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writer-ish · 3 years ago

Note

Hi Kat! Here are this week's questions for E x B!

Not Yet Wed Questions

Note: Great Scott! This week, we are going back in time to MC’s intern year. Think of Ethan’s relationship with them at this point and answer the following questions accordingly. It is entirely up to you when in year 1 this takes place (pre/post Miami, pre/post CH 15, etc). Feel free to answer with dialogue or pictures or both :) Have fun!

No worries. All of this is off the record and HR will never know!

The setting for this answers is:

For Both

When I first saw them, I thought__________

What is your coworker's most used swear word?

Quick: What color are their eyes?

Three people at work your coworker hates?

What is your coworker’s strangest or most endearing quirk?

If they had a crush on anyone at work, who would that be?

(Bonus round! Feel free to skip.)

Never have I Ever:

come into work hungover

had a fistfight

been kicked out of a bar

gotten a tattoo

broken someone’s heart

been in love

For MC (Ethan is not there)

Where do you see him in five years (both professionally and in his personal life?)

What do you find the most impressive about him?

Last thing he texted you?

If he asked you out on a date, what would you say?

For Ethan (MC is not there)

Where do you see her in five years (both professionally and in his personal life?)

What specifically do you find attractive about her?

Last thing she texted you?

If she asked you out on a date, how would you respond?

Thank you to @jamespotterthefirst for humouring me and sending me these questions. I hope that it will help with my OPH/writing rut! I'm so excited to answer them for Brooke x Ethan. 🥰

The setting is: post-Dolores/the Naveen reveal, but pre-Miami.

Let's get started!

INT. COFFEE SHOP - MID-AFTERNOON

Two doctors sit at a small table. One has her leg crossed, foot swinging lightly. Her face is open and slightly amused. The other has his hands clasped loosely between his open legs. He is blatantly less impressed than his colleague.

Ethan: This is ludicrous.

Brooke: [laughs lightly] Can't you just humour them?

Ethan: Last time I checked, we had a job that didn't involve answering foolish questions for some sophomore publication.

Brooke: They want to humanize the doctors in the hospital. Make us more… approachable. It's not a bad idea.

Ethan: [in a low grumble] I don't want to be approached or humanized.

Brooke [loud laugh] Shocker.

Are we all set to begin?

Brooke: [clears throat] Er, yes. Sorry.

Ethan: [glares]

For Both

When I first saw them, I thought ____________

Brooke and Ethan: [look at each other for a beat, then speak simultaneously]

Brooke: Well, I— Ethan: She, uh—

Ethan: [clears throat] You go first.

Brooke: [shoots him a look] Well. I, uh, was taken aback by your presence.

Ethan: What does that mean?

Brooke: Well, you know, you're very—you command a room, let's just say. And then you got awfully bossy, but it was good because I was panicking. And, uh—that's pretty much it. Your turn.

Ethan: I thought she was very young and inexperienced. And I was proven correct almost immediately.

Brooke: [elbows him] Can't you say something nice?

Ethan: You said commanding and bossy!

Brooke: It was a compliment!

Ethan: Fine. She was…surprisingly competent for an intern.

Brooke: [sarcastically waves a hand in front of her face] My goodness, I'm swooning.

What is your coworker's most used swear word?

Brooke and Ethan: "Fuck."

Brooke: It's not very professional, but—

Ethan: —it is necessary at times. Although I did hear another one from you the other day that I quite enjoyed. "Son of a whore", was it?

Brooke: [blushes] Whoops.

Ethan: You're lucky there weren't any patients around.

Brooke: [innocently] Patients don't swear?

Ethan: [withering look] I'll let you know when patients need to be held to the same professional standards as the doctors who treat them.

Brooke: Well, whatever. I was in the supply closet anyway and it was because I had gotten a cardboard papercut, which is notoriously the worst kind of papercut—[suddenly eyes him suspiciously] I didn't even know you were there.

Ethan: [coughs] I was, uh, walking past when I heard your inappropriate outburst and I stopped to ensure it wasn't a wayward psychiatric patient lost amongst the halls.

Brooke: [dryly] Hilarious.

Quick: What color are their eyes?

Brooke: Oh, blue. Blue-blue. Like, a very crystal clear blue.

Ethan: I think we get it. Brooke's eyes are hazel but they err on the side of green.

Brooke: "Err on the side of green"?

Ethan: Yes. Like when you wore that sweater the other day, they appeared more— [clears throat] I'm not going to sit here and explain the illusion of refractory light. Next question.

Three people at work your coworker hates?

Brooke: [dryly] Just thr—?

Ethan: [cuts her off] Yes, yes, we get the joke, I hate everyone. Brooke on the other hand, hates no one. I believe she should be more discerning.

Brooke: You would.

What is your coworker’s strangest or most endearing quirk?

Ethan: Endearing? I—

Brooke: Oh, oh—the tie thing!

Ethan: The… tie thing?

Brooke: You do this thing when you're trying to get your emotions under control. It's like a [presses thumb against her other fingers in a crab-claw gesture] grab all the way down and then a flat palm just to smooth it again. [mimics a smoothing gesture down the front of her shirt, keeping her face pinched and stoic]. The "double-tie-grab-and-smooth" is what I call it. As of two seconds ago.

Ethan: Fascinating. As for Brooke, I can think of two.

Brooke: Here we go.

Ethan: The first is to ensure she never borrows your pen, as it will be returned to you as though someone inserted it into a pencil sharpener. I don't know how she isn't covered in ink constantly, the way she gnaws on the ends so violently.

Brooke: First of all, it's not that bad. Secondly, [mumbles] I have had a pen or two explode on me.

Ethan: I am extremely unsurprised. And the second is the sheer number of cardigans left everywhere - around my office, the faculty room, patients' rooms, and so on. She leaves them like breadcrumbs in a children's fairytale.

Brooke: [laughing too hard to speak]

Ethan: Yes, very funny and professional.

Brooke: [still laughing] Could you at least…grab one…next time you see it? I'm running low!

Ethan: What a surprise.

If they had a crush on anyone at work, who would that be?

Ethan: [scoffs] A "crush"? The very concept of a 'crush' is extremely juvenile and I refuse to pander to such incongruous—

Brooke: Dr. Harper Emery

Ethan: [splutters] I beg your pardon?

Brooke: [smirks]

Ethan: Well, yours would be that scalpel jockey surfer boy that's always mooning over you.

Brooke: [turns to him, aghast] Bryce? I don't have a crush on him! And neither does he. On me, I mean.

Ethan: On you, indeed.

Brooke: What's that supposed to mean?

Ethan: Hmm? Oh, nothing. Simply that the way he pressed you to the floor in the observation room of Surgery B would say otherwise, that's all.

Brooke: [blushes deeply] You saw that?

Ethan: I see everything, Rookie.

[There is an extended, awkward silence.]

Never Have I Ever:

Ethan: What is this now?

Brooke: [hides a smile] It's a game. A drinking game. You really don't know it?

Ethan: If you're asking if I'm familiar with a college-level excuse to get sauced and forget about my classes for the next week, then no. I don't know it.

Brooke: [rolls her eyes] It's simple. They ask a question. If you've done it, you take a drink. If you haven't, you don't. And [lightly swings her take-out coffee cup in his face] I don't think you'll get drunk on herbal tea, so you'll be fine.

Okay, let's begin. Never have I ever…

...come into work hungover

Brooke and Ethan: [take a drink]

Brooke: Really?

Ethan: I wish I could affect the same level of surprise for you.

...had a fistfight

Brooke and Ethan: [take a drink]

Ethan: [raises an eyebrow at Brooke]

Brooke: [shrugs] Rowdy childhood.

Ethan: [nods] Same. [coughs] Perhaps… rowdy adolescence. And, uh, [another light cough] early adulthood, as well.

Brooke: Dr. Ramsey!

...been kicked out of a bar

Ethan: [takes a drink]

Brooke: Oh?

Ethan: That rowdy early adulthood I spoke of? Yeah.

Brooke: Ah.

...gotten a tattoo

Brooke: [avoids eye contact, takes a drink]

Ethan: [turns to her swiftly, looking shocked, then quickly composes himself] Let me guess - dolphin on your ankle?

Brooke: Shut up.

Ethan: Christ, am I right?

Brooke: No, but you might as well be.

Ethan: [laughs, which seems to surprise them both, then clears his throat] We all have regrets, Dr Spiers.

Brooke: [grimaces and slouches in her seat]

Ethan: [stares at her for a beat longer than necessary, before leaning back in his chair with a thoughtful expression]

...broken someone’s heart

Ethan and Brooke: [quickly look at each other; neither drinks]

Brooke: No? You?

Ethan: What's that supposed to mean?

Brooke: Just surprised all this [gestures vaguely at his face] didn't get the ladies all worked up in—where are you from?

Ethan: Rhode Island. And no, "all this" [gestures to his own face] took awhile to grow into itself, I assure you.

Brooke: [laughs] Oh, big same.

Ethan: [gives her a sidelong glance, a soft smile playing at his lips]

...been in love

Brooke: [takes a drink]

Ethan: Really?

Brooke: What, it's so hard to believe?

Ethan: Well, you said you'd never broken someone's heart.

Brooke: [smiles at him softly, a bit sadly] Never said my heart hadn't been broken, Dr Ramsey. Some people are the heartbreakers, some are the broken-hearted.

Ethan: [splutters] Preposterous.

Brooke: [looks surprised] What is?

Ethan: That you—I mean, that is—that someone— [he pauses, fidgeting with his tie before smoothing it down] It's his loss, Rookie. [clears his throat, looking away]

Brooke: [smiles, bemused yet pleased, a warmth in her eyes] Thank you, Dr Ramsey.

For Brooke (Ethan is not there)

Where do you see him in five years (both professionally and in his personal life?)

Oh, [scoffs out a laugh] wherever he wants to be. He's Ethan freaking Ramsey. He can do whatever he wants. What's the highest position in the hospital? Chief of Medicine? That. [Thinks for a moment] Well, no, actually. He probably wouldn't want to be admin. But whatever he could do that would still have him on the ground, helping people, at the highest level of expertise - that's where he'll be.

And, uh, personally?

Oh. Well. [fidgets, looks away]. I'm sure I don't know. Probably married to some supermodel who will put up with him never being home and always being reticent and grouchy. [Laughs humourlessly]

What do you find the most impressive about him?

Oh gosh. [Pauses] Probably how much he cares. I know you see him now and you think, god, what an asshole. And you're not wrong. But the truth is, he has to maintain this facade of a huge, unfeeling jerk, because the fact of the matter is he cares so deeply. [Her expression goes distant and soft]. Honestly, he cares so much I'm worried it will be his downfall one day.

Last thing he texted you?

[Laughs] He hates texting. But I think it was, "What time is this - redacted - thing again"?

If he asked you out on a date, what would you say?

Ah… [laughs uncomfortably] What, like, right now? The way we are? Or as two… random people in a bar?

Right now. The way you are.

[Blushes and continues to laugh awkwardly] Is he—you said he won't see these?

No, this part will be anonymous and the information gathered will be for statistical purposes, not anecdotal.

[Fake bravado affectation] Oh, well, if it's for statistics— [pauses] I would say yes. In a heartbeat. I would say yes. [Smiles, almost apologetically] I mean, have you seen him?

For Ethan (Brooke is not there)

Where do you see her in five years (both professionally and in his personal life?)

Wherever she wants to be. She's a highly motivated and intelligent individual. I give her a hard time, because I see great potential in her and feel as though, as her mentor, she should be pushed to achieve the pinnacle of success. Which is undoubtedly capable of.

And personal?

I don't presume to know what the future holds for my interns' personal lives. [A long pause] But I would hope… [clears throat, picks non-existent lint off his pants, continues gruffly] I would hope she remains happy and healthy, without anymore instances of [clears throat, again] heartbreak. Of any kind.

What specifically do you find attractive about her?

I'm sorry?

What do you find attractive—

No, I heard you, I just find this sort of question wildly inappropriate and I refuse to answer it.

Okay, so we'll just put down 'nothing'.

Hold on, don't—I didn't say nothing. Just say I didn't answer.

We need some sort of answer.

Oh, for Christ's sake—will she see this? Will anyone?

No, it's information that will be used for statistical—

Fine, alright, I don't care. She's obviously an incredibly attractive woman. Are you happy? [Pauses] I mean, specifically? I would say her eyes. Especially when she smiles and they crinkle up on the sides. Also, her laugh. She's not a woman who 'titters'. Brooke isn't afraid to—well, to simply live. She laughs loudly, loves boldly, defends strongly. [His expression grows thoughtful,] She said I was a presence in a room? When she walks into—anywhere, the entire room stands still. It's like the air has been sucked out of it. And within seconds, they're enthralled. Within minutes, they love her. That's Brooke. [Clears throat] Don't put any of that. Just write down "Her intelligence."

Last thing she texted you?

"Be nice." And then some moving picture image of a dog wagging its finger. [Rolls his eyes] I hate texting.

If she asked you out on a date, how would you respond?

[Sighs wearily]

Again, she won't know. It's for statistical—

[Waves hand dismissively before sighing once more] In an ideal world—[cuts himself off and tries again] Look. Any man would be lucky to have Dr. Brooke Spiers as his partner. [Pauses] And that includes me. [clears throat] But we don't live in an ideal world. And a relationship between her and I would not only be inappropriate, but it would also inhibit her potential to achieve the highest levels of success that she is capable of achieving. [Pauses] And I would never do that to her.

[Stands up abruptly] Are we done here? We're done. Rookie! [Leaves to meet Dr. Spiers, who is waiting for him outside.]

EXT. COFFEE SHOP - LATE AFTERNOON

OBSERVED FROM INSIDE THE COFFEE SHOP

The two doctors greet each other with a smile. NOTE: Dr Ramsey immediately appears calmer in the other doctor's presence.

He says something and Dr Spiers bumps him playfully with her shoulder. Dr Ramsey continues to speak, gesturing towards her ankle, and Dr Spiers throws her head back and laughs loudly.

Dr Ramsey watches her laugh with a small smile on his face, before allowing her shove him lightly in the direction that they are meant to take.

They walk side by side, chatting and smiling, until they disappear from view.

#ethan ramsey x mc #ethanbrooke facts #open heart #newlyweds game #not yet wed questions #ethan ramsey #open heart fanfic #playchoices #choices open heart #thanks for the questions!!#oh man this was too fun #taglist to follow i guess???

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cloud-9ine · 4 years ago

Text

Through a Golden Lens (pt 1)

⤷ pairing - hawks x (fem) reader

⤷ fandom - bnha

⤷ warnings - some language, hawks flirting, reader’s cynicism

⤷ summary - reader is a bitter, overworked photographer at a hero press agency with little patience for her newly assigned muse- hawks

⤷ word count - 4.5k+

⤷ notes - i have lots of ideas so this is probably going to be a multi-part series. also new to tumblr so this might not be the best

⤷ pt 1, pt 2, pt 3, pt 4, pt 5, pt 6

“Mr. Hawks! Please look this way!” his heavy lidded eyes rolled to the side as another blinding flash burned through his vision.

“You look perfect, thank you!” it was hard to smile for their benefit, but he managed. Hawks had attended countless of these events for the press. It had been exhilarating at first, with the rush of adrenaline from the cameras and the lights and the endless stream of compliments solidifying his place in the public eye.

Nowadays, it was less thrilling. After a while, they all seemed the same- each one blurring into a senseless flare of cameras and hollow accolades.

He was bored, to say the least.

“Mr Hawks, would you like to come and see? I’d love to hear your opinion on this set!” with a practiced, easy smirk he nodded. It was easier to pander to the artist than to criticise their work.

He looked good, but when did he not? The shoots were easy to glide through. All he had to do was pull a boyish grin, ‘make love to the camera’ as the photographers always liked to spout. It didn’t really matter what he did: the public would eat up anything with his face slapped on to the front. They all looked the same to him, anyway.

“Looks good,” he wondered why people were so easily satiated by shallow praises, but as he stared at the younger lady’s blush, he couldn’t help but realise that maybe it was him who had something to do with it.

Hawks couldn’t help his gaze from drifting to the door. His skin prickled in the humidity of all the moving bodies in one enclosed space and he longed to take a step outside and stretch his wings in a way that wasn’t to pose for a magazine.

For a moment, he felt like his prayers had been answered when the door opened, letting in a stream of natural light to breach the artificiality of the modelling room.

”(L/N)! You were supposed to be here over three hours ago!” the woman in front of him exclaimed, ripping the camera away from his view and marching to the figure that appeared in the light. He blinked in surprise: this entire shoot he hadn’t heard her raise her voice above anything but a low mumble when conversing with him, and now she was positively fuming.

You stared down at your co-worker through honey-tinted shades, expression unamused.

“Yeah, and I was also supposed to be out of this job three years ago. We don’t all do what we’re supposed to, cupcake.”

For a moment, Hawks thought you were a model. Tasteful cream turtleneck tucked into heavily creased mocha skirt, caramel beret perched on your head. There were a few metal, classy looking rings wrapped around your fingers, but as far as he could see, no wedding ring. It was pretty standard style for those who worked in the arts, but somehow you wore it so well.

Your hair was a little dishevelled, and the dark circles under your eyes combined with the coffee cup in your hand were obvious signs of a rough night. His eyes locked on to the loopy black handwriting on the brown band around the cup.

(L/N) (Y/N)

You were no model, but Hawks couldn’t see the difference.

His wings beat lightly behind his back as he glided over, weaving through the other photographers and models scattered around the area.

“Hey there, I’m Hawks,” he said smoothly, voice saccharine as he spoke to you. Your attention turned to him as you glanced at him from above the frames of your sunglasses, seemingly unimpressed.

“This the new boytoy, Mizuki?” you asked, eyes raking up and down his figure. Hawks was never one to shy away from the gaze of others, but the way you were inspecting him made him feel so exposed.

“Show some respect,” Mizuki muttered, voice lowered at Hawks’ presence but glare still piercing. You sighed, sparing one last glance at Hawks before snatching the camera out of Mizuki’s hands, leaving her scrambling for the device as you walked away.

“Lemme see what you’ve got already,” Mizuki’s face grew red, half from anger towards you, and half because of the embarrassment of being diminished in front of Hawks.

“(L/N) y-you can’t just come in three hours late and take over! I’ve already done the shoot and Hawks has already expressed that he is pleased with the outcome,” you scoffed, rolling your eyes and shooting the shorter woman a glare over your shoulder.

“There’s no way you’re gonna force me to come into work and make me sit here doing nothing,” you sneered, waving the camera around almost teasingly, “you wanted someone actually skilled to do this shoot, and here I am. Let me do my thing,” without waiting for a response, you left, thumb fumbling with the dial that allowed you to scroll through the photos.

Hawks was impressed. You hadn’t bat an eye when you saw him, and while you were very clearly very late, you were confident in your skills and obviously took your job seriously.

“Who was that?” he questioned, wings spreading slightly as his eyes chased after you. Mizuki bowed her head, remorse filling her expression.

“I apologise for her impertinence. That’s (L/N), she was who your original photographer was supposed to be today, but when she didn’t show up I had to take over,” she huffed, “she’s been like this for about a year now, and the boss is prepared to fire her if she keeps it up. So you’d think she’d be able to pull her at together for you, Mr. Hawks...”

After a while, Hawks tuned out her whining, eyes curiously trained on you, surveying your furrowed brows and expression pinched with annoyance as you studied the photos. Although they looked good enough to him, it appeared that you didn’t share the same sentiment.

Hawks didn’t have time to avert his eyes when you turned your head, gaze locking on to his. You raised a slightly suspicious brow, but otherwise didn’t entertain his actions.

“Mizuki, why would you use cool lighting?” you called over your shoulder, not even sparing the decency to turn around and face the person you were addressing. Mizuki frowned, moving to your side. Like a magnet, Hawks did the same, peering over your other shoulder. You eyed him from the corner of your vision for a second before tapping the screen.

“What do you mean?” you sighed at your co-workers words, evidently frustrated.

“Considering you have bird boy over here in dark academia, accented in warmer yellows, using cool lights will bring out too much of a contrast. We need to match the accent colours with warmer lighting, or use a overlay,” you muttered, seemingly addressing yourself more than the two of them. Mizuki just shook her head.

“That would just oversaturate the image,” you snorted, giving her the same patronising look an adult would give a child if they tried to outsmart them.

“Not necessarily. I could spot-reduce saturation in highlight areas during editing. Or, if you really want your contrast, I could neutralise the warmer shades by using a blue, or compliment them using a red,” Hawks didn’t miss the way you said ‘I’ instead of ‘we’. Mizuki looked agitated, her frown growing deeper.

“Even so, we only have white backdrops. That would be a jarring contrast. You’d need something darker or more clustered to make it work. If you wanted a backdrop change you probably should’ve come earlier,” she spoke with a formality that obviously stemmed from Hawks next to her, but you paid no mind. You were silent for a moment, and Hawks could see your eyes narrowing as you were thinking.

“I need a natural background, huh?” you mumbled, thumbing the buttons on the camera. With a shrug, “alright, bird boy, come on, we’re leaving,” Hawks blinked in surprise as you spun on your heel, a grin breaking onto his face. Finally, he got to leave.

“Whatever you say, boss,” you shot him an irritated look.

“Don’t call me that. I’m 22, not 40,” his feathers ruffled up. “Hey, I’m also 22! What a coincidence, right?” he grinned, winking at you. You just responded by rolling your eyes.

Mizuki spluttered, trying in vain to get either one of you to stop as Hawks trailed after you.

“L-Look, you can’t just leave-” you turned, shoving the camera back into her hands, a mirthless smile on your face.

“Watch me,” your voice was cold, goading her to try and stop you, “bird boy, out, now.” Hawks didn’t have to be told twice. Some of the others whispered and muttered as they realised what was going on, but they all fell quiet when you shot them a sharp glare.

He breathed in the fresh air with a content sigh, his chest feeling lighter now he was out the cramped room. The amber glow from the late afternoon sun kissed his tanned skin as he stretched his arms above his head, his forearms flexing slightly under his dark blazer. His eyes shut in bliss and head tilted back, exposing his sharp jawline.

You eyed him slightly, eyes trailing across his features. Now that you had actually left, you were a little lost on what your plan was. You didn’t regret storming out of there, though, nor did you even consider turning back to apologise.

You took your own camera out of the dark camera bag slung across your body, careful not to scratch it on the tripod, and focused the lens on Hawks. It was smaller, a little more compact than the ones Mizuki and the others were using, but you found that it was much better suited for portrait work.

The click of the camera shutter brought Hawks out of his stupor, eyes snapping open and immediately landing on you. Your attention had already been diverted to the screen, studying your work.

“The modelling room is stuffy, I’ll give you that,” you mumbled, zooming in on his face, “but you can stretch while we walk,” Hawks leaned over you, eyes sparkling at the shot.

“Aw, you make me look so good, I’m flattered!” you rolled your eyes.

“Don’t be,” you took a large sip of your coffee, moving down the pathway as you thought. Hawks scrambled after you, his wings puffing out when he reached your side. You couldn’t help but gaze at the bright red feathers as he unfurled his wings, a small, happy chirping noise rumbling at the back of his throat once they were fully spread behind your back. They were warm, you noticed, feeling the heat through your turtleneck.

Your vision was filled with a cheeky smirk painted on full lips, Hawks’ face appearing in front of your eyes. Your eyes narrowed as you sized him up.

“See something you like?” you rolled your eyes as he purred.

“Not in the slightest, bird brain,” his wings beat behind his back, hand clutching the fabric on his chest.

“Oh, how you wound me!” Hawks cried, and you couldn’t help but smile slightly, which you quickly covered with your coffee cup.

“I’m sure you’ll face a villain that will do greater damage than I could,” he hummed, angling his face towards the sun.

“So, where are we headed?” you chewed on your bottom lip, slinging your camera over your shoulder.

“It can’t be anywhere with lots of traffic, you attract a lot of attention, you know?” it was a rhetorical question, but Hawks’ chest still puffed out in pride at your words.

“Thanks, it’s because of my raging-”

“Shut up,” you cut him off, “either way, I have a pounding headache and I do not have enough shits to give to put up with your fan girls today,” with a sigh, you rubbed your temples. Hawks stared at your clenched teeth.

“Hey, why do you-” “I think I know where we can go,” he frowned.

“You know it’s not polite to interrupt people like that-”

“Sunflowers.” your tone dripped finality as you faced Hawks, a brazen determination in your eyes he hadn’t seen until now. It made his breath hitch in his throat.

Breathy chuckle escaping his lips, and eyebrows furrowed when you sped your pace, gulping down more of your coffee.

“Uh, what?” you waved a hand dismissively.

“There’s a sunflower field in Fukuroi City, I think it’s west from here,” the tiniest of grins etched onto your features, “it’s gonna be a lot more interesting than the rest of those blank background. Plus, the yellow will compliment your clothes, and with the sun low in the sky I’ll get my perfect warm lighting,” you explained. Hawks wasn’t sure exactly how much of a difference it would make, but the idea seemed charming, and it was more exciting than being perpetually flanked by a white screen.

“Sounds good,” he chirped, “although, to be honest, you could take me out anywhere and I wouldn’t mind,” you rolled your eyes.

“That’s a shame, because I don’t intend to hang around any more than I have to,” Hawks pouted, crossing his arms.

“Come on, I wanna know more about you!” you bristled.

“Good for you.” the two of you fell into a beat of silence before Hawks smiled, undaunted.

“I’m sure I can win you over somehow,” shaking your head in disbelief, you lifted the cup to your lips, before looking down disappointedly when you realised it was empty.

“I don’t have enough coffee for this,” you muttered. Hawks’ expression brightened.

“That’s an easy fix: your agency is around here so you must know there area pretty well,” he spoke nonchalantly, as if he was on a casual lunch date and not in the most expensive outfit you’d seen in your entire life, “what’s the best place to grab a coffee?” for a moment, you looked taken aback, before shaking your head.

“Best café in these parts is the Sunset Hour,” you said, rubbing the back of your neck, “but as much as I have no inhibitions regarding bunking off work, that’s a little too far away. I need to take this pictures before the end of the day or Mizuki’ll submit those crappy ones she took in the studio,” Hawks nodded in understanding, smile never faltering for a second.

“Well I gotta get you your caffeine fix somewhere, so what’s the second best?” your expression scrunched in thought for a moment, before you jutted a thumb over your shoulder.

“There’s a Starbucks across the road,” he snickered seeing your blank expression.

“Not exactly where I would want our first date, but I suppose it’ll do,” rolling your eyes, you shoved the empty cup to his chest, which he gripped almost instinctively.

“Good thing this isn’t a date, then,” Hawks grinned, sending your empty cup on a feather to the nearest bin before chasing after you as you crossed the road. You didn’t spare him a single glance when he appeared at your shoulder, nor when he reached over above your head to open the Starbucks door from behind you.

“So you’re saying we can have our first date somewhere else?” with a shallow sigh, you shook your head.

“What I’m saying is that there’s not gonna be a first date. Not between us,” his chest tightened. God, you were so mean. He’d be into that.

The inside of the Starbucks was a mix between modern, western architecture and traditional Japanese woodwork. The equipment was all cutting edge, and the tables and chairs were made with a sleek mahogany, but the windows were framed with bamboo shutters, and the backroom was separated with shoji sliding doors. It was an curious blend, one that you studied with an interest. The deep, earthy scent of roasted coffee beans heavily imbued the air, filling your nose with the aroma of something far more familiar.

Given it was the late afternoon, and most people tended not to drink caffeine after 2pm, the patrons were few and far in between. Good for you, at least. It meant you wouldn’t get- “Hawks? Sorry to bother you but can we get a picture?” your head turned at the voice that rung out.

Two high school girls stood to your left, hands clutched together in front of their chests and a dark pink coating their cheeks. With a small sigh, you took a step forward in the small queue. Hawks smiled with all the faux charm in the world, an obvious change in his demeanour as his pride spiked.

“Of course! And just as it happens, I have my personal photographer here who can make sure your photos look amazing as you two do!” it took you a moment to register what he had said through the excited squeals of the girls before he clutched your shoulders and pulled you forward, causing you to stumble slightly.

“Your what?” he sent you an audacious smirk, willing you to play along as one of the girls handed you her phone. Your first instinct was to decline, but as you met the eyes of the girls, so eager and bright, you couldn’t find it in you to disappoint them.

Taking a couple steps back, you lifted the phone, slightly angling it so the picture looked more natural, and not that of a celebrity and their fans (even if it was). You squinted angrily at the poor lighting, but tried to rectify it the best you could. The girls looked a little tense, but Hawks was a natural. A liberal smirk played on his lips and shoulders rolled back, relaxed. Even with the low lighting, the highlights on his cheekbone and jawline were indescribably perfect, and you weren’t sure if the credit should go to you or his god-like genes.

