#MAE DID NOTHING WRONG AND I NEVER DOUBTED HER

[armoralor]

Mae-ho Aniseya [Verosha Aniseya] // Grief and rage - you need to contain that, to put a frame around it, where it can play itself out without you or your kin having to die. // Grief Lessons: Four Plays by Euripides; trans. Anne Carson // reminder that T*RFs can fuck off, only interact if you love trans & nonbinary folks ♡

[leclerc-s]

track 001. right where you left me

─── ❝ break-ups happen every day, you don't have to lose it ❞ ───

series masterlist // next

liked by louis_graham, isabellaperez, babs.rodriguez and others

dulceperez it's hell week and i'm struggling to cope

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isabellaperez never have i ever been more grateful for online school

↳ dulceperez we get it you travel for funsies and i get stuck with crippling student dept.

↳ isabellaperez what fucking debt? tio checo said he'd pay for your schooling!

↳ dulceperez alright then, i get the crippling student anxiety.

maejones you got this baby!

↳ dulceperez i really don’t! tell max to send the red bull i’m going to need it, i know you two are still besties!!

↳ maxverstappen1 did checo cut you off again?

↳ dulceperez YES!! SEND HELP!! SOS!!

louis_graham still can’t get over the fact that you know f1 drivers.

↳ dulceperez my uncle is an f1 driver?

↳ babs.rodriguez forget it lou, she won’t understand. she probably grew up around michael schumacher or something.

↳ isabellaperez well, you’re not wrong

mickschumacher if you die can i keep your couch?

↳ dulceperez what the fuck schumacher?

↳ mickschumacher it’s a very comfortable couch.

↳ freyavettel he’s right, it’s very comfortable. i’ve had some great fucking naps on it.

louis graham so the f1 drivers in your comments are just normal?

dulce perez pretty much, yeah

dulce perez we live in monaco, you're telling me you've never ran into like lewis or charles? hell nico lives in monaco.

barbara rodriguez never. louis graham nope.

dulce perez huh, it's not like monaco's that big. i run into my ex all the time. granted he's like best friends with my sister.

barbara rodriguez who the fuck is your ex? and why is your sister best friends with him? dulce perez because she can be? i'm not going to tell her "oh no isa, you can't be friends with arthur because we broke up." dulce perez they were friends way before we dated.

louis graham so his name is arthur? interesting, one look at your sister's instagram tells me that you dated the one and only arthur leclerc.

barbara rodriguez a leclerc? you dated a leclerc? and you let him get away?

dulce perez look, he was busy with racing and i was busy with school. it wasn't going to work out between us so we just broke up.

louis graham interesting how you two still follow each other.

dulce perez we're still friends. that wasn't going to change because we dated.

barbara rodriguez 9 times out of 10, people fall in love all over again.

dulce perez not me. i won't.

dulceperez posted new stories

low quality picture, high quality girl or some fucking corny shit like that. who the fuck gave this guy alcohol?

arthur leclerc does she have a boyfriend? who is he?

mae jones what is this nerd going on about?

isabella perez is this about my sister?

arthur leclerc forget i asked. isabella perez so it is about my sister.

mick schumacher is this about the guy on her story?

isabella perez that's just louis. one of her roomates. remember arthur? they became friends when she started school. arthur leclerc oh. yes. i remember.

freya vettel oh he's totally still in love with her.

lando norris honestly arthur just tell her. get it over with.

bailey winters i doubt you should be giving people advice.

lando norris oh seriously! we get it, i fucked up! isabella perez oh you royally fucked up norris.

lando norris oh be quiet isabella, how many times have you broken up with austin by now?

isabella perez my relationship has nothing to do with this! focus on arthur and my sister!

mick schumacher i can't believe i'm saying this, but how are freya and i the only ones that are mentally healthy??

isabella perez because arthur is stupid. mae is in denial about her feelings. i'm codependent. lando is a dumbass. bailey is collateral damage to lando's dumbassery. AND YOU'RE IN FUCKING DENIAL!! SO IS FREYA!!

freya vettel wow. can't wait for the day all of you are mentally healthy and in healthy relationships.

mae jones at this rate isabella's doomed to divorcing and remarrying austin like 7 times. isabella perez literally fuck you. stop writing songs about max!

bailey winters you're all insane.

arthur leclerc you are too bailey.

mae jones don't worry arthur. i know how to figure out if you'll be seeing her soon arthur leclerc oh no. that's not good.

mae jones odds of seeing dulce at the monaco gp this year?

dulce perez that depends am i allowed to take my emotional support idiots? isabella perez i thought i was your emotional support idiot? max verstappen ooh she's been replaced.

esteban ocon i think we're better off asking what are the odds charles finishes the race.

charles leclerc this is why you've never won a race bitch.

daniel ricciardo who the fuck are her emotional support idiots?

dulce perez my roomates

lando norris BOOO!! WE'RE YOUR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT IDIOTS!!

lewis hamilton you may be an idiot but i am not.

mae jones we're her emotional support chaos gremlins natalia ruiz that makes more sense.

max verstappen you should ask checo if you can bring your friends, not us.

dulce perez i did. he said yes. see all of you back in monaco. dulce perez i just have to ask them.

dulce perez thoughts on attending the monaco grand prix?

barbara rodriguez on my bucket list but currently too broke.

louis graham also on my bucket list but without means of going.

dulce perez i feel like we're forgetting that my uncle is literally an f1 driver??

louis graham SHUT THE FUCK UP!! TELL ME YOU DIDN'T?!! barbara rodriguez NO FUCKING WAY!! I KNEW GOING TO SCHOOL IN MONACO WOULD PAY OFF!!

dulce perez wow. way to use me.

louis graham listen, we love you. you're great. but attending the monaco grand prix is such a dream.

barbara rodriguez I GET TO MEET SIR LEWIS HAMILTON!! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH THIS MEANS TO ME!!

dulce perez we're going to support red bull not mercedes.

barbara rodriguez yeah but red bull doesn't have lewis hamilton does it?

louis graham personally, i will be supporting aston martin. wherever sebastian vettel is that is where i am.

dulce perez traitors both of you.

barbara rodriguez ARTHUR IS LITERALLY A FERRARI ACADEMY DRIVER! SHUT UP! YOU'RE THE BIGGEST TRAITOR OF ALL!!

dulce perez WHO THE FUCK TOLD YOU THAT?

louis graham we went stalker mode. we had to find out everything about leclerc.

barbara rodriguez he's a cutie. why the hell did you dump him?

dulce perez we are not talking about this.

louis graham BOOO!! AS THE CHILDREN SAY, SPILL THE TEA SIS!!

dulce perez no!

babs.rodriguez, louis_graham, dulceperez posted new stories

who let me be here?? where is lewis hamilton??

holy shit!!

VAMOS TIO CHECO!!

pierre gasly soo...dulce

dulce perez before you ask no. pierre gasly like not even a little bit?

rowan todd why must you ask this, you idiot?

pierre gasly i'm an instigator

dulce perez the answer is no because he has a girlfriend, you moron.

charles leclerc but if he didn't have a girlfriend?

dulce perez you too?

charles leclerc ANSWER THE QUESTION PEREZ!

dulce perez no. not my type.

isabella perez ARTHUR! WHO WAS THE CUTE GUY ON THE PODIUM?! THE PREMA GUY!!

max verstappen SHE'S GOT A CRUSH! arthur leclerc oscar? isabella perez brb gonna go stalk his instagram.

freya vettel anyone is better than a*stin

arthur leclerc trust me when i say he's 100 times better than that guy.

mae jones WAIT! WHO'S YOUR TYPE DULCE??!

natalia ruiz perhaps monégasque? rhymes with shmarthur? dulce perez you people are insufferable. daniel ricciardo THAT WASN'T A NO!

mick schumacher arthur just probably let out the biggest sigh of his life.

arthur leclerc at least i'm not in denial about my feelings. mick schumacher HEY! WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ME! AND YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH LECLERC!!

sebastian vettel i should consider retirement. that would mean i wouldn't have to deal with this.

fernando alonso i retired and they didn't let me leave. there is no hope for us.

lewis hamilton i told you that your biggest mistake would be showing weakness to max.

max verstappen YOU'RE THE ONE WHO COMFORTED ME FIRST! NOT SEB! lewis hamilton oh sure, i was just supposed to leave a kid out, crying in the rain because his girlfriend had just broken up with him? mae jones sorry, what?

daphne jones idiots, all of you

esteban ocon how's that hidden relationship going for you daphne? daniel ricciardo it's not our fault they haven't figured it out yet, now is it? lewis hamilton and i'm currently in the lead to win this bet so zip it ocon.

isabella perez GUYS! CUTE PREMA GUY IS SINGLE!!

lance stroll at least one thing is still normal around here.

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¡leclerc-s speaks! and thus it begins! okay, listen, i love ross, for story purposes he younger than he actually is. idc what anyone says. i don't if i like this 100% but i'm still posting it.

¡disclaimer! this is in no way making assumptions about the people involved in this story, this is all fake. it is a fanfiction please don't take any of what is said seriously. this is all for entertainment purposes and as a creative outlet for me. enjoy!

[sequinsmile-x]

Hi bestie! I was wondering if you considered writing a sequel to “Take My Hand, Take My Whole Life Too” where Emily meets her parents somewhere by accident and they find out she has kids? It would be interesting to see their reaction 🙂

hiii bestie <3

love this. It always means so much when people want to see more from a little universe I've created. This very quickly turned into a two parter, and part 2 will be up later in the week!

-x-

Some Things Are Meant to Be

She freezes at the sound of the voice she hadn’t heard in years, her shoulders tight as she turns, her jaw clenched as their eyes meet, a face she hadn’t seen in two decades staring right back at her.

A sequel to Take My Hand, Take My Whole Life Too

Part 1/2

-x-

Words: 2.8k

Warnings: estranged parents

Read over on Ao3, or below the cut

October 2013

Emily smiles, her face pressed into her husband’s pillow, as she hears the thundering footsteps of her youngest daughter in the hallway. 

She knew what her family were up to. Aaron had woken her up as he snuck out of bed, whispering Happy Birthday against her hairline before he told her to go back to sleep. She’d wrapped her arms around his pillow and settled deeper into the mattress, but she didn’t get any more sleep. Instead, she’d laid there, content and relaxed as she listened to her husband and their daughters make breakfast for her, their attempts to whisper and keep quiet pointless, their home a place that was always loud and busy. 

She loved it. Loved the happiness that permeated everything, the gentle chaos that came with raising three girls with the man she loved. It was so normal to her, so beautifully ordinary, that her life before them seemed like it happened to somebody else. That it hadn’t been her who had sat in front of her parents just shy of her 23rd birthday and been forced to choose between the life they wanted for her and the one she was living. 

It had been 20 years and she hadn’t regretted it for a moment. Hadn’t had one second where she thought she’d made the wrong decision by walking away from them. Even if things hadn’t worked out with Aaron, if their relationship had fizzled out or collapsed around them, she knew that she wouldn’t have regretted it. Her life would have been her own either way, no longer weighed down by expectations she never would have been able to live up to. 

She closes her eyes just before the bedroom door opens, pretending to be asleep as Mae loudly sneaks into the room. The 5-year-old clambers onto the bed, landing on Emily as she sits next to her, her tiny hands pressing into her mother’s face. 

“Mommy,” Mae stage whispers, louder than she usually was, “Wake up, Mommy.” 

Emily makes a show of opening her eyes and yawning, smiling as her eyes meet those of her daughter, smiling as she pulls her little girl into a hug, Mae’s giggle lost against her chest. 

“Morning, baby,” she says, pressing several kisses in a row to Mae’s head, revelling in the way her youngest still let her love on her this way. Evelyn was beyond it now, claiming at the grand old age of 14 that she was a grown-up, and Hazel was getting there, testing the boundaries of her independence for the first time since she’d turned 10 just a few months ago. 

Emily loved that her girls were independent, that she and Aaron had raised them to be fierce and confident, but she missed when they needed her more than they did now. The long days of early motherhood that seemed to endlessly drag on at the time now behind her. She felt like she constantly went from being proud of who her daughters were becoming to missing when the only place they’d sleep was in her arms. 

Becoming a mother had only made her more angry at her own, somehow even more frustrated at her parents for cutting her off for nothing more than falling in love with a man they thought they were above. She knew, no matter what, that she and Aaron would always make sure their children were loved and that they knew they were.  

They’d never have to doubt it like she had. 

“Happy Birthday, Mommy,” Mae says, tilting her head back to look up at her, her smile wide as their eyes meet.

Emily runs her fingers through her dark hair, smiling as Mae leans into it, “Thank you,” she says, “Are they making breakfast down there?” 

Mae nods, “Daddy says they’ll bring it up to you.” 

She hums contentedly and pulls Mae closer, “In that case, we can just sit here and snuggle until they are finished.” 

“Love you, Mommy,” Mae says, pressing her face into her neck, her fingers tracing the chain of Emily’s necklace. 

Emily rests her cheek on top of Mae’s head and sighs contentedly, “Love you too, sweet girl.” 

___

June 1992

At first, she isn’t sure what’s woken her up. 

She rolls onto her back, yawning as she stretches, the delicious ache in her muscles making her sigh contentedly. She turns her head and smiles when she sees Aaron is still asleep, his mouth slack and his arm heavy across her waist. In the few months they’d been seeing each other she’d rarely woken up before him, so she takes a moment to look at him, to study his features whilst he’s entirely relaxed.

She’s just about to reach out to press her thumb into the space between his eyebrows, the place where they usually creased together, when a knock at the door makes her jump, followed by the door handle rattling.

“Emily? Why is the door locked?” Elizabeth asks, her irritation clear even through the heavy wood. 

“Fuck,” Emily mutters, her hand on Aaron’s shoulder as she shakes it, dragging him from sleep as she stands up, clamouring for her robe so she can cover herself, “Aaron, wake up.” 

“What?” He asks, blinking against the light in the room, his brain not quite catching up with why he was awake. 

“You need to get up, my mother is out there” she says, pulling the covers off of him and walking towards the closet before she opens the door, “Get in the closet.” 

He frowns, and she’s sure she’d find it adorable if her mother wasn’t seconds away from accidentally finding out about the relationship they’d kept hidden, “What, Emily I’m not-”

“Emily,” Elizabeth says, knocking on the door again, “I know you’re in there and I really need to speak to you.” 

Emily looks back at him, her eyes wide, an edge of desperation in them he can’t ignore, “Get in there. Now.” 

He sighs and nods, walking over to the closet and pulling the door closed behind him. Emily makes quick work of tidying up the bed, making sure it only looked like one person had been sleeping in it, and she flattens her hair before she walks over to the door. She gives herself a second before she undoes the lock and pulls the door open, hoping that the smile she gives her mother seems genuine. 

“Mother, sorry I was about to get into the shower,” she says, leaning on the doorframe, “Is everything okay?” 

Elizabeth narrows her eyes and looks past her into the bedroom, her eyebrow raised as she looks back at her daughter, “I just wanted to remind you about tonight.” 

Emily frowns, “Tonight?” 

“The benefit, Emily. The one I’ve been planning for weeks,” Elizabeth says, her arms crossed over her chest as she looks sternly at her daughter, “Your father and I expect you to be there.” 

She sighs and nods, her brain finally catching up with her, “Right. The benefit, of course, I’ll be there.” 

Elizabeth hums, “And remember, be nice to Agent Hotchner.” 

Emily chokes on a laugh and it takes all of her self control to not turn and look at the closet she’d made him stand in, the thin door he was hiding behind nowhere near thick enough to block out her conversation with her mother, “Why…why wouldn’t I be nice to him?” 

“You’re never nice to the security staff,” Elizabeth quips, her eyebrow raised, “And it’s his first one of these he’s working so I’d rather not have you scare someone else off,” she says, “I don’t have the time to find a replacement.” 

She has to press her lips together to stop herself from laughing and she nods as she clears her throat, “I’ll be extra nice to him,” she says, fighting a smile, “I promise.” 

“Anyway, I’ve got to get going. We’ve got plenty to get done before this evening,” Elizabeth says, turning to leave before she pauses, casting one last look back at her daughter, “And please try to run a brush through your hair before this evening, you look like you’ve been dragged through a hedge.” 

Emily scoffs as she places her hands on her hair again, trying to flatten it as her mother walks away. She blows out a breath as she steps back into her bedroom, locking the door behind her again before she rests her head against it.

“Can I come out now?” 

She screws her eyes shut and hides a wince, embarrassment at her reaction to hide him coursing through her as she replies, “Yes.” 

For a man who was wearing nothing but the boxers he’d shoved on as he scrambled out of bed, he walks out of the closet with a type of confidence that makes her stomach flip, “That was an interesting way to start the day.” 

“I’m sorry,” she says, pushing herself off of the door and walking towards him, wrapping her arms around him, smiling bashfully as she looks up at him, “I just didn’t want her to find out about us because she found you naked in my bed.” 

He hums as he wraps his arms around her, pulling her so they are chest to chest as he stamps a kiss against her lips. With anyone else, he’s sure he’d feel offended that she’d thrown him out of bed and hidden him, but he knows her relationship with her parents is complicated. He’d seen it first hand, had witnessed the struggle between reality and expectation and both sides, and he knew she liked to keep as much of her life separate from them as possible. 

It was one of the reasons they’d ended up together in the first place. She never invited any of her friends over, forcing herself to be somewhat of a lonely figure, nothing like the fun, intelligent 21-year-old he knew her to be. Her summer at home between her undergrad and masters had started with her isolating herself, eventually becoming so bored she’d started to hang out with him. A permanent, and entirely welcome, distraction as he tried to work. It felt inevitable when they kissed, a press of her lips against his one night after they shared a drink and sad, surface-level, stories about their childhoods. 

Aaron knew he’d remain a secret of hers forever if that’s what she wanted, no matter how impractical that would be. 

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” he says, kissing her again, “Although, if we really are going to make a go of this, they are going to have to find out at some point.” 

She groans as she rests her forehead against his shoulder, “I know,” she mutters, pressing a kiss to his bare skin, the action turning into a smile when he shivers, “But not yet.” 

He hooks a finger under her chin and makes him look up at her, “Not yet,” he agrees, kissing the corner of her mouth, smiling when she turns her head to capture his lips in a proper kiss. He can still feel the tension in her shoulders, the anxiety only her parents could cause, and he wants to get rid of it, wants to give her the slow peaceful morning they’d intended to have. “I seem to remember overhearing you saying you were going to be extra nice to me.” 

She smiles devilishly and leads him back to the bed, encouraging him to sit down before she straddles his lap, his hands never leaving her hips. She undoes the robe she’s wearing and lets it fall open before she leans forward, pausing just before her lips touch his. 

“I’ll show you just how nice I can be.” 

___

“Mom,” Evelyn hisses as she makes it to her side, her eyes darting around to see if any of her friends have seen her, “You didn’t have to meet me right outside,” she says, adjusting her book bag over her shoulder, “Everyone else’s parents are meeting them in the parking lot.” 

Emily chuckles and walks alongside her daughter, “Evie, I had to park at Union Station, there’s no way I’m letting you walk there by yourself,” she says, smiling as the teenager rolls her eyes at her, “Besides, you should be grateful it’s me who came to pick you up. Your Dad wanted to get a picture of you outside the Capitol Building.” 

Evelyn shudders at the thought of it, as if she can’t think of anything worse than posing for a photo for her parents, “Why?” 

“Because we’re proud of you,” she says, “It’s not every day your kid gets invited to the Student Government Conference.” 

The irony of Evelyn’s aptitude for and love of politics was not lost on Emily. She’d joined the Student Government in middle school and loved it, and she’d been part of one ever since. She found it fascinating, the ins and outs of the laws and how they were made one of her favourite things to learn. 

Emily often thought that her daughter was the child her mother had always wanted in some ways. Evelyn was just like Emily - she was opinionated, wilful and stubborn, but she was also empathetic and kind and just a little bit wild. They were all traits Elizabeth had hated in Emily, things she’d desperately tried to fix that Emily hadn’t seen the beauty in herself until she saw them in her own daughters, but she thinks her mother would have been a lot more forgiving of them if she’d had the interests that Evelyn did. If they’d shared a love for the politics that had actually been a wedge between them, a gap neither one of them could, or would, cross. 

“It’s not that big a deal.” 

Emily comes to a stop and places her hand on Evelyn’s arm, squeezing gently before she lets go, “Yes, sweetie, it is. We’re very proud of you.” 

Evelyn fights a smile and crosses her arms over her chest, “Thank you, Mom” she replies, looking around to make sure none of her friends have overheard her before she carries on walking, “Do you think that pride will get me pizza tonight?” 

Emily laughs and nods, “I think your dad will let you-”

“Emily?” 

