you here in the rain unprotected.”

Why couldn’t all men be as kind and considerate as him? You sighed in resignation and nodded.

“Okay,” You agreed before glancing over your shoulder to the direction your house was in. “But I would feel bad if I leave you without your jack—“ When you turned back around he was gone. “et…” You trailed off as the kittens repeatedly meowed and pawed at your ankles. “Oh I do hope I see you again because this jacket feels like it cost a fortune.” You hummed with a sigh. Then, like a little burst of sunshine, a silky black cat emerged from the shadows of a nearby building. You darted over with a wide smile.

“You’re here!” You exclaimed, crouching down in front of the tom cat and stroking his head with your free hand. He purred and bumped his head against your palm. Handsome, as you had taken to calling him, eagerly wound around in figure eights in front of you, purring loudly and rubbing every bit of his cheeks against your cold fingers. “We had a visitor here today,” You softly explained as the kittens came scrambling over and wove themselves around you and Handsome, loud and cheerful. “He left without his jacket though,” you looked down at the dark material encompassing your shoulders.

Thinking about what the man had said, you look down at the little kittens and decided right there in the rain to change their futures. Looking at the box that had the cat food and dishes, you reached for the kittens one at a time and placed them within the box. In no time, you had all of them safely tucked away with Handsome sitting calmly next to you, blinking at you with his incredible blue eyes. You then noticed they were strikingly similar in color to the mystery man’s. It was a very beautiful blue color that shimmered with stars. How odd that they had matching eyes. Never mind that, you needed to get these kittens taken are of.

“Alright then, let’s get the little ones home, yes?” You questioned Handsome, picking up the box with the mewling kittens. As you headed home, he followed you step in step, quite pleased that you had a smile on your face once more.  The kittens had quieted by the time you were backing into your house, letting Handsome trot ahead of you. Kicking the door shut behind you, you headed straight for the bathroom. If you were going to let the little ones stay with you for now, they were going to need a bath.

“Well that was chaos,” You murmured tiredly from where you sat at your kitchen table, Handsome sitting on the tabletop next to you. He head butted your arm and purred loudly. You chuckled and scratched him under the chin. “I think the little ones have exhausted themselves, thank god for that because I don’t know if I would been able to keep up with them running around my feet.”

Morpheus agreed. The little kittens had exhausted themselves after you had bathed them clean of the street and rain. Now they slept in your bathtub on a bed of towels you had thrown into your dryer while you bathed them. They hadn’t moved since you put them there.

Your tired eyes glanced at the black jacket you had neatly folded over your spare dining chair. You hoped that you would run into the mystery man in that alley once more, you needed to return his jacket. Which you were now sure that stars glimmered in the lining. It was strange and beautiful at the same time. Sighing, you pushed back from your seat and stretched your tired limbs. It was late, you were tired, and you really needed to get some quality sleep after the day you had. So, standing up from your seat, you walked over to your front door and opened it to let the tom cat out for the night.

The black tom cat just blinked at you from where he sat on the table, not the least bit interested in leaving.

“Oh come on, Handsome,” You coaxed. “I hardly think you’ll want to spend the entire night in my house. Not after being a street cat. Come on, out you go because I am tired and need to go to bed.” He didn’t budge. You sighed again and gestured to the door. “Handsome,” you cooed softly, Morpheus started purring, your silky voice like a drug to him. “If you don’t want to spent the night here, you need to leave.”

Morpheus jumped down from your table, but rather than trot over to you and leave, he padded his way over to the door to your bedroom and sat in front of it. Then he looked back at you, his silver blue eyes twinkling. Oh were you really going to give in to the demand of a street cat? Decidedly so. You shut and locked your door before heading back to your bathroom. The kittens were still knocked out in the bathtub, and they had access the makeshift litter box you made and to the water bowl. They would be fine until morning.

“Alright, Handsome, let’s get ready for bed, shall we?” You asked as you opened your bedroom door and let the demanding cat into your room. He strut in like he owned the place and jumped up onto your nightstand. While you changed into your pajamas, Morpheus sniffed the clock on the nightstand and the picture of you with another woman. She looked like an older version of you. When you pulled your shirt over your head and undid your bra, Morpheus, at the very least, turned his head to give you privacy. You were oblivious of course, but certainly deserved his respect.

Dressed in your sleep clothes, you turned the lights off and climbed into your bed. Morpheus jumped onto your bed and then boldy sat directly on your chest, staring directly into your eyes.

“You’re not sleeping there,” You told him, reaching up and stroking his face once more. “No matter how handsome you are Handsome.” Morpheus purred and pushed his face further against your touch. In truth he had become addicted to your company and wished for more than just your touches when he was a cat. He wanted to woo you, court you, wanted to sweep you off your feet, in his human form. It was a good thing he had made sure to leave while you still had his coat. It gave him a reason to see you again.

You pulled him off your chest and rolled onto your side, tucking him against your chest so you could feel the warmth and vibrations from his body.

“When the weather clears up, I think I will go in search of my mystery man.” You murmured, your fingers running along Morpheus’s back. Morpheus was pleased by your words and snuggled himself into your side.

You had your mystery man’s jacket draped over your arm as you walked down the damp street in London. The rain had finally ceased its downpour and you were taking this chance to visit the alley once more. Turning down it, you felt that the alley wasn’t the same without the tiny yet powerful mewling of the kittens. But they were in better homes now, having been homed to families and friends you knew would take good care of them.