“Wow, that’s perfect!” one of the girls cried, her body appearing by your side. You hadn’t even noticed her moving, “thank you so much!” you just nodded, handing her back her phone and crossing your arms, eyes narrowing at Hawks.

“If that’s all, ladies, we best be ordering,” they nodded frantically at Hawks’ words, sharply bowing and spouting their thanks to the two of you countless times. They left the Starbucks, but even outside you could still hear them fawning over the picture. He faced you with a grin, but you couldn’t muster up a smile.

“Don’t go around telling people I’m your personal photographer,” you sneered. He pouted, looking genuinely disappointed for a second. “What, you don’t wanna be mine?” “Not in the slightest.”

“What will be your order, Miss?” the barista had directed the question at you, but it was clear his attention was elsewhere. You weren’t surprised, but a small swell of annoyance grew in your mind.

“Can I have a mocha with a double shot of expresso?” Hawks chuckled.

“Might as well have an expresso, you know. You’re basically just taking a shot of caffeine,” you shrugged.

“It’s my favourite drink. I like the chocolate taste,” he looked at you with round eyes, a small squeeze in his chest.

“And you, sir?”

“Oh, I’ll have the same, then,” he didn’t miss the way your eyes darted to him. The barista nodded, tapping for a couple seconds before turning back.

“That’ll be 660 yen,” “I’m paying,” Hawks blurted, even before you could offer. You were silent, a small nod in the affirmative rocking your head. As he handed over the bills, he chuckled. “You know, not that I mind, but usually couples would argue over who’s paying,” you rolled your eyes.

“We’re not a couple,” you watched the barista prepare your drinks, more of a way to occupy yourself rather than a genuine interest, “besides, you’re a lot richer than I am. I don’t mean to be impolite, but I’m sure you can lose 600 yen and still be good,” he hummed happily.

“No disagreements there.” “Are you two eating in or taking out?” the barista asked, in the midst of securing the plastic lids to the top of the cups. Hawks’ eyes sparkled as he turned to you with an excitement you assumed only appeared in children.

“Hey, we can-” “Take out,” you responded, giving a now deflated Hawks a challenging look, “I will leave you here if I have to.” the blonde grinned. “You wouldn’t. You need me for the pictures,” he sang, voice jovial.

“I don’t care about you that much. The sunflowers are probably less annoying subjects anyway,” oh. With no warning, his heart beat sped up, his wings puffing out slightly. Sure, he wouldn’t mind if you were a little nicer to him, but your insults were like a breath of fresh air. There was no doubt that Hawks loved the limelight, loved the popularity he got, but the relentless ass-kissing got old after a while. You kept him on his toes. Even if he was just constantly chasing after you every time you brushed him off, he didn’t care.

“Put those away, bird brain,” it was then he realised his wings had spread further than he intended, stretched out on either side of him. One was curled right around his face, and he almost felt himself blushing as he pulled them in. It was just animal instincts, he assured himself.

The rest of the journey was filled with a one-sided conversation of him talking and commenting on what was around you, with no response from you except the occasional witty retort or light-hearted jab at his expense, each one making his heart flutter. It wasn’t too long before you had arrived, the chain link fence around the plot stretching high above your head and corroded with orange rust.

Rows and rows of bright yellow sunflowers stretched to the horizon, an immense display of summer vitality. The fragrance was potent, a sort of cloying sweetness that you didn’t hate. And just as you were about to enter, you knew you had made a mistake.

“Oh.” Hawks stared at you incredulously, attention switching from your taken aback expression to the sign posted on the gate.

“You didn’t check to see it was open?” you looked up at him, allowing him to survey a tinge of remorse he hadn’t recognised until this point.

“Look, how was I supposed to know? This place has always been open at this time since I was a little kid,” you rubbed your arm, brows furrowed. Hawks sighed, rolling his shoulders back.

“Well, the sun’s too low to go anywhere else outside,” he shrugged, “it’s no biggie, I guess. Those other photos weren’t too bad. Hey, now that we’re free, do you want to- what are you doing?” your foot was halfway in the gaps in the gate, the wedges on your heels making it hard to climb.

“I’m not wasting my day for nothing,” you growled, fingers curling around the metal, “get climbing, bird boy,” with a soft sigh, smile gracing his lips and a warm feeling in his chest, Hawks spread his wings.

“I think you’re forgetting something that’ll make this a lot easier,” you felt a cool draft on your back as Hawks flapped his wings, the feeling being quickly replaced by the warmth of his chest as he pulled you in. A foreign emotion coiled in your stomach, but you convinced yourself that it was just the flight.

One arm wrapped around your shoulders, the other supporting your knees, and all Hawks was thinking that such a gentle flight never felt so calming.

Your feet tapped against the soft soil, sinking in to it slightly when the hero placed you down. You nodded your thanks.

“Let’s go over there, I want the sun coming in from the right,” Hawks nodded, content to just follow your orders. You pulled the tripod from your bag and set it up, adjusting it to your liking as Hawks looked around, trying to think of a pose.

Once everything was ready, you turned your attention to Hawks.

“I want to humanise you,” he grinned curiously as you walked over.

“What do you mean by that?” he nearly gasped when you grabbed his chin, angling his face to the side and slightly up, towards the sun. You took a step closer, reaching up and running a hand through his hair. He bit his lip, hands trembling as you tugged slightly, trying to mess it up a little.

“All the photos I’ve seen on you always put a huge emphasis on either your wings or your hero status, and I don’t really see why,” you mumbled, placing one hand on his jawline while the other fixed his hair to your liking, letting a few strands fall in front of his eyes, “I think that just creates a divide. If they wanted you to seem angelic they should play that up, not just have it the norm,” you huffed, “anyway, I wanna put the emphasis on you and not your wings. So ideally if you could tuck them behind your back that would be wonderful,”

Hawks nodded, disappointment filling him as you stepped away. He made sure not to move as he awkwardly folded his wings over each other and pulled them in, glancing at you with a look of apprehension. You just nodded in approval, leaning down to your camera.

You took plenty of shots, allowing him plenty more opportunities to feel your hands on him (and he would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy it).

“Hey, why were you so late today?” Hawks dared to question while you were analysing your photos. You were perched on a bench, appreciating your work. The late sun cast a golden sheen on his skin, the spattering of glimmering rays highlighting his face in all the right places.

“I was sleeping,” you responded, deleting an out of focus shot. His eyes narrowed.

“What?” “Just as it sounds. Figured if they were gonna make me work so I could only have three hours of sleep a night it was gonna be on their time, not mine,” he frowned, taking a seat next to you.

“They shouldn’t work you that hard,” you shrugged with a hollow laugh, blank gaze in your eyes.

“What am I gonna do? Have them fire me? As much as I hate this job it’s the only thing that pays for my coffee in the morning,” he was silent as you stood up, stretching your arms behind your bag before tucking everything back in your bag.

“Did you want to be a photographer?” he questioned, only to be met with a forlorn smile.

“Maybe at one point.” the two of you lapsed into silence before you sighed.

“Well, I’ve gotta submit these to Mizuki, and I’m sure you need-” Hawks caught your wrist, spinning you back around.

In the glow of the sunset, you looked almost ethereal. Your eyes gleamed, and cheeks warmed in the orange flare. Sunflowers framed your form, and the words caught in his throat, nearly stopping him from saying anything at all.

“Come work for me.” he blurted. You snorted.

“No.” all he could do was smile as you hopped back over the fence, not waiting up for him.

“Yeah. That’s what I thought you’d say.”

232 notes · View notes

mrs-theirin · 4 years ago

Text

understanding.

so uh this originally started as “hating rebecca hours”, then it was loving nate hours, and then suddenly at the last second it became.......mutually respecting adam hours??? so here we are. @magebastard this one’s for you <3

calliope langford x nate sewell / calliope & adam du mortain, 2585 words. mommy issues paired with getting to know your stuffy leader better (also on ao3 <3)

The apartment is quiet.

Mind-numbingly quiet, actually.

“Stay home and enjoy yourself,” Tina had said, practically pushing Calliope out the door, a wide smile plastered on her face that said if you don’t go home right now I will end you. Even Verda came out from the lab to say goodbye, his gentle eyes hardened in a way that let her know there was no fighting him.

She needs something to do. The apartment just isn’t the same without Farah’s laughter, Adam’s groans of distaste, the irritating clouds of Morgan’s smoke—which still lingers on everything she owns. Honestly, she’s going to take Morgan’s cigarettes and shove them somewhere unpleasant—and Nate’s warm, calming presence. She debates sending him a text, maybe asking him for coffee, but the idea leaves as quickly as it came.

He’s probably busy. She’s sure he has more important things to do than—

Im bad at this texting thing. Coffee

Calliope laughs. Before she can respond, another text from Nate comes in.

That was supposed to be a question. I cant find the apostrophe or question mark. I would like to have coffee with you.

Another text, separate from the last.

Now, if you can. I heard you were sent home from work and I know how much you like the pastries there.

Her heart races at the thought of Nate frantically typing away at his phone, confused but determined to send her a text. She must admit, it’s a hilarious image, and she laughs as she sends her response.

relax and look for the “123” on the left of the keyboard. you’ll find all your punctuation needs there. and yes, i’d love to go get coffee. meet me there?

Ah! Found it. Thank you. And no, I’m outside your apartment.

Calliope straightens, deigning to push aside the curtain and peek out at the sidewalk. Sure enough, Nate stands awkwardly outside, staring down at his phone. His gaze flickers up as her hand makes the curtain dance, and he waves politely. She waves back. She mouths “be right there” and pulls away, cursing herself for looking outside in the first place. Did he just run here? Was he just outside her apartment when he sent the original text? Did he just assume she would say yes?

She rushes to her bedroom, ripping the nicest—and hopefully subtle—thing she owns out of her closet and throws it on, stopping in front of the mirror to undo the messy bun she has her bright orange hair in and tussle it into something appropriate. She glances at the panicked look in her eyes, and tries to calm down. What is she freaking out for? It’s just Nate.

I would fight through any form of technology if I knew you were on the other end.

Nate, who can make her face flush with just a few words. Nate, who towers over her, his warm brown eyes staring into her soul. Nate, who is patiently standing outside waiting to take her to coffee. She tries not to hold out too much hope that it’s a date.

“Hey!” she says when she finally makes it outside, unconsciously taking too large of a step and standing uncomfortably close to him, which she quickly rectifies by inching backwards. They both laugh nervously. “Did you—”

“I was in the neighborhood,” Nate rushes out, his face flushing. “It’s a beautiful day out.”

She accepts the obvious lie with a face full of heat. “Let’s go then.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She loves the way he laughs.

At Haley’s, he relaxes; his shoulders slouching, his gaze softening. He is no longer scanning every person on the street, trying to gauge if they’re a threat. He is talking and he is joking and he is smiling and he is laughing. And every time he throws his head back to laugh at some stupid sarcastic joke she makes, she melts.

He sighs dreamily, then faces her with soft, kind eyes. “I really missed you, Calliope.”

Her heart thumps in her chest. “I missed you too. You could’ve called, you know.”

His smile fades. “I wasn’t allowed to. The Agency thought it was better if we just...left you alone for a while.”

“So I could recover?”

Nate turns away, scratching the back of his neck. “Yeah. That’s it.”

Before she can ask him to elaborate, she hears a familiar clack of heels behind her. Her body tenses. “Calliope,” her mother’s voice says, clear and professional, though surprised. She wasn’t expecting her daughter to be here.

Calliope doesn’t even turn. Her hand clenches around her coffee and she clears her throat. “Rebecca.”

Something in her dies when she sees Rebecca take the seat next to her. It is crushed to ash as she turns to Nate, who is smiling kindly at Rebecca, ordering another pastry for her, inviting her to stay longer than Calliope prefers. Her mother hums gently. “Coffee date?” she asks, though there is something else in her voice. Something resentful. Something...cautious.

“And what if it was?” Calliope mumbles into her coffee, as Nate replies, “Oh no, just catching up.”

“You should be careful about how much time you spend in the open, Agent Sewell,” Rebecca offers, and it’s obvious why she’s saying it. Calliope begins to shake, as she always does around her mother, and washes her resentment down with her coffee. The warm liquid contrasts the coldness of her bitterness.

It wasn’t always this way with Rebecca; there was a time where they laughed and smiled and shot each other with water guns. But eventually laughter dies out, smiles fade away, and water guns change to Glock 22s. Love changes to resentment. Dads die.

She understands why secrets were kept. She hates that Rebecca doesn’t understand why she would be upset by the secrets that were kept. The way Rebecca’s eye twitches when Nate leans into Calliope is sign enough on its own. Can’t even be happy with the circumstances she has, apparently.

“Of course,” Nate says, professional as always. “Understood.”

“Let the man...or, vamp, live,” Calliope retorts. “We’re just having coffee.”

Rebecca presses her lips together tightly. “Calliope. Do I need to remind you why you’ve been wearing turtlenecks for months?”

She chokes on her coffee, slamming the cup down on the counter, the paper crunching in her hand. Typical of her mother to remind her of trauma, trauma that deeply affects her, as if it’s just a statement she can throw out at any given moment, like a quick anecdote or conversation starter. How can one look at their daughter having her neck torn out by a killer vampire and think, “This will be good for future scoldings”? And her scoldings, well, of course they aren’t scoldings, they’re concerns. Worries from a concerned mother. A mother who was so concerned about her daughter that she left for years with no contact, leaving the local librarians to raise Calliope.

Calliope tenses as she feels a hand on her shoulder, but deflates when she realizes what side the hand is on. Nate squeezes her shoulder affectionately, and she cannot thank him enough for being a rock. If Rebecca is the storm—cold, predictable, unrelenting—then Nate is the hearth; warm, welcoming, reassuring. He smiles softly at her.

“Of course you don’t,” she finally speaks, subconsciously scratching at the scars. “But considering I’ll be working with the Agency again soon, getting coffee won’t matter much, will it? Or are you trying to say that I can only put myself at risk if I’m not having fun?”

Rebecca’s eyebrow twitches as she sighs. “I’m only trying to look out for you—”

“No, you aren’t.” Her voice is stern, but quiet. Don’t want to draw too much attention. That’s the way it’s always been, right?. “You’re looking out for yourself and your reputation as a ‘good mother’, but it’s all crap anyway. If you wanted to preserve that, you wouldn’t be begging me every 5 seconds to tell you you’re doing a good job.”

“Calliope,” Nate gently warns, and she slowly shrugs his hand off of her shoulder. Now is not the time for another one of those sad, soulful looks he gives her when she argues with Rebecca. She doesn’t have the effort.

Rebecca’s lips are thinned again, in that disappointed scowl Calliope’s seen so much of since this whole Agency business started. “Sweetheart,” she starts, and Calliope is already cringing away, already preparing herself for whatever pandering crap Rebecca is about to spew. “I want you to be safe.”

“But not happy, clearly.”

“Calliope Langford.” Rebecca’s voice is harsh, but it only manages to enrage Calliope more. Her mother isn’t stern often, usually grabbing for the ‘soft and meek’ route, but on the occasion she does show annoyance, it’s never a pleasant feeling. Not because it upsets Calliope, but because she knows it’s a ruse. If she holds out, her mother will give in, because they both know she can’t stand being the bad guy (despite making herself the bad guy in every single conversation they have). “This is dangerous business. I don’t want to see you hurt. I do love you, whether you believe me or not.”

Calliope stands abruptly, slapping a $20 bill on the counter. “Why don’t you concern yourself less with whether I believe you, and more with whether you believe yourself. Come on, Nate.”

She starts to walk away, but hesitates when Nate doesn’t immediately follow, out of his seat but hunched over, like a kicked, obedient puppy. A twinge of betrayal tugs at Calliope’s chest, but she waves it off, instead holding up her hand, exasperated. She leaves without another word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The phone rings.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Calliope sighs in exasperation, about to hit the red ‘end call’ button, when the phone finally clicks, a stern, professional voice coming through as clear as day: “Special Agent Adam du Mortain. Is this something important?”

She rolls her eyes, unable to keep the smile off of her face. “It’s just me, Adam. You don’t have to answer the phone like that.”

“Is this something important,” he repeats, though this time it’s less of a question.

She gives in. “I was wondering if you wanted to spar. You said you were...less than impressed with my combat skills, so why don’t you teach me?”

The line is silent for a moment, before Adam lets out a small huff. “Where?”

She blinks. She hadn’t thought of that. “...Here?” she offers, uncertain.

He sighs heavily. “Open the door.”

The call ends and she is rooted in place for a moment before she springs up from her couch, opening the door and peeking out. Adam is standing on her stairs, looming over her, and he raises a single eyebrow, making the action of entering her apartment. She steps aside and watches him analyze the living room. “Move the table,” he says.

“You’re the one with the super strength,” she jokes, closing the door behind her. “Can’t you do it?”

He glares at her. “Are you serious about training with me?”

She straightens under his gaze, nodding sharply. “Yes,” she responds, though it comes out like a nervous question.

“Then move the table. And slide the couch away too. We need plenty of room.”

She salutes him, tying her hair back into a high ponytail. “Can do!”

He groans.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Why didn’t you call one of the others?” Adam asks, crossing his arms and staring down at the panting, sweating Calliope, who is holding onto her knees for dear life.

“Oh, you know—” she says between heavy breaths. “You’re starting to grow on me.”

“Your form is poor.”

“Oh, I know!” she wheezes. “You actually told me that, a bunch of times, like two seconds ago.”

If she didn’t know any better, she can swear she sees a ghost of a smile threatening to appear on Adam’s lips, then it’s gone as quickly as it came. He regards her with complete and utter disappointment. “They would’ve been nicer.”

“Ah, but nice isn’t what I need. I need to learn how to fight.”

This time Adam does actually smile, though it’s still not quite a full smile, more like pride over seeing a lesson learned. He cocks his head to the side. “It could also be that you’re fighting with Nate.”

She hesitates for a moment before scoffing. “I’m not fighting with Nate. Fighting would require words, of which there were none.”

Her two seconds of hesitation were enough for Adam, because he nods his head sharply, and scowls. “Figure it out. I don’t want you two at odds next time we’re all together.”

“Why?” Calliope drags the table back to its original spot, collapsing on the couch with a heave. “I thought I was a distraction.”

He joins her on the couch, his posture as formal as ever, the distance an obvious sign of something. “You are a distraction. But you’re more of a distraction when Nate is running through his mind trying to make up a list of ways he can make it up to you.”

“Make what up to me?”

“You’d have to tell me that.”

The two stare at each other before Calliope sighs, smiling. “Thank you for coming over. You didn’t have to.”

“I don’t have to do anything I don’t wish to,” he simply says, and she rolls her eyes.

“Loosen up a little sometime, huh? I think it would do you good.”

“Then you and I will have to have differing opinions.”

A knock sounds at the door, and Calliope starts to stand, but Adam takes the lead instead, gesturing for her to stay put. She doesn’t put up a fight, after all, her body is aching and all she really wants is a nap right now, maybe a 3 day slumber. When the door opens, she strains her ears to hear the soft mumbles of whoever is at the door. Adam’s voice is strong, and overshadows the meeker, much quieter voice of the person—no, woman, that’s a woman’s voice—standing at the door. A few more minutes pass until Calliope finally hears Adam say, “I think you should leave,” and shuts the door. When he returns, she gives him a curious smile.

“Who was that?” she asks, and he shakes his head.

“No one important. It’s late, I should leave. Goodnight, Detective Langford.”

She stops him before he can zip out. “Adam, honestly. You can call me Calliope. I promise you won’t implode.”

He hesitates, gears in his head clearly turning, then gives in, his shoulders visibly relaxing. “Goodnight, Calliope. You did well.”

“You’re lying to me!” she calls after him, and he says nothing as the door shuts behind him. She lets out a soft, incredulous laugh. Well, at least one good thing happened today.

She heads to the light switch, peeking out of the window just for a second to try to catch a glimpse of the woman Adam had sent away. Her heart drops into her feet as she sees the car she knows too well. Rebecca sits in her car, taking a deep breath, and eventually starts it up and drives away, shaking her head. Calliope is frozen at the window.

It was Rebecca at the door. Rebecca, who Adam...turned away? Told to leave?

She takes a moment to suck in a deep breath, letting out a loud sigh. Huh, she thinks, turning off the light and heading to her shower, eager to wash off the grime and sweat of training. Maybe he’s not so bad after all.

#just for you marty <3 #calliope langford #detective x nate sewell #detective x nate #nate x detective #detective & rebecca #detective & adam du mortain #nate sewell #rebecca #adam du mortain #the wayhaven chronicles #wayhaven chronicles #wayhaven #twc #fic #quill's writing

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lifebeginsbyleaving · 4 years ago

Text

You Gotta Fight... For Your Right...

TO PAAAAAAATAAAYYY

Stiles was about to take the three hundred year old tome, that Deaton told them to be extra cautious with, and lob it right at Derek's little furry werewolf balls.

"I don't see why this is such a big deal Stiles!" Derek's eyebrows twitched with annoyance.

Stiles gaped and threw his arms out. "Oh, of course. Of course you wouldn't see the importance of being invited to a super cool exclusive party. Not you mister I have sex in my really cool car with my hot ass leather jacket on and could probably seduce anyone living with an eyebrow raise! Sorry some of us are lame and need to pander at Danny's feet just to get laid!"

All of the earlier annoyance dropped from his face and a cold blank one appeared. "I wasn't aware that was the situation."

Stiles scoffed and started pacing as the pack shot each other unsure looks. "Well, yeah man. In case you're just tuning into the Stiles show, I'm undesired as hell! So, I am absolutely going to this party. Summer heat wave and unpredictable omega passing through be damned."

Stiles started to walk away like he got the last word, but Derek grabbed his arm. "You have to stay to protect the pack."

Stiles rolled his eyes. "What, you don't think you guys can handle one weak omega? Are you slipping? Unless you need protection from the heat, in which case you'll have to deal. No matter how useless you all think I am, I have more self respect than to fan you all with palm branches and bring you iced drinks in a toga." Stiles yanked his arm back and gave Derek a sharp look before storming towards the door.

Derek growled lowly at him.

Stiles turned back and sneered right in his face. "Oh you know what sourwolf, eat me! I barely ask you all for anything. And after months of nonstop threats, multiple abductions, and getting an accumulative five hours of sleep a week because of research I think I deserve a break! One party. Marcus's weekend long bashes have been legendary since freshman year and a year after school this is the first year I'm invited to it. I'm going! End of story. And you-" Stiles jabbed his finger into Derek's chest. "Can fucking deal, or find a new fragile human."

That shocked Derek enough that Stiles had enough time to storm away and slam the loft door. Even him cursing as the force nearly dislocated his shoulder didn't snap him out of it. Derek only slammed his palm into the wall once his Jeep door closed.

He turned and the pack all had shocked looks. He took a moment to calm down. "There's a rouge omega out there and he's thinking with his dick!"

Lydia hopped of the counter with a huff. "He'll be fine, Derek. He could handle one omega with his hands tied."

"What about stupidly drunk too fucking busy with some preppy asshole?!"

She shook her head. "He's resourceful and perceptive, so probably. If you're worried about him being drunk though, Marcus makes sure everyone is safe. You have to hand over keys and phones at the door. Marcus has someone to drive if someone wants to leave."

He raised a judgemental eyebrow at her. "Him not being able to contact us is supposed to make me feel better?"

Erica hopped into the conversation, "There's a landline. He'll call if he needs us. Chill. Unless there's another reason he shouldn't go to a party with a bunch of drunk, attractive, and popular people?"

Derek turned away, but could still see her smirk.

Lydia had to put the final nail in the coffin. "Besides, Danny will be there. He'll take care of him. Really well."

Derek closed his eyes so they wouldn't see the red glow reflect off the window he was staring out. "Fine. Leave. Pack meeting over. Stiles can do whatever the hell he wants."

Derek would never understand why they all seemed so enamored by him. The entire pack loved him. It made Derek's skin crawl. Even when the sheriff met him mid supernatural fight and Danny took a moment to introduce himself he immediately loved him. He exclaimed about how there was finally a teenager with manners. Derek couldn't figure out if it was the hawaiian charm or what, but everyone on God's green earth that met Danny Mahealani seemed to frickin adore him. And somehow Derek's rare disapproval got out. Mrs. Thurnbury took him aside in the supermarket and patted his arm and said, "That Danny boy is a good egg. He helped me with my groceries. Be a dear and don't murder him with your eyebrows of discontentment." She winked and left and all he could think was he helped her with her groceries first god damnit!

They started to trickle out.

Peter stood up. "Oh, nephew mine?"

Derek sighed.

"Would your objections have anything to do with the Mahealani boy rejecting your offer to join the pack? Or maybe the corrupting and subsequent poisoning of the token human's liver that you find fault with. Or maybe the pounding that Stiles could get fro-"

Derek's fangs joined his threatening growl.

"From that rouge omega. Only if it were to show up to that party. Small chance though, as we said." Peter smirked. "So nothing to worry about really."

"Get out before I show you out. The third story window."

Peter gave him a consoling look as he passed. "No need to get so worked up over the boys rejection. He simply wants to stay out of supernatural matters as much as possible. Besides, I think he's got all that he wants from this pack." He dropped his voice lower even though it was unnecessary. "I would suggest figuring out if you do before it is no longer available. Or rather, he isn't." Peter looked smug as he sauntered out.

Derek looked up with relief to see that only Scott was left in the loft. Scott sent him a consoling look. "Don't take it so hard dude. It's just a party."

Derek felt frustration bubbling up. "Exactly Scott. It's just a party. And he goes and acts like that." Derek shoved his hands towards the door he had slammed like he was still waiting behind it. "He challenged our decision and the advice of the pack over a stupid party."

Scott smiled. "I've known him since I was four, alphas or not it was not our decision. It was his."

"He could get hurt. We were worried and he did that!"

"Did what Derek?"

Derek roared back, "He said he'd leave the pack! He said it like it was nothing! He said it because of that boyslut that makes him think he's not good enough! I'll never get why he-"

"Why he what Derek, wants to have fun? Blow off some steam?" Scott nodded pointedly to Derek's clawed and balled fists.

Derek unclenched them, realizing how out of control he was getting.

Scott went over to the table to sit down and Derek followed.

"Why do you think Stiles became friends with Danny?"

Derek deadpanned, "To get laid."

Scott gave him a crooked grin. "Besides that?"

Derek shared none of his humor, but offered silence.

Scott was undeterred and used to it. "Because he's fun. Danny has this way of putting people at ease. Like no matter what, if you're with him, you're going to be alright. He's fun and easy."

Derek snorted and nodded.

"He shows people how to be carefree and enjoy themselves."

Derek grew irritated. "Why are you here then."

Scott looked sad. "Derek, why do you think Stiles became friends with Danny? I think it's because maybe he needs that. He needs fun and carefree. He needs blackout drunk and mistakes you won't remember in the morning. It's a way he can lose control without risking anyone's safety except his own. Dancing to music till it's light outside might still end with your muscles burning in the morning, but it comes with less trauma than running for your life in the woods." Scott looked devastated. "He just wants something fun Derek. My best friend just wants to be a normal teenager for a few nights. I think he just wants to remember what it's like to be okay. To be carefree. And I don't know about you Derek, but I can't find it in me to fault him for it. Not after everything he's been through."

Everything wiped off Derek's face except bare grief and guilt.

"Do I still worry about him getting home, and if he'll watch his drinks enough, and what if he's too drunk and someone is too insistent yes I do. But at the end of the day he deserves a break. From the craziness, the supernatural, the constant looking over his shoulder, the responsibility, the hurt, and yes ultimately also the pack. He's earned it. With all the research, the sleepless nights, the-"

Derek closed his eyes. "I know how much he's sacrificed for the pack. I'm sorry I didn't realize."

Scott shrugged. "I'm not the one you have to apologise to. But then again if I know him, you don't have to apologise to him either." The heaviness was gone from his face, just that lightness that Scott's unending hope brought. "Couldn't hurt though, right? He'll spend the weekend worrying about worrying you."

*** Derek had procrastinated until the very last moment. He knew Danny would pick him up soon, but Derek couldn't leave the Camaro and walk the last final blocks for some reason. He heard a car coming up the street and his eyes snapped to his mirror expecting to see Danny. He huffed and swung open the car door.

Derek opened the window silently and stepped in without a sound. He inched closer to Stiles' turned back.

He froze as Stiles started to speak out loud. "Should I pack an extra shirt sourwolf?"

Derek was silent.

Stiles turned. "No opinion?"

Derek softly mumbled, "It's always good to be prepared."

Stiles smirked. "Oh I bet you looked adorable with your eyebrows and sash asking old ladies if they needed help to get your community badge."

