#and when they first met caitlin called him beautiful…

[somewherefornow]

CHATO SANTANA/EL DIABLO + LETTERS TO CAITLIN SNOW/KILLER FROST in SUICIDE SQUAD: BLACK FILES

[angie-words]

Rivals Interview & Photoshoot

CW for mentions of sex, nudity

Highlights from the article (abridged! Full article by Caitlin Moran here):

Jilly Cooper’s raunchy Rivals: ‘You will see a lot of willies’

It’s taken 36 years, but finally Jilly Cooper’s legendary bonkbuster Rivals is on TV. Caitlin Moran — who was such a fan, she changed her name to one of the book’s characters — meets the author and stars on set and asks: how was it for you?

Guess where I am.

Oh my gosh — I am in RUTSHIRE.

If you own one of the multimillion copies sold of Jilly Cooper’s infamous Rutshire Chronicles books, you will a) be as excited as me, and b) know exactly where I am.

Yes, I am standing in front of a beautiful, honey-coloured mansion.

Yes, it is a beautiful summer’s day.

Yes, the herbaceous borders are magnificent.

Yes, there are adorable dogs milling around.

Yes, there are champagne bottles strewn hither and yon.

And yes, everyone is dressed in alternately fabulous, or ridiculous, Eighties outfits, with gigantic hair.

The ladies have electric-blue eyeshadow and golden, heaving bosoms.

The men, meanwhile, have tanned legs, huge Rolexes — and, in many instances, their gigantic hair manifests lower down: in moustaches like that of Tom Selleck.

And yes, of course, there is drama. David Tennant — wearing a lavish, gold, silken man-blouse and sucking on a cigar — is furious. He is savaging a roomful of party people, all looking stricken — and all, incongruously, wearing swimwear.

“How the f*** has this happened?” Tennant screams, as all the tits and legs fidget, gaudy piña coladas abandoned. “Get the f*** out there and sort this out! And why are you all wearing bikinis?”

Tennant storms from the room, apoplectic with rage — and then sees me.

“Oh, hello, darling,” he says, all sweetness and light.

“CUT!” the director calls.

Today, David Tennant isn’t, of course, David Tennant. He’s Tony Baddingham, the infamous, nominative-determinist baddie of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals.

“So, is this fun?” I ask him.

The last time I saw him on set, he was being the Doctor in Doctor Who, in a floor-length coat, trying to save the world from being exploded. Again. In the rain. In Wales. At 1am.

“Oh yes,” Tennant says. “I mean, look at my blouse. It’s like my aunt’s! Actually, I think it might be hers — it closes right to left. Don’t men’s buttons close left to right? Am I wearing,” he asks the room at large, “a woman’s blouse?”

“We need to go again, David,” the director says.

“Back in a tick,” Tennant says, running back on set, sucking on his cigar. Getting ready to be really evil, and Eighties, again.

-----

When it comes to the atmosphere on set, I later talk to David Tennant about this subject.

“Yes — there was a lot of due diligence about only having … joyful people on set. Crew and cast,” Tennant says, carefully.

(Dominic) Treadwell-Collins - executive producer - is more forthright.

“We had a very strict ‘no arseholes’ policy,” he says.

-----

Your mother was a Jilly Cooper fan? And, therefore, presumably … a Rupert Campbell-Black fan?

“My mum, you know … blushed when I told her [I’d got the role],” (Alex) Hassell admits. “A lot of women blushed when I told them.”

I’m interviewing Hassell, 44, and Tennant, 53, together. As a former Doctor, Tennant has, of course, a lot of experience in playing a role women find attractive.

“Once you’ve made [Rupert Campbell-Black] flesh, I think a lot of people are going to find it difficult to interact with you, Alex,” he says, helpfully.

It seems Hassell is aware of this.

“Yes,” he says. “One friend, when I told her, said, ‘Oh, that’s a bean-flicker role!’ I said, ‘Ah, I see.’ ”

“Huh. I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone come up to me and say, ‘I’ve masturbated thinking about you,’ ” Tennant says, thoughtfully.

“David!” Hassell exclaims, hurt. “When we met, that’s the first thing I said.”

-----

“Tony’s from a lower class, while Rupert was born with an entire silver cutlery canteen in his mouth,” Tennant says. “So whatever Tony does, he never has that class advantage. Tony needs to taste the blood of his betters in his mouth to make him feel better. Rupert’s blood.”

“And while Rupert is, in many ways, a shit,” Hassell says, thoughtfully, “he’s not a bad man, like Tony. Tony is jealous of Rupert. He wants his house, his women, his life.”

Accordingly, this suit-based class war plays out as Campbell-Black tries to take over Baddingham’s TV station — and the backstabbing, shenanigans, shagging and skulduggery commence.

-----

The tennis court at Cooper’s house is the setting for one of her most iconic scenes — where Campbell-Black first meets his love interest, Taggie, while he’s playing naked tennis. He is adjudged to have lost a match point because something is over the line. Oh, why am I being so coy? This is Jilly Cooper. It’s his penis. His massive penis is judged to be over the line. A note to diehard fans: this scene is shot exactly as written. You will see a lot of willies.

“We’ve been equal opportunities in our nudity,” Treadwell-Collins says. “There’s a willy for every pair of tits.”

“That was my great disappointment over the TV show,” Cooper sighs. “The tennis court is a terrible mess — no one’s played on it for 20 years — and I thought [Disney] might be darlings and build me a new one.”

She looks around, hopefully.

“Do you think anyone here has some booze?” she asks. “It is the afternoon.”

Cooper has been an invaluable muse to everyone on set while filming. In one scene, she handed over an urgent note that read, “Rupert would never say ‘spouse’ — that’s very lower-middle [class]. He would say ‘wife’.”

She argued for particularly Cooperesque jokes and puns to stay in, and was firm that the whole “First of May” tradition remain.

“Oh, yes,” she says, looking delighted, and then quotes herself. “ ‘First of May, first of May — outdoor f***ing starts today. But if as usual it do rain, we f*** off indoors again.’ ”

This ribald rhyme kicks off a massive shagging montage, involving the entire cast. And all outdoors, of course.