She freezes at the sound of the voice she hadn’t heard in years, her shoulders tight as she turns, her jaw clenched as their eyes meet, a face she hadn’t seen in 20 years staring right back at her. She stands frozen for a moment, stuck between her past and her present, before she feels a hand on her arm.

“Mom?” Evelyn says, her dark eyes full of concern as Emily looks at her, “Are you okay?” 

Emily hears how the woman standing in front of them gasps quietly as Evelyn calls her mom, and she nods and digs her keys out of her pocket, grateful that they are now close enough to the car that she could see it, “I’m fine, go get in the car, honey.” 

Evelyn frowns, looking back and forth between her mother and the familiar looking stranger in front of them, “Mom, what’s-”

“The car, Evelyn,” Emily says, harsher than she means to, something that only registers as hurt flashes across her daughter's face. She sighs and tucks some of Evelyn’s hair behind her ear, “Please,” she says, her voice softer now, “Go get in the car and I’ll come to meet you in a minute.” 

Evelyn flicks her eyes between the two women again before she nods, taking the keys from Emily, flashing a tight smile at her before she turns away, “See you in a minute.” 

Emily watches her go, her eyes fixed on her daughter’s retreating figure, not taking her eyes off of her before she sees her climb into the front passenger seat of the car. It’s only then that Emily turns to look at the woman in front of her, still rooted to the spot.

She looks the same bar a few lines around her eyes. As if two decades hadn’t passed since they’d last seen each other. She clears her throat and clasps her hands in front of her, her fingers automatically curling around her wedding rings, Aaron’s love pressing from the cool metal into her skin. 

When she speaks, she’s proud that her voice doesn’t shake, that she doesn’t give any indication of the war waging within her. 

“Hello, Mother.” 

-x-

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[lunaetics]

claire didn't quite know what'd happened to the sleeping girl, piper, but the anxiety around her friends was all but contagious. claire stood up a bit straighter, watching as eshe's magic worked through the girl. claire didn't imagine there was anything that eshe couldn't do, but even she felt her breath stalling in her throat as she waited for a sign, any sign, that her magic was working.

damaris reached for ivy's hand, holding it tighter than she ever had before. she knew that eshe could do it; if there was anyone who could help piper, it would be the original witch.

but what if something went wrong? how could any of them live with themselves if that happened? how could they ever forgive the coven for driving them to this point?

how could they forgive them anyway?

damaris closed her eyes and prayed desperately. they could fix things; they could find cass and the others and help them. they could stop the cycle from repeating. they could fix any and everything, as long as piper woke up. but as the seconds wore down, fear settled further into her stomach that that would never happen.

julia's brows furrowed as she looked on at the sleeping girl. for all intents and purposes, she was sleeping, it seemed. she was a dead spot for life and magic, but there was something about her that was still alive; something that promised julia that she was only slumbering. it wasn't magic like any other she'd ever witnessed, and it left her curious. though, mostly, it left her eager to see the girl wake up.

and, eventually, she did.

slowly, piper opened her eyes.

time seemed to stall as she blinked up at the ceiling, her mind slowly coming back online. but it didn't seem real⎯not until she braced her hands against the velvet couch and pushed herself up.

the dam seemed to break all at once.

harry choked out a sob and mae cried out, "piper!" before rushing forward.

piper only just managed to situate herself before mae's body crashed into hers. "oh!" even in her confusion, she hugged mae back on instinct. her first thought was that it had been a bit rude of mae to rush past the witch beside them. her second thought was that mae had to have hurt her knees, crashing onto the ground like that. and her third thought⎯finally fully conscious⎯was that she was alive again.

the realization hit her square in the chest and she blinked in surprise. it wasn't that she hadn't thought her friends could do it; she'd always believed that they could. but it was still surprising. it didn't feel like any time had passed at all.

as mae sobbed against her shoulder, piper searched the room until she found rose's gaze and felt something fall at ease in her chest.

somehow, despite the odds, rose had kept her promise.

piper smiled at the alpha, mouthing the words thank you, before she looked at her coven members. she couldn't help but be concerned about them; that worry had been ingrained in her since she was a child, destined to lead the coven one day. but even aside from that, they were her friends and they'd been through hell because of her. seeing that they were all okay, if not a little teary and exhausted, she finally turned her gaze to the woman in front of her.

she wasn't familiar, but piper hadn't expected her to be. this was a new place with new faces. but the power that rolled off of the woman was nearly enough to make piper's heart stop again. it was subtle, somehow, like water sluicing over the rocks in a stream. gentle, like piper could dip her fingers into it and feel nothing but peace. but it was deep, not something that a person could sink their feet into or lean too far into without risk of drowning in it.

piper didn't think she'd ever met anyone with power that felt this way. not even in the coven.

"thank you," she said to the woman. she had very little doubt that she was the one who'd brought piper back to life. "i owe you... everything. and thank you," she said to the alphas, "for protecting us." she knew she'd asked a lot of them, dragging them into coven business. she'd taken a chance on them, praying that they would offer protection and guidance that the coven wouldn't have been able to find themselves, and they did. she could never repay them for that. "is everyone alright?"

"are you?" dean asked, somewhat amazed that she'd been brought back to life thirty seconds ago and was already dishing out gratitude and concern for everyone else.

"i am," piper said reflexively, before she realized it was true. mae sniffled and pulled out of her arms, watching piper for any sign of a lie, but there wasn't one. piper didn't feel any aches or soreness. but no sooner than she said that, a sharp pain lanced through her brain and she flinched, eyes shutting as a soft noise escaped her throat. she heard someone call her name, mae's hands gripping hers, and she shook her head. "i'm alright. it's just the link to the coven reanimating. that happened the last time i died, too."

claire's eyes widened. "how many times have you died?"

"just twice," piper said. "i try not to make a habit of it."

"they're in your head again?" bellamy asked. "already?"

"yes and no," piper said. "they're in my head, the same way they were before. it's only a matter of time before they realize i'm alive again, but it hasn't happened yet. i think... it feels like they tried to see inside of me while i was asleep."

damaris frowned. "but you can't read a dead person's mind. right?"

"that's not totally true," uche pointed out. "there are ways around any condition, including death. necromancy is the easiest and most common route, but not the only one. but i don't feel that kind of magic on you," she added after a moment of consideration. "a lot of magic has touched you, but the kind of magic it would take to do that is hard to mistake. i don't think they were willing to do it."

piper hummed. "i don't think they know how. they made me figure out necromancy; i think aside from blood rituals, dark magic is still sacrilege to them."

saint's shoulders eased. "so we're good? this wasn't for nothing?"

"no, but we only have so much time before that changes." then, piper paused. "i'm sorry if this comes off as rude. but this is a much larger group than i'd anticipated. did something else happen?"

"hey," lo hugged ethan tightly, meeting his eyes as he pulled back. "i'm okay. are you okay?" she asked, studying his face carefully. she knew terrible things were nothing new to the alphas in the room, but that didn't mean she had to be happy about that fact, or that she couldn't, or wouldn't, worry when something awful happened. and by the sound of things, the last twenty-four hours had certainly been something awful.

"hey," lo hugged aiden next, looking up at rose and then bellamy in turn. rose held the body of the witch she'd told her about, the dead girl's head leaned against rose's shoulder. lo gave her a small smile before looking at bellamy again; bell's eyes were on julia, and it only confirmed what lo had been thinking from the beginning: she had to be kali's emissary. lo hadn't known julia; she'd only seen pictures of her on kali's phone before deucalion had crushed it in his fist one night in a rage, but she had thought the woman looked like the one in kali's pictures. bellamy's reaction confirmed it: julia had to be julia bacari.

but if she was, she showed no sign of recognizing any of the other alphas, and some of them, at least, had met her, had already been with deucalion when he'd set his sights on kali and her pack. it didn't have the air of someone who was intentionally ignoring them; she seemed to truly not recognize any of them. lo wondered what the story there was, then accepted silently that she would have to wait to hear it later.

right now there were several more pressing matters at hand.

"this is piper, i take it?" eshe said, rising to her feet. she pressed another kiss to uche's cheek before striding across the room towards the witches. they all stared at her in awe, and gemma's legs twitched as though she was fighting the urge to bow. eshe smiled.

"we are happy to have you, and happy to help witches in need. i'd dare say it's something of my duty," eshe said to harry with a gentle look. "it's an honor to meet you all. i am so sorry for what has been done to all of you in the name of magic; lo relayed some of what's happened to you. we all have a great deal to catch up on, but first and foremost, let's get this girl back on her feet, shall we?"

"do...do we need to go to the nemeton?" willow stammered. eshe shook her head.

"a nemeton is an excellent source of power, but it is also one i can channel from anywhere. why don't you lay her down over here?" she gestured to the nearby couch, a red, velvet antique ajani had thrifted in the garden district a few weeks prior.

rose gently laid piper on her back, then stepped back, looking over at eshe. the original witch knelt next to piper's body, letting her hands hover over her the same way they had for uche earlier that night. although they were new indoors, it seemed as though a wind had kicked up in the room, and outside the windows, lightning flashed in the distance.

slowly, eshe lowered her hands to piper's body and rested them gently on her. it was not quite reanimation, though she, of course, had some experience with that. piper was, in all technicality, dead, yes, but this particular death, she noted, was masterfully done. the magic had been used to slow her heart to a stop, and with that, she was able to slowly bring her heart back to beating again. it was also clear that the magic that had been used to do this had been magic that had wanted to keep her safe; the lack of violence and rage in it made it all the easier to gently undo, as though untying a ribbon.

a glow started at the palms of her hands and slowly spread out to her fingertips, then seemed to fill piper from the inside out. she looked illuminated from within, nora thought, watching in rapt attention as eshe opened her eyes, the glow slowly dimming as she waited for piper to open her eyes, too.

[bellamer]

Peaches (Thomas Hewitt x OC)

(Dottie finds a healthy peach tree in their deserted town)

-

"Thanks for comin' with me, Tommy, Now Hoyt won't think I'm crazy." Dottie said, handing the large basket to Thomas. "The tree is just around the bend of this old farm house, just follow me."

Dottie had been walking around, scavenging for hours for at least something she or the Hewitt family could use, and had found herself way farther than she usually went, at an abandoned farmhouse.

The farmhouse had only rusty, old tools inside and animal bones. But behind the farmhouse, she found a miraculous treasure. A strong, healthy, peach tree that had managed to sustain itself somehow. She had squealed with glee, when she found it and immediately ran the 30 minutes back to the Hewitt house, just to tell them about the peach tree.

Hoyt immediately dismissed her, claiming that the sun must've fried her brain and was making her see stuff, because nothing had grown in that area for decades, except for weeds.

Monty had reluctantly agreed, as did Luda Mae, although Luda Mae said it would be a nice thought but insisted she lie down and drink some water.

Jedidiah had expressed interest in seeing the peach tree, since he had never had peaches before, but Hoyt told him to shut his trap and that he didn't want to hear anymore nonsense about the fabled peach tree.

Dottie had grabbed a nearby laundry basket and stormed out of the house, insisting that she'd come back with a basket full of peaches and that she wasn't gonna share them with anybody, just because they doubted her.

She hadn't noticed that Thomas had followed her out of the house until a few minutes after. Although he was a large man, he was quite light and quiet on his feet. She pouted and asked if he was there to call her crazy too but he shook his head. He just wanted to make sure that she was safe.

She smiled and took his hand, and they were off on their adventure.

Now, here they were, Dottie leading him behind the old farmhouse, to finally see the tree.

"Ta-da !" Dottie shouted, as she pointed to the tree. Thomas squinted his eyes and could actually see a round fruit growing from the tree. The tree looked really healthy, which surprised him.

"I wasn't crazy, these are fresh peaches ! Now give me a hand so we can fill our basket up !"

Dottie started going on about how she couldn't wait to enjoy them and that they'd find some uses for the peaches and that she couldn't wait to see the look on Hoyt's face when she proved him wrong.

Thomas only watched her, a small smile gracing his lips, as she rambled about how much she loved peaches. He then got to work, helping her pick peaches off of the plentiful tree.

-

Hours had passed and it was the late evening now. The basket was full of enough peaches to feed a whole family. Or, just one Thomas and a Dottie.

The two sat peacefully under the tree, watching as the sun was starting to set, Dottie leaning on Thomas.

"Thanks for your help, Tommy." Dottie said, leaning up to press a kiss on Thomas' cheek. "You're the only one who I can really depend on."

Thomas was glad that his mask could hide how flustered he was.

Dottie soon pat his thigh and stood up, Thomas standing with her.

"Alright, let's go home and rub it in everyone's face that I was telling the truth !" Dottie said with a giggle. "Hoyt's gonna flip his lid !" She then looked up at Thomas, who was carrying the basket on his hip. "Let's keep the location of the tree a secret, alright ? It'll just be a secret spot for you and me and no one else."

Thomas grunted in agreement.

-

Dottie slammed the basket of peaches on the kitchen table, much to the family's shock.

"Well I don't believe it..." Luda Mae said, taking off her glasses and wiping them, before putting them back on, to make sure what she was seeing was real. "I must apologize for doubting you, Dottie Dear."

"Apology accepted, Luda Mae." Dottie said with a grin. "Now let's wash these things up and see what we can do with em, I can make a nice peach jam, peach tea and peach pie, ooh, even peach cobbler !" She turned towards Thomas. "Wouldn't that be nice, Tommy ?"

Thomas nodded, thinking about how nice it would be to drink some ice cold peach tea after a hard day's work, imagining Dottie in a cute apron, pitcher in hand, calling him inside to cool off. He almost shuddered at the thought.

"You've finally made yerself useful, girl, you should tell us where you found that tree." Hoyt said reaching for one of the peaches, only to yelp when Dottie smacked his hand away. He bolted up to retaliate "Why you little bitch-"

Thomas stood behind Dottie, glaring daggers at Hoyt, making the elder man reluctantly sit back down. Dottie crossed her arms.

"You don't get any for doubting me earlier, the rest of the family can have their fill, but you get none until you learn to apologize." Dottie said, hands on her hips. "And I ain't tellin' you where the tree is, that's for me and Tommy to know since he actually helped me." She then turned towards Thomas, a smile on her face. "C'mon Tommy, let's go wash the peaches off, I'm gonna make a nice peach jam that goes well with toast and biscuits, that wild wheat I scavenged and planted is growing in nicely so we'll be able to make our own bread !"

Thomas heaved the basket up, following Dottie to the kitchen, as she continued to talk about how the process would be long but absolutley worth it.

Hoyt grumbled and crossed his arms.

"Whatever, I didn't want any of yer nasty peaches anyways."

[unwrittenlibrary]

i don’t wanna do this (i don’t wanna lose this)

eighteen plus blog minors dni

summary -> it’s all fake, every piece of it scripted and perfected for the camera, even the upcoming break-up you pretend doesn’t break your heart.

words -> 2.5k

warnings -> fake relationship, use of name (bucky calls the reader by her character’s name, lucia, once) nickname uses (baby, sweetheart) co-workers/friends to lovers, no smut, not beta’d

notes -> this is for the lovely maera’s ( @ambrosiase ) hotel indigo writing challenge i absolutely love this idea mae and am so appreciative that you created this challenge, it really pushed me out of my comfort zone and i got to explore an entirely new au.  

room & service -> business meets pleasure with celebrity bucky barnes -> bucky and reader are co-stars in a fake relationship in a hotel for their final comic-con together.

— ➶ —

Bucky has been doing interviews with Sam all day today. 

You’ve been working together for six seasons and have both been to too many comic-cons to count. Every single one of them you and Bucky had been paired up to do interviews and photo-ops together. 

A scripted piece of a scripted relationship. Agreed upon when your characters romance began to pick up popularity and designed to look perfect until the end.

Tomorrow an article with be released ‘leaking’ the details of your perfect break-up too. A source close to the both of you will comment that wrapping of the show and being forced to go long distance just wasn’t working for you two. The writer will supply photos of today, the two of you avoiding sitting near one another and not speaking. They’ll write that their source confirmed this convention is actually the first time you’ve seen each other in months. 

Even more articles have already been planted periodically questioning whether the two of you were still together, generating buzz around the show and what happens between your characters. It’s a brilliant job, honestly.

Except, you and Bucky had been in a fake relationship for so long, it had begun to feel real. This distance between you two felt purposeful in a way that hurt you more than it ever should have. 

Your assistant is supposed to go through your instagram soon and begin archiving posts and pieces of your fake life with Bucky. He’s been glaringly absent from your social media recently and it makes your heart ache at the idea of him being nonexistent.

Your fans have noticed too. You read comment after comment all asking the same thing; What happened to you and Bucky? 

“Oh, Lucia! My dear, Lucia.” You bite down a grin at the sound of Bucky’s voice through your door. His words were filtered by the wall between you and a little slurred from the drinks he had no doubt consumed at the hotel bar. “Open the door, please.” 

You lock your phone and lay it on the bed beside you. “I’m busy, Bucky! Go bother Sam.” You call back despite already walking towards the door. 

“Bother Sam? On our last night together?” You can see Bucky smile teasingly though the peephole. Despite his joking tone the words hurt. “Four years together and this is how things end? Through a hotel room door?” 

His fist comes up to bang against the door and a hand comes up to his heart. He’s putting on a show for you, fully away of your eye watching carefully through the peephole. “How much have you had to drink, Bucky Barnes?” You ask as the door remains closed. 

Bucky holds his fingers up in a pinch too small to be true. “Not much.” When his hand falls back to his side he smiles up at the peephole. “Let me in, sweetheart. I’ve missed you.” 

You melt, becoming putty in his hand as you quickly move to unlatch the door. “I’ve missed you too.” You admit to him, face to face, as you lean against the door jam. 

A smirk replaces Bucky’s sweet smile as his hands reach out to grip your hips. “This break-up is tough on me, baby.” He pushes you into the room, kicking the door shut behind him. “One more night. One last time. You and me.” 

“Shut up!” You force his hands off of you and turn towards the mini bar in your room. “You’re such a dweeb. I’m glad we’re breaking up.” You pull out the miniature bottle of wine and twist the top off. 

Bucky’s hand slams across his chest as he falls against the wall in dramatic fashion. “You’re… Glad? My frail heart can’t take it,” he falls to his knees, “Please. Tell my mother, I loved her.”

You watch, unamused, as Bucky falls to the floor in front of you. “You’re obnoxious.” A beaming smile breaks out onto Bucky’s face that makes you grin.

“I was serious, about missing you.” Bucky moves to sit up with his back against the edge of your bed. You move to sit beside him on the floor. “These junkets and photos just aren’t the same without you by my side, cracking jokes in my ear.”

You rest your head against his shoulder. “Me too. I love Wanda, but it’s just not the same.” You admit quietly.

There’s so much that you want to say to him. What if this wasn’t fake? What if we didn’t go through with the break-up plan? “Did they send you our social media plan?” Bucky asks quietly.

“Yeah,” You swallow thickly, “I have my assistant going through my account for me soon. We’re supposed to start untagging and deleting photos of each other this week.”

Bucky snorts. “How fucking sweet. Four years together and they have us untag each other to confirm a break up.” His fingers tap against his thigh as the two of you sit on the carpeted floor together.

“Has it really been four years?” You ask quietly. It’s more of a question to yourself, but Bucky answers it with a nod anyways.

“My longest relationship ever and it was fake.” Bucky’s awkward laugh makes the air tense as he stares down at his hands. “I’ve wasted so much of my life. So many chances gone.”

You know the words aren’t said with ill intent, but that doesn’t stop the crack from forming in your heart. You can’t fathom the idea of all your time together, fake or not, being a waste.

Your eyes cut away from him in embarrassment. “Was it really all a waste?” You ask quietly. The words are unintentional, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re out in the air.

“What?” You can feel his eyes settle on you in an attempt to read your face or body language, but a career in acting comes in handy. Your back is ramrod straight and your face turned away perfectly to hide the emotions in your eyes. “It was fake when we could have had something real with people we actually cared about.”

It’s a knife to your broken heart. “People we actually care about?”

“You know, like, other girls and guys who we wanted to pursue but couldn’t because of the contract.” Bucky reaches out to wrap a hand around yours, but you pull away. “I don’t understand what’s wrong here.”

You shake your head, the regret of your words settling over you. “Nothing. I’m just… It’s been a long day.” You use the edge of the bed to help you stand while Bucky remains on the floor, watching you in confusion. “I’m tired, you should go.”

“Woah. What’s this one-eighty?” Bucky stands too and follows you as you move around to gather your toothbrush and skincare. “Two seconds ago we were joking about a fake break-up and now you’re all quiet and weird? You expect me to just leave?”

“Please.” You plead. The last thing you want to do is dump all your feelings out to Bucky, on the last day you two were officially contracted to each other, and make him feel guilty for feeling free. “I just need to be alone, Buck.”