"What?" Derek asked confused.

"Don't worry, I won't ask Cora for pictures in your little uniform. Scout's honor. " He held up the Vulcan salute.

"Pack the extra shirt Stiles. And a sweatshirt. In case it's cold."

Stiles' face melted to a smile. "Aww it's almost like you care." He turned back to his bag. "But it is summer. Ya know, hot as balls out?"

"You get cold easily. A slight draft and you're shivering like you're naked."

"Considering the limited amount of activities I do while naked, I'm usually very hot when I'm naked."

Derek scoffed, but turned away from Stiles to keep from taking off his clothes in his mind to picture him with a slight heated blush like the one Derek had right then.

"I do hope you didn't come here to argue or try to stop me."

Derek shook his head, but then spoke, "No."

Stiles zipped his bag and turned. "Well, that clears everything up. Is it the omega?" He was still playful, but a hint of worry worked it's way in.

Derek turned quickly. "No. If we have to, we'll deal with that. I-I just came to wish you a good weekend." Derek attempt a small smile.

Stiles raised an eyebrow and put what was in his hands down. "Are you alright? Do you smell toast? What's that thing you're doing on your face? Do I need to call Deaton? I'm sure he's got like a magical milkbone that could fix whatever's wrong with your face."

Derek's face changed to a genuine smile and Stiles' eyes gleamed as the corners of his mouth also lifted.

"I'm sorry."

Stiles turned back away. Derek would take that as a bad sign, but he knew how well Stiles knew him. He knew Derek wasn't good with apologizing. He was giving him space. "It's okay sourwolf. I'm sorry too."

"For what?" Derek looked at the hands nervously folding and unfolding a flannel.

"You know what for. I should never have said that. I knew how it would effect you. You know I would always fight to be a part of the pack."

"And you know you would never have to. We know and appreciate how much you do. Even if we forget to show it."

Stiles turned back with earnestness in his eyes. "Thank you sourwolf. It means a lot."

Derek forced himself to look back into his wide brown eyes. "You mean a lot. To the pack. For all that you do."

"I would do anything, for the pack." His lips stretched into a lazy smile. "I have to finish packing." He made no effort to move away.

"I should head back." He hesitated slightly before heading to the window.

It was a few moments after Stiles heard him jump down, but he knew he would hear him. "Thank you Derek. Have a good weekend."

***

Derek was not having a good weekend.

He didn't even want to talk about yesterday and today wasn't going much better.

He sat on his couch reading a book and listening to music. After he flipped each page he'd check the time in his phone. Normally he'd be busy with something, but he had already made supper, did a long workout, and showered. Usually he enjoyed his down time, but it was too quiet. He flicked on the TV and turned his page just to turn it back to actually read what was on the page this time.

He sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face after having to reread the first paragraph for the third time. He laid his head on the back of the couch and stared up at the ceiling.

The door flung open and a loudly laughing Erica walked in and Derek had enough.

"Just for one night can I have some peace! You haven't let me focus all day! How can three people be so loud!"

He finally looked over and his harshness faded seeing their shocked faces and arms filled with bags.

Isaac meekly spoke, "Uh Derek, we've been at the mall all day."

Derek closed his eyes. He vaguely remembered being home alone all day. "Right. Sorry."

Erica recovered the fastest. "Okay grumpy pants what's got your tail in a twist?" She shoved the bags onto a chair and plopped down beside him.

"Nothing. I'm fine."

She raised an eyebrow. "Right. And yelling at three pups who have done absolutely nothing wrong all day qualifies as okay? Maybe a couple years back, but not now. Spill the kibble."

He raised an eyebrow back at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Okay moderately nothing wrong. Stop deflecting."

"The omega still isn't dealt with and S-"

"Stiles is at a party?" She looked amused.

"No. And Scott's approach of giving them the benefit of the doubt and allowing them to pass through isn't exactly comforting."

"Right, sure. I completely agree that is what's wrong with you." She got up. "Boyd, come and have a conversation with mister ignore the real problem till it goes away."

Isaac piped up, "He'll do it when he's ready guys."

He dutifully walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder from the other side of the couch. "Go and see if he's okay if that's what you have to do." He walked away.

Derek hated his betas some days. Erica because she was so smug, Boyd because he was so correct, and Isaac because he was so supportingly encouraging.

He mostly hated Erica though.

***

It was another twenty minutes and they had all settled in. Erica had put on new pjs and commendered the TV. Isaac had turned off his music and Boyd had asked him about his book and he just tossed it over. He couldn't even remember the title.

He heard them before they slid the door open and didn't bother to move. As soon as he saw their expression though, he stood quickly. "What happened?" His heart was thundering already.

"The sheriff found a body. He wants us to check it out. Before he rules it an animal attack." Scott gave him a concerned look.

Allison spoke up next from where she was linked to Scott's arm. "The sheriff will probably call you soon."

Derek calmed slightly. "Take them with you. You and Allison can check out the body, see if you can figure out what happened, then if you can find a trail. The betas will fan out from the crime scene and see if they can find anything else."

Scott nodded. "And what are you going to do?"

Derek's phone started to ring and he eagerly checked the screen. "If you were an out of control omega and were lost in the woods, what would you be attracted to?" He answered the call and headed to his room to get changed. "Hello sheriff."

Scott muttered mostly to himself. "The loud party in the middle of the preserve with a bunch of drunk people."

Scott and Allison waited for the three of them to get changed, but Derek was grabbing his jacket on the way out before they were ready.

Derek was reaching for the door when Scott put a hand on his shoulder. "He'll be fine. We'll call with any information."

*** Despite Scott's reassurance he broke every speed limit on the way there. He had been searching the mass of sweaty dancing bodies for several minutes, unable to make his way upstairs yet in case of what he might interrupt. The bright flashing lights were already making him nauseous.

He got a phone call and made a break for the kitchen. He still had trouble hearing the call over the booming music, but he managed to gleam that Allison identified the body as a hunter. One with a tentative understanding of the code at best. They figured the omega was being tracked by the hunter and it was self defense. Scott called the betas and asked them to check and make sure the omega was okay, but they were no longer looking at a bloodthirsty killer and just a scared omega.

He ended the call with some relief, till he realized he had no reason to be here anymore. No reason to take Stiles back.

He took a cup from the kitchen, and despite knowing it wouldn't do anything chugged it.

If he was here he might as well check in on Stiles and let him know what happened.

He shoved his way back into the main dancing area knowing that was the best place to find him. He was near a corner when someone approached him from the side and grabbed his arm. He tensed and turned ready to strike, but not obviously.

It was Danny and somehow that made him bristle further.

Danny shouted into his ear, "Are you looking for Stiles?"

Derek clenched his jaw and nodded.

"Is it serious?"

Derek shook his head.

Danny's face morphed to a flirtatious smile. "Then stay awhile." His hand started to tighten slightly around his bicep. "Wanna dance? Or not dance?" He looked towards a dark hallway that made Derek finally grateful to not be able to hear.

Derek yanked his arm back. "I don't know if Stiles would like that." He paired it with the most murderous brows he had.

Danny's eyebrows furrowed. "I didn't think you guys were-"

"We're not. You are."

Danny laughed. "Yeah, we messed around in the beginning. Now we both decided we're better as just friends."

Derek still remained cold. "I have to find Stiles."

"Are you sure, because he looks a little busy." Danny pointed to a spastic drunk yelling and surrounded by laughing preppy vultures. One particular asshole was practically stuck to Stiles' back as they writhed to the music. He was very handsy and Stiles didn't even seem to notice. Danny spoke again, but Derek didn't turn. "We could be busy too. I'll even let you keep up the bad boy gruff act, I like it a little rough big bad alpha."

At that Derek turned back and took threatening steps forward till Danny pressed himself against the wall with a smirk. Derek flashed his eyes and bared his fangs. Danny's smirk fell and fear flashed across his face. "It's not an act. Thanks for the offer." Derek stalked to the other side of the room careful to avoid catching Stiles' attention.

"Whooooo! Body shotssssss!" Stiles' missing shirt and already sticky collarbones told Derek this was probably not anyone's first shot. A girl with messy red hair started pouring liquor into the divots above Stiles' collarbone. The crowd around them started chanting the word shots. The redhead moved to one side and handsy asshole moved to the other. As soon as they started to lick out the alcohol the crowd cheered. They both started to kiss up the sides of Stiles' neck and as Stiles relaxed his shoulders a few droplets rained down just like the blood from Derek's palms. They were clenched so hard his claws dug into them as he watched the two strangers lay claim to Stiles' neck.

Handsy asshole started to move down Stiles' body to a stray drop that was making its way towards Stiles' nipple. Derek was across the room before he even realized it.

Stiles' look of enjoyment and pure glee faded to one of confusion. "Derek? What are you doing here?"

Stiles pushed both people back to allow them room to talk and put his shirt back on. Derek instantly shoved into the space handsy asshole had previously filled. "I have to talk to you."

Stiles sobered. "Is it about the pack?"

Derek looked at those around them and handsy asshole trying to worm his way back over. "Not here."

Derek looked down and saw Stiles intertwining their hands. "We went through the crowd to get a beer three hours ago and I haven't seen Danny since. You can hold my hand for like two minutes sourwolf."

Derek nodded and just as they turned to leave handsy asshole grabbed Stiles' other arm. "Heyyyy where ya goin? We're havin fuuuun."

"I'll be back." Derek couldn't help narrowing his eyes at those words.

"What iv I wanna nother shot?" He threw in a look that supposedly was seductive. Derek thought it looked like he was taking a shit while looking directly at the sun.

Stiles let go of Derek's hand. He smiled at the man and kissed him. The man was so enthusiastic and fond of ass groping Derek looked away in disgust. "Then find Hannah till I get back."

Stiles grabbed Derek's hand again and started to pull away, but the man nearly yanked him out of Derek's grip. "But I want you Mickyyyy!"

Derek pulled Stiles behind himself and growled right in his face, "That is NOT his name!"

The man just scoffed and looked towards Stiles. "This your boytoy Micky? Hes rude, and wrong." His voice went to a stage whisper. "He doesn't even know your real name. How imporant can he be? Staaayyy!"

Derek turned with a sharp look towards Stiles. "You told him your name?! Him!?"

Stiles looked to be searching the air around him. "To be fair I got here around ten and they greeted me at the door with three shots of vodka. I don't remember the hours between twelve and two yesterday. If someone asked I probably would've told them my social security number. Today is strictly beer and a slight buzz day."

Derek held firmly to Stiles' hand as they moved away and handsy asshole started to object, "You said you'd blow me upstairs you shit!"

Derek put his hand flat on the front of his face and shoved him back with enough force that the high top table they had been using as a bar wobbled and the glass bottles on it clinked together when he made contact. Derek growled threateningly and flashed his eyes and teeth.

Derek got a small amount of pleasure from the scent of fear coming off the man. He was yanked towards the stairs by a hand that was gripping his tightly. Stiles finally found an empty room and shoved both of them in it. "What, the absolute hell, was that!"

Derek rolled his eyes. "Oh I'm sorry for taking offense for you, since you obviously didn't care."

"Of course I care! And of course what he said was totally gross, but he was drunk! What's your excuse for wolfing out like that huh!?"

Derek looked away. "Damn it Stiles! He shouldn't have treated you like you were just a fuck!" Derek once again flashed his eyes and snapped his fangs, but Stiles just growled back and snapped his human teeth back at him.

Stiles huffed out a short laugh. "That's kinda the point Derek."

Derek turned to him with squinted eyes.

"Here I want to be just a fuck. I want to be dancing in the lights and have someone desire me. Maybe I want to feel like, no matter anything else, someone wants me."

Derek objected, "You have people that want you. You don't have to do this, the pack-"

Stiles shook his head and interrupted while pacing away from him, "Not like that and you know it. I don't care if all he wants from me is a fuck. That's all I want from him, so it'd be pretty hypocritical of me. Why should you care?"

Derek gave him judgemental eyebrows. "Well sorry for hoping you had self respect. Next time I won't get in the way of you getting dick."

Stiles went stock still and turned towards him with rage in his eyes. "Derek. Are you slut shaming me right now?!"

"Well if th-"

Stiles steamrolled right over him. "Because I don't give a god damn fuck who you think you are, you do not get to tell me what I do with my body! My relationships are my business! Who or how many I have sex with is my business! And alpha or not you don't get to make those choices for me! Because last time I checked you're not my fucking boyfriend! Last time I checked you hardly ever pretend to even like me! So back the fuck off and learn what place you have in my life before you lose it!" Stiles was fuming and yelling right in his face by the end of it.

All of his need to argue flooded out of him and Derek put his hands up. He tried to put his hand on Stiles' arm, but he pulled away and stalked to the other side of the room with his arms crossed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that you were a slut."

Stiles squinted at him with malice.

"Okay, maybe I implied you were a slut, but I was mad and didn't mean it. I am sorry. I am pro slut power. Seriously, I raised my eyebrow at Laura sneaking back in come morning time and she yelled at me for two hours. Then she made me wear a shirt that said slut power for a week."

Stiles snorted and sat on the bed. Derek slowly approached and sat beside him. "You're pack. I want you to have someone that cares about you, but if that's not what you want I have to respect that and I'm sorry I didn't. I'll stop trying to stop you from going out with Danny."

Stiles nodded and was quiet for a moment.

"Derek? Why do you hate Danny?"

"Well Stiles, I believe you yourself said it was because of my complete lack of ability and hatred for doing anything fun."

"Be serious."

"Maybe for the way he makes you feel. Like you aren't good enough and you should be grateful just to fall at his feet."

Stiles hummed. "I don't think that's Danny. I do it with you too, I do it with everyone. I think that's just my own insecurities that I need to work on. I need to stop comparing myself to others. It's just hard you know? I'm a human in a pack of werewolves and badasses, it's hard not to feel inadequate. My best friend is a true alpha, and two of the people I have in my life are Danny Hawaiian god Mahealani and Derek Greek god Hale, so there's my self image shot." Stiles played it off with a laugh, but Derek frowned.

"Stiles. You aren't a human in a pack of werewolves and badasses. You're one of the badasses. I have seen you bash in a werewolves skull with a wolfsbane laced baseball bat. I mean sure you did throw up after..."

Stiles knocked their shoulders together with a chuckle.

"But it was badass. And about the god thing. I think you're-" Derek started to hesitate. His resolve firmed. "If anyone is a Greek god it's you. They say Aphrodite appeared both male and female."

Stiles gaped at him and Derek looked away.

"You couldn't be more wrong! I'm totally-"

Derek's embarassment turned to determination at Stiles' persistent doubt. "No. You really are-"

"Athena." Stiles insisted.

"Beautiful." Derek muttered breathlessly.

"Oh." Stiles cheeks colored.

Derek tried to deflect. "What were we even taking about?"

"Why you really don't like Danny."

"I don't want to talk about that."

Stiles squinted. "Implying that we didn't already, and that there's a different reason."

"No."

Stiles was silent still and Derek sighed. "I don't know. I think I just do for the way he exists."

Stiles snorted. "Harsh dude."

"Don't call me dude. And I just mean everything he does just seems so easy. He exists like it isn't hard, like he wakes up everyday knowing everything will be okay." Derek considered for a second. "He's like Scott like that."

Stiles shook his head. "No. Scott doesn't wake up every morning knowing it's going to be okay. He hopes it will be. Scott has seen and knows bad things can and will happen, he just eternally hopes they don't."

Derek nodded. "Yeah I guess so. And with Danny I think he's just never had anything touch him. He had a popular best friend, he was popular, attractive, likeable, good family, he gets nice things. He just goes through life like it's the easiest thing and nothing is hard. He lives like it's easy."

Stiles put his hand on top of Derek's. "And you envy that. So do I. I think that's what attracted me to him. We're both so used to having to fight so fucking hard just to have one good thing, and he just seems like that's all he has." Stiles laughed. "You know how we ended up kissing for the first time?"

Derek's hand twitched under Stiles. "How?"

"I was looking into his eyes and I just blurted out how much I wanted to kiss him. And he just looked at me, smiled, and then kissed me like that was the only logical thing to do. Like it was that easy. But Derek, sometimes it is just that easy. Sometimes we get a nice thing if we just tell ourselves there is more to life than pain and we deserve it. We deserve to go to parties and kiss people that we won't remember in the morning. We deserve to love people and be loved by people. Just because we can handle pain doesn't mean that is all we deserve." Derek turned to him and Stiles looked right into his eyes. "We can have easy and happy things too."

Derek's eyes started to go a bit shiny and he felt the urge to pull away, but he didn't. Stiles smiled at him and Derek's eyes tracked the stretch of his lips and before he could think of all the ways it was supposed to be difficult, he just leaned forward and kissed him.

There were a terrifying few seconds that Stiles didn't respond, but then Stiles' hands went into his hair and Derek tasted beer and something sweet. Derek put his arms around him and fisted his hands into the material on Stiles' sides. Derek started to think that maybe he could get a buzz from just kissing the beer off Stiles' lips when he moved one hand down to get under Stiles' shirt.

Stiles went still and pulled back with wide eyes. Derek instantly felt a pit in his stomach.

"Why did you do that? Oh God, why did we do that! Fuck Derek this isn't what I meant!" Stiles pushed his arms away from his sides and sprang up from the bed.

Derek felt like the action ripped a piece of him out. "I- I'm sorry. You are drunk and I shouldn't have done that anyway. I just-"

"I am not drunk. My decision making skills are quite intact, and- and I kissed you back. So I did it too. Even though it was a bad idea, I did it anyway. It's okay though."

Derek shook his head and got up and quickly started towards the door. "No it's not."

Stiles eyes went wide and he moved after him. "No. Please. Please Derek! It has to be okay! We have to be okay! Fuck I didn't mean- I didn't mean for this to happen!"

Stiles tried to catch him, but he moved out of the room and made it through the downstairs quick enough he was backing out of the driveway by the time Stiles got to the front door.

***

Derek got home and woke Isaac back up just to lead him to Boyd and Erica's room. He flopped down in the middle of their bed and soon enough they were all curled around him.

"You smell like a frat house and you're still wearing your jeans." Erica said irritably.

"I don't think Stiles and I will ever be friends again and I'd like to sleep so I don't have to think about it."

In the small amount of light she could see her face contort with sympathy before moving to annoyance. "You two are idiots."

"I'll be an idiot in the morning. Now I'm just hurt, and I need you."

Erica smiled softly at him. "I'm so proud of how far you've come. We've always been here for you-" She snuggled into his chest more. "Now I'm just glad you know it."

*** After a summary of the night before Erica once again declared him an idiot, but at least this time it was over breakfast and coffee.

They all moped with him all morning before heading out for some mystery errand. As soon as he heard Roscoe clunking closer he cursed out his betas and gathered some things before he sat on the couch to await his doom.

Stiles nervously paced outside his door for several minutes before cursing and speaking to the hallway, "You can hear me can't you?"

Derek set his mug down. "Come in."

The door swung open and Stiles walked in with wild hair. Like he had been running his fingers through it nonstop. A small part of Derek wished that he'd used the time he had to run his fingers through his hair. Just so he knew what it was like at least once. "I figured you'd want that." He nodded to the mug and pills on the coffee table.

"You are a god amongst men Derek."

Derek smiled, but then it turned bitter. "And I thought you said you didn't drink that much last night."

Stiles looked sheepish as he downed some coffee with the pills. "I hadn't. Not until you left. After that I probably drank half a kegs worth of alcohol. Definitely feeling it this morning though." He let out a weak chuckle.

Derek spoke softly. "Why are you here Stiles?"

Stiles sat down lightly on the couch. "I didn't like how we left it last night."

"Neither did I."

"Look, I didn't mean to give you the impression that that's what I wanted. Because I don't."

Derek tried to not break at that.

He really did try.

"I don't want to have you be a fuck. I don't think I could do that with you."

Derek smiled as genuinely as he could. "It's okay Stiles." He said it even though Stiles kissing him while he thought it was a happy thing they both deserved and Stiles thought it would just be a fuck did not make him feel okay.

"I'm sorry that you wanted that and that I gave the impression that I also wanted you to just be a fuck."

Derek's eyebrows went up marginally as he said that, but he quickly schooled his expression. Maybe they could salvage their relationship if Stiles thought Derek had just wanted sex.

Unfortunately, Stiles' face filled with shock. "Unless you thought it was more than a fuck."

Derek got up from the couch and turned away. Stiles quickly scrambled up as well. "Derek! I-"

"It doesn't matter."

"It does."

Derek shook his head and continued staring away. "It doesn't. Not if I want to be your friend."

"It does. If you want to be more." Stiles pulled on his arm till he turned to face him.

Derek's face looked openly hurt and broken. "It doesn't matter what I want because you don't want me. Stiles we don't get easy." Derek's hand started to lift, but it hesitated infront of Stiles' face. "We don't get happy." He smiled as his eyes held pain.

Stiles grabbed his hand before it could fall and pulled it to his face and Derek's hand instantly cradled it. "It's not that I don't want anything from you, it's that I want everything. I wasn't going to say yes last night not knowing that in the morning we would still be happy. And yes. We do get happy. And you know why sourwolf?" Stiles pulled him into a statement making kiss. He pulled back a little breathless. "Because we deserve it."

Derek looked at him confused and his hand dropped. Stiles rolled his eyes. "I don't want to just have sex with you. I want to be and make happy with you. It might not be easy though, but I'm okay with that if you are."

"Are you still drunk?"

Stiles pinched him.

"Ow! Okay I had to make sure."

"You jerk! I just asked you to be my boyfriend, the least you could do is say yes!"

Derek grinned wide. "Fine if I must."

Stiles matched his smile. "You're such an ass."

"Like you aren't annoying too."

"But now you're stuck with me." Stiles stuck out his tongue. "No take backsies."

"Nuh-uh. I'm yours, but you're not mine yet. I haven't asked yet."

Derek just stared at him till he scoffed. "Before I'm dead sourwolf."

Derek's eyes just filled with mirth and a gleam. His hand once again found the side of Stiles' face. His amusement died down and genuineness and love filled it instead. "Mieczysław Stiles Stilinski will you do me the honor of dating me?"

The perfect pronunciation had a lump forming in his throat and tears forming in his eyes. "God when did you even practice that." His voice was choked up as Stiles thought of him practicing his real name over and over till he could say it properly. "And that was so stuffy and proper. Like God what's next are you going to ask my dad if you can court me. Really it's just-"

Derek kissed him sweetly. "I believe the standard response is yes or no."

"We're difficult, remember?" Stiles laid their foreheads against each other.

"Still not an answer." Derek nudged their noses together.

"Do you really need one?" Stiles looked at him with clear love and adoration.

"Do you really not want to give one?" Derek asked smugly.

Stiles bit the inside of his cheek and held out for ten seconds. "Yes. God yes. I want to have your little sourwolfie babies. I've been in love with you since you slammed me into my wall. Or maybe since I saw your car, or your jacket, or your ass, or your face, or-"

Derek cut him off again. Stiles pulled back blissfully. "Or maybe the moment you did that."

"And I fall in love with you every time you open your mouth, and somehow even more when you shut it."

Stiles pushed him away. "Rude!"

Derek smirked then started to study his face. "I won't mind if you still go to parties with Danny."

Stiles squinted. "Thanks, but I'm sure I'm a one sourwolf kinda man."

Derek's eyebrows looked flat. "No, not for that reason. Just, if you want to go have some fun. To blow off some steam and forget other things, I trust you. I know you would never do that. If you need a break to chill out, I get it."

Stiles smiled softly. "Thanks, but I'm good."

"Stiles yo-"

"Derek do you know the reason why I would go to the parties? Other than to get laid."

Derek's eyebrows furrowed. "To have fun. And to be happy while being safe from the supernatural."

Stiles shook his head. "No. I went to forget that I wasn't. I wasn't happy at any of those parties because I was alone. And I wasn't safe there because I was alone. I just didn't have to care there. But here with the pack on movie night? I'm actually happy. Here with you I'm happy. The only thing that made me unhappy was that as soon as I left I felt like I was alone because I didn't have the relationship I wanted with you. Here with you I am and feel safe. There's a difference between being happy and feeling safe and just forgetting that you aren't. You make me actually feel those things."

"I'm notoriously no fun though, I guess you can't have everything."

"Oh I don't know, you can be fun. Sometimes. On occasion."

"Once in a blue moon one could say."

Stiles laughed. "Very rarely."

***

"Stiles come on, the party is inside." Derek pulled his fiance off the picnic table.

"I know, I know. It's just..." Stiles looked at the front of the restored Hale house, and Derek hugged him from behind. "This is my favorite view."

Derek took in the awe and pride in his eyes. "Mine too."

Stiles looked into the eyes already on him and rolled his own. "Could you be anymore sappy and cliche."

"We've got the rest of our lives to figure it out."

Stiles groaned. "Ugggh make it stop." Stiles dragged him towards where their pack was celebrating at the party inside.

Right when they got to the front door Derek pulled him back and into a kiss. "I'm so happy we're here together."

Stiles hugged him tightly. "Me too sourwolf, me too." He pulled back and looked into Derek's teary eyes. "Hey, hey. We deserve this Derek. We do."

Stiles opened their door to a laughing and happy pack celebration.

Of all the parties he's been too, staring into the eyes of the man he loves, Stiles decided this was by far the best one.

A.N. Well I read through this once and did absolutely no editing because these last few weeks can eat me so here's this shit. Dldr. Much love💜💜💜

Carter😊

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carrisarune · 4 years ago

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In Your Eyes

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Note: Editing is still TBD and the train still goes. May you all enjoy whatever I dish out. This by far is me writing as my brain goes

Tag: @jamespotterthefirst @schnitzelbutterfingers @aestheticartsx

CHAPTER FIVE: FOR THE WANT OF A CRY FROG

Rai gave a grin as he arrived at the hospital and grinned as it did in fact take minutes in travel time. Scurrying inside, he found a nurse and managed to learn where to find the lost and found box. He thanked them with a grin before heading to the reception desk and soon enough, he managed to dig out his I.D. with a triumphant sound. Just as he tucked his I.D. into his pocket, he heard shouting from the corridor and heading for the waiting area.

He was quick to duck behind the desk but still managed to see who was shouting. They were none other than Dr. Ramsey and Dr. Barneji. The former looked agitated while the latter looked firm but also… resigned? Careful not to be seen, Rai listened in. “You can’t do this, Naveen! I won’t let you!” he heard Dr. Ramsey shout. Rai gave a quick prayer to not be spotted before peeking out. He sees Dr. Ramsey pacing angrily while Dr. Barneji watches him calmly and Rai can’t help but bite his lip in worry.

Then, Dr. Barneji speaks, “It must be done, Ethan. Not everything is in your control” it was as if he was hammering a final fact, “It’s time that you learned that.” Dr. Ramsey seemed to growl at that, “You are not my teacher anymore” he grit out. Dr. Banerji only seemed amused at this as he responded, “I am always your teacher” looking rather happy at that statement. Suddenly, Ethan punched the wall, exclaiming, “Damnit Naveen!” and Rai could feel his heart clench as he sensed the genuine upset from the man.

The agitated doctor then storms back into the corridor. Dr. Barnerji sighs as he does before walking the other way. For a moment, Rai remained silent behind the desk before standing and staring after where Dr. Ramsey stormed off. “Don’t be an idiot… don’t be an idiot… DON’T BE… argghhh” Rai muttered to himself before running after the man before he could overthink. Lucky for him, Dr. Ramsey hadn’t gone that far and Rai found himself calling out to the man.

Dr. Ramsey turned and raised his brow at the sight of Rai, “Rookie, what brings you here at this time?” he greeted with clear skepticism. A jolt of panic went through Rai, ‘Shit! I didn’t plan on what to say’ he screeched in his mind before doing the first thing that came to it. That something happened to be him bowing in apology and stating, “I’m sorry! I was here to get something I left behind and happened to hear your argument with Dr. Banerji” he clenched his shaking hands into fists and kept his eyes to the floor, “I know it’s none of my business but I just wanted to say that… that I hope whatever it is, you don’t have to carry everything yourself.”

Before Dr. Ramsey could respond, Rai suddenly stood up and pulled something from his pocket. In a quick flash he grabbed Dr. Ramsey’s hand and placed something on his palm. Pulling back, it was revealed to be a bag of sweets. They looked like a rainbow of pastel marbles all stored in a clear pouch. Rai continued to avoid eye contact, “They’re basically healthy candy, uh… I usually have them at hand cause they help me with stuff like feeling restless, they can go with tea or coffee if you’d like” he babbled, “anywaythatwasallIfollowedyouforsogoodnight!” before sprinting away and towards the exit.