-----

I can’t tell you what fun it is interviewing all the Rivals people. Because of the show, everyone talks about their memories of the Eighties (David Tennant: “No, my Eighties weren’t like a Jilly Cooper book — I was at school in Paisley with my glasses held together with sticky tape, and a very unappealing haircut”), and smoking (Hassell: “Everyone smoked everywhere, didn’t they? Even on planes. They’d draw across that little … health curtain, and everyone smoked behind it”), and how hard it was to leave Cooper’s world when shooting finished (Hassell: “No one was looking at me like I’m the most sexy man on the planet any more. It was tough.”)

-----

In the event, (Aidan) Turner, 41, is an absolute hoot — particularly on the subject of the massive moustache he sports on the show. It is a magnificent specimen of upper-lip pelt. It looks like a vole fell asleep under his nose.

It looks like the one Ned Flanders has on The Simpsons, I tell him.

Turner gives a huge, barking laugh.

“Ned Flanders? I mean, I was thinking more … Irish stag? Super-masculine?”

He starts giggling again.

Turner’s relaxed stance towards his sex god-dom comes with an interestingly meta twist. In Rivals, one of Baddingham’s TV shows is called Four Men Went to Mow — where sexy farmers, sexily stripped to the waist, carry out sexy agricultural duties.

Turner, of course, infamously stripped to the waist a few times in Poldark, for that scything scene or lying in bed or emerging from the sea. In a pleasingly postmodern moment, one scene sees Turner rail against Four Men Went to Mow — raging, almost camply, “TV can’t just be men taking their tops off!”

Rivals is on Disney+ from October 18

[jackiequick]

Meet The Wells - Harry Wells Fic

Tv Show: The Flash

Setting: Season 4

Pairing: Harrison ‘Harry’ Wells x Leanna ‘Lea’ O’Conner

Featuring: One of the best characters on the show, Cisco Ramon!

—-

The morning everything pretty well. Team Flash was doing their usual work at S.T.A.R LABS. Discussing lunch breaks, new metas they possibly discovered, new experiments to create and plans for the weekend. That was until Harry mentioned friends.

Cisco sat up, “No he’s delusional. That’s because the lack of sleep he’s has been having. Uh, Harry friends are in here!”

Caitlin looked at Barry, who stood there confused, guessing that he’s being sarcastic.

“I got friends other than you guys! You will meet them.” Harry respond, siping his morning coffee.

Cisco gave his second girl a look and asked, “Lea help.”

“I-i know nothing about this.” Lea admitted with her hands up in defense.

“Ramon, believes i don’t got any friends. When i clearly do.” Harry yelled and sighed, typing away on his keyboard, “You told me to go make some friends, right?”

Cisco yelled back, “Yeah but last time i checked, you don’t have any friends besides us!”

Leanna who was tinkering with her tools looked up and nodded, “Yup! I did tell you that. Actually I’m curious to meet your friends, but I gotta hand some paperwork over to Joe first.”

She stood up, giving her boyfriend of 3 years now, a quick kiss on the cheek, in which Harry wraps his hand around her waist pulling her in for one more starling kiss. Clearly he was excited for today.

——

Cisco and Harry were in the speed lab being introduced to their scientific ragtag team of friends. But it wasn’t what Cisco suspected Harry’s friends to be. One of them even practically threw Cisco Ramon out of the speed lab for being annoyed and offended. Lea walked in, confused onto why her best friend ran out of there but her confusion came to a pause after what she see saw.

There stood right in front of her brown eyes the doppelgängers of Harrison Wells. Not 1, not 2, but 3 Harrison Wells in the speed lab. And if add Harry, that makes 4! In total stood 4 very different variants of Harrison Wells, going from one with gray hair and a turtleneck to one with war general uniform like he just lost an eyeball for God’s sakes.

She didn’t know to laugh at how insane this is or internally whine about this little endeavor being oddly weird for her. But at the same time she was very much integrated into this new situation. She met versions of Wells beforehand but this was completely different. Before she can even say a word or pull together another set of thoughts, when a voice called out to her. More or less a catcall followed by a cheeky whistle.

“Who is this little beauty queen? She’s finer than a flower on a summer morning!” Yelled out a rusty almost burnt blonde Wells in a red rode and slippers.

Lea didn’t realize they were staring at her that moment, quickly fixing her dark gray shirt with tiny daisies scattered all over and dark jacket she borrowed from her friend, Caitlin Snow, earlier that week. She firstly mouth a small “What the fuck?” to Harry as he jogged over swiftly taking her hand with ease. The man was clearly excited about this.

“Honey, come meet my new friend!” He exclaimed holding a grin, returning back to earlier spot but this time with her next to him, “This is Harrison Wolfgang Wells, H. Lothario Wells and Wells 2.0. Men, this is Leanna O’Conner.”

All 3 of them smiled at the lady. Wolfgang Wells stayed wondering his eyes at the brunette, as if he trying to pin point something in particular.

Lea had to just smile politically for the 3 idiots to go sight seeing on her, if allowed. Without a second later the women dragging Harry out into the hallway for a quick chat.

“Harry, honey, what the hell?!” She whispered yelled.

“What the hell? What do you mean ‘what the hell?’?” He whispered yell back.

“Are you out of your mind? Have you officially lost your marbles?!”

“You asked me to make some friends and that’s exactly what I did!”

“When I told you to make friends, I didn’t mean with yourself!”

“They’re technically NOT me! They’re my double hitting doppelgängers from other earths and one of the biggest baddest brightest mind out there.”

“Again! There’s literally 3 of you in that room, all three of them ready to make goo goo eyes at me and oh yeah, one of you is enough but a friend group of Wells that’s just—”

“Sweetie I can handle this. There is nothing to worry about, they’re just charming and intelligent people with different kinds of backgrounds. It’s gonna go great. I promise.”

“You promise? Cause—”

“Lea it’s fine! I got this.”

————

Once the couple walked back in, Lea announced the plan with Harry, but the second they all heard her voice they looked at her like 3 somewhat trained dogs. Harry had to scuff down a laugh, snorting a smidge.

