#also forgot to mention but damn we’ve come a long way from “family friendly

[larks-birdhouse]

GENLOSS FOUNDERS CUT THOUGHTS

i want to make it so so clear i don’t want to dunk on genloss. this is my braindump and i LOVED genloss. please support young creators as they grow and improve i beg of thee

im putting this under a cut because i expect it to be long 😭

❤️ - negative

💚 - positive

💙 - neutral

💚 once again reminded how much ranboo’s acting has improved since dsmp <3

💚 AND a fantastic reminder of how great the other actors are!!!! all the deaths still hurt and the security officers did SO SO GOOD

💚 i love that hetch is more evil now. hurts even more watching hetch manipulate ran even harder up to his death

💚 ranboo has survivor’s guilt :’[ god him slowly accepting it was his fault (even though it WASNT) broke me

💚❤️ i think redubbing certain parts makes sense, but for some reason it was just really obvious during niki’s intro?? it felt so jarring

💙 ngl i paused the premiere to catch the qr code. in my defence i was about half an hour behind already :’]

❤️ GOD i wish we saw more of the carousel folks. so much time spent on setting up mousetrap, so little on them. is that in of itself a commentary? genuine question i do not know

❤️ also i am so sad we didn’t see more of austin’s “hey what the fuck is happening.” there was plenty of it but i want MORE

❤️💙 and i wish there was a little more time on ethan’s fashion show simply because it is funny

💚 the play on words with austin being the straight man is still fantastic

💚 someone else pointed this out (i’m not sure who i saw it from first but i’ll find them) but hetch near exclusively calling ranboo “hero” is such a good detail. not their name, but their character

💙 i forgot about the charlie stream! but honestly i would fully believe that is something charlie would just Do

❤️ I WANT MORE SNEEGGGGGG WHERE WAS HE

💚 the ART!! the DESIGNS of the devices!! adds so much to the story and i’m so glad they were shared. such fantastic art too!!

❤️ the create-a-creature kinda came out of nowhere, i was so confused and i wish there was a bit more buildup

💙 about hetch saying they aren’t themselves anymore: how many times can the actors get tortured and brainwashed before they stop being themselves? how much of them can be taken and replaced before it stops being them? (theseus’s ranboo)

💚 I LOVED THE SQUIGGLES ANIMATIONS!!!! SO GOOD I NEED TO FIND MORE OF THE CREATOR’S WORK

❤️ i might have missed it so correct me if i’m wrong but i don’t think we had the wide shot of the hero-kill-inator or whatever and i WISH we did because it goes so hard

💚 in terms of ending changes, i loved both endings!! both so good for different reasons, and the “thank you” KILLS ME IM SO SORRY BOO I HOPE YOU CAN JOIN YOUR FRIENDS IN THE CANON AFTERLIFE

💙 actually only hell is canon. maybe heaven just Doesn’t Exist. only suffering

💚❤️ at some points i thought the gore was great and at some points i wanted MORE. all the blood seeping out from under the doors, the room they haven’t “reset” yet, the guts instead of food were all great. but i wanted more of surgery charlie’s suffering to contrast the absurdity and just generally more carnage

❤️ i also wish there was more audio gore with austin & sneeg’s deaths. the wall just kind of Stops with no indication of them being crushed and its not apparently obvious that they died

💚 gen zero preview!!! i’m so excited, wondering who will be brought in for that one

💚 hearing the echos of “just let me die” in the beginning was haunting, fantastic stuff loved it

💚 HOW DID I FORGET THE PHOTOS THAT WAS SO GOOD ARE THOSE REAL BABY RANBOO PHOTOS?? INCREDIBLE

💚 overall i quite enjoyed the founder’s cut! can’t wait to see what comes next and i’m so proud of ranboo!!

💙 what is it with media about content creator self inserts that suffer immensely with little to no comfort that draws me in so? why has this happened so many times??

[prurientpuddlejumper]

You’re a Mean One, Mr. Kneef (Part 2)

<- Part 1 | Part 3 ->

For @thatesqcrush​’s Naughty or Nice Holiday Bingo! Filling the Fake Relationship When Visiting Family square. 

Bryan Kneef x Female Reader

Warnings: Language. Holiday fluff. Bryan being the worst... but also hot? Horrible pet names. Nothing nsfw happens this chapter except Bryan’s mouth. 

2,900 words

The bluish LED headlights of Bryan Kneef’s BMW blinded other drivers as they cut through the dark on the drive to his parents’ suburban house. You ascertained from the hands-free call he was making the family hadn’t started dinner yet. Christmas was close to the winter solstice, so it wasn’t as late as the sky suggested, although you’d heard a hungry child screaming impatiently about having to wait for Uncle Bry.

“Uncle Bry,” you teased as the call ended.

He chuckled. “That would be my brother’s kid, Finn. My brother’s name is Timothy. The CEO of LogicFinance. You will say you’ve ‘heard so much about them.’ Let’s review.”

“Jesus.”

Sitting next to Bryan while his attention wasn’t on you, you lost yourself noticing things. The clean smell of his cologne. How sexy he looked—in a rich douchey way—in his tailored suit and expensive car. His long fingers wrapped around the steering wheel. That beard that made you want to scream, “Daddy!”

You could almost forget he was the asshole who held every paralegal at STR Laurie hostage with busywork unless you pretended to be the woman who dumped him. 

Until he started barking at you to memorize facts about his life.

“First, what do I have to know about this woman I’m supposed to be?”

He stared straight ahead at the road. “Her name is Sydney. So you’re Syd from now on.”

“Oh joy. Being called your ex’s name all night won’t be weird or anything.”

“You were the one who wanted to get out of work.”

“Whatever. I bet you already forgot my real name, anyway.”

He didn’t contradict you. The engine roared to life as he changed lanes before signaling and cut off the SUV he’d been tailgating for the last mile.

Your arms crossed over your chest. “How much did you tell your family about Sydney? I hope you didn’t send them any pictures.”

“Not much, and obviously not. I’m not stupid.”

“Just pathetic.”

He scowled. Before he could think of a searing response to take back control of the conversation, you asked another question that knocked him off balance.

“What made this one so different? We’ve been working together for what, a year? And I’ve never seen you upset over a breakup.”

“The sex was fantastic,” he answered too loudly.

“Uh-huh.”

“Oh yeah. I’ve never had a woman who could keep up with me—”

“Because you finish too quickly?”

“Cute. Keep it up.” He stepped on the gas again and your stomach lurched as he pulled off another aggressive passing maneuver in the right lane. “No one walks away from my bed unsatisfied. You could find out. A little reward for helping me out tonight?”

“Not in a million years,” you clipped, shutting him down, even though your wild, lonely, horny side that noticed his beard and fingers was beating at the inside of your skull. “You are going to keep it decent and chaste. Ground rules: holding hands. Kisses on the cheek. Moderate cuddling as the situation calls for it. That should be plenty to sell that we’re involved.”

“You haven’t seen me around women I’m involved with,” he smirked with a suggestive glint in the side of his eye.

“And I’m sure your parents haven’t seen you with a partner who isn’t just some bimbo you’re screwing, either. Cop a feel, and I end the charade right there.”

That comment, which was more insightful than you knew, silenced him. His suggestive side-glance returned forward to focus on the road. That look was back on his face again—the look when he ran out of swaggering bullshit to spew. Sadness. Genuine human sadness.

“She wasn’t clingy,” he said, voice a soft rumble. “Didn’t expect me to be her fucking boyfriend—she was the one who told me no strings.”

“You loved her because she was distant?”

“No. I don’t know. She did nice things, too—like ask how my day was, and bring me coffee. She remembered the way I like it.”

“That’s just basic human kindness, Bryan.” You sighed. “That’s actually… really sad.”

“Fuck you.”

“I mean it. You call women clingy for wanting to be close to you, and now you’re so starved for connection you think remembering your coffee order is a huge deal. Your secretary knows your coffee order. Hell, I know your damned coffee order you’ve sent me out for it enough times, even though—as I often remind you—that’s not my job. I’m sorry. Really. But maybe this is a lesson? That you actually have a heart and might want to try opening it sometime?”

“How the fuck is that the lesson? I open my heart, I get hurt. From now on, I’m only dating broads who disgust me.” His eyes lingered on you for a dangerously long time until you got the point and gave an annoyed grunt. His eyes returned to the road, corners crinkled in satisfaction.