He had sprinted as far as the bus stop before pausing to take a breath. Chaos sounded throughout his mind as he caught his breath. By the time he reached home and flopped onto his bed, he could only pray that he still had his job by the next day. Luckily enough, he did not receive any missives and made sure to place as little attention on himself as possible. How he managed it, he didn’t know.

Still, it was kind of fun to basically sneak around between rounds. He managed to sneak some treats and little notes to some nurses and doctors upon seeing how exhausted some could be. After a day of paranoia, Rai was happy to get a good rest in a comfortable bed and was happy to be greeted with a lovely view from the window. It also helped that Sienna was nice enough to make breakfast. He briefly helped Landry with his crossword before digging into breakfast.

When Sienna talks about her boyfriend and how he keeps cancelling, Rai frowned, “You deserve better than that Sunshine, you have a more than demanding job” he pointed out. Sienna gave a feeble reply to that before poking at her breakfast as Jackie walked in. There was a brief talk on how peaceful the apartment was before Elijah announced that they were ready for a housewarming party. Everyone gave their own comments before Rai piped in “That sounds fun! Better be careful we don’t make it too big unless we want to get in trouble with other people in the building”

Elijah then revealed that it was going to be the first party he’d ever host. Apparently he never even lived outside of Boston until now. Not due to his parents being overbearing but rather them being highly caring parents.

“...But I’m out in the world now!” “And ready to party!” “Hell yes I am!”

Rai and Elijah shared a fist bump over that before Jackie asked if they were ready as she wanted to confirm the rumors she heard. The moment he confirmed that the rumors were about Dr. Banerji leaving without notice and how Dr. Ramsey may be in charge now, he held back a flinch. His mind went back to the other night and he felt a familiar itching in his mind before forcefully shoving it down. After making a quick trip to his room to grab something, Rai and the group soon headed out to start their shifts.

At one point, he was on the fifth floor heading to check on his patient when he suddenly felt something off with his shoe. He had moved to a nearby wall to lean on it, not paying much mind to the voices he could somewhat hear. Paying them no mind, he wiggled his foot to check if anything had slipped inside. Nothing rolled around so he wiggled his toes and gave an irritated huff when he felt what he now figured was a chipped nail. Digging through his pocket, he searched for a band aid he usually kept for small instances like this.

As he did, he heard something fall out and went to pick it up. Just as he did, he happened to look into a room, caught Dr. Emery kiss Dr. Ramsey’s cheek and felt an uncomfortable feeling in his chest at the sight of it. Quickly tearing his eyes away and tucking the fallen item away he rushed to the nearest restroom before he could be seen and quickly applied the band aid. He had just walked around a corner when he hears a familiar voice call out, “Hey there, doc!”

Rai turns to see Kyra being wheeled by Bryce down the hall on a bed. He moved over to them with a smile, “Kyra! I haven't seen you since the surgical interns stole you away” he greeted. “You say ‘stole’, I say ‘rightly took a surgical case’” Bryce retorted. Kyra looked delighted at the exchange joking that she may have gotten the experience of ‘dying and gone to heaven’ over them. In retaliation, Rai booped her nose before asking if she was heading for surgery. Bryce confirmed that she was heading for a lobectomy with him assisting. Hearing that, Rai took Kyra’s hand and smiled in encouragement, “You’re gonna be amazing” he rooted.

“I’m not gonna be doing much but lie down unconscious, but… thanks” she told him and squeezed his hand. She then shook her head and joked that at least she saw a handsome face before she might perish. That earned her another boop and a light reprimand from Bryce. Just as they were about to head for the O.R. Rai pulled Bryce to the side.

With his hands on the other’s male’s shoulders, Rai told him, “Please take care of her.” Bryce, in response, patted in response with a carefree grin, “She couldn’t be in better hands. Seriously, my hands are incredible” he even wiggled his fingers as he said this. The moment Rai lowered his hands and stared at him with puppy dog eyes, Bryce gave a huff and ruffled the other’s hair. “I’m only assisting, but Dr. Zimmerman is an amazing surgeon” he reassured, “Kyra will be golden. We’ll bring her back safe.”

Rai smiles in gratitude before swatting at Bryce’s hand when the surgical intern pinched his cheek. Bryce gave a laugh before heading back to Kyra and wheeling her off to surgery. Kyra and Rai share a wave goodbye before Rai moves to continue his shift. Just as he did, he hears Dr. Zaid bark, “Hayashi! What are you standing around for? Get down to E.R. and see if they need any patients admitted!” and quickly went to do so.

Once he arrived, he saw an annoyed Aurora being swarmed as usual by pandering senior doctors. The moment she stepped up to him, he held out a small snack and said, “You look like you might need this, they’re lavender biscuits, pretty good for stress.” Aurora looked at him in skepticism before tentatively taking the snack with a mumbled thanks. “Do you… just carry snacks like some weird squirrel?” she asked and Rai simply grinned and shrugged in response.

Then he looked around and grinned wider as he saw that the beds were mostly empty, “Cool! It's empty” he declared. Aurora seemed incredulous at his enthusiasm, “What are you even talking about? There are no good cases.” Rai gave another shrug, “Less people mean more healthy people, so it’s all good in the end” he stated. Rocking on his heels he turned to Aurora, “And hey, it’s nice to have a breather once in a while right?” he said with a cheeky grin. A complicated expression crossed across her face before Aurora muttered that not everyone had that luxury.

Rai opened his mouth to ask about that only to be interrupted by the wail of approaching alarms. The duo share a split-second look before rushing outside to the arriving ambulance. The ambulance doors burst open and paramedics rush out to help nurses unload an unconscious pregnant woman in an oxygen mask. A paramedic relays that the woman is named Dolores Hudson and was caught in an office fire. Due to being pregnant, she was not able to move fast enough.

Nodding in acknowledgement of the information, Rai quickly asks if she suffered any burns and if she was unconscious long. Once he got his answers, he hears Aurora ask about the patient’s vitals and hummed at the information given before startling at learning that the paramedic was the one to get her out. Apparently the paramedics were the first to arrive and the male paramedic had broken in to carry the woman out once he heard her scream. A male nurse then speaks up, stating that they would admit the patient and asking who would take the case.

Rai immediately raised his hand, “I’ll take it!” he said before turning to Aurora, “Being number one intern, you must be getting all the hard cases from the big wigs, you go on ahead, take care, remember to hydrate!” Aurora stared at him with an unreadable expression before nodding and taking her leave. As the nurses wheeled the patient to the elevator, Rai decided to stay a few more minutes to get to know the paramedic. He was a tall male, and more than built with brown skin and swept back hair.

“So… is jumping into fires a new part of the paramedic job description?” Rai asked. The paramedic gave a laugh at that, “Ha! No, I just thought it was the right thing to do, don’t you?” Rai gave a hum at that. He rocked on his heels, “Well… if there was no one else who could help, sure, but I think I’ll leave the action hero stuff to the professionals” he joked and the paramedic grinned. “Most of it is just instinct really. You’re a doctor, I’m sure you wouldn't hesitate” the male encouraged before asking Rai if he was new.

Rai introduced himself before learning the paramedic’s name was Rafael Aveiro. The two exchanged a few more pleasantries before Rafael was pulled away by a call. While heading to meet Dolores in her room, Rai happened upon Mrs. Martinez doing her daily laps with Dr. Ramsey of all people walking next to her with his arm as her support. It seemed like he was regaling her a tale from when he was young.

Apparently he was a loveable scoundrel; something that had Rai’s mind conjure the image of a younger Dr. Ramsey giving a cheeky grin. Suffice to say, the image had him fighting both a chuckle and a flush. Still, it was endearing to see that even the stern man like Dr. Ramsey had a caring spot for Mrs. Martinez. The warmth Dr. Ramsey had promptly vanished as Mrs. Martinez released him and he spotted Rai.

Recalling that he had basically been avoiding the man for the past day or so outside of presentations, Rai awkwardly greeted, “G-good evening… Dr. Ramsey.” The attending nodded, “Rookie” he greeted back. “You uh… you looked like you were having fun” Rai offered awkwardly, inwardly cursing how off footed he felt around the main today. Dr. Ramsey curtly responded, “I care for the wellbeing of the people who’ve entrusted their care to me, that is all, Rookie. That’s all”

Finding he had nothing he could say to that, Rai tried to excuse himself by saying he need to check on his patient. The moment he said Dolores’ name though, Dr. Ramsey had gone alert and repeated her name, seeming to ask for confirmation he heard right. When Rai nodded, the attending declared that he would be coming with. Rai could only meekly nod before leading the man to the patient’s room. Dolores was conscious and had her breathing mask replaced with a breathing tube to Rai’s relief.

Before Rai could even fully introduce himself, Dolores exclaimed at the sight of Dr. Ramsey and the man in turn seemed to be familiar with the woman. Subtly peering at her, Rai could see no family resemblance and their general air held no familial aspect to it; so he could only conclude that the two were old friends. The idea was further cemented when he heard Dr. Ramsey tell the patient that he would be calling her sister.

Just as Dolores joked on how handsome the paramedic who saved her was, Rai cleared his throat to get their attention. “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to listen to Dolores’ chest” he stated and moved to set up as Dr. Ramsey nodded. He heard Dr. Ramsey introduce him and was surprised to learn that Dolores was actually Dr. Ramsey’s first patient as an intern.

As usual, his mouth betrayed him as he blurted out, “He must have had people swooning over him even back then huh Dolores?” before mentally burying himself with the sign holding the caption of ‘IDIOT’ as his grave. Dr. Ramsey seemed more surprised than mad at the statement and Dolores even giggled. She stated how Dr. Ramsey was cute back then but thought he aged like fine wine. Dr. Ramsey was swift to cut the conversation as he firmly requested Rai to continue the examination.

While checking on her breathing, Rai politely asked what brought her to the hospital back then. Apparently, it had been a burst appendix and Dr. Ramsey had helped calm her down. He even kept in contact with her over the years. Rai gave a smile at that, “I keep in touch why my first patient too!” he chirped before shyly looking over to Dr. Ramsey, “I know you care a lot for your patients doctor but… what made you decide to keep contact back then?” his curiosity drowning out

To his surprise, Dr. Ramsey actually answered; “I was young. On hard days, knowing they were out there living their life to the fullest… it kept me going.” Hearing that, Rai could feel his heart warm before quickly shaking off and informing Dr. Ramsey that Dolores would need a chest X-Ray. Seeing Dr. Ramsey looking over Dolores’ chart with a frown, Rai had a bad feeling and moved to the attending’s side. In a low voice he asked what was wrong and gave a small frown of his own when hearing Dr. Ramsey’s findings.

Then, Dolores spoke up, asking for her purse and Rai handed it to her. She seemed to be looking for something and was upset not to find it, exclaiming how she must have dropped it outside the office. Dolores explained that she had seen a stuffed frog during her lunch break and had bought it for her “little tadpole.” Stroking her belly she revealed that both her parents were gone and the father was out of the picture, how she wanted things perfect for her baby under those circumstances.

Rai was quick to comfort her and when she lamented how she wished she didn’t lose the frog, Rai found his mouth betraying him as usual. He had ended up volunteering himself and Dr. Ramsey to retrieve the lost item. All the while, his mind went into a frenzy of mocking cartoon sounds and self whacking. Still, Dolores seemed delighted at the prospect of Dr. Ramsey helping find the lost item. Dr. Ramsey, while initially surprised, agreed nonetheless before stating they would need a urine sample before meeting in the lot after 10 minutes. Dolores was quick to make a joke on that before they all set to work.

It didn’t take long for the two to head get the sample and submit it before they got into Ethan’s car and headed for Dolores’ office. As they slipped inside, Rai quickly popped a chamomile tea flavored candy in his mouth before his nervous habit could kick in. “You know, it’s a miracle that you haven’t gotten any cavities with the amount of sweets you’ve snuck around like a chipmunk” Dr. Ramsey commented.

Rai flushed at that, quickly shifting the candy in his mouth to speak, “Oh, all the candies and snacks I have are from my grandma and she’s adamant in making stuff that won’t rot your teeth while giving health benefits, plus it uh...helps with my ticks” he babbled. Dr. Ramsey seemed to raise a brow at that and asked, “And what ticks would those be Rookie?” Avoiding looking at Dr. Ramsey he mumbled, “Grinding my teeth and biting my nails” ears red with embarrassment.

A beat of silence passed before Dr. Ramsey asked, “Did you think those sweets would help me somehow?” startling Rai. Mentally, he was coughing blood at the reminder of his action while outwardly he stammered, “N-not r-really, I… I just... “ before sighing and leaning back, “As childish as it may seem, I gave you those candy cause I wanted to share the comfort they gave me. I’m sure you must think me childish for doing that plus volunteering ourselves to look for a plush frog of all things”

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to bring comfort to a patient Rookie” Dr. Ramsey sternly told him before softening slightly, “While unexpected, the sentiment was… appreciated” he stated before coughing awkwardly. Rai couldn’t stop the blush and smile that came in response to that. Debating for a moment in his mind, he tentatively asked, “That night you and Dr. Banerji argued… it was over his sudden retirement plan wasn’t it? Do… do you not want to be head of the diagnostics team?” glancing at the man as he drove.

Tapping the steering wheel, Dr. Ramsey responded, “What I want, is to confront the impossible mysteries of the human body, and understand.” Rai blinked at that, “Ambitious… but that didn’t answer my question…” he threw back. Dr. Ramsey seemed to concede at that, “The team gives me the opportunity to face the questions no one has answered, so in a respect, the answer is, I do” he responded. Rai observed the passing landscape outside the window, murmuring, “Compared to your goals, mine seem rather selfish”

Dr. Ramsey seemed to have heard that statement and opened his mouth to ask but they had arrived at their destination. The moment they stepped out, Rai coughed at the cloying smell of the smoke and burning building. He couldn’t help but have a sinking feeling as he saw the burning building and the fire engine fighting the flames. It looked like Dr. Ramsey shared his sentiment but Rai decided to firmly hold onto a semblance of hope. The two searched around the street and just as the search seemed pointless, Dr. Ramsey spotted the plush frog in the storm drain.

The duo moved over to it, “You’re going to have to lower me down” Rai told the man and Dr. Ramsey nodded. With a tight grip onto Rai’s arm, Dr. Ramsey lowered him and after a bit of effort, they managed to rescue the plush item. After agreeing to have it sanitized before returning it, the two drove back to the hospital. Later when everything was settled, Rai heard a nurse call him over with Dolores’ results. He felt his stomach sink as he read them over and go to find Dr. Ramsey.

The dread sunk further as he saw Dr. Ramsey in Dolores’ room, laughing of all things as he watched TV with the patient. He stared at the plush frog, now sterilized, resting on Dolores’ stomach before knocking lightly. Dr. Ramsey looks up at the sound and goes out to meet him. As he handed the man the results and saw his expression upon reading them, Rai murmured on the seriousness of Dolores’ condition and the danger the baby was in. A grim expression on his face, Dr. Ramsey agreed and stated that Dolores need to be told and led them inside.

Suffice to say, even with Rai trying to break the news gently, Dolores didn’t take to the news of her preeclampsia well. Though they tried, Dolores was adamant that if the chances of her baby being in danger was high, she would not take the surgery. In the end, Dr. Ramsey gave her the night to make a decision before the two left the room. Rai offered to check on Dolores for the next few hours but Dr. Ramsey had denied the offer, stating that he would be taking over the case and that Rai was not ready and leaving before the intern could respond.

A soft static seemed to settle in his head and it only turned larger when Rai looked to see Dolores in tears, He could hear his heart thumping as unbidden flashbacks came to mind and he quickly rushed downstairs, Trying to control his breathing, he didn’t notice anything and ended up starting as he felt a hand land on his shoulder. He spun around and saw Bryce looking at him in worry, “Hey. Tough day?” the surgical intern asked and Rai softly nodded.

“You look like you need some good news, c’mon” Bryce stated before leading the other male to a patient’s room. Once Rai saw Kyra peacefully resting inside, he gave a soft smile. The rumbling static in his mind settled somewhat as he murmured, “Her surgery went well then” nodding to Bryce. Bryce grinned and confirmed it, cheerily stating how his placing of the clamps made all the difference and joked how good he was at taking people’s breath away.

Rai bumped his shoulder against Bryce’s in silent thanks before sighing as Bryce asked when his shift ended. He briefly explained that he was meant to clock out hours ago but had wanted to stay with Dolores before Dr. Ramsey dismissed him. When Bryce invited the diagnostic intern to a concert, Rai took a moment to consider it before accepting the offer. After a quick change into a dark green shirt that had a design of being splashed with ink and faded jeans with white converse shoes and a studded belt, Rai set out with Bryce.

The duo soon arrived at the venue Sommerville, which was packed. Bryce managed to get them a spot with a good view of the stage and Rai sighed in relief as they sat. Leaning in close so he could be heard above the music, Rai asked how Bryce heard about the band and apparently, he had found them online and wanted to check them out. Rai snorted, “Shoulda known you would be the type of guy to try anything once” he teased, poking the other male in the cheek.

Gently batting Rai’s hand away, Bryce tilted his head and asked, “You know. You got me curious; who do I remind you of Hayashi?” Rai raised a brow at that before smirking and rested his cheek against his hand, “Oh? What makes you ask that?” he quipped. “Well now, we both know I’m quite the hot commodity in the market” Bryce gave a shrug, “Something tells me that me being a flirt isn’t the only reason we haven’t made out until now” he frankly stated, making Rai snort once more.

He gave a hum before responding, “My cousin” and Bryce raised his own in silent question. “You’re like the non-white, non-gay slash homosexual version of my cousin Rolland, we call him Ro” he started, “Both of you are clear thrill seekers, looking for adventure whenever you can, flirts with their gender of interest incessantly, and give zero effs for anyone’s opinion of them, only difference is that he has zero patience for social niceties and has more interest in tech than people” smirking as he elaborated.

Bryce gave a guffaw at that, “Sounds like a fun guy” he commented before glancing at the bar, “Alright then, you wanna continue this with some drinks or hit the dance floor?” There was no considering on that question as Rai firmly opted for drinks and the two took a seat by the bar. The moment they got their drinks, Rai took a deep sip before placing down the glass, “So, got more questions for me or do I get a chance to dig?” he joked. The surgical intern smirked at him over the rim of his glass, “Wellll, you did say that story of you not choosing to be a surgeon was a story for another time and this IS another time…” he led on.

The playful mood seemed to shift with that as Rai gave a soft sigh, playing with his glass, “Short version? I considered it at one point but I found that being a diagnostician matched my goals better and I just like helping people better face to face” he stated, an unreadable expression on his face. Bryce seemed to soften at that before raising his glass, “Well then, cheers to you becoming the best damn diagnostician there is then.”

Rai gave a small smile at that and clinked their glasses together. Over the next few hours, the two chatted and drank with Rai learning more about Bryce. They soon had their fill of drinks and had stepped out when Rai felt his pager go off. His heart sank as he read that Dolores had been rushed to surgery and after quickly telling Bryce what happened, he ran off. Once back at the hospital, he spotted Dr. Ramsey sitting alone in the waiting room. Carefully moving closer, he gently asked Dr. Ramsey what had happened.

For a long moment, Dr. Ramsey was silent. Rai reached out his hand out to the man before hesitating and jumping lightly as he spoke. He explained that Dolores had gone into a seizure and they had to deliver the baby. What’s more, it was a fifty-fifty chance that the baby would survive. Afraid but needing to know, Rai asked about Dolores. The moment Dr. Ramsey stated that she had died, Rai could only hear ringing in his ears as he furiously blinked back tears. “Dr. Ramsey I…” he croaked out, trying and failing to say more.

But Dr. Ramsey didn’t give a chance to gather himself or say anything else before stating that he was fine and vanished around a corner. Rai gave a frustrated ruffle of his hair, cursing softly before heading towards the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Entering the room, he looked around, checking the few tags of occupied incubators before his heart clenched upon finding one that said ‘Ethan Hudson’.

The sight of the tiny infant had Rai’s chest tightening up before an attending approached him, asking him if he needed anything. He briefly explained that the baby’s mother was his patient and had learned Dolores managed to name him before being rushed to the O.R. Rai then asked for permission to stay the night to watch over him and give the plush before thanking the attending as she agreed then left.

Gently giving the plush frog to the baby and murmuring his encouragements; Rai took his seat on the couch and reached in with a gloved hand to stroke the baby’s tiny fingers. As he stared at the tiny baby, Rai gave a shuddering breath as old memories from a time he thought he was over with seemed to flood his mind. So focused was he on tying to not have them overwhelm him, he barely heard Dr. Ramsey entering the room and asking what he was still doing in the hospital.

Rai turned to answer only to pause as Dr. Ramsey’s expression turned to one of shock. “Rookie… you’re… crying” he commented, moving closer, reaching up a hand as if to wipe the younger male’s tears only to hesitate. Reaching up his own hand to touch his cheek, Rai started to feel that he was indeed crying.

He quickly turned his head away, “Oh… haha… must… must have gotten a little too emotional…” he weakly stated, trying to swipe the tears way only to scrub harder when they won’t stop, “Damnit… stop already…” he hissed. Then, as if something in him cracked, he croaked, “It’s fucking unfair… no other kid should lose someone, not this young” the heels of his hands now pressed against his eyes as he futilely tried to stop crying.

Suddenly, he felt a pair of hands grab at his and gently pulled them away from his eyes. He blinked as he saw that it was Dr. Ramsey, seated next to him as the attending awkwardly stated, “You’ll hurt your eyes doing that” clearly unsure on how to deal with the crying male. Obviously trying to shift things, Dr. Ramsey cleared his throat and gently released the other’s hands, “You said, ‘another’, Rookie… you lost someone when you were young as well didn’t you” his words more of a statement than a question.

With his tears slowing following Dr. Ramsey’s grip of his hands, Rai sighed as he leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes. For a moment, he was silent, then, “My mother, my biological mother that is, I lost her when I was ten or so” he revealed. Keeping his eyes closed, Rai found himself sinking into long buried memories.

“It was summer, I was learning to help my mom out at her store when she suddenly got sick” he started, “We thought it was a fever at first; but weeks passed and she only got worse and she ended up hospitalized” his hands began turning into fists only to relax as he felt a hand land on his shoulder in silent encouragement.

Taking a breath he continued, “None of the doctors could figure out what was wrong with her” then, he hissed, “She spent MONTHS in their care and not even experts they brought in could help. Seeing her in that hospital bed, day in and day out, looking weaker each time… I was fucking helpless” giving a humorless laugh when Dr. Ramsey that he was a child at that time.

“I was a stubborn kid; snuck around, tried to sponge up all I could as she went through all those tests with no conclusive results” bitterness tinged as he recalled his mother’s passing. Playing with the band of his bracelet he relayed, “I didn’t want to feel as helpless as I did that time, I HATED seeing the suffering both my parents went through. I resolved to enter into medicine so I would never feel that way again” he looked at Dr. Ramsey with a humorless smile, “Selfish isn’t it? Here’s this baby fighting for his life and I’m here trying not to bawl over some old memories”

In response to that, Dr. Ramsey took hold of Rai’s shoulders and forced the intern to look at him. With their eyes locked onto the other Dr. Ramsey firmly told him, “No Rookie. What you were doing, was mourning the thought of a child losing a loved one and that is far from selfish.” Rai opened his mouth to protest but Dr. Ramsey cut him off. He stated that unlike other doctors, he had no patience for many things. All energy was mainly placed into his patients and teaching practical medicine.

He lowered his grip but their eyes remained locked, “From what I see Rookie, you care, far deeper than I’ve seen other doctors do, and that shows you’re already on your way to finding your own way of being a doctor” he told him. Processing his words, Rai could only nod before they turned their attention to the baby once more. When the little one stretched and his tiny hands opened and closed, Dr. Ramsey offered his finger and the baby gripped it tight.

Rai softly informed the man that the baby had been named after him and saw the doctor’s eyes widen in surprise. When he saw the man swallow as he saw the tag, Rai ventured that Dolores must have been a good friend. Dr. Ramsey revealed that the two had been friends for over ten years. What initially started out as sending each other emails, shifted to coffee meetings as Dolores was feeling lonely following her divorce before turning into meeting once a month for Sunday roast.

The diagnostic intern was not surprised to learn that Dr. Ramsey didn’t make friends easily and how grateful the man was to Dolores. Seeing how somber the man was as he stared at the baby, Rai could only take hold of his hand and grip it. He did not expect Dr. Ramsey to respond but was pleasantly surprised to feel the doctor squeeze back. Somehow, the grip to each others hands felt like a silent comfort being passed to one another. As if snapping awake from something, Dr. Ramsey released his hand and cleared his throat.

“I think we need coffee” he stated before standing to move. Rai quickly offered to get some himself but Dr. Ramsey waved him off. Minutes passed as Rai carefully watched over the baby before Dr. Ramsey returned with two mugs. Once Rai got a whiff of the coffee, he narrowed his eyes at the man. Taking a sip confirmed his suspicions, "You sly fox, you've got a coffee machine hidden in your office don't you?" he accused.

Dr. Ramsey gave a smirk in response before sipping his coffee. He apparently vowed to himself that that moment he got his own office he would never drink ‘that caffeinated dishwater ever again.’ That made Rai laugh before he making a zipping motion over his lips, “Don’t worry, we can keep this between us” he promised. The two then settled on the loveseat and with eyes on the baby, they ended up talking long into the night.

Before he knew it, Rai found himself being woken up by Dr. Ramsey. Initially confused, Rai soon remembered where he was and quickly looked over to where the baby rested. Seeing the little one breathing strong had Rai beaming and murmuring, “He made it!” with a sag of relief. Dr. Ramsey was also smiling and stated in response, “And he’s getting stronger.” Rai’s relief was short lived though as he realized that he had minutes to go before his shift started. Once he stated he needed to leave, Dr. Ramsey stated that he would stay a bit longer.

Giving the baby one last gentle stroke and a gentle encouragement, Rai made a move to leave. Just as he was about to step out the door, his breath caught as he heard Dr. Ramsey call out his first name of all things. Turning, he saw just how tired the man was before he said, “Thank you.” A gentle smile formed on Rai’s lips before he responded, “No doctor, thank you” and walked away.

It was a close call but Rai managed to make it on time and later on joined the other interns in the atrium. Many were curious on why they were all called, only being informed that Chief Emery had an announcement for the interns. They soon got their answer with Chief Emery declaring that with Dr. Banerji’s retirement, there was an open spot on the diagnostic team. Therefore, it has been decided that a competition among the interns would be held to fill it. While his friends excitedly talked about opportunity, Rai couldn’t help but hum and bit his thumb in thought as he felt another piece to the mystery of Dr. Banerji’s leaving came to place.

#open heart #OH fanfic #m!mc #m!mc x ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey #carrisa writes #in your eyes #an attempt at feels #fanfic

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onhirel · 5 years ago

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The Peace Found Within

My submission for Dianakko Week 2019 Day 1: Soulmates!

Part of my larger What a Decade Brings universe, and it can be found on AO3!

Magic was such a strange thing. There were rules to it, of course…after all, that was how magic spells were cast. But there was so much that wasn’t known, that would probably never be known. It seemed as though the more someone tried to control it, force it to do what they wanted, the more chance for chaos there was. Was that what had happened to her? Had she misused magic? Had she gone too far, bent it too far to her will in order to do what was necessary? Had her actions made it so that there was no rest, no peace for her?

Akko grimaced from where she knelt in the small temple somewhere up in the mountains of China. She was surrounded by meditating monks, and was trying to achieve the same inner peace that they were displaying, the inner peace that had eluded her since the Battle of Arcturus Forest, the inner peace she was so desperate for. It had been so very long since she had known true peace.

First step, center your breathing.

Her eyes drifted shut as her breathing slowed, and somewhere in the distance, a chanting prayer was called in a nasally voice, the Chinese foreign to Akko’s ears, and she focused on the rolling words for a moment before she slipped deeper, and-

Fire. Death. Ruin. Blood that wasn’t hers on the blade that had formed from the sleeve of her dress. Blood that was hers hot and wet against her torn flesh. The inability to breathe. Terror and hopelessness as she stared the embodiment of Death itself in the face. Diana. Sweet, brave Diana. Working in tandem to dispel that monster. And then, slipping away into oblivion, an oblivion she never expected to come back from.

Her eyes snapped open, and she swallowed heavily, mind racing as the floodgates opened, her memories flitting from one trauma to the next, crashing and smashing and spinning like billiard balls in her still damaged mind.

Ambushes and counter-ambushes against Silent Spring members.

Holding a junior witch’s hand as she bled to death in the aftermath of a particularly bad skirmish, the young woman’s wounds too great to heal in time.