You move to push past him towards your bathroom, but Bucky’s hand wraps around your wrist. “Come on, sweetheart. Don’t do this closing yourself off thing.”

“I’m not.” You say stubbornly. “I’m tired.” You try again to move past him, but his grip only tightens as he forces you to actually face him. “Buck-“

“You can tell me, you know?” He says quietly as his grip slackens. Your eyes meet his, pools of blue staring back at you with something akin to hurt. “You can trust me. We’re best friends, right? You’re my-“

“You don’t have to lie to me, Bucky. Pretend to care. You can go back to the bar and…” You pull your hand from him and cross your arms over your chest. “And tomorrow we can start being with people we actually care about.”

Bucky’s eyes squeeze shut as his own words are repeated back and left out in the open between you two. “That’s not what I…”

“What did you mean then?” You cut him off. You want to sound angry, but your tone is sad and tired. “Enlighten me, please.”

“I just meant… I meant we could date who we wanted to date, I didn’t mean for it to sound so awful.” He answers quietly. “I care about you a lot. We’ve been friends for over half a decade, of course I care about you.”

You swallow thickly. “What if I don’t want to date anyone else?” You force yourself to ask. If not now, then when? Ten years from now at a reunion of your show? You couldn’t live with this what if.

“What?” Bucky’s hand falls from your wrist as he takes a step back like your words have burned him.

You push through the thundering of your heart and ringing in your ears to ask, “haven’t you ever thought about it? I mean, four years of just us, all those dates and premieres, was it really all just work for you?”

“I don’t know… I mean…” Bucky rubs a hand over his jaw as you stare at him expectantly. “Have you?”

“I asked the question I think that would imply…” You trail off as his answer weighs down on your mind. It feels like a no. No. No. No. It’s on repeat in your mind as you move to sit down on your bed. “After a while the dates and photos and sappy posts didn’t feel all that forced anymore.” You admit quietly.

Bucky paces silently in front of you. You’re unsure of what’s going through his mind as he does it and it’s all you can do to not tap anxiously as you watch.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” He finally asks when he finally pauses in front of you. You look up at him unsure of what to say. “I mean… When did you start…” He trails off like he doesn’t want the answer.

You look down at your hands in your lap. Despite your worries in telling Bucky you guess you had never truly thought of this conversation ending up this way. All these questions felt like Bucky preparing for a gentle rejection.

“I don’t know. After our second anniversary?” You keep your answer to him vague despite you being fully aware of when you started seeing Bucky differently. “That post you wrote for me that day. All the ones after. All of those words were fake?”

Your mind drifts to his words that day. The sweet and short caption had made butterflies erupt as you scrolled through the photos he had posted with it. Despite you both being required to post something, the photos he had chosen had been entirely genuine.

Pictures the two of you had taken together on set, selfies during your fake dates, and even a sweet set of photo booth pictures from your first premiere together.

You had stared at the post far too long as emotions rushed through you. Your heart raced at the idea of Bucky taking his time to pick photos that meant something to the both of you.

“I think that..” You shake your head in an attempt to rid yourself of the painful reminders. “I think you should go.” You stand up suddenly, your hands pushing gently at his chest.

Bucky’s eyes widen as his hands come up grip your arms in an attempt to stop you. “Woah. Let’s talk about this. I’m just trying to figure everything out.”

“Figure it out? What is there to figure out, Bucky?” You cry out, shoving harder. “If you don’t know how you feel then you should figure it out on your own.” You move past him to open the door.

Bucky follows after you hastily. “Sweetheart, wait, please. I just need a moment.” You grip his forearms tightly using Bucky’s own momentum against him as you guide him to the hallway outside your room. “I wasn’t expecting this. We have articles and photos and interviews planned about a break-up tomorrow.”

“I shouldn’t have said anything, Bucky.” The two of you are back where your night began. Opposite sides of the door as you stare, unsure of what to say. “Let’s just pretend this never happened, okay? The article will be published and we’ll confirm it and life will move on.”

The door slams shut in his face without warning, not giving him a chance to say anything else. You stare blankly at the ugly, green shade its painted in silence as you remind yourself; It was all fake. A script you had been given and followed to a tee. One you had gotten too caught up in.

You’re feelings don’t change the ending.

There’s a slow knock on your door. You suck in a breath as you move to open it an apology on the tip of your tongue.

“Bucky.” You’re cut off as his hands come up to rest on your cheeks and he pulls you towards him. Anything you had to say dissipates as his lips meet yours in a bruising kiss.

Your hands come up to grip his t-shirt tightly as you kiss him back your tongue slipping into his mouth while he pulls you flush against his body.

An arm wraps around your waist and Bucky pushes you back into your room, his foot kicking your door closed harshly.

The back of your knees hit the edge of your bed and you finally pull away to look at Bucky, but he speaks before you can say anything.

“Of course I’ve thought about it.” He breathes out. His eyes are wide with nerves and his cheeks flushed red. The sight of it mixed with his kiss makes your heart pound. “I’ve thought about kissing you for real, not in a room filled with crew and cameras. About what it would be like to be on a date where paparazzi hasn’t been tipped off. Baby,” his hands rest on your cheeks again as he forces your eyes to meet his, “I’ve thought about it all. What it would be like to be with you, to really be with you in every way. Sometimes it’s all I think about when we’re together.”

You take pause, your eyes widening and hands freezing in place as you listen to what he’s saying. “Why didn’t you say anything then? Why’d you just pace and ask me all those questions?”

“Because I’m an idiot.” He smiles brightly when you giggle. “Because I couldn’t believe you actually felt the same way. I was in shock.” He presses a gentle kiss to your lips.

You smile up at him softly. “What do we do about the article tomorrow?” You whisper your question.

You feel giddy with excitement as Bucky’s hands land on your hips to hold you in place, flush against him. “We deny it.”

“What about our managers?” Your smile doesn’t fade even as stress over the situation arises. “And…And our separate interviews tomorrow?”

“What are they gonna do? Fire us?” Bucky smiles. “We’ll tell them all about how in love we still are. That the source in the article was a dud and we’ve just been private recently as the show wraps.”

“We will?” You ask quietly. Your heart racing at his words. “You want to say all that?”

Bucky nods his head. “I do.”

You don’t say anything else he leans in for another kiss, you could worry tomorrow.

Bonus -> The Next Day

liked by buckybarnes, samwilson and 134,759 others

yourinstagram the final season of our show premieres this weekend and we’re so excited for you all to see how it ends. the first photo is from tonight and the second from our first season! the past six years has brought me so much joy and i’m so grateful for everything this show has given me. most importantly though, i’m thankful for you, bucky barnes. my adrian to my lucia. my best friend. my lover. thanks for making this show so fun.

View all 15,398 comments

samwilson we made a great show. love you guys.

buckyfan thought y’all were a pr stunt lmao

yourinstagram apparently you’re not supposed to really fall in love for those to work…

buckybarnes i am most grateful for you. you made work worth it every god damn day.

yourfan my favorite couple on and off the screen.

— ➶ —

notes -> this is my first ever time joining a writing challenge, it really pushed me to work through block and focus on this instead of letting is die out like i have with other projects despite liking them so much!

(hoping you guys don’t hate the extra instagram idea, i just felt it fit in!)

hopefully you enjoyed and if you did, reblogs are greatly appreciated!

[jjblunt]

encounters | rafe cameron

a/n: little quick blurb! just had the thought that rafe probably listens to classic rock. wrote this in like 15 mins so.. and this is my first writing here so excuse how poorly this was written!

here’s the kinda second part. or more of a like post high school thing?

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Being in a completely different friend group often hinders the possibility of you having an interaction with Rafe. His friend group were notorious for being boisterous, loud and whatnot. Your friend group were mostly on the down low, never really participating in the entire Kooks vs Pogues agenda that reigns in the island.

You did have several classes with him and you’ve seen him around at parties. And it is a particularly small town so you two know of each other. But no effort was ever made to really get to know him and vice versa. 

That was until Midsummers happened.

Midsummers was always something you looked forward to since you get to hang out with your friends and (illegally) drink champagne while your parents pretended to like each other. But that year you were pretty bummed out since most of them was out of the country, spending their summer somewhere in Europe. So you were left to spend the night alone.

Only you didn’t. 

It was about an hour and a half since it started, and by this point, you were pretty bored out of your mind and had opted to sit out the mingling. Rafe saw you alone at the table and decided to take a seat next to your place.

His arrival did question you and you were about to address it but he had beat you to it first. 

“Alone tonight, Y/l/n?”

“Maybe,” you said. “You?”

“Maybe.”

“Surprising you’re not bothering any pogues tonight. Seeing that that’s the only thing I’ve seen you done outside of school,” you teasingly said.

Rafe could hear your voice dripping in sarcasm and decided to play along. “Oh yeah? And what about you? Surprising you’re not high on weed with your stoner friends right now,” he said. “Also, I do have other activities outside of school besides that.”

“Like what?”

“Like, golf.”

You can’t help but laugh. Honestly, you thought, golf? “You are so kook, Rafe.”

He smiled at your response. You didn’t think you’d be having a conversation with Rafe Cameron talking about nothing and everything. But you did. One question led to another and by the end of the night, your stomach was hurting from the excessive laughing that you’ve shared with the boy. And somehow the both of you began on the topic about rock music— one of the many things you had in common with Rafe. Something you found out that night.

“— I can’t believe you think Led Zeppelin is better than Pink. Like, c’mon. I thought we were getting along,” he said.

“But they are though! Pink Floyd writes sad shit and tries to be philosophical but it just doesn’t work!”

“So wrong for that. You just haven’t listened to the right songs.”

“You’re wrong. I know I’m right. Maybe if—” 

mae: can u pick me up

mae: im in trouble💩💩

mae: moms gonna killll mee 😵

mae: plz

Your phone read. Fuck you thought. Your sister didn’t bother to elaborate the trouble she had gotten herself into so you instinctively stood up and for a brief moment you forgot that you were in the middle of a conversation.

“Hey, hey where are you going?”

“Fuck. Sorry, Cameron. Big sister duty. I have to go. Call me okay? or text me. Maybe you could play some Pink for me sometime and convince me that it’s better than Zeppelin. I doubt it though.”

He smiled. “Okay. Yeah, sure. But can I have your number first?”

“Sarah has it. Just ask her,” you said, heels already moving. 

He nodded and waved you goodbye. Where have you been all this time? he thought to himself. 

[pankowfruitsnacks]

Shattered JJ Maybank Chapter Thirty-Five

master list | series master list

warning: none

word count: 1140

———————-

Ava looked at herself in the mirror. She's never been one for a fancy white dress and long train. Her and Macy looked all Saturday for the perfect dress and found a simple two piece dress, lace covered the back. It may not have been much, but she was set on it. Dressing it up with some jewelry and a body chain. The girls were all tucked in a room at the chateau getting ready.

Macy wrapped her arms around Ava. "It's almost time. Are you ready?"

"More than ever." Ava was shaking with excitement. Aunt Mae talked about her wedding day while she fixed both girls hair. Mae was extremely nervous, but Ava? No, she felt no doubt in her mind. After everything the two had been through, after everything they have overcame together. Ava knew she was safe with JJ, no matter what.

Ava felt emotional all morning. JJ was out with John B and Pope at  Heyward's getting ready. The lack of not seeing JJ had an affect on her, but she knew in the end, he would be hers forever. The had previously begged for a first look, but Jj called it bullshit and wanted his first sight to be when she's walking out.

A knock drew them all out of conversation. "Come in." Mae smiles as her husband walked in.

"Uncle Matt!" Ava squealed, giving him a hug.

"Everyone is here and its all set up. We got a few minutes and then we'll make your entrance." Her heartbeat in her chest.

"JJ is here?"

"He's waiting on the porch for the okay."

"Give it to him. I'm ready." Her face was glowing.

"Can I talk to you first? It won't be long." Macy and Mae got the hint, leaving thier presence.

"Ava, I saw parts of you growing up. I saw pain in your eyes and never knowing why or even trying to ask you. Then everything came out with your father and we took you in, no questions asked."

Her eyes began to water. "I'm so thankful when you did. Although I wasn't the best at showing it."

"There were times I asked myself if you would ever get better. I felt helpless and hopeless. Nothing I did worked. It wasn't until you met the pogues that I saw the change. They made you smile.

"Everytime you left the house I was nervous. There is nothing wrong with people from the cut, hell I was from the cut, but I wanted what was best for you and give you everything. And you know what? Money never could do that. Status never did that. It was friends. Friends who turned into another family.

"JJ has given you his worst and his best. He's given you everything you needed. I love him and I can't wait til he's part of the family officially. But I want you to know he was family before that. You'll be okay with him. I trust him."

"Uncle you're rambling. It's almost time."

"I'm just not sure I'm ready to let you go. You're an important part of my life. Even with the bumps in the road."

"I'll still be in the apartment. I'm not going anywhere yet." Uncle Matt just shook his head.

"We have an extra house we rent out to tourist year round. Good profit." This was news to Ava. "But Mae and I talked. It's for you and JJ. Our gift."

Tears threatened to spill. But Ava did her best to save her makeup. "I don't know what to say."

"It's all set up for you two for after the party. JJ knows the address. It's not too far, so if you need anything, I'll be there." Ava hugged him, wanting her uncle to understand her thankfulness despite lack of words.

"Thank you. For all you have done."

"Are you ready?" Ava just nodded, looping her arm through his.

JJ stood on the porch with his friends, talking about everything he had planned, from the house, to the special week they would spend just the two of them. They didn't plan a honeymoon, saving it for later, so he wanted to make sure it was still unique. The house was stocked with everything. There was no need to leave. Not to mention they had a small section of the beach closed off to just them. No one for a mile or two.

"Let's go make an entrance." John B spoke, ushering the boys forward before Ava showed herself. If JJ caught a glimpse, no one would make it to the wedding.

Soft piano music played over the speaker, as JJ walked with Sarah and Kie down the aisle. Usually the mother does that, but she wasn't around so he asked his friends and they happily obliged. Next John B and Macy walked, throwing flowers. It was last minute but Ava insisted every wedding had a flower girl. Or man.

JJ's heart beat with anticipation as the wedding march began to play, counting the second til Ava finally came into view. She looked absolutely wonderful. He loved the way the skirt had a slit up it and the way her belly button barely poked out the top. JJ could barely control his thoughts, wanting to feel her in his arms. He wanted to brush his finger tips along her sides and watch her tremble.

Her green eyes connected with his, mirroring his own thoughts. She would never get over the way he looked in the rented tux. "Ava, you need to slow down just a little bit."

"Uncle Matt, I think you need to speed up. He's waiting for me." They bickered quietly down the aisle.

"Ava."

"I'll run away from you again if you don't speed up, grandpa." Ava teased as he through his head back.

"Fine." He began to take steps and hops. "If you want to speed up, skipping is what we'll do."

Ava easily gave in, skipping down between the chairs as everyone laughed. JJ had tears pour out his eyes. "That's future Mrs. Maybank." He shouted.

Anyone on the beach that day could see the love they held for each other when her uncle gave her away.

[lovesickslasherapples]

hey may I request the slasher bois with an s/o who is a night owl who loves the darkness and can actually see in the dark thanks ❤

Sure! I’m a night owl myself 😅

So this should be interesting

((Okay edit...I’m so sorry I didn’t view it correctly after I finished writing it I had re read the ask and I was like 👀🤦‍♀️)) ((I hope you like this! Then again super sorry I’ll re write what you asked for and tag you on there))

Basically how I wrote reader was they were used to it kinda like they already been a night owl since young and got used to the darkness.

So sorry for that I still hope you enjoy!

Michael Myers

All the lights were on in the house for what reason no one knows but that didn’t seem to matter at the moment as the two of you basically devoured one another on the couch. Michael on top running his hand down your thigh as you two continued to kiss one another.

He gave a hard squeeze to your ass causing you to squeak. He smirked at your reaction something about it drove him nuts. Him having full power over you made him feel powerful and he loved it!

He wanted to hear you scream out his name as come undone by him. Just the thought had him really going. His hand thraveled to the waist band of your pants only to stop as the lights went out.

Michael grunted. How dare the lights just ruin his fun and right when the good parts were about to begin. Now it was pitch black not a single source of light to be seen. He doubted you could see as there was nothing happening but he missed the smirk on your face as you could clearly see him.

“Aweeee..don’t tell me we’re finished now Mikey~”He looked at you wide eyed till he glared hearing that nickname. He growled felt you over not sure how you could see him. You smirked pushing him down on the couch straddling him. Michael didn’t like this new side of you or better yet the dominance you had over him.

Even though he couldn’t see you-you could see him and if looks could kill you’d be dead by now.

The darkness never fails you.

Jason voorhees

It had been a normal day in the cabin lanterns lighting up the house in different corners of the cabin. You smiled as you cuddled up to Jason as y’all enjoyed reading a historical book. “You know this actually happened in real life!”

Jason looked at you before nodding he knew about the Alamo as his mom always educated him about the wars and other things that happened back then. You reminded him of this momma so sweet and kind never judging him for his looks or the fact that he murders teenagers that come around.

The winds started to pick up and blow the tiny fire that was in the little tube only source of keeping it alive. You shivered as Jason put his arm around you protectively and to keep you from getting cold. Jason himself was a bit cold but the jacket brought some warmth.

As the winds blew harder the lanterns started to go out one by one like in a horror film. Jason tightened his arm around you before you spoke up. “Jay..I need to turn the laterns back on”You said as Jason shook his head not sure if you even saw it. You chuckled before reassuring him you’d be fine plus you knew the cabin like Jason knew the camp grounds and woods.

As you got up you head towards some of the laterns turning only a few of them on bring some light source as you heard a thund behind you. You turned around only to see Jason on the floor with a knocked down machete and a few trinkets that were on shelves.

You laughed to yourself before helpping him up.

“I said I’d be okay..I can see you know”You said crossing your arms. Jason tilted his head not sure how someone can see in pitch blackness but wasn’t gonna question you. He believes you.

Freddy Kruger

You sighed coming home and face planting on the couch throwing your purse in the process on the floor. You sighed as today had been stressful at you work today. A few rude comstumers and then your co worker just plain messing with you for who knows what.

Today just wasn’t your day.

You didn’t feel your self falling into the bliss of sleep as it was then plitch black and at the moment you didn’t care it was sort of peaceful. Nothing to bother you or so you thought..

Then there was a sudden laugher “well we’ll well what do we have here..”He said in this very low demonic voice. You looked around and it was as if you just woken up but you were in a boiler room filed with pipes.

“Hello?”You said as you looked around in confusion it wasn’t exactly dark but it was more or less dem. You looked around for the owner of that voice only to see shadows go by. “Hahahahahaha!!”

The voice laugh as you turned to you right to see a man in the shadows he was wearing a stripped sweater with long brownish pants with a gloved filled with knives. His hat tipped slightly his skin burned.

“Why are you standing in the shadows?”You said as he sorta of froze before smriking and appeared right in front of you. “Good eye there sweat cheeks~”

Billy Loomis (Ghostface)

Nothing better than watching a scary movie right? Wrong.

“What’s your favorite scary movie?”

“Uhmm..imma have to go with Scream..the first one”

The caller on the other end laughed agreeing it was a great movie. “Let’s play a game..”

You smiled as you sat down on the couch “What game?”You asked as the twirled your hand with the phone wire. The caller laughed before saying it was a horror movie quiz.

“Quiz huh?”

“What? I thought you liked horror movies”

“I do..I do”you said smiling waiting for the game to begin looking out the window as it was pitch black out there. You couldn’t help but notice that a man or shadow with a white mask like ghostface was outside moving around circleing your house.

“That wouldn’t happen to be you outside?”You said knowing horror movies all too well to be fooled. The caller froze. Not expecting you to notice him..he was ghostface the most stealthy.

“What?”

You laughed “I saw you..”

Billy smirked this was going to be interesting.

Bubba sawyer

Bubba was doing the regular helping draytom doing chores as Chop Top kept you company. “Y-Yea did ya hear that song they play on the r-radio today”He said as you knew what they were talking about. Stretch.

She was one of the radio people that work at the radio station. As much as you tried not to get jealous you just couldn’t help but feel that way. Bubba always had show his affection towards you but when stretch came on the radio he was lost in another world. “Yea I did”You said swinging your legs as you listened to chop top as he used his hanger to scratch his head.

“Me and Bubba had went to go see er today”He said as he moved around and danced with nubbins. “Oh yea?”You said trying to give your best smile. Chop top nodded before slowly walking towards you.

“You aren’t jealous are ya?”He said getting a little too close for comfort. “N-no..why would I be jealous”You said as you crossed your arms. Chop top smiled before jumping around repeating the words. “Your jealous.”