***

Dinner was already starting when Bryan’s BMW finally pulled into the driveway of a large house on a private cul-de-sac. The porch was glowing with tasteful white lights and a wreath on the door. Silhouettes were moving behind the decorative glass set into the front door, waiting for you to get out of the car. As soon as you approached, the door flew open and you were hit with the smell of roast turkey.

“Bry-Bry! We were worried you wouldn’t make it!” His silver-haired mother threw her arms around Bryan’s neck while he grumbled with reluctant affection, hugging her back.

A rich oaken voice of the man who must have been his father said, “And this must be the famous Sydney. We thought we’d never get to meet you.” He shook your hand warmly.

Both of them were wearing hideous red and green Christmas sweaters straight out of a Hallmark movie.

“I can’t believe this one hasn’t driven you away!” Bryan’s mom teased, pinching his pink cheek as she did so. “We’re so happy you put up with our little monster.” She hugged you.

“Come, come on in. Let me take your coat. We were just starting dinner—you’re right on time.” His dad helped you shrug your winter coat off and hung it up in the entryway closet for you.

This was… bizarre. How the hell did people this friendly churn out a Bryan?

More shocking still was when you felt warm, long fingers twine between yours, and you nearly tore your hand away before remembering you had a “boyfriend” tonight. Bryan smiled at you sweetly, eyes soft and affectionate.

Yep. You’d fallen into some kind of Bizarro World.

Martha, his mother, led you both through the spacious house toward the dining room. “What do you think of our humble home?” she asked, pausing in the living room. “I keep thinking I should move that chair to the other side of the fireplace. What do you think? Would it flow better?”

“Uh, I’m not really—”

“Mom! We’re hungry,” Bryan snapped.

“Oh, come on, honey, let me pick her brain! It’s not every day we have an interior designer in here.”

“Bryan told you I’m an interior designer?” Your mouth smiled pleasantly at Bryan while your eyes stabbed daggers into his stupid handsome face.

“Obviously I forgot I mentioned it,” he smiled back.

You batted your eyes. Now the daggers were on fire.

“Well, what do you think? Chair on the left, or the right?”

“Well,” you said, “the symmetry with the fireplace is… balanced with the rich tones in the leather”—Martha nodded along attentively—“You know, I’ve been working all day, maybe we can talk shop later?”

“Oh! Of course! I’m sorry—Bryan’s mean old mom ambushing you the minute you walk in the door!” She flexed her hand into vampire-claws and playfully attacked your shoulder. “Aw, are the stuffy old adults embarrassing you, peanut?”

Bryan’s cheeks turned the brightest pink you had ever seen them. And this was a man who didn’t blush when telling a roomful of attorneys to go fuck themselves. You let out the first genuine laugh you’d made in his presence. You squeezed his hand.

“Honey-bear, I love your parents!”

***

The table was crowded with Kneef siblings, cousins, and their children and spouses. Finn, you guessed, was the youngest boy. And that would make the silver fox next to him Timothy. His older brother had the same bluntness as Bryan, but none of the cruelty. In fact, his entire family was so… normal.

Bryan’s hard edges were hardly softened in their presence, but unlike in the office where his cranky moods inspired fear, here they were met with boos and hisses and his cousin throwing a bread roll at him. The youngest kids mimicked this exciting behavior, and soon it was raining whole-wheat on Bryan Kneef.

You smiled and patted his hand and called him “dear” and made sure your mouth was full of turkey the moment anyone asked you about yourself.

Over the evening, you learned that Mrs. Martha Kneef put herself through nursing school after having her first child to support the family while her husband piddled around with his low-paying hobby in computers. By the time Bryan was born, his father was programming for a growing company, working his way up the ranks—back in the days when one could do that. By the time Bryan was ten, dad was the Chief Information Officer of one of the largest corporations in the country.

And so Bryan, the youngest, grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth, handed all the things his parents had worked hard for in the hopes that he would have a better life.

“All the child-rearing books at the time said encouragement was important,” said Martha, who was a little drunk on red wine at this point. She let out an exasperated groan. “This is what happens when you encourage too much. We created a monster. Didn’t we?” Her voice went higher as she pinched Bryan’s cheek again.

“Martha and I are so happy to see him finally settling down with someone.”

“Yeah, how’d you manage to find a girl who’ll put up with you?” Tim teased, punching Bryan’s arm.

Bryan stared back. Locked eyes with his brother. He took a deep breath. “How’d you manage to—”

Bryan then asked something too obscene to be repeated, which set the entire table screaming, and parents’ hands clamping over children’s ears (though not before an adorable curly-haired niece asked, “mommy, what’s a prolapsed rectum?”).

You should have been offended, or embarrassed to be attached to the guy wrecking Christmas without even needing to be drunk. But oddly, as hot as your cheeks were, you found yourself laughing. You were dating the most interesting guy at the table. He was so overwhelmingly charismatic—not necessarily in a positive way, but in a way that made him the center of attention in any room he walked into. And he was charming enough for people to keep wanting him around, even when he said things that... were probably going to scar those children for life. Not to mention the adults.

Reaching over, you cupped the opposite side of his cheek and forced him to turn his head to you. “You’re so bad, Bry. How do I put up with you?” You began affectionately scratching his beard like it was something you’d done to him a hundred times. “He’s just so cute, I can’t resist. Settle down now, baby.”

His mom gave a loud, “Aww” and Bryan side-eyed his brother, who snorted.

You were getting into it, mussing up his perfect beard in a way that was sure to annoy him later—but it wasn’t annoying him that was on your mind. It was more the feeling of that coarse but soft hair under your fingertips, the shape of his jawline… the way he was staring back at you, eyelids drooping…

“It’s really the beard I’m dating—if he ever shaves, we’re breaking up,” you joked, suddenly needing to crush the romantic mood. It worked. His family laughed, and Bryan scowled, catching your wrist to make you stop.

***

Bryan wanted to leave right after dinner, but his mother wheedled him to stay.

“We’ve still got your bedroom set up if you want to sleep here. Think of it—we could have Christmas morning together just like when you and Timmy were babies!”

“Ma! I couldn’t impose on Syd. She… has a cat.”

Great. More backstory to remember. You surreptitiously elbowed him in the side.

Bryan got his dominating instincts from somewhere, though. The big ask to stay the night was a tactic to make him give in to the smaller ask of staying for hot cocoa and holiday movies.

Bryan had yet to recover from your crack about breaking up with him and forgot to play the part of the affectionate boyfriend. While her husband was explaining the intricacies of a particular wireless security device to whichever cousins would listen, Martha casually sidled up and whispered, “You don’t have to be shy about PDA in front of us old people. We’ve seen everything.”

“Oh! Uh...” Your mouth gaped, unsure how the fuck to respond to that.

Bryan overheard it and rolled his eyes with a groan. “Ma!”

He looked so grumpy and annoyed, something about it made you kiss him on the cheek. Just to put to rest his mother’s suspicions! That must have been it.

Then Bryan was all fire again, his eyes glittering above a wicked smirk. He grabbed your waist and pulled you roughly against his arousingly solid body, covering your neck with wet, open-mouthed kisses. Oh god, hot. He was definitely only doing this to make his mom uncomfortable, and if you knew Bryan, he wouldn’t stop until she regretted meddling or he was fucking you on the stack of presents under the tree. So why was your skin too hot? Why did it prickle everywhere his hand wandered? Palming your curves, sliding down to your hips, lowering over the swell of—

You leaned close until your lips brushed the shell of his ear. “Watch your hands, or HR is hearing all about this,” you warned, then pulled away smiling.

Bryan smiled back. “Of course, babycakes.”

“You lovebirds! Keep it PG.”

He warned you in the car that no one would buy him keeping things chaste, didn’t he? Well, you weren’t going to be the one to blow your cover.

When you filed into the living room where the kids were already watching A Christmas Story, there was only one spot left on the couch, and an empty armchair. Bryan flopped down on the recliner, and you sat on his lap. His chest vibrated as he gave an encouraging growl, cocking an eyebrow at you.

“You didn’t expect me to sit alone, did you, honey-bear?” you cooed.