Sandy hair blonde Wells aka H. Lothario Wells, grinned at her. He found her pretty and said, “Say, gorgeous you got any sisters? Or are you free this Sunday night?”

She blushed chuckling as she shook her head ‘No’ as Harry face them with a glare saying that Lea was HIS girlfriend. So hands off fellas!

Wells 2.0 spoke up, “I had a Lana on my earth…”

“Really? How was I like?” Lea asked, her eyes perked up curious about the answer.

“I wouldn’t know, she died or was it that she left the country? Oh well, i don’t remember! Ladies on my earth aren’t as nice looking as you.”

——————

The four of them kept talking, mainly Harry and his doubles, Lea just stayed sitting back writing on her iPad a few notes on an old equipment and equations. She listened every once in a awhile to their conversation, walking in and out of the lab to other part of the building or heading down to Jitters for some java.

Blowing a kiss to all 3 copies of Wells as she left. All of them stayed with a loopy and cheeky smiles after that. Harry Wells was the lucky one, he actually got a kiss of the cheek.

Returning with a coffee for her boyfriend, after handing one to Caitlin and Cisco she heard it. “Annie..” said the voice. It belongs to Wolfgang Wells, who staying eyeing her for the moment due stepped into the room in the first place. She rarely heard that nickname tossed around but it been said plenty of times beforehand. Only Cisco or Barry will throw that nickname out.

“That’s Leanna, not Annie, can you believe this guy fellas?” Replied Sandy Wells with a chuckling, figuring his doppelgänger was nuts in the head or something.

“No, Annie O’Conner..” Wolfgang Wells said once again with curiosity and confidence in his tone.

“Yeah he’s right.” Lea confirmed his wording, “Did you know a version of me, on your Earth?”

“My wife.”

“We’re married?”

Harry’s eyes darted towards them, mumbling, “You married a verison of her? When?”

“Yeah but I left her. Too much of a handful.” Wolfgang said with a shrug.

Lea gasped, “HANDFUL? I will have you know that I’m not a handful, you guys are. No offense, Harry..”

Wolfgang snickered, “You sound like her too! I left her cause we fell out of love, she was too uptight and I was too busy to care.”

“OUCH!”

“But I think still love her very much. Still, love is love. I think we all got a verison of this lady on our earths, right?”

Sandy Wells chuckled, “Mhmmmm! I do. She’s my 2 A.M bootycall. Speaking of which…”

Just like that, blondie wells was gone saying he got business to take care of. Leanna jaw dropped, meanwhile Harry held back a little smile, grabbing everyone’s attention back to the matter at hand.

All 3 men went back to work. But the looks Wolfgang and 2.0 didn’t go unnoticed, glancing at the half Asian brunette every once in a while. Both men saw something in her, and they liked it. Harry had to snap their towards himself instead and looping a hand on his girlfriend’s waist to signify that once again she’s taken!

The men were talking over one another and bickering more often than not about the topic. Honestly it was kinda hilarious.

Cisco walked in soon enough with a smile, “Soo Council Of Wells, how are we doing? Any progress or we just chitchatting about who’s smarter?” 

Leanna chuckled at the last part, because half of it was true.

Harry on the other hand groaned in annoyance, “It’s not going anywhere! We can’t even agree on what method to use.”

“What? You had an entire day.”

“I know! I know!”

“Is it cause Lana is distracting them?”

This time Lea spoke up, “HEY! Right here you know?! First we’re complimenting me, then you’re treating me like a diamond in the rough and now you’re insulting me?! What is it? Leanna Day and I didn’t get the memo?!”

“Well welcome to my life, girlfriend! Theses guys love to do the same thing to me! Ain’t so easy, isn’t it?” Cisco repiled back, tossing her a glare.

“Ohhh, so this is the way your framing this, huh?”

“I guess so, Annie!”

“Cisco I swear—!”

“Wait?”

“What?” Harry asked.

“Isn’t there a 3rd one? Isn’t there 3 of—”

He pointed out there was only 2 Wells standing there, not the original 3 from the beginning of the day. Harry was about to say something about it but as if on cue, Sandy haired Wells reappeared with a cheeky grin blabbing on about something.

Sandy turned toward the trio with a smile, “Oh sorry! Had to take care of some off camera business—”

“OHH MY GOD!” Cisco shouted holding a hand, covering whatever it was he didn’t want to see.

This Wells had his pants down, showing everything his mother gave him. Harry tried to looked away, his face accidentally saw it. Leanna just blinked, gasping as she turned around burying his face in her boyfriend’s black shirt.

“What?” Asked Sandy Wells softly , confused.

“I can see your Frank and beans.” Said Wolfgang, looking rather uncomfortable.

“Come on, now. Do my best thinkin' commando,” Sandy defends himself with a shrug, “Plus, it ain't like we all haven't seen it before. Especially, you little missy.”

“I haven’t seen it!” Cisco yelled, sounding funny and offended by the fact.

He shoots a wink Leanna’s way and she feel like she can’t help but peek her face towards all the men in the room. She saw so much more than clearly expected today! Like Jesus Christ! She rested her head, still sorta hiding her face in her boyfriends shirt.

She didn’t look confident or heroic in that moment.

Harry placed a comforting hand on her head, holding his lady while smiling at her embraced blushing and embarrassment.

Cisco held back a couple of laughs, “Aww! You’re traumatizing the poor girl! But seriously, dude put that away..please.”

Wolfgang agreed with Cisco for once.

“Ah, you Earth Folks. You are so uptight.” Sandy replied pulling up his pants.

“Ah, alright! Can we get back to the take at hand? We need answers.”

Suddenly all men started throwing out suggestions left and right, speaking over one another not allowing Cisco nor Harry to keep a full sentence in.

Lea’s ears were ringing loudly and she groaned in annoyance, “Okay! That’s enough!”

“Enough? We’re just getting started!” Add 2.0 Wells, in which causing another explosion of words being thrown around.

Clearly Harry was losing it having enough of this shit and yelled, “Guys! Guys! Ga—gentlemen!” Grabbing all their attention he continued, “Clearly this isn’t working. And just for the record, it’s not me, it’s you.”