The very first time she killed a person. A man, with dark hair that had silver touching the temples. One of the leaders of a Silent Spring cell. He had smelled of cologne and old books and fear and desperation, and she had killed him and watched impassively as his cold, cruel eyes went dim, a woman’s name on his lips as he exhaled one last time. It wasn’t until she got to the hotel she was using that she had come apart under the realization that she had killed someone.

Her breath was coming fast, far too fast, and the dark, candlelit interior of the temple was no longer comforting, it was claustrophobic, the incense infused air suffocating, pressing in against her senses, and she stumbled to her feet. She mumbled an apology as she jostled the monks seated nearest to her, though if you had asked her what language she had gasped the words out in, she wouldn’t have been able to say. No, she was far too focused on getting out, a cold sweat bathing her body as she managed to escape the dark chamber, fairly exploding out into the sunlit walkways of the mountain temple.

She gasped for breath for a moment. Then, almost angrily, she swept the heels of her palms against her eyes, dashing away the tears that had started to gather. How long had it been, and she was still reacting like this? Her head felt like it was full of static, bursting and popping and hissing, and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus on how the crisp mountain wind felt against her sweat drenched skin.

Thirteen months. That’s how long it had been since the battle. A half month from when she passed out to when she woke up, returned to Cavendish Manor, and then departed from Wedinburgh Airport. Five days after that to when she reached Sucy’s home, and then a week to when she began the long journey to try and quell the demons and black dogs that resided in her mind, keeping the peace she so desperately wanted out of her yearning grasp. The year since departing Sucy’s home had not gotten her that peace, not even the five months she had spent with her family in Japan.

It had been nice to see Okaa-san and Otou-san, as well as her grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins and their children, but…but they had no idea. They could see that the prodigal daughter of the Kagari family was hurt, but they didn’t know how to help her…but they couldn’t be blamed for that. Akko didn’t know how to help herself! But she knew that the quiet whispers, the looks of ill-disguised pity, and the constant pandering would be the death of her. She had found herself distancing herself from her family as each day wore on, retreating to her room to use her crystal ball and phone to talk to her friends from around the world. That had helped some, though she didn’t miss how she spoke to Diana most of all, how she felt the calmest when she was speaking with her once rival, and there were times when the urge to get a plane ticket to fly all the way back to England was almost overpowering, but…

…she hadn’t been ready then, and still wasn’t ready even now. She couldn’t bear to face Diana, not while she was still so broken. Diana deserved happiness…they both deserved happiness, and they wouldn’t find it together, not with the way that Akko was right now. Akko knew that she couldn’t expect to be completely better before returning to England and fulfilling her promise to her…her friend. That was unrealistic. But she just knew, could feel it in her bones, that if she went back to Diana right now, it would only end in tragedy, just like how her visit with her family had.

She had snapped. She hadn’t meant to, she really didn’t, but the counseling services she had tried wasn’t doing anything and she was getting frustrated with how her family was treating her like spun glass. She had PTSD, she wasn’t broken! And always with those looks of pity, of condescension. Our Akko awakened magic, but she can’t get over a battle. Well, fuck you, Aunt Hisako, maybe if you had been there, you’d understand instead of talking about shit you know nothing about!

She was turning into a powder keg, and only needed a spark to be set off, a spark which was provided by one of her cousins, who muttered that perhaps it would have been better if she was normal, if she wasn’t a witch, if she had never left for Luna Nova in the first place, if magic hadn’t ever existed in her first place.

She had screamed at him, words slurring as a cruel reminder of the brain injury she had suffered, but she hadn’t been able to stop, hadn’t been able to hold back. Magic was everything to her. She had worked so hard to be where she was, and if it wasn’t for her, then perhaps Silent Spring would have won, and Earth would have died! The tirade lasted far longer than she had expected, and in the stunned silence that followed, she was aware of just how everyone was staring at her, staring at Akko the Witch, Akko the Freak. Then one of the babies (the daughter of her cousin Hiro? She couldn’t remember…) started crying, and she whirled, retreating to the small room her parents had given her. It didn’t take long for her to pack.

But what really hurt? Her parents didn’t even try to fight when she told them she was leaving. They just accepted it, offering only token words of sad dismay. They didn’t demand that she stay, they didn’t try to keep her home. They knew what she knew: that she didn’t belong. She had seen too much, been through too much. She no longer fit in the mundane world of her family.

“Will you come and visit?” her father had asked, deep voice sad and soft, and she had hesitated at the doorway, backpack slung over her shoulder.

“Hai,” she finally muttered. “After I…yes. I will visit.”

They had hugged one last time, then, the three of them crying, but no more words were said, and she began the next leg of her journey.

Akko’s eyebrows furrowed as she stared out over the lush, green mountains spread before her. The bitter irony of it all was that she hadn’t used the magic she had so vehemently defended once since the end of the battle. Her wand had stayed in her backpack throughout it all. Perhaps that was part of the problem. She felt unmoored, separated from both the mundane and magical worlds. Even when magic would have made things easier, she hadn’t been able to make herself use magic.

After she had left Japan and started travelling through Southeast Asia, she had thought a lot about why she was so hesitant to use the magic that she once loved. While helping plant rice on a small family farm in Vietnam, when she walked her way across Cambodia, as she visited the open air markets in Thailand, and then while she trekked north through Laos into China, she thought about it. She knew it was tied to her trauma, the PTSD that robbed her of any peace, and it was that odd, pervasive sense of looking for something that she was missing that dragged at her feet. She had to find what she was looking for before she returned to Diana or freely used magic again…she had to! So she hadn’t ridden in any car, nor used a bicycle, nor flown in any plane, worried as she was about missing the thing that she was looking for if she went too fast…the only vehicles she ever used were boats when she travelled over open water. But no matter how many miles she trudged, no matter how many people she met and helped, the answer still alluded her.

And now here she was, standing on the walkways of the mountain temple high up in the Chinese mountains, hoping that the holiness of this place would help her find what she was looking for. But here seemed as empty of answers, the same as everywhere else she had been so far. At least the view was nice, with the clouds and mists rolling heavily off the green mountains…

“You seem troubled, my child.”

The voice speaking heavily accented English was startlingly close, for Akko hadn’t heard anyone approach, and she whirled, heart pounding as her body immediately prepared to strike ruthlessly. But it wasn’t a Silent Spring assassin who stood before her, but one of the monks, an old man with skin as brown and wrinkled as a walnut, and he regarded her with calm, kind eyes. Still, she berated herself for letting him get so close without her noticing. Even lost in thought, she should have been paying enough attention to her surroundings to notice anyone approaching…Silent Spring did still exist, even if the majority of them had been destroyed. Those remnants that still existed might very well be wanting revenge. She’d have to pay more attention from now on…as for this man and his statement.

“I am, sir,” she replied honestly, and he nodded in understanding as he strode up to the wall of the walkway, joining her in looking out over the mountains before them.

“This is good. Noting there is a problem is the first step of overcoming it,” he said, before shooting a glance out of the corner of his eye at her. Returning his gaze to the mountains, he spoke his next words softly. “You remind me of a man I once knew.”

She didn’t say anything, but then, she didn’t have to.

“He, too, came here, only long ago, when I was a very young monk. He was a proud man, but troubled, very troubled. You see, he had served in what the Americans call the Korean War. His unit fought many times against the Americans and the South Koreans, and suffered terrible casualties. He was wounded towards the end, and was brought back home, but could find no peace. He never took a wife, never had any children, for the war and what he had seen weighed too heavily upon his mind. Every night, it seemed as though he returned to the war. Every night, he found no peace.”

PTSD, her mind supplied. He was suffering from PTSD, but it didn’t sound like he got any help for it. “What happened to him?”

The monk smiled softly to himself, the expression melancholy. “He told us how he spent years in the wilderness, unable to be near his fellow man, how he was searching for something he could never find. He finally found himself here. It took him many years and support, but he looked deep within himself and found the peace he had so desperately sought without. He eventually became a monk, and was one of the kindest, most tranquil men that I have ever known.”

Akko scoffed, turning a wry smile on the monk. “So I should wander for years in the wilderness before joining a monastery? Is that how I find peace?”

He chuckled. “That hardly seems fitting of the famed Atsuko Kagari.” At her shocked look, he grinned wider. “We are not so removed from the world that we would not recognize someone like you, my child. You have done great deeds already, and I imagine that great deeds still lie ahead of you, and they would not be accomplished if you holed yourself up in a monastery. No, I believe that what you must do is look within yourself. You are not at peace not because of something in the world around you, but instead because of something within you.” His expression turned grave. “That said, my child…there is no easy solution, there is no one thing that will bring you completely to peace. But knowing what lies within your own heart is an important step on your journey, I feel.”

They spoke for only a few moments after that before he took his leave, leaving Akko with a great deal to think about. Take a look at her heart, he had said. Funnily enough, that was more of a literal reality for witches than it was for the mundanes, but it would require the use of magic. Setting her mouth in a determined line, she made her way up to the small room the monks were letting her use. Barely larger than a closet and only just containing the cot and an old set of drawers, it was still sufficient for her needs. She paused on the threshold before stepping in to the room, grabbing her backpack and opening it, hand hesitating for a moment before she grasped her wand for the first time in many months.

The ease at which the wand’s worn handle fit into the palm of her hand, how right it felt to wrap her fingers around the wand that had seen her through thick and thin filled her with a deep sense of sadness. It wasn’t the wand’s fault that she was the way she was. The wand had done nothing wrong, but even now, with how right it felt to hold it again, she felt like ants were crawling all over her body, fear and anxiety prickling over her.

What if she couldn’t cast magic because of how hard it was for her to speak sometimes? What if magic wouldn’t come for her because of the necessary but terrible things she had done with it? What if it could sense her resentment and bitterness at how the one thing that had once brought her so much joy had brought her nothing but pain, heartache, and agony for most of her adult life?

She frowned. No! She was Akko Kagari! She reawakened magic with the help of one of the most powerful witches of their age when they were only sixteen! She would not shy away from this!

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, she took a deep breath to center herself. It was a long, complex incantation for the spell that she was going to cast, something she learned during her last year at Luna Nova. She had struggled with it then, only able to take brief glances within to her own magical signature, but she had matured since then, gotten better control of her magic. If the monk said that she needed to look within, then look within she would!

The words she needed came slowly, spoken with the utmost care, and she could feel the power growing with each uttered syllable. Shaky, yes, but stable enough for what she was trying to do. Her eyes squeezed shut as she finished the last word and released the built up magic, and it was as though she was struck by an ocean wave…massive, indomitable, a force of nature hard to fight. So she didn’t, allowing it to wash over her, and when she opened her eyes again, they no longer saw her room.

No, the view that greeted her was breathtaking, a studded starscape as far as the eye could see, design whirling and flashing, mesmerizing and almost hypnotic. She remembered some of the older witches saying that this spell had been disheartening to cast before the Grand Triskelion had been activated, that the world had seemed a void save for a brief few brilliant but fading glimmers, Sorcerer’s Stones providing magical energy. Now, the entire world was ablaze with magic, beautiful and powerful, sublime in its energy.

But she wasn’t here to look without, she was here to look within.

She turned her gaze towards herself, wincing slightly at the slight disconnect of her consciousness as, for lack of a better description, she looked at herself from a third person point of view. What she saw was…well, pretty much what she expected. It was hard to describe, this crimson, flowering gem with countless petals and facets that was her magical signature. It wasn’t just sight that she perceived, but also feelings…stubborn and headstrong, playful and humorous, but also worn and tired, frightened and wary. Sharp as obsidian in places, but also fragile as spun glass. This was a magical signature…nay, a soul that had been through a great deal.

But then she blinked as her eyes adjusted and she began to perceive more. Her soul wasn’t alone, there were branches that led off into the darkness, almost imperceptible when looked at directly but noticeable from the peripheral, like a dim and distant light in the darkness. So many of them, too, all connecting her to others, but ten were stronger than all the others. Curious, she reached out a hand that wasn’t actually there, and rested her ephemeral fingertips just above a cluster of three strands that ran close together, and she gasped.

A lime green cord that felt stubborn, playful, and strong, a hazel that shared that strength but also had a sharp wit, and a teal that was gentler than the other two, more caring and supportive but not without its own strength. Amanda, Hannah, and Barbara. Fitting, then, that their signatures seemed so intertwined! It didn’t take her very long to identify the rest of the signatures…Lotte and a much dimmer signature that she suspected was Frank’s…Chariot and Croix…Jasminka, as well as Constanze, even Sucy was still there, though hers was not vibrant with life as the others were. But still it remained, and she couldn’t help but remember the one dream she had while at Sucy’s mother’s house and their final farewell. Sucy may be dead, but she wasn’t gone, not truly…and perhaps she wouldn’t really be gone, so long as there were those that remembered her. A bittersweet thought, and a sharp pang of longing ran through Akko. She missed her friend, dearly.

But for all that sadness, she did feel a bit better, having done this. The spell was a stark and definite reminder that for all its chaos, magic joined people together. She was not alone, and never would be. Though the cords of magical energy that connected her with her friends were the strongest, there was no denying that she was connected with countless others, and had she the time, she would have taken care to actually investigate each one. But no, she had to return to the real world. But even as she began to withdraw from the spell, she couldn’t help but look around for the one cord that should have been brightest of all. Where was Diana’s signature?

She barely caught it out of the corner of her eye, but for the briefest of moments, a pale gold streaked with tea green and a light, clear blue flickered across one of the petals of her own signature, and she paused, confused. It seemed to have come from within her essence, and not from a cord connecting her with Diana. Curious now, she gathered her will and dove deeper within her signature, piercing through the outer layers and diving deep, ignoring the brilliant flashes of feelings and the brief flickers of memories tied to her long years of training and schooling to get to where she was.

Deeper and deeper she went, following the flash of gold that grew stronger and stronger the closer she got to the core of her essence, the beating heart of who she was, and when she got there, she gave a soundless gasp into the brilliantly colored void.

It wasn’t a cord connecting her to Diana. No, instead there was a thick strand of the warmly glowing gold signature that was interwoven with the very center of her magical signature, of her very soul. She raised cautious fingers, but where she hadn’t actually touched any other magical signature, she couldn’t help but touch the strand of gold and green and blue that was very much a part of her signature now. A small part, to be sure, but it was still there, still part of her!

Her fingers brushed the surface, and she immediately felt an indescribable flood of warmth, of acceptance, of serenity, of friendship and something more, something that should scare her but didn’t, and after a brief moment, there was a pulse of curiosity from the gold strand as the one that it originally belonged to answered her touch.

Oh. Oh, this was too much! This wasn’t just a minor connection, this was something more, and for a moment she floundered, confused and worried at what it all meant as a word that meant so much with its depth floated to the fore: soulmates.

Diana’s soul was inextricably connected with hers.

The shock of it all broke the spell and with a rush the real world returned to her senses, and she was suddenly aware of the tears coursing down her cheeks. It had been so beautiful but so very powerful, like a typhoon in the distance. She gasped for breath as her body reacted to it all, shuddering with what she had seen.

She would always be a part of Diana, and Diana would always be a part of her. Not just connected, but well and truly a part of each other.

Her crystal ball chimed from within her backpack, and she froze. But no, if that was who she thought it was, avoiding her wouldn’t accomplish anything. Gritting her teeth as she steeled herself, she retrieved her ball and activated it.

Diana’s face greeted her, sleepy and slightly confused as she politely hid a yawn behind her hand. “Akko?” she murmured in a throaty voice once the yawn ended. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just…you could tell that was me? How?”

Diana blinked at that, obviously taking the time to think it over. “I don’t know,” she finally answered. “I just did.” Then she frowned, more confused than annoyed or angry. “What was that?”

And so Akko explained it all to Diana who was several time zones away…it must have been very early in the morning for her. Diana didn’t say anything while Akko was talking, and once Akko was done, she still remained silent, face thoughtful. Finally she nodded slightly.

“The Grand Triskelion.”

“Huh?”

“Akko, we awakened magic together…it’s not surprising that our souls are intertwined like that. We were at the epicenter of an event where magic united the world, where everyone with a believing heart supported us in stopping the missile.”

Her tone was calm and factual, and Akko couldn’t stop the question from spilling from her lips. “Being connected like this doesn’t bother you?”

Diana’s head tilted to the side. “Why would it? Akko, you are my dearest friend. You always will be.” A blush touched her cheeks. “Whether as the closest and dearest of friends or…or as something more, I can think of no one I’d rather be so connected to. After all, I don’t lightly make promises to wait for someone to just anyone.” Her face grew concerned, a definite hint of yearning in the lines of her expression. “Akko, I know that I can’t force you to come home any sooner than you are ready to, but it’s been so long already. When are you coming home?”

Going home. Going home to Diana. Going to the one place that she really considered home anymore. The idea no longer seemed as daunting as it was before, but still…

“I don’t know,” Akko admitted. “I’m…I’m still not quite ready.” Diana’s face fell, and Akko’s heart lurched in her chest at the expression. “But…” she started, smiling timidly as Diana looked back up, hope in her blue eyes. “But I think I took a very important step today.”

The truth, she realized with a flash. Her heart and soul still ached, and likely would for a very long time yet. But she wasn’t as alone as she had thought she was, even when she was half the world away from her friends. She was still connected to them, like they were connected to her, and Diana…Diana was a part of her, and now that the shock of that realization had worn off, she took immense comfort in the fact. No matter what, Diana would be with her.

Diana’s smile was soft, but filled with her belief in Akko despite that softness. “I’ll be waiting,” she said, tone unwavering, resolute.

“And I will return to you,” Akko replied, voice just as firm as Diana’s had been. She couldn’t say when, but she would return to Diana. No power in the world could prevent that from happening!

Their conversation ended shortly after that, Diana regretfully informing her that she had to start getting ready for the day, and soon Akko was staring at the blank crystal ball resting on the bed as she processed all that had just happened.

She was connected with her friends, and a small part of Diana’s soul was intertwined with hers, and a small portion of her own soul was undoubtedly a part of Diana’s soul, as well. They would always be connected.

Akko fell back on the bed, smiling at the thought of it. No matter what traumas she endured, no matter what terrors visited in the night, Diana would always be there for her, a silent source of support and strength, a beacon in the dark.

They had been through unbelievable challenges together, had reawakened magic side-by-side, had even stared Death in the face before dispelling its corporeal form. Akko knew that the demons that still hounded her were not gone, and might very possibly never be gone. But they no longer seemed insurmountable like they had before. After all, with Diana’s help?

With Diana’s help, she could do anything.

That night would be the first peaceful night of sleep that Akko had in a very long time. The ghosts and demons still howled in the distance of her dreamscape, but Akko took courage from a steady golden glow that she had only needed to find in order to draw on its strength. Diana’s soul kept her safe through the night, and would do so from then on. In the morning, Akko would thank the monks for their hospitality before leaving the monastery. It would still take her five more months to complete the journey to the patiently waiting Diana, but now the journey had focus, was no longer a hopeless meandering as she looked for serenity. She still helped those she came across, still walked rather than ride in train or car or plane, but now she was motivated more by a curiosity of the world around her and those that lived in it rather than by a sharp, aching desire for peace of mind.

After all, the monk had been right, though she suspected not quite in the way that he expected: serenity was found within her own heart, but it was not her heart that provided her with that serenity, but the heart of her one and only, her soulmate, the one who waited for her:

Diana Cavendish.

#dianakko week 2019 #dianakkoweek #@dianakko-week #what a decade brings #a decade's drabbles #diakko #akko kagari #diana cavendish #mention of all her friends #as well as of hanbarmanda

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irwinkitten · 6 years ago

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teulu | l.h

pairing: luke x oc notes: so i wrote this after my family member passed away and it was a mostly self-indulgent fic, but also including part of what i grew up with which is the welsh language. the title, teulu is welsh for family. i didn’t want to share this at first, because i’ve been struggling, but then i figured why not? for reference, cariad is welsh for sweetheart. warnings: mentions of death and drug abuse word count: 6.4k!

---

It was a rare time off for Ashton as he stepped into his brand new home.

He felt proud that he had something that not only was his, but something he’d worked for. So as he began setting himself up, getting furniture moved in, he’d spotted one of hi new neighbours struggling with a bag of what seemed to be her groceries.

Something about her seemed to remind him of a grandmother, the way she shuffled her steps but kept a tight grip on the bag as she moved forwards. Without even thinking, he jogged over.

“Hi there, uh, I was wondering if I could help you at all?” She startled and Ashton immediately felt bad.

“Oh you silly lad, giving me a fright like that. I’m old you know.” The welsh accent had caught him off guard and he stuttered for a reply before she laughed. “Don’t worry, but would you mind? These bones aren’t as good as they used to be.”

And so he helped her carry the last of her groceries.

She invited him in for a cold drink and he checked his watch. He still had another couple of hours before the next delivery arrived.

“Figured to make this a holiday home of sorts. I like the climate and although Barcelona is preferable, I need to keep options open. My great-niece would absolutely love it out here, especially the way she jabbers on about wanting to leave England. Oh, I didn’t introduce myself did I? I’m Jenni.”

“Ashton.” He held his hand out and she took it.

“Good strong lad you are. Let me at least feed you before you go back to settling in.” And so Ashton stayed, allowing Jenni to learn his life story and in return she told him of her own family back home.

---

Over the next few years, Jenni visited often enough, once every couple of months. They always had new stories to swap and he found that he appreciated how she was so brash but upfront with him.

When he’d had his heart broken, she sat with him for the day, going about her knitting and allowing him just the solitude of silence, but the clicking sound of her knitting needles was the soft reminder that someone was there with him.

When Luke started to go off the rails, she took him under her wing too, but she was much more firmer, her harsh accent making the soft words of comfort seem uncaring. But Luke had seen her smile with the words and he understood why Ashton loved her as family.

She was supportive and soon Luke got to learn the stories that Ashton already knew, of her family back home, of her nieces and nephews and her great-nieces and great-nephews.

During the times she wasn’t in the house, Ashton promised to look after it for her so that she wouldn’t have to worry about it.

---

It was early September when he returned from an early morning run to find the lights on in Jenni’s house. He headed into his own to shower and change before heading back to Jenni’s.

Using his spare key, he kept his footsteps quiet as he eyed the suitcase sat on the stairs. He knew that it wasn’t Jenni’s.

He came upon the kitchen to see a woman his age, vivid pink curls hanging loose as he heard the kettle bubble in front of her.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

His voice startled her, a scream escaping as she spun around, the empty mug sailing to the floor as her hand gripped her chest.

“Don’t frighten me like that!” She half yelled a second later, her breathing heavy. But Ashton crossed his arms over his chest.

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“I was making a cup of tea. It’s been a long flight from England.” Ashton nearly groaned at the smart ass comment. The way she said it reminded him of Jenni.

“Who are you and why are you in my neighbours home?”

“My name’s Seren. Judging from the key in your hand, you’re Ashton? Did you not receive any emails or notifications from Ellis and Co?” At his look of bafflement, her face fell and Ashton felt his phone ding.

“Hold that thought-”

“Wait, just check the name. If it’s from them, the email can wait.” He glanced at the notification, confirming that it was an email from Ellis and Co.

“Why would I be getting an email from them?”

“I’m so sorry that I have to be the one to tell you this. Jenni passed away last week.” He froze, eyeing the woman in front of him whose eyes were watery and he could see the honesty in them. Then it hit him.

Jenni was gone.

He found himself stumbling back into the counter and sucking in a harsh breath as he felt tears trickle down his cheeks.

“How?” The question was hollow and he could see her own tears fall.

“She had a series of heart attacks last Tuesday and fell into a coma. She passed away Thursday morning. I would’ve gotten in touch sooner but we only just found out about the house out here.” She whispered and he nodded in understanding.

“Do you mind if I call my friend? It’s just-Jenni helped him too. He absolutely adores-adored her.” He caught himself and watched more tears roll down her cheek as she nodded her head.

“It’s fine. He-you’re both welcome to stay for tea and some food. I picked some up on my way from the airport.” He nodded in thanks before stepping outside and calling Luke.

“You realise the time is still fuckin’ early right?” His bandmate mumbled and Ashton sighed.

“It’s Jenni.” Ashton’s voice was soft and Luke understood immediately.

“I’ll be round in fifteen.” Came the just as soft reply before the dial tone followed. Ashton waited outside, unsure until Luke showed up and the both of them headed back into the house.

“Seren, this is my friend Luke. Luke, this is Seren, Jenni’s niece?” He directed at her and she half smiled as she shook Luke’s hand.

“Great-niece. I wish I could’ve met you both in better circumstances.” Luke nodded his head.

“She’s really gone?” She could feel her heart break all over again and the look on her features seemed to register with the boys.

“She’s gone. We had the will reading a couple of days ago. Ellis had been muttering about houses needing to be sorted out. I now understand why.” She guested to the home they stood in.

“Has the funeral happened yet?” She shook her head.

“Jenni mentioned you both in her will. Unfortunately they couldn’t find a reasonable contact for the both of you so Ellis was relying on me asking around to find out who you were. The funeral is at the end of the week, I’ll be flying back out for it but then flying back here again.”

“Would it be okay if we-”

“You’re family according to Jenni. Says she practically adopted two very tall Australians who couldn’t cook.”

Luke’s face burned a bright red and Ashton snickered.

“How did you guys meet her?” Seren returned to the kitchen cupboards, pulling down three mugs before she began to pick up the broken pieces of the one she dropped.

“I was moving in next door and I noticed she was struggling with her groceries. So I helped her.” Ashton explained with a shrug and Seren chuckled.

“What about you?” Her eyes turned to Luke and his cheeks flushed, his gaze dropping.

“I’ve been, uh, going through a tough time. Jenni gave me the words I needed to hear, even when I didn’t want to hear them.” He admitted quietly and Seren smiled softly.

“She does that. I went off the rails a couple of years ago, my family didn’t want anything to do with me.” She admitted softly as she handed them their teas. Ashton breathed out an ‘oh’ in understanding.

“You’re the one who stayed with her whilst she was in England?” He asked quietly and she guided them to the front room, taking a seat. Luke and Ashton sat on the couch whilst she picked the armchair closest to the two.

“Yeah. She was always so brutally honest, even when you didn’t want to hear it. But it was, refreshing I guess. She didn’t pander to me, but she made sure my needs were met and anything else was on my part.”

Luke felt his chest feel lighter than it’d done in months.

“She made you feel like you succeeded?” His voice was quiet and Ashton realised that maybe it was common ground for the two, and just maybe he’d start to recover.

“She was good at that. Tear you down a peg or two if you were getting cocky, mind you.” The three of them laughed at that. Seren had placed her mug down on the coffee table and placed the heels of her hands against her eyes.

“I just expected her to live forever.” She finally whispered and they were lost at what to say.

Luke finally put his mug down and crouched in front of Seren, his hand resting on her knee, making her move her hands from her eyes. He smiled, feeling his own tears.

“When they’re that important to us, we expect life to bend to our wishes and grant them mercy.” And she laughed, tears falling as she did so.

“But mercy would be too harsh on those who are ready for their reaper.” She finally finished off and both men gave her a smile. “Sorry, I’m still processing it myself and now this is all going on, I’m just feeling so lost.” Ashton shook his head.

“Don’t apologise. I think we’re trying to get our heads around it.” He stood up and stretched. “Do you two mind if I just run over to grab a couple of things? That is, if you’re okay with us staying for a bit longer?” He turned the question to Seren who nodded her head.

“I think company is very much needed. I want to learn about you both as well, not second hand.” This had them both giving her small smiles whilst Ashton headed over to his house.

Luke returned to his spot on the couch and the two of them fell silent for a few moments, gathering thoughts.

“How did you pull back?” Luke’s question was quiet and she looked over, green eyes meeting blue. She could see dark circles under his eyes and she felt her heart go out to him.

“Spite. My family, they tossed me away as a lost cause. I’d been homeless for a month before Jenni drove to the shelter and demanded I get in the car. She ranted and raved about how wrong they were, how I needed help. I cried for most of that journey because she was the first person to show that she cared.” Seren admitted softly and Luke gave her a weak smile.

“I went to Ashton eventually. My relationship, it was toxic. It was unhealthy. I was drinking every other night and there was some kind of drug I wanted to try. She was the worst thing for me, and I destroyed myself for her.” He ran fingers through his blonde curls and she nodded in understanding.

“When you believe it’s love, every view is skewed until you can take off the rose-coloured glasses.” She hummed softly and he felt his lips quirk up in response.

“How long did it take for you to recover?”

“She stopped me cold turkey. I had a week of flu like symptoms, headaches, vomiting, shaking, fever, cold sweats. She kept me cooped up in the house to stop me from trying to find a fix. Ever since, she worked with me to get better.”

“She did that to me too. Ashton’s been helping a lot, but it’s been difficult.” He admitted quietly and she understood.

“Hey, I know how it feels. If you want, you’re more than welcome to come around just to talk.” Her front door opened.

