#Shae has officially lost it | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

snaillamp · 9 months ago

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Clash of the Bison Men

“Shit!” Roman hissed, watching the car disappear into the mist. “FUCK!” He yelled, slamming the wheel of the car, panting angrily as he drove back to town. With his spare hand, he grabbed the two-way, pressing the button in hard and his fingernail cut the silicone. “This is Rankin, I lost the car… Returning to the station.” Shae turned to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. “It’s not your fault Ro… He headed into Buffalo Head, you weren’t going to catch him once hit the forest…” Roman inhaled angrily, “But I had to catch them, Shae! I had to… Dammit!” He punched the wheel, the horn sounding loudly in the forest.

The two cops trudged back into the office. “Hmm.” Miranda greeted them. “Good try Roman. Better luck next time.” All three cops looked grim. They had been trying to find those traffickers for months, and finally had a lead… and Roman had lost them. “You two, first thing tomorrow, go to the Buffalo Head office, talk to Tom and see if he has any motion camera traps. If we can’t tail them, we’re gonna need Tom’s help finding them. He knows that park like the back of his hand.” Miranda looked serious. “We will get these guys. Now go home, get some sleep, y’all look like shit.”

Roman exhaled, walking out the door and slamming it shut. He was pissed. He wanted to get these guys. He had to!

“Ready big guy?” Shae asked, patting Roman’s shoulder. “Phew, you stink, man. You go to the gym or something?” Roman nodded, his hair messy as he ran a hand over it. It was shaved to the skin on both sides, the top longer. Usually, it was neat, slicked back, Miranda was hard on them to look good, to reflect the professionalism she expected. But today, the strands of hair were dangling down, hair in his eyes as he swooped it to the side. He looked liked he hadn’t slept all night.

He looked dead.

He grunted in reply, shoving the car into gear and driving off into town. Buffalo Head was a small town in northern Montana that Shae had moved to after her fiancé had got a job in the mine nearby. It was a sleepy, quaint town, surrounded by mountains and forests, along with the great Buffalo Head National Park. It was a famously beautiful park full of lots of hiking trails and rock climbing activities, and apparently also human traffickers…

Pulling up, the two officers trudged into the office, walking up a ridiculous amount of stairs to get the the reception. “Jesus…” Shae panted. The young officer was new to town, had only been around a few months, she had yet to experience the grand staircase of the old town hall turned Buffalo Head National Park Headquarters.

A young girl looked up from her desk, greeting the two officers. “Roman.” She smiled, standing up. “What can do you two for?” Roman sighed, rubbing his face. “Hey, Case… Tom ‘round?”

The young girl, Casey shook her head. “Long service leave. Cam’s in charge, I’ll get him!” She smiled cheerfully, whirling around to go get ‘Cam’.

Shae waited in interest as she watched Roman shuffle awkwardly, sniffing his boot on the ground. He all of a sudden looked a little timid, as he cleared his throat nervously.

Casey returned with a guy, tall, Asian and honestly, kinda cute, at least to Shae. He had cute curtain bangs, like a K-pop idol she liked. He was smiling brightly until he locked eyes with Roman. The smile disappeared in seconds, replaced with a dark scowl.

“What do you want?” He spat, walking up to Roman, his chest puffed up. The ranger was at least a head taller than Shae’s partner, who was decently tall, at least by her short standards, but this guy must be what… 6’2, maybe even ‘3? Roman met Cam’s eyes and puffed up his own chest.

“Cameron.”

“Roman.” The tension in the air was tense as the two men stared each other down, only for Roman to break first. Cameron leaned back, crossing his arms, seemingly satisfied with his win. “Can we go to your office? This is official business, on behalf of Sheriff Weston.” Roman spoke quickly, clenching his jaw as Cameron inhaled, making his already big chest bigger. “Fine.” He indicated with his head, letting the two deputies follow him.

The tall man walked into an office, sitting behind a large, honestly quite grand oak desk, folding his hands over themselves and tilting his head, waiting expectantly. “Uh…” Shae began, not knowing how to navigate the tension in the room. She had seen Roman angry before, he was always angry, but it was only now he seemed to have met his match. “So…. I’m Deputy Shae Mackroe, and I take it you know my partner Deputy Rankin…” She trailed off awkwardly as both men shot her a glance.

“Um. So! We are doing an investigation, on umm… some suspects… who we tracked into Buffalo Head last night. Ummm….” She sighed, the staring from both guys was starting to really get to her. Steeling herself, she swallowed, putting her face into serious cop mode and stepping toward the desk. “We need to know two things, m’kay? One, where is the best place to hide in that park, and second, do you happen to have any motion camera traps that we can check, see if we can track them?” She smiled politely at the ranger, who leaned back in his chair, thinking. “What road?”

“Uhhhh…” Shae looked to Roman. “The dirt one?” Cameron made a strange face, like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. “They’re all dirt roads…” He pointed out, looking to Roman. “The one heading toward Glacier Pass.” The second cop added, as Cameron nodded, logging into his computer.

“Redfeather road…. Let me see what I can find…” He mumbled, logging into his computer. Despite the tension with Roman, he seemed to be cooperating quite well. “Yeah, there’s like two… I’ll check ‘em for you, email the results over.” Shae excitedly pulled out her card, handing it to the ranger and thanking him, Roman mumbling a thank you as well and earning a cold glare from Cameron.

As they left the building, Shae looked up at Roman, who seemed to be in even worse of a mood. “What was that about?” She asked, curiosity dripping in her voice as they slid back into the car. “Nothing.” Roman answered quickly, turning on the car and revving the engine loudly as Shae opened her mouth to ask another question. She got the message, smirking to herself all the way back to the station.

Cameron stalked back to his office, sighing as he went through the mountains of pictures. The cameras were triggered when anything moved in front of it, and the last few days had been pretty windy, so there was plenty of random grass pictures, and one of a lynx, which was good. Eventually, he copied the images all into an email, trying to send them to Deputy Mackroe, only for a message to pop up.

This file is too large. Please select a smaller size.

Cameron groaned, his head slowly sinking to the desk. He head butted it gently, moaning in annoyance, before finding a spare USB stick and copying all the files onto it. As he walked into the office, Casey looked up, curious. “Hey Cam! So I was wondering what that was about. You and that cop were toe to toe, it looked like you were going to rip his head off!” She giggled a little. Inhaling deeply, Cameron rolled his eyes.

“He’s just a cop, and like every other cop, he’s got a massive ego and superiority complex, and I… don't like cops.” He finished, as he walked from the office, beginning the slog down the stairs to his car. He was gonna go to Rose’s bakery first, get a pastry and iced coffee, then deliver the USB. It could wait, his gaffing cravings couldn’t.

Roman was pacing the office, waiting for the email to arrive anxiously. “Has he sent it yet?” He asked again. Shae sat back in her chair, exasperated. “Roman, I woulda’ told you if it came. The answer is the same as when you asked 2 minutes ago.” Roman huffed again, this time leaning against the wall of the office, puffing up his chest and crossing his arms. Shae rolled her eyes, a classic Roman Rankin ‘tantrum’. She hadn't been working with him long, but was becoming well acquainted with them.

Instead of throwing a fit, the deputy would get all huffy and grouchy- well grouchier than normal and usually end up shadow boxing or doing pushups. Shae supposed that was a better way to get energy out than punching a hole in the wall, pushing over a filing cabinet, or something, but behind those big, brown eyes was a very cranky boy.

“Has it-” Roman began, as Cameron walked into the station. “What are you doing here?” Roman snapped immediately. Cameron raised his eyebrows slowly, raising his hand, USB in full view, as he slowly began turning around. “Well I was gonna give you this USB, but if you don’t want it…”

He began walking through the door, only for Roman to shout, “Wait!” and grab his wrist. Both men looked down at the connection, confused. They stood frozen for a second, glancing up and making brief eye contact with each other, before quickly breaking it again, awkwardly jumping apart. “Uh, I mean, umm… I do want the files.” Roman stammered, Cameron raising an eyebrow with a smirk. “You do want the files, hmm?” Roman nodded, holding his hand out for them. “Yes.”

Cameron’s smirk only grew, “You want the files… What?” Roman frowned, “Umm, now.” He insisted, hand still waiting for the USB. Cameron made an expectant face, waiting for him to clue in, but Roman just lunged for the USB instead. However, the taller man raised his arm, holding it just out of Roman’s reach. “What do you saaaay?” Cameron teased meanly.

Roman scowled, looking down and mumbling a plea. “Please can the USB…” Cameron cupped his ear, leaning toward Roman. “What?” Roman went red. “Please, give me the USB Cameron…” He asked, Cameron finally relenting and giving him the USB. “Hope it helps your investigation, Cowboy.” Roman’s jaw tightened at the demeaning nickname, his cheeks going a slight shade of pink. He looked at the USB in his hand as Shae began to chuckle. “What?” Roman grunted, pushing past Shae and going to the laptop.

“That was cute.” She teased, ruffling Roman’s hair, much to his chagrin. “Shae…” He whined, annoyed. “I like him.” She continued, “He’s funny.” Roman blushed again, thinking about how he’d grabbed Cameron’s wrist… he had felt something… strange shift in him. It was nothing. Just… stress.

“Awww, you’re bluuuuuushing!” Shae teased. Roman ignored her, plugging in the USB and opening it, only to yell, slamming the desk. “SON OF A BITCH!”

Shae stopped her teasing and grimaced slightly. Cam had given them every single picture of the last week, thousands of photos, mostly that of waving grass. “Roman!” Miranda snapped at him from her office, pointing at the chair. “What the hell are you doing?! Grow up and do your job!” Roman deflated, looking at the ground, cheeks burning as he muttered, “Yes ma’am, sorry ma’am.”

The rest of the day, they trawled through photo after photo until Shae jumped up, squealing. “What…” Roman mumbled, rubbing his dry eyes. “LOOK!” Shae ripped Roman from his seat before he could react. He yelped, tumbling to the ground, before grabbing Shae’s desk and pulling himself up with a grunt. “What?” He sighed, watching as Shae pointed at a blurry grey image. A large blade of grass had set the camera off, but in the the corner of the picture, there was a car. The car.

“Holy fuckin’ shit…” Roman breathed. “Where is that camera, it doesn’t look like it’s that close to the road?” Shae shrugged, “We’ll have to ask Cam,” she sighed as she glanced at her watch. “Uhhh, tomorrow… He’d be asleep. It’s 11:30 pm, Ro.”Roman sighed, yawning and nodding. “Yeah… See ya tomorrow.” The two officers left the office, but Roman was anxious. He looked out into the night as he drove home, careful for deer and maybe even someone jumping out into the road, looking for help… or for trouble.

Stumbling into his small, shitty apartment, he staggered around in the dark, not bothering with the light switch. He got read for bed, brushing his teeth and showering, but as he lay in bed and stared at the ceiling, he thought about the poor people that were being trafficked. He was making progress finding them, but it wasn’t fast enough… He wasn’t good enough… Grabbing his phone, he looked at it, groaning in annoyance.

3:15 am

He just couldn’t sleep.

Instead, he decided to occupy his mind, thinking about Cam and how to get back at him tomorrow, when they both went in to ask him where the trap was. He could saunter in, tough and macho… No… That wouldn’t work.

Maybe he could comment on the ranger’s appearance. How fluffy his hair looked, or how goofy his big smile was.

How it lit up his face, a sunshine smile…

And how warm and soft his skin was and his wrist fitted in Roman’s hand weirdly well…

Groaning at how dumb and stupid and annoying Cameron was, Roman shook his head, clearing his strange, sleep deprived thoughts and rolled onto his front, smooshing his face into the pillow. Eventually he fell asleep, his mind vaguely dreaming about tracking human traffickers and hiking through the forest… Cam wasn’t even there. Why would he be? Roman couldn’t stand him. ‘Wait, am I thinking while I dream?’

A loud blaring, grating beep went off, waking Roman who moaned pathetically. He didn't want to get out of bed, he was tired ad it was so warm and soft and comfy… Peeling open his eyes, he sighed… Time for fucking work…

Cameron yawned as his alarm went off, easing out of bed and going to the kitchen. Cady was there, making him breakfast already. She had decided to move in after the storm, helping the ranger while he recovered from his leg injury and got the house fixed. She had basically adopted him after that, doting on him like a mother would, and it made Cameron happy.

The older woman placed a massive plate of cheesy, scrambled eggs in front of the young man, who beamed and began to dig in hungrily. After breakfast, he rushed around the house, getting ready. “Cady? Have you seen a uniform shirt?” He yelled from his bedroom. The ranger had torn apart his cupboard looking for it, and was now running around like a shirtless chicken with its’ head cut off trying to find it. Cady yelled from the bathroom, “Lounge room Cam! I ironed them all yesterday, they were all crinkled!”

Smirking, Cameron walked to the lounge room, finding a pile of neatly folded clothes, and his uniform. “Thanks Cady!” He yelled back, shrugging it on and buttoning it quickly.

Soon he was driving down the long, scenic road, admiring the trees and the way the sunlight danced through them… The morning was perfect. He smiled happily as he pulled into a spot next to Rose’s cafe, walking in and seeing a slightly dishevelled looking Deputy Roman Rankin. He was hunched over the counter, waiting for his coffee, looking honestly… terrible.

Cameron’s smile faltered a bit. Sure, he wasn’t a fan of the guy, but… seeing him like this made Cameron concerned. Roman had always looked after his appearance, the fact this case was getting to him so hard was making Cameron uncomfortable, he didn’t want the guy getting hurt, especially if he started running around his national park looking for mysterious cars.

Nodding politely, Cameron brushed past Roman, who had just been handed his coffee. He thanked the woman behind the counter, Rose, and stalked out. “What’s his problem?” Rose muttered, equally concerned. Cameron shrugged, as he held out his reusable travel mug. “Honestly, even if I did care, I’d have no idea.” He sighed, “One medium iced latte, Miss Rose, and the usual.” Rose nodded, making the drink, rattling off the local gossip to Cameron, who laughed, accepting the cup back and paying.

“I assume I’m keeping the change?” She asked, as Cameron nodded, smiling brightly again. “Have a beautiful day, my lovely!” The woman replied, waving as Cameron left the store.

By the time he got to the office, Roman and his partner, Shae were already there, waiting in his office. Roman looked slightly more awake, and seemingly slicked his hair back, his shirt now a bit more neatly tucked in and 5 o’clock shadow shaved away. He must have been roused on by his boss, who was famous around town for keeping her officers looking spick and span.

“Morn’ officer! Roman.” Cameron greeted Shae cheerfully, before flatly acknowledging the other officer’s existence. He finished his coffee, waving them into his office and sitting down. “So, what can I do ya for?” Roman placed a printed picture on his desk. “We need to know where this camera is.”

Cameron squinted, picking it up and looking. “Uhhhh, hang on do you have the file name? I can’t tell and the printing blew it up and stuff, it's all grainy.” Shae nodded, pulling out her note pad, before muttering, “See, I told you.” through gritted teeth. Roman however, had his eyes fixed of Cameron, or rather the buttons on his shirt. He smirked, snorting slightly.

“What?” Cameron asked, his face looking annoyed at the officer’s rudeness. “Your buttons aren’t done right.” Roman pointed out coldly. Looking down, Cameron nodded. “Huh, you’re right.” Cameron cackled inwardly as he leaned back in his chair and he pulled his shirt out from his belt, unbuttoning the buttons until his hands were half way up his torso. He reached the misplaced button, fixing it and re-doing them all again, slowly. Cameron glanced up at Roman, who looked away, slightly embarrassed. ‘Has all that rock climbing has finally paid off? Do I finally have a better six-pack than Roman fucking Rankin?’ Cameron gloated in his mind.

When they had been in high school together, Roman had been adored by all the girls. He had started working out regularly from about the age of 15, rapidly gaining muscle and bragging to his friends about how good his six-pack, muscle mass and BMI was.