With a simple push of a button, all three holograms disappeared, leaving the trio to themselves.

“This, was a bad idea.” Harry said walking back, placing his hands on his girlfriend’s shoulders whispering, “You okay?”

“It’s like your junk was burnt into my brain.” Cisco answered instead.

“Your welcome.”

Leanna did not answer or add into the previous statement, just walking out with a hand covering her ears silently. Harry and Cisco shared a tired look, figuring something bothered her..

——

Him and Cisco were talking for a bit, the genius still grumbling about what happened. That he needed to accept the facts and himself, since they are technically his doppelgängers but still. He didn’t truly like it too much.

Until he found her.

Harry found his girlfriend in his lab, scribbling in a notebook wearing her noise canceling headphones, that both him and Cisco carefully crafted her due to her meta human abilities, and playing with her bangs.

He sighed, knowing she was flashed today and practically felt just as insulted as he was. But because Leanna was more of a sensitive soul in the relationship, rather busy lately with Iris’s wedding planning, and helping the team with their issues. Along with the overheating bickering wasn’t probably too pleasant to her ears.

He winced, taking a marker to the whiteboard and tapping it against the clear sided screen. Harry walked over to her, tapping her shoulder and simply asked, “Hey, are you alright?”

“Hm?” She asked, removing her headphone registering what he said and chuckled, “Oh! Yeah honey I’m fine.”

“Isn’t that my line? Lea, honey, what happened? You kinda snapped at them.”

“Yeah well, so did you!…I, uh, umm wasn’t expecting today. Part of me knew something was gonna happen! I felt like I was being pulled left and right. I mean 4 Wells in one room, that’s overwhelmingly surprising and kinda chaotic..no offense.”

“None taken! They are just huge self minded, idiots. Uptight, roughly insulting, snooty and just jerks. I—I didn’t think it would go like that! Hell they flashed you and choose to make eyes at you the whole time. Treated you like you were an prize to be won and be thrown away…no one was paying attention to anything and just talking over one another! Jesus…”

Leanna stayed quiet hearing him rant about how he felt about the situation and the protection his mind created, recognizing things she didn’t notice until now. It made her feel better, knowing that she got the best Wells in the multiverse. All he wanted was to make some more friends and figure out a way to help with his teammates issues.

But instead, he realized that rather became a host and solid choice for a complete conversation than the other guys. He also felt sorta good about himself being one to unlock the door to an O’Conner’s heart unlike his counterpart.

“I uh, don’t take you for granted, you know?” Harry said, with a soft grin.

“I figured as much. You stayed.” She replied with a tired smile.

“Wolfgang had a version of you then lost you, 2.0 Wells was just gah not—the best thing with women and uh, Lothario was something else where uh, you know!”

Lea chuckled and nodded, “Oh I know! I..I know!”

Harry couldn’t help but laugh, “But in all seriousness, Leanna I love you and I’m so sorry you had to deal with that—us, today.”

“I’ve been part of Team Flash for so long, where something like that shouldn’t surprise me but it did. It was chaotic chapter for the books, but I really hope that doesn’t happen again!”

“It better not! I can’t take another moment with those guys. They’re one of the most annoying minds of the multiverse!”

“Harry, honey..”

“What?

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

She stood up from her chair, wrapped her arms around his middle and looked up at the man gently grinning. He looked down at her, placing a hand on the small of her back, smiled softly confused since she left her second line incomplete.

“For being you! You came to this Earth and took it as it is, trying to help it. And those idiots, didn’t have to FaceTime us but they did. Because you would’ve done the same thing.” She added.

“Of course I’ve would’ve, I kinda like you guys. Especially you and Dr. Snow.” Harry admitted.

“Most importantly, you fell for me. All those other versions of Lea and Wells don’t know what they’re missing.”

“Well, technically, this wasn’t planned. I came to another earth for one goal. But we sorta happened.”

“Do you regret it?”

He leaned down, cupping her cheek a bit, “No.”

“Why’s that?” She asked, leaning in.

“Because it proves my multiverse theory. Every version of you or me, ends up being with an such interesting partner.”

“I love that theory.”

“I know you do.”

Harry closed the space between them, tossing in a few solid pecks of Lea’s waiting lips. A couple of sweet nothings and laughs were thrown into the mix, chatting about getting Big Belly Burger later.

When suddenly..

“Oh come on!”

Came Cisco’s voice, standing at the door with his hands on his hips.

“Seriously? Y’all didn’t need my help making her feel better.” Cisco said.

Lea snorted and smiled, as Harry tossed his friend a playful grin, only ever reserved for Cisco Ramon. 

“We’re heading to Big Belly Burger later, you coming?” asked Lea.

“Oh hell yes!” He replied, replacing the frown with a smile, snatched up his friend from Harry into his arms for a hug and yelling, “She was mine first.”

——

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the story ⚡️

Please don’t forget to like, share reblog

Tags: @yetanotherwells @gaminggirlsstuff @gcthvile @mandylove1000 @msrochelleromanofffelton @hanlueluver @topgun-imagines @sherloquestea @superspookyjanelle @rooster-84 @bisexual-watermelons @withakindheartx @blackheart-beauty @blueboirick and etc.

[itwasthisorthemilitary]

April 13, 2024

I knowwwww I haven't been writing 🙃

Ok Thursday night: Sughedys straightened my hair for a good 90 minutes and then knotted it up in a hair net and bandana. I was under strict instructions to not get sweaty between 10 pm Thursday night and noon on Friday. Impossible? Really enjoyed sitting there while she played with my hair. Felt like a little girl.

