#and my cousin went with our ten year old cousin and everyone tried to fight them too

[vivaciouslyvibing]

Ok so I am very into music, saw over 100 acts last year, and I go with friends to stuff they like all the time. May not be my cup of tea, but I like seeing them happy and I can vibe to music even if I dont absolutely love it. But whenever I bring any of my friends to my music they throw a fit and refuse to be present for more than ten mins. It just feels shitty. I listen to your objectively shitty music, why cant you listen to mine? Just for a night? This is pretty much every friend I have. Even the ones who like the music I like. There' no reason for it. It's just rude and I wish they could be open minded enough to have the same respect I have for them. You dont see me pouting in the corner when you bring me to a club that plays the same 100 pop songs clubs have played since the 2000s.

[quill-of-thoth]

The Saga of Great Uncle Asshole And The Priest From Hell

It's thanksgiving (in the US) so have a family gathering disaster that is old enough to be funny. Almost a decade ago, after a life of stirring up drama everywhere she went, my grandmother died. She was an unhappy woman who tried to be better to her grandkids than she was to her kids, and didn't always succeed, and she's the reason that when I smell cinnamon tic tacs they're accompanied by the reek of an illusory cigarette. This is not a sad post. This is a post about the fact that her funeral was a fucking disaster and it was ultimately about 50% her fault. See, my whole family was at one point or another catholic. Grandma really enjoyed going to church in her last years because it got her out of the nursing home, and priests have to listen when you tell them about the husband you divorced and the children who think they know better than you. Grandma did not consider the fact that the local priest she'd latched onto like a talkative moray eel in a cloud of nicotine smoke was an unmitigated bigot. She left instructions that she wanted her funeral to be at that specific catholic church and for that priest to do the sermon. It didn't occur to her that the person who would be organizing her funeral would be her gay daughter and her daughter's wife.

Shit started getting real about when the doors opened to recieve mourners. Over the course of ten minutes, my aunt summoned:

her elder sister, a paralegal

my father, who has never seen a conflict he would not cheerfully walk away from

Their younger brother, in order to swear at the priest

My mother, who hadn't had a good opportunity to fight a priest since we left our own church and was game to do it again.

This left me, the eldest grandchild, in charge of the receiving line, despite the fact that I knew approximately no one there. My brother and cousins were woodenly shaking hands and then whispering "who's that?" "I don't know." My aunt's husband was escorting the elderly and infirm up the stairs one at a time. My uncle's wife was also around but she knew even fewer people and was mostly listening at the door of the ongoing argument.

So when my brother and Boy cousin went to see if we could pry someone who knew who was related to us out of the argument and I was busy trying to convince an octegenarian that she did NOT need to figure out which of her cousins had married one of grandma's siblings before sitting down, Girl Cousin was alone at the door.

Great Uncle Asshole arrived in a storm of curses and a faux-coonskin cap. He blew past Girl Cousin, thumped his cane up the steps, and seized my hand. It was like shaking hands with an extremely strong mummy. "You look just like your mother! It's the hair, what a bird's nest. Where's your daddy? And the rest of Helen's brood."

I muttered something about them finalizing details with the priest.

"Well, they'll come see me soon enough. Bet you don't know who I am!" I didn't know who anyone was. Everyone older than me was having a verbal cage match with a member of the clergy or escorting some other old fogey to their seats, everyone younger than me had even fewer clues, and my only hope was to wrap this conversation as fast as possible. "Nope!" I said, "I haven't seen most of the people here in years." If I had ever seen them in the first place. He was going to be mad, but I figured if I had to be the bouncer I could probably take an eighty-something year old guy who breathed like the surgeon general's personal warning to smokers. I could at least shut the door on him.

"Of course you wouldn't! Your gran wouldn't have told you. I'm your great uncle Roger, and I'm here to bury the hatchet, by which I mean your grandma! She and I swore over our father's casket we'd never be under the same roof again while we both lived, and by god I kept my oath!" People were starting to stare, and it was at this moment that a thirty-something man in a suit sprinted up the stairs, and my uncle's wife, with a look of dawning horror, called her husband. "Roger's here." The middle aged folks descended immediately. Here is a snapshot of the ensuing conversation: "Roger, why don't we find you a seat?" - my mother in her best teacher voice "Glad to see you're doing well enough to make it" - My father, in his best 'good god I want to be anywhere else' voice. "Take me to the coffin! I want to see her with my own two eyes!" - Great Uncle Asshole, "And hang up my **** hat! Killed it myself!" "I'm so sorry, I didn't know he could walk that fast" - strange suit man "If you are QUITE finished, I am starting the ceremony in ten minutes" - the priest

As my father and his brother towed a grinning and cursing old man to the furthest reaches of the family section, my mother and my oldest aunt caught all the cousins up on the argument with the priest. My youngest aunt was still crying while her wife stared fixedly at the stained glass panes and periodically handed over tissues. The upshot of it all was that my aunt and her wife would be allowed to attend the funeral (on pain of the whole family literally walking out on the priest) but would not be allowed to take communion, because the priest didn't believe in their marriage. My aunt's wife had neglected to point out that, being Jewish, she wasn't going to take communion anyway. "That's fucked" said boy cousin, and the four of us immediately resolved in whispers to refuse communion as well. The priest opened his sermon with pointed remarks about the older generation's devotion and respect for the church. He continued on through psalms and all that until he got to the blessing of the eucharist and asked the family up to receive communion. My father, who hadn't taken communion since I could remember, stayed seated. My mother stayed seated. My aunts and uncles stayed seated. The cousins stayed seated. About a third of the church didn't move. "Well father, I'll have mine! These young folks think hey have all the time in the world to get right with the lord, but you and I know better!" The priest, who had been visibly hoping god would smite us, turned a wincing glare on my great uncle and the series of distant relatives and nursing home neighbors who were now shuffling up. The service dragged on. We were lined up to say goodbye to everyone, while the suit man (who would turn out to be my second cousin) bodily hauled great uncle asshole and his coonskin cap down the stairs. "I should have known my sister wouldn't manage to raise any good Catholics! Horrible woman." he said loudly as he was stuffed into a car driven by suit man's apparent twin. The priest approached as we were finally ready to leave, to ask why we were so stubborn that we deprived ourselves of communion. After all, unlike my youngest aunt, we weren't obvious sinners! "Oh, I'm Lutheran" - My eldest aunt. "I'm an atheist" - My uncle "I don't think you're qualified to bless anything." - My mother, who learned her religion primarily from a horde of socialist-leaning nuns.

With that, we left the wreck of my grandmother's funeral behind. "Helen," said my mother, very deliberately, when we were safely in the car, "would have HATED that." My dad started laughing. "Are you kidding? She would have loved that! It would have been all she complained about for years!"

[things-arent-what-they-seem66]

(Odyssey/Epic AU)

⚠️death of an infant⚠️

The war in Troy had been going on for ten years. Lucifer wishing for it to end so he could be with his husband and daughter. There was a contest to fight for the hand of a beautiful Princess of Sparta. Lucifer was a contestant, but his eyes were only on her cousin, Adam who was a Prince of Sparta and a warrior in his own right. To Lucifer’s eyes, Adam’s radiant beauty outshone the Princess. Lucifer came with a plan that if anyone stole the Princess from the man she chose, all the contestants who join forces with her husband and fight to get her back. “What do you want in return” they asked Lucifer, they all expected he would want the Princess, but his answer surprised them.

Lucifer: I want Adam for my bride and my Queen.

Adam traveled to the island of Ithica and he met his groom to be under an olive tree. They fell in love at first sight. Lucifer carved their nuptial bed into the tree leaving it rooted in the ground to show Adam that his love was as strong as the roots of and tree. A grand and beautiful palace was built around the bed and on their wedding night Lucifer carried Adam to their bed and made love to him. Their wedding was blessed especially when Adam gave birth to their daughter, Charlotte. Lucifer ran to their chambers to see Adam laying their holding their daughter.

Adam: Look Lucifer, our daughter.

Lucifer: She is as perfect her mother.

Adam’s foolish cousin ran away with the youngest Prince of Troy. Lucifer had to go to war because of the plan Lucifer was now cursing. Troy was a great city surrounded by walls. Lucifer prayed to his goddess and mentor, Sera, for a brilliant strategy. She told him to build a large wooden horse filled with soldiers that he would lead. Once the wooden horse was in Troy and everyone drunk from celebration, Lucifer would strike and open the gates. Lucifer was now dressed in his armor and climbed into the giant wooden horse with his troops. The plan was a success and they fought, Lucifer ran into the palace and found the infant son of the oldest Prince of Troy who was now slain. The King of all gods told Lucifer to kill the baby.

Lucifer: I can’t, he is an innocent.

“KILL HIM” shouted the King of the gods. To make it worse Lucifer was shown images of what would happen if the baby lived. He would be filled with rage and go to war with Ithica. He would bring slaughter, kill Lucifer and Adam, take Charlotte who went by Charlie as a war prize. Lucifer picked up the baby horrified with himself as he walked onto the balcony overlooking the battle. Tears fell as he closed his eyes and dropped the baby from the balcony.

Lucifer: What have I done.

On Ithica Adam was woken from his slumber as ten year old Charlie ran to his room.

Charlie: Mama, I had a nightmare about a battle, when will papa come home.

Adam: I hope it will be soon.

Adam picked up Charlie and held her while coaxing her to sleep.

⚠️ TW Attempted SA ⚠️

Adam missed his husband so much, Lucifer was the love of his life and being away from him for so long made his heart ache.

He hoped that he was okay.

Others told him that it's been ten years, that he should move on and find a new husband that Charlie needs a father.

Adam could never lay with another, not when he's had the best.

That didn't stop people, namely men from trying to seduce him. The polite ones were easy, all he had to do was say he wasn't interested.

The others just wouldn't take no for an answer and one man by the name of Steve tried to force Adam into sexual intercourse.

Adam promptly punched him in the face and threatened to do worse if he ever came back.

They could see the ocean from their home and every night Adam looked out to see if any boats would come to shore. If any had his husband on them.

They never did, but he never stopped.

Lucifer wasn't dead until he saw with his own eyes.

[avocado-frog]

I'm rereading my wip and doing some editing and there's so much comedic potential in rewriting it but from Kai and Marcy's point of view.

Like. Their Shithead and Mom Friend cousins went to their house on halloween and three days later are like "yo we're in a government conspiracy lmao" and literally just leave the entire state without telling anyone and then their aunt and uncle move away literally two months later. And then two weeks after the twins leave they call and are like "we've adopted three kids. They're ten years old, they're all autistic, and one of them got stabbed in the eye, hallucinates his dead mom a lot, and sleeps in the washing machine and they're our brothers" and Kai and Marcy just have to accept that

Leo doesn't talk to them until Christmas. When she does, it's a text that says "Elliot ate glue" and they have no fucking idea who elliot is. It's their recently acquired cousin that No One Told Them About

The whole group comes back to Maine in March but everyone in their town thought the twins were legitimately dead so they're all losing their minds. Kai and Marcy meet Logan, Jaxon, Lily, Dylan and the triplets. Logan steals the kitchen. Dylan and Jaxon take the nintendo. Lily commits tax fraud. Elliot falls down the stairs gets a concussion and breaks his hand. This is all within a week

The last time they saw Leo she was stealing from walmart, scamming and robbing children, skipping school, fighting, and evading the police. Now she's been found family troped and is in the kitchen making sugar cookies for her friends because she loves them

And then less than two weeks later, Elliot had a mental breakdown, and Leo beat the fuck out of Jaxon and nearly killed him. And Kai and Marcy are a state away trying to figure out WHAT happened after they left

Leo and Ryan disappeared, Logan went back to finish college, Elliot's still in a coma, and Cass just moved back in with her cousins. And Kai and Marcy just have to deal with that. Cass goes back to school and everyone's freaking the hell out because they thought she was supposed to be dead, her supposed parents are out of the picture, and no one has seen Leo since halloween a year and a half ago

And THEN Dylan kidnaps the Literal Coma Patient and disappears and Cass + Kai/Marcy have to go and help find them. Marcy goes with Jaxon to talk to Dylan's parents and he beats them within an inch of their life and she's just STANDING THERE, no context as to why Jaxon broke into someone's house, tried to kill them, and then left. none.

This doesn't even COVER finding Leo again, or getting possessed by middle schoolers, or anything that happens in rosemary

[gusu-emilu]

miscellaneous MDZS/CQL fic recs (AO3)

broken into sections: Character Study (-esque), Wangxian, Jiang Cheng ships, Yi City (or Yi City-adjacent), Humor/Crack, and Other

Character Study (-esque)

Wei Wuxian

my eyes got used to the darkness by @curiosity-killed (M, Sunshot Campaign era, 4.4k): The funny thing, the thing that makes his lips curl in a grin and his hands shake with laughter, is that all these cultivators with their lofty principles and noble ambitions can’t even notice the ghost among them. Sure, they shiver at his presence and flinch from his cold hands, but not one of them puts it together. Lan Wangji chases him with healing music and Nie Mingjue frowns solemnly at his dancing corpses—and he laughs and laughs and laughs because they just don’t get it. Emilu's commentary: CW for mild body horror.

Jiang Cheng

in our respective ways by @veliseraptor (T, Sunshot Campaign era, 5.7k): Jiang Cheng has his golden core back. But he seems to have lost Wei Wuxian.

You Know I've Fallen, but I Know How High by villainais (M, Post-WWX's death, 2.7k): Jiang Cheng loses both of his siblings in Nightless City. Minutes apart. He trudges home to Yunmeng with one body, holds a private funeral with a single coffin, and allows himself to wear his mourning robes for ten days—permits himself not a single day more. He is still too young and inexperienced, an unfledged boy to the cultivation world, and he is rebuilding Lotus Pier on his own. He will not gift the other sect leaders the satisfaction of seeing him vulnerable. Propriety be damned. Hanguang-jun emerges from his seclusion wearing white. He does not stop.

Nie Huaisang

it deepens like a coastal shelf by @wolffyluna (M, Post-WWX's death, 21.6k): When Nie Huaisang meets Mo Xuanyu, he realises two things quickly. One, this kid is so doomed. Two, this kid would be a great unwitting spy in his plans to bring down Jin Guangyao. It would be so easy to get into Mo Xuanyu's confidences, and so easy to get him to tell him anything he needs. ...only thing is, that wouldn't be very good for Mo Xuanyu's life expectancy. But he'll do it anyway, if it helps him avenge his brother. A fic about man handing on misery to man, the parallels and cycles in the relationships between Jin Guangyao and Nie Huaisang and Mo Xuanyu, and the lengths these characters will go to meet their goals and if there are lines they won't cross.

Lan Xichen

an old man in dried mouths by @tenacious-minds (T, Post-Canon, 3.3k): Xichen thinks. The tea had always stained the crockery red. Emilu's commentary: Lan Xichen and Jin Ling talk about Jin Guangyao.

can you be a quiet man? by @basket-of-loquats (Unrated, Post-Canon, 70.7k+) But something inside him snapped at Guanyin Temple-- and Lan Wangji watched it happen, saw the exact moment that Lan Xichen went from broken to shattered, when he buried his sword into Jin Guangyao’s chest, when his sworn brother stared up at him with wide eyes, blood dripping from his mouth, when he pulled himself closer and closer and closer-- When he whispered "Why don’t you die with me?", and Lan Xichen hadn’t argued. Emilu's commentary: Lan Xichen / therapy with a side of Wangxian.

Wen Ning

breathless (but i'll pretend to breathe for you) by swordsainted (T, Burial Mounds Settlement era, 4.1k): Wei Wuxian is silent for a long minute, and then he looks at Wen Ning, something raw and open and hurting behind his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he says again, softer this time, and Wen Ning shakes his head, still smiling. “You’ve protected everyone. How could I hate you for that?”

Mo Xuanyu

stand at the pit's mouth by @eldritch-elrics (M, MXY's death, 9.3k): The dreams and regrets of a man on the edge of oblivion. Emilu's commentary: Surrealist/absurdist screenplay.

Wangxian

I would wait for a thousand years by bleuett (T, Immortality Post-Canon, 10.4k): During the worst of winter, a traveler comes to stay at Lan Wangji's inn. He wears a red ribbon in his hair. “Do you see the rabbit?” Wei Ying asks and points at the moon. “That’s the moon rabbit, he helps make Chang’e more immortality elixir. He keeps Chang’e company.” “I do not wish the rabbit for company,” Lan Wangji says tightly. “You are the one I want by my side.” “And I’m here, Lan Zhan. If you go to the moon, I’ll follow you, I’ll always be here now.” Emilu's commentary: Lan Wangji meets Wei Wuxian centuries later and does not remember the past. There is also an excellent podfic by @forgotten-envies

Look Not With The Eyes by Spodumene (G, Post-Canon, 28.1k): Wei Wuxian returns from his travels to join Lan Wangji on a routine night hunt, but when things take an unexpected turn, Wei Wuxian will have to fight for what he's really looking for. Emilu's commentary: Case fic.

All In A Good Time by bigboobedcanuck (E, Post-Canon, 8k): Lan Zhan is struck by a curse that brings him intense physical pain unless he's being touched. He is stoic and tries to hide his suffering. Wei Wuxian is worried and protective. Perhaps they will finally admit their feelings?

Across a Lake of Glass by Zizzani (E, Figure Skating AU, 92.2k+): Each year, Gusu Skating Club runs a camp for only the most elite athletes of each region. This year brings a new skater from the Yunmeng Club who wears skates lined with red and a smile made for war. He skates like a demon. Figure skating au featuring lots of healthy rivalry, pre and post-competition bonding, and an inexplicable fall from grace through the eyes of the media.

Jiang Cheng Ships

Chengqing

display my heart for you to see by @souridealist (M, Post-Canon Wen Qing Lives AU, 5.5k): Jiang Cheng has his own secrets. Some of them are part of the unburied past; some of them are about how long it's been since anyone has touched him.

while I'm in this body by @souridealist (E, Post-Lotus Pier Massacre, 3.9k): For just a few minutes, alone in her office, Wen Qing allows her self-control to slip enough to cry. It's just her luck that that's when Jiang Cheng comes looking for her. Emilu's commentary: Femdom.

Chengning

it may be that it doesn't matter by @wildehacked (T, Post-Canon, 6.6k) “Are you crying?” Jiang Wanyin asks him, and Wen Ning frowns. Pats his cheek with one hand. “No.” Emilu's commentary: Holy Grail of Chengning.

Whatever It Is by morau (E, Post-Canon, 20.5k): It starts, as with a lot of things, with a very poorly thought out prank, courtesy of Wei Wuxian. Emilu's commentary: A LOT of sex and even more emotions lol

won't run away (we're here to stay) by @qi-ling (T, Post-Canon, 3.5k): "Please don't feel any pressure to accept this, and you can take as much time as you need to think about it." It's a set of robes, in shades of deep purple, complete with leather bracers. Cut in a different style than that of the disciples or household staff, closer to the understated robes Wen Ning typically wears. He reaches out to feel the fabric. His deadened nerves can't sense delicate textures well, but even he can tell it's of a quality on par to Wanyin's own wardrobe. This is startling enough coming from Jiang Wanyin, but then Wen Ning notices the belt. In particular, the silver bell in the shape of a lotus affixed to it. Only recognized members of the Jiang sect may wear the clarity bell. Or, Jiang Cheng has an invitation for Wen Ning.

Zhancheng

By Proxy by @veliseraptor (E, Post-WWX's death, 12k): Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji, looking for comfort in all the wrong places. Emilu's commentary: Hate sex that made me cry

Yi City (or Yi City-adjacent)

Songxuexiao

Heaven Has A Road But No One Walks It by @silvysartfulness (M, Post-Yi City arc Canon Divergence, 123k+): One of the most complex spells of demonic cultivation the world has seen is brought to fruition, and Xiao Xingchen draws his first shaking breaths in over seven years. This, it turns out, is only the start of his problems. Emilu's commentary: Pretty sure everyone already knows about Silvy's happy songxuexiao road trip fic but it has to be here.

Xue Yang & Lan Xichen

Hours On Empty series by @lady-of-the-lotus (M to E, Post-Canon, 57.8k+): AU where Wei Wuxian never came to Yi City and Xue Yang is still running around post-canon disguised as Xiao Xingchen. "Fractured Ice" - Xue Yang whisks a nihilistic Lan Xichen off on a murder roadtrip to raise Xiao Xingchen and Meng Yao from the grave. Because that will solve all of their problems, right? "Control" - "Fractured Ice" retold from Xue Yang's pov. "A Thousand Miles In Its Light" - Alternate ending to "Fractured Ice" and "Control"

Songxiao with Xuexiao Flashbacks

Nothing Beside Remains by @eldritch-elrics (T, Post-Yi City arc Canon Divergence, 21.9k): And Xiao Xingchen is dressed in dark clothing that is not his, and his sight is all of a sudden sharp in a way that it has never been before, and Xue Yang is not here. “He wouldn’t,” he breathes. “No, he wouldn’t do that. He’s too—” “He’s too what?” Wei Wuxian steps a foot closer, face hard-set. “Too cruel? Or too kind?” Or: Xue Yang uses the Sacrifice Summon on Xiao Xingchen. Xiao Xingchen lives with the consequences.