Of course, it was all just teenage vanity, now the cop seemed to use his bulk as an intimidation tactic, more so than in high school, and because he was a cop, that was never a good sign. ‘Cops and power go together like water and oil…’ Cameron mused, as he continued his train of thought.

Cameron had been a little string bean in high school, but after he joined the Parks Service, he had quickly gained muscle hiking and started rock climbing on weekends with friends. He even occasionally saw Roman at the gym, even though they deliberately avoided each other where they could.

Cameron did have to admit, Roman had put in a lot of effort into his physique and it looked… good. The fact that he seemed, maybe not emasculated, but at least intimidated by Cameron’s own muscle building attempt made him feel veeeeery good about himself. It was amazing how much vanity was a fantastic work out motivator.

“Uhh, Camera A7-AH-TR.” Shae piped up, breaking Cameron’s thoughts. Nodding, Cameron sighed. “Yeah, okay… Hey, look, that’s off the road a little, pretty much bush land, there’s nothing out there, except an ancient, disused fire trail.” The two officers glanced at each other as Roman nodded. “Well,” Shae began, pointing at the image. “We caught our little suspects going off-roading then.” Cameron looked at the image closer, noticing the blurry car in the picture. It was an old, boxy, white car, like something from the 80’s or something…

“Well, you’re in luck.” Cameron piped up.

“I was going to go up there today, check on the cameras anyway, wanna hitch a ride?” He looked and spoke only to Shae, ignoring Roman’s presence in the room entirely. “You can come in my car. It’ll be a bit less… obvious. And no offence… but you’d drive through that delicate ecosystem… like a cop.” Cameron smiled politely.

“Yeah sounds great!” Shae piped up, looking excited. “Cool, I’ll see you in an hour. And uhh… bring guns and bear spray. There’s Grizzlies ‘round right now, and they’re hungry.”

“Why did you say yes to him?!” Roman snapped at Shae as they got into their car and drove back to the police station. Shae huffed, pulling over. “Okay.” She turned to the deputy.

“What the hell happened between you two? You looked like you both wanted to feed each other to the damn bears!” Roman scowled, folding his arms over his stomach and slouching.

“We went to high school together. Didn’t get along.” Shae raised her eye brows, scoffing. “Oh come on, Roman! You’re lying to a fucking cop, I can sniff out bullshit a mile away! What happened?!” She pleaded.

She was annoyed by the attitude the two men were giving each other, but more of her was just greedily fishing for gossip. “It’s nothing important.” Roman grunted. “Keep driving.”

Shae rolled her eyes, ‘Men.’ she thought. “Hey, maybe you should ask him what he’s mad about, hmm? Fix the relationship?” Roman scoffed. “Shae, there was never a relationship to fix. Besides, what’s done is done and can’t be undone. I don’t even care about it!” Shae shook her head. ‘Yeah, you do, dumbass…’

Shae parked in front of the police station, turning excitedly to Roman, who was gazing out the window. “Right, time to suit up, pardner!” She finger gunned at her colleague, with a bad Southern accent. “Oh shut up.” Roman smirked, shoving her gently to get out of the car.

As he left he thought about Cameron again. That son of a bitch had some how managed to worm his way out of Roman’s honestly pathetic bullying attempt, and he’d gotten ripped... But what freaked Roman out more was the slight tingle in his stomach that he’d felt when he glimpsed Cameron’s naked torso… It was nothing. Just, jealousy because now that fucking skinny dude was on par with him. HIM! Roman FUCKING Rankin! The high school Quarterback. The state champ for athletics. The LAW ENFORCER!

Groaning in annoyance at how Cameron had some how invaded his mind again, Roman went inside, ignoring the slight, ever so tiny tingle of a faint blush dancing over his cheeks…

“Ready Cowboy?” Cameron asked, glancing over at Roman, who had taken the passenger seat beside him. “Don't call me that.” He replied, unimpressed.

Shae looked ecstatic as they set off, looking out the window in awe. “Wow… This is so different to Chicago…” She breathed, looking at the wide open plains and tall mountains in the distance. “Yeah… It’s amazing, huh?” Cameron replied. Roman ignored them, staring out the window instead.

“So why is it called Buffalo Head National Park?” Shae inquired a while later, looking between the seats at Cameron, who’s eyes lit up. “Ahhh, you see….” He began mysteriously.

“It looks like a buffalo head.” Roman muttered flatly, interrupting Cameron.

“Well, that, my friend, is the common misconception.” Roman shot a glare at Cameron, who smiled back, eyes now more… venomous looking. “It’s actually called that because the Blackfoot used to harvest the bison around here. They’d take the heads up there for special ceremonies. Not that they really do that anymore.”

He glanced at Roman, who continued to glare out the window. “Wild bison are hard to find unless you track the herds. At least in Buffalo Head they have a safe place to live normal lives.” Cameron finished, pulling off the main road onto a dirt road. They had been driving though the public part of Buffalo Head for a while, so turning off onto the dirt road was a good sign.

After driving for a while longer, Cameron pulled off onto some grass. He turned to Shae, ignoring Roman and announcing happily, “We’re here! Feel free to trudge around in the grass. Just be careful, we’ve found some bear traps out here recently. I think we’ve got them all, but just be cautious.”

The two cops nodded, as Cameron disappeared off into the grass, doing whatever he was going to do. Roman and Shae began looking for clues, examining tire tracks and rocks, before wandering off down the road to find more clues.

Meanwhile, Cameron was happily wandering through the trees, listening to the birds and examining camera traps. He also checked on the Bald Eagle nest. They had been building it for a few weeks and he was excited to see how many eggs they were going to hatch. Suddenly a stick snapped behind him.

Cameron’s hand instinctively went to the gun on his belt, but when he turned around, all he saw was Roman and Shae, picking their way through the grass. “Hey, so do you know where anyone out here would be able to… say… hide?” Shae chirped, as Cameron frowned. ‘Now what makes you want to know that…?’ His mind flickered as he thought. “Uhhh, there’s some old caves around these parts, why?” The cops looked at each other and then nodded.

“Just wondering.” Roman mumbled.

“Could you show us?” Shae asked again, smiling sweetly. “Sure. I’m just about done here. We’ll have to drive up to Arrowhead trail and then hike though. Shouldn’t take more than… 30 minutes.” Everyone nodded, piling back into the car. “Thanks for showing us all this stuff Cam, you’ve been so helpful.” Shae said as she slid in behind the ranger.

Roman rolled his eyes, of course she was buttering him up. “No problem.” Cameron replied, though he seemed to be a bit short with her now too. He knew they were hiding something. He was glancing over at Roman, who had gone back to grouching out the window.

“I’d rather I drive out here, the roads are narrow and wildlife is everywhere… And no offence, but I don't want you hitting any Black-footed Ferrets or Porcupines. We’ve been working hard to keep them uhh… 3D…” Cameron laughed at his terrible joke.

He wasn’t trying to break the noticeable tension, but he was definitely using humour to cope with his situation. Being stuck in the middle of nowhere with Roman Rankin was bad enough, but now it seemed like they weren’t gonna leave, and the last thing he wanted was them to find evidence that would lead to cops trampling over his brand new pine saplings.

Pulling off onto Arrowhead Trail, they made their way down the steep and rocky terrain, Cameron navigating expertly behind the wheel before he pulled off again. “Welp, this is as far as the car can go, we’re gonna have to do the rest on foot.” He smirked, he was pleased that the cops were going to have to navigate Arrowhead Trail, the trail notorious for it’s steep, rocky terrain.

Looking around while he waited for the deputies to get out of the car, he noticed some squashed grass by the side of the road. “Huh… That’s weird…” He mumbled under his breath. “What’s weird.” Roman asked, shutting the car door quietly. Cameron pointed at the grass, clearly from a car.

“That’s not supposed to be there. Someone is driving off the track. Not only are they damaging the land, this area is dangerous, they shouldn’t be driving off the trails like that. They could go over a cliff edge.”

Roman and Shae looked at each other, sharing a knowing glance. “Let’s check it out.” Roman began, starting to stride into the grass.

“Woooooaaah, hold your horses, Cowboy.” Cameron grabbed Roman’s shoulder. The grip was strong and… kind of nice? Roman shook his head, turning to face the ranger. “What?” He asked, annoyed at the name calling.

Cameron sighed. ‘Typical cop.’ He thought as he grabbed a bag from the back of the car. “First aid kit, flares, map, compass.” He shrugged the pack on. It was an over the shoulder bag, there was probably only a few bandages, a couple of flares, a cheap compass and tiny map inside, but hey, Cam was confident he knew where he was going.

“Well, lead the way, Cowboy.” Roman grimaced at the nickname again.

They hiked through the brush, down into a valley, following the tracks for a while, until they came to a large huckleberry bush. The large SUV had been driven into it, masking it from sight, with large branches, shrubs and leaves stacked against it to hide it more. But it wasn’t any old vehicle… It was the car… The one they had been chasing.

“Motherfuckers…” Cameron sighed in annoyance, as he stepped towards the car. “Wait.” Roman stopped him. “That’s what we’ve been looking for. Don’t contaminate the scene.” Cameron scowled. “Oh, so now you’re concerned about collecting evidence.” He scoffed and walked over to a large rock, examining it, before looking up into the ridges around them.

He couldn’t see much, but he took a deep breath as the two officers carefully picked their way around the car, taking photos and picking up evidence in little bags. It was all packed away very quickly, before Cameron could see.

He was growing more and more worried about what they were looking for… Were criminals living in the park? Were they hiding something? Money? Drugs? Something even worse? “So what is it you guys are even looking for anyway?” Cameron asked before he could stop himself. Shae looked to Roman, who glanced up from his phone, reciting a robotic answer. “It’s a classified case. I can't disclose any information.”

Cameron shrugged. He expected that. “Okay, well let me know when you wanna head back… I’ll just sit here… staring at the ground.” Cameron mumbled. He didn’t end up staring at the ground, that was interesting sure, all the different minerals in the soil and plant species growing at his feet, but he wanted something more… interesting. He watched Roman work, really taking a good look at him for the first time.

He was good looking, hair slicked back and face clean shaven, sharp jawline… the face he made when he was concentrating was kind of cute, his eyebrows would move closer together slightly, and he pouted his bottom lip just a tiny bit. He must have been working out more, because his arms and legs were definitely bigger than a couple years ago. A lot of the guys out here did sport on their days off, gym work outs and rock climbing, though Cameron hadn’t ever seen Roman at the rock climbs he did.

Cameron smirked as he glanced at the officer’s butt. It was... nice. ‘Eww, you think Roman Rankin has a nice ass… Get a grip Cam.’ He scolded himself half-heartedly. It was kinda funny to check out people he didn’t like. People he didn’t like could still be… sorta nice to take in…

Cameron liked people watching on a good day, it was interesting and you could learn a lot about a person by how they looked, and Roman clearly cared about his appearance, both his aesthetic appearance and physique. Glancing over at Shae, Cameron looked at her too. She was quite pretty, short, mousey brown hair tied back in a little stub of a pony tail. She had a cute little freckle or mole or something under her left eye, and under her sleeve, a tattoo. Cameron couldn’t tell what it was, but it looked like come kind of word.

The other thing about her that was obvious, was that she obviously liked jewellery. She had lots of holes in her ears for earrings she obviously couldn’t wear at work, and a few ring tans. She even had a little engagement ring on. ‘Aww, that’s cute.’ Cameron smiled, going back to Roman.

A tiny strand of hair had unstuck itself from the copious amount of hair gel holding his black hair back. It curled a little, the end brushing his right eyebrow, which had a little slit that Roman had defintely shaved himself. His fingers absentmindedly tucked it away, and a slight tingle went down Cameron’s spine. The way his fingers had been so gentle, tucking away the hair… It was hard to believe that that hard, brash, loud, obnoxious, angry, impatient prick could be so soft and…

“Hey, we’re pretty much done here.” Roman sighed, standing up. Cameron blinked, coming back to reality. “Okay, cool… Uhhh, wanna go check out the caves?” Roman and Shae both thought it over, before Roman nodded.

“Sure. Plenty of daylight left in the day, right?” Cameron nodded, beckoning them back up the hills and to the car, before leading them off into the trees on a tiny, barely visible trail.

After walking in the heat of the day for an hour, Roman and Shae both stopped, panting. Cameron was a little sweaty, but he was fine otherwise. “Aww, come on guys, nearly there.” He teased, Roman shooting him a glare. “Aww, brighten up Cowboy.” Cameron teased again, as Roman bristled. “Tell you what, there’s a stream down the ways, you can both go get a drink and-”

Shots rang out, bullets whizzing by Cameron’s head by less than a millimetre. Instinctively, Roman launched himself at the ranger, tackling him to the ground with a grunt, Shae diving out of the way into a bush as the bangs echoed around them.

After they stopped, everyone lay still and quiet for a moment, paralysed with fear. Cameron could feel Roman’s pounding heart in his chest, and he was sure the cop could feel his too. After a second, the deputy shifted, pushing off Cameron a little, their noses almost touching.

“You okay?” He asked, swallowing as he panted. His voice was low and growling, making Cameron’s breath catch in his throat slightly. They stared into each other’s eyes, Cameron marvelling at how shiny and black they were. “Yeah… Thanks…” He breathed, releasing he was panting too.

For a second longer, they two men looked at each other, before Roman blushed a little and pushed up, off Cameron. He brushed himself off awkwardly, Cameron doing the same, as they both ignored each other. Cameron felt his cheeks and ears burning red as he adjusted the bag on his shoulder ad rubbed the back of his head gingerly. Roman’s crash tackle hadn’t left him without a little bump on his head.

Shae crawled out of the bush, pulling a stick from her hair. “You two alright?” She asked, as the two men nodded. They were all still a little in shock. “Okay.” Cameron began firmly. “I don't give a fuck if it’s classified information, what the hell is going soon?” Roman glanced at Shae, who nodded. “Okay… We’ll tell you, but only if we get moving. Know a place with good cover?” Cameron nodded. “Yeah, follow me.” He walked off the path, picking his way through the bushes.

The two deputies prayed he knew what he was doing.

“So. Spill.” Cameron spat, Roman sighing heavily and beginning his story. “We… We’re hunting human traffickers. They’ve kidnapped women, girls, boys… anyone, and ship off somewhere… Canada maybe? We aren’t sure. But one the girls escaped, the girl who said she was a hiker who’d gotten lost a few months ago and turned up in town? She told us the real story. She was afraid if we started hunting them down her family and the others she’d left behind would be hurt. She was from fucking Florida.”

Cameron nodded in surprise. He’d heard vaguely about the so called missing hiker turn up at the local tavern battered and bruised, but hadn’t questioned her story. He had no reason too. He went looking for missing people all the time, people got lost so much in Buffalo Head, but they were usually found in a few hours, if they didn’t flag down a vehicle themself when they stumbled upon a road.

“So what, these traffickers are hiding up in the caves with their victims?” Cameron asked. Roman nodded. “Looks that way. And they don’t seem happy we got close. Shit they’re probably gonna bolt now…” Cameron hummed. “Ya know, if you walk about 5 ish hours that way,” He pointed in a random direction.

“Canadian border. If they’ll go anywhere it’s there.”

Shae hummed in agreement and Roman nodded. It was a logical conclusion. “We need to get back to the car, get to town and alert everyone. The Border Force, Mounties… FBI…” Cameron nodded pressing on, until they heard shouts behind them. The people who had shot at them sounded like they were tracking them. Cameron indicated with his head to follow him off into the trees, and the two cops followed, hoping they would reach the car soon.

The three people stumbled through the bushes, Cameron randomly taking a random turn and going in another direction, before continuing and doing it again. They must have walked for an hour before the ranger finally stopped, panting as he turned around. He fumbled for the compass in his bag, pulling it out and orientating it while Roman and Shae caught their breath.