Looking around at the old alley, you smiled at the memories you remembered making with the little ones. They had left little scratch marks in places, soft little gorges from the stone that would forever remain in memory. Overhead you herd the call of a bird and glancing up, you saw a large raven perched on the gutter of a nearby building. You were quickly distracted by movement to your right, and to your delight it was your mystery man. His startlingly blue eyes met yours and he smiled. You glanced down at the folded coat in your hands before looking back up.

“I believe I have something of yours to return.”

Date Published: 4/27/23

Last Edit: 4/27/23

[ofmdrecaps]

10/20-22/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Happy very Belated Birthday Rachel House! David Jenkins; Rhys Darby; Taika Waititi; Con O'Neill; Samba Schutte; Vico Ortiz; Kristian Nairn; Nathan Foad; Boris McGiver; Tiny Boats Raffle! Articles; Fan Spotlight; amuseoffyre; Love Notes!

== Happy Birthday Rachel House! ==

Oct 20 was our dear Mary Reed's Birthday! She's been a staple in so many Aotearoa films and TV, and we hope to keep getting to see all her fantastic work for many more years!

Img Src: Screengrab from TheylorSwift Gif

== David Jenkins ==

Chaos Dad has confirmed that the "summer teeth" was Alyssa Lane and Alex Sherman's doing!

Source: David's Twitter

And some love for this OFMD pumpkin!!!

Source: David Jenkins' Twitter

== Rhys Darby ==

Okay so this is really for Rhys AND Taika, and Jemaine-- but Guess what? It's been 10 years since WWDITS 2014 came out! In celebration there's a a limited edition bluray out! I'm still waiting to hear back whether or not it's region free.. because it's got some cool stuff!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Madman (@madmanfilms)

Source: Rhys' Instagram

I didn't see him in the trailer, but it's also been announced that Rhys will be joining Ke Huy Quan and Sean Astin in the new movie Love Hurts coming to theatres on Feb 7, 2025!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Love Hurts (@lovehurtsmovie)

Source: Ke Huy Quan's Instagram

== Taika Waititi ==

Taika was out in Tokyo with Rita for her concert! We got some silly behind the scenes shots of him and Bret from Flight of the Conchords!

Source: Roara Magazine Instagram

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bret McKenzie (@bretrospective)

Source: BretRospective's Instagram

Also -- more news for Taika -- he helped to Executive Produce all 10 episodes, but also directed one of the episodes! It premieres on Nov 19 on Hulu!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Taika Waititi (@taikawaititi)

Source: Taika's Instagram And in case you haven't seen enough of Taika -- he's out taking selfies with fans!

Source: Instagram

== Con O'Neill ==

For those of you who still have access to Max-- Our Izzy Hands, Con O'Neill showed up episode 5 of The Penquin as Gotham's Chief of Police!

Source: Gotham Chief Twitter

== Samba Schutte ==

Samba's been so busy with interviews about Advanced Chemistry! First up is Beyond the Glam!

Source: Beyond the Glam

Next up is Watch or Pass with Samba and the writer Alec Moore!

Source: Youtube

Not an interview-- but Samba did a voting short that he shared on his Instagram as well!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Samba Schutte (@sambaschutte)

Source: Sambas Instagram

== Vico Ortiz ==

Did any of yall join Vico for Drag Your King this Saturday? I wasn't able to make it but looking forward to the video once it's available! You may already know this-- but Vico has been doing A LOT of voice work lately. They've narrated Metal From Heaven (August Clarke) which you can check out here! They are also the narrator for The Stars Too Fondly!

Are you in LA on October 25th? Hit up the LA Femme Int'l Film Festival where you can see Vico's film Lesbophilia! Get tickets here!

Source: Vico's Instagram Stories

== Kristian Nairn ==

Kristian was digging through some old stuff and found these awesome Wonder Woman Bracelets <3

Source: Kristian's Instagram

Reminder UK Crew! Kristian and Nathan will be at MCM Comic Con in London Oct 25 - 27!

Source: Nathan's Instagram

== Boris McGiver ==

Another trailer for Father Bonnet's new show Teacup! Warning-- it's creepy AND bloody! Just in time for Halloween!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Scott Speedman ✰FANSITE (@sscottyfan)

Source: Boris McGiver's Instagram

== Tiny Boats Raffle ==

Okay so I'm MANY days late on this one-- the Tiny Boats Charity Raffle is up! They've announced all their charities! Wanna learn more on how you can win one of Auntie's tiny boats? Visit their Linktr.ee! Or @ofmd-buys-boats on tumblr! It's super cool that all the charities were chosen by the cast! Here's the Entry Form: TinyCrewBigRaffle Entry Form and Entry Guide!

Source: TinyCrewBigRaffle

== Articles ==

== Fan Spotlight ==

= A Muse of Fyre =

Back again with a new muppet is @amuseoffyre! I can't tell you how damn impressive this Ned Low is! He's practically sinister!

Source: amuseoffyre's Twitter

== Love Notes ==

Hey there lovelies. It's been a long beginning of the week for me.. as you can see I'm several days late again.

I just wanted to send a quick reminder that I badly needed this week.. and that is that we are not defined by our low points.