Humor/Crack

The Hangover: A pre-wedding Dramedy series by natcat5 (M, Modern AU, 51.6k): It is not a bachelor party. That was made clear on all the invitations. It is a congratulatory get together for Jin Zixuan, attended by his family, the family of the bride, and the young masters of the other two families in their circle. The gathering is not to go later than midnight, everyone must drink in moderation, and no one is allowed to be hungover tomorrow. Wei Wuxian had promised Yanli, three fingers in the air. Jiang Cheng had rolled his eyes, but promised as well. Saturday morning, Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng wake up alone in a hotel room, missing shoes, phones, and almost all their memories of what in the world happened last night. Also missing: Wei Wuxian, brother of the bride, Lan Wangji, esteemed guest, Lan Xichen, esteemed guest, Jin Zixun, cousin of the groom, Jin Guangyao, brother and best-man, Jin Zixuan, THE GROOM, who is due at his bride-to-be's house in six hours. That's plenty of time to find everyone...right?

Jiang Cheng Loves Jar Jar Bombad Mui by @lady-of-the-lotus (G, Post-Canon, 1.7k) Jar Jar Binks washes up on the shores of Lotus Pier. Can he win the lonely Jiang Cheng's proud heart? Neb neb answer is yesa. Emilu's commentary: There's also a podfic by @aowyn. Yes, with a Jar Jar voice.

Other

Nie Huaisang & Wen Ning

By Name by nirejseki (G, Post-Canon, 1.3k): After the traumatic events in the now-collapsed temple, Wen Ning lingered behind and unexpectedly saw Nie Huaisang, the undisputed victor of an all-around terrible evening, sitting on the steps of the temple, looking exhausted and miserable, as if he’d won nothing at all. Wen Ning found himself drifting over to him.

Jiang Yanli & Nie Mingjue

utility by magicites (G, Arranged Marriage AU, 2.3k): Jiang Yanli and Nie Mingjue's wedding is a political one — a gesture of unity between their Sects. A way for her parents to finally get some use out of the plain-faced sham of a cultivator they call a daughter. “Jiang-guniang,” Nie Mingjue says, and the formality in such a setting as intimate as their wedding chambers startles her, “I don’t wish to bed you. Or any other woman, for that matter. It isn’t fair for you to live alone because of my own preferences.” She rests her hand on his arm, cool relief flooding her body like water on a summer afternoon. “If it helps, I don’t feel desire for men,” she whispers.

Jin Guangyao / Nie Huaisang

Pulling Strings by @eldritch-elrics (E, Post-WWX's death, 5k): Nie Huaisang, quite drunk, turns up at Jin Guangyao’s door one night with an unexpected request. Emilu's commentary: Nie Huaisang knows Jin Guangyao killed Nie Mingjue. This interaction is more symbolic than anything else...

[jaedreaminn]

Desperate Much?

Pairings: Ten x Reader.

Theme: fluff, angst, hurt, comfort, family, sad, happy ending. (Life is still going on)

Characters: Ten, Taeyong, Mark, Donghyuck, Jeno.

Word Count: 2k

~~~

Ten wasn't like his 'brothers'. Infact he wasn't ever their brother, he was their cousin. His dad was the one who inherited the family business and had settled with him and his mother in Thailand to branch out.

He had a happy and perfect life with both of his parents, but that was untill they both died unexpectedly in a car accident when he was eleven. And suddenly everything in his life was changing. He had to move to Korea to live with his uncle and his children, his father's buisness was now his uncle's buisness until Ten was old enough to take over. Until he could legally take over. He had to learn a different language, make new friends and start his life all over again in a very dysfunctional family.

He remembered the constant yelling between Mr.Lee and Mrs.Lee, having to sit by himself during those times when Taeyong would take his younger brothers Mark and Jeno and hide in his room, he remembered how Donghyuck would cry under the scrutinizing gaze of Mrs.Lee as she fought with Mr.Lee and the boy was stuck there not able to escape, the loss of the joys of family dinners that he was used to, the loneliness he felt. That was when he met you. You were his only friend in this country and even though he could barely talk to people you tried your best to talk to him despite the language barrier.

You were cheerful and jovial and very very clingy but he didn't mind that. You ate lunch with him and helped him with his Korean. You even made sure to stick by his side with the excuse of him being new here so he wouldn't get lost months after he arrived.

You were a blessing in disguise to him especially since it was so awkward with his cousin Taeyong at home and at school.

Time flew fast and a year had passed and he could speak and write Korean way better than before and lucky for him you were still stuck to his side.

In those trying times you were his only semblance of joy. The times in which Mark wouldn't talk at all, the times in which Taeyong would go around at the ripe age of twelve and hurt people with words so sharp that they would leave the school, when all Jeno did was look upto Taeyong and when Donghyuck started to act out getting himself in trouble so bad that he could have almost lost his life but no one cared.

It hurt Ten to watch all this happen but not being able to do anything about it because no matter how well he got along with the youger two, Taeyong would always pull his brothers away from him and take them to his room and well Donghyuck, he wouldn't talk to anyone at home.

But unfortunately all he could do was get used to this awful life, glad that you would quietly listen to him rant and then lighten his mood up with something silly.

He was mid rant one day when he spoke about how much he missed 'family dinners' that you interrupted him, "Why don't you have a dinner with your cousin's?" Ten scoffed at you and shut that idea down immediately but when he came home and saw how far apart everyone was he decided there and then that's what was needed.

So he forced Mark out of his room and away from his books, he pryed Donghyuck away from his bed, he bribed Taeyong and Jeno just followed his eldest brother and thats how he found himself at the diner table for the first time ever since his parents passed away.

"I used to eat dinner like this with my parents" he spoked but Taeyong glared at him, "I don't care"

"Look you want to be a brat be a brat but at the dinner table all feuds are forgotten and all hatred is gone, food is supposed to be consumed happy"

"What did your parents say that?" Taeyong asked, rolling his eyes.

"Nope y/n did!" Ten said with a cheeky smile, "Now c'mon dig in"

And so there started their first meal together with everyone silently serving themselves, "So we usually talk about our day at the dinner table" Ten smiled his eyes crinkling into two half moons. "I know none of you will say anything so I'll start, Teacher Park yelled at me for correcting him on his Korean today. I was so pissed" Taeyong snorted at that, "Yea that old geezer is weird"

"I know I don't like him either" Donghyuck spoke and Taeyong glared at him but Ten cleared his throat loudly and Taeyong sighed muttering an inaudible apology.

"I placed a fart cushion on his chair today" Donhyuck grinned proudly and collective snorts were heard across the table and Jeno chocked on his food as Taeyong patted the younger boys back. Mark was still eating quietly. Then Donghyuck frowned, "But he didn't like that..." He then put out his hands showing everyones his palms, "So he took me out of the classroom and hit me" Tens heart sank at the red bruises on the boys hands and Taeyong was glaring again but this time it wasn't at Donghyuck, "How dare that old rat hit a seven year old child like that" the eldest growled. But Donghyuck only smiled, "It's okay I'm used to it" he said and Tens heart broke at that statement and by the looks of it so did Taeyongs.

Something shifted between the boys that night and they all knew it. Ten came to school the next day boasting to you about the success of his first family dinner and how excited he was for the next one tomorrow.

He even told you the story Donghyuck had told him not knowing what to do and that very day you got detention for throwing your thick Oxford Dictionary at Mr.Parks face.

Ten still smiles at that memory, a tiny you standing on your bench, yelling out a swear word and launching the book right at the unsuspecting teachers face, nevertheless what you did got the principal's attention. And without making a big deal of it she started an investigation on the teacher.

You chatted excitedly the next day about how exhilarating it was for you to throw a book at that man's face and Ten smiled listening to you talk with animated gestures.

That night he was greeted by the sight of Taeyong silently treating their youngest brothers wounded hands while avoiding the younger boys adoring gaze.

And so life moved forward and Ten had new friends and family here in Korea. And of course you. At this point he wasn't sure if you were his friend or family or both. But you were you.

You were known in school as- The y/n. The y/n who had all of Ten's attention leaving zero for his admirers.

To Ten you were the y/n who made him happy, the y/n who made him laugh, the y/n with a beautiful smile, the y/n who held him as he cried, the y/n who would nag him endlessly when he didn't eat properly, the y/n who would latch pinkies with him and walk everywhere, the y/n who was exceptionally smart and savy.

His life was finally looking up, with you by his side helping him through it all. And slowly he was making new happy memories, like the day he got you all flustered for the first time, or the day Taeyong had put his foot down and finally dragged Donghyuck away from the fighting couple into his room along with Ten, the day he took you to the amusement park you wanted to go to so badly that you kissed his cheek and went running off to the roller coaster, the day Jeno who only looked upto Taeyong had asked him for help, the day he snuck out of the house at night to watch the stars with you, the day Mark spoke at the diner table for the first time, the day you tripped and fell and he got it on camera, the day Taeyong called him his brother, the day of their class picnic and many more.

But there were also bad days like they day he had his first big fight with you or the day Donghyuck had come to him crying and crying without ever telling him why or the day where both the adult Lee's decided to join the family diner and ruined it.

But even those didnt last because his fight with you ended with the two of your crying in each other's arms promising to never have a fight this big again, because the day Donghyuck cried so bitterly that it shook the entire house Taeyong, Mark and Jeno rushed in and it turned into a mini sleepover as they took care of the youngest who soon forgot why he was crying and promised to make sure he only laughs in the future. And the day that Mr. And Mrs. Lee ruined the family diner was the day all five of the boys snuck out to eat marshmallows and chocolate in the park. The initial idea was to make smores but none of them knew how to make a fire and they were all out of crackers.

Those were just a few happy moments with many more to come like the day he asked you out, or the day he and his brothers went camping together, or the day Donghyuck smiled a smile so pure as his eyes shone with genuine happiness or the day Jeno started to think for himself and made friends who were a good influence on him. And the day Mark started dating someone. (Ten genuinely thought by how quite the boy was he would have to force him to talk to people let alone date someone), the day he got his father's company back and the day he proposed to you on the banks of the Han river, under the stars with his family and closest friends there to witness the moment.

"Why are you smiling so big?" your voice interrupted his thoughts and his smiled widened even more at the sight of you. "Did you fart?" You asked him and he chuckled grabbing onto your arm and and pulling you down to sit on his lap, wrapping his arms around your waist. "Nothing I'm just happy"

"Ten Lee I swear to god if you're on drugs then I want a divorce even before I marry you" you scolded playfully and Ten chuckled, "My only drug is you baby" he cooed and you gaged "Eww gross get a room" you said and he deadpanned.

"You're weird you know that y/n?" He asked with a small chuckle.

"Clearly you knew what you were getting into" You smiled, teeth on full display with how wide your grin was.

"Obviously"

"Oh by the way, I handled your little mishap at work today and got a few things you were supposed to do tomorrow scheduled for later and the rest got done today so your free tomorrow the entire day" you said and he smiled at you looking at you so lovingly. He doesn't remember that one moment he realised he was in love with you, maybe there wasn't just one lightbulb moment where her realised he loved you. Maybe he always knew or maybe he gradually figured it out. But that didn't matter all that matters is that he loves you and you love him.

"Ahh what would I do without you?" he asked snuggling into your neck and you chuckled, "Let's never have an answer to that question okay" you said and he nodded, you were right. You were there through evey step of the way after his life turned upside down and he's sure as hell he doesn't want to find out what it would be like without you so Ten grinned placing a small peck on you neck, "I'm gonna take you on the best date of your entire life tomorrow"

"Desperate much?"

"Y/n I'm literally engaged to you!"

~~~

Lee brother's- A mini series

Previous Part: Lee Mark

Next Part: Lee Donghyuck

[the-everything-lover]

The Wall Of Winnipeg And Me

Mariana Zapata

I was going to murder his ass.

One day.

One day long after I quit, so no one would suspect me.

*****

When the edges of his mouth turned down, got tight, and his brown eyes went heavy lidded, all it made me want to do was stick my finger up his nose. It’s what my mom used to do to us when we were little and would pout.

*****

Every once in a while, I even did a little curtsy, which Aiden pretended not to witness.

*****

Regardless, his crankiness had hit a level not previously documented in the history of the universe. That was saying something, considering I’d grown up with three older sisters who all had periods at the same time.

*****

so handsome I might have thanked God for giving me eyes on a couple of occasions.

*****

I wasn’t going to keep my job just because he was giving me the closest thing to puppy eyes pure evil was capable of.

*****

Zac hadn’t made his way back to Dallas yet, so it could only be the big guy looking for his tennis shoes, or when his Canadianisms kicked in—runners.

*****

When life gives you lemons, you get to choose what you make out of them; it doesn’t always have to be lemonade.

*****

“Find someone you like, date them for a little bit or something, and then ask them to marry you. You can always get divorced afterward.” I paused and thought about a distant cousin of Diana’s.

*****

Plus, I didn’t like the vibe he gave off, and I’d learned to listen to my gut when it came to people.

*****

The person who was almost as much of a sister as she was my friend, barked out that familiar loud laugh that was about as close to home as possible. “Fuck you. I only drink two, maybe three times a week.”

*****

“Fart breath, let me call you back later. I, uh, someone’s knocking on my door,”

*****

I might be thinking of myself as being a prostitute, but at least I’d be a prostitute free from debt, wouldn’t I?

*****

When I was a kid, I learned the hard way how expensive the truth was. Sometimes it cost you people in your life. Sometimes it cost you things in your life. And in this life, most people were too cheap to pay the price for something as valuable as honesty.

*****

Sometimes I forgot Aiden didn’t believe in obstacles.

*****

“Could you get my girl a coffee?”

*****

It was a damn miracle. She usually knew I started my period ten minutes after I did. We liked to celebrate another month of not being pregnant.

*****

She knew it was illegal, and we’d always joked that if one of us went to jail, we would both go, so we could pretend to be each other’s lovers.

*****

My foster dad had looked at me from across the table where I’d eaten dinner seven days a week for four years of my life and asked in a serious voice, “You couldn’t have married someone who plays for Houston?”

*****

“What the hell, Aid? I’ve tried calling you a dozen times,” Trevor’s slightly higher tone started.

What did our household smart-ass respond with? “I know. I have caller ID.”

*****

“She’s my wife, and all she’s ever done was watch out for me. Don’t go there, Trevor. You don’t want to go there, understand me?”

I was so freaking making him dinner. Maybe even lunch too.

*****

Eyeing the thunderstorm going on outside through one of the windows in my room, I sighed. I hated driving in the rain, but he rarely asked for any favors… unless they were major, life-changing ones.

*****

“You got married and you didn’t tell me!”

I stayed quiet and kept an eye out on the building to make sure Aiden wasn’t appearing.

“It’s because you think I’d tell everyone, isn’t it?”

That was definitely the wrong question to answer. So I kept my mouth shut.

“You don’t love me anymore? Is that it? Am I old news?”

*****

“I can’t believe you!” She let out a shriek that seemed to echo. Knowing her, she was more than likely in her car. “I’m going to punch you in the cooch.”

At that, my silence ended. “I’d like to see you try.” She hadn’t grown up with my sisters. I knew how to fight a girl.

*****

He gave me a side look that said what he was thinking—you’re an idiot, Vanessa. Instead, he verbally went with, “I’m too tired.”

*****

I had asthma. Since when did I have asthma?

*****

“Please don’t tell Zac. I wouldn’t hold it passed him to hide under the bed when I’m sleeping to try and scare the crap out of me.”

*****

“You have the worst cardio I’ve ever seen,” Mr. No Social Skills claimed, not at all embarrassed that he’d been overheard.

*****

“You want to watch that Dragonballs show?”

I stopped in my tracks when he spoke.

“I’m curious now what a little kid with a monkey tail who can supposedly ‘kick ass’ looks like.”

*****

“It’s ‘Dragonball,’ big guy, and you don’t have to tell me twice.”

*****

I had to really reach down into my spine and pump some steel into it, reminding myself that I knew I hadn’t lied to anyone.

*****

“I don’t care, Van. I’m always going to do what’s best for me. If anyone’s surprised by that, it’s their fault.”

*****

Those brown eyes blinked. “You just flipped him off, didn’t you?”

Yeah, my mouth dropped open. “How do you know when I do that?” My tone was just as astonished as it should be.

“I know everything.” He said it like he really believed it.

I groaned and cast him a long look. “You really want to play this game?”

“I play games for a living, Van.”

*****

Unhappiness prematurely aged a person, my foster mom had told me once. She was right.

*****

I punched him in the arm. “You tell me, big mouth.”

Nosey McNoserson immediately perked up.

*****

You could trust someone and not be their friend… couldn’t you?

*****

“It’s dumb. I’m so happy to see you, and I’m already getting upset thinking about not having you around.”

*****

“But I can’t remember anymore what it’s like to not be happy.”

[millylotus]

William’s Family

William stood tired at the wheel. Hands tied to it with rope. To keep him from wandering away from it. It's not like he did it every day. But this area that they were passing through is said to be home to a chorus of sirens.

Will likes adventure, danger and fun but dying at the hands of a siren was way down on his bucket list. He at least wanted to have two women at his side.

Marriage was never an idea that William would want to follow through with. Besides his younger brother Phil is married, and thinking of having a child. So what's the point in getting married when the name is already safe.

William sighed as he shook his head. Why think of that when he could think of something more fun. “Like the fact that Kristin just had to be on her period while they were going through siren territory. And I had to draw the short stick.” He muttered to himself disgruntled.

He looked at the sky. The stars glittering and shining, the jewels that adorned the night goddess hair. People say that she is the mother of all sirens and that they are the stars that fall out of her hair every sunrise when she fights the sun for power.

As William thought of the stars and night he heard a song. A gentle and coxing song, that tugged at his legs and heart, it went something like this.

Oh Sailor of the sea.

Oh reader of the stars.

Will join me in my cold and dark embrace?

Will you look at me?

At this fallen jewel of the sea.

Will you join me?

Will you stay with me?

Oh sailor.

Oh lord of my heart.

Will you sleep in my bed with me?

My bed of the sea.

Will you love me?

As she sang I tried to ignore it. Why oh why did I have to be the one to stay up tonight. She kept singing her voice growing more and more loving and sweet and gorgeous.

Will you love me?

Cause I love you.

Will you come to me?

Cause I can’t come to you.

Oh how I yearn for you.

My headache as I desperately tried to block her out. But my body could only follow. In a matter of seconds my hands were out of the rope. I was away from the wheel. I was walking to the railing. I was jumping the railing.

I heard a scream. Was it Kristin? Had she finally heard the singing. Well it’s too late.

I felt the cold water on my skin as it fell into the sea. I felt soft lips on mine and I could breath. I opened my eyes and saw the most beautiful woman.

Her hair is weightless in the cold water, dark wavy strands of hair moved like tendrils in the water. Piercing almost white grey eyes looking at my dark brown ones. Her soft and seductive features mirroring my sharp ones. She racked her fingers through my short curly brown hair pulling me closer to her. She looked to be in her early 20s, like most sirens.

“Oh sailor, with the two you have. You will spend every single day with me and our child. In bliss. Forever.”

She pulled me farther down into the water. That night was the most relife I’ve ever had.

----------------------

The day was bright and happy. It had been two years since William was taken away. Sailors being taken by Sirens is common, especially considering how promiscuous William was.

Phil mourned his brother's death of course but he couldn’t laugh at the fact that his brother’s last night was spent with a woman.Phil tapped the wheel reminiscing on old memories of his childhood with Will.

Then he heard someone climbing onto the ship. He silently tied the wheel down and pulled out his gun ready to shoot down whatever idiot was trying onto his ship. The others ondeck heard it too and followed their Captain to the side of the ship

They were a few paces from the railing before he heard a soft grunt. And a column of water shot up out of the sea carrying two beings in it.

A siren and a toddler who was swimming excitedly around the siren. Phil, and the others stood there in shock that a siren of all would do something like that.

The Siren grabbed her son pulling him out of the water column and onto the ship. They both almost fell to the ground. A sudden change from water and air can take a light toll on a being. The siren was the first to her feet, picking up her son as she leaned against the railing. She opened her mouth.

All the men on the ship covered their ears and the women raised their guns reading their shots (they got more female crew after William died).

The siren sighed. “I mean no harm. I just wish to give my child to his family. Sirens can’t be male, else they die.”

The boy looked up at his mother confused at what she said. He probably didn’t know that he was being abandoned. The poor thing. “No! I want to stay with mama.”

Phil was shocked that the boy could speak so clearly for his age. But a siren's only weapon is their voice, so it makes some sense.

“This is not your choice to make Wilbur, it is theirs and mine. Do you understand me?”

The boy pouted like he wanted to say something but didn’t. His mother took it as a yes “Do you remember William?” Everyone went quiet, this woman was a siren, that boy looked to be only about 2 years old. A siren and a child, William.

“You, you were the bitch that took my brother away from me aren’t you?” Phil was angry. His voice was colder than it had ever been.

She looked at the gun in Phil’s hands, then back at him. “I assume I was right. Phil was it. I’d like to give you my son. As I explained prior a male can’t be a siren and his father said that it would be best if he stayed with you. Was he right?”

She put down her son nudging him forward. Kneeling next to him to ease the child.

“Captain you can’t really be thinking of taking this child?” Ben, one of the gunners currently on deck said as he waved a hand at the siren and her child.

Phil grumbled, thinking of what to say. He remembered a baby photo he has in one of his lockets. He fished around in his pocket and pulled out said locket opening it and comparing William, and Phil’s baby photos to the boy. It most definitely matches. He showed Ben the pictures.

Phil looked at the boy, he really did look like William. The same hair, and eyes, the same sort of face, when young.

“That’s Will’s kid Ben.”

The siren smirked. “I never lied to you. Now will you take care of Wilbur for me?”

Phil thought for a second. Kristin spoke up “How did you find us again, we're nowhere near where you were last time?” The others grumbled in agreement.

The siren made a face before answering. “I have followed this ship since that night. So one day you could take care of him. He only has a few days left before he can’t breath in the water. Please”

Phil kneeled in front of the child. “Wilbur, do you want to stay with me.”