“This way…” Cameron breathed as he walked off into the trees again. The landscape had become steep and rocky, and soon, they all collapsed under a tree to rest. Roman slid down the large tree trunk, his hand brushing against something soft. Looking down, he watched Cameron’s fingers brush his for a second, before he also looked down and they both quickly pulled away from each other, like it had burned them.

Shae noticed, and slightly shoved Roman over, so that his shoulders were forced to touch Cam’s. He glared at her, but she pouted. “What? I need shade too Rankin.” Cameron scoffed, smirking at the cop, leaning against him slightly to annoy him more. Roman’s heart skipped a beat slightly. He brushed it off.

‘Just adrenaline…’

But their rest was brief, their fear of being followed weighing on their minds, so they carried on. “We will have to climb that ridge, but we will be back at the car soon.” Cameron grunted as he climbed a large rock, reaching down to help Roman up. Roman grabbed it, surprised at the ranger’s strength as he helped haul the guy up the smooth surface, then he helped Shae.

“How did you… climb that thing…? It’s like… smooth as fuck…” She asked, causing Cameron to smirk. “I’ve been a rock climber and boulder since I was a kid. After I finished college I really got into it…” He looked kind of sad for a second, then turned to the ridge, looking at his compass and adjusting it. “You learn to climb flat cliff faces after a while, the grip strength and techniques come through.”

They continued up the ridge, cautious of how visible they were, until they crested it. They were all tired, and it was growing later, the afternoon well and truly set in. Roman glanced at his watch, 2:45 pm. “Hey man, lets pick this up, it’ll be dark in a couple hours.” He said to Cameron, scowling. “Look, man,” Cameron replied. “I am trying my best to get us out of here, but it’s gonna take as long as it takes.” Roman groaned, huffing. “I know, but you need to pick it up, they could all be gone by now.”

Cameron scowled now, turning around. “An’ that’s my fault, huh?”

Roman made a face of disbelief, nodding. “YES! You’re the one who lead us on this round about way to the car-” Cameron fired back instantly. “In case you forgot we were being fucking shot at! I did what I could and I said I’d get you back, I have no control over how long that will take!” The deputy shook his head.

“No, you do! You could’ve lead us straight back to the car instead of a hike through the fucking forest!” Cameron scoffed, “And you think I haven’t been trying my damndest to get you out? I’m just taking you on a little tour? We are being HUNTED Roman!”

Roman was fuming. “Why didn’t you lead us back to it straight away? We could have a thousand officers looking for them right now!”

Cameron sighed, exasperated. “What do you want Roman? We’re only as fast as our slowest person and that is currently you! Quit whining, shut up and walk, we will be there soon!”

“Not soon enough!”

“For God’s sake!” Cameron roared. “If you’re such an expert on the area, you lead us back the quicker way!”

Roman glared at the ranger.

“Thought so.” Cameron spat, turning and leading them over the ridge. “This is just like last time.” He mumbled under his breath, loud enough for both deputies to hear.

“What the fuck did you say?” Roman bristled.

“You know what I said.” Cameron fired back.

“Listen, what happened was a mistake-” Roman started, but Cameron’s eyes flashed.

“YOUR MISTAKE! YOU BLAMED ME WITH NO EVIDENCE! WHO THE FUCK DOES THAT?! AND YOU KNOW WHAT HURT THE MOST? YOU NEVER APOLOGISED FOR FUCKING UP MY LIFE AND MY CAREER! MY OWN FATHER REFUSED TO SPEAK TO ME FOR MONTHS BECAUSE HE THOUGHT I WAS A CRIMINAL! AND YOU JUST WENT ABOUT, LIVING YOUR LIFE LIKE YOU DIDN’T DO ANYTHING WRONG!”

Roman went red, puffing out his chest and squaring up to Cameron. “YOU DON’T THINK I DIDN’T TRY? YOU NEVER CAME TO ME TO LET ME TRY!”

Cameron glared at him. “IT WASN’T MY JOB TO COME TO YOU, GROVELLING FOR AN APOLOGY FOR FUCKING UP MY LIFE! THAT WAS ON YOU TO D-”

“Will both of you shut the fuck up!” Shae yelled, stepping between the two men and pushing them apart. “I don’t know what happened between you two, but there are more important things to worry about right now than your pissing match, grow up for God’s sake! Both of you, your big boy pants on and get drop it!”

Both men went silent as they stared at each other, before following her silently, Cameron leading them onto the final ridge. “I see the car.” Cameron spoke flatly, still seething from the fight. Roman scoffed, “Finally.”

The next thing Roman knew, Cameron yelled and shoved him roughly. Roman staggered, hitting the ground hard and grunting, about to yell at Cameron, only to gasp as he heard a strained cry of pain.

Cameron had his shaking hand pressed over his mouth hard, preventing him from giving away their location. He was as white as a sheet, tears in his eyes as he stood frozen in place, quivering like a leaf, sweat collecting on his skin as he tried to calmly breathe.

~~ Cameron rolled his eyes, turning around to fire back some snarky comment at the cop, only for his eyes to grow wide. Without thinking, he yelled, “Watch out!” and shoved Roman away from the lump of leaves and sticks. He heard the click, feeling the plate go down. His stomach sank as at first nothing happened, then a ripple of horrendous pain shot through his whole body.

He pressed his hand to his mouth quickly, trying to stop himself from crying out and throwing up as he let out a muffled cry, throwing his head back. Roman’s eyes were wide as he looked at Cameron’s leg. The ranger couldn’t bring himself to look yet, if he looked, it would be real… But he had to...

He glanced down at the bear trap clamped around his leg, rusted, sharp teeth sunk thoroughly into the flesh of his right calf. He was numb with pain, his mind empty as he didn’t know what to do. He knew the first aid for this but he couldn’t pull it out of his head… The next moment, something big and warm was beside him. He leaned into it, closing his eyes, only to be shaken awake again.

“Cam. Stay awake.” The deep voice murmured as he slumped against the warm, soft thing… He liked the voice, it vibrated against him in a pleasant way, calming him…

“No, stay awake.” Roman’s voice was clearer now as Cameron felt the ground beneath him. He was gasping for breath as he stared at the blood leaking out of his wounds. He was trying not to hyperventilate, somewhat successfully.

“Get the trap off…” Cameron’s voice shook as he pointed at it. “How?” Shae asked, Roman pushing in to see. “There’s… levers… Push ‘em d-down…” Roman followed the ranger’s instructions, releasing the trap, hearing Cameron gasp in relief.

“Hey, what do we do?” Roman asked, his voice shaking in panic. Cameron blew out a strong breath and fumbled with shaking, tingling fingers at the zip for his bag. Shae tore it from around him and opened it, looking at the contents.

Cameron reached for it, pulling out a small bandage and began to wrap his wound. He wrapped it tighter and tighter, until it seemed to be secure. “Band… Bandage is… is good ’n tight…”

“Can you walk?” Shae asked. Cameron tried to get to his feet, but couldn’t, his injured leg dropping out from under him. Roman swooped in at the last moment, picking Cameron up and carrying him bridal style.

“Heh… I guess… now we’re even…” Cameron mumbled, slightly delirious with pain. “You saved me from being’ shot… ’n I saved your sorry ass… from a bear tr…” Roman jostled him to keep him awake. “Heh… Yeah I guess we are. Listen, man, where do we go?” Cameron pointed up at the ridge, “Up the hill… Should be dow….. the trailll….”

Cameron’s vision was blurring as his memory flashed back to the tree branch impaling him earlier in the year. How much it had hurt… How he’d had to have 3 surgeries to get it fixed…Now he had lost all that progress…

With a moan, Cameron went limp in Roman’s arms. Roman looked down at his pale face, now dangling over Roman’s arm, chin pointed at the sky. His mind went blank as he sprinted up the hill, the heavy, unconscious man suddenly light in his arms as they reached the top. Shae was red and panting as they made it back to the car, Roman diving into the back with Cameron, his hand’s immediately searching the ranger’s pockets for his keys.

Finding them, he threw them at Shae, who caught them, jamming them into the ignition, and throwing the car into reverse. She floored it down the road as Roman held Cameron tight, hoping that they could get out in time, only for the car to jolt suddenly. “Uh, Ro…” Shae whimpered as she stared out the windshield. Roman glanced up and saw a three men in the middle of the road, large rifles pointed at them. They looked at each other, as the men fired into the cabin…

Shae screamed, curling up as Roman hunched over Cameron protectively, as the doors were ripped open and both cops torn out.

“GET ON YOUR KNEES PIGS!” A man screamed, forcing the cops to their knees. “HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD!” Roman nodded at Shae, and they obliged. Two of the men rushed forward, taking both of the deputies sidearms and aiming them at their heads. “What about him?” The leader growled.

Roman looked up at them, eyes desperate. “He got hurt in a bear trap, badly. He’s passed out. He won’t be any trouble.” The three men nodded as they forced both cops onto their stomachs and began to tie their arms behind them.

Roman gulped, this was it. They were going to murder them, and probably Cameron, in cold blood. They were going to die like animals.

They were dragged off into the woods by the men, one of them grabbing Cam and throwing him over his shoulder. ‘No…’ Roman thought. “He needs a hospital…’~~

The two cops were dragged up into the rocky caves. The half hour trip felt like an eternity as they followed their captors, being roughly man handled over rocks and into a hole in a cliff. Roman felt sick as Cameron was dropped on the ground, looking pale and not moving. He seemed to be breathing, Roman could only hope that the tourniquet was working.

Shae and Roman Bothe looked up as a rifle was pointed at their heads, before they were forced to their stomachs again. The cave floor was damp, and smelled like wet mud. It was slightly pleasant, all things considered, nice and cool after a couple hours of intense hiking in the afternoon heat.

The two other men began to hogtie them, preventing them from running… or helping Cam. The men hadn’t even bothered tying him up, he looked inches from death anyway. Roman wanted to be near him, make sure he was warm and breathing… this cool floor wouldn’t be doing the ranger any good.

His mind drifted, the teeth hadn’t gone all the way, the rust had stopped it from doing that, but they’d gone in deep enough to make him bleed bad… Willing him to make it through, Roman stared at the man beside him, a few feet away… so close and yet so far…

“We’ll be back, then you and I will have some fun.” One of the men drawled, looking at Shae. Roman growled. “Don’t touch her!” The man cackled. “Ahhh, I know plenty of people who’d like to fuck a pig… But we’ve all gotta test the product ourselves first, gotta know what I’m selling.” He grinned wickedly, walking out of the cave with his two friends. Roman looked at Shae, who looked terrified. “Hey… Look at me. I won’t let anything happen to you, alright?” Shae looked at him and nodded, even though she knew it was a lie. Roman was stuck, he couldn’t do anything to stop the men from touching either of them…

They lay in silence for a while, watching the sun begin to sink lower in the sky. “He okay?” Shae asked, looking at Cameron, who was still lying motionless on the ground. “No…” Roman replied, his voice catching.

“God I’m such an idiot. I should’ve listened to him… They knew we were close to the car, they must have… Shit…” Roman bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to cry. Shae sighed, wiggling to be closer to Roman, at least a couple of inches closer. She didn’t know what to say.

“What happened between you two?” She asked quietly, hoping it wouldn’t make Roman worse. Roman gazed out at the late afternoon, remembering something with a sigh.

“We were collaborating with the national park for an investigation into a guy growing weed out in Buffalo Head. Cameron found the grove and reported it. Anyway, the guy seemed to realise the jig was up and burned it all, starting a forest fire. I accused Cameron of actually being in on the whole thing, reporting his buddy so he could have the whole crop to himself and setting the fire to burn the evidence when he realised I was onto him.” Shae glanced over at Roman, before going back to the road. “And… did he?” Roman sighed.

“That’s the thing. I accused him on a hunch, and had no evidence to back it up… And he was innocent the whole time. It uhh, nearly ruined his career, and to add insult to injury, he nearly got killed fighting the fire… Which also destroyed a sacred place for the Blackfoot…

He blamed me for it. The site being destroyed also damaged the Blackfoot relationship with the Buffalo Head Rangers too, or at least I heard it did. They were mad that not many resources were put towards saving their… I don’t even know what it was, but that the park office up there had been saved. I don't know about any more of that, but Cameron took it hard.

He’d been instrumental in building that trust and, to him, I destroyed it. He’s hated me ever since, and I just… I never really knew how to apologise. I know I should, but… how do you do that? It’s been 4 years, I left it too long and… I don’t know anymore.”

Shae was silent for a moment, thinking. “I don’t think he wants an apology.”

Roman looked up, confused. “What?” His parter looked at him, smiling softly. “God you’re an idiot… I think he wants you to admit you were wrong. Take accountability for the role you played in the whole thing and give him the closure he needs. That's all he wants, is closure.” Roman sighed, nodding. “I never thought about it like that. “Yeah, cause you don’t think.” Shae laughed. She was nervous, but Roman was impressed how well she was keeping it together.

Minutes later the heard the grunting men return. One was a very thin, sunburnt man with a bad moustache, one a bulkier, more muscular guy with a big red beard and a red baseball cap and the final a slightly fat guy who was balding.

All three seemed to be in a bad mood.

“We need to decide now!” Fat guy said. “I’m not killing a fucking cop!” Sunburn said. “Well I am!” Beard dude said, readying Roman’s side arm. Fat guy shrugged, getting Shae’s sidearm out of his pocket. “Let’s just get it over with. We have to move.” The three men closed in on Roman and Shae, who both gulped.

Roman shuddered, sighing a scared breath as something cold touched the back of his skull. A tear fell from his eye as he tried not to cry, body quivering as a shot rang out. Then another, and another. The sound of three bodies falling filled Roman’s head as he opened one eye.

The three men were lying on the ground, one bullet wound in each of their backs. Craning his head around, he saw Cameron slumped against the wall of the cave, his own side arm drooping in his hand. He pushed up and limped forward, pain screaming through his leg as he opened his pocket knife from his belt, cutting the ties and collapsing to the ground.

“How-” Roman stammered as Cameron grinned. “Adrenaline is one hell of a drug.” He rasped, “Guess we’re double even now… Radio in my car… call for help…”

Shae slung one arm under the ranger, Roman taking the other and helping Cameron limp down the cliffs to the car. They all groaned when they saw the deflated wheels.

Roman sat beside Cameron as Shae used the radio, glancing over to him. It was an agonising hour long wait for for anyone to come and get them from town and Cam was still in a lot of pain. Roman put an arm around him, pulling him close. Cam hissed in pain, but leaned into it. “Okay, I have to know…” He asked. “How long where you unconscious?” Cameron shrugged. “No idea, last thing I remember was the bear trap, then you carrying me… Then I woke up face down in mud. You and Shae were talking about something, I didn’t catch what… I realised they didn’t take my gun and when they were distracted with you I took my shot.”

Roman smiled. “I’m glad you did…” He looked into Cameron’s eyes. They were so dark and… glittery… They were beautiful… He was beautiful…

Their faces drew together slowly, and the next thing either of them knew, their lips touched. It was like an electric shock went through them as they kissed again, harder this time.

Pulling back, they both glanced away, redder than either of them thought they could go, until they heard Shae laugh, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

“I saw that.” She smirked, going back to the radio. Roman went redder still, looking at Cameron for help. Cameron shrugged, leaning against Roman more and sighing. Roman didn’t even notice he had reached out for Cameron’s hand until the ranger took it. Both men blushed as they gazed into each other’s eyes for a moment, before Roman awkwardly cleared his throat and glanced away.

They were saved by the ambulance wailing up the road, followed by a long line of police cars, lights and sirens flashing as Shae got out of the car. “I’ll give you two some time to… talk…” She winked mischievously as Roman grimaced. Cameron looked up at him with a tired, pained smile. “I’m gonna need help getting in that ambulance.” He mumbled.