Sometimes things are not gonna go our way, no matter how much we plan, or try to make them do it, and sometimes we just gotta let the tide take us in a direction until it calms the hell down. When it finally does, you're gonna still be the same kind, and wonderful person you've always been-- maybe with some new outlooks or experiences, or even some new lessons learned. We're never the same person we were the day before, but we can still hold onto the things that make us us. Your kindness, your love, your laughter, and your tears... and so much more. Hard times don't define us lovelies, we define us. I hope this week goes in an upward direction for you, and the tides calm down a bit. Please know, even when I'm not around I'm always thinking of you. Take care <3

Source: The Latest Kate's Tumblr

[calummss]

I’ll Call You Mine | Nell Jackson

masterlist

summary: finding a suitor was hard when everyone in london wanted your sister and not you; at least until nell jackson arrived

pairing: lesbian! nell jackson x lesbian bridgerton! reader

words: 1.6k

a/n: basically a nell jackson bridgerton au hehe

Life as a Bridgerton was not always as easy as the people of the ton thought. Yes, you were a respected family and influential but it came with a price. You loved your sister dearly but having to compete with her when you knew she would always be ahead of you was not a comfortable situation to be in. People looked at Daphne first. Greeted her first. And now that Lady Whistledown declared her the diamond of the first water it had you feeling down. Daphne was beautiful and gentle and deserved nothing more than to be called the diamond of the season. But it was only further proof of her excellence, something you were not in possession of.

Callers came early in the morning and left early in the afternoon. All for Daphne, not a single one for you.

The next day it was the same, only quieter. A few callers came for Daphne, gifting her flowers and jewels. You sat on the sofa reading Jane Austen’s new novel when the staff announced there was another caller.

“Miss Jackson is here for Y/n.” He announced and seconds after a brown haired lady entered the room with the most unusual style of clothes. She wore a billowy white shirt, dark trousers and a matching waistcoat and jacket. A woman in men’s clothing. Yet she looked marvellous.

“Miss Jackson,” your mother stepped towards her with a concealed confused expression. “It is calling hour.”

“I am aware, Lady Bridgerton.” She said, “I’m here to call on Miss Y/n Bridgerton.”

She turned her head to meet your figure hiding in the far back of the room. You smiled at her as you took her in. She was beautiful. The type of beauty you would see beyond your day, wondering whether or not you would see them again. She had light brown hair, contrasting her skin that bore freckles across the apples of her cheeks and nose. Her smile was white and welcoming.

She came over to where you were now standing. “Miss Nell Jackson. I hope you don’t mind me saying that you are the most ethereal woman I have ever met.”

You felt the apples of your cheeks turn warm, thanking her and offering her the seat next to yours. “Normally calling hours are for men interested in the ton’s ladies,” you smiled.

“I am very well aware of the rules, Miss Y/n. I hope you are not bothered by my presence. I assure you if you feel uncomfortable I can leave—“

“Would you like to get acquainted with the garden?” You cut her off, deep down knowing that even if it was unusual for a woman to call upon another, you didn’t want her to leave.

“I would be delighted to.” She smiled in agreement.

You guided her towards the hallways where you briefly met your mother’s confused stare with the shrug of your shoulder. It was different but you liked it.

In the garden you sat on the swings your father built before he died. You had asked her if she wanted to sit down on the bench but she insisted that the swings were just fine.

“Excuse me for being so direct, Miss Jackson, but I do not know you nor do I believe we have ever seen each other…how is it you know me?”

“I must admit I’ve admired you from afar the last few weeks and was unsure whether to visit you during calling hours. I hope you do not feel awkward about all this”

“I do not.” You smiled at her. “I am rather enjoying myself.”

Nell smiled softly, the sunlight reflecting in her eyes as you caught yourself staring at her lips. Gently pressing against each other as her feet pushed her back and forth.

“I suppose you are looking for a wife this season?”

“Indeed I am.”

“What do you look for?”

“If I may be so direct but I think I already found what I’ve been looking for.”

You raised your eyebrows ever so slightly, taken aback by her choice of words. You admitted that you were glad to know of her intentions. It had only been thirty minutes but they showed you her true kind hearted nature. You were immediately smitten with her.

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Well then I hope we meet each other at the Fraser’s ball in the upcoming days. I hope you will write down your name on my card?”

“I will find you before the night ends.” She reached out to place a kiss on your hand.

You cleared your throat, “Shall we ehm go back, it is most inappropriate to spend more than thirty minutes alone.”

“Of course, Miss Y/n.”

Back at the house you said your goodbyes and joined your mamma back in the drawing room, picking up the book Colin had gifted you from his travels.

“You cannot see her again.” Your mamma came through the door as soon as you heard the front door close. “People will talk of this if they find out.” She braced herself against the sofa.

“Why?”

“Because a woman called on you, Y/n!” She raised her voice but you could tell she didn’t mean to. “It is not done.”

“But I like her,”

“It doesn’t matter.” She breathed out heavily. “What if Lady Whistledown were to know of this. The entirety of the ton would know by tomorrow morning.”

Just as she finished her sentence Eloise and Penelope joined the room. Penelope greeted you with a smile.

“Well I like her, Mama.” You stood up and walked towards the end of the room to start reading.

“What happened?” Eloise asked.

“A Miss Nell Jackson called on your sister today.”

“A woman?”

Your mamma nodded.

“How exhilarating.”

“We will not speak of this again.”

A few days later the newest edition of Lady Whistledown appeared on your front door.

Dearest gentle readers,

prepare your smelling salts and hold on to your bonnets, for a revelation that will set the ton abuzz. In a society where the heart's true desires are often overshadowed by rigid expectations and whispered disapproval, it is high time we lift the veil on a most beautiful truth: love, in all its splendid forms, deserves celebration.

This author has observed, with no small amount of admiration, the tender affections shared between individuals of the same sex. These connections, whether whispered in secret gardens or displayed with courage at the grandest of balls, are as genuine and profound as any other. They speak to the very essence of what it means to be human: the desire to love and be loved without constraint or fear.