The boy looked back at his mother for guidance, she nodded. Wilbur looked like he was about to cry. He ran at his mother hugging her tight. “Goodbye mama.” “Goodbye Wilbur.”

Wilbur let go. The siren walked back into the water column and in a flash she was back in the sea. Wilbur ran to the railing screaming for his mother. His face unnaturally dry, for how much he screamed. It's a curse and a blessing that sirens can’t cry no matter how hard they try.

----------------------

The first few months with Wilbur were tough. Mostly because they couldn’t get him to eat anything, but surprisingly he ate fish and any sort of sea animal.

When Phil and Kristin had a son they named Tommy. Wilbur took it upon himself to teach the kid every bad thing he could do. The cousins became more like brothers.

By ten years old Wilbur forgot about his mother. He would ask questions like what she looked like and stuff. But most of the questions were trained towards his father.

When a new cook came, a boar and her son, Wilbur finally had a friend his age. The two were practically inseparable through their childhood. Wilbur and Blake with Tommy and his best friend Toby, Ben’s son.

At 24 Wilbur bought his own ship, The L’manberg, He captains the ship, with Tommy as his Quartermaster, and Toby as a gunner. Blake became a famous outlaw.

P.S Blake is Techno

[masjestickingdom]

Secretly Fighting (For You)

Pairing: NCT Jaehyun x reader

Genre: Angst, one shot, fluff

Summary: You and your best friend Jaehyun are inseparable and love each other platonically. Key word: platonically. Or so you thought. When Jaehyun’s relationship with his girlfriend goes into turmoil, suppressed feelings resurface, but in the light of preserving friendship, an idiotic, ignorant front is put up. Will your relationship with Jaehyun remain stable or will the possibility of being something more be the ultimate destructive ending?

Note: Hey! So this is the scenario I’ve been hinting at for the past two updates. This scenario is by far the longest piece I’ve written, and it’s also a bit different from my usual one shots in the sense that I’m trying out a more angsty/fighting-type scenario. I hope you enjoy it!  

_______________________________________________________________________

   “Jaehyun, open up!” a loud, shrill voice shrieked. “We need to talk!”

   Banging soon followed and sure enough, it caught the attention of both occupants of the apartment: you and your best friend Jaehyun.

   You and Jaehyun had the amazing opportunity to rent out an entire apartment floor, shared with a few of your mutual friends, including your younger cousin Haechan. Having an entire floor was unbelievably amazing, and you quickly adapted to the perks that came along with it. The best part of having one humongous floor was the sense of privacy. It seemed trivial to you at first, but not having that constant anxiety of coincidentally meeting your next door neighbor and not having to hear the constant arguments between next door children were things you got comfortable with. As a matter of fact, it was one of the reasons you used to convince the others to join you in renewing the contract a few months ago.

   That was the perk, but it was being completely invaded by that crazy girl your best friend called his girlfriend. Generally, what he did to his girlfriends was his own problem, so he rarely talked to you about the reasons behind his break-ups. Sometimes, he wouldn’t even tell you whether he was still in a relationship or not. Of course, you, being his best friend, sensed his break-ups every time without him having to tell you. The dark gaze that passed his eyes when you once asked him about his date gave away everything. In that similar sense, you were always able to smell something fishy with every other relationship he had.

   “Jaehyun, I know you’re in there!” his girlfriend continued to scream.

   With the absurd situation, you had no idea what to do. It was thrown at you in the middle of your slumber, and all you could think about was how good of an alarm your friend’s girlfriend would have been with that booming voice of hers. Thankfully, everyone else on the floor had already left for either school or work. You and Jaehyun were the only ones whose schools ended early, so since the beginning of your summer break, both of you were typically the last ones to wake.

   Standing in front of the intercom, staring at the girlfriend’s frustrated face, you angled your neck so that your head was tilted to one side. From that angle, her resemblance to Cassie from Dragon Tales was uncanny.

   “Jung Jaehyun, I will stand here and wait for you all morning if I have to!” she yelled.

   You immediately exchanged a terrified face with Jaehyun as he stood next to you, massaging his temples.

   “Jae, you have to answer her,” you urged, not understanding why he was avoiding his girlfriend. “Our neighbors will complain.”

   He freed his face of his hands and lifted his head to get a better look at his girlfriend through the intercom.

   “Do I have to?” he groaned, which was completely out of character for him.

   Dreading to face another angry girlfriend was normal, but openly avoiding confrontation was not Jaehyun. Maybe he’s tired of being angry at, you thought, concern taking over your facial expression. Why did his girlfriends end up being mad at him? You had no clue, but it happened almost every time. The one time one of them wasn’t mad was when you told Jaehyun to never let go of her.

   “Hey,” Jaehyun spoke, pulling you from your trance. “I’m the one who has to deal with Screaming Girlfriend over there. What’s with your face?”

   You directed your eyes at him, and when you saw the distress in his eyes, you finally mustered the courage to ask him the questions you were afraid to ask. “Why is it that your relationships, with the exception of Bora, end horribly? What are you doing to make them mad?”

   You saw the change of look in his eyes. It was as if you were living in slow motion because you saw a clear transition from concern to stone, which is what you called Jaehyun’s emotionless, stoic state of being. Somewhere in your brain the “stone mode is activated” alert went off. You had no time to process why he was in stone mode because, suddenly, you were walking away from the intercom, but not by your own will. Jaehyun had a strong grip around your wrist, and he was practically dragging you away from the virtual screen of his screaming girlfriend. He was definitely avoiding your questions.

   Figuring that pressing him on about his relationship patterns would pull a trigger to his patience, you decided to nag him about something less trivial, something you tended to do when you tried to mitigate tension.

   “Jae, if the rest of them are going to come over here and disrupt our process of becoming Sleeping Beauty, you might as well move and leave me be at peace.”

   When he kept dragging you away, you became more desperate.

   “Hey, are you even listening to me? Aren’t you my best friend? Don’t you want your best friend to rejuvenate? Do you want me to live with bigger bags of dark circles, huh? Hey, are you there?”

   By the last question, you were in front of your bedroom, your door opened the way you left it when you barged out of your room earlier that morning to see what the commotion was about. Your eyebrows furrowed as you failed to ease the tension because what he said next hit you like ice.

   “Stay in your room,” he said, keeping his hands firmly wrapped around your wrists. “I don’t want you coming out until I say so.”

   “Mother, all I did was ask a bunch of questions,” you replied sarcastically.

   But Jaehyun wasn’t having it.

   “Do you understand me?” he asked with the sternest look you had ever seen in him in the last six years you had known him.

   Reluctantly, you let out a small sigh and nodded your head. “You won’t hear me squeak.”

   He mirrored your actions, acknowledging your compliance before he left you standing there. This isn’t some kind of war film, you said silently. It’s not like you’re going off on conscription. Nevertheless, you closed the door,  switching off the talkative voice in your head in the process.

   ...

   “You’re never honest with me,” you heard Jaehyun’s girlfriend cry. “You always lie about your feelings! The time you... and that other time..."

   It was minute twenty-three and you were racking your brain, trying to come up with a better way to hear the girl. What happened during the first twenty-three minutes? Some hitting. And some more hitting. And some more hitting until Jaehyun had had enough and asked her to calm down. It was silent for eight minutes, which was a pretty accurate time estimate, considering you were counting with the old-fashioned “one-mississippi, two-mississippi...".

   The last two minutes were the freshest memories in your mind. It probably had to do with the fact that they were literally the last two minutes you could clearly listen to, but it undoubtedly had to do with the fact that the confrontation reminded you of the times your previous neighbors’ kids would shout at each other at each other and of the arguments your parents had their fair share of.

   Damn, why does my room have to be farthest from the entryway? You silently cursed in frustration while you were on your stomach, trying to shove the side of your head, where your ears were located, down your door to hear better clarity through the bottom cracks.

   “...I asked you so many times if you had feelings for..."

   That was it. You had the last straw; you gave up and situated yourself against the wall, becoming comfortable with the opening cracks that the side of your door provided. Fortunately for you, your breathing stabled from all that activity, and you could hear the conversation, or argument, rather, more clearly.

   “I asked you so many times and you never denied it!” you heard the girl say angrily.

   “Because I figured that the first few times I answered truthfully with a definitive ‘no’, you didn’t believe me, so what difference does it make if I deny it or not when you clearly don’t trust me?” Jaehyun shot back, letting go of himself for the first time.

   Sure, you witnessed him getting into physical fights and verbal altercations before, but not with a girl. He was always respectful and always kept his anger at bay. He had never raised his voice at anyone--except at you, but those times were never caused by angry outbreaks.

   “I saw you sneaking around,” Jaehyun continued, “following us at the mall when I definitely told you that there was nothing going on!”

   The mall? Your eyebrows scrunched together. Who was he at the mall with?

   “It was the mall, Jaehyun!” his girlfriend--although you weren’t sure if she was his girlfriend anymore with all the fighting--spat. “People who go to the mall together are either family or are taken!”

   “That’s ridiculous,” Jaeyhun retorted. “Since when was the mall off limits to friends?”

   “Since I saw the look you gave her when you brought me to her birthday party!”

   “What do you want me to do?!” Jaehyun exclaimed exasperatedly. “She’s my friend and I can’t just unfriend her!”

   “That. I want that.”

   And for the first time in ten minutes, the house was silent. Were you hearing things correctly? Were you hearing this girl forbid your best friend from seeing someone? That got you riled up. How dare that imbecile demand that ludicrous request of him?

   Of course, other than the broken silence in your head, the silence in the entryway was short-lived when Jaehyun followed up with, “What?”

   “You heard me: unfriend her.”

   You heard Jaehyun scoff. “You’re delirious. I am not breaking off a friendship I value for some crazy request.”

   Do it, Jae, you thought, your heart thumping in excitement for what you anticipated the next words in his mouth to be. Do it. 

   “I’m breaking up with you.”

   Cue your celebratory dance, which was, of course, performed in your imagination. For the first time known in history, Jung Jaehyun had finally broken up with someone. Throughout the entirety of his life, Jaehyun was the one who was broken up with. In that moment, thanks to that crazy ex-girlfriend of his, he was the breaker for the first time. He did it, you sang, which accompanied your imaginary dance. He did it, he did it, he did-

   “Fine,” the girl declared. “But tell me: did you love her or did you not?”

   Jaehyun, his stone-cold voice still operating, countered with, “I’m not obligated to tell you anything.”

   “As your ex, I demand-”

   “All we’re doing is walking in an endless cycle we don’t need to be in anymore.”

   “You’re not denying it, Jaehyun!”

   “And we’re back in circles.”

    When you heard nothing, you pushed yourself against the door, wanting to listen to everything. Is she gone? Did she leave? Did he get rid of her? No, she was far from gone. 

   Voices resurfaced and soon enough, you heard Jaehyun say hurriedly, “What are you doing?” 

   His voice neared and by the time you realized that she was heading towards your room, it was too late: she swung open your door, which, by the way, was unpleasant, especially because your face was already behind it.

   “Don’t you dare pull her into this,” you heard your friend say in the middle of the swinging-the-door-open process, glaring daggers at his ex.

   It never registered in that empty head of yours that you were the infamous mysterious identity in their disagreements--or any of his disagreements with his other girlfriends, really. It wasn’t until your eyes locked with hers, a chill running down all over your body. You swear her eyes were icy cold.

   Jaehyun’s eyes followed hers. Feeling the need to break off the intense eye contact, you averted your eyes to him, earning you a scoff. You stood there, staring at Jaehyun helplessly.

   “So this is the scum you keep lying about,” the girl suddenly attacked, to which you responded with your eyes instantly trailing back to her.

   No one had called you out like that before. Never like that, and it felt disgusting. You had only met her twice, once the first time Jaehyun introduced her to you and second at your birthday party.

   You were too immersed in your own thoughts, coming up with all the possible comebacks and attacks you could formulate, that you missed Jaehyun’s darkening eyes.

   “Get out,” Jaehyun spoke, his voice dangerously low. “Get out now.”

   “She-”

   “Get your crap together and get out while I’m still being nice.”

   The unfamiliar tone intrigued you into taking another look at your best friend and evaluating his expression. There was no doubt that he was pissed off. His eyebrows were stiff and his eyes were narrowed, replicating the coldness of an iceberg. He had his jaws clenched, which amazingly defined his jawline, leading your eyes to the veins that were protruding from his neck. He wasn’t huffing out angry breaths like the crazy girl in front of you; instead, he was breathing so skillfully with his nose that you, for a moment, doubted if he was breathing at all. At that point in time, you knew that that face wasn’t his rock-hard stone mode. It was his ultimate shut out mode, and although you lived for it, you feared for what he would do if the girl didn’t leave.

   When the girl wouldn’t budge, Jaehyun did something that made you realize that that day was a day discovering a new side of Jaehyun. For the first time, he raised his voice at a girl, broke up with a girl, and brought out the ultimate shut out. In that moment, you witnessed one of the scariest (and manliest) sides of Jaehyun you had ever seen.

   Your best friend, the guy who you believed, without a fail, was considerate of others, caring, and seriously entertaining at times, broke his quintessentially collected and patient self. He grabbed your wrist and, without a notice, pulled you closer to him, letting you inhale that whiff of the naturally floral-scented shampoo he used the other night and the honey-based face mask he had on before his ex showed up. In that situation, looking up at him, centimeters away from his face, had your stomach doing somersaults. His jawline was impeccably sharp, which was so beside the point, but you couldn’t help but admire his beauty. Even that beauty mark he developed on his neck, the mark people normally call a flaw, was a charming imperfection.

   With his hand wrapped around your wrist, he warned, “We’re going to be in the kitchen as if nothing happened for exactly one minute. If you’re not gone by then, I’m calling the cops.”

   And that was that. When his ex snobbishly sashayed away after a full minute, Jaehyun returned to his normal state and sighed in relief. He turned his attention to you and his hands left your wrists, only to land on your shoulders.

   “You okay?” he asked in a soft, but rough voice.

   You barely nodded. You were set in a trance with his beautiful eyes, which you noted were beautifully concerned for you. He offered a small smile and pulled you into a hug. It was only  nine in the morning and both of you were tired.

   “Sorry you had to go through that because of me,” he said quietly.

   Your arms quickly found their way around a comfortable spot on Jaehyun’s torso.

   “Hey, for you, I would go through that again anytime,” you breathed, a sincere smile forming on your lips.

   He rested his chin on your head and began rocking your bodies back and forth.

   “Really? You would relive that experience?”

   “In a heartbeat.”

   A chuckle left his lips and you felt his body, especially his chest, vibrate harmoniously in sync.

   “You’re crazy,” he said.

   “Maybe, but what are best friends for?”

   And that’s when the swaying stopped. Subsequently, the warmth he provided you left your body.

   “Right,” he spoke, pulling away from you.

   The portion of warmth that was left was your fingertips because that was the last place that left his torso, and that withered away a split second later. He shot you a quick smile before heading towards the adjacent living room. Thinking that he wanted some time alone, you stayed in the kitchen, but he soon patted a place for you to sit on the couch next to him.

   Somewhat relieved, you followed the steps he took to the living room and asked, “Are you tired?”

   His eyes landed on yours and your heart broke at his tense state.

   “If you ever want to get back with her, I can-”

   Your face was met by one of the throw pillows.

   “You’re crazy,” he chortled, shaking his head.

   You smiled at your small success at bringing a smile on the exhausted face, so you tried for one more.

   “You know, I would have told you to do whatever she asked of you and to fight for her, but, damn, she was so adamant and selfish that she was definitely not worth fighting for.”

   He shook his head, laughing. “If she had trusted me, she would have stayed.”

   It was his way of saying that it was okay, you thought. But what you weren’t aware of was that it was his way of secretly fighting for a certain someone.

   He took a moment to collect his thoughts before he added, “Besides, I wouldn’t have trusted me either.”

   It took a lot of willpower not to analyze what he meant by that, but you failed miserably after three seconds. You knew that you were mistaken as more than a friend by his crazy ex, but what did it mean when he was the one who said it? He was worn out. He probably wasn’t thinking properly, right? Settling with that answer, you lightly threw the pillow back at his direction.

   “What are you talking about? It was her trust issue. We didn’t even hang out that much once you started going out with her.” You shook your head and continued, “The next time you have a girlfriend, I’ll make sure to tone it down whenever she’s around. Actually, consider me invisible.”

   “The next time I have a girlfriend?”

   “The next time you have a girlfriend.”

   When he didn’t respond, you looked over at him, but by then he was already chuckling.

   “After this, I think I’m going to lay off for a while.”

   You goofily smiled at him. “Impossible. All the ladies go to Jaehyun.”

   “All the angry ones.”

   You agreed. “All the crazy ones. What are they thinking? Us? Together? Ridiculous.”

   “That’s what I always tell them.”

   In the back of your mind, you knew that it was possible that his girlfriends could have had trust issues with you since you and Jaehyun were of the opposite sex and were best friends for six years running, but it didn’t cross your mind that you were the root of their serious conflicts.

   “So all this time, they confronted you about me?”

   Your friend merely nodded his head.

   “Wow, I didn’t know that I was popular with the ladies too.”

   With the insane event that happened to him that day, all you wanted to do was restore his energy. You wanted him to forget what happened and live the summer like he should have, so that time, you were the one to take his wrist and pull him up.

   “Let’s go.”

   “But I’m tired.”

   “Let’s go.” 

   ...

   To say you are a spontaneous person is false. Nothing you do is out of spontaneity. All the activities you partake of are predictable of you, and you’re okay with that because that’s you. However, to say that you are completely unpredictable would be false too. For your friends, you would do anything, and for Jaehyun, your best friend in the entire universe, you would do everything.

   “Let’s go,” you said, pulling him out the door. “I promise you that you won’t regret it.”

   So where did you lead Jaehyun to? Everywhere. You took him to the beach, where you both got your clothes wet. You snuck him into a rival college’s campus, a fairly easy thing to do, and watched a hilariously boring film production. You pushed him inside a famous coffee shop and ordered a fan favorite drink, which you shared with wacky straws. After visiting three new places in the span of four hours, you were drained of energy and so was he.

   But there was one place left to go to, one perfect place to end the day.

   “So where is this surprise you’re taking me to?” Jaehyun asked, walking alongside you on an unfamiliar sidewalk.

   “You’ll see,” you teased ambiguously. “We’ll be there in five minutes.”

   Because you were in an unfamiliar place, you had your virtual map on your phone to guide you the way to the highly rated, must-go-to, chill restaurant. The restaurant was a perfect place to end the day: you could eat everything there, return home with full stomachs, and sleep well. It was the ideal situation you formed in your mind. While you were checking the directions, Jaehyun peered over your shoulder to take a sneak peek. You, noticing right away the shadow that loomed over you, immediately retracted your arms behind your back and narrowed your eyes at your friend who had the back of his head already facing you and was whistling to a horrible tune.

   “Hey, no cheating,” you warned him.

   Jaehyun swiftly spun his head and raised an eyebrow at you.

   “Is this supposed to be a game?” he asked, tilting his head.

   “It’s supposed to be a surprise,” you huffed, but when you saw the ends of his lips curl upward, you pressed, “You saw the name, didn’t you?”

   Cue the dramatic gasp.

   “No, I did not,” Jaehyun scoffed playfully. “I cannot believe you would accuse me of such foul play.”

   When you glared at him, he broke into an innocent, but not-so-innocent, smile. You couldn’t help but be enchanted by the way the angle of his tilted head let him cover the sun, the rays of the light shining around him in an endless circle. The way he smiled at you was so pure-looking that you wanted to scream and pinch his dimples. The sparkle in his eyes reflected pure joy, and you wondered if you were the one to have pulled that out of him. No, you reminded yourself. That’s just how he smiles. Nonetheless, your heart raced with an impressive speed. As soon as you felt your face warming up, you set your eyes on the road ahead of you.

   In less than five minutes, you safely and successfully guided Jaehyun to the right place.

   “This is it,” you told him, looking up at a sign that read Al’s Place. “Surprise.”

   Jaehyun laughed at the lack of enthusiasm in your voice.

   “Sorry for peeping earlier,” he said, not-so-gently patting your head.

   You simply grunted in response.

   When you entered the restaurant, you were greeted by an overly eager hostess.

   “Hi, welcome to Al’s Place! How many?”

   “Two,” you replied while Jaehyun scanned the place with his eyes.

   As the hostess led you to a table of two, Jaehyun leaned towards you and whispered, “Nice place.”

   You hummed in response, taking a look at the place yourself. Along the way, you saw a couple of looks being thrown your way--or more specifically, Jaehyun’s way. It wasn’t a foreign occurrence, but it reminded you of the whole “I wouldn’t trust myself either” phrase, which brought you back to: what in the world did he mean by that? If it meant anything remotely to what you secretly wished it meant, you weren’t going to risk your friendship with Jaehyun for a short-term, badly ended relationship like he had with all of his other girlfriends. You just wanted to remain his secret admirer and maintain a strong relationship.

   When it came to Jaehyun, there was no wrong. Even when he made mistakes, he learned from them and “benefited from them,” according to him, “because all those mistakes served to be cardinal learning experiences that would eventually allow him to become a bigger human being”. That was Jung Jaehyun for you, and with your influence on him on a romantic level, that was too much pressure for you. Once, on a day out at a festival with your fellow housemates, Jaehyun had a flock of girls running at him at once, asking for his number. Naturally, he courteously rejected all of them. He had a girlfriend at the time, and, afterall, his friends were waiting for him with their orders. While he rejected them, you and Haechan, being the only ones who volunteered to assist Jaehyun, threw the idea around that no girls would be good enough for Jaehyun.