Yesterday was one of my favorite birthdays Ive ever had and I think it was because I went into it with such low expectations. I received an insane amount of gifts from my family. A new necklace for the party, a pair of pants, a sun hat, a new bag (all which I now have to figure out how to pack). Dena came over bright and early with my favorite coconut water and chocolates 😊 I can't explain what it was like receiving so many cards, handmade bracelets, and little trinkets from trainees who were working with whatever they had. I feel so lucky that my birthday was during PST and I got to celebrate with everyone before shipping out. Caitlin gave me a book and a postcard from New Hampshire and that made me cry. So for the morning I didn't do much of anything (couldn't get sweaty). I bought a pineapple and shared it with some people on my porch. Then. At noon it was time to get beautiful. Elianis helped me do my makeup, sughedys took my hair out of it's holdings, and I changed into my new dress. It was CRAZY putting makeup on, also it was so hot so really only eye makeup and lipstick because I was sweating so much. Yesterday afternoon felt like getting ready for prom with Audrey and Caitlin. We were singing to music, taking pictures at each of our houses, and we think the women were more excited than we were. Once we were all done we walked into the center of town for the despedida. The despedida is just a farewell party for all the volunteers and their families. Not gonna lie, having a party throw on my birthday was kinda amazing. Everyone made it such a big deal and I was looking more fancy than most. The despedida was fun, albeit bittersweet. Caitlin, Audrey, Elianis, Crisyei, and I all did the macarena in front of everyone.

After the despedida we continued the birthday festivities at my house. Liv, Sam, Audrey, Caitlin, and Carlo all came over and we played old playlists from highschool while drinking gree apple vodka out of a water bottle. The running joke is that it was actually my 17th birthday because everything in the training community feels like being in highschool again. We danced and sang and all ate cake afterwards. My mom asked if I wanted to invite more trainees and when I said no she laughed really hard. Then I called Chloe which was a MISTAKE because then I got really sad that she wasn't there too. I was sitting with these 5 people who are so amazing and two months ago I didn't know them and now I couldn't picture my life without them but it still felt like chlo was missing from the equation.

All around, an incredible birthday, I feel so loved and it was fun to dress up even if it was a little ridiculous.

Today: championship baseball game!

Audrey, Caitlin, and I all went into Chorerra with our family to watch my brother, Elian, play at the championship baseball game. Its a new stadium for the major league but for the championship game they got to play there. He was SO excited when he found out we were coming. Olivia and Sam met us there. Elian is OBSESSED with Sam so you could just see him glowing that we all showed up with his whole family. We all got super into the game...for the first 2 hours and then we were wondering why the fuck the coach hadn't put Elian in once. Elian is so good at baseball he's been asked to play on an elite team during the season, and during today's game he was not put on the field once....I asked my family and they were livid. They've had issues with the director in the past and the vibe is he's resentful of Elian and the other player who have been asked to join this elite team. Obviously I don't know the whole story but he's a child and whatever your issue is, don't take it out on him. They brutally lost the game and when we got home elian was crying because he was so embarrassed that all of us came and he didn't play. I'm still so upset about it, not that I didn't see him play, I see him play everyday, but that he was caught in the crossfire's of adults.

After the game Liv, Caitlin, Sam, Audrey and I went out for birthday margs and lemme tell you, Passion fruit margs??? They go down real smooth, especially with some extra shots. So then Audrey and I went grocery shopping...bad idea. Put me in the American grocery store while drunk, yikes. I asked Audrey if I should get the peanut butter m&M's, the sour candy, the Milano dark chocolate cookies, or the extra cheddar goldfish and she said "it was your birthday yesterday....all of them?" So that was all the convincing I needed.

Then tonight was sam's mom's birthday so I went to her party because it's our last like real night here. After some more beer and wine I ended up on top of my usual hill looking at the stars.

Not sure if you've noticed but I use some combination of Audrey, Carlo, Caitlin, Liv, and Sam in every sentence. (I miss Ahmet daily, we facetimed him for my birthday party) I'm going to be gutted and I'm one of the lucky ones, I'm keeping two out of the 5 of them. After Wednesday, guaranteed no seeing them for 3 months. It's been the craziest codependency for the last 10 weeks, followed by isolation for the next 2 years. All five of them made yesterday one of the best birthdays Ive had and I'm just going to know them for the rest of my life.

Fittingly, on my last day in the states I was up until 3 am writing a blog post. Much like I am right now on my (2nd to) last night in Los Mortales. Tomorrow is packing and saying goodbye to everyone. Pictures to follow

[wheredidhiseyebrowsgo]

hello beautiful people! hope you're fine. I wanted to know if you have any fic where stiles and derek love each other but derek (or stiles, but preferably Derek) is just too stubborn to admit it and there is a lot of angst and pining.

thank you!

Hi anon. @kevaaronday found this for you!

Trust me by madsmeetsmisha (23/23 | 43882 | Explicit | Sterek) Derek Hale needed a nanny for his kids. Someone who knew about werewolves, someone who was persistent enough not to throw in the sponge as soon as the kids wouldn't behave, someone trustworthy. Could a young, very talkative man like Stiles Stilinski be what Derek was looking for?

Summerblink by Thomaddicted (7/7 | 33,193 | Not Rated | Sterek) Young Derek Hale first met Little Stiles Stilinski 15 years ago on the beach, at the Hale family resort. For five summers, they were friends. Then one day, they weren't.

Ten years later, The Stilisnkis have returned, and with it, an entire host of unanswered questions and unresolved (If not a bit uncomfortable) feelings that seemed inappropriate then, but are resolvable now. 

Love isn’t Linear by CaitliNation (7/7 | 26,882 | Explicit | Sterek) “If I had a hypothetical boyfriend, uh… would that hypothetical boyfriend be allowed to stay with us hypothetically this Christmas? You know, if you wanted to meet my hypothetical boyfriend hypothetically?”

There’s a long pause from his dad as if he’s trying to process his son’s jargon but is failing wholeheartedly.

“What,” he finally replies flatly. Stiles lets out a groan.

“Don’t make me say it again!”

I found you hidden in plain sight (why’d I take so long?) by Goergeousgreymatter (7/7 | 25,419 | Explicit | Sterek) Stiles is pretty sure he’s hallucinating. He’s got to be. There’s no other plausible explanation, he thinks, as he sits on the sidelines of the lacrosse field and feels the cold, hard bench underneath him, the roar of the crowd at his back like the worst white noise machine in the world.

There’s no other reason why he sees it, the hulking, black figure of a wolf peering at him from the treeline behind the bleachers. Its eyes flare in the glaring glow of the stadium lights, but they’re the wrong color, he thinks: blood-moon red instead of cobalt blue, but the familiarity of it all makes his stomach roll and clench.