So, let us cast aside the shackles of convention and prejudice. Let us embrace a society where love, whether between gentlemen, ladies, or any soul in between, is met with the same respect and honour we afford all tender unions. For is it not love, dear readers, that makes the world a more delightful place? The heart knows no bounds, and neither should our acceptance of its many splendid forms.

We are all the creations of God and if he disapproved of equal live then why create it at all?

Yours Truly, Lady Whistledown

Even weeks after Lady Whistdown’s controversial edition the ton was still abuzz. Whilst very few disagreed, the majority had agreed with what was written. Multiple people since then had come forward about their true loves. It made you think of Nell. The last time you saw her was at the ball. She danced with you despite everyone’s eyes on you and all their mouths whispering of the scene in front of them

By the time the ton had settled it was inevitable to try and make society disapprove of the past events that by the time Lord and Lady Smythe-Smith held their annual ball, multiple same sex couples attended.

You were upset that you hadn’t seen Nell for quite some time. Ever since Whistledown she had disappeared. She wasn’t seen at any balls or in society as a whole. Tonight's ball had you wearing a pink gown with the most beautiful necklace that had been left for you by an anonymous person. Standing by the lemonade table you silently sulked next to your mamma as you watched the others dance. You were about to lean your head on your mamma’s shoulder when suddenly a familiar face showed up in front of you.

“Lady Bridgerton, Miss Bridgerton, you must excuse my absence as I was unsure of what to do with the scandal that was the past weeks.” She admitted. “May I,” she turned her head to face you, “have your next dance?”

You looked at your mamma who slowly smiled and nodded, approving of your union.

“Yes I would like that very much.”

“I hope you don’t mind me writing my name down for all three dances?”

You let out a small laugh, “Not at all,”

“Beautiful necklace.”

“Someone sent it to me.”

“Do you know who it was?”

“Of course I know it was you, Nellie Jackson.” You whispered into her ear as you watched her smile, talking your arms and guiding you towards the dance floor.

[bitter-caf]

I have a new fanfic idea I must share to the few people who have followed me in the last month. Hi hello hi. Feel free to use it if you'd like. It's just a ramble, so sorry if it's confusing.

I need more Werewolf!Charles Rowland aus. I need Charles pretending to be Crystals dog so he doesn't have to pay Jenny rent and he'd def beg Jenny for meat scraps. Or walking around London pretending to be a stray and desperately avoiding pet control. (The amount of times Edwin has had to break him out is ridiculous, but if Charles acts friendly/pathetic enough, people throw him food). And Edwin will pet him if he's an animal (but not as a human. Charles thinks this is discrimination and complains loudly). But also the angst, werewolves in media (btw I'm going off of teen wolf canon werewolves for this au) seem to have a harder time controlling their anger and I think with Charles so full of anger, it'd be rough for him. Charles would almost definitely be wanted by police at this point, both bc of the shit him and Edwin get up to and the fact that he's technically a missing kid (bc ofc he would run away with Edwin. Also if he went back home, he'd probably eat his father or at least the kids who tried to kill him). Edwin would for sure be Charles 'anchor' (again teen wolf werewolves), as in the thing that keeps him from going feral every full moon and from biting people everytime he gets upset lol. Tho! Note: imagine they come across a "how to contain a werewolf during the full moon" guide and it's everything Derek (from teen wolf, look it up if you have no idea what I'm talking about) does during the full moon for new wolves. The restraints, that are pretty painful and dig into the skin with spikes bc it's harder to get out of something if everytime you move, it hurts. And imgaine: Charles would accept it bc what if he hurts Edwin? Unacceptable. But Edwin would maybe try then back out of using them bc this is torture and he can't let this happen to Charles. Just a nice bit of hurt/comfort there.

Then port townsend comes along and now Charles bestie is pulling away/hiding things and so the grounds pretty unsteady under Charles. He's so ready to just eat the Cat King. And later Monty. The CK likes him even less in this au bc dogs vs cats and so does Charles. It's very much a Charles- "I'm bigger than you and will eat you" and CK- "I'm better and smarter than you". From first meeting, it on SIGHT for the both of them. Tho CK does make an effort to keep Edwin between them at all times. And Edwin does make an effort to keep an eye on Charles, ready to grab him if he lunges for CK or something. (Its worth noting that Charles does listen to the instincts he has pretty often and Edwin enables and encourages him to do what feels right. Neither of them have any experience with werewolves so it works out. Which often evolves into Charles chasing things that run from him. Animals, suspects they're chasing for cases, occasionally Edwin. I just think Charles dealing with all these new animal like instincts could create some fun hijinks and shenanigans.) I just think it'd be a fun dynamic for CK and Charles.

Now is Edwin still a ghost or something else like a vampire? Tbh this would turn into more of a Being Human au if Edwin was a vampire lol but more gay and posssibly poly? And I think that would be beautiful. But if Edwins a vampire, I want it to be what we do in the shadows type vampire. Edwin deserves to be able to turn into a bat. Along with all the other powers those vamps have lol. They'd have to bring a bag of dirt from Edwins homeland with them to Port townsend and just imagine the outfit Edwin would wear if he has to go out during daylight. It would include a parasol. He would not change his outfit with the times. Just picture, him forcing Crystal to use a parasol during the day so he can hang upside down in it to avoid the sun. Charles in his wolf form next to her. If Charles has to wear a leash and collar only Edwins allowed to hold it lol. Crystal trying to convince everyone who asks that Charles is just large husky and very well trained. Edwin would not pretend to be a pet to avoid paying Jenny rent but will wait outside Crystals window. If hes seen by Jenny in bat form, Crystal calls him a pest and says she left her window open by accident. Edwin will never forgive her.