~ 3 months later

“So… I’m sorry, for everything.” Roman looked into his noodles, ashamed. Cameron looked up from his own, nodding. “Thank you, Roman. Really I appreciate that.” He smiled, breaking the seriousness of the topic a little.

He had taken Cameron out to the local Mongolian restaurant, something he’d been planning while Cameron was recovering from his surgery on his leg. Then he’d procrastinated about it for two months until Shae had to basically ask Cameron for him. He had finally apologised for his fuck up four years ago and… a little bit of him was just happy to be with Cameron again.

Since the whole chasing human traffickers through the forest thing, and the kiss...Roman and Cameron had both been thinking about the other more and more… Both knew it was a kinda, sorta, teensy weensy, itty, bitty, slightly a date.

“Your dad’s cooking is really good.” Roman mumbled, stuffing his face with noodles. “Yeah, good choice, taking me out to dinner at my parent’s restaurant, Rankin.” Cameron teased, serving himself more flat bread. “Well it was the only restaurant in town to choose, unless you wanted to drive 2 hours to go to McDonalds.” Roman shot back playfully.

“I’ll get my dad to make you proper Mongolian some time. You’d loooove honinii tolgoi.” Roman looked up, smiling playfully. “Yeah, what is it?” Cameron smirked, “You’ll find out… It involves… mutton.” Roman perked up. “Mutton is good.” Cameron laughed, imagining Roman being confronted with an entire sheep’s head on his plate, skull, eyes and all, and watching him have to eat it.

“Well, let me know when he’s cooking up a storm, proper Mongol food.” Cameron smiled, nodding as they finished and paid for their meals. They walked down the dark street together, their knuckles brushing against each others as they walked, completely by ‘accident’.

“You know I’m starting to think this wasn’t just an apology dinner…” Cameron smirked, as he limped along beside Roman, sliding his hand into the deputy’s own. Roman was glad it was dark, because he he knew his cheeks were burning red. He stopped, his breath catching, Cameron stopping, turning to face him.

“Oh, so it was a date. Smooth.” He teased. Roman looked at his feet, embarrassed. “I did wonder why you wore that cologne.” Cameron stepped closer, so they were inches from each other. His finger brushed Roman’s arm as they slowly inched closer. “I like it… You should wear it more often…” Cameron murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as he cocked his head.

Roman leaned forward, kissing him softly, tentatively… nervously, only for Cameron’s arm to wrap around his waist and pull him closer. Cameron’s lips pushed harder against Roman’s own, the policeman gasping a little as the ranger’s tongue slid between his lips. He melted into the kiss as the two men held each other close, the world disappearing around them as they kissed.

Pulling back, Cameron was blushing hard, Roman equally red. “Uhh…” He started, looking at the ranger. “Wow…” Cameron breathed. “Let’s do that again.” He smiled, leaning in and kissing Roman again…

“By the way…” Cameron breathed in Roman’s ear, “I accept your apology… This one is way better than the one at dinner…” Roman smiled as Cameron kissed his neck, then pulled away. “My place or yours?” Roman frowned, confused, still dazed from the sudden make out session.

“Huh?” He gasped. “Well I assume you wanna keep hanging out, so… My place or yours?” Cameron asked, voice low and eyes full of… full of love. “Either works for me…” Roman whispered, breathless as he gazed back at Cameron with the same love in his own eyes. “Your’s it is…” Cameron smiled. “Besides.” He slid his hand back into Roman’s and began walking. “I’ve always wondered where you lived.” Roman shoved him gently. “Creep.”

Roman snorted as he awoke, feeling a heavy weight pinning him down. He realised he was passed out on his sofa, Cameron sleeping soundly on his chest, the movie they had been watching long passed being finished. The deputy smiled. Cameron was so cute when he was asleep…

Running his hand over the man’s hair, he kissed his forehead, Cameron stirring and opening his eyes.

“Hmmm… Morning…” He mumbled, his arms wrapping around Roman’s torso as he snuggled against his chest.

“Morning.” Roman mumbled back. He could’ve stayed like that all day… His heart swelled with a joy he hadn’t ever felt before, and he smiled as he knew Cameron’s was doing the same.

~masterlist~

✨taglist✨

@i-eat-worlds

@emcscared-whumps

@bonedealer

#whump #whump writing #whumpblr #whumpee #original post #snaillamp #whump oc #cameron oc #roman oc

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gacmediadaily · 1 year ago

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Christmas isn't just coming early this year. It's pretty much already here.

Though Great American Family previously announced Oct. 20 as the start date for its holiday lineup, PEOPLE can exclusively reveal that the elves over there have been working overtime — and the season will be starting a week early.

The network's 24-7 Christmas programming now begins on Friday, Oct. 13. And, as Candace Cameron Bure announces in the video above — the first of 20 new original Christmas movies debuts on Saturday, Oct. 14.

The season then continues with new movie premieres — featuring stars like Danica McKellar, Chad Michael Murray, Jen Lilley, and Bure herself — every week through Dec. 23.

See the full schedule — along with the network's official descriptions — below.

Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. ET: Destined 2: Christmas Once More, starring Shae Robbins and Casey Elliott — In this sequel, Theo (Elliott) continues to miss connecting with his girlfriend, Kim (Robbins) as he attempts to propose at Christmas.

Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. ET: ‘Twas the Text Before Christmas, starring Merritt Patterson and Trevor Donovan — An unexpected text message sent to the wrong number (Patterson) sets into motion a Christmas tradition with a new family (Donovan) over three separate years.

Oct. 28 at 8 p.m. ET: Bringing Christmas Home, starring Jill Wagner and Paul Greene — A professor of military history (Wagner) teams with an antique store owner (Greene) to track down the original owner of a historic WWII uniform and the love letters left in its pockets.

Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. ET: Journey to Christmas, starring Ash Tsai and Joey Heyworth — While on a charity press tour, a model (Tsai) ends up stranded by the weather at the family home of the driver (Heyworth) she hired to assist her for the week.

Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. ET: A Dash of Christmas, starring Laura Osnes and Christopher Russell — A marketing exec (Osnes) must learn a recipe to get her dream job and ends up entering a holiday bakeoff with a dream baker (Russell).

Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. ET: Our Christmas Wedding, starring Holly Deveaux and Drew Seeley — In the sequel, roles reverse as Nicole’s boss plans newly engaged Nicole (Deveaux) and Michael’s (Seeley) wedding in two weeks at Christmas.

Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. ET: Christmas Keepsake, starring Jillian Murray and Daniel Lissing — A father (Lissing) bonds with his daughter and stumbles upon an unexpected romance (Murray) while tracking down the original owner of a Christmas time capsule.

Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. ET: A Christmas Blessing, starring Lori Loughlin, James Tupper and Jesse Hutch — A TV chef (Loughlin) is divinely inspired to take over her late aunt’s charity with help from a new friend (Hutch) and handsome business associate next door (Tupper).

Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. ET: Santa, Maybe, starring Aubrey Reynolds — Can theater director Lila (Reynolds) rise to the challenge of putting on the perfect Christmas ballet, while also discovering her office Secret Santa in the process?

Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. ET: A Paris Christmas Waltz, starring Jen Lilley and Matthew Morrison — A novice dancer (Lilley) pairs with a professional (Morrison) to enter a renowned dance competition… in Paris!

Nov. 24 at 8 p.m. ET: My Christmas Hero, starring Candace Cameron Bure and Gabriel Hogan — An army reserve doctor (Bure) tracks down her family's military history with the help of a new romance (Hogan).

Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. ET: A Royal Date for Christmas, starring Danica McKellar and Damon Runyan — When a European Duke (Runyon) arrives in the U.S., he realizes that his bags have been lost in transit. He has no choice but to be styled, and ultimately inspired, by Bella (McKellar), the owner of a local boutique.

Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. ET: A Christmas for the Ages, starring Natasha Bure, Anna Ferguson, Kate Craven and Cheryl Ladd — Prompted by their youngest granddaughter (Bure), four generations celebrate family and what Christmas was like in the '40s, '60s, '90s, and present day.

Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. ET: Christmas on Windmill Way, starring Christa Taylor Brown and Chad Michael Murray — To save her family's legacy windmill, a woman (Taylor Brown) must remind her ex-boyfriend (Michael Murray) of the best of their hometown.

Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. ET: The Jinglebell Jubilee, starring Erin Agostino and Marshall Williams — A city manager (Williams) recruits the help of a childhood friend (Agostino) in setting right his town's Christmas Charity event, while she sets to work setting him up with her close friend.

Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. ET: Meet Me Under the Mistletoe, starring Sarah Fisher and Simon Arblaster — Two rival realtors (Fisher and Arblaster) are forced to work together to sell one special house before Christmas.

Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. ET: Peppermints & Postcards, starring Ella Cannon and Christopher Russell — When a Christmas letter concerning her love life goes viral, one mom discovers that romance might be right at her door.

Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. ET: Designing Christmas with You, starring Susie Abromeit and Liam McIntyre — With her career on the line, a decorator (Abromeit) must work with an unexpected partner (McIntyre) to showcase a house for an upcoming Christmas gala.

Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. ET: 12 Games of Christmas, starring Johnny Ramey and Felisha Cooper — A group of old friends and neighbors are transported into a Christmas-themed board game during a Christmas party.

Dec. 23 at 8 p.m. ET: A Royal Christmas Holiday, starring Brittany Underwood and Jonathan Stoddard — In search of her big break, a reporter (Underwood) arranges a Christmas interview with a European Prince (Stoddard) visiting the States. Will the reporter’s big story become her love story?

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The holiday festivities don't end there. Great American Family is the exclusive cable television home of the 135th Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day.

#great american family #great american christmas #candace cameron bure #danica mckellar #jen lilley #natasha bure #lori loughlin #chad michael murray #trevor donovan #merritt patterson #shae robbins #casey elliott

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shipping-receiving · 4 years ago

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Trivia Tuesday: Some Notes on Full Spectrum

I’m not sure if I’ll return to this story anytime soon, so I thought I’d share a little about what I wish I had done differently, and what I might do if I ever continue it.

First of all, I have to confess that I basically winged it when it came to the plot. The novel on which I based the story has an incredibly elaborate universe, so I needed to figure out how to condense that. Plus, the novel was meant to be the first in a trilogy, but the latter two books have never been published, so I had to make up or gloss over a few things as I went along. Regardless, I knew I wanted seven chapters (seven colours, Seven Kingdoms etc.), so I started off with the chapter titles using idioms/sayings that fit those seven colours.

The first chapter I wrote was Chapter 4: The Grass is Always Greener (i.e. Jaime and Brienne banging in the meadows of Tarth while tripping on colour), then Chapters 1–3 after that, all while praying that the solution for Chapters 5–7 would just magically come to me. At the end of July my outline for Chapter 7 was still: LOL IDK THEY'VE FALLEN IN LOVE IN A DYSTOPIA NOW WHAT?! So there are a ton of things that I would have changed or included if I had… you know, actually planned everything properly beforehand.

Anyway, some hopes, regrets, questions, and headcanons after the cut:

What I would write assuming the current version stays as it is:

Ideally – though I seriously doubt my abilities to pull this off given the amount of anxiety I experienced regarding all the plot conundrums in this story – I would love to write a trilogy of seven-chapter stories. Seeing as the first focuses on uncovering the conspiracies, the second would involve more political manoeuvring culminating in some sort of revolution, and the third might be… post-apocalyptic? Maybe? Or at least taking place in a kind of unstable version of the new social order.

The second act would also involve a Stoneheart plot, once they make contact with the resistance. This would explore how the Starks’ Purple perception was taken away, and what they know about the Wildfire Protocol.

Along those lines, I’d probably need to figure out J and B’s relationship arcs for the second and third acts. I suppose the most straightforward would be to have her pregnant for the second part, and there’s a time jump in the third part so they already have at least one kid.

I am toying with the idea of writing that epistolary interlude I mentioned at the end of the story. The fic would be entirely composed of sexy letters between Jaime and Brienne while she’s on Tarth (perhaps she’s stuck there for a month or two), but Jaime reveals some of what’s happening with the Council and she discusses what she’s found out from the Stark girls. I was even thinking of hiding the sensitive information in the sexy stuff – code, invisible ink, something like that – so each letter between them might actually have a second letter embedded in it.

I really love the idea of the Wildfire swatch being ‘planted’ all over King’s Landing, not to “burn them all”, but rather as a mass exposure of everyone to the Wildfire Protocol and the ability to see in natural colour. I don’t know how this could be done safely, given the addictive qualities of colour and the general chaos this would cause, but I like the subversion of canon!Wildfire. It might be the grand gesture to trigger a revolution.

*sigh* I might have to write about Shae betraying them. It’s why I tried to be careful to mention that there is hardly any way for her to know that the Stark girls are the Stark girls (it’s not like she can see Sansa’s red hair anyway), even though they stayed at her house for a couple of nights. It’s just so I could keep them protected if I have to.

Now, here’s some parallels with canon that I would make space for if I overhauled the story and turned it into a longfic:

I’d find a way to do Enemies to Lovers instead of Strangers to Lovers. My fics tend to work with the latter, so I’d want to challenge myself in that way. It’ll give me more time to develop the characters and the world as well. In that vein:

I would want to figure out a way for Jaime to be known as the Kingslayer or some equivalent, which would establish animosity between him and Brienne from the get-go. Also:

I would actually write in some form of twincest, though this would likely have ended by the time Cersei marries Robert. The idea of Jaime and Cersei having the exact same Purple perception and seeing the world in the same way (and differently from everyone else) is really ripe for exploring their dynamic and how it became toxic. It’s possible that this dynamic never became (fully) sexual, given the fact that the Colour Perception Test can also function as a kind of rough paternity test, but I think it would make for some great dialogue between Jaime and Brienne as he confronts that past. (I really wanted to write this back when I was planning for this story to switch between Brienne’s POV and Jaime’s, but it became clear that I wouldn’t be able to resolve this comfortably in seven chapters, since I prefer to give the characters time to process.)

By extension, I’m thinking about what it means to “see the world with the same eyes” – and how in canon, Cersei and Brienne are meant to be mirrors of Jaime in vastly different ways. There’s a lot to mine there in terms of Colour Perception (the vision one is born with) vs. World View (the values one cultivates). There’s also some space here for thinking about beauty as being seen vs. the act of looking.

JAIME’S GODDAMN HAND. I never explained how he lost his fingers because… I don’t know. I assume in some kind of accident during one of his scrap colour expeditions. But since its loss is so symbolic in canon, I would want to find a proper parallel for this. Perhaps he loses an eye instead?

And here’s elements from the original novel (Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde) that I would expand upon:

I’d need to better explain the Chromatic Hierarchy and how it works within the context of a feudal system. Or at least have it make more sense in my head. In the original novel, I think it was intentionally meant to be rotational in some way so certain families couldn’t centralise power for more than a few generations, but perhaps I’ll need to tweak it further to make it fit Westeros.

The original novel had a ‘central government’ called National Colour, which I replaced with the Ultraviolet Council without really having a clue how that might work. Are they a fully functioning government with a civil service? How does that work with a pseudo-feudal system – local/state and central/federal governments?

I might also want to expand on the merit system, which has much higher stakes in the original novel – if you lose enough merits, you’re sent to Reboot (thus far unexplained in the source material). It’s a means of regulating behaviour that I chose to push to the background, but I think there’s potential here for Brienne to lose faith in a ‘moral code’. Reboot could also be the official story for why the Starks were pushed out, rather than relying on the ‘diluted Purple’ narrative.

On that note, I should probably delve a bit more into how scrap colour works, and the whole economy surrounding it. In the original novel, it’s implied that scrap is basically artificially-coloured relics/trash from the past world (our world).