The Stilinski Pack by TheRealDanniX (10/10 | 18,449 | Mature | Sterek) The Hales didn't go far after the fire and they took Peter with them. Ten years later they come back to Beacon Hills and find a new pack. The Stilinski pack lead by their human Alpha.

What did you just call me? By Written_prose_things (7/7 | 16,077 | Gen | Sterek) When an unknown hunter walks into Beacon Hills, Derek goes into Over Protective Alpha mode. Everyone gets puts into groups, which they're supposed to stick with at all times.

Stiles gets stuck with Derek. Ya know, The Alpha He Has A Crush On.

Over the next three days, they both realise exactly how much fun their normal life can be as well.

Nine Kinds of Silence by suburbanmotel (1/1 | 8,443 | Mature | Sterek) This was how it usually went — Stiles talking, Derek not talking.

Derek was used to it, the endless spill of words pooling between them, filling the cracks and chasms of silence. He told everyone it drove him crazy, but that was mostly a lie. If you asked him on a good day, he might even say he liked it. It was the quiet that unnerved him, the gaping Stiles’ shaped holes of space where the words were supposed to go, that he didn’t know how to handle.

But If I Know You (I Know What You’ll Do) by notahousebutatomb (1/1 | 7,339 | Teen | Sterek) The two intermingled packs approached the gym doors with caution, Scott and Derek in the lead for safety. In the middle of the basketball court stood a tall, slender woman draped in a long black cloak. Two dark horns protruded from the top of her head, partially obscured by her wild black hair. Her lips curled into a smug grin when she saw their expressions of obvious dismay. 

“You poor, simple fools, thinking you could defeat me, the Mistress of All Evil! Well…” The witch swept her sleeve aside to reveal Stiles. The pale teen was sprawled across the ground, his face partially obscured where it rested against his elbow. His other arm was tucked snugly against his chest, supporting his slumped torso. The witch smirked when she added, “Here’s your precious human.” 

A Promise Like This by whentheywrite (1/1 | 6,037 | Gen | Sterek) “Oh my god,” Stiles said, taking the offered bag Derek had brought that night. The moment he opened it, the best smell in the world came wafting out and Stiles moaned. “Curly fries. Oh my god, Sourwolf, I want to marry you.”

In a split second, Derek’s face had gone from neutrally blank to bright red. Except Stiles was much too busy digging the container of fries out to really notice.

He might have been a little intrigued if he had.

OR

Five times Stiles sort of accidentally proposed and the one time he might have meant it.

Stormy Nights Make The Best Hot Chocolate by FogDog1738 (1/1 | 4,070 | Mature | Sterek) Stiles gets anxiety from a storm during the night and Derek comes to check on him. Things are worse than they both wanted them to be, but eventually turn into a night of mutually coming out.

heart/beats by Galaxy_Collector (1/1 | 2,568 | Gen | Sterek) Character A [Stiles] gets the flu while the rest of the gang are away fighting supernatural enemies. Character B [Derek] comes to check on him. Oh, and he's failed to mention that Character A is his mate. But don't worry, Character C [Melissa McCall] totally (and unintentionally!) rats him out.

[crsjunkyard]

The Waters of March: Part Two

The Sun Also Rises Masterlist

Hehe, oopsies for the wait but it's here!

There is some smutttt, and plenty of tension and feels in this one. Ugh thanks to y'all so much for the love and support for this story, I have so many PLANS for this installment it's ridiculous.

Length: 5.8k

Summary: You and Viktor spend some time with your friends and prepare for the upcoming party. How will you handle having to hide your relationship?

Chapter Two: The Heart of Man

The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has its pearls too

-Vincent Van Gogh

The evening had turned around rather quickly, half filled glasses dotted the table and the hearty aroma of spiced lamb wafted through the air. Your frustrations melted into easy conversation. It was hard to stay angry for long when you were surrounded by the people you loved. Laughter filled your ears as Jayce recounted his first impressions of Viktor.

“He was kind of an ass, there I was watching my life’s work crumble… and he called me egotistical.”

“You signed every page Jayce, as if anyone else would have been able to decipher your notes at all.”

“Okay, put the claws away boys- it’s time for presents!” Cait clapped excitedly.

You glanced around the room in confusion as everybody proffered their own little gifts of different shapes and sizes, all eyes landing to you.

“For me? You guys really didn’t have to do that,” you looked down shyly.

If you were being honest with yourself, you did love getting presents. Oftentimes when out in the market, you would see something that reminded you of one of your friends and buy it- just because you knew it would make them smile. So when you got a gift, it sent a little roll of warmth through your chest knowing someone else was thinking of you.

“Ah- yes, but we did so you are required to accept them,” Viktor shrugged before heading towards the kitchen with an armful of dirty plates.

You accepted a long rectangular box from Caitlin first- it was expertly wrapped and suspiciously light. As you peeled off the shiny paper, she had the most gleeful look of anticipation on her face.

Nestled in a soft bed of tissue paper sat the most expensive-looking piece of lingerie you’d ever seen. Ethereal pink material held together by delicate straps and cascades of sheer fabric. You were quiet for a moment, trailing your fingers through the soft slip reverently.

“It's beautiful,” you smiled at Cait earnestly. “Thank you.”

“You should probably try it on for me- just to make sure it fits,” she winked playfully.

“We both know that is not necessary, I gave you her measurements,” Viktor interjected, sending Cait a look of exasperation.

“Woah, where did you get that,” Jayce asked with poorly concealed interest- leaning over to peer into the box.

“Textiles district, around the corner from that place with the ties you like.”

“Huh, good to know,” Jayce reached under his chair, offering you a thin square package- haphazardly wrapped in brown paper. “This one’s from me, it’s uh- not as fancy as Cait’s.”

“Don’t say that, it’s perfect,” you admonished, smiling at the large amount of tape covering the parcel.

“You haven’t even opened it yet,” he argued.

“Yeah but it’s from you so I love it already,” your words sent a light flush to Jayce’s cheeks.