I think in terms of Edwins Hell, it could still be actual Hell honestly. Maybe before he's sacrificed by classmates, he's attacked and turned into a vampire. Or! More exciting. He's turned by a vampire and that vampire belongs to a satanic vampire cult. Which is, in fact, a thing in the interview with a vampire verse. And his Hell is them. For context, in the IWAV verse, this cult believes they are forsaken by God and now have to worship the devil bc they're vamps. They think any light at all will kill/hurt them, even candles. Along with a bunch of other crazy untrue things. They literally live in caves in complete darkness and know pretty much nothing about being a vampire. It's pretty sad and in IWAV this goes on until I think lestat meets them and goes "damn you live like this?" And he becomes like their Jesus for awhile and shows them the "light". He upgrades them, but then he gets bored and leaves and they get sad. It's so funny i love Anne Rice. Anyways, either Edwins Hell he escapes is that cult or! They sacrifice vampire!Edwin to the devil. And now he's in actual Hell. In this au, the caves they live in are somewhere in the Woods near St. Hilarion's. So either way when he escapes, it's around the time Charles is attacked by those boys and when he's running thru the woods, attacked again! by a werewolf. Oh! Maybe Charles friends are mauled to death by the werewolf and the only reason Charles survives his mauling is bc of Edwin. Maybe Edwin scares off the werewolf and brings Charles to the attic or something to try and help him. Charles is def mauled but still breathing, the bite takes before he bleeds out tho. Its a really bad night for him but Edwin still reads him to sleep and is suprised he wakes up.

Now to deal with Edwin being immortal and Charles not? Either mess with the way werewolves age, or! More exciting. They stay together anyway, with the thought of charles- "I wanna stay with you for the rest of my life" and edwin- "i wanna stay with you for the rest of your life." Very cute very wholesome. But then! Charles gets cursed somehow someway on one of their cases and welll, immortality always seems to come to those who aren't looking for it. And so now charles can't die and doesn't age lol. But theres a consequence, bc theres always a trade off. My idea is that now Charles "will never see the light of day again". It takes a bit for them to realizes it's a curse of immortality until either Charles is greviously injured or like a decade passes and they're like "charles still looks... 17???" que rigorious experimentaion. (Charles would for sure test at least some of the limits of his immortality and then abuse it. Edwin is horrified everytime, his poor unbeating heart. And his clothes whenever he has to carry a still healing charles home and hes covered in blood. Luckily he doesnt die often, werewolves are hard to kill.) and honestly when they heard that "never see the light of day", they really thought it was going to kill Charles. No, now just as soon as the sun comes up, charles is dead to the world. Like literally he will just pass out as soon as the sun comes up, no matter where he is. It's like he's a corpse. It freaks Edwin out when this happens the first few times. He legit thinks charles is dead. He certainly seems like it. But he reanimates/awakens as soon as the sun goes down. He does forget often to lay down on the couch or something before the sun comes up and will just fall over. This is probs mostly bc the window is covered in blackout curtains for Edwin.

But they for sure have either a bed or coffin they share during the day, bc of a lack of room in their space for two ofc and it's soooo platonic bestie behavior. They will be taking no comments. Crystal still sleeps on the couch tho. Would you wanna sleep in two teenage boys' bed or coffin? When you're thinking "they're probably together." Like ew no. Charles offered, but edwin was like ew. They obv both have a good sense of smell, and edwin does not want their bed/coffin to smell like her.

[blueseachelle]

Home

Ominis Gaunt x MC! Reader

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

Warnings: Smut

Summary: Ominis and Y/n have been through everything together. They slowly fell in love and as time went on, they started to date. Now, they are ending their 6th year and starting the 7th year. Ominis decided that he would spend the Christmas holiday with his beloved with her family in London. Ominis is finally ready to tell her something.

Ominis met Y/n outside of the castle.

"I almost thought you got lost for a minute, Omi."

She kissed the male's cheek and intertwined hands with him. The blonde blushed and chuckled,

"Yeah. I'm just a little nervous to meet your family for the first time. Then, Sebastian stopped me and... yeah..."

The (H/c) colored girl just giggled,

"It's okay, Ominis. My family already knows a lot about you. You are family in their eyes and they know that you need your wand to guide you. There are wizards as well, remember? Purebloods who decided to spend their off time in the Muggle world. You're going to fit right in and sense new things. Don't be nervous, okay?"

Ominis nodded and kissed her the back of her hand,

"Okay. I'm ready to go."

With that, they apparated right outside of the grand doors of the L/n manor. Y/n opened the doors and led Ominis inside.

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!"

Ominis stood in slight shock. She addressed them so... so informally. What shocked him more was the response.

The fast clicking of heels rushed towards them,

"Y/n! Ominis! Welcome home!"

Y/n's mother hugged Y/n first and kissed the top of her head. The younger lady chuckled and gestured to Ominis,

"Ominis, this is my mother, Alice."

Ominis did his standard bow to her mother,

"It's a pleasure, Mrs. L/n."

The lady let out a laugh,

"No need for formalities, Ominis. Call me mom!"

Alice pulled the blind boy into a warm embrace while looking to Y/n and saying,

"It seems your going to be ushered into our family at the rate I see it."

Y/n blushed along with Ominis,

"M-mom!"