#jaime x brienne #full spectrum #my fic #trivia tuesday #just a lot of rambles that will be uninteresting to most of you i expect #they're barely headcanons and more like all the things i didn't solve #but there's a lot of potential in this verse if i had the patience and the time to sit down and flesh it all out

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roaringdandelions · 5 years ago

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𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕒𝕙 ℂ𝕠𝕝𝕖

for @shae-sims Bachelor Challenge!

27 years old || Current Address: Sulani || Bed & Breakfast Owner

Renaissance Sim || Child of the Island, Dog Lover, Clumsy

{private download if selected]

Click the cut to read her (waaaaaay too long) history and backstory! I had WAY too much fun building her for his challenge. I hope that she hits it off with Julian!

ℙ𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝 ℍ𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪

Mariah Cole was born and raised in San Myshuno to loving parents in a nice apartment in the Spice District. She had a much older brother who joined the military, but unfortunately lost his life in a tragic classified mission to StrangerVille... the full details regarding his death have never been officially released. Her home was full of books, laughter, and family movie nights under couch forts. They never had much money, but it was a happy childhood.

Mariah is a good friend, very supportive, and sympathetic. She regularly sends Simstagram messages to old high school and college friends just to catch up. When she moved to Sulani after university graduation, she made many new friends with the locals and regularly participates in local festivals and traditions.

𝔼𝕕𝕦𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 & ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕣

When Mariah graduated high school and enrolled at Britechester University (GO DRAGONS!), it was an unbelievable blessing to finally be out on her own and enjoying life as if for the first time. She made friends, worked hard, and graduated with excellent marks from her double majors, Economics and Communication. Her dream was always to own an inn, and through hard work, determination, and painstaking money management, she finally opened her very own bed & breakfast in Sulani, The Sunny Clementine Bed & Breakfast Inn. It has been running quite successfully as a tourist destination hotspot for two years now and has a very promising future ahead.

ℝ𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡 𝔾𝕠𝕒𝕝𝕤

Mariah is looking for someone special to spend the rest of her life with; her parents set a good example of a healthy relationship, and she hopes to find someone who will love her as a best friend and support her as a partner. She considers herself a realist, but maintains a positive outlook on life, and is surprisingly not jaded from a difficult childhood. Although she can be a little more quiet than most, she opens up when it counts and really commits to a relationship full-on. She is a very physical girlfriend, loves showing affection through little touches and kisses on the cheek, shoulder, and of course lips :-)

𝕄𝕖𝕕𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝 ℍ𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪

Her Eye

During a little league softball game, Mariah took a severe beating from an errant ball directly into her right eye. She eventually recovered but lost the majority of her vision in that eye. The pigmentation altered as a result of this injury, and remains paler than her natural color.

Her Heart

Unfortunately, she struggled with a difficult childhood that featured complicated medical history; her heart was compromised due to congenital defects, and she was put on the transplant list from an early age. As a result of her defects, she was in and out of hospitals frequently and saw more than her fair share of doctors. At the age of seventeen, she finally received the good news that a match had been found, and her surgery was ultimately successful! She was finally able to ride a bike, go on runs, and participate in more strenuous group activities than when she was growing up. She thanks the Creator every single day for her new life and enjoys waking up every morning in her little beachside inn and seeing the sun rise.

Her Hair

The stress of her teenage years spent in a hospital, however, resulted in developing alopecia, which mean that she lost all of her hair. She grew to love wearing wigs throughout her college years and still wears them to this day, but is uncomfortable with strangers seeing her without her hair on her head. Mariah is a natural brunette, but after her surgery she began experimenting with color through her wigs as a way to express herself. She custom-dyed her current hair and is enjoying life as a fashion-tipped blonde.

𝕋𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕠𝕠𝕤

Chest - Peony

Mariah has never been self-conscious about her scar, but she does get a little sick of people constantly asking about it. So, she decided to get her first tattoo to cover up the scar tissue - a chance to make something beautiful out of something painful, and a symbol of rebirth into her new, healthy life.

Wrist - Rose

During her time in and out of the hospital, Mariah made friends with other sick children who were too often in hospitals being poked and prodded by doctors. She met quite a few that became depressed, despondent, and ultimately tried to or succeeded in committing suicide. The rose reminds her that life can be thorny, but also beautiful and too precious to waste; its location needs to explanation.

Ankle - Flower

A symbol of beauty and happiness, and a small piece done by one of Mariah’s childhood friends.

Shoulder - Butterfly

When Mariah was in the hospital for treatments, her father would put his hand on the back of her shoulder to reassure her that everything would be okay. She got a butterfly - a universal symbol of endurance and transformation - in the exact same spot to remind her of his support and love for her.

#ts4 #the sims 4 #bachelor challenge #juliansbc entry #shae-sims #Ahhhh this is my first ever BC entry!#I hope that you like her!

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99vernon · 6 years ago

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Arya and Theon!

Warning Season 8 ep 3 spoilers- s8 speculation

This is what Ned Stark prepared them for - the long Night! The beauty and unity of the Stark family (including Theon) was on full display. However, after watching episode 3, we have to again face the truth…. The endgame for Jon and Sansa is unpredictable.

Major highlights and analysis from episode 3 -

1) Dany’s dragon fire did not kill the Night King and the Night King refused to fight Jon – in fact, as Jon charged towards him the overly confident Night King raised the dead to fight Jon and then turned his back on Jon…refusing to fight Jon. The big surprise is Arya and Theon’s actions that killed the Night King!- Theon charged the Night King sacrificing himself - giving Arya the chance to see how the Night King kills. The Night King did not have a weapon in his hand. He grabbed Theon’s own weapon to kill Theon. Arya disguised as the dead saw the pattern the Night King uses to kill. He uses his opponents own weapon - so she attacks and drops the knife as the Night King reaches for it. (The big mistake the overly confident Night King made was not having his weapon in his hand- he was so eager to get to Bran and the weir wood tree) Theon’s action saved Arya’s life as it gave Arya a chance to see how the Night King kills. The Night King overconfidence did him in. We can draw the following conclusions from this:

a. Arya was the Prince that Was Promised all along. She is of Targaryen and Stark decent.

b. Arya is officially No One.

c. There is a strong connection between Arya and the Hound. The hound would die for Arya…He totally loves her!

d. The war is not over. The Starks still have major challenges. Brown eyes, Green eyes and blue eyes.

e. Interesting observation Arya in many ways has Ygritte’s fighting personality!

f. Jon was right they needed Dany’s Dragons and Army to win the war (Not to mention the dragon glass). Jon and Dany had to knock the Night King off the dragon to give Arya Theon a chance. All the little things everyone contributed to defeating the Night King.

g. I still believe Dany’s role is to ‘break the wheel’ – Prevent another Night King from surfacing.

h. I am disappointed we did not get any background information about the Night King. However, we did see the Night King display the same overconfidence Ramsey did during the Battle of the Bastards.

2) Big surprise - Dany stayed and fought beside Jon – despite the parentage reveal. We have to face the truth. We finally saw Dany fight for the people again; plus, Dany almost lost her life fighting the Night King. She could have easily left. However, she did not leave. In addition, we saw who Dany really loves – Jorah. Did anyone ever wonder why Jorah looked as old as his father Lord commander Mormont? Jorah died in Dany’s arms. Jorah’s death will greatly impact Dany’s decision making – especially if she is pregnant. Now that Jorah is gone, she will rely more on Jon. Tyrion will have an even harder time with Dany.

3) Interesting observation – Bran selected the weir wood tree to meet the Night King. In addition, Jon was anxious to get to the Night King and then Bran as oppose to fighting the dead. My theory is the Night King wanted to kill Bran and the weirwood tree.

4) Disappointments – Jon and Dany got significant screen time together because they were fighting the Night King together. However, I can’t believe we have not seen a one on one interaction between Jon and Sansa since episode one. Did they say goodbye to each other before the war began? Instead, we are getting multiple one on one scenes with Sansa and Tyrion. By doing so, are they trying to dilute Jonsa? Here is my analysis:

a. Was Tyrion and Sansa’s conversation suppose to be the Jonsa goodbye. They have teased a Tyrion Sansa relationship back in Season 2. I just feel like Tyrion’s mistreatment by his father and sister has affected his mental state. He chose to murder Shae, someone who loved him, that was unforgivable. In terms of Jonsa, I don’t know if they are now teasing a love triangle with 3 episodes left. My fear is Sansa dying similar to Joanna Lannister - in childbirth -delivering an child like Tyrion. Only a kind hearted Queen like Sansa can change the way people treat the perceived misfortunate-including bastards.

5) The Stark heros…need a strong love story-We need Jonsa. Sansa and Jon won - The Battle of the Bastards and now Theon and Arya defeated the Night King. Jonsa has to happen before the final episode! Jon was on the verge of dying before Arya’s heroism, yet Jon made no connection to Sansa that the audience can see. Before dying everyone thinks about their loved ones. This again is diluting the excitement of JONSA.

5. Melisandre’s death was surprising. If Jon or Sansa dies, Melisandre won’t be the ones to bring them back.

6. We have another episode without Cersei. I am not giving up on my prediction that Cersei will die a hero.

7. Needless to say Jorah fighting to protect Dany was very emotional. Jorah died with honor. His father would have been proud. Jorah and Dany loved each other! Dany was just too blinded by the quest for the Iron Throne to see it. I think Jorah’s death was more painful for Dany than Drogo’s death in season 1. She spent a lifetime with Jorah.

Theon’s death was very emotional. He went through hell. I actually thought he would survive the Long Night. Theon died defending his brother and sisters - and Winterfell.

Much love to Beric and his flaming sword. He made the Hound continue to fight death! And Eddison Toilett died defending Sam.. Wow! Proof that we cannot ever give up on humanity and love!

#Jonsa #Jon and Sansa #The Starks #GOT spoilers #GOT s8 spoilers #The Long Night

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haughtbreaker · 6 years ago

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Christmas time is always hard when you're missing someone, but Nicole is learning that distractions help.

Merry Christmas all. Or Solstice. Or whatever you celebrate. This chapter is 100% un-beta'd because I didn't get it finished in time to send to @jaybear1701 so... sorry.

Ah well.

"Aren't you done yet?" Fingertips dragged along Nicole's neck, moving aside her hair before lips pressed against her skin.

Nicole sighed heavily. "Come on, Babe. I only have nine pages left."

"You can study later." Shae's voice now had a pout in it.

Nicole shook her head, her eyes skimming over the page for the tenth time. "I'm running out of later." She tried to ignore the warmth of Shae's body hugging her from behind, the heat of Shae's breath against her skin. "Can you just give me 20 minutes or so?"

Shae exhaled loudly. "I guess… You already get amazing grades. What's one assignment?"

"You are horrible." Nicole chuckled. "I need to finish this."

"Ugh! Fine!" Shae pulled away, rising to her feet. "Just meet me at the party whenever you're done studying."

"Shae…" Nicole's brows furrowed. "Come on. It's just 20 minutes." She looked over to where Shae was tugging on her boots.

"It's always just another 20 minutes. Or you're working." She huffed, pulling on her jacket. "I… am gonna go get drunk. You have fun with your reading."

Nicole closed her book with a growl.

"Hey, Weirdo."

Nicole jumped slightly, her hand holding the pencil dragging across the half scribbled across page. "What the shit, Wynonna?"

Wynonna plopped down on the edge of the table beside Nicole. "What's the matter, Red? I thought you'd be all for ogling the cheerleaders at the Christmas game, not sitting here alone doing… ew, homework…? Do they even assign homework over winter break?"

Nicole shook her head. Waverly had invited her, but in the two weeks since the party, Nicole had been doing her best to focus on her school work. "I'm just… still trying to catch up." She definitely didn't want to focus on the look of hope in Waverly's eyes as she invited her to the last game of the year, or the bottom lip that had emerged in a pout at Nicole's refusal.

Her memories deciding to detour to that night, Nicole remembered the taste of hot chocolate and vodka on her lips and the warmth radiating from the body beside her.

"Yeah I'd rather cut off my own tit than go to one of those testosterone pits," Wynonna commented with a grimace. "How about, instead of munching down on textbooks like a bookworm, we go munch on something more carbolicious like pretzels ala going to the mall for a little jingle bell cheer."

Nicole sighed, leaning back in her chair. On the far end of the living room, a Christmas tree sparkled threateningly at her with its yuletide cheer. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a deep chasm she refused to linger in, she was reminded it would be the first Christmas she'd spend with Shae being… Nicole cleared her throat. "I'm not really in the jingle bell mood."

"Well tough shit, Ginger spice, cause mamma needs a new pair of shoes," Wynonna nudged her shoulder, "and by mamma I mean Waverly."

Nicole sighed. "Isn't it a little late to go shopping? Is the mall even open on Christmas Eve?" She tapped her pencil against the table. Her father had called the week before, left a voicemail really, about her coming home for the holidays, but she'd ignored his calls. She was still pissed at him for sending her away. "Don't you have a boyfriend?" But, maybe her father had been right about needing space, a bit of time away from everything that reminded her of Shae.

"Well, nothing official anyway. I'm trying this new thing called being single since…" Wynonna shook her head as she crossed her arms over her chest, her foot tapping restlessly against the floor. "Anyway, I need to pick up a present for the tiny terror, and I need some company."

Nicole knew there was no way she was going to get rid of her. She'd done all her shopping the week before thanks to the emergency debit card her father had given her, so she didn't really have anything she needed to get, but Wynonna was persistent, and Nicole knew she wouldn't get any silence as long as Wynonna wanted something. Blowing out a long breath, she dropped her pencil. "Why not? You mentioned pretzels?"

Nicole huffed as she dodged another shopper, trying to find the Earp that had been walking ahead, the crowd seeming to just part around her. "Dammit, Wynonna." She knew Wynonna was looking for shoes, but she had no idea where in the store that section was and the crowd full of procrastinating shoppers was grating her last nerve.

It took longer than she thought and two irritated associates later, she found the shoe department. She found Wynonna staring at shoes, a vacant look on her face. "So, I don't think that's going to fit Waverly," Nicole joked, pointing at the baby-sized combat boot in Wynonna's hands.

The voice jarred Wynonna out of her thoughts and she laughed. "I was just wondering what the hell kind of parent would waste $60 on something their brat would outgrow in like a month." Wynonna tossed it back on the display before making her way to the women's section. "I tried so hard to model Waverly's style to something cooler along my line, but you get committed a few times and it's enough time for Gus to get her decked out in cowboy boots."

"Or… maybe it's her personal style shining through. I don't see Gus in short shorts and cardigans, to be fair," Nicole commented as Wynonna picked up another pair of combat boots, these more suitable in size for the youngest Earp.

Wynonna frowned."Well, to be fair," she mocked, "you've only been around for what? A month… or whatever? I'm pretty sure I know my sister better than you."

Nicole shrugged. "True," she commented, thinking back on Waverly's style and how it seemed to bounce around from Western to overly glamorous to borderline bohemian. Nicole had also noticed that Waverly's style changed depending on who she was hanging out with. "But, from what I have seen… I think Waverly's been so busy tailoring who she is to the people she's with," Nicole picked up a not that looked more like something Waverly would wear, light tan with faux fur trim, "I think she's only now beginning to figure out what she really wants…"

Wynonna rolled her eyes, grabbing the boot from Nicole "What are you, a walking bumper sticker?" She seemed to look over the boot, her face turning thoughtful. "But, these shoes are on sale and if she hates them I can blame you. Now help me find a size 8 in this mess."

And a mess it was. It took them almost half an hour of rooting around and all if Nicole's remaining patience to find the correct size. "Okay," Nicole stretched her back out after digging through the remnants left by Christmas showers. "You owe me a damn pretzel. Hell, you owe me a dozen pretzels."

"How about I get us pretzels and take you out for a drink?" Wynonna smirked, leading the way to the register.