Peeling your way through the tape, you felt something smooth and solid beneath your fingertips. Sliding it out of the paper, you were met with the sight of your own eyes smiling back at you. Tucked inside a wooden frame sat a detailed drawing of you and Viktor.

He must have sketched it in the lab one day… Viktor stood over your shoulder, casually leaning into his cane- long fingers pointing out something on the pages as you softly smiled up at him. You were in awe, Jayce had captured every detail with aching perfection.

Setting it carefully on the table, you wrapped Jayce up in a tight hug. “It’s perfect, I love it,” you told him softly.

“S’no big deal,” he shrugged bashfully.

You felt Viktor slide into the wooden bench seat next to you, in one hand a lush bouquet of hydrangeas and in the other… what is that?

“I may have forgone the wrapping,” a small smile played on his lips as you accepted the offering from his hand. A smooth leather bound notebook, filled with thick and sturdy pages- much like the ones he and Jayce used for their research. Much to your amusement, you noticed a single bee embossed on the cover.

Viktor saw your focus was on the small detail. “Er- you know it is because…”

“-Because you’re my honey?” you snorted fondly, loving that little pink tinge dusting his ears.

“He is kind of like a sweet little bee isn’t he,” Jayce snickered from across the table, letting out a huff as Cait threw an elbow into his ribs.

The little scuffle brought a smile to your face, you were lucky. You had a family- they were odd and loud, occasionally argumentative… and wholeheartedly yours.

******* *******

“Remember when we used to tell ourselves we were just friends then slept in the same bed together every night?”

You smiled at the memory, watching steam curl across the water’s surface as you felt Viktor’s chest rumble with a soft laugh.

“I recall the days when my worst concerns were accidentally grinding against you in my sleep,” his voice sounded near your ear, spindly legs bracketing your hips- long arms wrapping around to pull you back against his chest.

“Oh that definitely happened,” you said, turning around slightly to send him a grin

“Eh- I cannot be too embarrassed, it led me here after all.”

You tipped your head back, nudging playfully at his jawline with your nose before scraping your teeth against his neck.

Viktor loved the way you touched him, with a constant undercurrent of playfulness. As if you were excitedly remembering all over again how much he welcomed your affection. Sometimes it was sexual, other times you just needed to feel his skin beneath your own- it was always somewhat… primal. Your body spoke with bites and licks- scratches or nuzzles, so uninhibited by convention it was animalistic.

He loved that about you as well, an animal of his own howling in pleasure. Reveling in the notion that every way you understood how to touch you learned because you touched him- and no one else.

Turning you in the circle of his arms, Viktor nudged your legs- urging them to straddle his own. Your palms dropped to his chest, and he reached up to cup your neck- pulling you down into a bruising kiss.

“We’re gonna get water everywhere,” you muttered against his lips.

“It is fine, we have towels-” he didn’t care about the mess, more focused on delivering sharp nips to the soft skin of your chest, meandering his way towards your pebbled nipples. You held your breath- waiting for that delicious sting of teeth. After a beat too long you looked down, only to find Viktor poised over your pink bud, smirking up at you.

“Were you expecting something?” he let out a low chuckle upon seeing your scowl, warm breath tickling at the sensitive skin surrounding your nipple.

“I hope you’re enjoying this- because once we get out of the tub your ass is mine,” you growled.

“Eh- yes I think you’ve made it abundantly clear who my… ass belongs to,” Viktor pressed his lips together tightly, holding back laughter.

“Unbelievable- you know what?” you sent him an unimpressed stare.

“What?” his grin stretched wider by the second.

“You’re a brat,” you punctuated the word with a harsh flick of water aimed at his face.

Viktor blinked at you in surprise, water dripping from the angles of his nose back into the water below. Then his eyes narrowed, there was a split second in which you admired the playful darkness of his smirk before long arms caged your body in an iron grip- sliding the both of you underwater. He released you immediately and the both of you surfaced with a loud slosh, wincing as you heard a torrent of water splash against the ceramic floor.

Letting out a huff you wiped the stray moisture from your eyes- met with the lovely sight of a carefree Viktor.

He’d been letting his hair grow recently, and now the wild curls were plastered to his head- skirting along the juncture of his neck. You heard his laughter ringing through the air, watched him reach up to brush a few damp tangles from your face.

Maybe it was that warm crinkle in the corner of his eyes, or the light reflecting those stray droplets that saturated his thick lashes- but it was like the first time you’d ever seen him all over again, and it took your breath away.

Surging forward you captured his lips in a soft kiss, a gentle push and pull of your tongues as the water settled around you. You nipped at his bottom lip before sucking it into your mouth, receiving a soft whimper in return.

At some point you’d slipped between his legs, probably when you’d gone underwater, and now you used the leverage to pull him up while sliding yourself back. He came willingly, allowing you to arrange him however you’d like until finally Viktor was settled astride your lap.

Your palms smoothed up and down his sides, thumbs rubbing circles in the divot of his hips- fingers reaching around to grab handfuls of his ass. He let out another pitched whimper, grinding forward to rub his hardened cock against the softness of your stomach.

Leaning forward you worked a trail up the valley of his chest, alternating harsh licks with loud, open mouthed kisses. Upon reaching his throat you began leaving soft nips, suckling a deep bruise onto the protrusion of his clavicle before placing a final bite to his adams apple.

The intermittent twitching of Viktor’s hips had turned into a steady grind, and you could hear the frustrated little grunts sounding through his throat- he was getting desperate.

“Hmm, help me decide,” you looked up at the ceiling- pretending to be deep in thought. “I’m not sure which are my favorite… these,” your hands once again reached around to squeeze at the fleshy globes of his ass. “Or these,” you reached up to cup the flatness of his chest- massaging rhythmically.

Viktor couldn’t help the flush that spread across his cheeks, even now you still managed to do things that made him shy. Looking down, his lidded gaze tracked your every move- seeing your puckered pout hover millimeters from his chest.

“I’m sorry, were you expecting something?” you mocked, purposefully letting out a hot puff of air over his rosy bud.

Before Viktor could come up with a suitable retort to your teeth sunk in, hard.

“A- Ah, again- bite me again,” he demanded.