   “He’s so damn awesome,” you said, expressing your strong acknowledgement of your best friend’s impactful presence. “He’s there with girls swarming around him while we’re here standing like loners waiting for our single-sticked corn dogs for our single selves.”

   “But you know,” your wise cousin started, “I think when he finds a girl who likes him for him and not his looks, they’ll be burdened by his lack of amorality.”

   Leaning back on the corn dog stand’s extended counter to allow your elbows to rest, you observed the way Jaehyun kindly turned down all of his offers. “You think?”

   “It’ll probably happen. I’m pretty sure Jaehyun’s thinking about it too.”

   “That jackass is probably thinking too highly of himself,” you scoffed, but it was an act you put up, and that wise cousin you considered your close friend read you like a book.

   “You know more than anyone that he’s simply thinking of all the possibilities of the perils that will come with each relationship he’s involved in,” Haechan said matter-of-factly. “With all the girls he’s gone out with over the years, whether he likes to admit or not, he’s probably tired of calculating what peril he has to anticipate at the start of any relationship.”

   “And you’re saying that when the right girl comes along, that conflict will be her low self-esteem?”

   Haechan hummed in response, his fingers tapping to a small but fitting tune for the hot summer as he waited for your response.

   Your hesitant response mirrored the lingering anxiety that you couldn’t get rid of.

   “He’s so perfect that he has to worry about being perfect, yet that’s a burden to the girl,” you finally said with a bitter smile. “So unrelatable.”

   You ignored the gaze Haechan was giving you. You didn’t want to know what he was thinking although you had a feeling it had to do with your last comment. He knew the front you put up. He saw right through you. If he saw through you, could everyone else? Could Jaehyun? Instead of dealing with Haechan, you watched Jaehyun reject the last girl. That’s when it dawned on you why you had put up a front, especially for your best friend Jaehyun...

   It started three years prior to the festival, when you were freshmen in college. You were trying to navigate your way through the enormous hallways when you spotted a very familiar brown-haired boy. Jung Jaehyun. His hair was originally black, but he dyed his hair to the lighter shade it became, telling you that he wanted to start a fresh, unanticipated image, and apparently dying his hair was the first step. In response, you snickered and bet that he would return looking like a mess. With that gorgeous girl he was conversing with in the hallway, you knew that you had lost the bet.

   Preceding your college days, Jaehyun only had flings. None of his encounters with girls were serious. It wasn’t that he was a player. It was simply because he wasn’t looking for a committed relationship before college. He once told you, before one of your many movie marathons began, that he didn’t want to deter his studies with an alluring distraction. Yes, he said that right before you started your movie marathon on a school night. Regardless his reasons seemed ridiculous to you or not, he kept his word, and, at the time, you were secretly relieved.

   College was a new territory. That meant that it was Jaehyun’s time to explore the new world of relationships. That meant you had to let go of your buried feelings for Jaehyun, but they were so deeply buried that you never bothered to dig deeper. You just left them sitting there, burying them more when you came up with a defense mechanism, which started when Jaehyun announced to you that he was seeing someone, that majestic girl in the hallway.

   With the exception of hints of jealousy peeping here and there, his flings in high school didn’t trouble you. They were purely flings, afterall. There was no harm in them. Serious, committed relationships, however, were on a different level. When things became serious with his first girlfriend, you developed a system that would ward you off from showing your true feelings, which would have otherwise had you raging with jealousy. That system was sarcasm. You weren’t really the sarcastic-type of friend, but it was the only way that safely kept a distance from you and Jaehyun to prevent any possibility of romantic feelings slipping. It was also--now this you failed to acknowledge--a way to distance yourself from any remotely amorous feelings with anyone, and this helps explain why your dating life barely existed.

   “Earth to Miss Crazy.”

   Jaehyun was waving his hand in front of your face, repeating the same line until you snapped back to reality.

   “Aren’t you going to recommend something for me?” he asked when your eyebrows relaxed.

   “Hey, I’m just as new of a person here as you are,” you said, shaking your head.

   “But still,” he pushed, like a child. “You brought me here.”

   Instead of fighting back like you would have normally done, you called a random waitress to order. To your luck (note the sarcasm), the waitress was the one who was sending googly eyes to Jaehyun earlier. Setting that fact aside, you calmly asked her for the most popular set menu. Whatever left her mouth, you couldn’t focus because all you could think about was how she had her eyes all over Jaehyun. Oblivious to this, your unsuspecting friend continued to read the menu. When the buzzing stopped, you realized that you had no idea what she had said, so you naturally asked your unaware friend if the set sounded appealing.

   He looked up from the menu and nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

   The waitress smiled widely. “Okay, then I’ll be back with your orders. If there’s anything else you need, anything, just call me over.”

   You handed her your menu, which she took by the far corner, but when Jaehyun extended his, she deliberately let her hands graze over his soft, slender fingers before leaving the scene. You examined your friend’s expression, and it was not good. He was visibly uncomfortable with the interaction.

   “So,” you started, grabbing his attention, “how was today for a surprise?”

   ...

   The interaction with the waitress definitely put you in for a chaotic spin in your head, but you didn’t want your messy thoughts to spoil dinner. Jaehyun, although affected at first, eventually forgot about it. The both of you shared a good meal with random conversational topics, sharing upcoming projects and reminiscing about a few memories.

   When you were done with your dishes, the waitress returned, and something was different about her. Was it her face? No. Her clothes? Maybe. If people consider busting an extra button open as changing the appearance, then, yes, that was the change. She was clearly drooling over Jaehyun, her eyes full of lust. When she asked, “Can I interest you with our dessert menu?”, she made sure to make eye contact with Jaehyun, biting her lower lip. Your genius friend, however, simply cocked his head sideways at you, asking you for your thoughts.

   “Very classy,” you said, over pronouncing “classy” to make sure he got your intention. “Very classy dessert, don’t you think?”

   He shook his head, distaste apparent in his eyes. “No.”

   Although there was jealousy stirring inside of you, you kept your cool and put up an act, deciding to make it seem like you were stifling your laughter.

   “Fine, we’ll take the cherry cupcake surprise,” you said, directing your comment to the waitress, who took one final look at Jaehyun before strutting away.

   Watching her walk away, you commented, “Wow, I did not know that this was a dinner and a show type of restaurant.”

   You turned your attention to Jaehyun, who was shooting you a dirty look your way. You wiggled your eyebrows suggestively.

   “Looks like somebody has the hots for you.” You smirked at him, but he simply sighed. “I see someone’s tired of being Mr. Popular.”

   He shook his head at you. “You know I’m not interested.”

   “Yes, yes, I know. She’s not even your type.”

   To that, Jaehyun raised an eyebrow. “I have a type?”

   “Everyone has a type.”

   You took your glass of water in your hands and swirled it around.

   “Do you have a type?” he asked.

   Staring at the disturbance you created, you answered, “Sure, I just don’t know it yet.”

   When you heard him click his tongue, you looked up from your glass and scrunched your nose.

   “Hey, I’m sorry that I haven’t dated as many people as you have,” you said, sarcasm dripping in your voice.

   With curiosity taking over his face, he asked, “When was the last time you went out on a date?”

   “Oh, I don’t keep track.”

   Jaehyun was transparently amused at your vague response.“It’s been that long?”

   “Excuse me for trying to find the right guy,” you scoffed.  

   “So,” he said, leaning forward with anticipation, “what do you think my type is?”

   You promptly answered, “Someone who’s willing to craze over your obsession with wine.”

   Right away, Jaehyun leaned back in his chair. “I don’t understand why you have to hate wine.”

   “I don’t hate it,” you corrected him. “I would prefer water to it.”

   “That’s-”

   He stopped in mid-sentence when he spotted something, or rather someone.

   “Just wait until you try this wine.”

   In that moment, the waitress came back with your desserts, and for the first time, Jaehyun directed his speech at her.

   “We’ll have **** wine.”

   “Of course, I’ll be right back with your drink.”

   When he averted his gaze back to you, you gave him a knowing look.

   “But you gotta admit that she’s pretty hot.”

   And at that, he deadpanned, but he swiftly recovered, asking, “So what else am I looking for in a girl?”

   You handed him a clean fork, which he took, and his fingers brushed past yours ever so slightly, leaving you with a tingling sensation. You took your own fork and split the cherry cupcake in half, giving Jaehyun the side with the cherry; you didn’t enjoy cherries as much as he did.

   Suppressing your growing feelings, you finally answered his question. “You seem to go out with girls who are pretty outgoing, which surprises me.”

   “And why is that?” he queried, taking a bite of his half of the cupcake.

    You shrugged. “You’re calm and collected at most times, and I say most times because that five percent you aren’t, no one can contain you.”

   Licking the remaining frosting on his lips, he pointed at the cupcake and said, “Now that’s a good cupcake.”

   You took the time to let the flavors of the dessert melt on your tongue before ultimately agreeing with Jaehyun.

   “And that wasn’t even a recommended dessert,” you remarked, proud of your choice of order.

    Jaehyun playfully applauded for you. “I commend you for that.”

   “Oh and by the way,” you spoke, continuing your thoughts about his type. “You have this thing with girls with long hair. Do you know that it’s a pain to maintain long hair? We lose hair because of the weight of it.”

   “I’ll do my best to keep the range diverse,” Jaehyun noted, laughing.

   “I’m not kidding. Jae.”

   “Then why do you have long hair?” he fired with amusement in his eyes, pointing out the irony.

   “I-”

   Just then, the infatuated waitress interrupted you, approaching you and Jaehyun with a bottle of wine and two additional wine-tasting glasses.

   “Here is your bottle of **** wine,” she announced a little breathless.

   You offered a small smile, but her attention was all on Jaehyun. She purposefully set the glassware in front of him and opened the bottle of wine with a small but audible grunt. You had no idea if that was intentionally supposed to be a grunt or if it was supposed to sound more sensual. Either way, it was incomparable to what she did next.

   While she moved on from one glass to the other, the waitress “accidentally” tipped over one of them in the direction of Jaehyun. Your unfortunate friend immediately grimaced, and the waiter, at once, set down the bottle of wine down on the table and rushed to his side.

   “I am so sorry,” she gasped, touching his arms. “I am such a clutz.”

   While Jaehyun reassured her that he was fine through his gritted teeth, you quickly reached for the pile napkins at the edge of the table and tossed them to Jaehyun. He slid his chair backwards to dab the moist parts of his outfit, but the waitress had other plans. She snatched the napkins from the empty table next to yours and tried to help your soaked friend by reaching down to his chest. Jaehyun responded with quick reflexes and shot up from his seat.

   The waitress met his eyes with the most seductive look she could display. “Let me help.”

   Jaehyun, however, wasn’t pleased. Ignoring his unwavering gaze, she attempted to “help” again, but this time she aimed for his pants. To this, Jaehyun instantly grabbed her by her wrist.

   “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he snapped.

   Round two of an approaching shut out mode.

   The waitress flinched under the pressure of his hands, and when she saw his dark, fuming eyes, she immediately diverted her eyes. He released her wrists roughly, his gaze unchanging, and took you, the silent bystander, by the hands.

   “Jae, what are you-”

   Jaehyun didn’t let you finish your sentence as he pulled you out of the restaurant while you tried not to meet the stares of strangers. He stormed past the hostess that had welcomed you and pushed the doors open with such force that it felt like winter. The next thing you knew, you were heading towards a park.

   “Jae,” you called, trying to listen to you. “Jae, stop.”

   But he kept going.

   “Jae, we can’t just leave the restaurant like that,” you reasoned. “You do realize we have to pay..."

   Your voice trailed off when he slowed down and turned around. He looked at you dead in the eye.

   You gulped. “Look, I know what she did was wrong, but-”

   “She clearly has no moral conscience!” he yelled, causing you to wince.

   He was definitely outraged and there was going to be no easy way to calm him down other than listening to him.

   “She was clearly trying to seduce a customer,” he went on angrily. “I was clearly not comfortable. Did I or did I not look uncomfortable?”

   “You gave her clear signs, Jae,” you responded as calmly as you could. “And it was totally wrong of her to ignore them.”

   “And what’s more is that you didn’t seem to care.”

   That was a sudden splash in the face. Didn’t care? Of course you cared! How could you not care?

   “Jae, I did care,” you tried to explain, your hands flailing around in the process. “And I’m sorry I didn’t do anything to prevent her actions when you were visibly uncomfortable, but understand that I care.”

   The fire in his eyes did not cease.

   “Because you’re my friend,” he said.

   “Of course, I-”

   “And nothing more.”

   That slapped you hard. It was true that you were his friend, but to hear him expose the one thing you tried so hard to bury hurt.

   With a pained expression written all over your face, you pleaded, “Jae, what are you trying to say? Of course I’m your friend, but the problem is that the waitress back there was extremely inappropriate.”

   “I’m mad at the waitress, but I’m more frustrated that you can’t seem to take a hint!”

   Your eyes frantically bounced back and forth between his infuriated eyes that drilled into yours. Was he seriously angry at you? For what? You had arguments in the past, but you always knew where those conflicts rooted. This, however, was not one of them. Nothing could register properly in your brain with that look he was giving you.

   “Jae, are you mad at me?” you asked quietly.

   The feeling of fear crept up behind you, the fear that he was mad at you and for an unknown reason at that. Having to deal with an outburst due to pure emotions was one thing. To have a close friend genuinely mad at you was another. Your hands began to tremble as you brought them to your chest.

   “I-I didn’t mean to anger you,” you stammered, your voice breaking and lips slightly quivering. “I genuinely didn’t mean ignore the problem.”

   Seeing your frightened state, Jaehyun’s eyes softened, and he took your hands in his.

   “I’m not mad at you,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m really not mad.”

   When you couldn't calm down, he pulled you into a hug, his hands brushing through your rough hair.

   “I’m sorry,” he mumbled as his face nestled against your neck. “I’m really not mad at you.”

   “Okay,” you whispered, letting your arms slowly wrap around his torso. “I believe you.”

   You two stayed in that position for a few long seconds before he broke away from your embrace, searching your face for any upset feelings until his brown eyes locked with your darker ones. His strong, yet delicate hands reached your face, his thumbs stroking your cheeks. Your bodies were nearly one. The expression that his eyes revealed was one that you couldn’t read. All you knew was that they were soft but passionate--loving, almost.

   “I’m not mad at you,” he repeated softly.

   “I believe you,” you said again.

   You watched him take a deep breath before saying, “I’m in love with you.”

   A gust of wind rushed past your protected face, but the same couldn’t be said the same for your heart. It was thumping rapidly, faster than when you ran the mile for your gym class several years ago. For months--years, even--you had been sharpening your defense mechanism to cope with your love-struck feelings. You developed this unhealthy system to prevent the destruction of your relationship with Jaehyun, yet there your best friend and crush was, confessing his attachment to you. In an instant, whatever you built washed away.

   “Do you know why everyone had a hard time trusting me?” he spoke, his eyes surveying yours. “Because they all knew that my heart was taken by someone else.”

   You already knew the answer judging by the look in his eyes, but you wanted him to confirm it again.

   “Who?” you whispered, the corners of your lips tugging upward.

   A genuine smile appeared on his lips as he breathed, “You’re an idiot.”

   It was your turn to smile like an idiot. Your smile grew so big that it started to hurt. Jaehyun leaned down and lightly pressed his plump, smooth lips against your forehead, his hands still cupping your face.

   All these years being friends with Jaehyun had you learn one thing: you never really got over him. Whatever you previously thought about not wanting to risk your friendship with him was gone. When you lost yourself in his gorgeous eyes, you knew that you weren’t going to let go of that chance.  

   “I love you too, Jae,” you said with the brightest smile that had ever appeared on your face.

   It candidly was the best way to end the day and a secret fight that you and Jaehyun had both been struggling with--a fight for each other.

[greekgeek21]

Percy Jackson & The Avengers: Convergence - there is a fight scene included

I am not dead, just extremely busy. My summer lacrosse season just ended, so hopefully I get some inspiration to write some new chapters. In the meantime, I hope this will tide you over for some time.

Keep in mind, this was written weeks ago, so I am not in the mood to answer any weirdly specific questions about my artistic choices. In other words, if you don't like it, you don't have to read it! I know, it's a truly monumental realization.

For my kind & loyal readers, don't forget to comment, like, and follow!

- your author

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Avengers or PJO!

Ω ♆ Ω

By the grace of the gods, the group managed to pass the sirens without an issue. It seemed like the mortals had finally accepted that it was in their best interest to listen to the Seven. So, as soon as Percy warned everyone to fill their ears with wax, they filled their ears with wax. Of course there were a few complaints, but that was expected. Nobody was perfect (no matter what Narcissus insists).

From there on out, the nerves were building. Percy had informed the team that their next stop would be Polyphemus' island, and everybody, mortal and demigod alike, knew what that place was. It was where the most infamous cyclops lived, but most importantly, it was where Annabeth was being held, if Percy's father was to be trusted.

Since it would still be another two hours or so, according to the sea expert, until they reached the island, the group decided to try resting. Some tried to nap, while others sharpened their weapons or hung out on the deck. It was futile, but they were trying to prepare themselves for a situation that they had never before encountered, not even Percy.

It was safe to say that everyone was scared shitless.

Ω ♆ Ω

Leo had decided to go downstairs and tinker with some stuff from his belt as a distraction from their impending doom. It was working too! He was in his own little world that only machines could enter. That is, until Tony Stark walked up to him.

"Whatcha doing, kid?" he asked, peering over Leo's shoulder to catch a glimpse at the boy's creation.

"I'm making a mini automaton to help us find Annabeth when we get to the island," was the answer.

Taking a closer look, Tony started to see it. It was a very small machine, but if you looked closely, it was clear that it was made of metal. The automaton was about the size of a quarter, and looked like a celestial bronze spider. Leo was currently adding the last two legs to it when Tony walked up.

When Leo looked up, he held up his creation with a proud smile. "This baby can be our spy. It's eyes are tiny cameras, and it's made almost completely of celestial bronze. We can send this in, and then know where Annabeth is before we storm the place."

Tony nodded, "Yeah... Pretty good idea, kid."

And ok, so Leo was freaking out a little bit on the inside because one of his idols had just complimented his work. But on the outside, he just smiled a little wider.

"You haven't even seen the best part. You've gotta see it after I turn it on. I added stealth-mode so nobody should even be able to know it's there," Leo said, grabbing the spider and flipping it over to press a button.

As soon as he had, the spider flipped itself over in his hand and started crawling up his arm. Tony was a little creeped out, but it was blocked by the fascination for this new kind of science the demigods had. The spider should have to be controlled by a human, but it was moving like it was almost...thinking on its own. There was no way it had an AI, but that was the only solution his mortal brain could come up with.

"Is it an AI?" he asked.

"Nope. It's a greek automaton. They don't need AIs. I programmed it to listen to a few simple commands when needed, but if we don't order it around, it'll just stick around me waiting for orders. Pretty cool, right?"

"Awesome," Tony whispered, in awe of how smart this seventeen year old kid was.

"Thanks. I think I finished it just in time because I heard Percy calling us back upstairs," Leo said. Before he had even finished he was walking towards the deck, not a care in the world for the metal spider crawling around on him.

"Oh, I'm definitely becoming friends with this kid," Tony muttered to himself before following Leo.

Ω ♆ Ω

"Did you get it done, Leo?" Percy asked as soon as he had seen him.

"Yep. Here it is." Leo held up the automaton-spider.

Percy smirked. "Oh, Annabeth's gonna love that."

Leo shrugged, acting clueless. "I have no idea what you're talking about. The spider was just the first thing I could come up with."

"Sure it was," Piper snorted.

Leo fake-gasped. "Beauty Queen! How could you ever think I would lie?! I would never!"

Clint whispered to Natasha, "The kids clearly have a strong bond that only comes from fighting for their lives with each other."

Frank turned to them, surprising the spies that he had heard them, "No shit, Sherlock."

Before anything else could be said, Percy reclaimed the entire group's attention. "If you look to the right, you can see Polyphemus' island. We're going to dock on the south side of the island because that is the only way to get on without climbing a cliff and facing carnivorous sheep. Hazel should be able to disguise the ship until we invade the base, so don't worry about being seen. Leo will send in his spider to check things out and then we'll follow after we know where Annabeth is. Everybody got that?"

At the noises of affirmation, Percy nodded. "Good. Suit up if you're not already."

Of course, Tony had to break the calm solemnity by saying, "Cap, I thought that was your line?"

Everybody collectively rolled their eyes.

Ω ♆ Ω

After they docked, Leo released his spider with specific orders to find Annabeth Chase while staying hidden. That was working until Polyphemus' stupid super-senses could smell the celestial bronze. Leo hadn't known that a blind cyclops would be able to smell metal, but you learn something new everyday, right?

The spider lasted all of five minutes in the cave before Polyphemus smelled it and crushed it under his giant smelly foot. Percy had thought that the cyclops would take longer to reform, but when had he ever been that lucky? Something that completely baffled him was how the mortals got him to not eat them. The dude had been pretty desperate for food the last time Percy had run into him, so how had the weird boss guy gotten him to hold off?

The only thing he could think of for them to feed him would be...nope! He's not going there right now.

The last thing the spider had transmitted to the group was a picture of a mortal holding a gun to Annabeth's head while she was gagged and chained. It made his blood boil.

"I'm going to kill them," He growled, starting to get off the boat and storm the place.

Jason stepped in front of him before he could, "Easy, Perce. You don't know what you're walking into. They want you to go in half-cocked, so we can't give them that. You know Annabeth can handle herself, so just take a breath and we'll figure out a plan."

Percy took a shaky breath, but it did nothing to cool his anger.

"Jace, if you don't step out of my way in the next two seconds, I will be forced to move you, and trust me, you don't want me to do that."