You rolled your eyes and couldn’t help but notice bubba staring at the radio. This made you frown. You sighed before jumping down from your high point and taking a walk threw the tunnels. This place sorta creeped you out but luckily the Christmas lights kept the place lit up. Or so you thought.

All of a sudden the lights flickered before completely shutting off. You looked around before shrugging and continued forward. The darkness was no match for you tbh...you could see just fine and the fact that the darkness kept you calm.

As you continued walking you heard worried squeals coming from behind you. You knew those squeals belonged to Bubba. “Bubba?”You questioned stopping in your tracks as you heard some bones falling down as bubba tried to find you in He darkness. You sighed and walked towards him “Hey..”You said grabbing his arm as he hurried turned around embracing you in a hug.

Bubba made sad sounds of which almost sounded like an apology. “You don’t need to be sorry Bubs..”you said running your hands threw his hair.

All of a sudden the lights finally came back on a reliefs sigh came from bubba. “I would have been okay..I could see”You said smiling as bubba did that cute head tilt his tongue slightly coming out. “Besides..I thought you would have still been listening to Stretch...”You said as bubba looked at the You confused.

“The lady on the radio”You said plainly but sadly.

Bubba rapidly shook his head making a few sounds as he hugged you before making a heart shape with his hands and pointing to you. He didn’t get it much but he knew what you meant. He couldn’t love anyone else but you. You smiled and kissed his cheek “Thank you bubba..I love you too.”

Thomas Hewitt

Thomas and you had been working all day doing chores around the house and out in yard. Though these chores were intrupped by loud thunder and a few bright strikes of lightning. Luda Mae had already called y’all inside not wanting y’all to catch a cold.

Thunder storms were rare here..since it was always hot!!

Even though it was raining Luda Mae still passed out some cold Sweet iced tea. “Here ya go..drink up”She said as she handed everyone a glass. Monty and Hoyt were complaining about how chores didn’t get done but that didn’t last long before Luda Mae got on to them about the storm.

“It’s rainin outside! Now would boys hush!”She yelled in her country accent and not seconds later the power went out. “Great..”Said Monty as he looked around only to see nothing but darkness.

Everyone was looking around not knowing what to day but that wasn’t a problem for you though. “I’ll go turn the power back on”you said as everyone turned to your voice. “It’s pitch black..how in the heavens can you see”Luda Mae said as you shrugged “I’m just used to it”You said as you heard a sigh.

“Fine..but thomas goes with you I don’t want you running into things in the basement”She said as you nodded even though she couldn’t see you. “I think I should go too”Said Monty moving his wheel chair forward running over Hoyt’s foot. “Ow!! Dammit Monty!!”He Yelled as he dropped the glass cup shattering it.

“Hoyt!!”Luda Mae Yelled as she heard the glass shattered. You looked back before going into the kitchen to get the broom.

You swept up all the glass as everyone argued and threw it away as well as grabbing Thomas’s hand taking him with you to the basement. Tbh you don’t know why she had him go down there with you..he couldn’t see either.

Well you weren’t complaining..it was scary down here anyways. Once you found the breaker you flipped a few switches and the boom! The power was back on.

Thomas looked at you and you smiled at him “What?”You said as Thomas just shook his head. You chuckled before taking his hand again and taking him upstairs. Thomas had to admit he was a bit surprised you could in the darkness. The whole house was dark and yet you were the only one who could see now that impressed him..made him fall for you even more.

“Where’s the damn glass?!”Yelled Luda Mae with her hands on her hips. “I don’t know! It just vanished!”Yelled Hoyt throwing his hands in fustration. They kept agruing before hearing both yours and Thomas’s foot steps.

“Don’t worry I cleaned it”You said as everyone fell silent. “You couldn’t see in pitch black..”said Hoyt not believing it. You nodded your head as you told him to look in the trash. He tipped his hat before going to go take a look.

“Well I’d been damned”he said as he came back now seeing evidence since to him seeing is believing. Thomas Hugged you from behind as you smiled and leaned back into him. “Get a room”Said Hoyt as monty also commented only for them to get shushed by Luda Mae.

Chucky

It was a normal day in your apartment fixing some lunch for yourself and you sisters kid that you just so happended to be watching for her as she went out.

“You almost done!”Yelled Lucy as she held her good guy doll close to her watching the good guy commercial. You sighed and rolled your eyes “Yeeesss”You said trying not to get annoyed you didn’t mind watching for you sister but her child was a hand full.

As you cut the sandwich’s in half you made your way to Lucy who was sitting on the couch with her pink skirt and white shirt with a little cardigan. “Finally!”She says as he puts her good guy down and grabs the plate.

You watched as she ate before deciding to take a bit out of yours. “Hi I’m chucky! Wanna play?”

This caused you to stop as her good guy doll spoke out of nowhere. “Do they always do that?”You asked as Lucy looked at you . “Do what?”She said as she finished her first sandwich half. “Talk..out of nowhere”You said taking a bit out of your sandwich.

Lucy shrugged “I guess”She said as you furrowed you eyebrows staring at the doll. “Don’t stare! It’s not nice to stare! He doesn’t like it.”She yelled grabbing her good guy doll making a pouty face. “Who doesn’t like it?”

“Chucky”She said as she put the doll close to her ear acting as if he was talking to her. She then pulled him away saying that wasn’t nice and that’s a mean word to say. “Did chucky day something?” You asked as she looked at you.

“He said to keep your fucking mouth shut if you know what’s good for you”

“Lucy! That’s not nice!”

“I didn’t say it! Chucky did!”she said making you look at the doll. He was smiling having this creepy look to him. You sigh before taking Lucy to bed. As you tucked her in she held onto her good guy doll tightly telling him good night making you frown and question her.

As you left leaving the door open just a crack you walked down the hall that was nothing but complete darkness. You couldn’t help but feel that your being watched and hear little foot steps. You turn around to see nothing there as your eyes adjust to the darkness. “Lucy?” You said as you heard nothing and decided to speed walk where you see light in the living room.

All of a sudden you could hear running foot steps coming from behind you making stop for an unknown reason. “AAAAAAAAH”

You screamed as you saw Lucy’s good guy doll running straight towards you with a knife. “Get...AWAY!”You Yelled as you kicked him sending him flying.

“What the hell?!”he yelled as he didn’t expect you to see him. Sure you heard him but see him no..

“Damn..didn’t expect that”He said as you had already ran and turned on the lights facing him.

“The names chucky...but lady’s call me Charles”He said smirking. You stood there not knowing what to say. He snorted “what’s wrong..cat got your tongue”He teased.

It was true..cat really did have your tongue but at the moment you were lucky to be alive!

Slasherapples

[welcometothebookreport]

Weekly Wrap up: 12/20/2020 - 12/27/2020

It’s the end of the first week here at this blog, though technically it’s only the second day that we’ve been live. On Sundays, I’ll be posting weekly wrap-ups with what I’ve been reading all week, my thoughts, and hopefully a graphic that I’ve spent too much time on. At least that’s the idea. School may not allow for blogging much, but I’ll wing it when I get there. 

In case the graphic doesn’t load, everything is mentioned down here again so there’s nothing to miss! Keep in mind, there will be spoilers for titles mentioned below the line, and also please do not spoil me if I’ve mentioned that I’ve not finished it yet. :) 

This week I read... 

In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (in progress)

In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren

Rating: 5/5

Warnings: no hard warnings. This is a very light read. 

Thoughts about this book

I picked this book as part of my December box for Book of the Month Club and I almost didn’t read it this month at all. After finishing Serpent & Dove though, I decided that I really wanted some holiday cheer since I didn’t have any. It’s a good thing I did because this ended up being my favorite read of the year, and right at the final buzzer too. 

Our protagonist, Mae, ends up in a time loop when she makes a stray wish to the universe: Show me what will make me happy. I had my doubts about whether I would like the plot since it seems a little silly, and I wanted something with some substance. Pleased to admit that I was wrong about all of my thoughts at the beginning. Thing is, this book is silly. In fact, it’s downright hilarious and I laughed out loud so many times I lost track. It’s also serious in the right spots, but really it’s a tender story about getting your one true love. However, it’s not only a love story. 

It takes a while for Mae to throw caution to the wind. Approximately two return trips to the plane (with a courtesy whack to her brother’s face, actually) in, Maelyn Jones decides that none of this matters because she’s just going to start over anyway. In a fantastic outburst, she barks at her dad not to eat the cookie (he’s going to break his tooth on it), and a slew of other orders because she’s so fed up with it all. Then we see this woman start living when she hasn’t been, and to be completely honest, you don’t even realize it’s happening at first. 

She doesn’t realize it either. 

Andrew Hollis is the older brother of Theo (and Theo’s been carrying a torch for Mae, it seems) and also the brother Mae has spent years of her life pining after. They’re wicked close, wondrously hilarious together, and by the end of the book - No. By the time I was a quarter of the way through, I was pretty sure I was going to be in love with him too. Half-way in, I knew I was. 

I could go on and on about this book, but I’m going to spare you because a) I need to learn to be more concise with reviews and b) I really want you to read it and see if you love it as much as I did. 

The Funniest Moment for Me: 

I simply cannot pick one moment, but if I have to, I plucked the one out of my head that I thought of first. 

When they were kids, Mae painted their initials on the bottom of a mug. The full thing of MJ + AH and it’s adorable. Later, Mae admits it to Andrew, and he holds it up to the light in an equally adorable way and realizes that he can still see it, even though it’s been painted over. 

Favorite Scenes

I’d like to say the entire book, just for the record, but I can’t. Or can I? I kind of make the rules for my own posts, don’t I? 

Every single moment spent in the boathouse, even the ones that made my eyes water. They’re so perfect together, and I just love this couple, and this story so much I can hardly begin to explain it. 

What I learned from this story: 

Mae is stuck in a rut. In a job she doesn’t love, living with her parents, and without the love life that she wants. The shift in her is a dramatic one, and you have to root for her. I know I did because I saw too much of my own traits in her. A job I don’t love anymore, a position in life I don’t want anymore, the list goes on. 

Mae didn’t need the great love of her life to change everything, but she starts knocking down walls, and starts taking everything she wants. She tells the truth (that she has feelings for this man, that she hates her job,) and she tells Andrew. She quits her job in the twenty seconds of bravery that she’s always had, but has just unlocked. 

So, if there is something to take away from this, it’s that you’ve just gotta go for it. 

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

Rating: 3/5

Warnings: Therapist Sessions, Mention of Miscarriage, A Garbage Parent, Depression, and Anxiety. Please mind that these warnings are for mentions inside the novel as well, and not necessarily something that happens to either of the leads.

Thoughts: 

This one was part of my November box for Book of the Month Club! I decided to read this since NYE is right around the corner, and bam, this one happens to open on NYE. 

I enjoyed this book. It was a fun romance, but it was more than that too. Minnie Cooper believes in a New Years jinx that started the night she was born, when her mother helps another woman through labor and delivery, and this woman wins a prize for the first baby born. Not only that, this woman takes what was meant to be Minnie’s name: Quinn. 

Listen, the joke Minnie Cooper was funny for about twenty pages before I really began to hate it. The book is over 300 pages. It’s one of those things I could deal with, but never really got past because it annoyed me so much. Moving on! 

A chance encounter leads to the meeting of Quinn and Minnie at a birthday party on NYE. As you can guess, it’s a party for Quinn. There are several encounters between these two through the book, and each one of them left me wanting to get to the next one. 

The main storyline is told in a linear fashion, but there are flashbacks from both characters too. At first, you may not realize that these two have met before. Or maybe you do realize it and I’m just so oblivious it hurts. Probably that one. 

I liked the romance, but what really caught my eye was the issues raised within the book. One character regularly attends therapist sessions in an effort to help themselves, in an effort to get better. The terrible issue of miscarriage is brought up (but this does not happen to either of our leads, but is still important!) and then we are living through a year in the life of these characters as they try to find what makes them happy. 

I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. It ranked as a ⅗ for me for a few reasons. I wanted more development. The romance felt a little lacking in some spaces, and I’m not sure if that’s because I had just finished In A Holidaze the day before, but it felt lukewarm to me. 

I appreciated the issues raised, and mostly enjoyed the way they were handled, but I wish some of them had been expanded on. I wasn’t a fan of brief time skips (where they could be a few months at a time) because it felt like a hole in the plot. 

Minnie Cooper. It’s hard to get into a story where I dislike the name so much. 

I just did not enjoy a part of the book that involved Minnie, her best friend Leila, and the proposal for Leila from her boyfriend that Minnie helped plan. It was meant to be funny, but it was more cheesy and it fell flat for me.

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Rating: 5/5

Warnings: Misogyny, violence in parts, religious zealots (in case that’s something that makes you uncomfortable like it did me), derogatory slurs toward women.    

This one has been on my TBR for a long time, and I finally dug into it. From the first day of reading, I was not sure I was going to finish it. Religion plays a central focal point to the plot of the first book, and one of my friends told me to press on, because it’s not as prevalent in book two. I don’t know about that yet, because I haven’t read it. 

I have so many pages marked in this book for how much I loved it. Truly. Lou is witty, quick to snap, and Reid’s character development is something I’ve marveled at. Going in, I knew there would be a forced marriage, but I wasn’t at all sure how it would come into play. I have to admit, it was a pretty creative way to go about it. 

Watching these two characters orbit each other, with each of their harsher exteriors beginning to come down has to be my favorite part, and the main reason I pressed through the parts that creeped me out. 

Reading Reid say the word fuck was a highlight for me. I have so much to say about this one, but I’m planning to write a proper review, and to show my annotations, so I’ll save that for another day!

Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard

Warnings: None that I’ve seen yet. 

Rating: too soon to tell 

This is a book club read for my friends and I. It’s taken a bit for me to get into, but these are some of my notes up to where I was last night at page 93. 

It’s quite interesting, and books set in a dystopian world have never held my attention well. So, I’ve been struggling to really sink into it versus how well I fell into Caraval. 

The main character is beginning to grow on me more, and I’m curious to learn more about Cal and Maven. I’m certain that Cal is going to break my heart (don’t tell me if he’s going to) and also what will happen with Kilorn now that Mare will no longer be living in Stilts. 

I’ll finish it in the next couple of days, so hopefully I’ll have really grown to like it by next week’s post. 

What about you? What have you been reading this week? Sorry this is so long too. Eventually I’ll learn how to be more the point because nearly two thousand words is kind of embarrassing. 

[fullmetalscullyy]

a conspiracy theory - chapter 16

co-written by @snowdog49 and @jeanhaavoc

summary: Detective Roy takes on a challenging task… To find Olivier Armstrong’s sword. However, he has a beautiful woman to distract him along the way. Will he, Jean, and Ed be able to find the sword in time, or will they succumb to the conspiracy?

warning: graphic depictions of violence

tags: conspiracy, pining, unresolved sexual tension, private detective au, royai, havolina, mystery, violence, modern au, coffee shops

rated: m | words: 3359

read on ao3

Roy woke to the sound of pots and pans being shuffled. The smell of coffee was strong, and he heard a toaster go off. He wasn’t home. None of that was vaguely familiar to any sounds at home, let alone in the morning. He opened his eyes, feeling one leg bent at ninety degrees with a foot on the ground, while the other remained on the couch. He nodded to himself, letting his arms rise in a stretch and a yawn. He was at Riza’s. Turning he noticed she was already cooking breakfast, still in the sweats she was in when he went to sleep. Her hair was down and wet from a shower. It shined just perfectly in the fluorescent light of the kitchen. He didn’t move, he just took in the sight of her scrambling something in the pan and then turning to the toast. It had to be wondered if she was like this every morning, rising with the sun, which she kindly had pulled the curtains shut for him, and smiled like it too. She looked happy, even content in her task. 

“What time do you work,” he asked with a groggy voice. 

“In two hours,” she answered without looking up. 

“How long have you been up?” 

She slid the eggs onto a plate and looked up at him. “Hayate and I already went for a walk, and I took a shower.” She leaned on the counter, watching him as he sat up with a groan. “So about an hour.” 

“You could've woke me,” he grumbled. 

“You need your sleep.” 

Roy looked on his wrist at his watch. He had to meet Hughes at 8 am. He had an hour to get there. “I don’t have too much time to dilly dally,” he admitted, reaching for his shoulder holster. “But you have to let me repay you somehow.” 

She walked around the kitchen and handed him a plate. “Then eat breakfast.” 

“You’re being too nice to me,” he called to her as she walked away. Although eggs, some fruit, and toast looked way too good to pass up. When was the last time he had a home-cooked breakfast? He needed to make a point of making more food for himself. After the first bite, he had to sit back down. They were the best eggs he’d ever eaten, he swore it on his mother’s grave. The toast was perfect, and he didn’t even think that was possible. When she said she liked to cook, there was no lie in it. She was amazing at it. He took every bite slowly, chewing it, relishing in every tastebud’s celebration of flavor. And he would have asked for seconds too. 

“This is… good,” he commented. He had to hide his groan as flavor burst over his tongue.

“Did you ever doubt my skills?” she asked dryly. “I told you I was into cooking.” 

“Um, I never will again?” he smiled sweetly looking up at her.

Riza laughed and sat down next to him on the couch. She curled her legs underneath her body, leaning on the arm of the chair. She picked at her food innocently, but being this close to her, in her apartment after sleeping over, Roy was sure that she was just as uncomfortable about the environment as he was. It wasn’t like they had anything to be embarrassed about. Still, the awkwardness didn’t dissipate as quickly he would've liked. 

Roy coughed. “I just wanted to apologize for showing up so late last night.”

She glanced over at him expectantly. Her eyebrows twitched downwards in slight confusion.

“I know it’s not the most ideal situation to land yourself in, having me showing up half asleep at your door,” he laughed nervously. He resisted the urge to scratch the back of his neck.

“Roy, you’re fine. I did say it was okay for you to come over, didn’t I,” she reminded him. “If I didn’t want you to come, I would have said no.” She glanced down at her plate with a small smile. “I enjoy your company, so it’s no issue at all.”

Roy coughed nervously, covering his mouth with his fist. “I uh… Can I use your restroom? Then I better get going.” 

Riza nodded and pointed down the hall. "It’s the first door on your right,” she instructed. 

He put his plate down and jumped up. He was so in love with her. He was. He was infatuated with her. And here he was, waking up with her serving him breakfast. He could hardly stand himself. Standing in the restroom he bit his fist with his hand. Why did he have to go? Why couldn’t he just stay and they could make sweet looks at each other? Life was unfair to him once again. Work called, and it wasn’t just work, it was 'Roy Saving the World' day. He washed his hands and stared at himself in the mirror. He had no idea what Riza saw in him, but she made him feel more alive than he had in years. 

He emerged from the bathroom and cleared his throat. “I’m going to go now,” he announced softly, reaching for his holster. “I’ve got to meet Maes at the senate’s house and we’re going to do a sweep of the place.” 

Riza nodded, putting her plate down. 

God, how he wanted to stay. He’d do anything to stay. He reached over and grabbed his gun, checking it to ensure that it was still loaded, and put it in its beloved spot. Then he grabbed his jacket and put it on. “I can’t thank you enough. I will make this up to you.” He looked at the door then back into her brown eyes. “You… You’re amazing. I think you’re really wonderful, and every time I get a chance to tell you, something happens. I’m going to show you one day.” He scratched his cheek nervously. 

Riza walked up to him, pulling on his jacket as if she was fixing it. “How about you just make it back alive?" Her hand patted his chest above his heart. 

Roy couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m sure I’m going to be okay.” He wasn’t thinking about anything else but the way her hand felt on his sternum, and the way she looked up at him. Their bodies pressed against each other - 

She said again softer. “Just come back and we can go to an uninterrupted dinner.” 

“God,” he laughed. “Wouldn’t that be a thing!” 

Riza smiled and Roy smiled back. It wasn’t anything he could help, she brought it out of him so easily. The world with her was full of smiles. With her by his side, he was the happiest he’d been in a long time.

As he turned to take a step towards the door, her hands grasped his jacket tighter and pulled at him. Roy turned his head to ask her what was wrong when her lips met his. At first, Roy stood there with his eyes wide and in shock, but when he felt her pull him closer, and his bottom lip slip along hers, he pressed back. His eyes closed and his arms wrapped protectively around her, sealing them together. There was no guess to how long the kiss actually was. God knew, but Roy did not. 

When Riza did pull back, Roy was frozen with his head forward and his body aching for more. He just stared at her, his dark eyes begging for her to come back. She smelled like the lavender of her shampoo, and her lips tasted like the blueberries that were for breakfast. She leaned up once more to kiss him shortly, a peck of love, and whispered, “just come back.” 