“It’s just me.” Ashton called through and her heart sank for a second before she fired back.

“Damn, here I thought you were the ghost of christmas past, coming a few months late.” This set the both of them laughing and she found herself smiling.

“I might just take you up on the offer.” Luke hummed to her as Ashton made his way through and held up a tub of ice cream.

“Jenni’s go to answer when you’re sad. Any advice she gave, even if it was just silly things like ‘keep a tub of ice cream for the days when you’re sad and you don’t want to leave the house.’ Seren laughed.

“Never let your tea bags fall to a quarter of a bag. Buy two when you go shopping just in case.” She recited from memory and it felt good to be able to share these little quirks.

As they drank tea and shared ice cream, they bonded over a shared love for a woman who took no nonsense and had a heart of gold.

---

When the day arrived for the flight back home, she could feel her hands begin to tremble. Luke noticed and wrapped his hand around hers and she gave him a shaky smile, her bottom lip trembling.

Over the week, she’d gotten close to Ashton and Luke. Ashton seemed to understand that despite being the same age as him, she treated him like an older brother. And he took to the role easily having already been an older brother to three of his best friends.

With Luke, they shared an understanding of the struggles they both faced. Even though she was far ahead in her recovery, she understood his bad days and offered him sanctuary when the world was difficult to face and he didn’t want to be alone. He offered her companionship on the days when the house was too empty of Jenni’s loud remarks and laughter.

The flight was long and exhausting. Both Luke and Ashton had to talk her down from panic whilst they were in the air, her tired mind coming up with awful scenarios of arguments she wasn’t ready to face.

When they landed in London, it was a small connecting flight to Cardiff before the long journey back to Jenni’s home in Carmarthen. Seren apologised to both of them at her small car, but they simply laughed it off.

“At least it wasn’t a two person convertible.” Ashton teased as Luke climbed into the back. Her cheeks were a dark red as she climbed into the drivers side and they began the journey from Cardiff.

When they pulled up to a small bungalow two hours later, Ashton gave her a confused look.

“Jenni handled stairs so well back in LA...” He trailed off in confusion and a wistful smile appeared on Seren’s lips.

“The heat probably made it easier on her joints so she didn’t suffer as much as she did when in England. I hope you guys are okay with helping me pack up some of her things to ship back to LA.” Her cheeks turned red and she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.

“It’s fine. So you’re staying in LA for good then?”

“I don’t have anything here for me. The memories are sweet, but LA is sweeter.” The two chuckled as they climbed out of the car and she groaned under her breath at the black BMW parked at the end of the road.

“You’re about to meet my family. If they try to goad you into an argument, please don’t listen. We just need to rest before heading to Ellis so you guys can hear your parts of the will yourselves.” They both nodded, opting to leave their carry on’s in Seren’s car.

They watched in shock as they stepped through the door, an older woman who looked just like Jenni wrap her fingers around Seren’s wrist and yank up her sleeve, dragging her into the living room where and older man was sat.

Seren wrestled her arm free from the apparent vice like grip, her cheeks flushed in anger.

“So you weren’t with your druggie friends. Shame, I’d have liked that house in the States.” Both Luke and Ashton were stunned at the careless words.

“If you’d paid any fucking attention to Ellis when he said she’d left me the house in LA under set conditions, I said I’d go out and check the house and try to find both Ashton and Luke.” Cold eyes turned to the men stood behind Seren and she looked them up and down.

“After the money then, huh? Saw an old woman and decided to try your luck? We won’t let you have a fucking penny of it. You especially, it’ll go into those drugs of yours.” She sneered down at Seren who took a step back and let out a slow breath.

“Ashton was Jenni’s neighbour and Luke visited often enough that Jenni took him under her wing too. Just because we aren’t all money grabbing thieves like you and your sister, Tami.” Both of them could see Seren’s shoulders shaking.

“Seren, are they meant to be in the house?” Ashton finally asked and she shook her head.

“No. The house was locked when I left and I took all the spare keys, even the one from Ellis.”

“Then ma’am. I suggest you leave, because by the sounds of that you’ve broken and entered into a home that isn’t yours.” Ashton’s voice held a tone that would not take no for an answer.

Tami shared a look with, who Ashton assumed was, her husband and he shook his head slowly at her. She sneered in response to him before turning back to Seren and Ashton.

“You’ll have no proof to back up the claims and no one will believe little druggie over here.” Seren felt Ashton step up behind her, his fingers resting on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

“We have plenty of proof. And for your comment earlier? About being after the money? Luke and I combined have a net worth of forty million dollars, so money isn’t an issue for us. Therefore money will buy the best lawyers and not only will we come for you for breaking and entering but they’ll comb through every little thing you’ve done that could be prosecution worthy.” Tami stumbled back in shock.

“Get out of my home.” Seren finally spoke and she closed her eyes tightly as Tami barged past her, the slamming of the front door making her flinch.

“She’d be proud of you. I know that Jenni wished for children, but you were her greatest gift, cariad.” A tear slipped down Seren’s cheek.

“Please. Just go.” She finally whispered and he nodded.

“I’m sorry, cariad. In another life, I would’ve left your mother for Jenni in a heartbeat once you were born.” His hand rested on her shoulder and squeezed softly before moving past, the soft click of the door being the only noise before she sank down onto the sofa, tears falling at an alarming rate.

Luke sat beside her, his hand resting on her knee and she turned her head to his shoulder as she got it out. They didn’t say anything until she’d calmed down.

“Your parents, I assume?” Ashton asked quietly once her head had turned back towards him. She nodded her head.

“Tami was always cold with me, distant. Dad, dad’s a different story. He was furious when Tami threw me out but he couldn’t do much.” She admitted quietly, her eyes falling shut as she took in several slow deep breaths.

“C’mon, let’s grab the paperwork and get the last bit of the will reading sorted out.” Ashton hummed and she allowed Luke to pull her up, her body feeling heavy as she went to find the paperwork before they checked and rechecked the locks before locking up and climbing back in the car.

---

When they pulled up to the offices, she was quiet as they reached the receptionist. Ashton took over.

“We received notification about a will reading-”

“Names?”

“Ashton Irwin and Luke Hemmings.” The receptionist eyed Seren with a critical look before sighing.

“Ellis doesn’t have an appointments. I’ll let him know you’ve arrived. Please take a seat.” She nodded to the cluster of chairs and the trio moved to sit down.

Moments later, Ellis stepped from the doors and motioned them in.

“Mr Irwin and Mr Hemmings, I presume?” Ashton nodded.

“I’m Ashton, this is Luke.” They both shook Ellis’ hands and Ellis looked to Seren who was clearly exhausted.

“Please tell me-”

“I haven’t. We’ve not long gotten back in the country and I just had a fight with my parents. I’m exhausted.” He nodded in understanding.

“I’m sorry. Anyway, to move onto the matters of the will. Ms Evans explicitly stated that these were for you two. There are two letters, one for the both of you as well as items of value. To Mr Hemmings, she’s left her piano. In the will she’s stated that your letter will explain why she left it.” Luke felt his chest constrict as he looked down at the closed letter in his hands.

“What do I need to do?”

“I just need you to sign here for it and then if you could give an address to be shipped to and it’ll be with you within the next few weeks.” Luke nodded and scrawled his signature down on the paper. Ellis filed it immediately.

“And to Mr Irwin, Ms Evans has left you her array of drums that she’s collected over the years of her travelling. Once more she stated that your letter with explain why she left them to you.”

Ashton signed the document, Ellis once more filing the paperwork before turning to Seren.

“Seren, you know as well as the house, you’ve been named her sole heir for her properties. How much more time do you need?”

“Keep the property in Spain. It’ll be a good holiday home. For now, set up a third party to maintain the house and upkeep and maybe I’ll put it up on one of the host sites for travellers.” He nodded his head and began to make notes.

“Sell the one in Wales. I have no plans to stay in England after the funeral.” His head snapped up in shock.

“Are you sure?”

“Very.”

Once the last details were ironed out, they headed back to the bungalow and Seren glanced at the time. It was early evening.

“Do you guys want to order a takeout?” Both of them grinned.

“Sure. You thinking Chinese, Indian or-”

“Pizza.” She finished off and she felt a grin creep up on her lips as she went through the drawers that held the menus from various restaurants.

Once their orders had been placed and paid for by Luke, much to her protest, they settled in the front lounge, Ashton taking the armchair and Luke and Seren settling on the couch to watch whatever program was playing.

It was easy watching whilst they waited for the pizza, laughing at some of the jokes before they talked about their own stories.

By the time the pizza had arrived, they were more relaxed and it felt like the earlier argument with her mother hadn’t even happened. As the night continued, Seren ended up lay across the couch, her head in Luke’s lap whilst they watched a cheesy sitcom and laughed till their stomachs hurt.

The following morning was the funeral. Luke and Ashton both knew they couldn’t sit with Seren, but promised to sit just behind her. She felt slight relief at that.

When they reached the chapel, Luke could see she was falling into autopilot mode and so he steered her towards Ellis who promised to help her before they took their seats. They received a few looks from the older people in the crowd, but otherwise no one commented on them being there.

When Seren sat in front of them when the casket had been brought in, Luke reached forward and she gripped his hand for fear life. She didn’t let go and he wasn’t about to. Ashton found his lips twitching softly.

The service was tough, especially when Seren gave her eulogy on Jenni, her voice cracking every now and then but she managed to hold it together.

Afterwards, she stood apart from her parents, most people coming to her first before moving on to Tami and her father. Once the majority had passed their condolences, Luke and Ashton moved over to her, Luke’s hand taking hold of hers. She looked up, startled.

“C’mon. We’ll show for the wake for half an hour and then hit the road.” Ashton murmured and she simply nodded, her gaze unfocused as they climbed into the car. Ashton, having the most experience with the roads, slid into the driver's seat. Seren moved into the back seat with Luke and he let her rest her head against his shoulder, his hand squeezing hers gently.

“When we get back, We’ll stick on a cleaning playlist and start packing up. How does that sound?” She nodded her head and Luke held back a sigh.

His eyes met Ashton’s in the rear view mirror and Ashton could only give him a helpless shrug in response as they headed to the small village hall that was hosting the wake.

“I don’t want to go in.” She whispered when they arrived.

“Ten minutes. You just need to show up, maybe grab one drink and then we can go, I promise.” Ashton compromised and her heart was aching.

“You met me barely a week ago, but here the both of you are...” She could feel the lump build in her throat. Ashton turned in his seat and gave her a kind smile.

“Jenni spoke highly of you when she came back to LA. For one, she’d be disappointed in both of us if we didn’t help you. But also, it feels like we’ve known you for years, regardless. You’re our friend now, and we look after friends. Ten minutes.” She finally agreed and allowed Luke to help her from the car.

When she stepped into the hall, eyes moved to her and she felt herself cower into Luke for a second and he pulled her to the direction of the food table.

“Ashton will get us drinks.” He whispered and she nodded her head, not willing to stand too far from Luke who seemed to be a deterrent to a lot of people, Tami included.

When Ashton joined them both, handing her a sprite whilst Ashton passed Luke a coke, they waited with her, her eyes glancing to the clock briefly.

One of her cousins seemed to be brave enough to approach her just as the clock showed seven minutes had passed.

“So, you gonna explain the two body guards? Or are they just to make sure you behave” Had the smile not been on her cousin’s lips, Seren would’ve burst into tears, she was sure of it. But Lucy wasn’t one to beat around the bush, but nor was she one to hold things against Seren.

“This is Luke and Ashton. My neighbours back in LA. They knew Jenni well and Ashton looked after her home whilst she was away.” Seren explained and Lucy nodded her head.

“Good to see that you’ll be looked out for then. You aren’t going to stick around, are you?” Seren shook her head.

“No, it’s too much and I don’t want to be near her or her band of money grabbers.” Lucy grinned.

“I’ll fly out one day, come visit you when I’ve finished university. How about we go out for a smoke and your lovely men can join us?” At Lucy’s wink, Seren felt relief flood her. She was being given a way out without making it obvious she was leaving.

Hooking her arm through Seren’s, Lucy pulled her forward from Luke’s grip, so the two of them followed after the girls.

Only when the three were in the car and far enough away did Lucy go back in and when people asked her where Seren had gone, she shrugged.

“It was overwhelming. She needed to get away so she sends her apologies with her thanks to everyone who came. She’s gonna be a busy girl over the next few days because she’s packing up Jenni’s home so that she can fly out to LA without having to worry about coming back to do it in the future.”

When they were back at the house, it wasn’t even three pm, so Luke stuck on a cleaning playlist, Ashton found some boxes in a storage cupboard and they started packing up the ornaments, pictures frames and trinkets.

The next few days seemed to be routine with the three. They ventured in the small town to get some plastic storage boxes for the books and records that were being shipped across to LA. A lot of the furniture was being sent to storage to wait to be auctioned or sold. The bungalow was empty after three days and the three of them made up a blanket fort with the last of the sheets and blankets that would be packed away first thing before they were picked up for shipping.

“So what are you going to do when you get back to LA?” She asked as they settled under the blankets. Ashton glanced to Luke who shrugged.

“We’re working on an album. Taking our time on it.” Luke finally answered.

“What about you?” Ashton asked quietly and she shrugged.

“Find a job, get my citizenship sorted. I’m waiting to hear back from one company. Jenni put in a good word for me, she knows the manager. It’s just a receptionist gig, but it puts me back in a position to work harder, especially if I get it because, well I don’t want to let her down.” Her cheeks were flushed pink and Ashton nodded.

“If it falls through, I know that that our management are always looking for PR or even just managers for artists and bands. If that’s something you’d go for?” Seren shrugged.

“If this one falls through, I might ask if you could find out for me if they’re hiring.” He grinned.

“You’ll be fine. She’s gonna be watching over you and making sure the chips fall in the right place for you, you know that right?” She chuckled at him before nodding.

“Absolutely.”

---

When they returned back to LA, it seemed easy to fall back into a pattern. Ashton introduced her to his friends, especially after Luke quietly told her that he was pulling away from his so called friends and didn’t want the temptation for either of them. She appreciated that.

As the band got to work on the album, she began to expand her social circle, especially when she got her job and it helped her hold steady as the days grew shorter and Christmas fast approached.

Despite having only known them for three months, she felt like she’d known them her entire life. And they could see that she was struggling with the festivities.

So Ashton had gotten in touch with her cousin Lucy and they concocted a plan. Since Seren didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving anyway, it was easy enough to convince her to come around to Ashton’s for the day.

“I’d rather celebrate friends-giving, since we’re both technically outsiders here who don’t want to celebrate the day.” She had grinned and agreed.

Luke was lying in wait with Lucy and snapped the moment she spotted her cousin and Ashton knew he’d made the right choice as she practically flung herself at Lucy, making the brunette laugh.

“I missed you too, you little weirdo. C’mon, Ashton promised the best food and I’ve met all of your friends. I’m proud of you baby cuz.” At the nickname Seren groaned and shoved Lucy’s shoulder before they headed into the living room where the group had congregated. She fell into the open spot by Michael who wrapped his arms around her shoulder in greeting.

“So baby cuz, huh?” His tone was teasing and Seren rolled her eyes.

“She’s called me that ever since we were kids and we realised she’s like, a week older than me.” There were scattered giggles.

“At least you got the beautiful Welsh name. Mum refused dad’s suggestion when I was born.” Lucy pouted at her and she felt a flash of smugness before shrugging.

“Jenni would’ve taken off Tami’s head had she decided to name me anything but a Welsh name. You know this.”

“What does your name mean?” Luke asked and Seren smiled at him, her face lighting up.

“It’s Welsh for star. And hey Luce, I know for a fact that you would’ve been named Sapphire had your mum not stepped in.” The two girls giggled as the group fell into relaxed chatter.

Every now and then, people would go into the kitchen to grab drinks, the food nearly done. It was on one of the trips that Seren was grabbing a bottle of water for herself when Ashton called Luke into the kitchen for a hand.

His groan could be heard and Seren laughed at the name he called Ashton as they passed each other in the doorway.

“Mistletoe!” Came calls from the living room and both of them froze, eyes darting up the sprig of mistletoe that was taped to the doorway.

They’d forgotten about that.

Blue eyes met green and Seren realised that maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing. She could see the blush on his cheeks and wondered if his heart was beating as wildly as hers.

“You know they’ll yell at us if we don’t do it properly.” He murmured and she could feel the heat rise in her cheeks.

“I mean, I’m fine with it, but only-only if you are and we shouldn’t have to bow to their pressure just because-” His lips were on hers and her eyes slid shut, kissing him back almost immediately. Calloused fingers moved under her chin, holding her, and her hands went around his neck, one hand still holding her water-bottle, so the other locked around her wrist.

His hand slid from her chin down to her waist and she could hear the wolf whistles as he pulled away.

“Shouldn’t bow to their pressure, huh?” He teased her, a gentle smile on his lips. Her eyes finally opened, a smile on her own.

“Shut up.” When they pulled away, cheeks red, he took her hand in his and pulled Seren through to Ashton’s back garden. He sat down on one of the chairs and before she could move further from him, he tugged her to sit down on his lap.

She felt her cheeks grow warm once more as she settled so that her legs were on one side, his hands resting around her waist.

“You’re being very bold tonight, Hemmings.” She teased and he couldn’t help but grin.

“I’ve been wanting to kiss you for weeks. Pretty sure Ash set up this elaborate plan just to get us to kiss.” She snorted and leaned her head against his, his face tilting so that he could kiss her temple.

Her heart was racing.

“Weeks, huh?”

“You’ve shown nothing but kindness and managed to get yourself into the spot reserved for best friends. However, I don’t really want to kiss Ashton.”

Seren giggled.

“I think I might need a second kiss, just to make sure that I’m making a good decision.” This time he let her lead the kiss, her lips so soft and unsure, but as his grip got a little bit firmer around her waist, she seemed to relax against him, her tongue tracing his lips. They parted for her almost immediately and he knew then that the only thing he would ever get addicted to was her.

She pulled away, her forehead resting against his as she drew in deep breaths, her cheeks flushed and lips curved into a smile. Luke couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“Definitely a good decision.” She murmured and he couldn’t help but chuckle softly, his lips capturing hers once more, in brief but sweet kiss.

“Can I take you out on a date tomorrow?” He breathed and Seren nodded her head, the slow smile creeping across her face.

“Is your heart beating as fast as mine?” The question seemed so innocent to his ears and it took her a second before she realised she spoke it aloud, her eyes widening as her cheeks burned a bright red. Luke simply slid the leather jacket off his shoulders and moved back a bit so she could lean down, her ear pressed against his chest.

A soft ‘oh’ escaped her lips and he laughed as she sat up, her cheeks still red but her lips pulled back into a wide smile.

“So the feeling is mutual then?” At his words, she took his hand, pressing his index and middle finger on her wrist and he understood what she meant. He could feel the pulse of her heart, and he knew that it was going just as fast for her as it was for him.

“I know you guys have got the tour coming up, but I know there is gonna be time off as well. I want to make it work.” Seren murmured and he nodded in understanding.

“The kind of person Jenni raised you to be, and helped teach me to be? I’m pretty sure our stubborn sides will win out and we will make this work.” He whispered and she grinned, her lips meeting his once more.

“Good.”

When they returned to the house, amid the wolf whistles and knowing looks, Seren realised that she wouldn’t have this any other way. Even with the pain of losing someone who was practically a mother to her in some ways and best friend in another, she was healing.

As they raised a toast to each other, Ashton looked at her and she smiled.

“To teulu.” Lucy beamed at Seren’s words.

“To family.” She responded back and understanding crossed everyone’s faces as they followed Lucy’s lead.

---

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talesseldomtold · 5 years ago

Text

the caves disappear when you look away.

“Hear the one about the caves?”

He whips his head round, eyes squint towards the heavy wind. His hair’s too short for it to be a nuisance in high winds but mine is making up for the both of us, ponytail slapping my face upon the slightest movement.

“The caves, dude?”

“Aye, the caves. Those ones.” I nod towards the opposite end of the beach. We’re strolling a familiar path; the secluded coast a stone’s throw from my house, never busy and always beautiful. On sleepover nights as kids (we always went to mine, never his) we’d always end up here at some point in the day or another. Trading secrets. Paddling in frozen seas.

Exploring caves.

“What uh. What about them?” He frowns.

“They disappear when you look away.” I explain, and he lets out an exhale of air that’s almost a laugh, almost a sigh but not quite.

“Who did you hear that one from then?”

“No-one!” I say defensively. A pause. Then, “…The old lady in the village that always smells like cabbage.” He barks out a laugh, and I feel my cheeks redden.

“She couldn’t come up with something more original?” He stutters out over laughter.

“I’d like to see you come up with better!” I retort, and he raises an eyebrow.

“Sure. Horses that stick to you and drown you in the sea when you try to ride them. Soul-stealing cats that people fend off with brooms. Fairies that kidnap children. Any one of your stories is better than caves disappearing.” I look away abruptly, and his laughter dies down.

“They’re not stories.” I mumble.

He sighs. “Babe I—you know that’s not what I meant…” We walk in silence for a while, then I pipe up again.

“It is kinda weak.” I’m met with an enthusiastic (a relieved) “right?!” and carry on, “if they disappear when you look away, how do you even know they disappear?” He shrugs.

“Mayhaps because it’s bullshit?”

“Mayhaps, but humour me on this one.” He thinks for a while.

“If you film it then turn away?”

“Would film still count as looking?”

“If they just disappear, would the cliff above not crumble?”

“We’re talking about disappearing cliffs. I don’t think they adhere to Newton’s laws.”

“Oh who fucking cares, they look cool.” He grins at me impishly, and though he may not believe in faeries he has the mischief of one. “Race you to the disappearing caves?” Before I can give my answer he taps me on the shoulder and runs off, and I’m left pursuing a retreating back that is soon out of sight.

When I finally catch up, body warm but face still cold, he’s taking pictures of the caves.

They’re not really…anything special as far as caves go. They’re about five meters deep and ten meters high, more of a refuge from rain and wind and a home for the gulls. They’re not deep, and winding and mysterious, they don’t have stalagmites growing from the ground and stalactites hanging from above. They’re just caves, granite caves, but slap an Instagram filter on them and they’re at least nice to look at.

Which is exactly what he’s doing, I think, as he roams deeper in search of that perfect rock formation the Internet will love.

It’s not a big deal. But today, it feels like it should be.

“Hey uh...maybe you shouldn’t.” I call out, and a shallow echo reverbs back. He turns around.

“Shouldn’t what?” He looks up. “The gulls are out, I won’t disturb them.” I shake my head, but note at the back of it that it is unusually quiet around the nests today.

“Something just feels off.” I shift from one foot to another. “Just come back?” He grins.

“Awww babe, afraid the big bad disappearing caves are gonna swallow me up?”

“Stop fucking around and come out of there.” I say, biting back humiliation. He rolls his eyes.

“Fine, o superstitious boyfriend o’ mine.” Thankfully he starts walking out, and the anxiety constricting my chest starts to lessen.

Until he pulls out his phone to snap a final shot.

“Maybe,” I find myself starting before I could stop and realize how dumb it sounded, “maybe you should delete the photos too.” He looks at me incredulously for a second, gauging whether I’m joking or not, and when it settles on ‘not’ he sighs.

“C’mon, really? They’re just photos.”

“I know, but…”

“I’ve taken photos here before, you know. You’ve seen me take them.” Irritation starts to seep into the worry as I throw my arms up.

“I know! But—”

“I’m not pandering to your stupid superstitions every time, dude! The photos stay.” And that stings. I step back, as if a physical blow had been received.

“You know what they mean to me.” The corners of my eyes are stinging now, and I can only hope to blame it on the wind.

“Yeah, I know, but this is kinda ridiculous—”

“The caves don’t wanna be watched.” He groans.

“Well they were fine with me takin’ pictures of them all the other times! This is just some story you heard from an old coot—”

“It’s different this time! Something’s really not right—”

“There’s only so much I’ll put up with—”

“Something feels off—”

“I love you, but I can’t deal with this—”

“I’m scared—”

“this—”

“Just trust me, plea—”

“Insane nonsense!”

And the both of us are silent. I can’t breathe. He’s breathing too heavily.

“That—that didn’t come out right—Babe!” I’ve started walking away in the middle of his sentence, and I don’t stop. I can hear him calling my name and I still don’t stop. I keep walking until I can no longer hear it on the wind, then walk some more.

All the way back home.

I shed my coat and boots in a fluid movement as I enter the front door and head up to my room. Mum left for shopping not too long ago and she still isn’t back. I’m glad.

I pick past our shared luggage and flop on my bed. Out the corner of my eye an old poster hangs, still there from my days of living here permanently.

It’s a birthday gift, now tattered, depicting creatures of Celtic lore and a description underneath.

He gave it to me.

I rip it off the wall with a frustrated yell.

“You should know what this means to me! You should—” I pause for a sob.

“It’s not like I wanted to be this way.” I let out a shaky breath and lie back down, reaching to one side to grab my tablet.

It’s not like I wanted to be this way.

Halfway through a bad Netflix documentary I hear Mum come back, and acknowledge her with a shout downstairs.

I check the time, and realize he should have been back long before now.

I take the stairs two at a time, and ask Mum if she’s seen him. She blinks, stare vacant.

“Who, dear?” I frown. Repeat his name.

“My boyfriend?” I elaborate when she still seems befuddled. She raises her eyebrows.

“You have a boyfriend?” She asks, and my stomach drops.

“Mum I…I came here with him.” She looks worried now, and panic flashes in my chest.

“You….came back from uni alone. Are you feeling alright, sweetie?” I mumble an excuse about needing fresh air, shove my boots on without bothering to take my coat and leave.

It seems a little colder, and I could chalk it down to one less layer of clothing but something hasn’t felt right since the caves.

We’ve known each other for fifteen years. We’ve dated for four. Why is she acting like he doesn’t exist?

The air feels lonelier.

I break into a run.

It’s dark when I reach the caves and when I can’t see him immediately, panic constricts my chest. But just as I’m about to call his name, he calls mine.

And I see him there, curled up at the back of the cave. His phone screen illuminates his face just enough to see the wet of tear tracks. There’s tremors in his voice. He’s shaking. I immediately step forward to enter the cave, but he cries out not to.

After a few agonizing seconds of listening to him weep, I ask.

“What happened?” He takes a shaky breath to steady himself.

“I can’t leave.”

“I don’t understand,” I say gently, and walk forward once more—

“Don’t!” An outstretched hand and the urgency in his voice stops my feet. He drags a hand across his face.

“I—fuck, you were right, I—”

“Mum didn’t remember you.” A shaky hand clutches his hair. “She didn’t know who you were.” The other joins. His breathing is erratic and personal experiences supply that he’s having a panic attack.

I’m probably not helping.

“Hey, it’s fine,” I offer a soothing tone, inching gently forward, “We’ll figure this out, okay? You’re alright.” And he seems calmer for a split second, then notices my moving.

“Stop! Don’t come in here!” He rushes forward and trips to the ground, a few feet away from the mouth of the cave.

I don’t know what to do. I stand there and watch him shiver and cry on the sand and I don’t know what to do.

“You’ll get…” He speaks up after a while, voice raw and cracking, “….You’ll get trapped too.”

He whimpers and it’s heartbreaking. “When you ran off I tried to run after you, but I couldn’t—I couldn’t—” The pieces start to fit together.

“The cave won’t let you leave.” I finished, throat closed and eyes warm.

“I should have listened to you. You were right, I’m so—I’m so fucking sorry—”

He breaks off again, and I decide enough is enough.

With a final cry from him, I step into cave, stride towards him and envelop him in my arms.

“No!” You cry, “You’ll be trapped too--!” And I stroke his hair as he breaks off into sobs again.

“I don’t care.” I whisper, and focus on the warmth of him.

It was cold before I entered the cave, I remembered that, but now I don’t feel anything but his frame in mine and the warmth it brings, and it’s soothing.

After a while he quietens, and sighs.

“Are you gonna tell me “I told you so” now?” he asks with a mirthless smile. I let out a breath of laughter, wiping my own tears with my sleeve.

“The caves didn’t want to be watched,” I say, and kiss his forehead gently.

“But they didn’t have to be a dick about it.”

There’s a legend the old lady in the village that smells like cabbage tells.

It says that if you go to the end of the beach, you’ll find a couple in the cave the gulls don’t touch.

They’re amicable, and if you seek them out they’ll talk a while with you. The long haired one will tell you stories of creatures and myths both terrifying and fascinating, and the short haired one will mock him playfully for it.

“Well,” he’ll always say at the end, “I suppose I can’t talk now, can I?” And he’ll look at the other with a fondness in his eyes as if he were made of stars.