The son of Jupiter stood his ground, "I'm not moving. I know you Percy. Hurting me would go against your fatal flaw. I'm your best friend; your family. I know you would never intentionally hurt me."

Jason glanced over at the rest of the group, who hadn't dared to move if it upset Percy even more. The guy was a ticking time bomb, and they needed to defuse it before it went off and destroyed any chance of getting Annabeth back safely.

Percy almost looked in pain as he spoke his next words, "Jason, I love you. You're my cousin, but Annabeth is my everything. I will hurt you to get to her."

Jason sighed, expecting that answer. "Then at least let us come with you on your suicide mission. I'm not letting you die without me."

"Fine, but hurry up. I'm leaving now," and Percy shoved past Jason and started the trek up to Polyphemus' cave.

Jason turned to the others, who were all staring after Percy with shocked expressions. "Well you heard him! Move your asses!"

That seemed to startle them awake. Everyone but Bruce started moving.

Ω ♆ Ω

By the time the team had been able to catch up to Percy's fast pace, he had already reached the nearest entrance to the cave. It was a dark, narrow path that had walls of rock on either side reaching up for hundreds of feet.

"This is the part in the horror movies where I start screaming at the tv to not go in there and they still go in there," Piper whispered.

They were all just staring at the darkness, and it was getting awkward. For someone who was so hasty to get to Annabeth, Percy was sure taking a long time to get there.

"Are we gonna go in or..." Tony said.

Percy sighed. "Yeah. We're going in. Just don't separate from the group."

He led the way into the cave with Steve right behind him. Percy appreciated having someone else who could take some of the responsibility off his shoulders. Almost his entire time in the godly world, he had been expected to be the leader because of his father, and he had stepped up, but that doesn't mean it didn't weigh on him. Annabeth was the only one who had been able to help him with the stress, and without her, he was losing it. He had already been barely hanging onto his control over his powers, but now without her, what he was doing could barely be called control. It was more like holding back a rampaging bull with a string.

Ten minutes later, they found themselves hiding behind the wall that led to the room where the gang was waiting. Just as the spider had shown them, Annabeth was kneeling under the gang leader's feet while he held a gun to her head.

She looked murderous, so at least something was still normal in the world.

Steve poked his head around and gave a quick scan of the room before turning back to them, "Ok so we've got at least ten humans, with five monsters. One of the monsters is as tall as a building so I think he's the largest threat. Tony, Clint, Nat, and I will deal with the humans if you guys handle the monsters. The main priority is getting Annabeth to safety. Percy, that's your job."

Saying that last bit was just to clarify for everyone else, though they looked like they didn't need to hear it. Percy had a determined look on his face, one that said he wasn't going to allow anyone else to have his assignment.

"You got it, boss," Tony remarked. "Do you just want to storm in there?"

Before he could get an answer, Percy charged into the room, leaving his friends entirely unshocked, but the Avengers were looking a little mad.

"Don't worry, plans aren't really his thing. Even if we do make them, they never go our way. It's better to go with the flow when fighting with Percy," Hazel reassured, and then turned to follow her godly cousin. The rest of the Seven followed, leaving the Avengers to just stare at each other in confusion.

"I like their style," Tony said before flying into the room.

Natasha sighed. "I'm really starting to regret meeting these kids."

Clint smirked at her before leaving, closely followed by Steve and the Black Widow herself. For all three of them, everything about this mission was against their nature, but there wasn't much they could do about it. They were in unknown territory with a group of newly-allied teens and no backup. It was a shitshow before they had even left.

Ω ♆ Ω

Frank was fighting a dracaena, and it was making it super annoying. The thing would not stop talking about grocery stores. It was quite distracting when trying to kill it.

"Seriously! Can you believe how nobody can see how bad those chains are?!" it exclaimed.

Frank sighed, ready for it to be over. Whenever he would try to stab it, it would just slither away right at the last second, all the while continuing to complain.

He decided to use his shapeshifting abilities to catch the thing off-guard. In reality, he could probably deal with it in seconds, but when he really used his inner son of Mars, it drained him. He needed to save his strength if he was going to fight Polyphemus.

Speaking of, so far, the cyclops had stayed out of the fighting. He was just sitting on his throne made of rock, picking at his teeth with what Frank really hoped wasn't a human bone.

Frank changed into a squirrel for a second, climbing up onto the back of the dracaena with the animal's speed and before the monster could react, he changed back into a human and stabbed it through the back with his spear.

"Huh. I guess you can shut up," he remarked as the monster turned into dust.

After, Frank turned to help Hazel take down an empousa. She had already defeated four before that, so it was a pretty easy fight. He had been keeping an eye on her throughout his fight. Sure, he trusted she could take care of herself, but it was also his job to watch her back.

"Thanks," Hazel told him with a quick peck on the cheek after they finished.

Believe it or not, that kiss on the cheek was a major improvement. It had been a real adjustment for Hazel to learn how couples expressed affection nowadays, and it had taken even longer to start showing it herself. It helped that Frank preferred words over touch, too.

"No problem."

Ω ♆ Ω

"Get some, térata!" Leo screamed, running up to the manticore and sending giant, continuous blasts of fire at it.

He had heard of Dr. Thorn from Nico, Percy, and Annabeth before, and had somehow retained the knowledge that it was extremely durable on the outside. That meant that he had to think smart in order to beat it.

So far, Leo was distracting it and holding it off with his fire while he thought of a plan. However, he could only hold it off for so long. He would eventually tire out.

Come on, Leo, THINK!

Then it hit him.

It was so simple! He had been told the story of how the Nemean lion was defeated at Camp. Now usually, he would totally ignore any schooling he was given, but the stuff they were taught at Camp was much more interesting than algebra. So yeah, he remembered some stuff.

So, he decided that his best shot at beating Dr. Thorn was landing a large enough hit inside of him. That meant he had to figure out a way to get him to open his mouth. That wasn't really the hard part, though. The hard part was figuring out how to not die when he had to get closer to the monster.

"Estoy jodido..." he muttered before taking a step forward, never once stopping his assault on the beast.

The Manticore didn't seem to be moving back from the intensity, but rather reveling in the fact that he hadn't gained one burn from the fight. He was just waiting out Leo.

That was not a fun revelation for the son of Hephaestus to have.

And that was when the thorns started attacking him. He should've been expecting it, really. The guy had a tail of poisonous thorns and he hadn't used it yet? Something should've registered in his mind. But that was past-Leo's mistake. Present-Leo had to deal with the super tall, scary, poisonous, and royally pissed-off greek monster in front of him.

Dr. Thorn let out a war cry and swung his tail around, releasing a line of spikes at Leo, who managed to just barely duck out of the way. He was not keen on becoming swiss cheese!

"Ok. It's time to end this." Leo sighed in annoyance, jumping back up and charging.

He swung his battle hammer up and lit it on fire, deciding that he might as well stick with the common theme of stupid ideas. He managed to keep dodging attacks all the way up until he was within ten feet of the manticore. Then, he threw his weapon at the monster, praying to Apollo for good aim. He had fixed the sun chariot plenty of times, so the god had to owe him at least one favor.

Once again, Leo's stupid demigod luck kicked in and the hammer somehow embedded itself in the monster's mouth, which had been opened in a prideful roar. Honestly, the son of Hephaestus didn't know HOW he did it, just that it worked.

With the distraction of having a flaming hammer in his mouth, Dr. Thorn didn't see Leo running up with his arms raised and prepared to fire. By the time he did, it was too late because long blasts of fire were flying straight towards his open mouth.

The monster was able to mutter a silent curse before he disintegrated into dust, once again sent to Tartarus.

"Take that, bitch."

Ω ♆ Ω

Piper was absolutely sure the Fates were laughing at her. They had to be. There was no way that she just happened to be stuck with the two empousa. It didn't help that Jason was struggling to not drool over the girls. She just had to keep chanting in her head that the monsters were using their charm powers on him, and he was not actually attracted to the disgusting things.

After the two monsters tried to both swipe at her at the same time, she growled and shouted, "Jason! Get your head in the game and come help me!"

He had been blinking and shaking his head for the past two minutes and it was getting quite frustrating to have these donkey-cyborg-vampires ganging up on her with no back-up. Once this was over, she was going to make Jason work to get back in her good graces.

With just a little bit of her charmspeak added into her order, Jason was finally able to break free from the empousai's spell. He quickly willed his gladius to be a javelin and launched it through one of the monsters, which made it explode into a shower of golden dust. A traitorous part of Piper's brain insisted on calling that move hot, but she was able to school her expression back into a scowl before her boyfriend could notice.

The other empousa let out a shriek and said, "You MONSTERS! That was my sister! I'll make you pay for that!"

They only had a second to appreciate the irony before she launched herself at them with even more fervor than before, fueled by the rage of losing her "sister."

Jason couldn't help but notice how she was wearing a cheerleading costume. It was very ripped and destroyed, but it was clearly a cheerleading uniform. And as he was deflecting her claws, the ADHD part of his brain realized that the logo on the uniform was for Goode High School, Percy's old school. He almost wanted to laugh when he remembered the story of Kelli, an empousa acting as a cheerleader during Percy's freshman orientation. Percy had always said the monster had a nasty habit of coming back quickly, but Jason had just thought it was an exaggeration. But no, he and Piper were really fighting Kelli, one of Percy's recurring monsters.

It would be hilarious later, truly. But for now, he had to actually kill the thing.

Kelli had backed off when she realized that attacking out of rage wasn't going to work against two experienced demigods, and that also gave Jason and Piper a chance to make a plan themselves.

"Got any ideas?" he asked Piper.

She grinned with a terrifying amount of murderous glee. "I thought you'd never ask."

And then she told him her plan, which was essentially just using him as bait while she got to do all the killing. The prideful Roman part of him wanted to insist on him killing it, but he managed to reign that in when he saw the look on Piper's face. She was not asking, she was telling. Who was he to say no, especially after he hadn't been able to fully resist the empousai's charm?

A scary thought told him he was turning into Percy. He brushed that off for later nightmares.

"Come get me, bloodsucker!" He shouted, raising his arms up in a taunting manner. If he was acting like Percy, might as well go all the way right?

With yet another shriek, Kelli stormed at Jason, completely disregarding the daughter of Aphrodite that was stepping back and preparing to literally stab the monster in the back with her dagger.

Sometimes Jason wonders how a creature could be so stupid. Their plan was so obvious!

It went off without a hitch, technically. Piper let the empousa get a little too close for comfort before she killed it, but he trusted her to get the job done and she came through. Kelli had been prepped and ready to bite into his neck right before she exploded into dust.

It was one Hades of a trust exercise, that's for sure.

"Please don't let it get that close next time, Pipes," he breathed out while he put away Juno's Gladius.

Piper gave him a quick peck on the lips, "Not a chance, Superman."

Ω ♆ Ω

Considering the circumstances, the Avengers weren't doing half-bad. They were actually fairing pretty well. They knew how to deal with humans, so their job wasn't that hard. The only difficulty was that there were four of them and ten of the bad guys. They were sorely outnumbered.

Currently, Steve was fighting two at once, with a third opponent already knocked out a few feet away. He was blocking one with his shield while punching the other in the face. He then switched roles, instead kicking the first attacker and driving his shield into the gut of the second. The one he gutted gasped and fell to the ground, and was knocked unconscious was a simple hit to the temple. While he was distracted with taking down his partner, the still-conscious bad guy recovered from the kick and was able to land a hit to the back of Steve's head. Clearly, the fighter had been prepared to have achieved some form of disorientation from the Captain, but all he got was a pissed-off Avenger.

"That tickled."

It took less than five seconds for Steve to take him down after that.

Natasha also started with three adversaries. Key word being 'started.' It had taken barely any time to take down the first two. And all she had to do for the third was a scissor kick and hold until he passed out. She had just finished doing that when a call from Clint got her attention.

"Nat!" he shouted.

She turned on instinct and threw a throwing knife at the person running up behind her straight into their chest. They stopped with shocked features before falling to the ground in a heap, dead weight pushing the knife even further in and no doubt killing them faster.

"Getting rusty, Clint?" she teased, throwing a look over at her friend.

"No," he defended. "I'm just making sure you're not getting rusty!"

The archer hadn't realised one of his two attackers had sneaked off to go after the "bigger threat." He would never let Nat know he thought she was the bigger threat, though. That would be fueling an ego he knew was somewhere deep down in her.

Tony had been given two people to fight as well, and he was doing pretty well. He had the obvious advantage of being in the air, so all the gang members he was fighting could do was try to shoot at him with their guns, and his armor was designed to withstand a nuclear bomb. Bullets weren't gonna do much damage.

"Guys, seriously, we should just talk this out. We both KNOW I'm going to be knocking you both out in five seconds, so why don't you surrender instead? It'll be so much easier for the both of us!" he said, raising his hands and readying his repulsors.

As expected, the bad guys didn't show any sign of slowing down their useless attack on him. With a roll of his eyes and an obnoxious sigh, Iron Man shot them both in the chest, knocking them out cold.

"That felt too easy. Did that feel too easy to you?" He asked the other Avengers as they gathered back together.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with Tony," Natasha said, "That fight was too good to be true."

Now that the truth had been revealed to them, the Avengers could blame what happened next on the Fates.

Ω ♆ Ω

There it is! I hope you liked it

other chapters :)

[dragonologist-in-the-making]

A Second Chance at Love

Pairing: Sirius x reader

Request: Can you do an older Sirius x reader, (she's in her 20s) and they're both in the order and he starts to fall in love with her?she's a badass but also quiet and a sweetheart and brings him so much peace bc older sirius deserves happiness🙄

 Hi! I’m sorry if it sounds weird, but I’m honestly in love with this idea! Sirius and the reader have been together for like two years while at Hogwarts and then they broke up and started hating each other. They both join the Order and they have to go on a mission together and it’s like really dangerous. They have to fight Death Eaters and she jumps in front of him to protect him and she gets hurt and they make up, please? I love lovers to enemies to lovers so much!! Thank you, lovely!! (by @i-padfootblack-things)

 A/N: Hope you don’t mind that I put these together! I spent sooo long writing this, hopefully it’s actually good haha (pls feedback is very welcome). Thank you for the two requests, this was my first time writing for older Sirius and I hope it went well!! Also, what was the Headquarters in the marauders era? Was there one? Was it Grimmauld place?

Wordcount: 2.4K

The atmosphere in the room was extremely tense, not a breath to be heard as the two old lovers glared at each other across the table. Nobody spoke, wary of what the outcome would be.

Finally, she broke it, pushing herself back from the table with a sigh and a shake of her head. “I’m not doing it.” She insisted, and with that the silence snapped, and shouts echoed around the room.

“Y/N you’re the best two people for the job, you have to!” Lily called at her.

“We can’t be the best two people, we don’t work well together.” She insisted, feeling the anger bubble up at her that someone even suggested she work with him.

“You always used to work flawlessly together.” She pointed out, a defiant look in her bright green eyes.

“Yeah, well, we used to love each other.” Sirius spoke up, the first time he had since Dumbledore had given them both the mission. “Now I think we’re in the exact opposite mindset.”

y/n felt a slight stinging at his words. Did they hate each other? She didn’t think so. Sure, she was uncomfortable when they were alone in a room together, and she found herself rolling her eyes at almost everything he said. But, she still looked for him first when she walked in a room, she listened out for what he was saying, and then agreed with the opposite, no matter what it was just to gain his attention. No, she didn’t think she hated him at all, the animosity she had felt towards him had faded into a mild tolerance, even if he clearly didn’t feel the same about her.

She sat back down in her seat, covering her face with her hand and sighing as everyone else went quiet. She peeked out from behind her hand at Dumbledore, who had remained perfectly silent and perfectly calm throughout the whole exchange, even seeming slightly bemused.

“There’s no other way?” She asked quietly, knowing his answer and wishing it could be something else.

“As I said, you two will be going on this mission together. It shouldn’t be a long one, or too difficult, if that puts your minds at ease.”

“Trust me, I’m going to be doing everything I can to make this as short as possible.”

…

She walked into Grimmauld Place, the soft leather jacket on her arms protecting her from the permanent cold of the house. She walked through the hallway into the kitchen, where Sirius was sat, looking at a small piece of parchment.

He was wearing his old leather jacket, too, the one that he’d been wearing since their days at Hogwarts, the one he would drape over her shoulders when she got cold on their midnight walks, just the two of them. It hung looser on him now, she noticed, likely because he didn’t have a whole kitchen of house elves making him three hearty meals a day, but one house elf, who didn’t much care to give his master anything at all.

“Hey.” She spoke softly, announcing her entrance. “You ready to go?” he nodded, standing up from the table and waving the parchment in his hand.

“This is the address for where to apparate.” He told her, and she nodded, looking over at the paper and seeing an address she didn’t recognise at all. For ten galleons she wouldn’t even have been able to say where in the country it was. Sirius noticed and gave the smallest of sighs, holding his elbow out begrudgingly, offering it to her.

She took it, holding onto the material of the jacket rather than his arm underneath it, closing her eyes as she felt the familiar squeezing sensation of apparition. She opened her eyes again when she felt her feet land on solid ground, jarring her knees slightly, and quickly let go of Sirius’ arm, looking around at the street they were on. She didn’t get to look at the surroundings for long, however, as they heard footsteps approaching and quickly had to dive into a dark alley to the side, hiding themselves from view.

The footsteps grew louder, and voices began to float with them. Sirius looked at y/n, rolling his eyes at the familiar voices from their ex-fellow students. As she heard them speak, she began to pick up on who was there. She could hear Nott and Avery, talking loudly, almost asking to be heard, immediately making her suspicious. She grew even more suspicious at the next voice, but she didn’t have time to voice any of this to Sirius.

“Now that we’ve taken care of that idiot Potter and his precious girlfriend, we can track down Lupin easily enough. Yes, I think we’re making our way through this precious Order quite nicely.” She knew as soon as she heard Bellatrix, and as soon as there was a threat of his friends being hurt, Sirius would be impervious to all reason. She didn’t even get to try, however, he was storming out of the alley to confront them before she had even turned to him, and she scrambled to follow, cursing under her breath at how this was supposed to be an easy, non-combative, mission.

“Stupefy!” He screamed as he burst from the alley, aiming the spell at his cousin who was clearly expecting it, shielding it easily as the horror dawned on the two of them that they had walked straight into a trap, and they were hugely outnumbered.

Numerous curses were immediately fired at y/n and Sirius, and they immediately sprang back to back, shielding them and firing as many as they could in the spare seconds they had.

“I swear to god, Black.” She grunted, throwing up another shield to protect from a curse Dolohov had thrown at her. “You just had to storm out here. Petrificus Totalus!” She allowed herself a brief smile as someone – she didn’t pause to see who – fell down, before another hex was aimed at her and she refocused.

“I’d like to see you sit there and listen about how your best friends have been murdered.” He returned, a sweat breaking out on his forehead from the fight. Although, there were less and less curses being aimed at the both of you, slowly making your progress through the Death Eaters.

“I did, Sirius. They’re my friends too. And they must have known we were coming, they clearly said that just to draw us out.” She saw him turn towards her out of the corner of her eye, saw how he wasn’t paying attention to anyone else around them, even for this briefest of seconds, and saw the red light flashing towards him, heard the accompanying curse, and knew there was no way Sirius could deflect it in time. Instinct made her push him to the side, self-preservation non-existent, as the curse hit her instead, and pain exploded through her whole body.

She felt pain like nothing had ever hurt her before, fresh waves of it rolling through her body and a blood-curdling scream tore itself from her throat to accompany it. All she knew was the debilitating pain, and then blackness.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she was greeted with the view of a dark ceiling, one which could be cleaner, and the faint smell of damp. So, she was back in Grimmauld Place. She pushed herself up, the blanket which had been gently laid over her falling slightly, and saw there was one other person in the room with her, whose long hair was falling in his face, but who looked relieved to see her, for the first time in years.

“You’re awake.” He said, as he stood up and walked to the couch where she was led. She pulled her legs up, creating a space for him to sit in, which he did. “Kind of wish I wasn’t.” She joked, chuckling dryly as she felt the ache in her bones, the remembrance of pain.

“Why did you do it?” He asked, and she knew this was the reason he had been waiting for her. The curiosity burned in his words. “Why did you take an Unforgivable Curse for me?”

“Don’t let your ego inflate too much, I didn’t intend to be in the way too.” She laughed, dropping it quickly as he looked at her. “I don’t want you to be tortured. I haven’t forgotten, you know, what it was like for you to live here, and how hard it must be for you to be back. And even without that, just because we dated once doesn’t mean I want you in pain, now. I still care about you, of course I do.” She spoke quietly, unsure if she was saying too much,

He didn’t answer her, instead he sat there in silence, staring at her. He was looking at her, seeing her in a way that he hadn’t in a long time. He saw the way that her y/h/c hair was falling into her face, and was surprised that she hadn’t tried and failed to brush it away yet, knowing how much it irritated her. He saw how softly her y/e/c looked over him, and he knew that she meant it when she said she never stopped caring. He felt the guilt rise in his chest, though he wasn’t sure what exactly he was guilty for. “I’ll, um, I’ll go tell everyone you’re awake.” And with that, he walked out of the room, his head now swirling confusingly.

Over the next few months, the rest of the Order noticed a dramatic change in the way that y/n and Sirius acted towards each other. When he came back from the store and had brought donuts for everyone, he had one for her, too. Instead of closing the front door loudly and disturbing Walburga’s portrait in the hall, she made a whisper of a sound as she tiptoed through the halls, trying to be as silent as possible. She had begun to frequent the headquarters more, not dashing off as soon as meetings were done or joining Remus when he would pop in for a cup of tea. He had even defended her in an argument, which had ended it quickly, the shock manifesting itself into a silence.