The older lady giggled and released Ominis,

"Come along, you two. Alex is this way!"

The red-haired lady led them into the den. A man sat in a lounge chair reading a newspaper. He looked up as his wife entered the room. His face then turned into a smile as he spotted his beloved daughter,

"My little Viper!"

Y/n smiled back and made her way over to her father.

"Hi, Dad."

The older man pulled her into an embrace and kissed her cheek,

"How has been Hogwarts been treating you?"

The girl hugged him back,

"It's been wonderful. I brought Ominis with me."

Said blind boy stood rigidly, unsure what to really do in this situation. Alice gently guided him closer to Alex,

"He is a sweet boy. Be nice, Alex."

Alex chuckled and released Y/n, who stood next to the blond.

"Well, son. I'm Alex, Y/n's father. I heard a lot about you and... I already like you. So, just treat my daughter right and we'll be alright, Okay?"

Ominis nodded and stuttered out a 'yes sir'. The brunette man stood and clasped his shoulder with a chuckle,

"We're gonna get along swimmingly. Y/n, something new is going to happen this year. The whole family will be gathered to feast on Christmas Eve and open presents on Christmas Day! So, to accommodate everyone I hope you don't mind sharing a room."

"Who will I share it with?"

Alice smiled at her daughter's innocence before continuing for her husband,

"Why Ominis, of course. We know he won't be comfortable with the rambunctious boy cousins so, we decided that would be the most comfortable for all of us."

Y/n's eyes widened and she looked to her mother, who winked back in response. Ominis heard her father chuckle again and squeeze his shoulder,

"Go ahead and show Ominis to your room. Dinner should be ready in an hour and a half, Okay?"

Y/n nodded and gently grasped Ominis's hand with a gentle tug, she led him up the stair case to her room.

She opened the door to her room. Home. Her room wasn't as large as her parents but it was the next largest one. She had a king sized bed and light blue bedding. To the left of the entrance, was a private bathroom with a shower and separate bath.

Y/n closed the door behind Ominis once they entered, she led him to the bed and they sat together.

"Are you okay with this, Omi? I can convince them to give you a room if you are uncomfortable."

Ominis shook his head quickly,

"No no no. I'm okay with this arrangement as long as you are. I can trust you and you can trust me. I love you, My Dearest."

Y/n smiled and kissed his cheek,

"I'm okay with this. Now, I'm going to get changed into some more... Familiar clothing."

She walked to the closet and opened it to reveal new clothes for her and... clothes for Ominis? The closet was halved. On the left side was Y/n's dresses and on the right side was male clothing. She shook her head with a smile,

"Omi."

"Yes?"

"My parents have clothing for you as well. The put them in my closet. Would you like to change as well?"

Ominis felt a warm feeling come from his chest. What was this? Familial love? He felt cared for, other that Y/n's care. This was something he never had. He actually... enjoys this.

"Yes. I would. You can pick out my outfit, of course."

She giggled and pulled an outfit from the closet,

"I'll describe the outfit and you say yes or no."

Ominis nodded.

"So, the outfit I picked are black slacks, a white button down and dark blue vest. There is a dark green vest as well. Which one?"

Ominis smiled in the girl's directions,

"Which ever one you would like me to wear, Love."

"Hmmmm. Okay, you are going to where the green vest because I want to where my green dress and then, we'll match! Sound good?"

Ominis nodded with a smile,

"It will be an honor to match you, Y/n."

Y/n walked over to him and set the outfit next to him on the best. She gave him a kiss. Small, sweet, and passionate. She broke the kiss and walked back over to her closet,

"Okay, Darling. I'm going to change in the bathroom. You change in here. I'll knock before I come out, Okay? Call for me if you need me."

With that, the door shut, leaving Ominis alone with his thoughts. He slowly started to remove his Slytherin robe and moved to the buttons on his shirt.

He thought about how his family welcomed him with such open arms, much like how Y/n welcomed him into his feelings for her. He loved her dearly. After the whole Sebastian incident and so forth, she was so strong in the face of it all. He was there to comfort her in her dark times and she did for him as well. They have been together for about two years and only started kissing 4 months ago. She was so patient with him. Whatever boundary he set, she respected it no matter what.

She deserved more. He wanted to give everything to her to prove to himself he was one hundred percent in this relationship like she was. He decided he will do it when the time was right.

->->->->->->

It's Christmas Eve.

The first night Y/n and Ominis slept in the same bed together was slightly awkward at first but, when Y/n cuddled into his chest when she was sleeping, he was comfortable. He held her close every night from then one. He loved her presence so close to him. He couldn't help but think about how much closer they could be by the end of Winter break. The thought excited him.

Y/n scrambled about the house in her Christmas Eve attire. A dark red adored her frame. The gold accents only seems to make her more beautiful from what Ominis could detect with his wand. He wore a matching vest to compliment her outfit and to show that they were together. Ominis took pride in that fact that she always chose to match. It made his heart swoon.

Her H/c locks were curled and styled to taste. She looked ethereal to him. She helped her mother decorate the house and helped the house elves and maids with preparing the meal along with her mother. They always treated there helpers as equals. Ominis admired that fact.

"Ominis. Come, join me in the den. It's better than accidently getting tackled by the perfectionist."

Ominis chuckled along with the older man and followed him into the den. He took a seat in the arm chair across from Alex.

"So, Ominis. I know it's a sensitive topic for you but, I have a couple questions for you. Is that okay?"

The blind boy nodded,

"Yes. I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability, Alex."