Wynonna tipped back the flask, taking a long drink before sighing softly as they looked over the small town. "Look at all those assholes down there."

Nicole leaned against the front of Gus's blue pick-up, her hands flexing in the fingers of her bulky winter gloves as a cold gust blew through the area. This wasn't exactly what she'd thought Wynonna meant by take you out for a drink. "They're not all assholes, just a majority of them."

Wynonna offered her flask to Nicole who took it cautiously. "I wanted to say thanks, for coming along."

The whiskey burned down Nicole's throat as she took a sip. She was glad to be out in the open after she'd been bumped half a million times by shoppers, but she wished it wasn't so damn cold. They'd been almost back to Purgatory before Wynonna had turned off the road to what seemed like a popular spot for folks to pull over and hang out. It was at the crest of a small hill, looking out over Purgatory's downtown which peeked out from a blanket of snow that covered everything.. The sun had just tucked beneath the horizon and they could see the christmas lights adorned by the main storefronts. "No problem. I've got plenty of time to study I guess, although maybe next time it would be better to shop with more time than one day before Christmas." She handed the flask back to Wynonna.

"I mean it," Wynonna said, looking out over the town. "I know it's probably not the best time of year for you."

Nicole couldn't think of what to say, so she didn't say anything at all.

"It's not really the best time of year for anyone in the house." Wynonna took a swig from her flask. "Waverly usually has trouble around now so we try to keep shit light and cheerful for her."

Nicole accepted the flask. She was surprised by the honest look on Wynonna's face. "Because of your parents?"

"And Willa." Wynonna exhaled loudly. "It's usually the worst around Christmas. Gus usually helps, but… well, we lost Uncle Curtis recently…"

"Everybody's missing pieces in this household." Nicole mumbled, taking a sip from the flask before handing it back. She could feel the heat radiating from her throat and belly, spreading through her body. "What about you?"

Wynonna's brow furrowed. "What about me?"

"You talk about making sure Waverly has a good Christmas, but what about you? You lost them as well."

Wynonna snorted. "I'm right as rain." Another pull from the flask and she sighed softly. "I'm happy if Waves is happy." It would have been more convincing if Wynonna's eyes weren't glistening in the moonlight with unshed tears.

Nicole grabbed the flask from Wynonna and put the cap back on. "Okay, enough of that. No more drinking if you're going to drive us home."

"I didn't know I was bringing the booze police along with me," Wynonna growled and looked like she was about to pounce on Nicole before headlights came around the corner. "Shit."

Nicole felt a wave of dread flood through her as the area was suddenly filled with red and blue lights, the sheriff's cruiser pulling up to the area with tires crunching over ice and snow.

"Just play it cool," Wynonna whispered as a silhouette stepped out of the car and through the headlights.

"Well, I thought it would be strange for Gus McCreedy to be parked up here." A voice came from the silhouette. "Drinking in public again, eh Wynonna?" The sheriff shined his flashlight from one to the other before he clicked it off and rested his hands on his belt, the headlights offering enough light for the early twilight. "Didn't I warn you about that before?" He turned to Nicole, tilting his head to the side. "Haught right?"

Nicole nodded, feeling dread slip down her spine. "Yes, Sir. Nicole Haught." She swallowed audibly.

"Well, Nicole, I'm Sheriff Nedley." He tipped his hat. "And I'd normally give you a warmer welcome to Purgatory, but I can see, that in your short time here, you've already fallen in with the bad crowd." He reached out and took the flask from Nicole's hand.

"I know you don't get paid much, Nedley, but I thought you were above stealing liquor from teens." Wynonna remarked, the once honest look on her face now replaced with something more antagonistic.

"Funny thing about that, Earp," Sheriff Nedley commented as he pocketed the flask. "Your use of the words teens and liquor in the same sentence indicates your own understanding of just how old you are and what you're doing."

"News flash, old man. I'm 18 now so it's completely legal." Wynonna smirked.

"Well," Nedley chuckled, his hands returning to rest on his belt. "Normally that would be true, but you see, drinking in public is still a crime. And I may be old but I do make sure to know everyone that comes into town and you, Miss Haught," Nedley turned to Nicole with a chuckle. "You've still got, what, two weeks until you turn 18?"

Nicole looked down. "Yes, sir."

Sheriff Nedley tilted his head to the side. "Well, lookit that. Wynonna, you could probably learn a thing or two from Miss Haught here."

"What, like how to hand over the evidence to the po-po instead of actually getting rid of it like anyone with half a brain would do?"

"Or, how to keep your mouth shut so I don't smell the liquor on you." Nedley commented with a shake of his head. "Alright," He moved to his car, opening the backseat door. "We've danced this dance before. No matter your age, drinking in public is a very big no-no." He gestured to the open door. "You know the drill."

Nicole looked from Wynonna to the sheriff, disbelief turning to irritation as Wynonna just shrugged at her and headed towards the back of the cruiser.

"Make sure Lonnie doesn't ding the truck when he comes to get it." Wynonna commented, tossing her keys at Nedley before ducking into the backseat.

Sliding into the cruiser, Nicole kept her eyes forward, afraid she'd act on the anger that was now flowing through her veins.

"You two must be out of your damn minds." Gus stood on the other side of the cell bars, hands on hips. "It is god damned Christmas Eve and I'm here picking you two up from jail?"

"Nedley is just abusing his power as always." Wynonna was laying on the slab, her feet propped up on the wall.

"If you mean upholding the law, then sure." Nicole was sitting as far as she could from Wynonna, her head in her hands. She was weary from the constant cold, her fingers tingling uncomfortably and she'd apparently only drank just enough to trigger a headache that was slowly creeping through her skull. "I'm sorry, Gus. I thought we were just going shopping. I didn't know Wynonna was going to..."

"Now's a good time to practice that shutting your mouth skill, ya damn snitch." Wynonna cut her off.

"Both of you, shut up," Gus huffed. "You two are lucky that Randy is in a giving mood because he's decided against keeping the two of you in here for all of Christmas."

As if on queue, Sheriff Nedley came in, twirling his keys around his index finger. "Here's the deal kids. I can either a) charge you with public intoxication and underage drinking," he said with a look at Nicole. "Or, b) I don't file any charges so that maybe you two can get into a good college, and as a tradeoff… well I need someone to clear out the old storage closet in my office before the end of the year."

"That sounds a little pedo, Nedley." Wynonna shifted and to face forward as she sat up. "Getting two impressionable, young girls in your private office to clean out your storage" Wynonna made quotation marks in the air with her fingers before standing up.

"God, Wynonna, can you please just stop talking, " Nicole growled. She knew she should have just stayed home and studied. She turned to the sheriff. "Thank you, Sheriff. As someone who actually might go to college," she cast a glare at Wynonna, "I appreciate that."

Nedley unlocked the door to let them out. "As I said, Wynonna. You could learn a thing or two from this one. Miss Haught, I wish I could say it was a pleasure meeting you, but the circumstances are a bit to the contrary."

As they stepped out into the main station, Nicole didn't expect to see Waverly leaning against the front desk, chatting with the officer there. Hazel eyes narrowed in her direction, the corner of Waverly's mouth tipping up in the slightest smirk in Nicole's direction before turning towards Wynonna.

"Well, at least you guys waited until after the game to get arrested." Waverly laughed as everyone joined her.

"Waverly, could you please drive these two home?" Gus shook her head. "I've got to get back to work."

"Of course!" Waverly beamed a smile at Gus.

"Hey I need to get my stuff from the…" Wynonna started but stopped at Gus's glare. "It's cool. I can get it later." She held her hands up in defense. "Shotgun!" Wynonna called out as they escaped the building.

Getting to the Jeep, Nicole gave Wynonna a look before sliding into the front seat.

"What the hell, Haught? I called shotgun!"

"Get your ass in the back seat before I get my shotgun." Waverly yelled, sliding into the driver's seat, getting the Jeep and more importantly the heat, started.

Nicole pulled off the thick gloves and held her hands up to the vent, sighing softly, ignoring Wynonna's mumbling about selfish Americans from the backseat.

"You know, it's probably a better idea to stay in doors, especially when you're not used to Purgatory winter." Waverly commented as they began to head home.

"Yeah well you should probably tell your sister that."

"You should probably tell your sister that." Wynonna mocked under her breath, but still loud enough for everyone to hear.

Nicole turned and threw her gloves at Wynonna, hitting her directly in the face.

Wynonna shook off her surprise to pick up one of the gloves. "It seemed you have challenged me to a duel, simpleton. Well I accept."

"Well, first an arrest, then the proclamation of a duel. Must be Christmas," Waverly laughed as she turned up the Christmas music.

A knock on the door pulled Nicole from sleep. She hadn't expected Wynonna to actually want to duel her and she'd actually enjoyed the snowball fight that had ensued. But it left her exhausted and she'd fallen into bed early. Looking at the clock, Nicole was surprised to find it was just before midnight. Slipping from bed, rubbing her eyes with the heel of her palm, she opened the door and blinked in surprise. "Hey.. Um… what's up?"

Waverly stood in the doorframe, rocking innocently on her heels, definitely not looking like it was almost midnight. Her red and green Christmas pajamas were still pristine and unruffled which meant she hadn't gone to sleep yet. "Merry Christmas." She grinned.

Nicole blinked again, taking a step back to allow Waverly to come into the room. "Oh, yeah. Merry Christmas."

"I'd say I'm sorry for waking you up but… I'm not." Waverly moved over to sit on the edge of Nicole's bed, revealing a thin box that had been wrapped with silver paper and a red bow. "We have this tradition of unwrapping presents at midnight so I thought it was better I wake you up than Wynonna."

"And do you normally deliver the presents to each others' rooms?" Nicole grabbed her hoodie and slipped it on before running a hand through her hair, taking a seat back on her bed.

"Well, no." Waverly smirked. "But what can I say. I'm a rebel."

Nicole had to laugh at that before reaching under her bed and pulling out a present. "Well then, let's both be rebels." She handed the box to a blushing Waverly.

"You didn't have to get me anything."

"That would only have worked if you hadn't just handed me a present."

Waverly laughed. "Point taken." But still, her fingers lingered, moving slowly as she watched Nicole unwrapping the present. "I wanted to give you this earlier. It probably would have helped, but, alas."

Nicole gave her a curious look as she opened the box. Peeling back the tissue paper, Nicole had to laugh as she pulled out the pair of gloves. They were thinner than the ones she had been using but as she slipped them on, they were much warmer.

"I thought you could use some proper gloves."

Nicole smiled. "These are perfect." Under the gloves she found a beanie, black on the outside and rainbow on the inside. "This… is pretty gay."

Waverly laughed. "Well, it's reversible so you can choose just how gay you want to be."

Nicole couldn't help flipping it inside out so the rainbow was on the outside before slipping it on. "How does it look?" Nicole smiled, seeing Waverly's eyes looking her over.

"You know you always look good, but now just very gay." Waverly's blush darkened slightly before she looked down at the present in her hands.

Nicole felt a strange nervousness as she folded up the tissue and wrapping paper, sticking it in the box which she set aside. "I um… I hope it's okay. I'm usually pretty bad at getting people presents."

Waverly spread the tissue paper and paused, taking in the contents.

"If you don't like it, I still have the receipt and…"

"It's perfect." Waverly ran her fingertips over the softness as she pulled the scarf out. It was off white, blue, and light grey for most of the length of it with exception of sections that were blue, yellow and pink, knit of the softest yarn. She wrapped it around her neck and smiled. "How does it look?"

Adorable. Nicole blinked as she took in the sight before her. "Looks good," she settled on, offering a slight smile.

"It's so soft." Waverly smiled softly as she held the material to her face. "Thank you, Nicole."

"Merry Christmas, Waverly." Nicole looked down at her glove covered hands, feeling suddenly awkward.

"We should go before Wynonna comes looking for us."

"I'll catch up." Nicole waited for Waverly to leave before she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "What the fuck are you thinking?" She asked herself as she pulled the gloves off. Breathing in, she could still smell the sweet scent of Waverly's perfume or lotion or whatever it was. She reached for the picture of Shae on her nightstand, tracing the lines of her face. She had spent so much time the past few months, crying and in pain, and she never thought she'd smile again…

In the reflection of the glass, she saw herself wearing the rainbow beanie and she bit her bottom lip. God she was so confused, stuck in a ball of conflicting emotions she wasn't sure what to do with.

With another slow exhale, she returned the photo to its place before slipping off the bed, heading towards the living room where she could already hear Wynonna and Waverly bickering.

#wynonna earp #wayhaught #christmas chapter #wefanfic #we fanfic #pour me more

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fivecentimeterspersecond · 7 years ago

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under the cut: a feelings-dump over figure skating at the 2018 olympics, a week later!

these olympics have been such an emotional roller coaster honestly if not for my heart rate tracker i would not have known just how deeply i was invested into this entire event. i have anticipated this all year and yet i still have no idea how i made it through (shout out to my friends who watched with me as my emotional support either in person or via video chat). although not every event went exactly as i wanted, overall compared to the mess that was the sochi olympics, i’m pretty satisfied. but while the events are still relatively fresh in my head, i just wanted to get down a bunch of my final thoughts on each of the events.

pairs:

my beloved sui/han - what more can i say except for the fact that i absolutely ADORE them and i think these olympics have officially boosted them into favorite pairs team of all time (even above shen/zhao). i was (and still am a bit) absolutely devastated that they lost out on the gold medal by less than half a point, i have a lot of respect for the team they lost to (i think i was more sad about how devastated they looked afterward). i still think they were lowballed in PCS in the SP (it really should’ve been a WR), which is honestly my favorite pairs short of the season. but i think if there’s anything that runs true about chinese pairs it’s their longevity and dedication to hard work. if they could come back after such severe injuries to accomplish what they did (becoming world champs in 2017, olympic silver, not finishing below 2nd in any event since their comeback), they will be a force to be reckoned with for the next quadrennial. mark my words, i will be there in 2022 to cheer for them even if i have to swim to beijing.

savchenko/massot - all i can say is that while she was never my favorite coming into any olympics that i’ve followed (2010, 2014, 2018) i so respect her perseverance and she is 100% deserving of the gold medal. this season’s FS is my favorite free skate she’s ever done; it’s a masterpiece. if i had a criticism: i only wish that she was still with her old partner (robin szolkowy) because she and bruno still never look like a cohesive unit when they skate together, and i honestly feel like the judges give PCS based on aljona not bruno.

duhamel/radford - as much as i really dislike meagan’s air positions in her throws and jumps (they make me cringe EVERY TIME) i was really happy for them when they won the bronze. they were so elated and meagan’s sportsmanship is really admirable. i’m so glad they went back to hometown glory instead of their muse FS from earlier in the season, and they also prevented a russian team from making it to the podium so that’s always a +1 in my book.

tarasova/morozov - honestly with that candyman program they were absolutely doomed to fail. i don’t know how and why it happened, but while i still think they were massively overscored in PCS in the short program, their classic russian style still suits them much better. i still remain curious of what a clean FS would have been scored as, had they delivered it here.

men:

YUZURU HANYU - has there ever been a more captivating skater in this generation? he is truly an angel sent from heaven to grace us with his existence. i have been dreading/anticipating the olympics for the past year because of this man and the STRESS he constantly puts me under. despite a nearly career-ending injury, he still managed to put together two solid programs (did he deserve the WR in the short? fuck yeah) and in the process nearly stopped my heart from beating (seriously, my heart rate went up to 188 bpm during his short program). i am just so thrilled that his most iconic programs got their deserved olympic moments. yuzu is the epitome of what it means to be an athlete and an artist - he stops at nothing to reach his goals and yet wears his heart on his sleeve at every moment. his future is uncertain for now (i’m begging you please withdraw from worlds) but as of now i would be more than happy to just watch him do crossovers for the rest of eternity.