His hand moved to support your hip, cradling you close to him. The other hand covered yours, which was resting on your knee. It was just a performance, but god, his hands were so big and warm, and the gesture so remarkably soft. You let yourself recline back against his chest, and turned your head to inspect his profile—the greying at his temple, a strong, square brow that shaded such lively green eyes.

A fire danced in the fireplace, stockings hung up neatly above it. A tree in the opposite corner filled the room with a piny balsam scent. The whole scene felt so domestic. Bryan’s beard scratched the side of your face, the soft cashmere of the sweater he’d thrown on over his dress shirt making him a comfortable cuddle partner. Suddenly you could imagine perfectly well why someone might put up with him.

“So, Sydney, how did you meet Bryan?” his father asked. A few other prying relatives leaned forward, and you began to sweat.

“Oh… I’m sure Bryan’s already told this story,” you deflected, glancing at him for assistance. Bryan frowned.

“It was through a case.” His evasive answer only made everyone more curious.

“What kind of case?”

“A divorce case.”

A bark of laughter leaped from your throat before you could hold it in, and you had to quickly disguise it as the kind of nostalgic laugh you get from an inside joke. “It’s true”—you stroked Bryan’s beard—“I think he only slept with me as part of the victory, you know? Took my ex’s money, took his wife. You know our Bryan,” you giggled. You would bet money that was exactly how it happened, too. “It’s a major rebound for me. But it’s been working out. Bryan has this whole other side to him that people don’t see.”

He looked at you. The clarity of his green eyes caught you off guard, and you felt a burning heat creeping up the side of your neck toward your ears.

“Well, we’re so happy to meet you!”

“You dog, Bry.”

“Want to see baby pictures?”

The last voice was Martha’s.

“No.” Bryan said. “She doesn’t.”

Of your asshole boss? Why yes. Yes, you did.

“He used to be such a sweet little peanut.” His mother always seemed eager to stir trouble for her brat of a son. “Just wait until you see how cute he was in diapers.”

“No!” Bryan groaned, but couldn’t stop you from following Martha to the family photo albums.

He had no power here.

• ● • ━━━━━─ ••●•• ─━━━━━ • ● •

Tagged: @beccabarba​ / @caked-crusader​ / @itsjustmyfantasyroom​ / @thatesqcrush​ / @dianilaws​ / @permanentlydizzy​ / @mrsrafaelbarba​ / @madamsnape921​ / @astrangegirlsmind​ / @neely1177​ / @onerestein​ / @welcometothemadxxhouse​ / @stardust-fray​ / @dreila03​ / @tropes-and-tales​ / @the-baby-bookworm​ / @ireadfanfictionontheweekends​ 

(I also just tagged everyone who commented/reblogged the last chapter even if u didn’t ask so uhhh >_> lmk if you hate that?)

[cassiopeiasara]

Westallen 52+70

Marriage of Convenience+Locked in a Room (so this def got away from me and turned into a full fic that’s also on ao3 here).

Here’s the thing about Iris West, she never breaks a promise. Even one made at nine years old before Barry loses everything.

They’re at his house. His mom smiles from the kitchen telling Iris of course she can stay while her dad works late. She likes Nora’s smile, it’s bright and warm just like the Allen’s home.

They’re in the middle of math worksheets when Barry asks.

“Iris?”

Iris tilts her head. “Yeah?”

Barry fidgets with his pencil. “Do you want to get married one day?”

Iris laughs. “Yeah but dad says I’m not allowed till I’m 35.”

Barry’s eyes go wide. “That’s a long time.”

Iris nods. “It is, but I’ll probably find someone before that.”

Barry nods in return. They’re silent for a little while longer before he speaks up again. “If you don’t find anyone, would you marry me?”

Iris considers him a moment. “That’s forever from now, Barry. What if you find someone?”

He shrugs. “If I don’t? And you don’t?”

Iris holds out her pinkie. “I promise.”

Barry’s cheeks go pink as he links his pinkie with hers.

A year later when he’s crying in her lap and she’s stroking his hair, he whispers “would you still marry me one day, Iris?”

She wipes his cheeks. “Sure, Barry.”

Neither one of them expects their thirty-fifth birthdays to arrive with no spouses or children but as with many other millennials, the future never quite looks how they expected.

Barry is over one evening helping repair Iris’ kitchen sink because her super is useless and Joe’s back won’t allow him to do tasks like this anymore.

Iris blames the latest lifestyle article for why she brings it up at all. CCPN has been running a series on women and how much their lives have improved but also the struggles of modern times. Though thirty-five feels nowhere near old, Iris has been made all too aware that her statistical odds as a well educated black professional are not as much in favor of a spouse as she would like.

She swings her legs on the counter after she hands Barry the wrench he asked for. “Hey, Bear?”

There’s a small grunt of acknowledgement below her.

“You remember that time we were nine doing homework at your house and you asked if I’d marry you?”

There’s a clang of tools and a curse as Barry slides out from under the sink. She feels bad as she watches him rub his forehead, a small red spot appearing.

“Yeah,” he says quickly. “W-what made you think about that?”

She shrugs. “Well we’ve hit our time limit.”

He shakes his head. “Iris, we were nine. Thirty five feels ancient at nine.”

She crosses her arms and peers down at him. “You backing out on me now, Barry?”

He stares at her a moment. “Are you serious?”

“I don’t give out pinky swears lightly.”

He tilts his head up at her and she thinks, not for the first time, that he’s grown up to be so much more than the scrawny nerd she knew in school. He’s still a nerd of course but he’s filled out and can actually throw a punch almost as well as she can. Not to mention, he’s the director of the CSI division and often travels to consult for departments in other cities. He volunteers in the summers at various science camps, laughs at all her jokes and is so useful at trivia night. He’s still her best friend, she could do a whole lot worse.

“What about that Eric guy you were seeing?”

She rolls her eyes. “It only took one drink to realize he’s not worth my time. What about Tina?”

He scoffs. “She left with our waiter.”

Iris hops off her counter and pats Barry on the shoulder. “Look, I know we actually have time but why waste it on these losers when we could be with our best friend?”

Barry looks at her a long time and she’s sure he’s going to say no. In fact, she resigns herself to it when he slips back under her sink to finish fixing it. She shouldn’t be disappointed nor surprised really. Maybe it was a stupid idea anyway. Barry has always been a romantic and Iris’ practical appeal isn’t exactly the most enticing.

She wonders if he’ll leave as she opens the door for the takeout she promised in exchange for his labor.

“I’m assuming you’ll come live with me then? You’ll have a handyman at your beck and call and you’ve already waxed poetic about my floor plan.”

Iris drops her chopsticks. “Really, Bear?”

Barry smiles bright and warm and Iris can’t help but think of Nora. “Yeah.”

***

Barry really should have warned her about the laundry room. It hadn’t occurred to him of course because the faulty lock always meant he kept the door open.

She’s in the middle of pulling on his Millennium Falcon t-shirt when a breeze slams the door shut.

“Damn,” he whispers.

“What?” She asks as she flips her hair from the collar of the shirt. 

It’s curly today. CCPN is under new management and with the recent round of legislation around hair styles, Iris has opted for more time with her curls both at home and at work. Barry, of course, has no complaints. He’s loved her hair ever since he heard the soft clink of the beads at the end of her braids when she approached him in kindergarten.

He points behind him, trying hard not to linger on the vision that is his wife in his clothes. Wife, he’ll never get over that.

“The door. It doesn’t open from this side.”

Her eyes go wide as she rushes to pull the handle to no avail. “Damn,” she mutters.

“Yeah,” he says as he scratches the back of his neck.

She knits her eyebrows up at him. “What are you doing home so early?”

“I had court this morning,” he gestures at his suit, “and I haven’t switched out my bag with fresh clothes yet so I swung by so I could have something for the lab.”

Her eyes linger on his tie, a hint of a smile playing at her lips and he hopes she doesn’t read too much into his choice. Six months into their marriage and Barry is still terrified Iris might guess the depth of his feelings. There had been countless times over the years he wanted to share how he felt.

That night on her dad’s couch as he cried and asked if she might still marry him. Middle school when he had the good fortune of a foster family that lived in Iris’ neighborhood and didn’t judge him for his anger or his desire to see his dad. High school when he broke up with Becky and hoped Iris’ concern was less friendly consideration and more because she’d prefer to be his girlfriend. The time she confessed she thought no one might love her the way Eddie had.