Roy remained frozen, blinking at her. His brain was stuck in place, like a record. He couldn’t make himself function. His lips and hands were still wanting. His head swayed forwards slightly, eager for more, and his hands clutched at her waist tightly. He never wanted to let her go.

“I promise,” he managed to force out. His voice was hoarse. Every emotion inside his chest was threatening to burst forth. Love washed over him as he looked into her caramel eyes, feeling relief follow soon afterward. He lifted a hand to cup her cheek, his thumb stroked over her cheekbone. Riza shivered but never broke eye contact with him. The pressure from her fingers increased against his sides. “I’ll come back to you, Riza.”

Her head dipped and she wrapped her arms around him tightly in a hug. Her head found his shoulder as Roy moved his hands to wrap around her back. Life was, once more, unfair as it tried to tear him away from this moment; but it did give him something to look forward to once it was all over. He would hold onto this moment with Riza, focus on it and hold it dear to his heart, forever. Whatever happened today, he would focus on getting back to her.

“Be safe,” she whispered into his shoulder.

“I thought you said I had nothing to worry about?” he chuckled lightly.

She pulled back, and Roy saw concern in her eyes. “Still, the sentiment remains the same.”

“Okay, I will. Just for you,” he quipped, trying to lighten the mood a little.

Before he could pull away, Riza grasped the lapels of his jacket, pulling him back to face her. “For both of us,” she replied firmly.

Roy turned before his body forced him to stay and grabbed the door handle. He opened it and took a step out, stopping for a moment, before continuing. It was now or never. Just a few hours until Edward could get the documents to the feds, just until help could arrive. He could do it. 

*          *          *

The lawn at the government buildings was still wet with dew as he marched through it. Maes stood at the top of a few stairs, watching him as he looked over the area. The man was just as diligent as Roy, just as observant. The big difference was who he was working for and the pension after 30 years. Roy was going to miss that pension but if he kept finding things for the Armstrong family, he might not need one. 

“All is quiet on the western front,” Maes said as Roy arrived next to him. “You don’t look like such shit. You must have finally gotten some sleep.” 

Roy nodded, putting his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, I did.” He tried his best not to blush at the thought of waking up to Riza making breakfast.

Maes nodded and turned to lead the two of them up the stairs. "The building just opened. We can run through it and check for explosives. Marcoh should be here any minute. I heard they are starting just after 9.” 

“That gives us just over an hour!” 

“Then step it up, Mustang!” Maes grinned. “Don't tell me you’re getting old!” 

Roy frowned. He grumbled something before opening the doors to the senate. “Old my ass,” he mumbled. 

Row after row they walked. Roy ran his fingers under the desks while Maes checked under the chairs. Meticulously they searched every spot around Marcoh’s area. There was nothing. There wasn’t even dust. It made Roy even more nervous. A bomb would have been nice. Then the whole day would be called off… but the chaos would give Kimblee a chance… Roy grumbled. Nothing was going to make today okay. 

“What are you moaning about?” Maes laughed quietly from across the room.

“I’m not moaning,” Roy defended.

“You’re grumbling like an old man.”

Roy grit his teeth. First Ed with the grey hair comment, then Maes getting on about his age. 

“I’m not grumbling,” Roy snapped back.

“If you say so,” Maes replied, his voice taking on a sing-song lilt.

“I just…” Roy straightened, huffing in frustration. “I can’t seem to find anything.”

“That’s a good thing,” Maes countered. “You know that, right?”

“Yeah, of course it is, but…” He sighed, checking over the last desk. “A bomb would've been easy.”

“Do you really want to find a bomb in here?” Maes asked.

“It would've made calling everything off easier. It would've made the protection detail much easier too.”

“Always looking for the easy way out,” Maes joked with a smirk.

Roy scowled at him.

“Relax, it'll be fine. This isn’t our first rodeo, and won’t be the last,” Maes replied, waving his hand carelessly in the air. “There’s not going to be a shootout in a public building.”

“Jean was shot in an open area,” Roy countered. “We don’t know what the thought process is here.”

“No, but if these people really want to remain discreet, they won’t start something like that,” Maes reiterated. He’d finished checking the chair and was now lounging against a desk, his hip popped to lean against it.

The door opened across the room and Roy, being on edge, turned sharply. Senator Marcoh stepped through, looking rather surprised at the two men’s presence. He froze in place, keeping a tight grip on files underneath his arm.

“Gentleman,” he greeted with uncertainty. His grip on the door increased.

“Senator Marcoh,” Maes greeted immediately. “I apologize for the sudden appearance,” he stated. Maes reached into his pocket for his badge and Roy straightened, approaching him as well. “My name is Detective Maes Hughes with the Federal Police Department. This is my colleague, Detective Roy Mustang.”

Both men flashed their badges at a rather bewildered Marcoh. “Oh, hello. Can… Can I help you at all?”

“We’re here to assist you today,” Roy intervened.

“Assist me how?” Marcoh questioned.

“Do you have an office where we could possibly discuss things?”

Marcoh shook his head. “I’m afraid not. Not here.”

“This room will be alright then for now, won’t it Detective?” Maes questioned Roy directly.

“Of course.”

Marcoh walked forwards, placing his paperwork on the desk with his name plate attached to it. He shifted through them all, getting them into some kind of order as quickly as he could. “I apologize, this will only take a second. I’m happy to assist you, gentlemen, but I hope you can understand that I have a long day of meetings ahead of me and I need to be organized.”

“Of course, Sir,” Roy reassured him. “Take all the time you need.” He watched the doors, readying for the next person to come through. It was a tight area though, and it made Roy incredibly nervous. If Kimblee did come through the doors, there’d be nowhere to go. Maes must have felt the same way because when Marcoh stood Maes pointed him out the hall. 

“If you please,” he motioned. 

“What's this about,” Marcoh asked, concerned, not expecting to be removed from the room. 

“There’s been a security concern,” Maes answered in a hushed voice. 

“What?” Marcoh stopped in his steps. “About me?” He seemed doubtful.

Roy nodded. “Yes, we believe someone is targeting you, Sir.”

“What for?” he asked, incredulous.

“About this proposition for the west, concerning the land Bradley is interested in.”

Marcoh frowned. “I’m not happy with it, I admit, but… What comes to pass, comes to pass. I will continue to fight for bettering our country regardless.”

“That’s what we’re worried about, Sir.”

“Right,” Marcoh demanded, stopping in his tracks. Maes and Roy turned to face him. Frustration bloomed in Roy’s chest. They needed to move and get him somewhere safe, and he was halting that progress. “Tell me what’s going on. Right now.”

“Sir, we’re trying to, but it’s not safe here -”

Marcoh frowned suddenly. His mouth parted, but he didn’t say a word. Instead, he continued to stare past them, even craning his neck to look over their shoulders. Then, his face fell.

Roy turned first, before Maes, and saw Kimblee. He was walking towards them, smiling. The predatory expression on his face reminded Roy of a shark, slowly moving its way towards its prey. Without thinking, Roy reached for his holster but didn’t even get close.

Kimblee’s hand gripped his shoulder tightly, painfully so, and there were two muffled pops. Roy felt himself being sucker punched in the side in quick succession. Two gunshots.

He gasped, eyes flying open as his knees buckled. His legs jerked out to the side from the force of the hits and on instinct, Roy reached out as he fell, but Kimblee’s arm fell through his hand. He collapsed onto the floor as pain blossomed through his torso. His body hit the ground hard, his head bouncing off the tile. A groan left him, rounded off with another gasp of pain. His breathing was erratic as panic consumed every fibre of his being. To his own ears, Roy’s breaths sounded awful, choked and loud.

He couldn’t see. He couldn’t think. There was another gunshot, much louder this time, and there was shouting, there was screaming, but it all faded out into white noise as pain enveloped Roy completely. He’d been shot, twice, in the side. Kimblee walked right up to him and shot him at point blank range.

Roy gasped as his body convulsed. His shoulders were trying to round in on themselves to protect his body as he lay on the cold floor, but any movement made more pain explode all over his abdomen. He could feel the warmth of his blood around him, which he thought was odd at first, till he saw the red. He rolled on the floor, groaning weakly as he begged the world to give him a reprieve from this pain. He still felt like he couldn’t breathe. Roy was choking on everything, tasting the iron from his blood on his tongue.

“Roy!” The shout broke through everything as his mind shut down, unable to focus on much else as his body reacted to having two bullets forced into it.

Roy’s eyes were unfocussed as his head rolled uncontrollably to try and see who was calling to him. Maes’ face appeared over his, his expression full of worry. He felt Mae's roll him on his back, weight being pressed on his side. He turned his head to shout something to someone, but Roy lost track of his friend’s features. His face melted back into the grey of his vision.

He was losing it. His limbs were relaxing and his body was slowing in its shaking. His legs slid out on the floor and had stopped twitching so much. His arms were becoming heavy by his sides as the grey colour at the edges of his vision was replaced with black. All Roy could see in his mind’s eye was Riza’s face.

He’d broken his promise to her. He’d failed her. The pain had numbed his body, but he still felt that failure settle heavily inside his chest. His heart hurt and he whimpered. He wanted to see her again… Wanted to lose himself in those whiskey eyes that he adored so much. He wanted to kiss her and love her like she deserved… Roy had realised in her bathroom that morning that he loved her. He should've told her. Should have said something. Now, he was going to die, after such an incredible morning he’d had with her? Life truly was cruel.

“Hold on, Roy,” a disembodied voice called to him. There was a hard pressure on his side. He felt his body move as the force increased, but his mind felt detached from it all. He no longer felt pain, just a numbing sensation all over his body.

Roy wanted to hold on. He’d meant it when he told Riza he would, just for her, but it was becoming too hard. His lids were begging to close, pleading for him to give in. If he closed his eyes, he was sure he’d see Riza more clearly… ‘one last hurrah’ echoed inside his mind. How naïve he’d been back then. He didn’t want one last hurrah. He wanted to get up and go to her, just like he’d vowed he would.

But instead, everything just went dark.

[bethsuglywigs]

1x05 Q&A

1. What was your favourite scene of the episode? Tell us why!

There are a lot of scenes I like in this episode. Here are my top 3:

Beth and Annie’s dumpster argument: This is such a genuine sister argument. Even though Christina and Mae look nothing a like (especially on a show that is so good with casting actors who look related), this kind of back and forth with the underlying concern mixed with animosity is what really sells Beth and Annie as sisters. I’m also obsessed with Ruby being so used to their ridiculous behavior that she’s having a totally separate conversation in the background. 

Brio car scene: Honestly an iconic Brio moment. Don’t think I need to explain this one. 

“His name’s Rio”: If I didn’t know they were going to fuck before she said this...the look Ruby gives her...iconic

2. Was there any scene that missed the mark for you? And if so, how?

The pancake sex story. This scene doesn’t work for me AT ALL. Firstly, Beth is a talented liar, she literally proves it 10 minutes earlier at the electronic store. There’s no way she wasn’t fully prepared to answer Turner’s questions. I think the show wants us to believe she messed it up because she’s afraid of the FBI and flustered at the idea of sleeping with Rio. But this falls flat for me because Beth has shown time and time again she works best under pressure (See her lying to Marion when they were breaking in/we’re regular people  speech). 

It’s clear they just needed to make Turner not believe her to justify how zeroed in on her he is. But I think it would have made more sense if Turner did believe she was having an affair with Rio. Like his later behavior extreme Beth focus would have made more sense if he truly believed she was close to Rio. Based on what we see about his investigation, Rio is a major player in an international gang and a priority target for the FBI, if Turner could get to Rio through Beth, but she wasn’t cooperating it would justify his immense frustration with her. I just think this scene would have been 100% better for the plot overall if Beth lied well and Turner believed her.

3. What do you think Turner’s first impression of Beth and Dean was?

He though Dean was the dumbest man he ever met. You could see that in his eyes. It’s also very clear that Turner saw the same spark in Beth that Rio sees. Obviously they feel differently about her, but the both recognize there’s a lot more beneath the cookie cutter surface. 

4. How do you think Beth and Annie felt about the news that Stan had entered the police academy?

I think any concern they have about it comes from the effect it will have on Ruby. I don’t think they were concerned he would like catch them or something.

5. Do you think Ben had a nice time in Hawaii with his dad and Nancy?

Yeah he definitely had a great time. I think this trip probably helped him develop his relationship with Nancy, especially considering we know that he started this season pretty aloof about Nancy but in the second season he’s very fond of/defensive of her.

6. What do you think of the Cloud 9 scheme? Do you think it was a good idea? That it had longterm potential?

No. It’s just unrealistic that they could use that much cash at once without arousing suspicion. But washing fake cash through retail purchases is a very common thing to do, just on a much smaller scale. I think a better scheme would be to use money orders. 

7. Is Brian of Shop City Electronics the worst male character on this show? If not, where does he rank on the list of ‘Terrible Men’?

No. In this episode alone, Dean talks about his fake ass cancer and remind Beth he cheated on her and lost all their money while she’s trying to go comfort Ruby, whose daughter is in the hospital with non-functioning kidneys.

Boomer (Rapist/ugly)

Dean (unrepentant liar/cheater/manipulator/ugly ass bitch)

Noah (literally slept with Annie under false pretenses/ugly)

Brian (never thought about him again after this episode/not that ugly)

8. “Oh, is his name Rio?” (No question, just share thoughts, haha)

Girl...and you’re going to lecture Annie...

9. In this episode, Ruby and Stan find Sara’s pills together. Throughout the three seasons, we’ve seen them parent together and apart. How do you feel about the scenes of them parenting as a unit, and how do you think that dynamic shifts when they handle matters separately? (i.e. do you think Stan is a lighter touch without Ruby? Do you think Ruby is without Stan? What’s their dynamic when parenting their children - together or alone?)

Ruby and Stan are, by far, the best parents on this show. Beth and Annie both love their children and I’m not saying they are bad parents, but it’s scenes like the one in Sara’s hospital room that show just how well Ruby and Stan parent. The way they subtly chastise her, gently because she had a good reason, but firmly enough so that she understand why she did the wrong thing. And then they lighten the mood. It’s so good. 

I think Ruby is definitely the tough love parent. We really get to see that in season 3. Stan is clearly an amazing and loving father, but he does have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to people he loves so I imagine Sara/Harry can get a lot past him. But together, they are an unstoppable team. Even when they are fighting, they keep a united front for their kids. It’s obvious that they love and respect each other and that dynamic is foundational to their amazing joint parenting. 

10. The car scene! Was this the first time either Beth or Rio had entertained the idea that they were attracted to each other? Break it down for us / me!!

Rio wanted to smash on sight! There’s no doubt in my mind he was like damn, shame I have to kill her...

I’m not sure of Beth’s exact moment of first horniness, but even in this episode its obvious she’s into him (”His name’s Rio”). But I do think the car scene is the first time she allows herself to imagine them together. Before, I think she probably vaguely attracted to him, but too scared of him and too caught up with Dean to notice he was into her. But in this scene, with the way he’s looking at her and talking to her, I think this is when she notices that he’s attracted to her. Because Beth clearly has issues surround sex/her attractiveness, I don’t think she would have been able to think of him that way without first knowing he was attracted to her as well.  

[shawnpetermuffins]

Three of Us? (We Were Us iv.)

A/n: this is a shorter one, but I’m working on some background chapters coming up to further give you someone to root for... 👀

Summary: decisions are being made.

Warnings: angst?? kinda I guess

Word count: 2.4k

***

Shawn’s POV

I stare up at the ceiling fan and watch it go around and around. I count three hundred sheep, I scroll through my phone, I play the sounds of waves crashing. Nothing puts me to sleep. I huff and roll out of this too big bed. I pull on a pair of sweats and trudge to the kitchen. I reach into the cupboard and grab my favorite mug and a tea bag.

I slide open the door to my balcony and blow into the cup, the warm steam against my face is a nice contrast the cool wind that hits my exposed torso. This view used to be my favorite thing, seeing the city lit up every night. And then y/n happened and while I fell in love with her, she fell in love with the view too. And then she says we fell out of love. I didn’t. Not with her. But this view only reminds me of what used to be and what will probably never be again.

I want to yell at her. Scream at her. Tell her that she was wrong. She didn’t even give me the chance to say what I felt, but I knew I couldn’t force her to stay. She wanted out and even though it killed me, I had to let her go. But letting her go led her straight into his arms. And he was loving every moment of it. He had my girl with him every night, he got to see her in the morning with no makeup and her hair sticking up in every direction. He got to make breakfast with her and she probably makes him coffee before she races out the door because breakfast took so long and now she’s running late for work. She probably falls asleep on his shoulder in the middle of a movie.

It’s torture not knowing if they’re together. But while I stood there in front of them, they didn’t seem like they weren’t. Connor has her. He’s been there with her through this pregnancy and I guess some part of me should be grateful that she wasn’t completely alone in this, but another part of me hates him. Hates him for knowing and not telling me. Hates him because he’s doing everything I should be doing and it’s not fair. It’s not fair that she chose him. This is my baby. Our baby. A girl.

God, we’re having a girl. I’m gonna have a daughter. I’m gonna be a dad. I’m gonna be a dad and she didn’t want to tell me. I’m so conflicted because I want to be happy about this, but am I allowed to be when there is already so much drama in this? I sigh and walk back inside to my room; right as I set my mug down, my phone rings. It’s her. I rush to answer it.

“Y/n.”

“Hi.”

“Are you okay?”

“Can we meet tomorrow?”

“Yeah, of course. What time?”

“Two, at the café we always went to.”

I nod. “Okay.” She wants to meet in public. However, she did choose a time when the café would be mostly empty. It’s when we would always go on the weekdays – hardly anyone was out and we could have some quiet time without being stuck in the house. “Y/n,” I say before she hangs up, because I know she’s about to.

“Yeah.”

“It’s okay for me to be excited about the baby, right?”

I hear her sigh on the other end. “Yeah. Yeah, it’s more than okay.”

I swallow the fast approaching lump in my throat. “Okay. Good. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you then,” she says and hangs up. I take in a deep breath. This is good. She wants to talk. Maybe we can fix things. Or try to. Maybe, just maybe I can get her to fall back in love with me.

---

She’s sitting at a table in the far back corner, a tall cup in her hands and one in front of her.

“Coffee?” I ask, sitting in front of her.

She shakes her head with a soft smile. “Herbal tea. You can’t have caffeine when you’re pregnant.”

I chuckle, “You must be dying then.”

“You have no idea. The second she’s out I am getting the largest cup of coffee ever and I’m chugging that thing. To hell with a burned tongue.” She looks down at the table, spinning the cup slowing between her fingers. “I uh, got you your usual. I wasn’t sure if you’d changed it since… but-”

“No, this is perfect. Thank you.”

We sit in silence for a while before she breaks it. “So, I guess I should tell you why we’re here.”

“Um, yeah, I guess so.”

“Well, uh, you said yesterday that you were gonna fight for custody.”

“No, y/n, I’m not. I mean, I could. I was mad.”

She nods, “I know. But that still got me thinking and I don’t want this to be everywhere. Not for me, but for you. You rarely ever have any time to deal with anything privately and if this were to go to court, it wouldn’t be quiet. So I was up all night trying to figure something out. And I think Connor and I came up with something.”

“You and Connor? Is that really his place?”

“Shawn,” she sighs. “I know you don’t like the idea of us living together.”

“No, it’s not that. I mean, sure I don’t really like the idea. But I mean, is it really his place to be making decisions when it’s our kid?”

“Look, Shawn, if this is gonna work you’re gonna have to let me talk, okay? I asked him for help. And yes, I know it’s not his place, not his kid. But he’s my best friend and he’s been there for me through everything. He’s gonna be in my life for a long time, and Mae’s too. And I’d really appreciate it if you would stop trying to make him the bag guy in this. He’s not.”

“I know,” I say quietly. “I’m sorry.”

“And I know it’s not my place to say anything, but if you could just leave it alone when you go on tour. If he still even has a job with you, I guess.”

“I’m not firing him.”

“You’re not?”

“No,” I shake my head. “I may not love that he’s with you, but he makes a hell of a film. I can’t fire him for having good taste in women.”

“Whoa, wait. You still think we’re together? Like together together?”

“Well, aren’t you?”

“No. God, no. It’s not like that. It’s never been like that, you know that. I’ve told you that a million times.”

“Maybe it was never like that for you, but it’s like that for him.”

“No, Shawn. You’ve got it all wrong.”

“He’s into you, y/n.” he says definitely.

“He’s my best friend. That’s it.”

“Does he know that?”

“Really? Stop.”

“I’m sorry,” I apologize. “It’s none of my business.”

“No,” she agrees, “It’s not. Can we just talk about what we came her for?”

“Yeah. Yes. I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing.”

“Sor-” I catch myself. “Sooo… her name’s Mae.”