shoma uno - i am SO excited for what’s to come with shoma. what he lacks in height he really makes up with his presence on the ice and his skating! once yuzuru retires (cries) he will surely leave the future of japan’s men’s skaters in good hands. i absolutely love his short program this season, but i just really hope he stops making my heart clench when he jumps. thank your knees after every competition, shoma. he’s definitely the most well-rounded member of the sQuad skating-wise and will be a force to be reckoned with in 2022.

javier fernandez - my sentimental fave. in the beginning of the season i was really not feeling the charlie chaplin SP but as the season progressed i felt myself falling for the charm of that program. it’s just so fun and javi has so much personality. i don’t think anyone skates character programs as well as him, and i am so sad that he is retiring but at the same time i understand his sentiments. absolutely thrilled that he got the first figure skating medal for spain!

nathan chen - i truly believed that this olympics was just one cycle to early for nathan. i know a LOT of people said that this was the perfect time for him since his body is in peak form for doing the quads, but i really didn’t think he had the maturity to both handle the pressure of being a top figure skater nor the artistry or skating skills to match the top men yet. but he’s just 18 and it’s only his 2nd year as a senior. although i am really sad that his SP never got an olympic moment (it’s a fantastic vehicle for him when he’s clean, kudos to shae-lynn) i am thrilled that he got his redemptive FS (what a moment!), but i hope that he learns that changing jump layout from competition to competition is probably not the best strategy going into the olympics (or worlds). in four years i’m sure he’ll be the full package - with the artistry and technical capabilities.

patrick chan - i’ve got complicated feelings about patrick, only because while i felt sorry for him in sochi and i appreciate his beautiful skating skills (seriously, he glides across the ice like a feather) he has a habit of putting his foot into his mouth during a lot of his interviews and they’ve unfortunately soured my impression of him as a skater. i never really bought that his comeback was about skating for himself, i always just thought it was because he still thought he could compete with everyone and win. whether or not that’s true doesn’t really matter in the long run, but i’m happy that he was able to land a 3A in his final performance and got that gold medal he desperately wanted.

boyang jin - i love how emotional he got when he finished his free! while his FS is still a little gimmicky to me, his SP truly shows off how far he’s come in the past 2 seasons wrt his skating. for all that the media likes to bash his lack of transitions, he’s not the only one who lacks them and it makes me so sad that he’s the only one that gets criticized for it. he def still has a lot of work to do but i think that he can definitely make the podium in beijing if he continues to improve. he still has the most hilarious mid-jump faces.

vincent zhou - i was not prepared to cry at his reaction at the end of his free skate! to be honest, i don’t really feel much when he skates to moulin rouge (mostly because i’m so used to tessa and scott’s version, but also because of the lack of transitions) but you could tell after he finished his last jump that he was skating with so much freedom and really enjoying his olympic moment. especially after all the pressure he must have felt after making it on the team over ross miner, he probably wanted to prove that he deserved to be in pyeongchang and he definitely did, landing in 6th place. he really needs to work on the spins and the footwork (and learn to use his arms more effectively) but he’s just 17 and he’s never been to senior worlds yet. give him time. (and please stop hiring new coaches)

ice dance

virtue/moir - i was really worried that they weren’t going to be able to pull it out because of the judging situation but at the end of the day the stars just aligned in all the right ways for them to win. it’s amazing to me that after 2 years of not competing they’re in the best form they’ve ever been (their 13-14 season was pretty awful competitively). but if anything, v/m have always been able to deliver when they need to. truly one of the best and i will miss seeing them compete, assuming that they’re retiring.

papadakis/cizeron - my heart broke for gabby in the SD when i saw her wardrobe malfunction. that being said, i think they were massively overscored in the SD, which is just bad judging. i think that this silver was honestly the best thing that could’ve happened to them, because if they had won over tessa and scott they probably would have to face judging controversies and shit like that. their FD is such a thing of beauty but you could tell that the audience didn’t quite get it, unfortunately. but they’ll be there in 2022 - that OGM is just waiting for them

shibutanis - ARGUABLY THE RESULT I WAS MOST EXCITED FOR IN ICE DANCE. i’m still mad as hell about that lvl2 rhumba but it’s fine because i was so excited for them that they skated 4 clean programs at the olympics since their last two competitions had been a bit of a struggle for them. i was worried that the past mistakes would prevent them from skating free but they really let it go in that final minute of their individual FD. i’m not even a huge fan of their FD but they skated their asses off to it and you could tell that they were super invested in it and they ultimately convinced me in the end. the fact that they got on the podium despite constantly being lowballed for being a sibling duo speaks volumes about what they’ve accomplished here. so so proud of them.

chock/bates - i’m gonna be honest, i was really never into any of chock/bates programs in the past 4 years. but my heart really went out them when they fell and you never wish for that kind of mistake on anyone. not much else to say.

weaver/poje - i fucking love je suis malade and i am so excited they brought it back for the olympics. kaitlyn looked stunning in her SD dress and i’m so sad that they never made it back up in the world rankings in this quad but they really skated their heart out in both programs (even though i held my breath during those twizzles)

bobrova/soloviev - honestly i’m glad that they’re not skating together anymore (i think) bc i have really nothing good to say about them lmao

ladies

alina zagitova - while the judging of this event was completely wild, i want to protect her so much bc with all the new young talent that’s coming up she’s probably going to get passed over soon like all of the russian girls that never make it past puberty. she’s such an angel and while i hate her backloaded programs and i hate that she’s crazily awarded PCS there’s absolutely no denying her technical mastery. don’t think she deserved the gold but PCS was judged wildly this entire event so i absolutely don’t blame alina at all. and the mental fortitude it takes to tack on a 3Lo to her 2nd 3Lz after the first combo attempt was landed poorly is so fucking impressive.

evgenia medvedeva - my heart absolutely broke for her because this was supposed to be the crowning moment of her amazing 2 last two seasons but it just didn’t happen. the grace she showed after she saw her score and realized she was silver was just awe-inspiring and it makes her even more admirable.

kaetlyn osmond - i personally did not like her fp this season at all but kaetlyn REALLY held it together during the free skate where she usually messes up and for that she has my kudos. her jumping is super impressive but definitely makes me hold my breath because she REALLY LAUNCHES herself into her jumps but they could go either way. luckily for her they went pretty well and the judges were ready to reward her if she skated clean.

satoko miyahara - THE BRONZE MEDALIST OF MY HEART. she is the ONLY skater whose sp and fs i really loved and the fact that she was SO undermarked in PCS is just criminal! the nuances of her arm movements! the depth of her edges and the intricacies in her choreography were so underappreciated and it drives me absolutely wild, and it’s definitely bc her jumps are so small. the fact that she spins in both directions is so impressive and she switches so seamlessly that you can’t even tell she when she does it. i was SO proud that she got full credit on all of her jumps in her FS and she was so close to the podium. i hope she sticks with lori bc she had some real masterpiece programs this season.

kaori sakamoto - she has so much potential and i’m so excited to see how she matures as a skater! her jumps are so powerful and she has a lot of musicality but i just feel like her programs here weren’t a good match for her. i hated the moonlight sonata edit (why do ppl change the key in classical pieces!! drives me insane, as someone with perfect pitch) and the miming choreo in the amelie program was giving me bad eteri-skater flashbacks.

mirai nagasu - i was so proud of her amazing skate in the team event but i definitely feel like she lost steam in the individual event :( yeah some of her comments after her bad performance were a little messy but i mean c’mon everyone makes excuses after bad performances. men say shitty things all the time after they do poorly idk why it’s so important to keep going after mirai

karen chen - SUCH GORGEOUS SPIN POSITIONS but gaaaaahhhh the jumping consistency!!! they’re so powerful and impressive when she hits them but they take the wind out of her when they go wrong. i know she was having boot problems before the free skate but this is not the first time this has happened to her and i really think that should’ve been addressed. nathan had boot problems at worlds last year and he brought like 3 pairs to PC. karen has a lot of musicality but when she botches the jumps i feel like it just takes the wind out of her and she loses that spark in her performance.

bradie tennell - i honestly don’t know what to say about her. she did pretty solid in the team event and placed just about where everyone expected her to even with a clean skate. she just skates with a very juniorish vibe and i admit that she did shock me when she fell but this is only the 2nd major international competition i’ve ever seen her at so i’m like...should i be this surprised??? the SP drives me nuts bc she clearly has never seen the movie where the soundtrack is from and the FS drives me nuts bc i feel like i’m watching disney on ice. i will be curious to see how she fares internationally from here on out, bc i will admit that her technique is really pristine, but i think she needs like a dance coach or a choreographer like lori or shae-lynn to help her mature artistically.

#figure skating #kat watches fs #olympics 2018

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poetdameron · 7 years ago

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through my eyes | jonerys [got] fic | jonerys week

Title: Through My Eyes Characters/Pairings: Jon/Dany, minor or implied Arya/Gendry, minor or implied Sansa/Tyrion, Bran, Brienne, Podrick Rating: G Spoilers/Warnings: Continuation of Warm, R + L = J, jonerys as seen from other people’s perspective Word Count: ~4, 815 Summary: Jon and Daenerys in Winterfell through the eyes of his sisters. A/N: What? You thoungt I wasn't going to post this last fanfic of the week? Bitch, me, too, the fuck. I went to a party today and almost lost the chance to share this. Sorry for the late posting but it's doneeeeeeeeee.This fic is pure fluff, it's sort of a continuation of Warm, Jon and Dany as seen by the Stark sisters. I loved writing this one because I would die and kill for interactions between the other Starks and Daenerys without shade in between. So I hope you all like this, too.Fanfic wrote for Jonerys Week, day 7: Free day.

AO3 | Read on my blog:

Through My Eyes

The chill of winter filled the halls of Winterfell when it should be overwhelming with noise. It pained Sansa to notice with every passing day, that so many people lived and worked inside the walls of her home, and yet no sound echoed as it used to when she had been growing up.

Her remaining siblings were all home, and none talked to the other nor giggled like when they had Father and Mother to call them up on their little games. Only the snow reminded, covering the ground where Arya used to train with the boys and when she and Jane would walk around, gossiping and fantasizing about their future husbands and castles.

Children’s dreams.

It pained her even more to call Jon her cousin, although as Arya had suggested to him in the middle of everyone’s silence, he was still their older brother, have always been. His birthname tasted bittersweet in her mouth and she had seen the frown in the Dragon Queen when the news were revealed. Then, Jon had left the room.

Sansa sighed, just a day had passed when he had come back and called the bannermen, giving the news that came from The Wall in the form of Bran’s mystical eyes. The dead were coming and Jon had assumed Father’s figure, eager to fulfill his duty and forget what else had been told to him just now. The Queen looked at him, as if expecting him to look back, but he never did.

“My Lady,” she looked at her side and smiled at her new companion, nodding his direction, “enjoying the cold?”

“Not quite.” She answered to Lord Tyrion and he sighed, standing at her side as both saw down to where people were trained for weeks, now all inside for dinner, knowing soon they’ll march with her brother to an almost certain death. “How is the cold treating you? I know you are not used to these lands, my Lord.”

“I’ve been in worse conditions.” He answered, his voice painted in sarcasm but she could hear the truth behind them. “Besides, being a guest has always been one of my favorite things when the company is so good.”

Sansa smiled a bit. There was a time not many things made her even try on a smile, when she had been younger and made to wed this man at her side. She remembers with warm that he had made her laugh a time or three, she had felt almost safe when she thought him and Shae her friends.

But Shae had betrayed both and time had made them into different people, and while Sansa trusted Lord Tyrion as much as she could nowadays, she still had her reservations when it came to his new political position and what it meant for her and their people.

“How is he?” He asked suddenly, Brienne and Podrick were entering the training yard, she knew Arya and Bran must be no far behind.

“If you mean Jon, I have no idea.” She answered, looking as her siblings entered the area, a third person with them at Arya’s side. The smith boy. “He hadn’t talk to anyone in three days. I assume you haven’t see him either.”

Lord Tyrion shook his head. “Your sister seems attached to that boy.”

“He is King Robert’s bastard, isn’t him?”

“The last no-recognized Baratheon.” Tyrion said, even though in mockery, still true and with a sightly tone of amusement. “He is a good boy, if you wish to know.”

“I doubt my sister would look at him like that if he wasn’t.” She answered, recognizing her own amusement that made Lord Tyrion smile wide. It had been a while since she felt like gossiping. Maybe having all these people around was returning the warm of this home. “Is it true he looks like King Robert? I don’t see it. At all.”

“My Lady, you met Robert when he was a cow, of course you can’t see it. But yes, Gendry is a curious re-do of his father. Thankfully, it’s only in the outside.”

“Thankfully.” She repeated.

Down in the yard, Brienne and Podrick stayed near Bran, looking at the entrance, as if waiting for someone else to walk in. With Bran’s power, she wouldn’t be surprised if a new guest entered Winterfell at the moment. Yet, she focused on Arya and Gendry, walking around the yard in deep conversation.

It figured to her as courting, the way they leaned into the other to hear them better and how slow they walked. Arya chuckle suddenly, stopping her walk as she looked at Gendry who seemed rigid, and when her sister started to laugh, loud and un-lady-like, Sansa couldn’t help but smile wider than she had in a very long time.

“Gods!” Lord Tyrion said at her side, Sansa looked at him but returned her sight to the couple as both looked at the front, too. Arya had her hand on his chest, the touch seemed so natural, she almost forgot they were nothing but friends officially. “My Lady, that’s the longest I’ve seen you smile since we were married.”

“Ah!” She gasped and almost laughed, looking at him with false offense. And she would had replied with equal playfulness if it wasn’t for the pair walking to the yard, too close to the other to be called friendly.

Jon and Daenerys looked like painted for the halls of High Garden, it was like if they were made to match each other. Daenerys’s silver and white colors contrasted Jon’s greys and blacks, but none out-stood the other. Sansa tilted her head sightly as they walked to Bran, Arya and Gendry making their way back to their parting point.

She wondered if they had come into terms with whatever relationship they had, or have. Her brother as impulsive and seemed to not think the consequences of his acts most times, but she knew he wouldn’t risk the people he was responsible for and whatever there was between them, would stay between them. At least for the time being. Or that she hoped.

“Seems like we have a new preoccupation.” Tyrion sighed. “They have made up.”

“You sound unhappy.”

He looked at her, no smile or amusement. Whatever it was, it was serious for him. “Don’t you think it inconvenient for them to be in love?”

In love. That was what she feared. She was almost jealous of Jon’s freedom of finding love in these circumstances and in someone that could crush them with a single movement of her finger. But was exactly for what she knew Daenerys wouldn’t do such thing, for she trusted Jon’s good heart and the fact that he wouldn’t chose someone whose heart didn’t match his.

“Arya pointed out something to me the night they came here.” She looked at Lord Tyrion, hoping to maybe calm his preoccupations. “Anyone is better than Cersei at this point and our brother would not chose as his partner someone with a bad heart.”

“But you don’t trust our Queen.” He pointed out.

Sansa smiled, nodding. “Not yet. Don’t get me wrong, my Lord. I can see my brother’s feelings almost as good as Arya sees them,” she explained, looking back at the group in the yard, “he is impulsive and will put in risk his life for her, I know that, too. And I know that worries you dearly.” He lowered his head, nodding slowly. “I can see she is exactly like him, for what we hear. She did not listen to you and rescue my brother, even lose one of her dragons. I’m grateful for that but I can also see how stupid that was. But right now we have a fight beyond thrones to win.”

“Careful, not let anyone hear you say such things of the Queen.”

“Who would hear me here that will tell all this to anyone?” She smiled at him, her eyes following the scar on his face and the way his own smile was starting to show. “You? I know you, too, my Lord. My words are safe.” And he finally smiled.