They’ll always politely decline if you invite them to walk back with you, but you’ll leave the conversation with a smile on your face and a warmth in your chest.

You won’t remember your encounter with them. The caves disappear when you look away from them, and they disappear with the caves. But they’re happy there, together, telling stories to anyone who will listen.

And they’ll remember your visits, even if you don’t.

So visit them often, won’t you?

#prose #writing #short story #folklore #original story #storytelling #talesseldomtold

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thelittleredheadedmusician · 5 years ago

Text

Permanently Barred

My very first Barricade Day fic! While it is set in my Crooked Politician AU it is 100% standalone! HUGE shout out to @wordshakerofgallifrey thank you for letting me bounce ideas off of you and for finding me pretty clothes for the boys and for putting up with my utter exhausted inability to comprehend hats. <3 Rating: PG-13 for mild fisticuffs Words: 2,890 Gen AO3

There was a slight crash from elsewhere in the House. Enjolras didn’t react though, there was always a slight crash from somewhere in the House. At this point in his life he was beginning to believe that there was just always going to be the sound of minor crashes in his vicinity. So, he kept working not fully registering the sound.

He did register Courfeyrac’s howling as it resolved itself into words being sung from directly in front of him.

“I wanna go- ou-OOUT toNII-IGHT!”

Enjolras paused but didn’t look up from his laptop as he tried to place the line. He frowned when it finally clicked and almost didn’t want to look up from his laptop, fully expecting to see Courf dripping glitter and wearing fishnets and leopard print like Mimi had in the movie. Grantaire had made him watch RENT Live with the rest of the ABC but they had all agreed not to speak of it and as such he honestly couldn’t remember the scene in that version. Also, his brain was a bit overstuffed on more pressing matters; like getting the proper permits for the rally that Cosette, Musichetta, and Eponine had taken point on organizing.

Bracing himself he glanced up. Enjolras was shocked by Courfeyrac’s outfit for a very different reason. He wore a full suit with a vest and bowtie, an umbrella clutched in one hand, hat in the other as he threw his arms out. It wasn’t the boring cut and colors worn by those who worked on the Hill either. It was a deep green that was almost black with the vest an incrementally lighter hue with metallic threads and the bowtie a mossy green. Or at least he’d call it mossy, Grantaire could tell him the exact shade later. The cut was impeccable and Enjolras could tell it had been expensive which might explain why he’d never seen it before. Alternatively, it might not as Courf didn’t shy away from his family’s wealth if it was for a good purpose and investing in a quality suit for various functions definitely counted as such.

Courf grinned and carefully set his hat onto his cloudlike head of curls. “C’mon Enj, take a break. You’ve been driving yourself crazy feeling like your hands are tied on these bills while simultaneously running yourself ragged helping the ladies get all their ducks in a row for the rally. Plus,” his expression slipped from charming to pleading, “it’s my birthday.”

“No, it’s not. Your birthday was ages ago,” he felt compelled to point out.

That earned him an eyeroll. “Yes and I turned twenty-one and we couldn’t go out and party properly because it was right before the election and then we kept pushing it off and pushing it off because there were admittedly much more important things but we all agreed that once the semester was officially over for everyone we’d have me a birthday party. The time has come my friend.”

Enjolras felt his brows pull together as he thought. “When did we do that?”

“April,” Courfeyrac said fondly. “After I had to cancel it again because I got picked to be a lawyer in the moot Supreme Court that was my ConLaw final. We all agreed to an arbitrary date in early June. It is now said arbitrary date and I got an A in that class so we’re going. Now.”

Enjolras knew that there was no arguing with Courfeyrac when he was like this. Besides, he was sure he’d agreed to this back in April and in the haze of finals and everything else in the past two months had just forgotten about it. If Enjolras was being quite honest with himself, he hadn’t been fully aware that it was even June. That did explain why the giant pride flag was hanging in the front window though.

He raised a finger to Courf, asking him to wait and just knowing Courf was raising his eyebrows in response. Enjolras finished the sentence he had been typing, hit save, and closed his laptop. “Ok. Give me a second to change.”

“Wait, you’re not going to fight me on this?” Courf trailed after him as he headed for the stairs.

“It’s your birthday,” Enjolras replied. He stopped with his foot on the stairs and turned to grin at Courfeyrac.

This was met with a huge smile and an equally huge hug before Courf was pushing past him and rushing up the steps. “I am not letting you dress yourself then! You obviously have no memory of what you agreed to and I refuse to let you ruin this for me!”

“This is such a tourist trap,” Enjolras said as he sneered in the direction of the White House.

“Yes,” Courf conceded, “but I’d never been and it’s the roof of The Willard and I’m only a local by virtue of the college I attend.”

“Besides, we’re not the only non-tourists here,” Ferre said and jutted his chin in the direction of a group of men, all dressed in suits that were decidedly more boring than Courf’s and decidedly cheaper. They were the uniform of staffers and lobbyists. While not out of place in the city they were out of place there at that hour.

“Well,” Courf huffed, “you two can stand here and people watch all night but it’s my birthday and I’m going to have a good time. And look! There’s our friends! Doing the same thing!”

Courfeyrac raised his glass in the direction of where Bahorel and Grantaire had managed to pull Feuilly onto the dance floor and headed towards them. Enjolras watched as Jehan emerged from the crowd, head thrown back and laughing wildly with Marius and Eponine trailing behind. Musichetta was still at the table next to them though, swirling her drink and giggling at the memory of Bossuet spilling his own all over himself before being ushered off to the bathroom to be cleaned up by Joly.

“At the very least we could go eavesdrop on them,” Ferre suggested dryly.

That made Enjolras snort. “Why not. Liquor makes for loose lips, might learn something interesting.”

Courfeyrac rolled his eyes when he noticed them camped out at the table next to the group of young men. They were rather loud to begin with and as the night went on and the drinks flowed faster they got even louder.

Enjolras bristled as they made yet another prejudiced remark. His friends were starting to tire, needing to catch their breath and wanting to chat.

“Any reason you’re here holding down the fort, Enj?” Bahorel asked, clapping him on the shoulder as he came up to them.

He jerked his head towards the table next to them and Bahorel raised an eyebrow, slotting himself between Enjolras and the other table silently. One of them made another remark and Bahorel’s other eyebrow rose to meet his first.

“All night,” Enj muttered acidly.

Bahorel shook his head and moved closer to Enjolras and further from the men.

“And you haven’t said anything?” Feuilly asked, genuinely surprised.

Combeferre snorted. “Oh, he’s said lots of things; just under his breath.”

“I’m trying to be on my best behavior,” he muttered darkly.

“Oh really? And how’s that working out for you?” Grantaire teased. He shot a dark look towards him in response.

Marius’s phone began to ring loudly, preventing him from formulating a proper retort as everyone’s attention turned towards watching the other boy scramble to pull the device from his pocket before it stopped.

“It’s Cosette, I promised we’d talk every night while she’s on vacation. I have to take this,” Marius said in lieu of apology. He quirked a smile before rushing off towards a quiet corner of the bar and picking up.

“I’d be mad if they weren’t so damn cute,” Courf sighed.

There were mumbled agreements but Enjolras’s attention was once again drawn to the table beside them. “That’s it,” he muttered before whirling on them. “You really believe that you’re making the world a better place? For who? Please, tell me.”

The men blinked, dumbfounded or blindsided he didn’t know and didn’t care.

“Because all you’re really doing is making it a better place for people like you and worse for everyone else. People like you who don’t even need it. Who society panders to and has for centuries. While millions of people struggle every day just for an inch of respect. And then what do you do? You don’t even give them that.” Enjolras hadn’t meant to but his voice had gotten incrementally louder as he spoke and he found himself out of breath from yelling, his chest heaving as adrenaline decided to pour into his system.

“What’s your problem, man? Why do you even care?” One of them asked.

Enjolras closed his eyes and tried to keep his temper in check, really he did, but the question was too similar to the way Grantaire would rile him at meetings and it elicited an almost Pavlovian response. He exploded.

“Why do I care? I care because I’m a decent human being. I care because I want to help. I care because I can make a difference. I care because I know people will listen to me when they might not listen to someone else. I care because there are real life people out there who need someone to care about them. I care because caring is the bare minimum you can do.”

Enjolras could feel his friends closing ranks around him. Suddenly Combeferre and Bahorel were at his shoulders and he could feel someone, Courfeyrac or maybe Feuilly, press a hand into his back. Joly and Jehan were at the corners of his vision and he could see Bossuet and Musichetta begin to speed towards them from across the bar; Eponine and Grantaire were unseen but he knew they were there too.

“Grow up kid. And learn to hold your liquor,” one of them jeered and the others all laughed. Enjolras tensed but Bahorel was already moving, launching himself at them.

“Learn to hold your tongue,” he snarled as his fist connected with the guy’s jaw.

For a second, the jerks all froze. It was all the group of friends needed to begin moving. None of them were strangers to fights and at this point they could all tell when a brawl was brewing, if they didn’t strike first then it would be too late for them.

Enjolras had only taken two steps towards the table when they got over their surprise and he was forced to block a messy punch before countering with a solid one of his own. Bahorel had started giving him the occasional boxing lesson and R had insisted that they practice together, saying they could take out mutual frustrations on a punching bag instead of each other and insisting that for Enj it was a necessary life skill. These all paid off as the guy stumbled back, clutching at his nose as blood streamed from it.

He heard a gasp and looked up to see that Bossuet and Musichetta had reached them. And that Musichetta had just upended the drinks she had been carrying over one of their heads. He laughed at the satisfaction it brought to her fierce expression.

His distraction had cost him though because suddenly he felt himself careening to the side, his temple stinging. Enjolras had been punched in the side of the head and it had made stars burst behind his eyes. Dizzy, he spun to try and face his assailant, only to find that Eponine had already grabbed him and forced him to the ground. Likely after a kick to the balls and a knee to the gut. He nodded his thanks to her and she nodded grimly back. Her hair had come loose of the careful twists she had it in and she swiped at the strands as she turned to help Jehan.

Turning himself, Enjolras found the man he initially punched had recovered and joined two others and were slowly backing Courfeyrac and Combeferre towards the wall. He rushed over and slammed his foot into the back of the guy’s knee, kicking him once more as Courf and Ferre each went after the others.

“Gotta say,” Courf gasped as they quickly stepped away from where the three were slowly trying to get up, “this is not how I saw tonight going.”

“Happy birthday,” Combeferre offered with sarcastic tilt to his lips.

“I don’t know, Courf,” Enjolras couldn’t help but start to smile himself, “I think teaching some dicks a lesson is a great birthday present.”

Courfeyrac huffed. “Well now I know what to get you.”

Enjolras laughed, temporarily distracted. It cost him. He was clipped in the chin and sent stumbling into Courfeyrac and Combeferre.

“Oh no you don’t,” Grantaire said, appearing behind the man who had begun to bear down on them. R grabbed the man by the shoulder and whirled him around, punching him directly in the face before grabbing his shoulders and hauling him down to meet the knee that he was shooting up and aiming for the man’s stomach.

The man toppled easily and with it Enjolras finally got a clear view of Grantaire who looked more than a little worse for wear. Drinks, blood, and other liquid now dotted his nice shirt and the hat he’d been wearing when they arrived was gone. R reached out a hand and Enjolras took it, letting him help pull him to his feet. Looking down Enjolras realized that he wasn’t in much better shape, his blazer was rumpled and there was a new rip somehow in the knee of his jeans.

“You ok?” Grantaire was asking as around them the fighting came to a near sudden stop. Management had finally taken notice and sent a bouncer to break it up.

“Fine,” Enjolras said, wiping his hair out of his face.

“I’m going to ask you all to leave,” the bouncer was saying.

“Gladly!” Courfeyrac jutted his chin into the air and smoothed down his ruined jacket. “We don’t want to be somewhere we’re not welcome and they made it pretty obvious we’re not welcome.”

Courfeyrac began marching towards the exit and the rest of them quickly followed. Leaving the jerks behind with the bar’s manager and bouncer and bill. Rather than try and squeeze in the elevator or risk getting caught while waiting for it they all made a beeline for the stairs. Bossuet bent to give Joly a piggyback and soon they were all making a break for it.

Soon they were all spilling out onto the sidewalk, laughing and whooping from the high of the fight still singing through their veins. “Now what?” someone asked as they haphazardly made their way in the general direction of the Federal Triangle metro stop.

“We celebrate our victory! To the House!” Courf crowed, still leading the way.

“But we got kicked out!” Joly pointed out, still on Bossuet’s back. “That’s not exactly a victory.”

“But they did too,” Combeferre shrugged. “A stalemate is not a defeat.”

“I don’t know if I’d call it a stalemate,” Grantaire quirked an eyebrow.

Jehan let out a loud whoop. “That’s because until they kicked us out we were WINNING!”

They all cheered at that and Enjolras raised his hands over his head as he clapped.

“Wait!” Eponine said suddenly and everyone stopped, turning to face her. “Where’s Marius?”

Enjolras furrowed his brow, he couldn’t remember seeing Marius during the fight. He looked around frantically, examining each of his friends. They would all need to use the first aide kit later but none of them were Marius.

“Did he ever come back from talking to Cosette?” Musichetta asked.

That’s when it hit Enjolras. “No,” he breathed out, “he didn’t.” They had left poor Marius behind. He probably hadn’t even realized that they were the ones in the fight. Granted, he could infer, but still.

“Someone call him,” Combeferre said firmly but Eponine already had her phone out and put it on speaker. They all crowded together around her.

“Eponine?” came the small voice from the phone. “Where are you guys?”

“Ohmygod, Marius are you ok?” Eponine asked quickly.

“We got kicked out, we’re on the other side of Freedom Plaza,” Enjolras said at the same time.

“Oh thank god, I was worried. I mean, I saw the fight but then it was over and you were gone and now I’m standing here with the manager and she’s really pissed,” Marius said in a rush. Enjolras winced. When he spoke again it was softer, just above a whisper. “I managed to keep her from pressing charges or making you pay damages, but you’re all permanently banned.”

Everyone seemed to let out a sigh of relief and Enjolras distinctly heard Bahorel mutter “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Marius you’re a life saver,” Enjolras said honestly. “Meet us back at the House as soon as you can. We all owe you one.”

A chuckle came from the phone. “Ok, see you in a few.”

They all chorused goodbyes and Eponine hung up.

“Well that was close,” Grantaire drawled.

They all looked around at each other a little shell-shocked as the night’s events began to sink in. Enjolras caught Grantaire’s eye and smirked. “At least we’re not dead.”

#les mis #barricade day #barricade day 2019 #enjolras #courfeyrac #les amis #les amis de l'abc #writing #own writing #my fic #crooked politician au #les miserables #les miz

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365daysofsasuhina · 6 years ago

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[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day One Hundred Eleven: A Law Student ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ AO3 Link ]

“So, have you given it any thought?”

“What?”

“What you want to do after high school.”

“Oh…”

They’re laying in the backyard, almost ear to ear as they share a pair of earbuds. Hinata’s feet point south, Sasuke’s north. Glancing over, she sees his eyes are closed as they listen to some new album he’s been excited about. In all honesty, she knows nothing about it. Rock’s not really her genre. But he asked her to listen, so she is.

“Um...not really. I mean, we still have one more year.” Not that there haven’t been a shortage of teachers pushing applications and scholarships at them, warning them about five-year plans and final presentations before graduation.

“Yeah...me neither.”

“Do you have...any clue?”

“Mm…” Sasuke goes quiet to think. “...I thought about going into music, but I dunno if my aunt would stand for that. My family’s always been cops. She was too, until she lost her leg. Technically she just works administration now. Shisui’s one…” His lips then curl. “...of course, Itachi went and threw a wrench in things, too.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. He’s a law student. Wants to be a defense lawyer.”

Hinata’s eyes go wide. “...oh. Well that’s…”

“Yeah.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s what my cousin is going into, a-as well. But more for, um...civil cases. Not criminal. He’s already been accepted to the university he wanted.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice to have a clue what to do with yourself.”

In spite of herself, Hinata gives a soft laugh. “Yeah…”

“...so what about you?”

“I dunno.”

“Hey, I gave an idea. It’s only fair.”

“I know, I know…” It’s her turn to ponder silently. “...I guess maybe...something to do with plants. Um...horticulture.”

“Yeah, you’ve got a whole slew of them, right?”

“I do! Tending to plants makes me really happy...honestly I’d be content just...having a job in a flower shop, o-or a greenhouse.” Her shoulders shrug along the grass. “I know quite a bit already...maybe I could just go straight into working. But...something tells me my d-dad wouldn’t let me.”

“Screw ‘im. It’s your life, not his.”

“Oh, but it’s his reputation,” she mumbles, clearly having considered this before. “He’d go ballistic if one of his kids refused to go to college…”

“If he was in any way a decent dad, he’d put your dreams in front of his pride.”

“...yeah.”

Sasuke’s head turns to look at her, and then he reaches to turn off the music and sits up. “Well, you go get your plant job, and I’ll pander for money on the sidewalk outside your shop with my guitar.”

Before she can stop it, Hinata laughs outright - not to be mocking, but in genuine amusement. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Between all those pretty flowers and the good music, we’ll get everyone coming in from miles around. You’ll have so much business, you won’t know what to do with it.”

Still prone on the grass, arms loose over her stomach, Hinata smiles up warmly at him. “That would be perfect.”

“It’ll happen. There’ll be an apartment up above the shop we’ll live in with cheap rent. We’ll order takeout all the time, and -”

“No, I’ll be cooking. I love to cook.”

“All right, fine. You can cook sometimes.”

“Most of the time!”

“Shhh, nothing beats good takeout.”

Lips purse in a pout. “You clearly need to have m-more of my cooking. Then you’ll change your mind. Besides, eating ordered food all the time is expensive!”

“I told you, you’ll be making good money. And so will I.”

“You seem a-awfully sure about this little plan of yours.”

“When I set my mind to something, I make it happen.” He lifts a fist, thumb pointing to his brow. “That’s how an Uchiha does it.”

Hinata just sighs, shaking her head with a small smile.

“If anyone else doesn’t like it, too bad. They’re not their lives. They’re ours. We’ll do what we want with ‘em.”

“Mhm…”

At that, Sasuke leans along a side, head propped up on palm atop an elbow. “...I know my dad would want me to be a cop. And he’s probably rolling in his grave about Itachi being a lawyer.”

Giving him a glance, Hinata doesn’t speak, not sure what to say.

“...but I bet your mom would want you to find that flower shop job. She liked them too, didn’t she?”

“...she did.” Moving her eyes from Sasuke, Hinata instead looks up to the cloudless blue sky. “...she had a huge garden in our first yard. Well...that’s p-pretty much all our yard was. It...was pretty limited on space. I think that was another reason we moved. My dad just...couldn’t stand being around it. I think it bothers him that I like plants, too. It...reminds him of her. Just like my appearance being like hers.”

Sasuke scoffs. “His complex about all that has to end. You’re not your mom. And just because he misses her, doesn’t mean he should put all that on you. It was Hanabi who technically killed her, anyway.”

“Sasuke!”

“It’s true! Wasn’t it complications from her birth?”

“I...y-yes, it was...but Hanabi didn’t...she wasn’t…”

He sighs. “...I know. It just bugs the hell out of me the way he treats you, versus how he treats your sister. I mean, my dad was the same way...he preferred Itachi in every way. Parents can’t do that. It’s not right.”

“...I know. But it’s not Hanabi’s fault. She didn’t ask for any of this, e-either.”

“...no. But still. Does she ever speak out about it?”

Hinata takes a turn to sigh softly. “...no. But she doesn’t know any better, and -”

“Oh, bull. She’s old enough to know what’s going on by now. Just you watch: she’ll go to uni like Daddy wants. Gotta be his perfect little girl.”

Hinata gives him a look, conveying he’s going overboard.

Harrumphing, he lays back down. “...you know I’m right.”

“...it doesn’t matter. I can’t control my father, o-or my sister. Just me. My life is mine, yeah...but theirs are theirs, too.”

Sasuke just pouts at the sky.

“...besides, we’ll be too busy with the flower shop to care, right?” Her head turns to look at him, trying to perk him back up. “Or...I will be. You’ll be too busy with your music.”

“...I could lend a hand every once in a while. But you’ll have to teach me. I dunno anything about plants.”

“I’d be happy to.”

Ooooof it's late, long day again OTL More of the modern series with Hinata and Sasuke being childhood friends, separated by his parents' deaths. This time, they're reminiscing about their futures. I think Sasuke's plan sounds just about perfect, doesn't it? Now, however, I need to go crash. Thanks for reading!

#sasuhina #uchiha sasuke #hyūga hinata #best years of your life [ au ]#365daysofsasuhina

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holidaywishes · 6 years ago

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It Had To Be You XX

Chapter Twenty: The First Noël

Summary: Chris calls you and asks if you’ll be spending Christmas in Calgary or Dallas leading you and Tyler to make plans for the holidays.

Author’s Note: So I’m thinking the next chapter will be smut. I think it’s time for it. Thanks everyone for sticking with me, I know these chapters are not as entertaining as the rest because there’s no angst… but I still enjoy writing the series and I hope you enjoy reading it! I was going to write more but the end seemed like such a nice place to build from!

Warning: fluff, Christmas talk?, maybe a tiny bit of angst

Song Credit: The First Noël -- Glee Version (Melissa Benoist)

masterlist

You woke up with your head on Tyler’s chest and Marshall’s head on your lap, waiting for one of you to open your eyes and take him outside. You heard Tyler mumble something to Marshall and slowly get up from the couch beside you. You felt him press a small kiss to your temple before walking away from you.

“Okay, let’s go then,” he said to Marshall, “Gerry, Cash, c’mere!” His voice was loud but quiet enough not to make you jump awake but you opened your eyes finally to see Tyler walking to the back door about to walk outside to the backyard when he heard you yawn.

“Morning babe,” he smiled at you, a look of appreciation on his face, “you look beautiful in the morning you know.”

“Ew no. I probably have makeup all over my face and I’m probably all blotchy,” you chided, walking over to the mirror in his hallway, “yep. See. Knew it. But you’re still sweet.” You laid a quick kiss to his cheek and took his outstretched hand to follow him outside.

“So..” he started, looking out at the backyard, “how did you sleep?” You were sure he was going to ask you something about the holidays but didn’t want to push it

“Good,” you replied, “it wasn’t the most comfortable position but I liked waking up next to you.” You gave him a cheeky smile and he scrunched his nose up at you before pecking your lips

“I liked waking up next to you too, I wanted to a--” The ringing of your phone interrupted his question and you apologized, telling him it was Chris and you should answer, “go ahead..”

“Hey!” you greeted

“Hey, sorry I would’ve texted but I kind of needed an answer right away, you busy?” Chris asked

“No, not really. What’s up?”

“The Christmas Showcase.”

“At the Church?”

“Yeah”

“What about it?”

“Are you going to be singing in it? I’m just signing us up and I need to know if you’ll be here…” You totally forgot about performing in the showcase which is why you left for Dallas so close to Christmas in the first place; you didn’t think you had any commitments.

“Put my name down”

“You’re coming home then?”

“I need to talk to Ty but I’m sure I’ll be home yeah,” you peered over your shoulder to see the dogs tackling Tyler to the ground and you let out a small laugh

“I kind of need to know now or we won’t have a spot,” he urged, “ask him and call me back as soon as he answers.” You rolled your eyes and braced yourself for the conversation you were forced to have.

“Hey babe…” you reluctantly called out to Tyler, “I hate to do this.. but what’s going on for Christmas?”

“What do you mean you ‘hate to do it?’ you love Christmas!” he joked

“I meant ask about it. I know your family is probably coming down here and after what happened with Cass, I’m not sure it would be the most joyful of occasions if I were here…”

“What? That’s crazy” you glared at him

“Don’t call me crazy, Ty…”

“No..” he laughed, “that’s not what I meant. Cass loves you, what happened over the summer was a misunderstanding. She’s fine now. Trust me. You’re welcome to stay for Christmas if you want.” It sounded so cold coming from him and you felt yourself start to get angry.

“I mean.. I don’t want to impose. Chris is asking if I’m going home, so I guess I’ll just say yes…”

“Either way is good with me” he looked over at you and smiled. You knew you shouldn’t get mad at him, it would be stupid. It would be an overreaction. But you just couldn’t help it.

“What the fuck Tyler?!” you yelled and he looked stunned, mouth gaping slightly, “so, I’m just supposed to show up and leave whenever you call for it?”

“Whoa, where the fuck is this coming from?” your face was turning red and you couldn’t tell if it was from anger or embarrassment; where was this coming from (Y/N)?

“I’m welcome to stay if I want?” you chided, “as in you’d rather me leave than stay for a holiday with you?”

“Babe.. that’s not what I meant and that’s definitely not what I said,” he tried, “I know how important Christmas is for you and your family. You talk about how Chris made it so special when you were growing up and I didn’t want to take that away from you…”

“Why didn’t you say that then!” you shouted and he dropped his head

“If I’d known you were going to react like this I would’ve!”

“Do you want me here for Christmas?” you asked sheepishly, “I know it’s fast and maybe we’re not ready for it. But I don’t want you to feel like you can’t invite me because of my family traditions. But I also don’t want you to pander to me…” He tilted his head to the side and walked over to you, rubbing your arms as he tried to calm you down

“Of course I want you here. I’d love to see the house decorated with your crazy Christmas spirit and smell the fresh baked sugar cookies. I’d love to hear you singing Christmas carols while baking those cookies. I’d love to see how you get frustrated wrapping gifts and ask for my help but know that I’d just screw them all up with my clumsy hands. I’d love to wear matching pajamas with you on Christmas morning. I’d love it if you were here on Christmas morning…” he pulled you in for a hug when you smiled and looked down at your feet.

“I’m sorry…” you said after some time, “I didn’t mean to start a fight.”

“Let me call Chris, I’ll tell him you’ll be here for Christmas.” You gave him your phone and he laid a kiss to your cheek, walking away, smiling back at you every once in a while.

“Chris! How’s it going?” Tyler greeted and you laughed at his excitement

“That’s awesome, just thought I’d call to let you know (Y/N) will be spending Christmas here. In Dallas. With me.” You watched him pace around the grass for a few minutes, talking to Chris about who knows what when the dogs came running toward you, capturing your attention.

“I’ll make sure she does, I’ll tell her. Yes, Chris I will. Don’t worry. Merry Christmas.”

“Make sure I do what?”

“He wants to make sure you still sing at a Church this year…” Your eyes went wide and you blushed uncontrollably.

“Absolutely not. Not here. The only reason I did it in Calgary was because we knew the Pastor and it was a family tradition…”

“He says it makes you happy”

“I love singing, I do. And Christmas Carols are ma jam,” you joked, “but not in front of people I don’t know…”

“You’ll know me and my sisters,” he assured you, “heck even Jackie will be there!” The two of you laughed but your face was still unsure but Tyler told you you’d be great so you trusted his words and agreed.

You hadn’t practiced at all. You should have. You knew that. But Chris and Karen flew in the day before the game against Calgary and you got busy trying to spend time with everyone that practicing for a silly little Church performance became the least important thing.

It was only one song anyway…

That was until they told you it would be the closing song. With a “smaller” crowd they said. Well, small turned out to be nearly the entire congregation and you began to panic.

“Babe, calm down,” Tyler rubbed your knee when he noticed your breathing get heavy and whispered to you, “you’re going to be amazing!”

“This is a lot of people Ty…” you bounced your knee, “I don’t have to get up there right? I don’t even go to this church.” Tyler stopped your knee from bouncing and kissed your temple gently, calming you down instantly. A few minutes later, you were walking up onto the stage. Shit this was a big Church. Fuck, you just swore in a Church. Crap, you did it again. Damn it, at least it’s in your head…

“Hi, everyone. My name is (Y/N), I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season. I’ve been asked to close out the night with The First Noël. I’m not going to lie, I’m a little nervous so it’s a good thing I’ve got some extra voices with me,” you gestured to the choir members behind you, “anyway, here we go.” The first note out of your mouth was so quiet, it was almost inaudible but you kept going, getting louder slowly as the choir joined in.

“Noël, Noël, Noël, Noël. Born is the king of Israel…” you found yourself looking back at the choir and smiling, they had such beautiful voices and you couldn’t believe you were able to get up to sing with them.

“They looked up and saw a star, shining in the east beyond them far. And to the earth it gave great light and so it continued both day and night…” You had finally gotten over your nerves, it was a shorter version of the song so that definitely helped. When you sung your final note, and opened your eyes, you saw Jackie and the girls smiling at you with small tears in their eyes and Tyler was beaming. You walked down off the stage, giving a small, awkward, wave to the crowd and jump into Tyler’s arms.