Yet, he’s stayed silent, sure that if Iris felt anything close to him, she’d say something. He never forgot his childhood proposal but he’d been so sure Iris had.

Call him a fool for settling but no woman could ever match his best friend so when she’d called him on their old promise, he couldn’t resist. Thus here he was locked in a room with the woman he’d always dreamed might be his wife and nervous she might finally see the truth.

“I’ll call Dad,” she says before she looks around and sighs. “My phone is in the kitchen.”

Barry pats his jacket, thankful he finds his phone there. “He got called to a scene but Cecile was on her way to pick up lunch for the both of them, I’ll see if she can swing by.”

Iris sighs in relief. Cecile thankfully picks up but it’ll be two hours and Barry’s phone dies shortly after. He leans against the wall while Iris hops up on one of the machines. Barry tries not to think of the activities they’d get up to if they had gotten married for more typical reasons but it’s hard when Iris is drowning in his shirt and pouting her lips as she looks around the room.

“So, what should we do?”

He shrugs. “Well, um-“

“What was your case about?”

He relaxes slightly, thankful for a subject that will definitely distract from his irrespirable wife. He starts to explain the case, leaving out any confidential details and Iris gets that look on her face where he knows she’s listening but slightly lost in the science of it all. He used to think it annoyed her but she confessed a couple years back that while she didn’t understand it all, she did find it fascinating.

“Barry?” She whispers after he’s done and a comfortable silence settles between them.

“Hmm?”

“You think we should have kids?”

He stumbles slightly against the wall. “Um, do you want to?”

She bites her bottom lip and he finds that after an hour in such a small space, he can’t resist the image that pops up in his brain of kissing it free. “I think so. I know there’s always adoption and I think I’d be down for that if you are but we could try the biological way first.”

He assumes that like their marriage this might be a practical arrangement. After all, they sleep in separate bedrooms, careful not to let their family see that part of their house often. They decided the particulars of their marriage were no one’s business but their own and they let their family and friends stay blissfully ignorant.

“So did you want to try a fertility specialist or something? When did you—“

“Hey, Bear?”

He watches her slide off the washing machine and inch closer to him, fiddling with the edge of his tie. “Yeah?”

She smiles in a way he’s always dreamed of but never seen. She tugs at his tie to bring him closer and leans up bringing them close enough to kiss. “Why don’t we try it the traditional way first?”

Barry raises his eyebrows and squeaks out “you mean like now? Together? Here? Like right now?”

She chuckles darkly. “Yeah, we could—”

“Barry? Iris?”

“In here!” Shouts Iris. He expects her to jump away but she waits until they hear Cecile jiggle the doorknob and only then does she step away slowly.

Barry can barely catch his breath as Iris thanks Cecile and sends her on her way. He walks into their living room on shaky feet and wonders what to do next.

Iris leans against the door after seeing Cecile out and winks at him. “Why did you wear that tie, Barry?”

He tilts his head. “B-because you gave it to me.” And told me I look nice, he thinks. And smiled at me.

She smiles and saunters toward him. “Why did you marry me?”

His heart races as he considers denying the truth. The same truth he’s been so afraid to reveal for years but Iris wants children and is looking at him as if he should hope and so he does the brave thing. “Because I love you and I’ve never wanted to marry anyone else.”

Her smile melts from seductive to just soft. “Yeah?”

He nods.

She leans up and kisses him, chaste but lingering, the second kiss since their wedding day. “Me too, Bear.”

His heart leaps in his chest as he leans down to kiss her the way he’s wanted to for years.

When they part, she whispers, “you’ll be late for work.”

He shrugs and wraps his arms around her waist. “They’ll live.”

[yumeiii]

Chapter 1

Love can be great. It makes you feel warm inside, be so invested in a person that you don’t know what to do with your feelings, be loved and give love. But the majority of the time, love is ruthless. It can be unrequited, it sometimes doesn’t work out and it can make you feel so miserable you don’t have any strength left in you. Being young and having to deal with school, social life and love isn’t as easy as it seems and it’s been quite the ride for a certain group of students in Seoul.

Seo Seyoung, a junior in highschool with light brown hair and brown eyes, stopped by her family’s cafe before going to school, getting her daily bagel before heading out. The cafe was a side business so her parents entrusted the cafe to her older brother, Johnny.

Johnny Seo was tall, athletic, smart, funny and attractive with his brown hair, deep brown eyes and impeccable fashion. He also took good care of Seyoung and she knew she was basically privileged to have the most perfect brother. They were one year apart but she wondered why they were so different.

Seyoung arrived at school to see her best friend, Nanase Ayumi, sitting at her desk, probably doing the homework she forgot to do the day before. Ayumi was average in height but a bit taller than Seyoung, with black hair and light brown eyes, she was energetic, friendly and an amazing person to confide in.

— “Hey Yumi-ya” Seyoung greeted.

— “Oh, Seyoung-ah! Goodmorning!” Ayumi exclaimed energetically. “Did Jinyoung text you yet?”

— “Not yet...” Seyoung replied.

Jinyoung was Seyoung’s boyfriend. Tall, smart, popular and handsome but these days, Seyoung noticed that he was acting differently. He wasn’t replying to her texts, he had been a bit cold with her and not to mention that he was always busy for whatever reason.

— “See? I told you that bastard wouldn’t be good for you! He’s been paying you pure dust lately!” Ayumi complained.

— “Ayu, it’s not that big of a deal… he’s just busy,” Seyoung said.

— “But you do realise that you’re his girlfriend, right? There’s literally no reason why he should be ignoring you like this. What if he ends up ghosting you?!” Ayumi replied.

— “You worry too much! He’s not the type to do that” Seyoung exclaimed

— “Okay, then but if he does anything to you, I’m murdering him, understood?” Ayumi asked with a frown on her face.

— “Yeah, fine,” Seyoung laughed.

The homeroom teacher entered the classroom, marking the start of the first lecture of the day. Seyoung didn’t dare to think that Jinyoung would ghost her or that he was ignoring him on purpose but she still couldn’t get the thought out of her mind. She had better get rid of those feelings before her brother found out and started asking her about it, knowing how protective he is.

The bell rang, signaling the start of lunchtime as two boys came to Seyoung and Ayumi’s shared desk. They were Seyoung’s childhood besties, Donghyuck and Mark.

— “Hey can we go buy some banana milk? I have a strong craving today” Mark asked.

Mark Lee (or Korean name Lee Minhyung), was born in Jeju before moving to canada when he was 7 and coming back to korea when he was 13. He was the average height with black hair and bright eyes. He was adorable, a dork and a bit clumsy sometimes but he was the best friend anyone could have.

— “You have a craving for banana milk everyday, Mark Lee,” Hyuck complained.

Lee Donghyuck, nicknamed Hyuck, was the self-appointed #1 Seo Seyoung and Mark Lee bully. He was about the same height as Mark, with tanned skin, light brown hair and a bright smile. He’s known for being pretty mischievous and a bit over-the-top when teasing his friends but he will fight anyone who dares disrespect anyone he loves.

— “Damn Hyuck, give the man a break” Ayumi laughs as she rolls her eyes.

— “Not my fault that banana milk is the only thing he drinks,” Hyuck responded as he defended himself.

— “Well, there’s no use fighting about it so let’s go get Minhyung his milk” Seyoung smiled.

The group of friends were on one of the hallways as they made their way to the canteen just to be stopped by Johnny, who went up to his sister and his childhood friends.

— “Hey Elena!” Johnny exclaimed cheerfully. Elena was Seyoung’s english name but she didn’t really like using it but since Johnny and Seyoung communicate in english, Johnny saw it as the perfect opportunity to tease her about it.

— “Bro seriously, when will you stop using that name on me?” Seyoung sighed, annoyed.

— ”Never. So hey, I just wanted to ask you if you were short on money” Johnny said.

— “I’m fine but why?” Seyoung asked curiously.

— “I mean, I really wouldn’t want you to not have money because I don’t want you skipping any meals” as Johnny lectured his younger sister, another tall figure approached them.

— “Johnny, Xiao’s looking for you,” The tall young man said.

— “Oh Yuta, wait a sec,” Johnny responded.