“Come on, y/n, it’s like we’re back at school.” Lily teased as they walked into the – thankfully empty – kitchen. “I thought I was done looking at your sappy eyes for each other.”

“Lily, I do not have sappy eyes.” y/n insisted, sitting on the table and putting her feet on the chair in front of her. “Just because we don’t fight as much anymore doesn’t mean we’re in love with each other.”

“I don’t think you’re in love with each other because you don’t fight.” She rolled her eyes. “I think you’re in love because I watched this happen all those years ago, and I’m watching it happen again now. Sirius talks about you to James, you know.”

“He does?” She started, not expecting that. She couldn’t help being surprised that Sirius was talking about her, and she couldn’t help the butterflies that rose in her stomach as she thought of it. “Aren’t you supposed to be meeting James for lunch?” she reminded Lily, thankful for the excuse to change the topic.

She checked her watch and squeaked, grabbing her bag and running from the house, leaving y/n alone to unpack the shopping and start working on some lunch. She was mid-way through cooking, softly humming a tune to herself to fill the silence, when she heard footsteps heading her way.

“Enough there for two?” she heard his voice before she could see him, but soon his crinkling grey eyes and wide smile were a few metres away from her, leaning against the side.

“Of course.” She answered, smiling back without thinking, quickly turning away as she thought of Lily’s words. “It’s nearly ready.” She finished cooking in silence, Sirius setting the table for the both of them. They sat down, starting to eat, and she didn’t know what to say to him, trying to analyse both of their feelings.

“So, James reckons I’m a teenager again.” Sirius brought up, laughing although he sounded more anxious than happy to her. Her chest constricted, wondering if he’d just been having a similar conversation to her.

“Again? I wasn’t aware that you’d ever grown up.” She teased, but her smile was tight and forced.

“Well, he seems to think that I might be in love, again. With you, again.”

“And what do you think?” She asked, forcing herself to look into his grey eyes, nervous for his answer as the truth dawned on her that she might be about to lose him all over again.

“I think he’s wrong.” And there it was, the blow that seemed to tear her heart in half, for the second time in her life. Before she could come up with some witty retort to play away her pain, he had carried on talking, his gaze still fixed on her. “I don’t think I’m in love again. I think it was easier to hate you than to realise I wasn’t over you, and I didn’t realise that until you took an Unforgivable Curse for me. I’m not in love with you again, because I don’t think I ever stopped.”

She felt like she was about to pass out from the mix of emotions swirling in her head, unable to hold on to one of them for longer than a second. It was decided for her, however, once Sirius’ lips were on hers – how they had gotten there she couldn’t remember – and she felt the pure happiness of love light her up. The kiss was familiar, something she had been missing without knowing, but there was a new edge to it, a resolve to never miss this feeling again. He broke away, settling on his knees between her legs, holding her hands in his, things not changing so much that they didn’t engulf them anymore.

“What do you think?” He mirrored her earlier question, a nervous smile on his face despite it all.

“I think it’s high time that we take James and Lily’s crown and become the best couple.” He laughed, leaning up and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

“I couldn’t agree more.”

[luminouslumity]

HELEN SPEAKS

Summary: You meet with the face that launched a thousand ships.

What do you think of when you hear the name Helen? No, don't answer. I can see it in your eyes. Whore, slut, temptress, even murderess... It's fine, I've heard it all before.

What do you want me to say? That I'm sorry? Don't you think I already am? I really don't know how many times I must express it. Or do you hope an apology will bring back the dead? Do you hope it will undo those ten long years? I didn't ask for Menelaus to go to war for me, nor did I ask to be a prize to a foreign prince after he judged what was essentially a beauty contest, which in turn turned out to be part of a much bigger scheme.

For the longest time, I've wanted to hate Aphrodite. Sometimes I still do. But then I remind myself that it's simply not worth getting worked up over an all-powerful goddess. I stood up to her once, you know, after I refused to comfort Paris. And you know what she did? She threatened me. "Do not provoke me, wicked girl, lest I drop you in anger, and hate you as much as I now terribly love you," was what she said to me.

And Euripides—oh, don't scoff! "There goes Helen again, blaming everyone else for the war but herself!" right? You came to me for a reason, did you not? But the truth is much more complicated than you'd think.

The women of your time are so lucky, much luckier than they were when I was alive, at least. Calypso and Medea, for all their faults, were both right about one thing, and it was that a man can get away with just about anything. After all, rarely do I hear Paris get as much hate as I do. And even in Sparta, there were still certain limitations to what the so-called fairer sex could do.

Ah, Sparta, how I miss you. Helen of Troy, they often call me, though I hold no love for the fallen city. So if you must refer to me specifically, please, my only request is that you call me Helen of Sparta from now on.

You know the story, don't you? How Zeus came to my mother Leda in the form of a swan and forced himself on her? Damn the paintings that romanticize such a horrid act! And though divine blood once flowed through my veins, I've always considered Tyndareus to be my true father. We all did.

My sister Clytemnestra was perhaps more Spartan than all of us combined, but contrary to what you may think, I myself wasn't some little flower, either. In Sparta, girls were taught to be athletic and were even given an education to a certain extent. Indeed, when asked why our women were allowed to rule over men, Queen Gorgo said, "Because we are also the only ones who give birth to men." At some point, Mother even encouraged all her children to learn how to fight, not just her sons. As I grew older, I even learned how to use my knack at vocal mimicry to my advantage.

Some good my childhood did me, huh?

I tried to use these skills when I was younger. As much as a child could, anyway. It was when Theseus and his friend Pirithous had the brilliant idea to kidnap me so that I could become Theseus' wife, when I couldn't have been more than ten years old at the time. A bit of context here, but Spartan women normally didn't get married until they were between the ages of eighteen to twenty. So, I ran as fast as my little legs could carry me, and when they caught up, I'm proud to say that I bit them both. I'm almost sure I made one of them bleed. I hope it was Theseus. My brothers Castor and Pollux went to war for my safe return not long after.

Honestly, how that man is still seen as the hero of Athens, I'll never know. If you ask me, Heracles should've never let him out of that chair.

But yes, it seems I was always causing trouble, even as a child. Always launching ships.

I know what you're thinking: if I knew how to defend myself, then why didn't I do it in Troy, where I was hated anyway? Now how do you know I didn't? Unfortunately for me, Paris may have been as weak as a mouse in battle, but he was no fool. He quickly caught onto my tricks, and if he wasn't keeping an eye on me, then his many guards were. Furthermore, if it took the Greeks ten years to defeat the Trojans, then what chance did I have to even get beyond the wall without being seen first? Being sired by the mighty Zeus didn't mean I was powerful. Never mind that gods like Ares and Artemis were also on their side.

You can probably tell by now that I didn't love Paris. In fact, by the tenth year of the war, I both hated and pitied him. Why did I leave with him, then? Well, like I said, it's complicated. It'd be easy to completely blame Aphrodite for my choice, but not even Ares is fully responsible for the blood that's spilled on a battlefield.

It wasn't that I hated Menelaus, far from it. But I must admit, I felt trapped and terrified when we got married. I was young, too. By the time he arrived, my daughter Hermione had only just turned nine years old, but my marriage had still felt no less stifling at the time.

Paris, however, gave me that freedom. I suppose I am Zeus' daughter in that regard. In some ways, I understand him, much as I hate to admit it. At first, it was nice. He made me laugh and told me all about his life in Troy and just the thought of going with him sounded like such an adventure! Sometimes I miss those days. Sometimes I think we could've become great friends had things turned out differently. He avoids me now, here in the Underworld. And that's just fine with me.

No, I didn't love Paris. No more than I loved his brother Deiphobus after he died. But I loved the freedom he gave me. It was only when we reached the shores of Troy did it feel like one of Poseidon's waves had crashed right through me. What had I done?

And, well, you know the rest. Troy and Greece spent ten years at war fighting over one woman. To this day, I wonder how Menelaus found it in that big heart of his to forgive me.

But if it's an apology you want, then it's an apology you'll get.

I'm sorry to Menelaus for leaving.

I'm sorry to Hermione, who had to grow up without her mother and father for so long.

I'm sorry to my niece Iphigenia, who was sacrificed by her own father so that the Greeks may have wind for sailing.

I'm sorry to Clytemnestra, who was driven mad with grief after what her husband had done.

I'm sorry to my cousin Penelope and her son Telemachus, both of whom had to spend twenty years without Odysseus while unwanted suitors invaded their home.

I'm sorry to all the brave people who died while trying to get me to return home.

I'm sorry to the rest of the families who waited for their loved one to return from the war, be it dead or alive.

I'm sorry to Hector, my closest friend in Troy, whose body was desecrated by a grief-stricken Achilles after he lost his beloved Patroclus.

I'm sorry to Paris' first wife Oenone and their son Corythus, both spurned by him upon my arrival.

And most of all, I'm sorry to the rest of the citizens of Troy. They were completely innocent and did not deserve to be killed or made into slaves. I do not blame Hecuba in the slightest for her resentment towards me.

I'm sorry. For everything.

But that will never be enough, will it? Because I will continue to be hated no matter what I do. And I'm so very tired of apologizing.

So I ask again, what do you want me to say?

[thoseofgreatambition]

Dear George | Chapter 1

Dear George | Chapter 1 | Ten Miles Farther

Desc: Gwendolyn hid herself away after the war, from a mix of ambition and anxiety. It’s not until small reunion that she reconnects with her old friend George that going out and about more seems to become interesting. 

A/N: Hi there! I started writing Dear George about three years ago. It’s incredibly long, but I poured my blood sweat and tears into this. Please let me know what you think, I would adore some comments. 

Warnings: Alchohol

Pairing: George x OC

Word count: 4.6K

Gwendolyn’s father had been the first Slytherin in a long line of Ravenclaws. At the time, no one had been that torn up about the change. Their family business was running an apothecary, and his family had been quite pleased that their first born child was ambitious. It meant that their business would be left in good hands.

Then the first war happened. Gwen’s grandparents hadn’t changed their opinion on their son, they knew him well, and knew that he wouldn’t do anything to harm anyone. However, her father had to take quite a bit of action so people didn’t associate him with the death eaters. It had worked, in their tiny magical town in Wales, he’d been dubbed ‘a good man’ despite him being in Slytherin. Afon went through the training to become a healer before joining the family business. After that he had used his free time to heal those coming back from the war, and offering free medicine to those that needed it.

Gwen was very young at the time, and he’d made sure that the experience taught her a valuable lesson. If you’re in Slytherin, you have to go more than the extra mile to make sure people don’t hold it against you. You have to go ten miles farther than anyone else.

Her mother, a muggle, hadn’t really cared a fig when Gwen was sorted into Slytherin like her father, but Gwen knew that he wasn’t happy. He knew that it would just make life harder on her than if she was in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.

As much as people who weren’t in Slytherin would like to attest, most of those in the house were perfectly normal. Slytherins knew that Gryffindor were their rivals, but that didn’t mean they weren’t friends with some of them. Many of those in Slytherin had friends with people in other houses, in fact, almost all of them did. Gwen did after all. Her best friend was her cousin in Ravenclaw, and she was good friends with the Weasley twins who were in her year.

Things started getting hard in her seventh year. Umbridge came around, and the favoritism she showed Slytherin was sickening. All of the Slytherins knew what her detentions were like. Malfoy had detailed them once in the common room. But what could they do to help? Most of them, the ones who weren’t Umbridge’s cronies simply tried to support people who weren’t in their house, took the fall for them when they could. Everyone knew she wouldn’t punish those in Slytherin.

Gwen had started volunteering in the hospital wing, when she wasn’t practicing with the rest of the Quidditch team. With Malfoy circulating the ‘Weasley is our King’ nonsense, it seemed like most people hated Slytherin with a passion. That year was both hectic and exceedingly simple. She practiced for Quidditch, helped in the hospital wing, and studied for her N.E.W.T.S. Above all, before anything else, she kept her head down.

Sure, she helped out her friends when she could, took the fall when she could, but with so much anger towards her house, Gwen found it easiest to busy herself with work and try to sway opinions by doing her very best.

It hadn’t really worked though.

She knew something was going on with the twins and their large group of friends. Every Slytherin knew there was some sort of meeting going on. Malfoy ranted about it every time he failed to find out exactly what was happening. Gwen didn’t really know the details. She hadn’t pressed to find out, and had just assumed it was some meeting of friends. If she heard anyone on the Inquisitorial Squad say anything that sounded important she passed it on if she could.

When she found out about Dumbledore’s army, what it had really been, it had stung a bit. Perhaps it was because she hadn’t pushed to find out what was happening, but to her teenage mind, it felt like she hadn’t been invited because they didn’t trust her.

She’d at least gotten to help in the Battle of Hogwarts. Gwen and her father had heard about what was going on and had arrived to offer their services as healers in the Great Hall. It hadn’t been much, but it had been enough to shake the association with their old house mates fighting for the other side.

All of this, every moment, led to today. She’d finished her training as a healer and moved back to Wales with her parents before the war, and was getting ready to take over the family business so her father could retire. It was hard work, standing over a cauldron all day, but it was for something greater than she could imagine. The Hughes family name was going to be known across all of Britain one day. She and her father were going to make damn sure that one day they were well known. It was rare that wanting to help people was met with such ambition, but the traits had merged quite firmly in the father and daughter.

She was quite engrossed in the pain potions she was working on, so when Gwen’s fire place lit up with a flash of green flame, with a familiar figure leaping out, she couldn’t help but yell out in surprise and drop her wand.  

“Merlin’s pants! Victoria, what did I tell you about doing that?” She picked up her wand that had fallen and scowled down at the fireplace as her cousin Victoria walked out. Really, if Victoria was going to opt out of helping with the family business, it would be nice if she didn’t scare the living daylights out of Gwen and distract her from working.

Victoria shrugged, and flashed the same winning smile she always did. “Sorry Gwen!” With a quick glance to her surroundings, she hopped up and sat upon the worktable. “We’re all going out for drinks, and I want you to come!”

“Who’s ‘we’?” Gwen frowned as she looked down at her potion, before starting to distribute it into smaller vials. She could probably go out for the night, it’d been several months since she did so after all. Then again, Gwen didn’t want to go to any sort of wild parties that Victoria seemed to be so fond of. Victoria was a good and smart woman, but she could drink Gwen under the table with ease.

“The Weasley twins, Angelina Johnson, me…. Plenty of others from our year? I’m not sure.” She gave Gwen an appraising look, taking in her stained shirt and pants, dirty from today’s work. “You’ll have to get changed.”

Gwen wiped her hands on her shirt. The thing would get washed anyways. Tactfully, the apothecary ignored her cousins blunt words and focused on finishing up her work.

Thinking about it, it sounded fun. She hadn’t seen much of any of the old group after the war, and the last time she’d seen Fred he’d been lying in the Great Hall, unconscious after a rather sizable chunk of wall landed atop of him. Gwen had heard he’d been wheelchair bound, though she was simply grateful he wasn’t dead.

“Fred’s going to be there? Is he doing well enough?”

Victoria nodded enthusiastically. “He looks like he’s doing pretty good! He’s using a cane now, but he said that he’s been itching to go out for a while since he’s feeling better.”

Gwen paused and took stock of her surroundings. She’d done the lion’s share of the work today, and she had a feeling her dad wouldn’t mind if she passed the rest onto him. Sure, she wouldn’t tell him she’d be drinking, but he’d be happy to know his daughter was spending time with friends. “Alright—give me a little bit to get changed. If you go downstairs Ma and Dad will get you something to eat I’m sure. They’ll be happy to see you.”

Getting ready was easy, this wasn’t some huge event where she needed to be dressed to the nines. A clean shirt, a clean pair of pants, and fixing the plait in her hair was fast and simple. Soon enough Gwen was stampeding down the stairs to meet Victoria.

“Bye Ma, bye Dad!” She kissed her mother on the cheek before waving to her father.

Ada looked up from her seat towards her daughter, a smile on her face. It was nice to hear that she was finally going out to see her old friends. “What time will you be back, Gwendolyn?”

Gwen shot a look towards Victoria, clicking her teeth as she thought. Her father was very much morally upright and hardly ever drank. While she had no intention of getting roaring drunk tonight, she knew he wouldn’t like the idea of her going to a bar. “I’m not sure. If it’s late I’ll just stay with Victoria—It’ll be nice to catch up with everyone.”

The expression on her father’s face showed she wasn’t fooling him in the slightest, but also that he didn’t mind enough to comment. “Have fun, be safe.”

Soon enough they bounded through the fireplace to Victoria’s flat near Diagon Alley. Gwen shrugged on a jacket. It was technically spring now, but it was still quite cool outside, especially at night. “So where are we meeting everyone?”

“The Leaky Cauldron! We’ll be meeting everyone there, I think it’s going to be a small reunion thing.” She did a final check of her hair in the mirror before flashing Gwen her winning smile. Gwen was still surprised Victoria hadn’t ended up in Slytherin with her. She was quite good at getting people to do what she pleased, and everyone in the family was quite happy she used her powers for good. It seemed however that her wit was her strongest personality trait, and it had landed her in Ravenclaw.

A reunion though? That probably meant a lot of the people in their year would be there. If Gwen was a betting woman, she’d wager that she’d be one of the only Slytherin’s there, if not the only one. Most of the people in her house were perfectly decent. But those that didn’t go out of their way to prove they were good people, tended to be excluded. Gwen reckoned the only reason she was remembered for this was because she was Victoria’s cousin.

On second thought, it may have been the fact she was on the Quidditch team. The twins probably remembered launching several bludgers at her in their younger years.

George had definitely popped her shoulder out of socket at one point, but the boy had been nice enough to check on Gwen in the hospital wing after. She didn’t really blame him. He’d been aiming for one of Slytherin’s Beater’s, and when the Beater moved out of the way, George had hit her while she was carrying the Quaffle.

Gwen massaged her shoulder as she remembered the event and walked out onto the street with Victoria. It was hard not to be a little nervous. This was the first time she’d seen these people since the war had ended almost a year ago, and Gwen hadn’t kept in good touch with any of them. She had a growing suspicion that people would be so interested in catching up with each other, she might have a hard time joining a conversation.

Her suspicion was correct. People were perfectly friendly to Gwen, and in fact there were a few people that seemed genuinely happy to see her. But as people got into deep conversations, she was spending more time listening than talking. Victoria was at a different and engrossed in a conversation with an old housemate, Gwen was sipping on her drink, wondering how rude it would be of her to leave early.

Looking around from her tiny booth in the corner, it did seem nice to be back. Gwen had missed these people, and even if she wasn’t sure how to join into their conversations, it didn’t mean she wasn’t happy to see them. She did wish that at least one other Slytherin had shown up, Gwen had gotten along quite well with most of the ones in her year, and she was certain she’d have a conversation partner if that was the case.

“So how have you been?”

It took a second to realize that the voice was talking to her, and as Gwen looked she saw a familiar ginger headed man sitting down across from her. “Hey George.”

If it had been a few years ago, she wouldn’t have been entirely certain which twin was which, but George only had one ear now, and Fred was restricted to using a cane. Somehow she wasn’t happy about being able to tell them apart. “I’ve been doing pretty well. I finished up training as a healer this fall, and I moved back home to help with the shop. How have you been?”

He squeezed into the booth, and they both pretended Gwen didn’t know the answer to the question she’d just asked. Gwen also pretended she didn’t notice the fact he was missing an ear now. Probably something from the war.

“Man that’s all you’ve been up to? After so long I really thought you were going to give me an earful.”

“That’s a terrible pun,” she said, smiling despite her words. There was a certain quality about the twins. They could make anyone laugh. Just across the room Fred was telling some sort of story that had everyone in stitches.

“No one ever likes the ear jokes,“ He clicked his tongue, and shook his head with an exaggerated look of sadness. “It’s a shame really, when I’ve got so many of them.” He couldn’t keep the fake frown on for long, before returning to his normal beaming self. “I’ve been doing alright, the shop’s been closed for a while now, but we’re hoping to open it during the summer. Fred and I have been developing new products as much as we can. It’s really nice to get back to work.” He looked across the room and eyed his brother’s cane. “It’s a good distraction.”

She followed his line of sight to his brother and frowned just a bit, wondering what else was going on that she wasn’t privy to. It certainly wasn’t her place to ask. This was her first time having a proper conversation with him since before the war started, and that topic would be going too far in depth for so soon after meeting him again.

Instead, Gwen steered the conversation to a safer topic.

“So what are you working on now? The new products?”

George knew perfectly well what she was doing, and he was quite alright with it. Detailing how hard Fred’s rehabilitation was going wasn’t something he wanted to do on a night that was supposed to be fun. “We’re working on a whole new line of sweets! Remember how we made sweets to help kids get out of class or tests?”

“I do. I also seem to remember a certain Mr. Weasley eating a bad batch of those sweets and vomiting on my shoes.”

“I’m not surprised you do, but you should also remember that the same Mr. Weasley apologized quite a bit for that, and held your hair when you threw up in return.”

He’d felt quite bad about it at the time. First for ruining her shoes, and secondly for causing her to get sick in return. He’d used a spell to clean her shoes though, and had made sure she was alright, so George figured they were square.

Gwen chuckled and took another sip of her drink, “Yeah—I guess we’re even. So what do these new sweets do? More to get you out of class?”

He shook his head. “No, we’re actually thinking of things that help you perform better. Things to jog your memory, a nougat to help with getting nervous in class….” George finished off the last bit of his drink and smiled. “We figure it’ll be nice to do some sweets that don’t involve making people sick.”