“Yes. Mae Rosalie… Mendes.”

“Mendes?” I sit up straighter.

“I mean, unless you don’t want her to –”

“No! No, I mean. Yes. I want her to. I want her to be Mendes. Nothing would make me happier.”

“Okay,” she nods. “Good. That’s good.”

“So, Rosalie. That doesn’t have anything to do with your secret obsession with Twilight, does it?”

She laughs. “No. A bonus, I guess. But um… I just remember that you said that if you ever had a girl, you’d want to call her Rose. Well, now you have an even better excuse to do it. It’s her name.”

“You remembered that?”

“I can’t forget a lot of the things we’ve said to each other.”

“I can’t either.”

“I want this to work, Shawn. For all of us.”

“I do too. More than anything.”

“Then can you do me a favor?”

“What?”

“I have to ask you this again because it’s really important to me, okay? I’m asking you to please accept the fact that Connor is going to play a big role in her life. Yes, I know we’ve made a lot of decisions without you and I’m sorry about that. But you know now. So, all decisions that made for her – from here on out – they’re gonna be made by the three of us.”

“What? But he’s not –”

“It’s a deal breaker, bubba.”

I lean back in my seat, twirling the cup in front of me, seemingly disinterested. “And if I don’t agree to this?”

She lets out a sigh and nods once, “Then I guess you can fight for custody. But I’m trying to keep that from happening.”

“He’s really that important to you?”

She looks down at her cup, “Besides Mae… he’s one of the most important people in my life.”

That stings. And she’s definitely not doing a great job at convincing me she doesn’t have feelings for the guy.

---

Connor’s POV

“How’d it go?” I ask, standing in the doorway of her room.

She shrugs, “I guess as good as it could have.”

“You don’t seem pleased with that. What happened?”

She shakes her head, “He was fine with the agreement. For the most part, I guess. He wants more time with her right when she’s born though. Which I mean, I understand. But I think he’s forgetting that he’ll be on tour when she’s born. That’s gonna be hard to manage, but I’m sure he’ll figure it out.”

“Well it sounds like it went fine. What’s the problem?”

“He really doesn’t like that I’m letting you make decisions with us.”

“Well, honey, you can’t blame him. I mean, I shouldn’t be making them in his eyes.”

“So what? You’re part of this now. And he needs to understand that.”

“Y/n.” I make my way into the room and sit at the edge of her bed. “Why does it bother you so much that he doesn’t want me to be part of this?”

“Because you are part of this… I don’t know. I guess I just don’t want this to be harder than it should be.”

I sigh, “It’s always gonna be hard. It’s parenthood. It’s not supposed to be easy. Especially not with the way we’re doing it.”

“Is the way we’re doing it the right way?”

“I don’t know. But we’ll figure it out. We always do.”

“What if we can’t figure this one out?”

“We will,” he promises. “There’s not a doubt in my mind. We’re Connor and y/n. There’s nothing we can’t do.” Except be together.

She nods, “I’m lucky to have you. Don’t know where I’d be if Sam hadn’t pushed you into me all those years ago.”

“Well your life would be drastically boring without me, that’s for sure.”

“Ah yes, the constant worrying about you when you were traveling around the world has kept me on my toes.”

“Hey, you know I always come back to you.” I pat her thigh reassuringly.

“I know, but that doesn’t stop me from worrying.”

“Well I’m making it a rule that you can’t worry about me this time around. Too much stress isn’t good for the baby.”

She tilts her head at me and squints, creating a crease between her brows. I reach out and run my finger over it, smoothing it out. “You’re gonna get a headache.” She doesn’t say anything, just stares a little longer. “What?”

“Where did you hear that stress isn’t good for the baby?”

“Oh,” I look down and scratch the back of my neck. “I don’t know.”

“Connor,” I know she’s smirking without even looking at her. “Are you reading pregnancy books?”

“What? No! Of course not! That would – that would be weird.”

“You are! Oh, blue eyes! That is so cute!”

“I looked a few things up, it’s no big deal.”

“Come here,” she takes my hand and pulls me closer to her, then without a second thought, she places a kiss on my cheek. “I love you, you know that?”

“I know. I love you too.”

---

I yawn, running a hand through my wet hair before treading back to my room. I pull out a pair of boxers from my top drawer. I’ve barely slipped them over my hips when I hear y/n scream.

“Connor! Connor come here!” I rush to her room, dropping the towel on the floor.

“What’s wrong? Is Mae okay? Are you okay?”

“She’s kicking!”

“What?” My eyes widen. “She’s moving?”

“Yes, look. Come here, come feel her!” She holds her hand out for me and I don’t hesitate to make my way to her. She takes my wrist and places my hand over her bump, which has been steadily growing since her appointment last month. But when my hand rests on her stomach, I feel nothing. “Oh, Mae. Come on. Don’t make me a liar.”

“Come on, baby girl. Let Uncle Connor feel you kick.” I mutter, standing closer to y/n, and I don’t know how, but she does it. “Oh my god. She’s – she’s really kicking. Oh, my – wow. This is amazing, baby.” I sniffle, moving my hand around to feel the kick again.

“Bub are you crying?” She looks at me, her own eyes holding that soft glimmer of fresh tears.

“Maybe a little bit.” I wipe at my eyes with my free hand. “I just can’t believe it. She’s kicking. It’s real now.”

“It’s been real, Con.”

“No, I know. That’s not what I mean. I mean, it’s really real for me now too. I get to feel her now. She’s not just sitting there inside of you. There’s a baby in you, love.” I cup her face and rest my forehead against hers.

“I know,” she laughs through her now falling tears.

“I’m so excited to meet her. You have no idea.”

“Me too.”

I don’t think about it. I should, but I don’t. And I kiss her. Just once, softly, slowly. She doesn’t pull back. Not for a while. But then she does and I regret it the second she says:

“I should call Shawn. Tell him about Mae.”

I pull away from her and nod once. “Yeah. You should. I’m sure he’ll so excited.” I scratch the back of my head, slowing backing out of the room. “I’ll be in my room if you need me.”

“Connor?” She says when I’m at the door.

“Yeah?”

“I can tell him tomorrow.”

“Are you sure?”

She nods, “Kinda really want my Connor cuddles to get some sleep.”

I laugh because of course she could pretend I didn’t just kiss her for the first time in eleven years. “Your bed or mine?”

***

Permanent tag: @soyalimoncada-blog @tinycertain @magcon7280 @daisyangei @devilmendes @babybrash @fallinallincurls @sunrisebrashx @sinceweremutual @myyohmyuohmyy @perfectly-mendess @enchantingbrowneyedgirl @baroness-alison @lostinmendess @linanilssonfurberg @luvluvxx @mariamuses @shawnieeboyy @divinginfearlessly @mendesficsxbombay @shawnsthighs

Shawn tag: @ilumxna

We were us: @gangofhoes @green-lxght

* bold wouldn’t let me tag

** if you want to be added or removed from any of my taglists (Shawn, Connor, both, or We were us) let me know.

[drakewalkerfantasy]

#195 from the 200 prompts list for Beckett x MC 💖 After Kane attacked Penderghast, Beckett kissed MC to calm her down when she saw he was hurt ☺️💕

@god-save-the-keen I hope you will like what I wrote. I set it probably not exactly in a moment what you expected and waited for. This one is not when Beckett got through Portal, but set in Sun-Att room. 

Huge thank you and shout out to my wonderful and amazing friend @fluffy-marshmallow-heart for reading it for me and making changes. You are amazing and I LOVE YOU, girl. You are the best friend girl can wish for. Love you.

Hold your breath. (Beckett x Maeve)

Beckett sat on the ground, breathing heavily, struggling to catch his breath. His back was resting against the wall, and his hands clutched his side, the blood seeping through his fingers. Maeve’s eyes widened, and her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach when she noticed what happened with him, ignoring the destruction left by Kane. She froze to the spot, the tears started to run from her eyes, watching at his pale face and his torn clothes stained by blood. His blood. He stubbornly tried to get up, slipping down the wall every time he tried before finally giving up, resting the back of his head against the cold wall. His eyes fluttering shut for a moment, and Maeve rushed toward him, her body shaking and a fear overwhelming her when she landed near to him. Her knees hit the floor with a loud thud, and the sound echoing through the deadly quiet room. Her hands shaking, her body stiffened next to his and loud sob leaving her throat when she sees a deep cut in his side. Crying, she pressed her shaking hand to the wound, trying to channel her Blood magic to close the cut, to stop the blood gushing out, but to no avail. Her eyes capturing his gaze, and she saw how life was leaving his body, and her own started to shake stronger. Her palms got sweaty, and her breathing ragged. His eyes studied her face as if trying to memorize her image for the last time before death finally tears him away from her. And she felt a feeling of terror filling her senses. Getting terrified, hyperventilating, scared. The only person she would ever love the way she loved him, was dying— because of her. Because she was stubborn and reckless. Because she trusted the wrong person, and now she will lose the only person who meant the world to her, who was her world. Everything around them faded to nothingness, the sobs of their friends, battered after the battle, the chaos around them. Everything was fading, leaving only his eyes looking deep into hers with the last effort, and his gentle touch on her cheek, and her panic— the panic she couldn’t stop— panic because soon he will leave her, shattering her world, shattering the very reason to continue to live.

Maeve could feel how her heart pounded, trying to escape her chest, the salty tears run down her face, and his hot blood seeped through her fingers. Her body shook, feeling how her throat closed, and she struggled to breathe until she felt his lips on hers. His kiss was weak and tender, but the kind that you never forget. The kind that gives you the last memory to hold on to, the last memory to live for, and the hope that will never fade. Her lips quivering when his moved gently along hers, capturing them in a sweet kiss, pouring all unsaid words into this kiss. The words he wanted to say but never did. She held her breath, trying to memorize this moment. To memorate that kiss as a gift, the one that calmed her nerves, soothing her, making her body relax, responding to his touch, to his kiss.

And he kissed her deeper, demanding her response, pouring into this kiss everything that he felt toward her. All the love and all the yearning, all the pain and all the hope, his chest pressed firmly against hers, and his heart pounded reassuring her with every beat. Getting stronger with every movement of their lips. His tongue meeting hers, desperately kissing her, not able to get enough, feeling how the warmth began emanating from her palm. The Blood magic finally started to flow from her hand, closing his wound, making his blood stop gushing, healing him. They could feel euphoria coursing through their veins from the feeling of their magic combined, and their kisses grew deeper and fiercer, forgetting about their friends or everyone else around them. After some time passed, they broke their kiss looking at each other with a shocked expression before their eyes dropped to Maeve’s hand still pressed to his side, no wound there, no blood, only a small scar under her palm.

“W— What are you doing?” Maeve breathed out, her heart thundered in her chest, his hand squeezing hers on his side. Their eyes closed, and their foreheads touching lightly.

“I read once that holding your breath can stop a panic attack so— when I kissed you— you held your breath,” Beckett murmured in reply, his lips brushing hers while he spoke.

“But you— you were dying, and you— you thought of my panic attack while you were bleeding to death,” she whispered sobbing, her tears running down her face, but she didn’t care.

“Hey— look at me,” Beckett said quietly, taking her face between his palms, lifting her face so she would meet his gaze. “Mae, look at me,” he spoke more insistently, making her look him in the eyes. “Since the day we met, all I could ever think was you. All that I ever did was to protect you, to make sure you are safe. Even if it meant risking my life instead. I would do this in a heartbeat; without a second thought. But I would never leave you because everything I ever did was only to be with you. I knew that you would never let me die, and I knew that for this to happen I need to stop you from panicking. And I would do—”

“Why?” she asked him, the question hung between them, their friends moving further away shocked from the display of affection they just witnessed.

“What do you mean, why?” Beckett asked in confusion.

“Why did you take the blow? I should be the one who gets hurt— not you— you could have died,” she cried.

“Because— I love you,” Beckett whispered so quietly that she almost missed his words if she wouldn’t sit so close. Her eyes widened, and her breath hitched in her throat. For a moment, she forgot how to breathe, she forgot how to move, until his gentle touch pulled her from the daze she went into.

Without thinking, she jumped to her feet and rushed toward her dormitory, leaving a stunned Beckett and their friends behind, the tears staining her face as she ran toward her room, shutting the door behind her. His last words pulsating inside her brain, and her body paralyzed with shock before anger took over.

“How could he, after everything we have gone through, he is willing to die for me? And for WHAT? Because he— he loves me? I don’t NEED his love if it means I will lose him if it means he is ready to sacrifice himself for me… if it means he will leave me behind, and I never will see him again. How COULD he tell me he loves me when he almost died and I…. I couldn’t do anything to save him.”

She could feel how her breathing became more erratic, and she leaned on the table, breathing heavily. Hot tears ran down her face, and she wiped them angrily, whirling on the sound of the opening door.

“What are you doing here?” Maeve asked, meeting Beckett’s gaze, trying to stay calm though her heart was pounding uncontrollably.

When he entered the room, he wasn’t sure what to expect, but as soon as his eyes met Maeve’s, he knew she was having a panic attack again. Without saying anything, he reached her in two long strides, backing her to the table, wrapping his hands around her waist and pressing her firmly to himself. His breath elevated, and his lips crashed on hers, kissing her senselessly, deeply, pouring all his love into this kiss. His hand cupping the back of her head, digging his fingers in her hair, pulling her closer to him, feeling how her body melted into his, feeling how her heartbeats slowed down and her lips parted, returning the kiss. His kisses were rough, but his desire and love are obvious. His heart thundering, and he pulled away slightly letting her take a breath, her eyes wide with shock meeting his, his hand cupping the back of her thighs, lifting her on the table, standing between her legs. His other hand reaching for the belt unbuckling it not letting go of her gaze, his breathing ragged, and his pulse racing when his pants slid to the floor with a thud.

“What— what are you doing,” she gasped, feeling his hardness against her abdomen, his lips just a breath away. Her hands hesitantly wrapping around his neck, and her heart thunder.

“Proving to you that I’m here, and I’m alive. And that you didn’t let me die, you saved me. You always, save me, “ Beckett whispered, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, looking deep into her eyes before capturing her lips in a lingering kiss. “And I never will leave you. Mae— What I said is true. I love you and nothing, nothing can be able to change that. Even death,” Beckett murmured against her lips, his fingers digging into her hips, moving her closer to him, making her feel his desire for her. His eyes darting between her eyes and her lips, and his hands cradling her face between his palms. “And I knew whatever would happen, you would never let me die. But if you are not ready or need the time or don’t want to be with me. Just say a word and I will leave. Just say a word,” he added before she could interrupt him. His eyes burying into hers, searching for any doubt or any sign of hesitation. His heart pounding and his breath hitched when he has seen a panicked look appearing in her softest brown eyes, watching her vigorously shaking her head, pulling him even closer to her, clinging to him as if for dear life.

“Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me,” she whispered, the sound barely leaving her, and the new tears started to run down her cheeks.

“If this what you want— Never. I will never leave you,” he replied, a relief washing over him, and he kissed her hard. His tongue thrusting inside her mouth, his hands sliding to her knees, pulling her legs wider apart, not stopping the kiss, holding her firmly in place. He groaned into their kiss, his hands running under her skirt, reaching for the waistband of her panties, tugging on them roughly and ripping them off her, excited by the lustful whimper escaping her throat.

Finally sliding his briefs to the floor, he positioned himself with her center, entering her with one hard thrust, catching her gasp with his lips. He thrust in and out, picking up the pace, pounding inside her as he never did before. His eyes locked on hers, not letting her look away, not letting her close her eyes. Bracing his arm on the table, he cupped the back of her head with another bringing her closer. His eyes still locked with hers, and he caught her lower lip between his teeth, pulling on it firmly before smoothing the place with his tongue, running it along her plump lip. Plunging inside her soaking core. He kissed her with desperation and desire she didn’t know existed. Giving her everything that he had, loving her as no one ever did. Even thrusting inside her hard with desperation, she could feel his love in every movement, in every kiss and in every breath he made. Their foreheads sweaty, and their moans filling the room.

His hand reached for her hardened clit, his thumb pressing firmly, circling it, their lips connected, their bodies moving against each other faster. He could feel how her body started to quiver, and her whimpers became louder, her fingers digging in his shoulders, and she arched her back. His lips slid down her neck, biting on her sensitive skin, sucking on it. His thumb sliding against her clit faster, and his movements became more erratic. Taking her deeper, firmer. His lips catching hers once again, and he could feel how her walls started to squeeze him firmer with every thrust he made, with every movement of his thumb. Breaking the kiss he looked her deep in the eyes, thrusting as deep as he could, seeing how her eyes darkened and a silent scream left her throat in a moment, her walls pulsating around him pushing him over the edge in a second. Making him follow her in their combined pleasure. Their eyes locked on each other, their lips just an inch apart breathing each other air, their bodies connected, and their magick pulsating all around them.

“Are you okay,” Beckett asked, helping Maeve slide from the table, his hands still around her bringing her closer to his beating heart.

“I am now,” she murmured, hiding her face on his chest, calmed by the beating of his heart.

“I’m sorry for taking you so…” he started to speak just to be interrupted by her kiss.

“Don’t,” she said, placing her hand over his heart, her other placed on his cheek, making him look her in the eyes. “I needed this. I needed to feel you alive. More than alive,” she chuckled, quirking her eyebrow at him, feeling how his member started to harden once again. Watching how a soft blush colored his cheeks. “And I love you. I reacted like this not because I don’t or wasn’t ready. I just got scared for you. I need you, and if you not loving me would mean you’re alive, healthy, and safe then I would take it. I would be miserable, unhappy, and heartbroken but at least I would know that you are safe and breathing. What happened today terrified me. I just— I think, I never thought that I could lose you. That you loving me would mean that you are willing to die for me,” her voice got weaker and weaker the more she spoke, and by the time she finished, he barely could hear her. He could feel how her body started to tremble, and she hid her face on his chest, muffling her sobs before raising her head to meet his eyes. Taking a deep calming breath, she started to speak again. “Beck, I love you. I even cannot find the words to express how much I love you. But— If one day you decide that I’m not worth it, I will not hold you to your words. And you will be free to leave me. To be happy and safe and—”

“Stop, please.” Beckett begged. “I will never change my mind, I promise you.  Maeve…you give me life.”  He felt how his heart broke from the words she said, from the way she confessed that she loves him too. His eyes meeting hers, his hands cradling her face, and he lowered his face toward hers. He could see how today had changed her, changed them. How his almost death had broken her, leaving this strong, incredible girl scared and heartbroken. What supposed to be their happy memory, confession of something that he wanted to say so many times, but never could find the right words, became their almost goodbyes. Turning into her promise to let him go if he will want out of this. In a matter of seconds, his lips were on hers, kissing her again, not giving her a chance to finish her thought.

He picked her up effortlessly, a small gasp escaping her lips, and he carried her to the bed.

“I guess someone hasn’t had enough proving of my love for today. So I need to work on my persuasion skills more,” he murmured against her lips, lowering her on the bed, his hand roaming under her skirt, their lips connecting and they lost in each other’s arms for the rest of the day. Proving to each other that no matter what awaits them in the future, they are stronger together, and their love will conquer all.

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[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

A regal gyroid adventure

What a wonderful day for gyroid hunting! The crisp air and the cool breeze makes me want to sit by a tree and snuggle up with a cup of tea. I think this is by far my favorite type of weather - slightly cloudy skies with sunlight creeping through and gentle breezes with a slight chill.  

We’ve got some old friends from Rosevine with us - Almie and Pippa! Daisy Jane and Almie were the unlikely pair in high school - as in you wouldn’t think that they were close friends based on their personalities. Almie’s very much an extrovert, one who jumps into things without really thinking it through, someone who’s always looking for excitement and adventure. He tends to get in over his head sometimes but that’s what we love about him. Pippa, on the other hand, is a total introvert, the kind of person who likes to stay in her comfort zone and stick with what works. Although they’re almost total opposites, Almie and Pippa are very close - even more so after what they’ve been through.

There’s also another Medina sibling - Alon - who’s absolutely nothing like his family. While Almie and Daisy Jane are the unlikely duo, Alon and Mae are two sides of the same coin. Let’s just say that if Alon or Mae were here, most of us wouldn’t be having a good time.

This gyroid event is a regal themed one. The designs were a collaborative thing between Daisy Jane, Celinda, and Manda. It’s a mix of baroque, rococo, and vintage with a touch of modern - a totally fresh and unique spin on regal themed furniture. Having Daisy Jane help design gyroid items was the best thing to ever happen at the camp.

Almie’s been meaning to visit the camp for a while and he was going to help Daisy Jane move into the cabin until a family emergency pulled him away at the last minute. It’s been a rough year for the Medinas, especially for Pippa. The trip was kinda spontaneous but Almie felt that his sister really needed an escape - specifically a low-key one that won’t put her health in danger or wear her out. Dropping by in the middle of a gyroid event worked out perfectly - also the regal theme is something that Almie and Pippa totally dig so that makes it even better!