— “Sunbae, hello” the younger group of friends greeted as they bowed.

— “Guys, you don’t need to bow! All of you know how close we are” Yuta smiled.

Nakamoto Yuta was a guy from japanese descent studying in korea, while also being the soccer team’s captain. He was tall, handsome, with dark brown hair reaching the middle of his neck and bright brown eyes. He was also one of Johnny’s best friends so he got to know Seyoung and the others very well.

— “So, sunbae! How’s the soccer team doing?” Mark asked politely.

— “Well, we’re getting in a little bit of extra training because inter-highs are in 2 months. We’ve also got some pretty good new additions to the team” Yuta responded.

— “It’s gotta be hard being the captain,” Ayumi commented.

— “I love doing it so I personally think it’s not that hard,” Yuta laughed as he was interrupted by a voice calling his name.

— “Sunbae! The coach is calling you!” Seyoung recognized the owner of the voice as Na Jaemin, one of the most popular guys in the whole school. He had everything: tall, smart, good at sports, kind and funny. It was no surprise that he had a girlfriend.

— “Oh, I gotta go. It was nice seeing you guys!” Yuta said before running off.

— “Wow… Yuta sunbae is so cool...” Mark said surprised.

— “I have to agree,” Hyuck nodded.

— “Well brother, we gotta go. We need to get Mark his daily dose of banana milk” Ayumi stated.

— “Right. I’ll see you later!” Johnny answered as he smiled and left to look for his friend.

After the quartet went to the canteen and got Mark his much desired banana milk, they went outside and sat down at their usual hideout: an old clubroom in the third building of the school. It was a bit dirty when they first found it but after Ayumi forced everyone to clean it up with her, it became a quiet space for the group to have fun since not many people knew of it and they were the only ones to have the key to the room itself after they begged faculty for it. They were currently sitting down on the table and chairs they had brought into the clubroom talking about whatever they wanted as they enjoyed their breaktime.

— “He hasn’t talked to you yet?!” Donghyuck asked, surprised.

— “Yeah but maybe he’s just busy...” Seyoung answered quietly.

— “But even if he was busy, he can actually put aside like two seconds of his time and text you? It’s not that hard” Mark said as he sipped a bit of his banana milk.

— “That’s what I told her! They’re dating and it doesn’t make any sense that Jinyoung is ignoring her like this” Ayumi agreed.

— “Seyoung, bro, he’s literally ghosting you at this point” Donghyuck commented as Seyoung tensed up.

— “Hyuck, don’t say that!” Mark exclaimed as he rubbed Seyoung’s shoulder in empathy.

— “He’s right, though. Seyoung-ah, if you want this relationship to last, you need to confront him about it! It’s really not fair for you” Ayumi said.

— “I want to but I really can’t do it!” Seyoung whined as Ayumi took some time to think of an alternative.

— “Oh, I know! Let’s make a deal” Ayumi smiled. “If you promise to confront Jinyoung, I’ll confess to Jungwoo”

Mark and Donghyucks’ jaws dropped to the floor as Seyoung went deep into thought. Jungwoo Kim was Ayumi’s one year crush. They were casual friends and they got along well and she fell for his kindness, calming presence, as well as his humour which never failed to brighten up her day. She could never find the right time to confess to him but she would do it if it could help her best friend.

— “... tempting,” Seyoung said after a long silence.

— “Tempting?! This is more than tempting! Just do it!!” Donghyuck exclaimed.

— “I don’t want to force you into anything but you should really do it” Mark agreed.

— “So, what do you say?” Ayumi asked as she put her hand out for a handshake.

— “Call” Seyoung answered as she took Ayumi’s hand and shook it. “We both need to do it before classes end today or else we’re getting a punishment chosen by Lee Donghyuck himself”

— “Oooh this is gonna be good” Donghyuck smiled evilly as a thousand ideas went through his mind on how to embarrass them in the most cruel way possible.

— “Call” Ayumi agreed as both friends sealed their promise.

Some time later, Seyoung mustered up the courage to look for Jinyoung and tell him how she felt. Her heartbeat sped up like crazy as she walked down the halls of the school in search of her boyfriend. She got to his classroom as she was met with a surprise: Jinyoung kissing another girl. Seyoung felt her blood boiling and all of her feelings of timidness faded away as they were replaced by pure anger.

— “Choi Jinyoung!” Seyoung exclaimed in anger.

— “Seyoung-ah?!” Jinyoung said surprised as the girl at his side was equally confused

— “You ghosted me and to make it worse you’re also cheating on me?!” Seyoung asked

— “Cheated on you?! Jinyoung-ah, what’s the meaning of this?” the other girl inquired.

— “Wait! Seyoung-ah, Minju-ya, I can explain!” Jinyoung said hastedly

— “There’s nothing to explain. We’re over” Seyoung said as a tear ran down her face and ran out of the classroom.

MASTERLIST

[khaoticallykat]

◇The Prince and The Punk◇

Chapter 9: End of the Rope

Word count: 1,802

Warnings: language

A/N: YOU THOUGHT I WAS DONE?! FAR FROM IT!! I had sever writer's block so I'm back y'all and I'm gonna finish this before the new year. I can't leave y'all hanging in 2020.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

Ransom dreaded the days ahead as it all too quickly became Saturday evening, he sat on his bed, looking at the black tv screen. Messages came from Clarissa saying that she was excited to spend dinner with him tonight and pictures of her in different dresses followed through, some more revealing than the last. But Ransom didn't care what she wore, he rarely ever did. He remembered the first time they went on a date, to get acquainted with each other and the potential future they had together. He remembered being told to be on his best behavior by his parents, remember the way her very short dress hugged her tightly. Second hand embarrassment crossed his mind as he remembered only staring at her breast during dinner, getting a little handsy with her on the way to the car, and finally getting her out of that tight dress in the backseat. 

Things slowly began to take a turn, the first time she actually hit him was when he raised his voice at her over a stupid argument. He remembered feeling ashamed, but the hitting became more often as the little things he did annoyed her. Ransom remembered her slapping him across the face in public at the bar for being friendly with the bartender. The time she shut him out in the rain for getting the wrong purse for her birthday. But the worse was when he didn't want sex, she would scratch, bite and hit him for refusing any advances made by her. 

He felt trapped. Doomed to be in this relationship forever. 

But things were different now, he wouldn't have to go through this anymore after tonight. Tonight he was going to get his life back, even if it meant losing everything. 

Ransom rubbed the small amount of stubble on his chin and checked his watch one last time, "Let's get this over with."

The restaurant was simple yet grand, something that would at least satisfy Clarissa who was picky on where they ate. "What made you want to go on a date all of a sudden?" She asked him as they pulled into the valet, letting the attendees open the car door for them. 

"It's been a while and we've both been working hard." Ransom smiled as he walked with her through the doors and were promptly sat at their table.

"Aw, babe, you're such a sweetheart when you're not being dumb." Clarissa said, "You should have shaved your face, you're starting to look like a hobo."

Ransom laughed, despite the mean comments as they ordered, "I'll remember that."

As expected, during the whole dinner Clarissa talked about herself and her school work, if it wasn't school work, it was cheerleading, if it wasn't cheerleading, it was her life. Ransom, sat and listened to the whole thing, zoning in and out of Clarissa's speech, she could be a filibuster with the way she talked. 

"And also, when are we going to be getting anything from your grandfather?" She asked, "That old geezer should totally help us pay for our wedding, I'm sure he has the money for it, plus it's just two more years until we get married, do you think he'll stay alive that long? That house nurse looks like she's sucking him dry and not just in the boring way." 

Ransom's jaw clenched, "You know, babe, funny you should mention my grandpa." He chuckled darkly, "He's not giving us shit, my family isn't even his fucking will, can you believe that?" 

Clarissa's jaw dropped, "what the fuck? How are your parents going to pay mine back?" She seethed, "That fucking old dick, we have the right to his money!" 

"I don't know how my parents are going to pay yours back, it's messed up actually, because since he told me that, I'm ending this relationship." 

"You're…. What?" She asked, dropping her fork, "You're fucking with me Ransom, you can't just 'end this relationship', we're engaged basically." 

"There's no paperwork saying that we're together," Ransom said, standing up from the table, "so I'm done, I'm done with how you treat me like shit, beat on me and assault me. We're done Clarissa, I'm serious. You will get nothing from my family." 