The older male chuckled,

"Just call me Dad. I already see you as my Son-In-Law. You won it over in my eyes."

Ominis could only nod and let out,

"Of course, Dad."

Alex cleared his throat,

"I know how the Gaunt family is. I know how purity oriented they are. I had a family the same way. They only wanted me to marry a pureblood Slytherin girl but, I chose to be with Alice. It was by luck she was a Pureblood Gryffindor girl. I truly didn't care if she was a 'mudblood' or not. I loved her. Now, with that said, my concern is that your parents won't accept Y/n for who she is. Yes, a pureblood but, we both know she doesn't act they way they want her to be. Are you ready to be disowned if, and when, this happens?"

Ominis sat a slight shock. He related to his family problems? He looked up at Alex,

"I don't know if Y/n told you this but, when she was dealing with the discovery of her magic abilities, we were there for each other every step of the way. Through thick and thin, we survived Ranrok and Dark Magic. I am prepared to sacrifice myself for her if be needed. I love Y/n. So, to answer the question directly, Yes, Dad, I'm ready for that day to happen. I know what my family do and I hate the Gaunt name that I'm stuck with. I want nothing more than for it to be nothing. Y/n means the world to me. I will do anything for her if need be."

Alex nodded, leaned forward, and rested a hand on the younger boy's shoulder,

"My feeling was right about you. You will treat Y/n perfectly. One more thing, Son. I would be more than happy if you take the L/n name. It's there when you are ready for it."

Before Ominis could say anything, Y/n walked in,

"Boys! Time to greet the family! They should be here any moment."

Ominis felt Y/n gently take his hand to lead him and the hand on his shoulder give him a reassuring squeeze as it departed. The four stood by the door as it opened. They greeted the extended family with warm smiles. Y/n made sure to introduce Ominis to everyone. Soon enough, voices filled the large house. All warm and friendly. Ominis felt happy as he wrapped his arms around Y/n's waist as the stood by the door, watching the rest of the family chatter and the kids play.

Y/n rested her head on his chest. He looked down and kissed the top of her head. For once, he felt accepted. He felt at home.

->->->->->->->

After dinner ended, the younger children surrounded Ominis on one of the many Living Room couches. Y/n was helping her mother clean up so, she wasn't there to save him from the barrage of questions of the rambunctious children.

"How do you see your outfits?"

"Well-"

"How do you know if your hair is bushed correctly?!"

"I Usually-"

"How do you not trip up the stairs all the time?"

"How do you know who is who?"

The questions kept coming. He didn't have a chance to answer because they just flew by too fast. He felt his cheeks warm up. He was almost at his breaking point until,

"Hey! Ya'll stop bothering my Boyfriend! How about this? Take some cloth and tie it around your head and try to navigate the world, hm? Put yourself in his shoes."

The children scrambled and went to bother their parents for cloth for there new game. Y/n gently sat next to Ominis and rubbed his back. She kissed his cheek gingerly,

"I'm sorry I wasn't quicker. They can be a little much at times."

Ominis rested his hand on her covered thigh,

"It's okay. Curiosity of children are overwhelming at time. I'm just happy to rescued me before I exploded."

Y/n giggled and rubbed the back of his hand that rested on her lap. He sighed, "I'm feeling a little drained. This is the most interaction I had in a long time."

Y/n nodded,

"Same here. You can retire for the night. I'll join you shortly after I make sure no one needs anything else."

Ominis smiled and kiss her gently. She kissed him back as she slowly stood up in front of him. They locked eyes for a few seconds until they heard a thump and a child cry out with an 'Owwwwww'.

They both let out a laugh as Ominis stood up. He hugged her and kissed the top of her head,

"I'll see you when you retire, My Dearest."

He then departed to their shared room. His mind racing with thoughts of how he was going to approach Y/n when she comes to him in a few.

->->->->->

Y/n finally caught a break to excuse herself to her room. She walked in with a sigh of relief. She looked so see Ominis leaning against the bedframe with his wand over a book. His eyes flicked over to her at the sound of her entrance. He wasn't wearing his normal night attire. He wasn't wearing his night shirt. Here he was, waiting for her shirtless in her bed. She blushed at the sight.

"O-omi? Did I keep you waiting long?"

The blond shook his head, closed his book, and set it aside,

"No. Not at all, My Love."

She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and moved toward her closet, trying to undo her corset in the process. She muttered angerly to herself as she accidently tightened it,

"This damned thing."

Ominis chuckled, his keen hearing hearing her struggle,

"If you don't mind, I could do it for you if you like."

Y/n's face heated up. She stuttered out a quick 'yes please' and moved over to the side of the bed he was sat. His hands gently felt along her shoulders down to the corset. With skilled fingers, he undid her corset. The girl pulled if off of her body. The top of her dress fell forward, exposing her breast to the cool air.

Ominis's hands met with the bare skin of her back. He felt a shiver run through her. He moved his hands to her waist and gripped gently. He felt her look over at him. He smiled,

"I've been doing some thinking, Y/n. I... I think I'm ready to take things farther with us. You have always been so patient and respected my boundaries. I think I'm ready to take this new step. I love you. So so much, My Love."

Y/n's eyes widened and her jaw slacked. This was sudden for Ominis. Usually they have a thought out conversation about the topic and take it from there. Now, here he is, telling her he is ready for her. She instantly let her dress drop, pooling around her feet. She stood in nothing but her lace panties. She turned her body towards him, his hands still holding her naked waist.

Her hand caressed his cheek,

"Darling, I love you so so much. If it gets too much, tell me, okay? We'll go at your pace, Darling."