In between gyroid hunting, we took the time to enjoy the weather. Pippa was content lying the grass and collecting little treasures to put in her memory book. It’s good seeing her again after what she’s been through. Daisy Jane and I were kept up to date either by Almie or Abbey, but it’s not the same as being there for Pippa. Almie’s certain that Pippa’s gonna beat the cancer and knowing him and Pippa, I know that no matter what, she won’t go down without a fight.

This year was supposed to be a big year for Pippa. She was gonna practice driving and learn how to use her magic - a trait she and Alon inherited from their dad’s side. It was also the year Pippa wanted to get out of her shell, so she made a list of things she wanted to accomplish on her sixteenth year. While Almie wanted Pippa to be more adventurous and carefree like him, Alon wanted her to consider her future seriously and start climbing her way up to success by training to be a powerful wizard.

So Pippa tagged along with Almie on his little adventures much to Alon’s dismay. Alon’s similar to Mae as they are super ambitious and strive to be the best of the best. They’re good at what they do but sometimes they get arrogant about it to the point where they actively make others feel bad for not being as accomplished or busy as they are. To appease Alon, Pippa agreed to vigorous training, which ended up taking a toll on her physically and mentally. It didn’t help that around the same time Pippa was feeling off, which she initially attributed to being pulled by her brothers.

Eventually it became obvious that something was wrong. Pippa started getting bruises and everyone blamed Alon as the way he was training her was not safe at all. He would shrug off Pippa’s complaints when she had trouble keeping up, so Pippa kept quiet around him. Almie suspected something was wrong but because Pippa didn’t bring any attention to it, he thought it wasn’t a big deal.

A trip to the ER followed by tests at the hospital revealed that Pippa had leukemia. They say that you don’t know who your true friends are until you go through something rough. Almie and Abbey stuck by Pippa’s side, Alon did not. Abbey was the rock, she was always the source of strength for her kids. Almie was the optimist, he was the one who helped everyone get through the days. Alon carried on doing his own thing, seeing Pippa’s illness as an unfortunate setback and was determined to get her back on track after she “got over it”, which shows how much he cares.

For the next few weeks Pippa went through chemo. She was released from the hospital and it seemed like things were slowly going back to normal. Except it wasn’t - not by a long shot. Pippa adjusted to the changes and Almie did his best to help her out. The whole ordeal made them closer in ways that they’d never imagined. 

Much to everyone’s surprise, Almie began to take on more responsibilities by helping Abbey out whenever he can, taking Pippa to the hospital for appointments, and applying to community colleges. He’s still the same old Almie, but more grown up now, as he likes to say.

Around the time Almie was gonna drop by the camp to help Daisy Jane move in, things were looking good for Pippa. She still wasn’t out of the woods yet but as long as she kept up with her meds and appointments and followed safety measures, Pippa was taking care of herself. Then Alon and Mae had to ruin it for her.

Basically, Alon had enough of Pippa “slacking off” and wanted her to resume training. On top of that Mae insisted that Pippa start looking for jobs and wanted to do a mock interview with her. So they both convinced Pippa to take the bus to visit them despite the fact that she shouldn’t take public transportation because she’s immunocompromised. 

So not only Pippa contracted pneumonia, her blood work was also showing concerning signs. Abbey and Almie were furious but Alon and Mae refused to take responsibility. Apparently Mae had a minor cold when she met up with Pippa so she got an earful from her mom - which thankfully Daisy Jane never had to witness but heard secondhand. As much as we want to give Mae the benefit of the doubt, it’s hard to take her side because she was well aware about Pippa and made a really bad call.

Pippa hung on and pulled through after that harrowing experience. There was concern that she was going to relapse, which while it’s not a death sentence, it meant that her future was uncertain. It was a slow and complicated recovery, but she lived.

Almie and Alon haven’t spoken to each other in the months since Pippa’s hospitalization. The two used to have a good relationship but things went sour after Almie dropped out of college. With how manipulative and controlling Alon can be towards Almie, you’d think he was older. Almie’s willing to forgive if Alon admits that he fucked up badly but seeing that he never took Pippa’s health seriously, a reconciliation seems unlikely at the moment.

Right now, Pippa’s slowly getting back on her feet. She’s keeping up with her usual routine of meds and maintenance treatments. Things are still far from normal and she’s nowhere near where she was before the pneumonia but at least she’s getting there. All she can really do is take it one day at a time. While she and her family are optimistic, they’re well aware that while Pippa’s prognosis isn’t exactly poor, there are some unfavorable odds stacked against her.

Pippa later told me that picking gyroids was the most fun she’s had in forever. Turns out that going on a gyroid adventure and visiting the camp were on her list of things to do on her sixteenth year. The list was something she picked up again during her hospitalization as a way to pass the time and give her something to look forward to when she got home. She might not be able to get her driver’s license or go on a rollercoaster, but at least she can cross off gyroids, camping, and going off on an adventure with Almie.

Along with hunting for gyroids, I taught Pippa and Almie how to fish and catch bugs. Almie enjoyed chasing butterflies while Pippa had a great time wading in the ocean and picking up seashells. The good thing about coming in the middle of a gyroid event is that the items that take the longest to craft are out of the way so by now the stuff we have left to make take a couple hours at the most. Pippa was fascinated by the whole process and it looks like there’s talk about Pippa and Daisy Jane designing furniture for a future gyroid event!

On days like this, it’s great to slow down and take your time. As much as I like gyroid events, sometimes it feels a bit stressful, especially at the beginning when you want to get the big stuff out of the way. Later on it’s more chill as there’s not as much pressure to get things done within a time limit. Pippa managed to cross off a lot of things from her list - as well as add a bunch of stuff that will be crossed off later - so overall, it was a good day!

Pippa gave me a copy of her to-do list that’s up to date as of today. It seems like a lot to accomplish in a couple days but I’m sure we can do it! Here’s what she wrote down:

Take a class at Happy Room Academy

Dig up gems at Shovelstrike Quarry

Cross-pollinate flowers

Bake cookies

Take a hike in the forest

Go berry picking

Sail around with Gulliver

Make hats and scarves with the Able sisters

Go stargazing

Attempt latte art

Learn how to play a KK Slider song on guitar

[theburiedbookworm]

Unprepared Hours

Author: Katie (theburiedbookworm/scentedbygunpowder) Rating: T Word Count: 7,425 Genre: Hurt/Comfort, General, Adventure, Horror (Idk, I couldn’t pick you tell me) Characters: Sheska, OCs, cameos by Falman and Fuery, brief mention of Briggs soldiers and Buccaneer. Summary: All Sheska wanted was a quiet life to read and to be able to keep her mother in a good hospital. All Sheska had signed up for was to copy down the reports that she had read and provide information. She hadn't signed up for loosing a good boss. And she especially hadn't signed up for man-eating white monsters and buildings coming down around her head. But on the Promised Day, that was exactly what she had to deal with, whether she was prepared for it or not. Notes: I always wondered where Sheska was during the Promised Day and what she might have been through. After a few late night discord headcanon sessions with a friend, well, this story emerged. I had to mess with a few things in canon, and I didn't bother to look at where Records might be in the building, but on the whole it should be fairly canon compliant. I hope you enjoy! (Cross posted on AO3 and ff.net under the name RealityBreakGirl)

~*~

Sheska wandered out, looking around the area, but not really looking. Smoke still wafted in the air. She could see buildings that were still smoking. Were they on fire? Or was it from something else? She could see buildings that were destroyed, or half destroyed. One side of Central Command was gone, for stars sake!

She tried not to look that way. There was no telling how many people were killed in that, or who she had known that were now gone.

Just the same as that, she tried not to look at the bodies that were all around too. Briggs soldiers and Central soldiers alike, their bodies were laying around, blood soaked ground near them. She tried not to look at them. She didn’t know if she could bare it if she saw a face, and it was someone that she knew. She had known people that had died before—although there was a little doubt on a least one of those right now—but it was different when it came to seeing them dead like this. It was different seeing them killed.

The thought struck her that she might be doing them a disservice, if there were any people that she knew here. Wouldn’t they want her to see them, to acknowledge them? Wouldn’t they want her to grieve over them? Was she doing them wrong by walking passed and not even stopping to see if they were people that she knew?

She didn’t know if she could do that. Her legs were shuddering now, and, while they didn’t feel weak, exactly, they did feel like they just weren’t going to hold her up anymore. She had been trying to go down the stairs, but now it felt like she couldn’t, and she just sat down on the white marbled stairs, looking at her own dirty shoes, and dusty uniform, and then looking out over the city, still in a state of emergency.

How had the day turned out like this, when it had started off so well…?

~*~*~

Ring, ring! Ring, ring!

Sheska stopped, and looked back at her phone, which was ringing. Her phone didn’t usually ring this early in the morning. Oh! Maybe it was Rachel, calling to ask her to pick something up for the girls who all worked in records? They did that sometimes, call someone to get something.

Ring, ring! Ring, ring!

Well, she’d never know if she didn’t answer it, would she? She shoved the book she was holding in her bag, and then turned to grab the phone before it could ring again. She spared a glance at the clock. She had a few minutes before she absolutely had to leave. “Hello?”

“Sheska?” a very familiar voice came from the other side and Sheska immediately brightened.

“Mom!” she said. “Why are you calling this early? Is everything alright?” It was unusual for her mother to call her this early in the morning, after all, and Sheska couldn’t help but worry.

“No, no, dear, nothing like that,” her mother’s cheery voice said back to her. “I just wanted to remind you not to forget your eclipse glasses. I know how absent-minded you can be.”

Sheska smiled. It was just like her mother to worry about something like that. “Don’t worry, Mom, I’ve already got them packed! I tucked them into a little pocket I never use on my purse so that they wouldn’t fall out or anything like that.”

“Good,” her mother said. “You make sure that you use them when it’s time for the eclipse. Don’t try to look at it directly even for a moment just because you’re curious to see if it’s really as bad as they say.”

Sheska couldn’t help but smile some more. “I won’t do it if you won’t.” she said back.

“Deal.” Her mother replied.

“Are you going to get to see it?” Sheska asked. She knew there had been talk around the hospital her mother was in about moving the patients to a viewing area, but she didn’t know if anything solid had been determined.

“Yes, we are,” her mother replied. Sheska could hear a note of excitement in her mother’s voice. She always had liked seeing and experiencing new things. Sheska was glad that she was going to get to see this. “The nurses arranged a room for us where we can see it. They’re going to take us in there later today.”

“Oh, that’s great!” Sheska replied, glad for her mom. “Just don’t overdo, okay?”

“Oh hush, dear. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“Of course I do, Mom. A daughter is supposed to worry over her mother.”

“I think you have that backwards. It’s a mother that’s supposed to worry over her daughter.”

“Well, maybe we can just worry over each other then.”

Her mother laughed. Sheska loved her mother’s laugh, so bright and cheery, no matter what was going on. “Alright,” her mother said. “We’ll be a pair of worriers together then.”

“Deal!” Sheska replied. She glanced at the clock. She needed to leave. She didn’t want to hang up on her mother, though. She always loved talking with her mother. Sheska paused for a moment. “Hey mom?”

“Yes?”

Sheska hesitated, so much she wanted to say, but she didn’t have time, and she didn’t know how to tell her mother the depth of her love. “I’m sorry we can’t watch it together,” she finally settled on saying. She genuinely regretted not being able to, wishing that she could be there with her mother during this event. She would love to see her mother’s excitement at it.

“Oh you hush,” her mother said. “You have work, and a life. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

“I still wish I could,” Sheska said, “But you’re right.” She sighed, and glanced at the clock one more time. If she didn’t leave now she was going to be late.  “Alright, Mom,” Sheska said, “I do have to go. But I’ll call you after work, though, and we can talk about it, okay?”

“That sounds fun,” her mother said, “but you go now, Sheska. You don’t need to be late for work. Shoo! Go work hard and make that kind boss of yours proud!”

Sheska couldn’t help but grin again. Her mother was always on top of things and never forgot anything Sheska told her about work. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll get going. Oh—and mom?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

She could practically hear the smile in her mother’s voice. “I love you too, My Sheska. Now hurry up! Shoo!”

Sheska laughed again. “Yes ma’am!”

Sheska returned the phone to its cradle, and quickly gathered up her bags. Her purse, her lunch, and a bag that carried things like her books and such in it were all in her hands quickly, Sheska throwing them over her shoulder as she grabbed a muffin for breakfast and scurried out her front door. If she hurried, she’d make it to work on time!

By the time Sheska made it to work, she was barely on time and she had finished her muffin. She could have done with a little coffe, but she’d just have to settle for some of the stuff they kept around the office. Rachel kept a small supply of good ground coffee for them to use from time to time. Maybe she could beg some of it off of her.

“Morning, Sheska,” Rachel greeted her as she came into the office.

“Oh! Good morning Rachel,” she returned.

“Just barely made it in, huh?” Rachel said.

Sheska nodded, “My mother called just before I left,” she said. She smiled a bit. “She wanted to remind me to take my eclipse glasses with me today.”

“Ugh, like we’ll see anything down here.” Susan walked in, a load of files in her arms. “We’re so low down we don’t even have good windows.”

“Maybe we’ll get lucky and Major Armstrong will let us go up to see it,” Sheska suggested.

“You know, come to think of it, where is the Major?”

“I don’t know,” A new voice cut in, and they all looked up, taking a second to acknowledge the officer who had just walked in. She waved them off. “I don’t know where Major Armstrong is,” she repeated, “but that’s not really your concern right now.” She sat down another stack of folders. “There’s work to be done today, so that’s what we’re going to work on.” A chorus of “yes ma’am” broke out and she started to turn to leave, but hesitated. “Don’t… don’t stray too far today, girls. I don’t know what’s going on, but things seem tense out there. Just pay attention.”

The girls murmured their agreement, although they exchanged confused looks.

“What do you think that was all about?” Rachel asked after she had left.

Susan shrugged. “I don’t know. But I guess we should be careful.”

“Maybe it has to do with where Major Armstrong is,” Sheska suggested. “I mean, he is a state alchemist, so if there was something going on, they’d want him, right?”

The others murmured their agreement and they all got to work. But even in their area, it was obvious that something was going on. Tense voices, rushed steps, clipped language; it was enough to set them all on edge. Sheska bit her lip as she worked, wondering what all this could mean. She had a sudden desire to want Maes Hughes back as her boss. He always seemed to know what was going on. But that wasn’t possible. Besides, if the Major knew what was going on, he would tell them too—right? Yeah, she was sure of it. With a quiet sigh, Sheska got back to work. It must have been a half an hour later or longer when she realized that she had a file that didn’t belong down here. She flipped through it, trying to find its identification. It looked pretty urgent, and she bit her lip, trying to make a decision.

“Hey,” she called out to the others, “I’ve got a file that belongs to the armory. It—It looks kind of urgent. I’m just gonna take it to them, okay?”

“Yeah, that’s fine, Sheska.” Rachel said. “You’ve only got a few left, right? We’ll take care of them.”

“Okay,” Sheska responded. “I promise I won’t take long!”

“Hey, stop by the Mess Hall and see what they’re serving will you?” Susan asked. “Their calendar is as reliable as my granny’s taste buds, so I wanna know if I need to go out today or not.”

Sheska nodded. “Sure, I can do that.”

“Oh! Maybe we can go to that new little place if we do go out—“ Rachel’s voice faded as Sheska stepped out and closed the door behind her. It wouldn’t take long to deliver this to where it needed to go, and it would be nice to get out of the office for a moment.

The tension in the building was still really high, though, and something just felt off. Sheska shifted the file a little closer to her, holding it across her chest. It was silly, but it just made her feel a bit better. Hopefully, whatever this tension was, it would go away soon. After all, today was Eclipse day! She really wanted to go see that, no matter what! That way she could talk to her mother about it. It wouldn’t be the same as seeing it with her mother, but it would be something that they could talk about together, at least. The thought put a cheer in her step, and Sheska smiled to herself as she walked. Only a few more hours!

The cheer didn’t last long, though, as the closer she got to the armory department, the more on edge people became. She could hear the voices all around her as they talked, and what she heard couldn’t be right. It just couldn’t be!

“…Mustang and his men captured the Fuhrer’s wife…”

“…have shot and injured Central soldiers…”

“…General Armstrong killed him…”

“…that’s right, she killed General Gardner…”

“…is holding another general hostage…”

“… it’s a coop by Mustang and Briggs, it’s gotta be…”

Sheska stopped as she heard the rumors. This couldn’t be. Could it? This couldn’t be right? Mustang’s team has kidnapped Mrs. Bradley? General Armstrong had killed other generals? The government was being overthrown? No, no, this couldn’t be right at all! Suddenly, Sheska stumbled as something shook the building, and caught herself on a windowsill. What was that? All around her people in the hall were looking up, trying to figure out what had happened. Voices were rising and people were jumping into a professional panic.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know!”

“We should do something!”

“Your stations—everyone should return to your stations!”

A voice broke over the crowd, and people looked up. It was a Captain, and he was giving orders.

“For now, everyone return your departments and await further instructions! Unless you’re doing something life or death, or the situation becomes too dangerous, do not leave unless so ordered! Arm yourselves and be prepared. We may have to defend ourselves.”

There was a chorus of “Yes, sir!” and then people scattered.

Sheska bit her lip. She needed to get back to the office. She needed to warn Rachel and Susan! Sheska tried to make her way through the halls, but people were rushing past her, bumping into her as she tried to make her way back to records. She got pushed into a wall more than once, and roughly pushed by as well. This was ridiculous! The main halls were just too crowded, and she needed to leave now, especially as it seemed something else shook the building. Her eyes alighted on the doorway to the stairs. Records was on one of the lower levels! She could head down the stairs and go through some of the lower maintenance levels. No one was likely to be down there, so she should be able to move quicker and without being jostled quite so much.

It took a little more rough bumping before she managed to get over there and push open the door. There were still people here but not as many, especially as she descended into the lower levels. By the time she got to the maintenance levels, no one seemed to be around, which was a relief. She hurried on, knowing that the sooner she got back to the office the better.

For a few moments, there was no noise, no real sound except for the occasional rattling of pipes and the sound of her shoes on the bare concreate. But something started to smell foul, and she heard unusual sounds. They sounded… wet. And like something was ripping. Sheska bit her lip and slowed down. Something inside Sheska told her she should run, that whatever was around that corner couldn’t be anything good. But she had to get back to her office, and to warn Susan and Rachel. Slowly, cautiously, she peeked around the corner

--and had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming.

Strange white men, creatures really, with one big eyeball and large mouths were all crouched on the ground eating something. Sheska’s eyes widened and she nearly hyperventilated when she saw the blue of a uniform sleeve and realized just what they were eating.

Trying her best not to scream, Sheska backed away quickly—too quickly. She ran into something, knocking it down and hearing it clatter. She didn’t take the time to look to see what it was. There was no time to do that. Her eyes widened more, and a scream built in her throat as the things suddenly stopped their grisly meal and looked up at her. Their eyes focused on her and Sheska turned and fled, screaming as she went. She could hear them right behind her, smell the stench of them and their bloody meal. A sob worked its way up out of her as tears filled her eyes. She wasn’t going to be able to get out of this. She wasn’t going to be able to talk to her mom again, or see her! She wasn’t going to be able to care for her mother! She was going to die—to be eaten by these things! Eaten alive!

They were right behind her, and she turned a corner quickly, only to bowl right into something else white taking him down with her. In a panic she rolled off of him, and scrambled back, only to realize she was surrounded by white. She screamed again, until she heard her name.

“Sheska?”

“Huh?” She realized that she was hearing gun fire, and that a familiar face with gray hair was looking down at her. Officer Falman, she remembered, one of Mustang’s men, transferred to Briggs. Was he here as part of the take over?

“Sheska! Are you hurt? Are you okay?”

Right. He was asking her questions. “Um—I—yeah, I, I think I’m okay, I just—“she glanced over to where the Briggs soldiers were still fighting the monsters. “They need to watch out! Those things they—they were eating a person!”

“What?” Falman looked at her in surprise.

“Hey—these things don’t want to die! I know I shot it!”

“Shoot it in the leg so it can’t get up!”

Falman stood from his bending position. “Be careful! They’re man eaters!”

There was an acknowledgement as a man that looked more like a bear then a man entered the fray, a strange looking automail arm on him as he attacked the monsters.

“Sheska. Where were you trying to go?” Falman was focused on her again, and she turned her attention back to him and away from the fight.