“I mean, I’m sure a lot of people would agree with you.” Gwen finished off the last of her drink as well, finally done with the first drink of the night. She wasn’t terribly fond of drinking, and tended to pace herself. “It’s nice to see everyone again, I haven’t seen you since what? A year and a half ago?”

She didn’t count the battle. Gwen had of course seen him there, but it was when his whole family was crouched over Fred, worrying if he was going to live or die.

“A year and a half ago yeah. Too long. I seem to remember you telling me you’d keep in touch, Miss Hughes.” George did his best impression of his mother when she chastised one of his children, and wagged his finger at her until she laughed. “You better start keeping up to that promise. I’ll be holding you to it.” Spying their empty glasses, he scooted out of the booth and stood up. “Next rounds on me—no arguing. What will you have?”

“A butterbeer. Thank you George.” He was the same guy he always was, funny, and always looking to reach out to those he thought seemed lonely.

As the night went on, the awkwardness of seeing each other for the first time in a while faded, and they were able to talk like they used to. “Yeah—Fred’s real happy. They took him off one of his pain management potions, so he’s able to drink again.” George’s face screwed up, realizing that he hadn’t exactly put his brother in a nice light. “Not that he drank much in the first place, but it’s just been a pain being told not to do something.”

“That’s understandable. I see that a lot. No grown up likes being told what they can and can’t do.” She sipped on her drink, feeling a very happy warmth spread over her from the butterbeer. “It’s hard making pain potions, you can’t make them too strong or else the patient can’t do anything, but if you don’t make them strong enough they don’t help. That’s good though, I’m happy for him. He’s doing a lot better than the last time I saw him.” Granted, the last time she saw him he’d been unconscious, but this was still a vast improvement.

George nodded, it was nice talking to Gwen about this sort of thing. She’d always been inclined to healing, and during their seventh year she’d snuck him balms to help with the scars from Umbridge’s detentions. “So I have a question for you. What sort of sleeping potion is best for insomnia?”

It was a complicated question, and Gwen mulled it over with a long sip from her drink. “Well, it depends on the background of the patient.” She looked between Fred across the room and George across the table from her.  She reckoned that he was asking either on behalf of his brother or himself. “If the patient is on a lot of other medication, it narrows the field. If not, there’s more options.”

“I don’t take any other potions regularly, except for a sleeping potion I bought at a shop. Didn’t see a healer for it though.” He had no qualms coming out to Gwen and saying it was for him. The problem laid in the fact that with Fred dealing with being so sick and in so much pain after the war, George hadn’t really felt right seeking out help for his own issues. Now that Fred was getting better though….

“With you, it’s actually not that bad finding something that would work. I’d steer away from anything you can just pick up without seeing an actual healer, those can get nasty. If you pop by our shop I can help you out. Can you not sleep at all or is it just trouble falling asleep?”

Well that explained the fact that his potion had stopped working on him. “I can’t sleep at all. I usually end up eventually falling asleep after a day or two.”

Gwen shook her head a little bit. That certainly wasn’t good. A glance at the clock showed that it was quite late, but not too late for her to help him out. “C’mon—we’re getting you squared away tonight.”

George looked at her in surprise, as she stood up, “Tonight? You sure?” He shot a look at Fred who was peering over at him curiously. Fred offered a thumbs up, and George shook his head. No, this wasn’t going to be like that. “Alright then—let’s go.”

She walked to the fireplace and tossed a handful of Floo powder in, “Hughes Apothecary.” Quick as all can be, she was back home in the store front, greeted by her confused father working on labeling potions.

George followed suit and was entirely unsure how to handle this situation. Luckily, Gwen seemed to have a handle on it. “This is my friend George, he’s had trouble sleeping so I wanted to get him settled with a potion tonight to help out.”

Afon frowned just a bit at his daughter. The paternal side of him didn’t like her bringing home a “friend” late at night with no warning. The ambitious side of him though was happy that he’d be getting a new customer, and trusted that his daughter would get a new patient for the business. “Nice to meet you George.” He shook the young man’s hand and noted the dark circles under his eyes. Yes, a sleeping potion would be in order. “Let me know if you need any help Gwendolyn.”

He was quite certain that she’d have a handle on it, but Afon intended to be right in the other room working just in case.

The redhead felt quite awkward. He’d be honest, after the war he was known for partaking in some ill advised flings, but that was a behavior George was determined to put behind him. Besides, this didn’t feel like that. Always one to crack a joke in any situation, he handled the tension the best he knew how. “So is this the part where you try to sell me as much as you can?”

Gwen let out a snort of laughter as she began sorting through several potions, before motioning loosely to a chair for him to sit in. “No, you’re not drunk enough to rob blind. So when was the last time you slept?”

“Night before last.” He wasn’t much of a coffee drinker, and even now he wasn’t fond of the stuff, but he’d had quite a bit to make ends meet. Gwen took his wrist in her hand and checked his pulse. “I went to bed at 4 a.m. and woke up at 8 p.m.” there was a twang of guilt, George was always very careful to go to Fred’s healer appointments with him, but had managed to miss that one.

“Have there been any other symptoms?” This all seemed fairly straightforward, but she didn’t want to miss some bigger thing he may have by just focusing on the lack of sleep.

George shook his head, trying to rack his brain. “I’ve had headaches, but that’s about it.”

With a nod, she let go of his wrist and grabbed a potion from the cabinet. “Alright, so this is what I’ll be giving you.” Gwen set the vial in his hand and sat across from him. She jotted down the instructions she was giving him verbally on a piece of parchment “You’re only going to take an ounce a night, an hour before bed. You’re going to cut out all caffeine after noon, and you’re not going to have any heavy meals three hours before bed. I don’t want you doing any work or any studying for products an hour before bed. You need to start relaxing.”

He was glad Gwen was writing all of this down. She continued to list what he was supposed to do, and he doubted he would have been able to remember it all.  Then again, if this would help him sleep, it would be worth it.

“Writing also helps. You can start a journal or write some letters before bed if that will help you relax.”

“Letters will probably work best…” his mother would be happier if he sent more letters to her, certainly. “Besides, given how much I’ve talked to you these past few years, maybe I ought to start writing instead.”

Gwen simply responded with a grin and a nod. The writing trick almost always worked. There was something therapeutic about getting all of your thoughts out onto a page before you slept. She stood up and began leafing about the room. She knew somewhere in here there was a tea that would help him relax. It certainly wasn’t a magical one, but it should still work.

“How much do I owe you?” He stood out of the chair and stretched, feeling himself grow more tired as the alcohol he’d had continued to hit him. His tolerance seemed to have faded after not drinking for some time. Hopefully he’d actually be able to sleep tonight. Gwen appeared to be searching for something in the cluttered workroom. George couldn’t pass judgment though, it was still more organized than what he and Fred had going on.

She simply shook her head. Her father’s ambition was to have the shop become so successful they could open another in Diagon Alley, and then more and more until they were in every wizarding center in Britain. To do this they had to make quite a bit of money and develop a huge client base. If he knew she was giving away a potion for free she doubted he’d be happy. Gwen’s ambition was the same, but she knew that sometimes it needed to be put aside, even if she wasn’t entirely thrilled about it. “Don’t worry about it, just let me know if it works alright? I think it’ll work for you, but I don’t want you paying for it if it doesn’t.”

“Are you sure?” George reached back to grab his wallet out of his pocket. He couldn’t help but remember when he and Fred were starting to sell their products at school, and how every knuckle had mattered when it came to making sure they could do what they loved. Sure, Gwen’s family business was much more old and established than his was, but he didn’t want to put anyone in a tight spot.

Gwen nodded, handing him the small satchel of tea she’d been looking for. “Drink this after you take your potion. It’ll help too.” She waved him off as he took out his money, “I’m sure! It was nice talking to you again. I want to help out where I can. Besides, you paid for drinks tonight. We’re even George.”

That had tended to be a running theme in their friendship. They’d first met in potions, where she’d helped him once and he’d helped her in return. After he’d hit her with the bludger during the Quidditch game and knocked her shoulder out of socket, he’d carried around her books until it had healed. When she gave him a balm to heal the wound on his hand after detentions with Umbridge, he’d given her a wide assortment of Skiving Snackboxes to help her get out of History of Magic.

It didn’t quite feel like even though. All he’d done was spend time with a friend, and now she was helping him with a problem he’d had for months. Always seeking to even the scales, George quickly thought of a solution. “I’ll write you tonight, and you can expect my letter tomorrow.”

Gwen smiled. “You better—I’m expecting to hear plenty of jokes from you. Good ones this time, not just ear puns.”

“Excuse you Madam, those are the epitome of comedy.” He gave her a quick hug and grabbed a handful of Floo powder. It was time to leave. Fred was probably back home and he was sure his brother needed help getting ready for bed. “You better come and visit the shop again soon. No more waiting a year before seeing your friends.”

She nodded, “I’ll come and visit when I have the chance.” For once, she actually meant it. “Get some sleep George.”

George tossed the powder into the fireplace, “Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes.” Turning back to Gwen, he threw her a smile. “Thank you. Goodnight.”

Like that, he was gone. Briefly, Gwen wondered how Victoria would feel about the fact she’d essentially ditched the party to do more business, but shrugged it off. She was helping a friend, and had more fun than if she had simply sat in the corner of the pub all night. Gwen passed by her father and went upstairs to her room.

It’d be nice to read George’s letter in the morning.

tag list: @geeksareunique @insearchofnewdreams @notstandingstill-imlyinginwait @lumos-barnes @thatfuckingliardavidtennant @slytherinqween @xinyourdreamsx @skiving-snackboxess @wildfire-whizbangs @dwarfwizard-from-panem @diary-of-an-onliner @answer-the-sirens @woakiees @black-widow-fangirl @theheirofnightandday @summerstardust @whysoseriouspadfoot @chocok22 @myhopesareanchoredinyou @siriusblackisme @illusivedaydreamer @zeeneee @writingwitchly @wolfpotter12 @obsessedwithrandomthings @carolinesbookworld @shadowsinger11 @pit-and-the-pen @summer-writes @peachesandpinks @ickle-ronniekins @gweaslvy @alpinewinchester

[septiembrre]

Brio #4 a hug after not seeing someone for a long time pls

Ruby & Beth come back from a well-deserved vacation, at least 15 years overdue.

I really thought this was the easy prompt out of the bunch. I thought for sure this one would be just 500 words, a neat and contained ficlet. Oh well, it’s 3k. 

I tagged some folks at the bottom, but just because I tagged you doesn’t mean you have to read it, but there’s a note for you down there in case you get around to it. I’m being a brat and posting too much and I know everyone’s busy with their week. Also, what is this hellish October?

Also here on AO3

-----

So I Come To You, My Love

Beth is itchy, impatient ever since they boarded the plane to go home. Or maybe since they made it to the airport… or rather, since she woke up before dawn, her mind racing with anticipation of her 11 am flight.

Ruby had gotten up, wandered somnolent into the kitchen for coffee, and promptly been accosted with the sight of Beth sitting at the kitchen table of their rental with her pile of suitcases fully packed and ready to go. Ruby had rolled her eyes to high heaven and asked aloud for patience.

At this point, Beth was too twitchy to be apologetic, the airport calling to her like a beacon from afar.  

Ruby had known that it was only the beginning.

She had shaken her head as they flew along in their rideshare to the airport,  Beth silent, taciturn, and unable to make any small talk with their cheerful driver asking them indulgent questions about their trip. She had rubbed Beth’s shoulder as Beth sighed, loudly, multiple times in the line for security, in line for boarding. She had watched as Beth’s eyes had darted to the time on her cell and tracked the clocks ticking on the airport walls. 

Again, Ruby had prayed, Heavenly Father, please give me the patience and understanding to not harm Elizabeth Marks, my aforementioned best friend, on this eight-hour flight. Please bring us safely to our journey’s end. 

Eventually, they settled on the plane and Ruby… Ruby needed a break. Beth and all of her fidgeting were giving her friend nervousness by osmosis. They should have anticipated it, of course. That this is how their fabulous, three-week, best-friend vacation was doomed to end -- in an anxious fizzle.

So, Ruby went about her process. She popped her ZzzQuil and put on her Nidra eye mask (or as Annie would say, “her eye bra”). Then, she wrapped herself up the plush blanket she had purchased for maximum airplane luxury, fully reclined her first-class seat, and adamantly went to sleep. 

It’s in this purgatory that Beth finds herself waiting. 

Waiting.

And still waiting.

At first, she tries to watch a movie, and it plays as told on the screen in front of her for two hours. She barely hears a word. Then, she tries to sleep, too. 

But, no dice.

And she can’t exactly complain and blame it on the flying experience when she’s sitting in first class. The trip, an international vacation to France, had already been the fanciest thing Beth and Ruby had ever done. They had taken three weeks off from work to do it and that time was a luxury in itself. So, when Stan and Rio had combined husband-partner powers (HPP as Ruby and Beth had toasted to, giggling on the first flight across the ocean) and surprised them, upgrading their seats to first-class… It had been the cherry on top of the icing on the cake. 

But, despite all the makings for premium comfort, Beth ends up bringing her seatback upright. 

Instead, she passes the time, tapping her heel and staring off into space. 

While she knows rationally it’s not true, it feels like the longest eight hours of her life. The last half of the flight stretches out before her but this experience certainly wasn’t as long as any of her births, or as stressful as even half of the situations they had gotten themselves into while criming these past four years. 

But, Beth doesn’t ever really do well with prolonged absences from Rio. The anxiety of what it meant before -- ghosting, getting cleaved from the business -- is still something they are working to break from the patterns of their relationship, something Rio is still trying to unlearn as being his go-to answer to emotional conflict. 

But, historically it had unfolded the other way around. There had never been a precedent of Beth being the one to smoke bomb out for a few weeks...

Of course, she wasn’t smoke bombing anywhere, slipping away into the ether. This was a long-planned vacation, months in the making, decades in the dreaming. There had been careful plotting to adjust the slack in the printing schedule and there had been deliberate calendering with the children’s summer activities. And well, Rio knew where to find her -- both where her rental was in Paris and where she more permanently lived (with him). 

And it’s not like they hadn’t talked every morning and every night and sometimes in between of these past three weeks

God, she feels clingy and codependent and too much like her teenagers. Ruby had called Stan half as much. 

And she’s still itchy. 

…And kind of oily now?

She keeps scratching at a spot on one of her shoulders, at her palms, blotting at her face.

The people around her are going to think she has some sort of disease.

Except for Ruby, who knows. 

So, Beth sits there, tapping, scratching, sighing into the void of time. 

And it shouldn’t be so much of a surprise when a little more than halfway through the flight, Ruby’s hand emerges from its blanket cocoon to clamp down on Beth’s jiggling leg. Regardless, Beth all but levitates a foot into the air, gasping. 

“Chill out.” 

Beth takes a deep breath and tries her best. 

Then, she blows out a raspberry. “I can’t.” 

Ruby rips off her eye mask, sighing loudly.  “You’re such a newlywed.” 

“That’s the thing,” Beth says glumly. “We’re not even married.”

“Do you want to be?” Ruby looks over at her best friend, brow furrowed. And she wonders for the millionth time the question she won’t actually voice out loud, What did Rio’s dick do to her friend?

Beth looks back at Ruby, then her gaze shifts away, “No--” It comes out in upspeak, like a question and unsure. She swallows, and tries again, “No.” 

Ruby widens her eyes at Beth who cringes, folding into herself. Then, Beth shifts anxiously in her seat, avoiding Ruby’s gaze. “No, I don’t really… care.” Then, Beth grimaces, realizing it obviously sounds like she cares.

“Oh-kay.”

“I just--” Beth starts defensively, “Three weeks has been a long time to be away from home.” 

The trip was wonderful, a literal dream -- one they’ve dreamt of since high school. But, the three weeks have been a long time, for both of them.

Beth continues, “I’d do it again in a heartbeat but now that we’ve been, maybe two weeks next time.”

Ruby nods. “I can’t wait to see Stanley. Ugh, to hug Harry.” She hugs her own arms around herself picturing embracing her son. “Sara…” Ruby purses her lips. “Can stay at her photography camp.” 

Beth rocks in to nudge her shoulder against Ruby’s, chiding. “You missed her.” 

“Let’s just say that I’m glad I took the higher road and got her those damn macarons she wanted.” 

“I’m glad we ended up doing that, too. The kids are going to be thrilled, especially Emma.”

Ruby shakes her head fondly. “I love that child. Forever my favorite nibling.” 

“Yeah, well Sara is my favorite niece, so don’t be too hard on her.”

Ruby scoffs. “She’s your only niece.”

“And you know, she’s had weeks now to think about it. She’s probably feeling very sorry she said all those things before you left.” Beth consoles, reaching over to hold Ruby’s hand. “Knowing Stan, he’s probably worked his magic on her and you’ll go back and be a perfect family again.”

Ruby shakes her head, then turns against the seat to look at Beth, all charm, “So, who’s your favorite nephew?”

Now it’s Beth’s turn to scoff, “You know Annie would kill me if I didn’t say Ben.” 

“Well, she’s not here.” 

Beth rolls her eyes. “You know Benjamin is as perfect a child as they come. But, I never see him anymore. He’s always off with his friends and suddenly too old to hang out with his younger cousins, too cool to hang out with his favorite aunt-- and you know I’m not good with teenagers.” Beth shrugs. “And Harry’s eight and a mini version of Stan. It’s just not a fair fight.”  

 Ruby smiles, pleased, “I’m going to tell Annie.”

“You can’t tell Annie. I told you that under the assurance of secrecy.”

“Bitch, I didn’t give you no assurance.”

Beth sticks her tongue out at Ruby. Ruby scowls at her back. Then, they settle again. 

“You have plans with gang boo? Oh, excuse me-- Christopher…” Ruby trills. “--Since you’re anxious as all get out.”

Beth arches back against the seat, fidgeting again. “I’m not anxious.”

Ruby levels her with a look.

“I’m not.”  

There’s a beat where Ruby continues to stare at Beth, waiting. Beth rocks her jaw and looks away.

“Why don’t you just text him?” 

“I already did when we got on the plane.” 

“So… message him again?” 

Beth cants her head low, letting her hair fall to obscure her face. 

“He’s being… you know how he is.”

“I… do but I’m not sure I want to know what that means.” Ruby pauses, sitting with it. “Oh my god.” She clamps her hand down again, this time on Beth’s wrist. “Does he want you to take naked pictures in the bathroom?”

Beth tries to snatch her arm away, flailing in the seat.

“What if Delta sees your nudes?! Please, tell me you did not do that in that sardine box ten feet away from me, Elizabeth. Marks.” 

“I didn’t. I would never.” 

Someone a row over shushes them. 

Ruby relinquishes her grip to press at her eyebrows. “Y’all are too much.” 

Beth shrugs. “He really liked those caftans we bought at that boutique.”  

Ruby considers that, thinking about how much she underestimated Christopher Aguilar’s capacity to love her friend. Sometimes it just really is too much to think about. “You got a special night planned?” 

“No,” Beth says shortly. 

“Mm.” Ruby nods along. “You know that man’s not going to let you out of bed, right?”

Beth flushes, squirming again in her seat. And she feels awkward talking about it, but, God, she hopes so?

“When are you picking up your kids again?” 

“Tomorrow night.”

Ruby tsks and looks at Beth knowingly. 

“You really don’t want to try to get some sleep? You’re gonna need it. Hell, I’m gonna need it and here you are keeping me up.” 

Beth laughs shortly. “You’re one to talk about not getting out of bed. Stan literally wrote you an ode last week.” 

Ruby smiles, something soft, small, and happy. “He was trying to compete with Paris.” Then she says, playful. “Almost twenty-five years of marriage and I still got it.” 

Beth looks at her friend and opens her mouth looking for the words. She turns to search Ruby’s face and tries to be vulnerable.

Her voice comes out small and a little desperate, “Do you really think he missed me?”

Ruby snorts. “I’m honestly surprised he didn’t show up in Paris to crash our trip. The man’s a genie. A genie with a lot of dinero.”

And it’s flattering, the image of Rio flying across the world to find her. Of course, he had stayed right where she left him -- in Detroit, in the middle of nailing down some business with one of his bars -- while she and Ruby fulfilled the dream they had for twenty years now. 

It was... something, really something to be flush with cash, for all of the people she loved to be rolling in the riches, to have enough to afford anything she wanted. Security -- what a concept.

But, quickly enough she is so greedy. Beth is already calculating when it would be realistically feasible for her and Rio to take time off together for a trip of their own (maybe a beach this time).  

Beth lets out a long, deep sigh.

“B, that man was glued to his phone for any and every picture or text you would send him about what you were doing. He woke up at some god awful time to tell you ‘Good Morning’ and cleared his schedule every day at 5 pm to call you at the end of ours. He missed you.” 

She whispers. “I missed him, too.” 

“I know,” Ruby says dryly. Suddenly, her hand flies up to push the button for the attendant. 

Beth looks at Ruby nonplussed, as the attendant makes their way down the aisle to their seats. 

Ruby eyes Beth sternly. “We still have two hours on this airplane and we are going to make the most of it. It’s still our vacation and you need to hold your shit together.” 

Pep talk over, she smiles wide at the flight attendant and requests, “Two mimosas, please!”

----

It’s more than two mimosas. When their flight finally lands, Beth and Ruby don’t walk in the straightest line up the jet bridge. 

They pause just out of their gate, a big sense of feeling bringing both of them to a standstill. Tipsy, relieved to be off the plane, and home again, vibrant in this feeling of togetherness with each other, they embrace. 

“Thank you, friend.”

“I hate your face.”

“I hate your face.”

“God, I never want to see your face again.”

They loosen their hold, dab at their wet eyes. 

“Thank you for Paris.”

They tear up all over again. 