The whole restaurant stood still, watching Ransom and Clarissa, hushed voices could be heard but it was clear that everyone knew this was a break up. 

"Ransom, you can't do this!" 

"But I just did, waiter, she's paying for the dinner, I forgot my wallet at home." Ransom said, turning and walking out the door, Clarissa chasing after him. 

"Where the fuck are you going?!" She yelled, "You can't leave me here!"

The car was brought around and Ransom received his keys, getting into his BMW and rolled down the window, "Call an Uber." 

"You're gonna fucking regret this!" 

"I don't have anything to regret if it gets me away from you, eat shit Clarissa. " Ransom said as he pulled away from the restaurant, down the road while Clarissa stood in shock. 

Monday rolled around as your weekend went by, taken up by work and school work, it was strange but not unusual to not hear from Ransom, but you saw his BMW in the parking lot at school and figured he had a busy weekend like you did. What you weren't expecting was Clarissa's dirty look as she walked by your car, weird. Later that day you found Ransom in the library, wearing the leather jacket you picked out for him. He looked gorgeous, his skin glowed and he had a smile on his face, which only grew more wide when he saw you. The warm smile made your heart flutter as you sat across from him. 

"What's that look for?" You asked him, "finally understand your math homework?"

"I broke up with Clarissa." 

Your eyes widened, "Seriously? Is that why she was giving me a dirty look today?" 

"Ignore her," he said, "I got tired of it, of her, controlling me and making me feel like shit." 

"God damn, I'm happy for you then, what girl are you gonna swoon next?" You laughed, but felt a sting in your chest from the thought of Ransom being with someone else. That wasn't jealousy was it? No, no, you don't get jealous. Especially not over a himbo like Ransom fucking Drysdale. 

"I don't know," he said, stroking the imaginary beard he had, his blue eyes staring deep into yours, "I could try to swoon you, make you my girl, my sweetheart."

Oh fuck. 

You both burst out laughing as people who walked by gave you both looks. 

"Shut the hell up Ransom!" You said, wiping tears off your face. The statement only made your heart swell more, Ransom was your friend and that was the boundary that was set. 

"Alright, alright, it was worth a shot," He smiled, "but do I still get to take you out places?" 

"You can take me anywhere you wanna go Ransom, I'm always down for a road trip with you, even to the store." You smiled as you stood up from your seat, "I gotta get going, I got work today, catch you later?" 

He nodded, "have a good day at work, sweetheart." 

"Eat shit, Ransom." 

You walked out to your car, noticing as you got closer, your tire was flat. "Fucking great-" not one, but two, and they weren't just flat, your tires were slashed. You blood began to boil as you looked around for the culprit, your eyes landing on the cheerleading squad, laughing loudly with some of the football players. Among them you saw Clarissa, laughing and smoking a cigarette. 

You tried to rationalize that maybe she wasn't the one that slashed your tires, maybe it was someone else who had it out for you. But who? That's when she made eye contact with you, a big smug look on her face. 

Ok, this bitch is just asking for it. 

You marched across the parking lot to group, silence falling as you walked up to Clarissa. 

"Hey, it's y/n! What's up?!" She asked. 

"You slashed my tires." You answered, it wasn't a question, but you know it was a fact.

Clarissa gave an exaggerated gasp, "what?! Why would I do that?" 

"Listen, Clarissa, I don't know what you have against me, but if this is about you and Ransom breaking up, leave me out of this. I'll give you a chance to pay for my tow and tire replacement before I-"

"Hm, I assumed Ransom told you we broke up?" She asked, stepping closer to you, "or were you waiting for him to break up with me? Controlling him so you could get your slutty hands on him."

"Ok," you breathed, getting annoyed by the minute, "first of all, I have no interest in Ransom, he's just my friend and-"

"A friend you're fucking," she scoffed, "you don't think I noticed the way he looks at you?! Spending all his time with you?! What would he ever see in you? You're probably not even a good fuck."

You snapped, clenching your hand into a fist as you reeled back and- 

A arm wrapped around your shoulder, another grabbing your wrist, you looked up to see Ransom, staring daggers at Clarissa.

"I called a tow truck, go to my car." He said sternly, it was the first time you actually listened to him without fighting back. 

Your shoulders relaxed as you began to walk away, Clarissa was clearly about to say something when Ransom turned his back to her. You stood silently at his car, looking at your pathetic little Volkswagen. Your blood still boiled, wanting to get back at Clarissa, but you knew it wouldn't do you any good. 

Ransom was taking pictures of your tires, probably for insurance purposes, "I'll change your tires at my place, you should call your job and tell them you'll be late." 

"I can't get to work, I'm gonna need to call out." You sighed.

"I'll take you and pick you up, it's the least I can do for you." He said.

You felt your gut twist at his kind action, why the hell were you in the middle of this? And why did you feel so weak? Pulling out your phone you began walking in a circle around his car, calling your manager to say that you weren't coming in today. Thankfully, she understood and didn't ask questions, the tone of your voice was all she needed to know something was wrong. Hanging up, the bright yellow flashing lights of the tow truck came to a halt in front of your car, Ransom gave the man his address and soon your car was towed. 

"Let's get going." He smiled as you both got into his car and followed. 

[queen-of-the-vampires]

elijah, meet elijah

characters: elijah mikaelson x reader, reader’s family, klaus mikaelson

word count: 2,213

warnings: fluff

summary: you take elijah to meet your family for the first time, and he gets a lot more than he bargained for.

beta: she wants to remain anonymous

squares filled: meet cute

author’s note: this is for my own fluff bingo and if you have any requests, please send them in!

feedback the glue that holds my writing together

tags at the bottom

“I’m really nervous right now,” you said as you bit your lip and bounced your leg in nervousness.

“It’s going to be alright. Parents love me,” Elijah grinned from behind the wheel. He knew how nervous you were and tried to lighten the air.

“No, I love you. My parents are a different story. Not saying they’re mean or strict, but they will either be overly friendly or play the ‘tough parent’ act. They might overdo it. My siblings aren’t that far behind. My mom overthinks everything and anything. When she found out I was dating you, she wanted to throw me a party. My dad may act tough in front of you, but don’t let him steer you. He’s harmless,” you rambled. This happened whenever you were nervous, and the only way to stop it is if someone forced you to stop.

“My brother may want to beat your ass because he got this older brother protective vibe going on, but he’s all talk and no bite. Well, he did beat up my ex-boyfriends way before I met you, but you’re so big, tall, and muscular, so he got nothing on you. Though they are human, so maybe not mention the whole vampire thing, okay? They don’t know anything about that life. My sister, though, is a little shit and will try and get with you. She’s just that way. She’s a teenager, and she thinks she can get any guy she wants. Just stay away from her. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe we should turn around.”

You were cut off by Elijah’s lips on yours, and you could feel yourself relaxing at his touch. When you remembered he was driving, you pulled away quickly in shock but frowned when you saw he was parked in your parent’s driveway. Damn, how long were you rambling? Pressing your lips back on his, you wanted nothing more than to crawl over the middle console and have your way with him. He had a habit of making you forget where you were or what you needed to be doing, but they needed to be done. As you pulled away, you bit his bottom lip and tugged, letting it snap back into place.

“We will definitely be continuing this later, Mikaelson,” you grinned when he growled lowly. Getting out of the car, you met Elijah on his side before walking to the front door. Your parents were the kind of people who always kept their doors unlocked, so you opened it after taking a deep breath. However, the family member that greeted you wasn’t human, and you forgot to mention him to Elijah.

“Oh, I forgot to mention--” Your baby golden retriever barked which interrupted you. He ran at full speed once he smelled your presence, but he bypassed you and went straight for Elijah. As much as he loved you, he loved strangers more. Your dog wasn’t small like how a puppy should be, but he hasn’t grown to his full size just yet. Elijah laughed as he caught your dog when he jumped up to his legs. Your puppy licked his face excitedly as Elijah pet his soft fur.

“Elijah, meet Elijah. I named him before I met you,” you laughed.

“Hello, Elijah,” your boyfriend smiled. Your dog barked and begged to be put down, and when Elijah did so, he ran around his feet and sniffed. Once he was satisfied with the stranger, he went to you with a happy bark. Picking him up, you pressed kisses all over his face.