“B-back to records. I was trying to, um, to deliver some papers that had, um, had gotten mixed up and w-we were all told to go b-back to our departments. I-I-I thought this way would be q-quicker…”

Falman nodded and straightened, offering her his hand again, and pulling her up. The fight seemed to be over for the moment, those strange white men laying dead. Sheska’s attention went from that back to Falman as he spoke.

“Sir,” he addressed the bear-like man. “May I pull a man to escort Miss Sheska back to records? There might be more of those elsewhere.”

The man looked down at her, and Sheska tried not to shake as much as she felt like she was. Finally he let out a snort, and called two of the men over. Falman gave them a rundown of where to go. Sheska wasn’t paying much attention. She was just staring at the bodies of the monsters who had been chasing her, to eat her, and she felt a bit sick to her stomach.

“Miss Sheska?” One of the Briggs soldiers said. “If you’ll just stay between us.”

She nodded, and followed between them, turning her head to look away when they passed the mess of the partially eaten soldier. She just couldn’t have that engraved on her mind. The soldiers didn’t call her on it, though, and for that she was grateful. It only took a few more minutes to get her back to records. When they opened the door, no one seemed to be there at first. Then—

“Oh my Stars, Sheska?!” Rachel came out from behind the desk and Susan emerged from the stacks to hug her.

“Where have you been! And why are you with Briggs soldiers?” Susan demanded. “We heard that they were taking over!”

“Th-they saved me… from—fr-from—“

“Excuse us,” the Briggs soldiers interrupted. “But it’s probably safer for you ladies to stay in here. Is there an inner room you can get into?”

Rachel nodded. “Yes. More than one.”

“Then I suggest you hole up there for your own safety.”

“…Thank you,” Rachel said.

The Briggs soldiers nodded and left, closing the door firmly behind them. Susan still had a hold of Sheska, not having completely released her from the hug. Honestly, Sheska needed it.

“Sheska, what’s going on, you’re shaking,” she said, concern clear in her voice. Rachael wheeled around to look at Sheska too, concern clear in her eyes.

“You are!” she said. “Su, you sit her down. I’m going to go get some water for coffee—“

“No, don’t!” Sheska blurted it out frantically, desperately. “Don’t go out there! You can’t!”

Rachel’s brows drew together, as she looked at Sheska with confusion. “What? Why not? It’s just down the hall, and I doubt I have to worry about more soldiers from Br—“

“It’s not the soldiers!” Sheska said, and she was taking a step forward by this time. Susan’s hands were still on her shoulders. “It’s not the soldiers, it’s the monsters!”

“Monsters?” Susan said, confused. “Sheska, what are you talking about?”

“There’s monsters out there,” Sheska said, her voice dropping. “I—I was on my way back to tell you what I heard was going on. But I ran across some of them in the basement. Like… skinny white men, with one large eyeball and huge mouths. And—Oh my g… I, I can’t…They… they were eating someone! I saw the uniform!” She was starting tear up as she retold her story. “Then they saw me, and they chased me, and I thought I was going to die! They were going to eat me too! I would have died, been eaten, if I hadn’t run into the Briggs soldiers! They saved me!”

Her face was in her hands by this time, as the horror of what she had seen started to catch up with her. There was a moment of silence from the other women in the room, and then Sheska felt a hand slide across her shoulders and give her a squeeze.

“Okay,” Susan said. “We won’t go out. There’s a room further back, with a radio. Maybe we can make it work and maybe we can get some information.”

Rachel was handing her a tissue, and smiling at her. “Hey, it’s alright. We’ll just go back there and see what we can pick up.”

Sheska nodded, taking the tissue and following Susan to the back room even as Rachel locked the door to records. She was still crying, trying to get a hold of herself. It wasn’t easy, though. Susan sat her down and started working with the radio, an old thing that had been wired into the building’s system so that some reception could be gotten down there. Rachel came a moment later with some water for Sheska from the small supply they kept here. They didn’t close the door to the small room, but Sheska did feel a bit safer back there, even if she was still jumpy.

“Well, I’ve not gotten anything internally yet, but I did manage to pick up Radio Capital,” Susan said after a few minutes.

Rachel snorted. “That figures. There’s never anything good on there.”

Susan’s face, though told another story, and she quickly removed the headphones she had been using and flipped a few switches. “You’ve got to hear this.”

“—I don’t even know if my husband is alive!”

“Is—is that Mrs. Bradley?” Rachel asked.

Sheska was staring at the radio. “It is! I’ve heard her before. That’s Mrs. Bradley!”

“If anyone is just tuning in, we have Mrs. Bradley in studio with us. She was rescued early this morning by Colonel Mustang, who pre-emptively anticipated the coop initiated by several of the top generals. At the moment, we have little specific information, but we do know that Briggs troops are involved somehow, and that the Fuhrer’s train was attacked. There has been no word on Fuhrer Bradley or his son Selim.”

“Oh my—is this for real?” Rachel said staring at the radio.

“It—It matches what I heard,” Sheska said.

Susan and Rachel’s heads turned sharply towards her and she started. “Well—when I was trying to deliver those records, um, I was hearing people talk. Th-they said that Colonel Mustang had kidnapped the Fuhrer’s wife and that he was fighting against Central soldiers. They also said that General Armstrong had killed a couple of generals. But that’s all I know.”

“Oh, whoa…” Susan breathed out. “This—this is legit. This is really happening.”

“We need to figure out what to do,” Rachel said. “We need to—“

“Hush!” Sheska said suddenly, leaning in to hear the radio.

“—Justice, we are prepared to give our lives to stop these evil men from corrupting our great nation.”

Sheska’s eyes widened and she sucked in a breath.

“Sheska?” Susan asked.

“It’s Maria Ross,” she said.

Rachel and Susan both stared at her. “What? Maria Ross was killed by Colonel Mustang; it was in the papers.”

“I know!” Sheska said. “But I know her voice! That’s Maria Ross!”

Susan shook her head. “How can that be? There’s no way—“

She was cut off by a sudden banging on the door to the records offices, and all three women jumped, tense. Rachel’s hand went towards her hip, where she had armed herself, just in case.

“Hey! Let us in! Please! We’ve got injured and we need to hide! Let us in!”

For half a second longer, the women exchanged a look again, until they heard the pounding on the door repeat. Rachel hurried out towards the door, Susan following after. Sheska, flustered for a moment and then followed as well. What if those monsters were on the others side? What if they got in? Fear flooded her, but she couldn’t let her friends be hurt. She rushed up to the door too, trying to stop Rachel from opening it, or at least to warn her to be careful. But she got there just as Rachel opened it, and she nearly stumbled out of it.

The one who was banging on the door stood back from it, his gun firing at something down the hall way. Two soldiers stumbled in, one supporting the other. The one who was shooting was yelling at someone else to “Get in! Get it!” Sheska looked around the door, trying to see who else was coming. There was a soldier further down, he was firing at something as well. As Sheska watched, though, some of those white monsters jumped out at him, not being slowed by the bullets in the slightest. He screamed as they started biting into him, eating him alive, and Sheska felt the horror rise in her again. The other soldier nearest to Sheska cursed, and then shot again, killing the other soldier and diving inside the room. Sheska was frozen by the sight, and Rachel reached to draw her back in the room.

“Sheska get—oh my God.” Sheska could hear the horror in Rachel’s voice. “Sheska get inside now!” She yanked on Sheska, pulling her into the room and closing the door behind them, locking it again.

Sheska looked at the room, trying not to panic. Susan was kneeling on the ground with one of the soldiers, the one that had been supported inside was on the ground—bleeding freely from a leg that was no longer there.

“—Sheska! Sheska!”

Sheska’s head snapped over to Rachel.

“Help me move this bookcase! We need to block the door!”

“R-right!” She moved on shaking legs to help Rachel and the soldier who had been firing to move to block the door. They all moved one of the heavier bookcases in front of it, hearing the scratching and scraping of the monsters on the other side.

“Susan, can we move him?” Rachel was asking. Sheska felt like she was working a step behind everyone else. “We can get back to that room, hole up there until things are over.”

“It’ll be better than leaving him here, if whatever that is trying to get in, gets in,” Susan said. “Sheska, grab the supplies. Someone help me get him up and to the room.”

One of the soldiers worked his way under the arm of the wounded one. Sheska scooped up the supplies and followed, Rachel and the commanding soldier following behind. It was only as they got into the room that Sheska realized that Rachel and the commanding soldier weren’t with them. She could hear scraping and moving and their voices, but Susan grabbed her attention again.

“Sheska, help me with him—we need to make sure he doesn’t bleed out. Can you make a tourniquet?”

“Um—n-no. I was never taught how. I’ve read about it, but—“

“Okay, never mind. Just keep track of his pulse.”

“Um—okay? I can try.”

Susan didn’t even look up at her. “Just—let me know if his breathing changes, okay?”

“Okay.”

Sheska felt useless as she watched Susan and the soldier work, and as she heard Rachel and the other soldier barricade them in. She was never taught about things like this, or how to do first aid. Oh, she had certainly read about it, but she didn’t know how to do it. First aid, fighting, even firing a gun—she had never been taught how to do any of it! All she could do was read books!

Rachel and the commanding soldier came into the room, closing the door behind them. “We moved some things around, trying to make it harder for those things to get to us if they get in.” She went and knelt by Sheska, putting her hands on her shoulders. “Sheska—were those what you were talking about earlier?”

Sheska nodded, feeling tears in her eyes again. Rachel hugged her. “I understand why you were so scared, then.”

She smiled kindly at Sheska, then nudged her aside to help Susan with the injured soldier. For what felt like hours they stayed in that small room, listening to the reports from the radio, feeling the building shake and rattle. The injured soldier turned delirious in this, mistaking others for people he knew. Sheska spent a lot of time by his side, as he apparently thought she was his sister. She felt useless in general, but this, at least, was something that she could do.

“Callie? Callie don’t be scared, alright?” Sheska looked down at him as he spoke to her. “It’s all going to be alright, Callie. Don’t worry, your big brother is here. I’m going to protect you.”

Sheska bit her lip, and held his hand, squeezing it. “I—I know. But you need to rest, okay? There are others here to protect both of us. All you need to do is rest.”

“Callie… I’ve always been so proud of you.”

“Does… does something feel… wrong… to anyone else?”

Sheska looked up from her comforting of the soldier to look at Susan. She was sitting in front of the radio and had been scanning frequencies trying to find them the most information. But now she looked pale, uneasy, as if she was sure something bad was coming.

“Actually, yeah.” The commanding soldier hefted his gun, his fingers running over it. “Something has felt really off for a while, but it’s only gotten worse.”

Sheska wanted to ask them what they meant, but suddenly Rachel screamed. “What—what is that?!”

They all looked in the direction she was pointing where something black was rising from the ground. It was like a shadow, with a hand at the end and it waved in the air. Others were rising around them too, more of them, and the other soldier shot at one of them, but the bullet just passed through it.

“What is this?” Sheska asked, panicked. They were rising all around her too, and even though the bullet didn’t touch it, it felt like she could feel them. The injured soldier was calling Sheska by his sister’s name, trying to comfort her. And then—

It was like something was wrenching at her chest, trying to pull something integral loose. It twisted and pulled, yanked and it felt like it was tearing out of her. Her hands scrambled at her chest and throat, and she wanted to scream but she couldn’t. Terror filled her and it was like something snapped.

Suddenly she was drowning, drowning, drowning in a cacophony of terror and sadness, of a heart-wrenching heartbreak coupled with the terrifying knowledge that this was her existence now. It was painful, horribly painful, but almost in a way that was beyond the physical. Terror and grief consumed her, whirling together to make a pain that was absolutely indescribable. She was dimly aware of other screaming, dimly aware that she was screaming too, but she had no control. Only this swirling, terrifying, painful despair compromised her existence. It was more then she could bare, and yet there was no escape, not even into madness. There were no words for it, only sensation and pain.

She wasn’t sure how long she was in that swirling mass before something shifted and she felt like she was being yanked back like a rubber band and the pain was in her now. Suddenly she had a body again, and she was gasping for breath, coughing, trying to breathe. Her eyes were wet with tears and she looked around, seeing the others in similar conditions.

“What was that?” Susan managed to gasp out.

The commanding soldier shook his head. “I have no idea. I’m not sure I want to know.”

“Do… do ya think it was something that Briggs or Mustang cooked up?” the other soldier asked.

Sheska shook her head. “I think that was beyond anything they could have done. That was like… I don’t even know…”

Suddenly there was a rumble through the building, something that felt like it came from below them. The very foundations of the building felt like they were shaking, and they all ducked, Sheska instinctively shielding the wounded soldier. “Are you alright—“ she started to ask him, then stopped.

“What?” The commanding soldier asked her. “What is it?”

“I… I think he’s dead,” Sheska said.

Susan pushed her aside to look at him, and then nodded after a moment. “He was alive before we went through… whatever that was. Maybe the strain was too much on his body.”

The other soldier looked stricken. The commanding soldier looked away and cursed under his breath. Before anything else could be said, though, the building shook from below again, and they all did their best to duck.

“What’s going on?” Rachel asked.

“Is the building coming down?” Susan said.

“It feels like explosions,” the lead soldier said. “But I don’t know what from. This can’t be good.”

The shaking happened again, holding steady for a few moments. Books fell, the radio rattled, things could be heard crashing outside. It was almost like an earthquake, but there was the feeling of something else behind it. Another, sharp explosion could be felt and then, for a few moments, silence.

“Do... do you think its over?” Rachel said, hesitantly.

“I don’t know,” the commanding soldier said. “The room still seems sound, so I don’t think that we should move until we hear fr—“

It was as if the world had exploded. The whole room shook. Things could be heard falling and crashing. Sheska screamed, curling up to protect herself. She felt someone on top of her, protecting her too. Dust and debris rained down from the ceiling on them. The radio died and the lights went out. She had no idea what had happened, but all she could hope was that the building wasn’t about to come down on them. When the sudden shaking stopped, they all were still in the moments that followed, aside from coughing.

“Is everyone alright?” the commanding soldier asked as he lifted off of Sheska.

“Y-yes sir.”

“Yeah.”

“I think so.”

“Y-yes.”

“Alright, good.” Sheska could hear him moving around, as if he were making his way towards the door. “We might need to find our way out of here. It might not be safe right now.”

No, nothing seemed safe at the moment. White man-eating monsters out there, buildings falling on them in here, Sheska wasn’t sure that there was a safe place in all of Central Command. The commanding soldier called to the other soldier to help him with the door.

“Sheska? Susan? Are you two okay?” Rachel called out. Sheska could hear her shuffling their way.

“Yeah, just a little shook up,” Susan replied.

“Sheska?”

“Um—yeah? I guess so, I mean?”

She felt a hand on her and she jumped, but it was only Rachel. “Okay. Let’s just try to stick together for now, alright?”

“We’ve got the door, ladies!” the commanding soldier called out. “There’s some light out here. Wait until we’ve given you the all clear.”

“You’ve got it, sir!” Rachel called out.

With the little bit of light they were getting, Sheska could see a little bit. Both Rachel and Susan were covered in powder and dust, and the room was in shambles. The dead soldier was lying nearby, his face contorted in pain, and she looked away.

“Do you hear that?” Susan asked. They all stopped a listened. It sounded like explosions were still going on somewhere outside.

“Are they still fighting?” Rachel asked. “How long is this going to go on?”

Another explosion seemed to rock the area, and the three women ducked and huddled together, trying to protect themselves. It wasn’t the last explosion that they heard, although there were different kinds. There was no way to tell what was going on out there, and no way to tell if, when things fell silent, it was just a break or if things were over. None of the women were willing to risk going out until they knew, and so they stayed huddled together in the dark, with a dead man for company.

After what felt like hours, the two soldiers came back for them, looking a bit pale themselves. “You can come out now, ladies,” the commanding soldier said. “It’s all over.”

“What happened?” Rachel asked.

The commanding soldier shook his head even as the other soldier moved to the now dead soldier’s side, to get a better look at him. None of them looked back, giving her a moment of privacy with him.

“I’m… honestly not sure,” the commanding officer said. “But it’s over. There’s a truce between the Central and Briggs soldiers. They’re taking the injured to the hospitals, and trying to take stock of the damage. It’s…” he shook his head. “The damage is indescribable. It’s probably best that you ladies come on out. It probably best that we all get out.”

All the women nodded, getting up and leaving the room behind. The soldiers helped Sheska, Rachel, and Susan out, helping them step over fallen shelves and files and books. For once Sheska wasn’t as concerned about the books as she was about just getting out of there. The soldiers helped to lead them all out and into the open, giving them instructions on where to go from here. But Sheska didn’t hear them. She was too busy looking around in amazement and horror at the scene around them. She started moving, not quite walking, not quite staggering, looking at all the damage and all the bodies around her. She couldn’t stop looking at all, moving forward bit by bit until she couldn’t take it anymore and her legs gave out, leaving her sitting here on the steps.

~*~*~

“Sheska?”

The voice brought her out of her reverie. She could hear cries of celebration, cries of grief, orders being shouted and questions being asked. But that voice seemed to cut through it all—the voice of a friend she hadn’t seen in a while.

Her head jerked up to see Kain Fuery standing there, his look of concern changing into a smile for her. She stared at him, and all of the emotions of what happened suddenly hit her all at once. She started shaking, and suddenly she was crying. She heard his footsteps hurry over, saw his concerned expression as he knelt in front of her. His hands went to her shoulders, gentle, kind.

“Hey—you’re not hurt, are you?”

There was so much concern in his voice, that Sheska couldn’t help herself. She threw her arms around him, holding onto him and crying. There was only a moment’s surprise before she felt warm arms coming around her, to hold her as well. There was a subtle shift as he sat beside her, pulling her closer.

“It’s okay,” he said softly. “It’s all over now. It’s alright, Sheska.”

She nodded, and, after a few minutes, slowly pulled herself back, gathering herself together. “I’m sorry,” she said. “It was just—it was a lot.”

“It’s alright,” he replied with a smile.

Sheska sniffed a little. “…Are you alright?” she asked him, realizing that she hadn’t taken the time to see if he was alright. He was part of Mustang’s team. Between whatever he went through in the south and then today, there was a good chance that he wasn’t okay.

Fuery nodded. “Yeah, I’m alright. Better than I’ve been in a long time.” He leaned back and closed his eyes. Sheska didn’t say anything, just letting the moment envelop them. “…I wonder if we’ll get paid overtime for today.”

Sheska let out a watery laugh, and leaned against him. “I don’t know,” she said. “I’m glad you’re back, though. And that you’re alright.” Part of her wanted to start crying again, but instead she laid her hand on his and squeezed it. The human contact was needed, and she decided to take it. He didn’t seem to mind, anyway, as he held her hand back.

“It’s good to be home again,” he said, and Sheska nodded.

But she looked around and “home” was in shambles, in pieces, around them. Part of the Central Command was gone, the generals in charge of things had betrayed them, the Fuhrer was dead, and there were so many injured and killed. It was overwhelming.

“What do we do now?” she asked in a quiet voice.

For a long moment, he said nothing, and the air was thick with what could be said. But then he just looked at her and smiled. “I think I’m going to take a shower,” he said. “I’ve never been covered in so much dust!”

“At least your coat is supposed to be white,” she said, giving him her own smile back. “I think the dust has changed my hair color. I need to get a brush after it, at least.”

“Guess I’ll have a lot of laundry to do,” Fuery smiled at her, and stood up, brushing off his pants as he did. “Brigadier General Hughes would probably tell you to take the rest of the day off, because there’s going to be a lot of work to do. You might as well rest while you can.” He offered her a hand, to help her up.

She took it, and stood, brushing her own skirt off. “…Maybe I will,” she said. She thought of the soldier who thought she was his sister. “Maybe I’ll go see my mother, check on her after I clean up.”

Fuery nodded. “I’m going to clean up and then go by the hospital to check on a few people. There were a lot of injuries.”

“Oh! Then don’t let me hold you up,” Sheska said, not wanting to keep him from injured friends. She had to wonder how the rest of Mustang’s men had faired. She hoped that they were all alright.

“You’ll be okay?” He asked her, one last time, and Sheska nodded.

“Yes. I’ll be alright,” she said, and it felt true.

“Alright then. I’ll see you later, Sheska!” He gave her a wave and turned to run off.

“Hey!” it was a split-second decision, but he turned at her call anyway. “If you need one, there’s a laundromat near my apartment!”

“Thanks!” he said back and then, with another wave, he turned to leave.

Sheska stood there, on the steps of a broken, damaged building with the dead around her, and the sounds of the clean up after a battle ringing in her ears. This had been the most harrowing and terrifying day in her life, but was over. She was going to see her mom, probably cry on her, and then? Then she had no idea what would happen. But she would take it one day at a time. If she survived this, then she could keep going.

~*~