They looked at each other for a few seconds before looking down again, where Arya and Gendry were making mountains of snow. Jon was talking to Brienne as Podrick and Bran observed the Queen getting on her knees to help reunite the snow. Jon stopped talking, looking only as Daenerys listened to Arya, seemly explaining how to create a block with snow.

“Bless my brother and his obvious eyes.” She smiled. “I wouldn't have anything to amuse me if it wasn’t for this play. Look at him watch her, he loves her.”

“And she loves him.” He sighed. “No matter what I say, I guess I can only support her. Them.” He corrected himself, then looked at her. Sansa looked back. “It’s not gonna be easy.”

“When we defeat the dead, it may.”

“How, my Lady?”

“Well,” she sighed, “this is not actually my idea. It’s Jon’s. He believes once the people sees she is here to fight for them, people she could submit with just one dragon, they will see what he has.” Sansa locked her eyes in his, he needed to see the security in her face as she said the next part. “I believe that’s possible. Before, even though they would never disrespect my father’s bastard, Jon was nothing but that to them. And I was just a Lady with no home. It wasn’t until we won back Winterfell and they saw the good leader Jon can be that they finally respected him. It can happen with her, too.”

“Let’s be hopeful.” He sighed.

“They can get married.” She suggested, looking at his reaction to the idea. There was something he wasn’t saying. As she suspected, he made a face. “You don’t want my brother to be King?”

“It’s not that, my Lady.” He answered almost immediately. Jon had walked to the builders, and they seemed to be explaining what they were doing in the snow. “Your brother is a great ally… but there are things that may not look favorable. Him being a heir changes the game, it gives us an opportunity.”

“Us?” She interlaced her fingers under her belly and waited.

“Meant Daenerys. I haven’t had the chance to talk to her, she’s been… you know.” He sighed. “She can’t conceive. But--”

“Don’t say that.” She asked.

“It would be more helpful if he became her heir. She can’t have children.”

“That’s not yours to decide.” She said, her hands were shaking, so he maintained her hands together. “I don’t think she likes you telling this to people. You are putting her in a bad position.”

“I’m not telling this to anyone, I know my words are safe with you.” He said, echoing her words from earlier.

She shook her head and felt sorry for the Queen again. As a girl, she wanted to become queen one day, now she wasn’t so excited with the prospect of it. She felt safer with the power she got by being a Lady, she liked administrating her own house, but having her life exposed like this, she wouldn’t be able to take.

“I can see your point, my Lord.” She said at least. “Still, I hope you’ve been or will be gentler talking about this to her than to me.” She arched an eyebrow. “I would have you out my sight if you treated those matters so cold as talking about me.”

“I know it’s a delicate theme, but--”

“Do you, my Lord?” She swallowed, noticing how she was understanding better the Queen now. “This is a woman that calls herself Mother Of Dragons. Do you?”

He seemed to finally see her point and slowly darted his eyes away from hers, back to the Queen that was smiling happily as she and Arya tried to mold the snow in with their globed hands. Sansa shook her head, they were doing a poor job at it. Arya was never the best at building figures in snow, but the scene was still tender.

Jon kept looking at the Queen, trying with Gendry to help her and Arya with the principal building since they had finished what seemed like a small patio. Sansa tilted her head, wondering what they were supposed to be doing.

“I guess I didn’t thought of that before.” Lord Tyrion finally admitted. “Gods, I keep losing my touch with her. She exasperates me sometimes, like a little sister. She doesn’t listen, but she is--” He chuckle. “So smart and good. I know she’ll make a difference.”

“You love her.” She noticed.

“Of course.” He answered, looking at her. “She is the Queen I chose.”

“No, I mean--”

“Oh, no.” He laughed, looking at her as if asking how could she joke with this. Sansa recognized the truth in his face and smiled at him. “Not like that.”

She loved Jon the same. He was her brother, no matter what, and she believed he would lead them to a better morrow to win The Battle For The Down, and with the Queen at his side, they had a better shot, she wouldn’t deny that. What they wanted to do after, could be deal with then.

“Lord Tyrion!” They hear Daenerys calling her Hand. He leaned forward to watch her, she was on her knees at Jon’s side with her globes covered in snow. “Come here and talk to me!”

“Duty calls.” He said, nodding at the Queen and then looking at her to make a small bow and walk away.

But then Arya called her. “Sansa! Come here and helps up build a castle!”

“What?” She looked down, frowning. “Why would I do that?” She asked, knowing she wanted to be down there but also knowing she had work to do. Maybe she could go with them and convince Jon to do his job at least.

“Because I’m asking nicely!” Her sister answered and Sansa rolled her eyes, but walked down anyway.

“It’s good to see you out.” Was Sansa’s greet to Jon and Arya blinked a couple of times.

In the past Sansa had tried to mimic their Lady Mother and treated Jon poorly as she was becoming a lady, ready to marry her prince when her time was up. Nowadays, the respect between them had been made into a nicer relationship, and Arya couldn’t be more grateful for that. There was no time to be mean to each other, she was sure their Lord Father would had loved to see them reunited here, making snow castles like children.

“I’m sorry, It’s just...”

“It’s fine.” Sansa sighed. “Doesn’t matter know.” She looked down at Daenerys, who was looking at Tyrion Lannister and this time, she didn’t seem to think her the enemy anymore. Arya wondered what could had caused the change.

Could their conversation from last night be the cause? Or what she had been talking with the Queen’s Hand for so long up there? Whatever it was, her face not frowning was a nice look on her sister.

“We’ll have a talk before dinner, when we are over with our house.”

“I see.” Tyrion said at Daenerys’s words. She looked at the Dragon Queen in front of her and saw the little smile in Jon’s face, that was also a nice look on her brother. “And I also see you need help with that house.”

Daenerys looked down at their work and Gods, they were awful at it. She laughed careless and leaned a little into Jon’s shoulder, he smiled wider but looked down in the hopes no one would notice it. But it was too late, she wanted to tell him. Everyone and every leaf and dust knew of his feelings for the beautiful woman at his side.

It made her both, happy and sad. Jon was being loved by someone who deserved him, but his new position could kill their relationship if the Gods keep their cruelty and others reacted wrong to his other name, and his loyalty for the Queen. They could all die morrow, they could die at night. It was unfair, that their time could be cut so short.

“Lady Sansa, I’ve been told you are the best snow builder in Winterfell.” Daenerys called her sister and Arya looked up, waiting for Sansa’s reaction.

She nodded, her hands were put together over her belly, in her part as Lady of Winterfell, and Arya hoped they would be kids again. They used to get together, Sansa, she and Bran, and tried to teach Rickon how to build a castle in the snow. Their Lord Father had thaught them first, and then Robb and Jon had made sure they learned the best tricks to maintain the snow together.

Arya recognized she wasn’t the best at it, Sansa always beat her at it. On those times, she would call Jon to help her and Sansa would call her a cheater for getting seeking the aid of their brother, so Robb would come to her rescue. Their Father would be watching them from where Sansa had been with Lord Tyrion just now, sightly smiling at them being children.

But that was a long time ago. Now, Bran sat without apparent expression looking at them, his mind in another place; Jon was King, his face scarred and his hands showing calluses only a swordsman would carry; Sansa the Lady she always wanted to be but not quit it, choosing duty over joy when she had been full of summer; and she so different, wearing winter. Not knight, not a Lady, not just a warrior either.

“No, you are doing it all wrong. Gods...” Sansa’s voice took her away from her darker thoughts, she looked as Sansa got herself between Arya and Daenerys. Lord Tyrion was now standing near Bran, talking to him and Brienne of Tarth. “Look at this mess. Arya, this is work of yours, no doubt.”

“What does that mean?” She said, feeling her face warm. Daenerys was looking at them, observing their banter like if she was new to her.

“Means exactly what it is. Look at this. A mess.” Sansa destroyed what they had done, and both Arya and Daenerys exhaled in surprise, Jon was discretely laughing at Daenerys’s side.

Yet, Gendry's laugh distracted her from the small anger at her sister as she gathered more snow from their sides. She looked at him and the way his eyes shone when he laughed, so alike as when they had first met. He hadn’t change much, was older and stronger, but still the same friend she had found in the road.

Her face felt warmer when he looked at her and they shared a smile before he sat down in the snow, probably tired of being on his knees.

Their clothes would had to be change or they would get sick, no one was up for having to stay in bed, not now. But she could tell no one wanted to move from their positions, not when moments like these were so rare.

Sansa had build a better foundation for Daenerys’s house and leaned back, sitting on her legs as she waited for the compliments. Daenerys clapped her hands, she looked like an excited girl that has never played with snow before. And maybe she was, Arya had to remind herself how young the Queen actually was, how young her brothers and sister, and Gendry, and her were.

Like every time since they came out the crypts, Jon smiled at her and her expressions. She seemed to be magical for she could make Jon Snow, always in black and always brooding, smile so much and for so long.

“What are we building, anyway?” Sansa asked as Daenerys held snow in her hands and was being shown how to manipulate it into the building.

“The house with the red door...” Daenerys answered distracted. “It’s the place I used to live in when I was a child.” She said, now making a second floor with Sansa’s help.

“Let me...” Jon intervened, suddenly closer to the Queen. But she figured she wasn’t that right now, she was Jon’s friend. Or, admitting it, Jon’s lover, playing in the snow with his siblings. “Like this, so it won’t fall.”

“Jon is right.” Sansa assured, she put snow near the middle of the foundation. “Here is for your door. We need a stick or something.”

“Here.” Gendry offered the couple of sticks they had picked before. “It’s the tree, so be careful… My Lady.”

Arya wanted to laugh on his face again but maintained her mouth shout, but his expression told her he had seen the second she almost loses it. He eyed her as if offended but she knew it was all a game, it was always a game of who could exasperate the other the most.

“Tree?” Sansa asked while giving one of the sticks to Daenerys and the other to Jon, who had extended his hand to her.

“There’s a lemon tree outside the widow of my room.” Daenerys explained, signaling where the room should be made.

“Alright, we need a room.” Sansa said, taking snow to make the room. “Arya, make a circle in the patio for the tree… right here.” She touched the snow and left her finger printed in it, Arya started to circle around it, trying to imagine the roots of the God’s tree, how they seemed to have carpet of their own that maintained the grass different from the rest of it when it was summer.

“Gendry?” Jon called, he blinked when he looked up at her brother. “I think the wall we did before needs to be--”

“Taller. Aye, the house turned into a castle.”

Daenerys smiled, making little details with her stick on the door Jon had made. “I said it was big.”

Jon shook his head but kept on smiling. “I’ll work this part, you work over there.”

“Roots are ready.” She announced. “How was the room?” She asked the Queen.

“It had a big window, too.” She said, then looked at Jon. “Look at the door, it’s not exactly how it was, but I remember it this way.” He looked down at her work, Arya wanted to take a look, too, but left them to it. Sansa had seen it but went back to the widow, asking for the stick so she would made the proper space in the square of snow. Daenerys give it to her. “Just imagine it red. And the walls were all white. It was beautiful, the light got inside everywhere and it was never hot.”

When Arya looked at Sansa, she was smiling at their brother and Daenerys. She looked at Gendry and the others, all smiling, even Bran in his own new way and she felt grateful. Maybe things wouldn’t go so bad after all.

“Alright...” Sansa murmured, extending her hand to Jon. “Stick.” He gave it back and Sansa and she break the two of them in other two.

Pulling at one of her long red hairs, she used it to tie two of the new done smaller sticks and break the reminded ones into four, going to take another of her hairs when Daenerys offered one of hers. Sansa looked up at her and nodded, taking it to tie two of the new small sticks, then using the ends of hers and Daenerys’s to tie the two lasts.

“It’s not perfect...” She said, putting the build up tree in its place. “But there’s the tree.”

“That’s impressive.” Lord Tyrion offered and Sansa smiled at him, Arya lifted an eyebrow. She knew Sansa was made to marry him once but the marriage was false, never consummated even. She didn’t knew her sister actually appreciated the man.

“Just old tricks.”

“And you always said they weren’t.” Arya reminded her. “You accused me of cheating.”

“Oh, you were a cheater!” She said, amusement in her voice.

“I believe that.” Gendry added and Arya looked at him with daggers in her eyes, she hoped, but it only made him smile.

“What do you think?” Jon asked to Daenerys as they continued their small staring competition.

“Looks like it.” She answered, then signaled the widow she and Sansa had made. “It always smelled like spring because of the tree, it was magical.”

Daenerys looked back at Arya and Sansa, she blinked and Arya noticed she had stopped tears from coming down and her suspicions were confirmed. This was no just a house, this was home for her. And it had been taken away from Daenerys.

“Thank you for your help.”

Sansa shook her head but Arya smiled, suddenly hugging her sister’s neck, “Arya!” She said as she loosed her balance and almost fell on Daenery’s face if it wasn’t for her arms rounding them both. The Queen would had fallen into the snow, but Jon had took her shoulder and the weight of the three of them fell on his chest.

For a second, there was only silence, until Daenery’s laugh made Sansa’s came out alive and loud, making her laugh in return, too. It seemed heir laugh became contagious for Jon was laughing, and she could her Gendry’s and a few more, probably from Brienne and Tyrion, and as they were laying on Jon’s body with his hands finally touching Daenerys like she supposed he had been dying to, it started to snow.

“You haven’t see the snow fall before.” Jon said to the Queen. Her eyes were wide open as she was still holding her and Sansa over her chest. She extended one hand to the falling snow and watched as a snowflake became water on her hand, her smile shining like her hair. “It snowed yesterday, you didn’t see?” She only shook her head.

“We were all inside.” Tyrion offered an explanation. “As we should be getting right now, we don’t want to get sick.”

“A bit longer.” Daenerys said, it didn’t sound like an order but a question, like if she was asking an older brother or a father to stay for a while.

“You are not wearing the clothes for this right now.” Jon reminded her and Arya blinked when Daenerys looked up at him. If Jon leaned just enough, they would be locking lips.

Sansa looked at her and they shared the same secret, that Daenerys wasn’t bad and she was becoming a part of Jon they shouldn’t allow him to lose or else, he’ll be miserable for the rest of his life. Her sister smiled at her and Arya leaned her forehead to hers, as she used to do with Jon and Rickon when she had been younger.

“Let’s get going.” She heard Jon said. “And for that, I need you all to stand first.”

Arya smiled at him, they probably looked like pups sleeping one over the other to keep warm. She stood first and offered her hand to Sansa, she took it and they saw as Jon stood and did the same for Daenerys.

This time, they didn’t let of their joined hands.

No one would see it, she thought, since his cape and the way they maintained their union so low would throw away anyone who didn’t look closer. No one was around anyway, and it wasn’t like if all walls of Winterfell knew about them.

“It’s beautiful!” She said as the snow fell around them, Sansa gave a last look to their work and then walked to Bran and Lord Tyrion, getting ready to push their brother inside home. “Just let me see a bit.”

“My Queen, you’ll get ill.” He insisted, but she didn’t listen to him and walked away a few steps. Arya went back to Gendry’s side and nibble at his rib. He moved, looking at her with a frown and she could only laugh at it. “Dany...”

Arya looked up at Jon’s voice calling that name. He was behind the Queen with his cape on his hands, going to her shoulders. She looked back at him, her cheeks looking pink and her hands landing on his arms as she smiled at him.

She wished she could see Jon’s face, but instead she heard Brienne calling at her with a low voice. Sansa and Tyrion were pushing Bran inside, Podrick behind them. Gendry followed and she gave her brother and his Dany at last look before going at his side.

“Boy’s in looooove.” She mocked.

“Hush!” Sansa said, smile could be hear in her voice. “Walls can hear and the wind speaks, and it doesn’t concern us.”

Gendry smiled at her as they walked inside and she felt warm again. Jon had been cold for along time, Arya hoped he felt as she did thanks to Gendry when he looked at Daenerys.

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