“He’s my baby. I hate that I’m away from him,” you said as you walked further into the house.

“How old is he?” he asked, and he shut the door behind him.

“Almost 2 years old. I know, he’s so big already, but I love him. Mom! Dad! I’m home!” you called out for your family.

“Y/N! It’s so good to see you!” Your mom came out of the kitchen, and you set Elijah down so you could hug your mom. Elijah happily stood next to your boyfriend and wagged his tail as he watched.

“I missed you so much. Oh, mom, meet Elijah, my boyfriend,” you blushed as you pulled away.

“Hello, Mrs. Y/L/N. It’s nice to meet you,” he said politely as he held out his hand for her to shake.

“Oh, put that hand away,” Your mother grinned as she pulled him in for a hug. She was shorter than you by a couple of inches, so she had to reach for Elijah.

“Y/N?” Your dad spoke as he entered the room. Looking at him over your shoulder, you grinned widely before rushing over to him to hug him.

“Dad!”

“Hey, sweetheart,” he said as he kissed your head.

“This is Elijah, my boyfriend.”

“Nice to meet you, sir,” he said as he shook hands.

“Nice grip,” your father praised. Your mother took Elijah’s coat for him, and she grinned at the muscles he sported.

“Oh, you’re strong. Lucky Y/N,” your mother laughed.

“I’m the lucky one, ma’am. Y/N is an amazing woman,” he gushed.

“Oh please, call me Barbra.”

“So, what do you do?” your dad asked.

“Oh, Sean, leave him alone. He is a very nice man,” Your mom led your father away into the kitchen.

“Sorry about that, Elijah. We should really come up with a cover story about what you do. I don’t think managing vampires in the French Quarter will sell here.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll think of something,” he whispered as he pulled you close and pressed a kiss to your lips.

“And you are?” your oldest brother asked as he entered the room. He acts so toughly, but you knew he wouldn’t really do anything if there was no true threat. He was older by two years, but he acted so much older than that.

“Nick, this is Elijah. I told you about him.”

“You know I’ve beaten up her boyfriends before,” Nick said, getting off to a bad start.

“Nick, stop it. Elijah is very respectful.”

“Trust me, Nick, I would beat myself up before I even think about hurting her. Not to mention my brother would love to get a swing or two in there,” Elijah chuckled cooly. He was right, Klaus would kick his ass if Elijah ever hurt you. Since you spend so much time with the Mikaelsons, he became your best friend.

“Come on, Lucy is over, and she’s waiting for you,” Nick said before going to the living room.

“I love Lucy!!”

“Who’s Lucy?” Elijah asked, picking your dog up and following you.

“My mom’s friend’s daughter. She’s only 2 years old, and I want her. She is so cute,” you grinned when you saw the adorable blue-eyed toddler. She squealed when she saw you, standing on her little legs and waddling over to you.

“Lucy! Hi!” Picking her up, you kissed her cheek before placing her on your hip.

“T!” she giggled.

“She can’t pronounce my name, so she calls me T,” You explained to your boyfriend. Taking a seat on the loveseat, you placed the toddler in your lap as Elijah joined you. Your puppy curled on his lap comfortably, content with just staying there.

“So, Y/N, you never told us how you two met,” your mother asked when she came from the kitchen with a tray of hot tea. She handed one to you and Elijah before taking a seat on a chair. Truth be told, you met Elijah because he saved you from a vampire’s bite. One had been chasing you through the woods when he came, and he healed you before taking you in to make sure you were okay.

“Well, that’s a funny story actually,” you chuckled nervously.

“We met in a bar actually, well, a Grill of some sorts in Mystic Falls, Virginia. Before you say anything, it wasn’t like that. My brother, Niklaus, had a crush on a woman that used to go there a lot, and he dragged me along with him. Y/N was there, playing pool with some other girls, and I couldn’t stop staring at her. Niklaus was the one to actually push me into talking to her. I’m glad he did,” Elijah finished with a smile.

“Awe, you hear that Sean?” Your mother beamed.

“Every word,” he said as he walked into the room and took a seat on the armrest next to your mother.

“Elijah, let me show you around,” you said as you stood up, placing Lucy back on your hip. Elijah complied, and your dog jumped off his lap to trot behind. He loves strangers, but he seemed to cling to your boyfriend’s side more than usual. Taking Elijah upstairs, you pointed out each room before explaining what they were. Approaching your room, you stood outside of it before taking a deep breath.

“I haven’t been in this room in so long, so don’t judge me about the things I have in here. I was 18 when I moved out, mind you,” you grinned before opening the door. When you were 18, you were into crazy shit and had posters all over your room.

“Not judging,” he laughed as he walked inside. Taking a seat on the bed, you placed Lucy on your lap. She babbled and started playing with your long necklace. She was always a happy baby, and you were thankful for that. Elijah maneuvered around your room and studied the trinkets you had inside. Lucy looked at you before giving your cheek a light slap. Giggling, you peppered kisses all over her face to which she squealed. The bed dipped beside you, and Elijah grinned as he placed his hand on your lower back.

“I want one,” you commented after she calmed down. It was possible since you were human and he was a vampire. Lord knows you’ve tried enough times to make it happen.

“You’re really good with her.”

“Nah, she’s always happy,” you blushed.

“Want to try and have one?” Elijah asked, giving you a serious look.

“We’ve tried so many times to make it happen. I mean, Klaus impregnated Hayley, and he’s a vampire, but he’s also a werewolf. I can always get a sperm donor, but I want my child to be yours.”

“We’ll think of something. I want nothing more than to give you what you want,” he said truthfully. Before you had a chance to respond, your dog barked loudly and jumped onto Elijah’s lap. He fell from the force and laughed when the dog started licking his face. It was amazing how much your dog loved your boyfriend, and you wished that you could take him with you when you left.

The rest of the day went by smoother. Your dad grew to like Elijah, and your brother didn’t threaten him every time he caught his hands on you. You were only going to be there for the day, and night fell more quickly than you expected.

“Please, come back soon,” your mom said as she guided you two to the door. Elijah was in your brother’s arms, and he whined at the fact that you were leaving so soon.

“I will try mom,” you nodded before turning to your boyfriend. “You think we can convince Klaus to let us keep Elijah?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Okay, Nick, I’ll take him,”  you grinned. Your brother set down your dog, and he ran happily over to Elijah.

“Okay, we’ll be leaving now,” you said as you two walked out the door and to the car. Your parents said their goodbyes before closing the front door.

“He’ll love Elijah. I mean, who wouldn't?” you grinned as you let him in the backseat.

After arriving back at the Mikaelson Manor, Elijah dashed out of the car as soon as you opened the door.

“Well, that’s one way to ease Klaus into it,” you laughed. Walking into the mansion, you saw Elijah all over Klaus as he was trying to read.

“Get him out of here.”

“No, Klaus, please. He’s a complete sweetheart. Elijah and I will take care of him, so you don’t have to do anything. He’s my baby, and I hate leaving him at my parent’s house,” you begged, giving him your best puppy dog eyes you could muster up.

“Why you have to do that every time you want something?” Klaus groaned.

“Please Klaus. He’s a good dog,” you sniffled as if you were crying.

“I hate you both so much right now,” he sighed. Taking that as his answer, you grinned happily.

“His name is Elijah.”

“Great, another pain in my ass,” Klaus half-joked as he got up and left the living room

“Why don’t you and I get started on making that baby?” Elijah grinned as he pulled you back into him from behind.

“I have no problem with that,” you whispered as you closed your eyes once you felt his lips at your neck. Your dog barked as he nudged your legs in request to give him attention.

“We should go to your room. Then after, you’re taking me to the store to buy him food and stuff,” you ordered as Elijah picked you up bridal style. You loved your boys so much.

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not a goodbye || chase and jonah

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍: chase and jonah’s freshman dorm // spring 2021.

𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: chase x jonah.

𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒: two best friends in a room, they might kiss.

𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒: chase and jonah say goodbye to their freshman dorm room and the last time they will be actual roommates. but they have plenty of good times ahead of them.