-----

Once they make it out of their gate, Ruby and Beth stop to use the bathroom. Beth takes the opportunity to smooth out her hair, dab some cold water at her blotchy cheeks, and reapply some deodorant. 

She thinks she’s going to jump out of her skin. 

Ruby brushes her teeth, and Beth inspired does so, too. They apply lip balm on their chapped lips. Beth pinches color into her cheeks, as Ruby laughs, “He sees you on the daily first thing in the morning. Or do you pull a Midge Maisel on him?”

Beth sticks out her tongue. 

As they get ready to move on and Ruby gets a call from Stan, who reports that they are there waiting outside of customs. 

Beth all but runs to the international baggage claim, Ruby trailing behind her, watching her best friend with great amusement and a little secondhand embarrassment but she’s excited, too. They get in line at customs, and blessedly it isn’t long and they don’t have enough to declare. Quick enough, they’re buzzing through the doors that announce no return entry. 

On the other side are escalators leading them up from the bottom-most level -- international arrivals only -- to the ground floor. Beth files in with her suitcases, behind Ruby.

And as they move further up the escalator, they can spot Stan and Rio waiting for them at the top. 

Beth turns to Ruby, “Store on Monday?”

Who nods back, “Store on Monday.”

As they get closer, Beth drinks Rio in and something unsnarls in her soul. He’s in a black t-shirt, his jeans, and a pair of his typically sharp shoes -- dressed for Detroit in June. Her eye zero in on his ink, visible on his neck, the stretch of skin exposed on his arms, his hands clenched at his sides, the scruff on his face. Video has come a long way but, she’s relieved to see him in real detail. She’s relieved that in seconds she’ll be able to touch him, relieved to see that particular warm look in his eyes, the embers in person. 

Beth can’t help it -- a smile stretches wide across her face. It really hasn’t been that long, she’s spent decades without him, but she feels giddy, goofy, effervescent. She could float right up to the top of the escalator, straight into his arms. But, gravity is real and she has to wait her turn.

Ruby walks off to greet her Stanley.

And Beth walks up to Rio. He reaches forward to pull her luggage to the side and she pauses in front of him. The magnetism of the inches between their bodies is electric, more dizzying than the champagne on the flight. He just looks so good. 

He beams back at her, smiling wide. In the periphery of her vision, she can see his hands twitching.

And-- good.

Beth thinks she could fuck him now, drag him into a bathroom somewhere, but all she wants to do is kiss him. 

So, she does. 

She steps closer, brushing her nose with his (and doesn’t that feel new? And absurdly tender?). Her lips touch his. And God, it’s soft and she’s smiling into it, and he is, too. He tastes like the mint tea he probably had after lunch. And she has the brief thought that they’re so… dumb. He’s thirty-nine this year and she’s in her mid-forties and honestly, this is ridiculous for their age. It’s only been days and they had so much phone sex. But, this real-life thing, it feels so good.

It’s overwhelming. It’s perfect. 

Rio curls his arms around her, smart hands sliding down to palm her ass as he brings her as close as possible. Her hands clutch the back of his neck, feeling the skin there, smelling the musky scent of his cologne, as they cling to each other. One of her hands wanders to trace the sharp prickliness of his buzz cut, and the other one of his twines along the nape of her neck. Heat curls deep in her core, flaring with the feel of him. 

Eventually, they part for air.  Beth nuzzles Rio’s scruff. 

Rio laughs loud, head rolling back and shoulders shaking. Gorgeous. 

“Baby,” he looks at her, biting his lip. “You taste like a bottle.”

Beth gasps, insulted. “I brushed my teeth!” 

“Okay, champ.” He kisses her again, short this time. “You gonna be able to make it home?”

Then, she kisses him again, playfully pushing her tongue in his mouth. He’s panting when they part. And she can’t help it, she’s beaming. 

“The question is, are you?”

-----

The fanfiction I read influences my writing so much. The intertextual winks that stood out to me in this one: 

@sothischickshe -- genie word choice ;-)  

@foxmagpie for the word ‘CANT’? Girl, were you the first person to wordsmith this? I think you were and it’s the perfect description for half the things Rio does with his jaw. This time I appropriated it for Beth. 

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #461

“this city looks so pretty, do you wanna burn it with me?”

Have you ever wanted a Nikon camera? Or do you have one already? My camera before the one I have now was a Nikon D3200. I use a Canon now. Who was the last person (if anyone) you said Happy Birthday to? A friend. Do you have Photoshop? If so, how often a day do you use it? I have it, but I barely use it nowadays. I use it to edit photos for character profiles or profile pictures, add a watermark for my actual photography, and I used to make Mark-oriented gifs like crazy. They mostly did really well, so... I might wanna get back into that and get That Sweet Validation. Do you watch any shows that you know your parents wouldn’t approve of? No. Have any of your exes gotten married or had kids since your breakup? None, I think. Do either of your parents have a mental illness? My mom has depression. Can you tolerate children for a long period of time? NO. Have you ever lived with someone you felt thoroughly uncomfortable around? No. Are you into dubstep? Yeah, I tend to enjoy it. Zelda or The Sims games? Can I pick neither? lol I don't feel very much at all for The Sims, and Zelda games have always looked... boring to me? Like I've watched most of the Game Grumps' playthroughs of all the games, and they make it hilarious of course, but the games themselves? Nah. Are you terrible at assigning bands their proper genre? YES YES YES YES YES YES. Even in my preferred category, that being metal, FUCK if I know the sub-genre. Have you ever made out in a closet? No, that shit sounds claustrophobic as hell. Have you ever been to a laser tag place? Yeah, on a triple-date once! It was SO fun. How do you wanna celebrate your next birthday? Have a couple friends over, pig out at The Cheesecake Factory. o3o Do you tease your parents about them being old? No, especially not Mom. She's self-conscious about getting older. Are you in love with someone? "In love" is a bit too far, buddy. But I love someone. Have you ever ridden a unicycle? No. Have you ever wanted a pet bunny? I was VERY serious about getting a lop-eared bunny for quite a while, but we just couldn't afford to adopt one (even off Craigslist) and get a cage for it, toys, etc. Are the bottom of your feet clean? I HATE seeing the bottom of my feet. Not because they're dirty, but because it's Callus City. I ain't even fuckin jokin'. Do you like really salty food? Yeah. :x When’s the last time you bled a lot? Well, I just recently finished my cycle after not menstruating for three or four MONTHS, so you can figure that one out. Have you ever watched a needle go into your own skin? Yeah. I like to know exactly when it's coming. Have you ever seen someone get a piercing/tattoo? Yes to both. When you’re done eating finger foods, do you usually lick your fingers? Usually kasdjlf;kalsdjf shut up ok I like food. What’s the most racist thing you have ever said? As a little kid, when my really good friend (a neighborhood kid, even) asked if he thought we'd be a good couple, I told him no because "blacks and whites don't date" or something like that. It was an idea I'd never been exposed to before; the idea was so foreign to little kid me. I had no idea I was being racist. It ended in a small fight and we didn't talk for a few days 'til he came to my house telling Mom that he had to "be a man" and fix this and if that ain't the cUTEST SHIT RIGHT THERE. We were friends again after that. He's still on my Facebook, and he actually semi-recently got married! :') Do you know someone that is mute, deaf or blind? No. Have you ever spent more than two weeks in a wheelchair? No. Does weed smell good? Or no? Ugh, no. Where do you see your closest friend in ten years? Successful and happy she kept pushing. Mama to so many reptiles that are blessed with the best lives possible in human care. Got at least one amazing book out there. If she's reading this, you've fucking got this. <3 Would you like to have twins? Mother of fucking god, no. Even if I WANTED kids, do fucking not give me twins. Who was the last person you got into an argument with? My mom. Want to have kids before you’re 30? Once again, I don't want kids, but IF I did, that'd be preferable before the risk of birth defects and other issues climb with age. Does anybody have a tattoo with your name on it? My older sister has my initial. Do you think somebody’s in love with you? No. Do you think you and your best friend will be friends in ten years? Yes, I genuinely do. Who were the last people to hang out at your house? Miss Tobey, our friend and landlord. Does anyone like you? Welp... I hope he still does. Guess we'll figure that out soon. What person on your Facebook do you talk to the most? VIA Facebook? Probably my friend Lyndsey. She likes to comment on stuff I share. Do you want to fall in love? I do, but I'm also utterly horrified to and risk being hurt again. Are you interested in more than one person at the moment? No. Once I realized I was so deeply into Girt, all other romantic feelings kinda just... poofed. How was your last break up? Civil and done with both of our best interests in mind. What is the hardest thing you’ve ever had to say? Probably the first time I admitted I needed to go to the hospital for suicidal thoughts. I was so, so scared of what it was going to be like. What is the hardest thing you NEEDED to hear? That if Jason wasn't happy with me, he had every right to move on. She was right. Do you treat yourself well? No... but I'm trying to change that. What was the last song you sang out loud to? This "Set Fire to the Rain" cover. Do you take good pictures? I think I do? Have you ever done any internship? No. What’s a topic you’ve drastically changed your opinion on? Holy shit, so much, especially when it comes to morality and political stances. I am now a massive supporter and member of the LGBTQ+ community, I'm pro-trans rights, pro-choice... I've done like a dozen 180s in a lot of topics. Do you know anyone who has a PhD? I mean, some doctors, but no one in my truly personal life. Do you know anyone who works as a lawyer? Yes: my cousin. Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis? LAKSDJFKLA;JWD NEVER AND I PRAY TO THE HOLY LORD THAT I NEVER DO. Does the thought of having wrinkles when you’re older upset you? Not massively? Like literally everyone gets them and is natural and inevitable. Do you know anyone who’s struggling with addiction? I know one alcoholic, and one that's probably borderline. I also have two friends who are extremely addicted to weed. Look me in the eyes and say it's not an addictive substance and I wouldn't believe you one bit. Is there a video or computer game that you can get lost in for hours? Eh, sometimes World of Warcraft. Some days I'm really into it, and others I barely touch it. What’s your favorite Disney Channel movie? I have no clue. I don't even remember movies that were made *for* Disney exclusively. Do you ever have to do yard work? No. We have a friend from the dance studio mow the lawn. Do you have any live versions of songs in your music software? My iPod has a whole live album of Ozzy. Did you or do you listen to Britney Spears songs? Both did and do. Britney is a boss bitch. Does your favorite band have a male or female lead singer? Male. Have you seen the movie Moulin Rouge? No, but I've seen some of that P!nk music video of the song and it brings out the Gay in me. Do you have a key to anything besides your house? No. Could you ever complete a 500-piece puzzle? I've done that before. I miss doing puzzles... Have you ever been to any sort of convention? I went to a reptile expo with Sara!! I REALLY want to go to another when my legs are stronger and can handle standing and walking so much. Is your mom or dad the older parent? Mom. Have you ever tried to walk on a moving vehicle and fallen over? No????? What is your favourite kind of bread? Is there any of that in your house? Pumpernickel. No. Are/were you in the school band, and if so, what instrument did you play? I played the flute all through middle school and I wanna say half of HS. Have you ever ordered an unusual drink at a bar? Never even been to one. Have you ever been pulled aside by security at the airport? I think once for some reason I don't recall? What is your favourite seasonal candy? (only available at certain times) Gingerbread men, probs. Or chocolate bunnies!!! :') How do you feel right now? My stomach is KILLING me. I'm super excited though that Girt is coming over tomorrow. Have you ever had surgery that kept you in the hospital for over a day? No. What would you like your generation to change? How we treat nature. Is there anyone that you truly could not live without? No. I learned that is a very unhealthy mentality to have. Do you like carrots more if they’re raw, or cooked? I just hate carrots. What restaurant did you last go out to dinner at with friends? With friends? I couldn't even guess. Does your refrigerator have an ice maker or do you use ice cube trays? It has an ice maker. Do you have a favorite sibling, if any? No; I love them all. Do you have a favorite brand of clothing? I STAN CLOAK. How’s the love life? Something new might start tomorrow. I think it will. Do you watch the news? No; that shit is depressing. Who do you admire most? Mark. Do you have a favorite album? Black Rain by Ozzy Osbourne takes the cake and always will.

[nekojitachan]

Okay, so apparently I wanted to take a break to write fluff before I got into the really dark scene in the new fic. So you folks get a bit of Armies fluff (HUSBANDS) that I call ‘An Armies Fairy Tale’.

It should be safe other than Abram predicting Andrew’s impending death and his view on Andrew’s detestable cooking choices.

*******

“Is that… ricotta and marshmallows? With lemon curd?” Abram asked, torn between incredulousness and nausea as he gazed over his husband’s shoulder to see what Andrew was making for dinner.

Andrew gave a slight nudge to his ribs to make him back away. “Mary likes it and you have Pad Thai in the fridge,” he said as he flipped the… the abomination of a grilled cheese sandwich.

“How do you know she likes it? Wait, is that what you made last time while I was off with Jamie?” Abram felt a headache coming on and pinched the bridge of his nose. “She’s going to shoot you when she finds out.”

“She’s not, because Mary’s good at keeping secrets. Now go make sure the table’s set.”

Jamie was so going to shoot Andrew (once she got out of the hospital after having her second daughter), and Abram wouldn’t stop her (especially if kept him from being shot as well). He shook his head as he put his leftover Thai in the microwave, then grabbed enough plates and bowls for their dinner.

Mary, who’d been busy playing with the cats, came running when she saw him getting the bar ready for them to eat and offered to help; Abram told her to go wash her hands instead. By the time she came back, everything was done, so he lifted his five-year old niece up into her chair as Andrew finished ladling cream of potato soup into her bowl.

“Give that time to cool,” Andrew warned her before he sat down next to Abram. “Eat your sandwiches first.” He’d cut them into small slices that were easy for her to pick up and bite into.

“Thank you, Uncle Drew,” Mary said, as polite as always; she had Jamie’s blonde hair and Sean’s blue eyes, and there were times when Abram and Andrew took her out that people asked if she was their daughter. Once she took a bite of a grilled cheese abomination, a happy smile made her plump cheeks grow round like peaches. “Yummy!”

Andrew shot Abram a ‘told you so’ look which had Abram rolling his eyes. “How come you’re not eating Uncle Drew’s special sandwiches, Uncle Ram?”

“Because they’re for special people, like you two,” Abram said as he picked at the spicy noodles with his chopsticks.

“Oh.” Mary seemed appeased by that and nibbled on another slice of grilled cheese; Abram was reminded of a chipmunk gnawing on a nut and tried not to smile at his adorable niece. “Is Mummy all right? When can I see her?”

He tried for a reassuring expression as he thought about his cousin. “She’s fine, we’ll go see her as soon as your little sister is born, I promise.” Jamie had developed a couple complications with her second (and last, according to her) pregnancy, and while the family had every faith in doctors looking after her, she and Sean had decided to leave Mary with Abram and Andrew until Fiona Miriam was born.

Mary’s full bottom lip jutted out as she dropped the half-eaten grilled cheese ‘stick’ onto her plate. “I don’t wanna little sister, I want Mummy and Daddy an-“

“Hey,” Andrew said, his deep voice calm while Abram tensed up like he always did when Mary had one of her few tantrums, at a loss at what to do. “How about I tell you a story, okay?”

Mary blinked through the tears forming in her eyes as she gazed at ‘Uncle Drew’. “What type of story?”

“A good one, so keep eating,” Andrew ordered as he picked up a piece of his own sandwich. He stared at her while he popped it into his mouth, then nodded when she resumed nibbling on the horrid thing.

He had a sip of coffee to wash it down (wash away what had to be its awful taste, Abram was certain), then cleared his throat. “All right, so once there was nasty, stupid, stinky ogre-“

“How nasty and stinky?” Mary asked as she reached for another grilled cheese stick.

“Very,” Andrew insisted as he broke apart another grilled cheese abomination. “So very nasty and stupid and stinky, but he had a nephew who wasn’t nasty or stupid or stinky, but beautiful and blessed with gifts like being able to speak many languages.”

Abram had a very bad feeling about this story.

“Because his nephew was so special, a truly horrible monster was after him, which made the ogre try to hide the young man away from everyone. He locked him up in a tower and hired all these knights look after him, because he was stupid and prideful as well as nasty and stinky.”

“Stuart is going to shoot you as well, and I’m merely going to stand there and watch,” Abram informed his husband in Russian as he gave up on his noodles to prop his chin up on his left palm; Mary ignored him, long used to his asides in different languages by then.

Andrew, ever the mature one, kicked him in the shin while Mary clapped her hands together. “So he was a prince, wasn’t he? A prince needing rescued? Couldn’t he fight himself?” She seemed to disapprove of anyone who couldn’t fight for themselves.

“Somewhat,” Andrew agreed. “But this prince had a curse on him, one that made him weak in battle, made him act like an idiot and- ow.” Abram did some kicking of his own right then. “He needed someone to guard his back while fighting,” Andrew amended while he regarded Abram through narrowed eyes.

“Okay.” Mary appeared a little confused. “He had knights to help, right?”

“Yes, one knight in particular, a special knight who crossed the ocean to come fight for him, a young man who-“

“The knight’s a boy?” Mary’s brows drew together as she scowled at Andrew, a miniature version of her mother. “They’re supposed to be a girl! The knight’s always a girl when Mummy and Aunt Liz tell the story!”

Abram barely managed not to choke on his water over that declaration, and turned his laugh into a semi-convincing cough at the consternation on Andrew’s face; Nicky and Erik’s daughter Emery never gave Andrew this much grief when he told her stories. “Knights can be boys, too,” his husband insisted.

Mary didn’t appear convinced, but went with trying her soup instead of arguing, her expression rather dubious.

“As I was saying, the boy knight arrived in time to save the foolish prince-“

“You are so lucky right now that the family doesn’t believe in introducing the children to violence and bloodshed until they’re at least ten,” Abram informed his poor choice of a life partner before he resumed eating his dinner, and got his shin kicked again.

Why wasn’t he drinking wine right then? Ah, right, Mary.

-“from the terrible monster, his stupid, stinky ogre of an uncle, and himself.”

“From his horrible choice of boyfriends,” Abram muttered, and moved his leg in time to avoid being kicked yet again.

“Did the knight fight the monster with a sword? I like swords,” Mary stated with a bright smile.

She was definitely her mother’s daughter.

Andrew leaned forward to wipe at a drop of soup which was about to drip down her chin. “A sharp blade was definitely put to use, yes. The knight fought the monster along with the prince, the ogre and the ogre’s family, and won the hand of the prince in the end.”

“Did he fight the ogre, too?”

“Oh, he’s going to.” Abram couldn’t wait until his uncle heard about this story; he just hoped he was in China or someplace else far, far away when that happened.

“It’s an ongoing battle,” Andrew admitted as he kicked the bottom of Abram’s stool. “The knight knows that his prince, who’s not too bright at times, has a soft spot for the stupid, stinky creature.”

“That’s not going to be the only ongoing battle, hon.” Abram ‘predicted’ with a false smile.

His displeasure with Andrew aside, he had to admit that Mary was in a better mood because of the ridiculous story, which only got better when she and ‘Uncle Drew’ had chocolate fudge ice cream for dessert (Abram was definitely being assigned a mission as far east as possible before Jamie was back in shape after the birth).

They were just about to put Mary to bed when Sean called to say that Jamie and Fiona were fine and that they could bring Mary to the hospital first thing in the morning. Mary was happy to talk to her father and exhausted but pleased mother before she went to sleep, eager to see them soon.

Abram picked up King, who rubbed against his legs, and carried her down to the kitchen so he could have a cup of tea (with Baileys, it had been a long day). “I don’t know how Jamie and Sean keep up with her day after day.” And now they had a second child.

Andrew grunted in agreement. “At least they have the sense to have ‘em one at a time.” He probably was thinking of his brother and sister-in-law; Katelyn was expecting twins in a few months.

“Well, I think there’s something to be said about sticking with cats.” Abram gave King a scratch beneath her chin before he set her down so he could fill the kettle with fresh water; she joined Sir and Huayra by their food dishes, ever hopeful for a snack.

Of course Andrew gave them something.

“No kids,” Andrew agreed yet again as he accepted the mug of hot chocolate (and Baileys) which Abram had made for him. “Can only imagine how messed up our kid would be with your inability to grasp health emergencies or dangerous situations.”

“Or you feeding them kilos of sugar a day,” Abram countered; Andrew clicked his tongue at that but didn’t disagree.

They finished their drinks in companionable silence, then Andrew clicked his tongue again. “Movie?”

“Oh, I don’t know, I may just wait here until my knight shows up,” Abram drawled as he gazed at his husband. Andrew didn’t respond, his handsome face expressionless, and the next thing Abram knew, he found himself yanked forward and thrown onto Andrew’s broad left shoulder. “What the- Drew!” Abram laughed as he was carried into the living room and dumped onto the couch.

“Movie,” Andrew repeated as he plopped down next to Abram. “And I’m picking it.”

“You romantic fool, you.” Abram smiled as he snuggled up next to his husband. “I’m still not doing anything when Stuart goes to shoot you, though.”

Andrew scoffed as if to show he wasn’t afraid of the man and draped his arm over Abram’s shoulders. Abram draped the chenille blanket over the both of them before the cats curled on around them, and smiled when Andrew picked ‘The Princess Bride’ for them to watch.

*******

In case you can’t guess, Mary v.2 (and Fiona) is going to grow up a MAJOR BADASS. Fear for any man who dares to try to control/harm her. The Hatford organization will gladly clean up the mess while sniffing back tears and going ‘that’s our little girl’.  Lessons have been learned.

Emery will be terrifying, too. Nicky’s bubbly personality but not afraid of anything and able to back it up, thanks to her Hatford uncles.