“See!!” he said, wrapping his arm around you and leading you out of the Church, his family in tow, “I knew you’d be amazing.” You thanked him and blushed at all the compliments you got from the girls. The five of you split up, Jackie took the girls in her car and you jumped in Tyler’s jeep to head back to his place; sitting in the passenger seat, waiting for him to turn the key to start the ignition.

“Ty?” He sat there for a second before turning to you and licking his lips

“You should sing in front of crowds more often,” you smiled and he watched your lips, “it’s so sexy seeing you up there…” Your face flushed a light pink colour and you weren’t sure what he was planning to do, this was a public place after all. Before you could say anything, he was leaning over the middle console to bring your lips to his, softly at first and then heavier to the point that you had to pull away just for air.

“We shouldn’t do this here…” you gestured to the Church and the people exiting

“Relax babe, nobody’s going to see…” he pulled your face close to his once more but, no matter how good it felt, you forced yourself to pull away.

“You can wait until we get home…” you said and he inhaled deeply, looking you up and down where you sat.

“We’ll have to be sneaky if we want to do anything at home. What, with the family there…” This time it was you that pulled him closer to you, placing your finger under his chin to direct him to your mouth, both of you sinking into the kiss.

“Be patient, my love. Good things come to those who wait…”

#Tyler Seguin imagine #Tyler Seguin #It Had To Be You #It Had To Be You series #The First Noël #Christmas themed #NHL imagine #fluff #tyler seguin fluff

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misssophiachase · 6 years ago

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In My Blood

He’s hot, he’s mysterious and she can’t get enough, but why does he frequent her blood bank every Halloween? Especially given his vampire status. And why do such impure thoughts cloud her judgement every moment he’s in close proximity?

For klaroween bingo challenge: Vampire at a Blood Bank

On FF HERE

2016

The first time he walked in, it was 9:59pm Halloween night just after Caroline had ushered out the last of the pledges from the premises. She made a mental note to send a letter to the sorority asking them to be a little more creative, especially on Halloween.

At the same time, she was happy to see anyone come into the clinic to donate blood, even if it was just for a dare. It was for a good cause after all. She eyed the stack of chocolate chip cookies hungrily, she’d forgone lunch due to the rush and realised, with the loud grumble of her stomach, it had been way too long between meals.

She regarded the room curiously, besides a few straggling donors it was practically empty this time of night. She took the opportunity to steal a cookie (okay, maybe it was more like three), lie on the nearest chair and close her eyes. But before she could take a bite, a low growl sounded out. She froze.

“Is this how you run things around your establishment?” She opened one eye and given the enticing view it was too tempting not to open the other.

“Excuse me?”

“Well, you do work here,” his tone was far more rhetorical and Caroline knew she resented him because his statement was severely lacking a question mark.

Caroline didn’t respond, just eyed him suspiciously. Only a limited number of close friends knew what she was and that’s how she liked to keep things. But her senses were working over time because she could sense what he was just as much as he probably could her.

Also, the fact a vampire was prowling around her blood bank surely wasn’t going to end well.

“What made you think that?” She scoffed sarcastically, gesturing towards her uniform whilst deflecting his intense gaze and the heat coiling in her belly. She was supposed to hate him not want to jump him. “And you’re interrupting my meal break.”

“Aren’t those for the people who actually donate the blood?” He gestured to the cookie she’d been longingly staring at since he arrived. Almost as much as she’d been devouring his crimson lips and the stray dimple he was flashing her way.

“I’ll have you know that I earned this cookie,” she promised, by way of response.

“Don’t you mean three?” He smirked, his gaze resting on them clutched possessively in her grasp. “And how exactly did you earn them, I’m suddenly intrigued.”

“The universe was preparing me for a very difficult donor, obviously,” she huffed, the fact her temperature had risen had nothing to do with his looks, just how angry he made her. Or that’s what Caroline was telling herself.

“But the customer is always right?”

“Well, besides berating me for eating cookies...” He didn’t flinch gesturing to her stash.

“Fine, cookies, but I have no idea if you’re even a ‘customer’.” She replied using the obligatory air quotes.

“As much as I don’t want to stand between you and some cookies, would you mind deferring your snack for me?” She couldn’t miss the way he licked those sinful lips teasingly after, at least she knew he wasn’t completely devoid of punctuation use.

“As long as you don’t snack on me,” she mumbled, unable to help herself. Knowing his super human hearing skills, it probably wasn’t the best idea but he seemed to bring it out in her. Plus, the more time she spent taking blood the less time he’d be perusing her blood stocks.

He didn’t respond, just smirked knowingly then sat himself on the nearest bed, rolling up his shirt sleeve. She gulped trying to ignore just how good his toned arm looked from this vantage point.

“This vein,” he murmured softly, his hand finding hers and rubbing along his skin teasingly. “Is a good choice, trust me, love.”

“Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?”

“I was just pointing you in the right direction,” he smirked, running her finger along his chosen vein and Caroline knew she was in big trouble and not just from depleting her blood stocks.

2017

“What? No cookies this time?” It was just after 11 pm.

“Apparently they’re only for the donors, some difficult ‘customer’ told me that once,” she drawled. She was trying to pretend she didn’t care but after that first night a year earlier she’d been wanting him to show up on her doorstep.

She told herself it was only curiosity and trying to understand why a vampire would just stroll into her blood bank and donate blood while not taking any for himself.

“Chocolate chip isn’t really my favourite,” he offered. Not bothering with formalities and making himself comfortable on the bed while rolling up his sleeve. “You might need to look at changing things up, love.”

“Do you always have an opinion?”

“Yes,” he replied simply. “I prefer shortbread. The best I had was in Scotland two hundred years ago.” He didn’t even try to deny his extensive existence and for some reason it was refreshing.

“Says the Brit, I should have known. You realise this is only your second visit and you’re trying to take control over cookie selection?” Caroline made her way towards him, her heart beat accelerating with every step.

“What? There’s no suggestion box here? I promise I’ll leave it anonymously.” She was by his side now, her arms moving on their own and suddenly her skin was rubbing up against his and she couldn’t deny the familiar sparks.

“But it’s going to be kinda obvious,” she teased. “I’m not gonna lie, cookies are make or break in my book.”

“You bake? I figured you would just conjure up a recipe.” Caroline felt her breath hitch in her throat. She suspected he knew her supernatural status but to verbalise it aloud was another story.

“I don’t like cheating,” she murmured, suddenly busying herself with his arm.

“That’s okay,” he replied, holding her hand longer than necessary. “I couldn’t agree more, love.”

2018…

She regarded the clock, it was almost midnight. Caroline wasn’t one to get too affected but the fact her annual visitor hadn’t made his donation yet caused the restlessness to settle in her stomach and it wasn’t pleasant.

She cursed him inwardly. If it wasn’t for him she’d be chowing down on cookies right now and not so worried about whether her uniform was sitting perfectly. He was mysterious, that much she knew, but every Halloween she became a different person around him. Dubious in 2016, hopeful in 2017 and now what?

Of course she and him were different, poles apart, but if anything that fact was spurring her on further. But where was he? Midnight was fast approaching.

Her co-workers made their usual excuses to leave and she didn’t complain, but finding herself in semi-darkness waiting for some guy, albeit vampire, to arrive suddenly made her angry. She was Caroline Forbes after all. Witch extraordinaire, no male entanglements necessary.

Before she could get too worked up, she heard the bell jingle above the door, her eyes flying to the silhouette at the entrance. She inhaled sharply, wanting to be angry but this guy made her want to do things then regret them later.

She stood up, cocking her left eyebrow in his direction. The brief dimple he flashed was enough to tell Caroline she was clear to advance.

“I’m sorry I was late…”

She couldn’t even hear his words, if his crimson lips weren’t so delectable she might have managed to read his mouth instead.

“What are you doing here exactly?”

“I needed to see you,” he offered, albeit meekly.

“Professionally,” she confirmed, hoping it wasn’t the case. His blue eyes found hers and Caroline was scared of losing herself and her resolve.

“Well, if you need me to revisit those cookie options..”

“For once, I’d appreciate something more substantial, like your motives. Witches and vampires aren’t usually the best of friends, for obvious reasons.”

He paused, his gaze momentarily returning to the floor. She felt sick, realising that the dream she’d allowed to infiltrate her mind was just that.

“My brother Henrik died centuries ago on October 31st,” he admitted. “It was before we were turned as vampires. It was leukaemia and I have never forgotten the helplessness I felt about trying to save him.”

‘I’m sorry,” she mumbled, not expecting that confession. “So, that’s why you donate blood?”

“Every year on the anniversary of his death,” he murmured. “But I have to admit, you are the most frustrating slash wonderful witch I’ve ever come across. And I’ve been to multiple blood banks.”

“Because I don’t pander to your cookie suggestions?” Caroline was close to losing all composure but given they did banter well she figured it was the best way to proceed.

“Exactly.” It was a real smile, not the smirk and the accompanying bravado he usually offered. “When business is good, I stay right where I am.”

“Well, I think we could maybe consider that shortbread request...”

“It would be most appreciated, love.”

“I’ll keep it under advisement..” Caroline Forbes knew what she wanted but playing hard to get gave her the upper hand and she wasn’t upset about making him work for the privilege.

#klaroween bingo #klaroline #in my blood #klaroline drabbles #misssophiachase

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mathias-meadowshine · 6 years ago

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(Last Sunday)

Mathias Meadowshine had rarely known a slump in his young life. No, most years had been a series of easy pitches, and he'd hit them fast and far.

It was different, now, in the post-Dawnspark era. The whole of Azeroth was dull and gray, cold porridge in a wooden bowl. His appetites had lain dormant, dulled.

He’d only felt like this once before - but this time he hadn’t lost a ship. He’d gained one. Somehow that felt worse, some pyrrhic victory over Aud’s pocketbook that he hadn’t ever wanted.

But Melisande needed him more than Aud ever would. He was her staunch defender...except for all the times he’d failed her, which made the decision a little easier. Parting with the only person he’d ever really loved was an appropriate penance, wasn’t it? Or was there ever a suitable sacrifice for leaving one’s sister for dead?

Last night’s party had been an attempt to find a toehold in his old self. And it had worked, sort of...a few cheerful and drunken semi-strangers, an invitation for omelettes, and an unexpected visit back to Tol Barad had rattled something loose. He hadn’t returned for some time - too much Audemus imprinted on those little cobbled streets and weather-beaten docks.

But he’d come not a moment too soon, it seemed, with Melisande down and out. His brief inquiry with the waitstaff (he reminded himself to use her full name, this time) brought hushed, concerned murmurs and an update on her present troubles. Fever, they'd said. Some sort of infection. Their words had him heading up to the inn portion of the building, taking those familiar, creaky stairs two at a time.

The door to her room was already a crack open, and he poked his head inside. Was it a different room than last time? He wasn’t entirely certain, but it looked larger, more...lived in, maybe, with someone else’s things near the door. A man’s boots, a work shirt draped over the back of a chair...he made a brotherly grunt of disapproval as he knocked on the door frame. Mathias paused, considering. She hated being pitied, pandered to, so perhaps it ought to be business as usual.

“Look at you, Andi. Finally lost your baby fat, huh?” he said, letting out a low whistle.

She sat up suddenly, all frizzy, sweat-soaked hair and rumpled nightgown. “Hey, asshole,” she greeted, sing-songy as she grabbed up a paperback from the nightstand and flung it at his head. It hit his shoulder instead.

Mathias didn’t even wince as it bounced off of him, grinning like a fool. He grabbed the shirt and waved it like a flag. “And what’s thiiiis?”

“Put it down,” she said, the exhaustion making her voice grave and weary. “It’s not yours.”

At that, he obeyed. His smile mellowed, though he buried his look of concern beneath a hand rubbed against a stubbled cheek. “Oh. Here.” He rifled through his pants pocket and offered out a tiny glass vial of sea salt as he strode across the room. “Put this under your pillow.”

“Mathias,” she replied, flatly. “You know that doesn’t work, really, right?”

Mathias grinned. “You can’t prove it doesn’t.” He set the vial on her nightstand, clumsily pushing aside a half-finished cup of tea. The captain produced three gull feathers from his pockets next, two of them a gleaming white and the last gray with beige speckles. They were bound with a pale blue ribbon, a charm of sorts. “Just in case the salt isn’t enough.”

Melisande rolled her eyes gently - but she took the feathers anyway, brushing the silken tips of the feathers against her cheek in tactile wonder. One for good jobs, one for good health, and one for good winds. “Hope you found these good and proper. You know they only count if you *find* them.”

Mathias grinned cryptically. Buying them from a dockside souvenir merchant in Boralus was finding, right? "Sure did."

He hesitated. An impulse stirred in him, to ask how she *really* was. What had brought her so low? He remembered those early years even now - the sick cries, rattling with phlegm and acid. The way she seemed to be in a delicate state more often than not, tiny cheeks pale with strain or too rosy with fever. She reminded him of the all that with her sickly pallor, though the tired stubbornness in her expression was their mother through and through.

She interrupted that unpleasant reverie with a hand on his arm. “I got your letter."

"About Dawnspark.” He sighed.

"I never wanted you to end things with him, Matty. Never would have asked it."

Mathias shook his head. “And you never would have asked me to come home and deal with father, but I should have. And I didn’t. Let this be the start of making things up to you, at least.”

His little sister stared flatly in response. Perhaps that'd been the wrong thing to say. Perhaps there was no mending that jagged scar. He felt a stirring disquiet in his veins. Had it all been for naught? Did she really not understand? Or maybe it was simply that she didn't care.

The Melisande he'd known was endlessly forgiving. She was pliant, tireless, perpetually soft. Eyeing her pallid features, though, he wondered if he'd really know her again.

“Was a stupid thing to say," he mumbled.

She relented at that, giving a shrug awnd a tired smile. Throwing aside her covers, she stood on unsteady legs, the lace hem of her nightgown falling just past her knees.

It was then he saw them, the evidence of his absence. It wasn't that she'd avoided beatings altogether when he was around. More often than not, though, he could talk the old man down. Whenever these marks had been made, he'd been long gone.

Maybe Andi was right. Maybe what he'd done was unforgivable. Mathias wasn't a man to trouble his mind much over moral qualms, not on a personal scale. He preferred to glide on the strong winds of minding your own damn business and avoiding unnecessary entanglements. Those tortured scars, however, were an unexpected tear in his sails.

Mathias cracked his knuckles idly and hurried past her in three long strides to fetch a cloak hanging on a peg. Face turned away from her, he was able to fix it. He had a role play, the same as her. The happy fool - that was his job. “Salt air. That's what you need," he called out, tossing the cloak on the bed.

She didn't protest, and in a half hour they were finding their footing along the rocky beach. Finding their footing with each other would take a little longer, it seemed.

#Melisande #rp vignette #he's kinda dumb but he tries

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stupidnephilimlove · 6 years ago

Text

Office Hours P14

How did we get to p14?! Tagging @kindaresilient @ifthingsgetcrazy @shiningalec & @irisphryneadler . Read on ao3. Or start at the beginning.

Somehow, being home for the holidays is turning out to be worse than Alec anticipated, and he already anticipated the worst. Their mother is on fine form, fussing and criticising from the moment they walk through the door. Alec wonders how he’s supposed to survive a day of this, let alone two weeks.

Ale pushes his potatoes around on his plate and tries to block out the conversation.

“So, Alec,” his mother addresses him, and Alec has to tune back in. “What’s new with you?”

Nothing, Alec thinks. Or nothing that he’s comfortable sharing with his parents.

“Have you decided to grow up and decide on a career yet?” Alec’s father asks.

“Robert,” Maryse chastises.

Robert sets down his knife and fork, and pulls the napkin from the front of his shirt, tossing it on to the table.

“No, Maryse. We pander to him too much.”

Alec grits his teeth together to stop himself from saying anything. Pander to him? Really? Weren’t they the ones that gave him the ultimatum about college? Hadn’t they told him they wouldn’t pay a cent towards it unless he agreed to a course of their choosing? So Alec had chosen not to go. If he couldn’t go on his terms, he wouldn’t go at all. He’d moved out, worked three shitty jobs to afford food and rent, and two years later they’d acquiesced.

But two years later, Alec had decided he was ready for college. He wouldn’t have them pay for it though. He couldn’t have them holding the threat of money over his head, manipulating him into what they wanted him to do. He’d applied for endless grants and scholarships and eventually been successful enough to support himself without their help.

Alec listens to his parents bicker about him as if he isn’t sitting across the table from them. Izzy and Jace look bored with the proceedings. It’s nothing they haven’t heard before. But Max has this sweet, concerned look on his face. They never used to do this in front of Max, but recently he’s being exposed to more and more of their arguments.

Alec sticks out his tongue at Max, and Max smiles.

“I’ve decided on a career, okay,” Alec interrupts.

Five heads instantly turn to him. Faces of intrigue, apprehension, and pride look at him.

“Well, enlighten us,” his father says, voice derisive.

“I’m thinking about working at a publishing house.” Alec hasn’t voiced the idea to anyone other than Magnus, and he feels a bit sick as he says the words, as he puts it out there. But still, he knows this is what he wants to do.

His father, of course, instantly pounces. “Doing what?”

This is where it gets a little tricky for Alec though.

“I’m not sure… yet.”

Robert scoffs at Alec’s words. “So, you don’t have a plan.” His voice holds this tone, the one that Alec’s always associated with his father telling him ‘I told you so’. It’s superior and condescending, and Alec fucking hates it.

Alec says his next words without really thinking about them. For once, he just wants to be able to prove his father wrong. “Actually, I’ve got a meeting with a publisher in the new year.”

His father’s eyes narrow. “Which publisher?”

Must Alec always have to prove everything? Okay, so he might not have actually scheduled a meeting with a publisher, yet, but Magnus had offered.

“They own Epeolatry.”

Alec’s careful not to say ‘she’. His father will no doubt look down his nose at that. His father doesn’t say anything else, probably because he hasn’t heard of the place so he can’t yet criticise it. Alec looks forward to that phone call or email from his father, telling Alec how he doesn’t approve. Then he’ll send Alec a list of publishing houses that he thinks are appropriate for his son to work at. Alec’s not going to work at any of them purely on principle.

This does kind of pose a problem though. Fuck. He’s going to have to actually ask Magnus to set up that meeting with his friend Cat. Alec feels uncomfortable asking for a favour, but he’s managed to talk himself into a corner now, hasn’t he?

“Did you get new curtains, Mum?” Isabelle asks, quickly diverting the conversation, and Alec’s never been so grateful to his sister.

It takes Alec a few days to work up the courage to ask Magnus. He types, scraps, and re-types the email multiple times. Maybe it’s best to start a conversation first. Not just ask outright.

From: [email protected] To: [email protected]

Wednesday 20.12.2017 10:07 AM

I’ve made a solid dent in that reading list. Gotta say, Adept was a strange mix of fiction and non-fiction, absolutely chilling in places.

Alec

From: [email protected] To: [email protected]

Wednesday 20.12.2017 12:13 PM

Think I slept with the light on, wrapped around my cat, Chairman Meow, for at least a week after that one.

Magnus has a cat named Chairman Meow? How is Alec only just discovering this? He tries to focus on why he was really getting in touch with Magnus. Right. The meeting. He feels nervous all over again, but in the end, Alec just decides to go for it. What’s the worst that could happen? Magnus says no. That’s it. But even as he presses send, he feels nauseated.

From: [email protected] To: [email protected]

Wednesday 20.12.2017 12:20 PM

Chairman Meow? Haha! That’s an epic pun.

I wanted to ask if you were serious when you said you could arrange for me to speak to your friend Cat at EPEOLATRY? Don’t feel obliged or anything, I just wondered.

Alec

From: [email protected] To: [email protected]

Wednesday 20.12.2017 12:35 PM

Of course, I was serious Alec. I’m glad you asked. Let me talk to Cat and see when she’s got some free time. Do you have a number I can contact you on? I’m waiting for half five so I can leave and I refuse to look at my work email over the holiday.

Alec almost can’t believe his eyes when he reads Magnus’ reply. He just stops functioning for a minute, all he can focus on is the fact that Magnus wants his mobile number. What if Magnus phones him? Alec thinks he’d die. What would that sultry voice of his sound like in Alec’s ear?

Alec’s hands shake a little as he writes his number in the reply.

Magnus (21.12.17 4:45 PM): Hi Alec. Just wanted to check I had the right number. I know Cat’s out of town most of January, so I think it would be early Feb? That okay with you? Magnus.

Alec (21.12.17 6:13 PM): This isn’t Alec. Is he giving out this number again?

Alec groans the minute he’s pressed send. Why did he write that? Why is he like this? He feels like he’s Thirteen and trying to impress Kieran Mitchum all over again. It hadn’t worked out well then - stuffed in a locker - and he doubts it’ll work out well now. Quickly, he writes a follow-up text.

Alec (21.12.17 6:14 PM): Joking. It’s Alec, of course I gave you the right number. Any time she’s free I will make work. She’s doing me the favour after all. Just wanted to say thanks for offering and organising this for me.

He hopes that makes up for whatever that first text was. Hopefully, Magnus just won’t notice it.

It’s cold when the four of them gather in the tree house in the late hours on Christmas Eve. Max curls into Isabelle’s side, and she wraps a blanket around the two of them.

“Like two bugs snug in a rug,” she tells him, and Max rolls his eyes at her, but Alec catches the way he smiles at her.

Alec leans back against the wood of the wall, pulling his jacket tighter around himself while Jace sets hot cocoa in front of everyone.

“You forgot the marshmallows,” Max complains and pouts.

Alec digs into the bag by his side, pulling out a bag of mini marshmallows. “As if we’d forget the most important part,” Alec says and laughs when Max jumps up from Isabelle’s arms to grab the sweets. He rips the packet open and overflows his cocoa as he tips them into the cup. It’s been a rough couple of days being home, but these moments with Max make it all worthwhile.

“Hey, save some for me,” Izzy teases, and digs her fingers into Max’s side.

Alec’s not sure how many years they’ve done this. He thinks it started as a distraction for Max when their parents had been having a particularly ugly fight one Christmas Eve. The siblings hadn’t wanted Christmas to be spoilt for Max so they’d each taken one gift from below the tree for Max, and come out here to open them.

It’s become something of a tradition for them since then.

“It’s midnight,” Max exclaims as the second hand of his watch ticks past the twelve.

“Oh really?” Alec says.

“Merry Christmas,” Izzy adds.

Then silence falls between them. Max’s eyes dart between the three of them, and Alec can see him getting more and more worried that perhaps there are no gifts this year.

“Here,” Izzy says, the first to crumble. She pulls a small gift from her pocket and hands it to Max.

“Thanks,” Max mumbles as he begins to rip the gift open. It only takes a few seconds for Max to have the binoculars out and pressed against his eyes.

“These are cool,” he tells Izzy, and he stands at the window - a hole cut in the wooden side - to look out. “I can see Dad in the living room.”

Max uses the binoculars to see into every room in the house that he can from the tree, and then he sits back down and looks between Alec and Jace insistently.

Jace is the next to hand Max his gift. It’s wrapped in the same spider-man paper Izzy had used, and Alec can tell that Jace had the same idea as he did. What? Their sister likes to wrap things, why wouldn’t they make use of that?

Max shakes the cube in his hand before tearing the paper away.

“Awesome,” Max exclaims as the slinky comes into view. “I love these.”

Max collects slinkys. He’s got them in all kinds of shapes and size, and Jace makes it his mission to find new ones for him. This one’s on the small side and when lined up it has the poop emoji on the side. Of course, Max loves it.

When Max has finished telling Jace how great it is and settles back down, Alec pulls out his.

“Here,” Alec says.

“No idea what this is,” Max jokes as he turns the thin rectangular gift over in his hands. They all know it’s a book, but he doubts any of them can guess which one.

Max rips the paper in record time and laughs as he reads the title: My brother is a superhero.

“You didn’t mean you, did you?” Max teases.

“Hey, I could be a superhero,” Alec tells him, at which point everyone in the tree house breaks out into laughter.

Max announces they have to read the book there and then, so they settle in to read.

As Alec nears the end of the book, Max falls asleep resting in Alec’s lap. They should put him to bed properly, but Alec wants to enjoy this moment for just a little while longer. Alec strokes his fingers through Max’s hair as Isabelle and Jace bicker over who got the better gift. It’s clearly Alec.

What’s Magnus doing? Alec wonders. Sleeping, probably. It is 1 AM on Christmas morning after all. They all should be sleeping. Max is going to be jumping on their beds at about 5 AM. Yes, sleep... soon. That’s a definite requirement.

When Alec lies in bed later though, he stares up at the ceiling unable to sleep. He’s excited, he realises. More than the normal Christmas excitement. He can’t wait for Magnus to open his gift. Has he done it already? What did he think? Did he like it? Would he ask Alec how he could repay him?

As Alec drifts into sleep, he dreams of Magnus’ lips pressed hotly against his own in thanks. He dreams of Magnus’ mouth stealing his breath; he doesn’t want it back, Magnus can keep it - him - forever.

Alec checks his phone first thing when he wakes up. No texts. It’s okay. It’s early. Magnus probably just hasn’t gotten up yet. There’s time.

He keeps his eye on his phone through the present opening. He gets no joy out of it, can’t even really pay attention to what they got each other. Why hasn’t Magnus text him yet?

He’s distracted for most of the day, and as they sit down at the dinner table, his mother calls him on it.

“Alexander, can you please be present and spend some time with our family. Put that damn phone away.”

Alec mumbles an apology and stuffs the phone into his pocket.

“So… are you seeing someone?” She asks.

“No,” Alec says. Much to his dismay, he’s very, very single.

Isabelle chokes on the mouthful of drink she’s just taken. What? He’s not dating anyone. Why do people keep getting it in their heads that he is?

“Come on now. A mother knows when her son has someone new in their life.”

Really? ‘Cos he’s sure she never knew about Harley Walton, who he dated for six months when he was fifteen. He’s sure she doesn’t know that Harley snuck into Alec’s bedroom one summer night and that they had sex for the first time while his parents were downstairs watching the TV.

“I’m not seeing anyone,” Alec reiterates as he swirls his spoon through his soup. He can’t drum up any enthusiasm for food today. He wants to look at his phone, but he knows his mother will kill him if he gets it out again.

Alec’s father is quiet about the whole business. Alec’s love life isn’t his favourite subject. He likes to pretend that Alec isn’t gay, and it becomes increasingly difficult to do that when they get into a conversation like this. Alec usually likes to annoy his father by making it so that he can’t ignore it, but in this case, he’d really rather not.

“Oh fine,” his mother says. “Just promise to bring her for dinner some time.”

“Him,” Alec corrects.

“Sorry, dear?” she says as if she hasn’t heard him. She’s also in denial, but at least she’s upfront with him about it.

“You know I’m-” Alec starts.

“Anyone need a refill?” his father interrupts, rising from the table. Everyone’s drinks are full, so no… none of them needs a fucking refill. They just can’t have Alec say he’s gay at the dinner table now, can they?

Alec stews as he eats the remainder of his soup. If he were to ever date anyone and it got serious, he sure as hell would never bring them here. He couldn’t subject them to his parents. As always, Alec’s mind goes to Magnus. He tries to imagine Magnus here and has to hold back his grin. His mother wouldn’t have a clue how to behave. She’d be scandalised, but have to play the perfect hostess. His father would scowl and degrade Magnus, which would actually be terrible, but Magnus, no doubt, would have a reply that would put his father in his place. And why is he thinking about bringing Magnus home to meet his parents? In what world would that ever happen?

Alec’s lounging on the couch, mood terrible, when his phone finally pings with a message. He can’t open it quick enough. It’s Magnus. Thank god.

Magnus (25.12.17 7:24 PM): Where did you manage to find the book?! I can’t believe it. Thank you. Thank you so much, Alexander. I think I owe you a great debt.

Alec doesn’t know why he was worried Magnus wouldn’t like it. He clearly wanted the book, and if that text is anything to go by, he’s happy with it. A great debt. Alec has to remind himself not to flirt with Magnus, though he’d dearly like to type that he knows exactly how Magnus could work that off. His fingers move like lightning as they fly over the touchscreen.

Alec (25.12.17 7:25 PM): Pretty sure the gift was to thank you! No debt. I don’t accept. I’m glad you like it though. It was just from this little, used bookstore near where I live. Saw it, and remembered you were looking for it.

Magnus (25.12.17 7:27 PM): Well I guess I should just come to you if I need to find a book in the future then. Maybe we’ll agree to disagree on the debt. How’s your Christmas been?

And just like that, Alec’s Christmas is perfect.

P15 is here

#malec #malec fic #shadowhunters #professor!magnus #student!alec #oh look i wrote a thing #fic: office hours #I KEPT A SELF SET DEADLINE #am I proud of myself #you bet

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