Ominis couldn't help but smile. He loved how kind she is. It only fueled the fire in his chest for her. He moved his hands to her hips and pulled her close and kissed her. She let out a little noise of surprise before melting into him. Her hands moved to his bare shoulders.

As the kiss intensified, Ominis threw off the blanket from covering him from the waist down, revealing him in his boxers. Y/n took the hint and moved to straddle his hips. After parting the kiss, she moved and kissed down his neck. His breath quickened and his heartrate as well. Losing himself in the feeling, he titled his head back as he let out a groan.

Y/n smiled against his neck and moved her hands to his. She moved them from her hips to her breast,

"You can touch as much as you would like. I'm yours, Ominis."

His hands squeezed her breasts, playing with her nipples as she kissed along his shoulder. His mind went blank. He couldn't think, only feel. When he pinched her perky tips, she let out a moan into his skin and grinded her hips against his hard on. He gasped at the friction, his hands gripped her lace covered hips and panted out,

"A-again. Please."

Y/n did it again. Ominis let himself fall back against the bed. His beloved perched atop of him. She connected the dots quickly. This was his first time. She wasn't a virgin, much to her dismay. Firewhiskey and being alone with Sebastian don't mix. It never happened again, much to the brunette's dismay, and she regretted that it ever happened.

She smiled and ground against him, resting her hand on his chest for leverage. His hands gripped her hips tightly. She knew it was going to leave bruises by morning. Y/n kissed his neck and continued to kiss down his body.

Ominis drowned in the pleasure he was receiving. He felt his abdomen twist and tightened. He wasn't oblivious to sexual activities. He heard other males in his dorm brag about there experience. He did jerk off once in a while and have dirty thoughts. He didn't have these thoughts until Y/n came around. Once she showed up, his brain decided to start thinking about her in those manners. He gripped her hips and stopped her movements. He panted out,

"I don't want to cum without you, My Love."

Y/n giggled and slipped off her panties as she spoke,

"You are sweet, Omi. This night is all about you. So, I'll lead you though the actual event as his is your first time."

Ominis face heated up and flushed into a bright red. Her hands tugged his boxers off. He shuttered as the cool air hit his heavy cock.

Y/n watched as precum beaded up on his tip and dribbled down his cock. She gently took it into her grasp. He gasped at the touch. She stroked him a couple times before positioning herself over his. She rubbed her dripping slit along his cock and teased his tip.

Ominis's body started to shake with anticipation. His hands gripped the sheets below him as he let out a shuddering breath. Y/n looked down at him,

"Ready, Ominis?"

The boy could only nod. His breath caught in his throat.

Y/n gentle lowered herself onto him. His cock stretched her perfectly. The (H/c) colored girl let out a moan and moved her hand to his chest after fulling taking him. Ominis groaned at the new sensation. She was hot, wet, and tight. His mind went blank as his hips subconsciously thrusted up into her. She took this as a sign to start moving.

She lifted herself up to his tip and came back down. Ominis groaned again with a whimper. He shut his eyes tightly as she started to move. He wasn't gonna last long. She felt to good.

Y/n closed her eyes as she chased her high. She leaned forward and kiss the pleasure bound male beneath her and whispered,

"I love you, Ominis."

Ominis's hands instantly moved to grip her waist. He desperately thrusted up into her chanting 'I'm gonna cum' over and over. Since Y/n hasn't done anything in a while so, she was close as well. She rested her forehead to his,

"I'm close. Cum with me, please."

The desperate tone in her voice pushed him over the edge. His grip moved to her bare hips and sheathed her fully on his cock as he came. His head threw back into the pillows and hers threw back into the air. Her hands gripped his forearms like a vice. As they came down from their high, their foreheads came together again. Ominis kissed her gingerly,

"I love you, Y/n. I want to be with you for as long as I am able. I have a gift for you."

He pulled a box from the nightstand drawer next to them. He held up the box gentle towards her,

"You know how my Aunt Nautica raised me until her passing. Well, she gave me this before she left. She said to give it to the person I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Ominis flipped the box open, revealing a diamond set in a white gold ring with a vintage vine design. Y/n gasped. He continued,

"This was her engagement ring that her muggle lover gave her before my family disowned her and... well... killed her love. With this ring, I want to ask you, Y/n L/n, will you marry me?"

Tears poured down Y/n's face as she accepted. Ominis slipped the ring onto her ring finger and kissed her. She held him close as they kissed. The ring fit perfectly. Ominis made sure that it would before revealing it.

The rest of the night was spent holding each other and exchanging 'I love you's' back and forth. Ominis felt his heart swell. He felt at piece for once. Everything was going to be alright in the end. No matter what he has Y/n and her family to support them. He finally found something he searched for in her.... home.

BONUS:

The family gathered in the living room. Presents stacked under the tree. Everyone looked around and made sure if everyone was here.

Alice looked around,

"Where's Y/n and Ominis?"

They then appeared in the doorway, hand in hand. Y/n smiled a bright smile at her family. Everyone could see the happiness radiating off of them. Before anyone could ask, Y/n cleared her throat,

"I have an announcement to make about a new development. As a gift to everyone, Ominis and I would like to announce that.."

Y/n held out her left hand adored by her engagement ring and continued,

"We are engaged!"

Her mother instantly rushed to the duo and hugged them close with tears of happiness pouring down her face. The room buzzed with congratulations and cheers. Ominis smiled and felt Y/n look over at him. He knew he made the right choice. This is home and this is his new family now. He loved every minute of it.