Getting their dorm room packed up after one of the greatest years Chase had ever had was a little bittersweet. Part of him thought him and Jonah were going to be roommates roommates for the whole four years. Especially after a few months had gone so well, he thought that nothing would ever change. But it was time to go, and next year they would be living in a house together with their other friends and that was going to be great too. But this was a special kind of greatness, the kind of closeness you get with someone who you spend every day and every night with. The person in the room you come back to after a hard test, a really good shower thought, or a great day. "We've had a lot of fun in here, man" said Chase, vocalizing his sentimentality for living in here. "Just you me and Saphira" he added with a smile, the cat had already been packed up and dropped off to be taken care of by Nana.

Jonah exhaled deeply as he looked around the almost empty dorm room. The past year had been one of the best he ever had, and a lot of it was thanks to Chase. The thought of living in the same room with someone was a little intimidating. He was scared it would be too draining on him, but if anything, it brought the two boys even closer. Chase was someone that balanced Jonah out nicely. His extroverted personality brought that out in Jonah as well, but he also respected when Jonah needed a bit of a cool down. Even with everything going on with Julian, Jonah was able to relax a bit whenever Chase was around. But now they were moving on to bigger things, an actual house filled with their friends. It was different, but Jonah was pretty excited for it. Looking back on his life, he would have never expected to find such great friends. They did more for him than they really knew. "Saphira really was a great roommate." Jonah patted his friend's back as he spoke. "You were a pretty good runner up, though." he said jokingly. "But it doesn't stop, we got all summer to be with each other. You, me, and those summer camp kids. Can't believe we let the twins talk us into that, but if it's up to Hollingsworth standards, it's gotta be great."

Chase was resisting his urge to hug Jonah, because he was being a little ridiculous. They were going to spend all summer together, and even live together next year. It was just sentimental because it was the end of an era, but honestly their friendship was just getting started. They were gonna be on a long life journey together, that was certain. Chase had never had a male friend like this before in his life, let alone a male friend group. "Yeah, those twins. They can talk anyone into anything. Peer pressure is a great look on them" said Chase with a laugh. The four of them had a solid dynamic, and you'd think they'd stress Jonah out. But Chase knew they were total nerds, those Hollingsworth girls. It was only a matter of time before the four of them's common interests reigned true. "We really are going to have the best summer ever, and you've got your girl. I've got ... a literal child. Look at us" he said with a laugh.

"It's those damn debate team skills. It's unmatched." Jonah let out a sigh before laughing. Jonah was very aware of just how intense the Hollingsworth girls could be, but he also did know them before they both evolved. They were pretty much goobers, in the best way possible, of course. Jonah smiled wide once his friend mentioned Rory. It was so good to be back with her, like he was finally complete. But then Chase mentioned how he had a child. A real life child. Jonah never forgot about that one, it lived in his brain absolutely rent free. He looked at Chase with wide eyes and laughed along "We're really stepping it up. Raising that bar for everyone. Who could top that?" He really was going to have a great summer with his bud, he was sure of it. "Oh shit, there's also that New York trip!" he said with such excitement. Jonah didn't get to see Mia as often so he was really happy to go up and visit her as well. She was in a good place, physically and mentally. It was all he could ever ask for. "I can't wait to see your family."

It was nice to see Jonah smile like that because of Rory. Chase was well aware she was the missing piece this year, he was sad that she hadn't followed suit with everyone else and come here. Wren was also clearly missing her all the time. There was a Rory sized hole in both of their hearts, and it hurt Chase to see that. "Yeah, two days until the boys are headed to the big city" said Chase excitedly. They had been planning this trip all year. It was weird to be going home without Gabrielle, but it was going to be nice. Like he was a regular boy who hadn't gotten tangled up in so much stuff. "My parents can't wait to see you, my mom is obsessed" Chase replied, "and also maybe my sister. Please don't pull a Jonah and date my sister" he joked. Chase knew very well that Jonah was more than happy with Rory, and Amy liked everyone who breathed. She and Chase were most definitely related in that aspect.

It felt good to know that Chase's family liked Jonah, especially because he loved them so much. It hurt to know that Chase was separated from them for this long. Even if it were a few years, there were still important parts of his life that he couldn't share with the rest of his family. Sometimes that's how Jonah felt about Mia. The three Keller kids were no strangers to being separated, but it had been years since he had been around his little sister. Jonah tried to look at the bright side when it came to Chase, though. If he didn't move with Gabrielle, the two would have never met. This friendship meant a lot to him, it was one of the most important relationships he had. What mattered most was that Chase was where he wanted to be. Jonah rolled his eyes and shoved his friend gently, "To be fair, I was Rory's boyfriend before I even met Wren." he said with a smile. His friendship with Wren also meant a lot, the whole group was really special. "But I promise, I will not pull a Jonah a second time in my life. Same goes for you. Mia's been asking about you a lot, and it's sus."

Sometimes Chase thought about fate. How funny it was that everything in his life was leading to him moving. From joining cheer because he was an insecure little twerp who wanted to talk to girls, to finding friends who helped him have the confidence to talk to Gabrielle, to the dates and falling in love for the first time. From there it was the pregnancy and the move, all leading up to him getting to meet all these incredible people. People he would have missed out. Part of him thought about how he would have met Jonah somehow anyways. How their sisters were in school together, and that they became friends without them. That he would have met Jonah and been a friendly stranger to him once, never knowing what could have been. He loved that he was a sentimental fuck sometimes, it meant that he could enjoy life more. "I mean, I've always wanted you to be my real brother. Let's make it brothers in law" said Chase with a smile.

Jonah's jaw dropped dramatically, "So Mia gets to live out my dream by marrying you? Yeah fucking right. I will be an absolute monster at that wedding, I promise you." he said before laughing. He enjoyed the friendship he had with Chase. They were able to make little jokes with each other without it being weird, it was always a fun time. "Besides, getting with my sister will cut into your 'that one time in summer camp' fling. You can't fuck with that trope, it's golden." Jonah was all for him and Gabrielle getting back together, as long as they were both happy with each other, but Chase also deserved a good summer. Whatever his friend was down for, Jonah would support.

"I love it when you get jealous" said Chase with a smirk. They were two funny little pals, weren't they. Jonah made an excellent point, "one time at summer camp does sound like a good way to start a story, I can't pass that up. It's way lamer to say one time at my little sister's graduation I spent time with the love of my life and then married his sister" Chase said as he laughed some more. Maybe Chase did deserve to have some fun this summer. It had been a while.

"Well luckily for me, there's been no need to get jealous. You know, since you haven't been with anyone for a while." Jonah said with a stupid little grin. Would Chase get a little sulky from that? Perhaps. But all the clowning going down in their simp nation groupchat was really getting to Jonah. He was feeling all sassy lately with his friends. Maybe it was this little boost of confidence from having Rory back. "We could have been one year deep into a beautiful relationship, but now I'm a taken man. You've missed your chance." he continued on with the joke. "Yeah that one just doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely. They say shit get's pretty wild at this camp. Who knows what could happen."

"Oh I see how it is, we just live the single life together for so long. The if I can't have you no one can trope is about to kick in. I'm gonna have myself a little chat with Rory" said Chase laughing, they were having fun. Jonah had been happier recently, honestly he'd been doing really well all year. Chase faked a shot to the heart, "you're killing me, Keller" he said with a little laugh, "I'll get you one day". Chase picked up the last of his bags, "we've got a week until camp. Games tonight right? I promise to not let you win" said the boy as he took one last look around the room.

"Wow now you're getting all jealous? Hm, I think I like what I see." Jonah smirked at Chase before laughing. Being around Chase just made everything better. Even with everything going on with Julian, Jonah was still trying to keep his spirits up. "I'll enjoy every moment of the chase." Jonah smiled to himself, not intending the play on words. He then nodded in response as he looked around to make sure they weren't leaving anything behind. "Oh thank you so much, I didn't know you were so selfless." he said with a smile as he placed his hand over his heart. "We should have an ice cream run later tonight. Loser pays, and don't worry, I won't get anything too expensive."

Chase laughed "suck a dick, Jonah. Mine, specifically. Don't you worry I will definitely tell Rory" he said as he flipped him off and headed down to the car and headed back to Gabrielle's guest house for the next few days. Soon enough he would be in the car with Jonah on the way to see his family, and life would be good. For now he had the daunting Hale house in the distance, it emanating its cold vibes into his little safe haven. //END