You obliged, alternating back and forth between each nipple- tugging and gnawing until they were red and puffy and Viktor was practically grimacing at the hot stab of pain that blurred into pleasure.

“Oh, sweetie- looks like I ruined your pretty little nipples,” you started leaving soft licks, blowing soothing streams of cool air. Viktor squirmed, breath catching in his throat as the tingling sensation sent jolts of pleasure down his spine.

“I have an idea, you wanna try something?” you asked.

“Yes- anything,” Viktor whined, wet curls strewn messily over his forehead- leaving steady drips down his face. You leaned over the edge, reaching onto the large ledge for the bottle of sugared lemon bath oil you kept there.

“Uh- I’m fairly certain that is not good for your pH?” he quirked a brow.

“Yeah, you know all about my pH after what happened that time with the honey, aah-” Your words cut short as Viktor’s thumb pushed between your lips, knuckle rubbing across the edges of your teeth.

“Perhaps your mouth may be better occupied, no?” he questioned, a rough edge to his gaze. In lieu of attempting an answer, you sucked the digit further into your mouth- hollowing your cheeks and teasing his nailbed with your tongue.

“Ah, always so good to me- my sweet girl,” Viktor praised, feeling your legs rub together- instinctively searching for relief. “Now, I am going to remove my finger, and you will tell me what it is you’d like to try,” he waited expectantly, eventually removing his thumb after your nod of confirmation.

“Let me show you.”

You slunk further down into the soapy water, urging Viktor to sit higher up- strong hands forcing his full weight down so that he was seated on your stomach.

“Get a pump of oil,” you instructed, leaning up on your shoulders. Viktor did as you asked, mesmerized by the way your breasts breached the water’s surface- their smooth swells bobbing under his gaze.

Reaching up, you took each of his hands in your own- rubbing the slickness between them before moving his palms to cup your breasts under the water.

“I want you to get them nice and slippery, then… I want you to fuck them.”

Viktor’s eyes widened, grasp on your chest tightening. He reveled in the soft glide of his fingers, letting out a low groan of appreciation.

“You would have me use you like this?” his fingers pressed your breasts together- hips sliding forward. You nodded, fluttering your lashes coyly as you batted his hands away, using your own hands to create a channel for his pulsing cock.

“Positively obscene,” he grunted, tentatively thrusting a few times before finding a rhythm. “You are mine, yes? No one will ever have you like this,” his tone grew possessive.

“No one but you,” a low thrumm of pleasure pulsed through your body. “Doesn’t matter what anybody says, what they all think- could never let anyone touch me who wasn’t you.”

“Do you know?” he asked with a rough thrust. “When you talk like that- it makes me want to possess you, to mark you as my own for the entire world to see.” Viktor froze for a moment, gaze locked on your own- too much, too far, she’s going to think I am a lunatic…

Then you grinned at him, something feral and dark. A shiver ran down his spine, with that glint in your eyes and the messy tendrils of wet hair- you appeared as some kind of siren sent to drag him to his doom. I would let her pull me to the bottom of the sea.

“Ah- yes,” he hissed, limbs going weak as your mouth opened widely- tongue sticking out so that with each roll of hips his swollen tip rubbed against the wet muscle.

Viktor’s breaths grew labored, each heaving inhale punctuated by slaps of water hitting the floor below. “I- ah, ah, you may want to s- stop…. Ah- I am-” he moaned weakly.

“Want it on my face,” you bared your teeth at him before lunging down to suckle on the head. Viktor let out a wail, hips speeding up pace- rhythm growing erratic and stuttered as his pleasure peaked.

Opening your mouth, you let Viktor rub against the flat of your tongue- hearing a single pitched whimper before his entire body tensed above you. A salty burst of fluid landed in your throat, the rest painting across your face- sticking in your lashes, spreading along your cheeks.

Viktor landed on top of you with a huff, entire body smothering your own as his hot breath fanned over the crook of your neck. Scooting your way into a sitting position, you cradled him in your lap, soothingly stroking the matted hair at his neck.

“Hmm, you liked that?”

Viktor lifted his head to shoot you an incredulous look. “It would seem so,” he snarked.

“Made a big mess of my face,” you pouted, seeing if he would take the bait.

Knowing what you wanted, Viktor leaned forward- tongue peeking out to slowly lap across your face, cleaning his own release from your skin with gentle kitten licks.

“Satisfied?” he questioned, pulling away with a wry smile. Taking your nod as confirmation, he began to slide from your lap.

“Good, get on the ledge and spread your legs for me…”

******* ******* *******

“Okay, we’re gonna go check out the produce stalls- Mr. Gartens told me some good peaches might be coming in today.”

The early spring air still held a moist chill as the four of you rounded the last corner, reaching the recreation docks. You loved the ocean, especially in the morning- before the sun burned away the fog, when things were still shrouded and quiet.

“Then we’ll just meet you guys back here?” you questioned.

“Sounds good,” Cait agreed, setting her tackle box down on a bench before leaning over the railing to gauge the waves.

“Do not forget the rice flour, remember- you ran out last week,” Viktor reminded you, propping his pole against the wood.

“That’s right, I almost forgot-” you leaned up to press a quick kiss to his cheek. “Okay, bye honey we’ll be back in a bit.”

“Yeah, see you later honey,” Jayce teased.

Viktor smiled fondly as the two of you walked away, watching as Jayce wrapped an arm around your shoulders and pointed towards something, causing your frame to shake with laughter.

Some time ago, Viktor had realized he and Cait shared a similar affection for fishing. Perhaps for him it hadn’t started so much as a hobby but a survival tool. It was an interesting revelation nonetheless, and had served to cultivate their friendship past the stages of tentative amicability.

After those first few awkward outings, Viktor had realized Cait was quite easy to spend time with. Perhaps it was because Cait and himself were so used to the chaotic brightness of you and Jayce. The ever present buzz of energy that clung to the two of you like a second skin. It was nice to just… sit- to spend a bit of restorative time with someone who shared a more reserved energy.

“How did you start fishing anyways?” she asked, casting her line out into the depths below.

“As a boy, I built my own rod from garbage I’d collected in the rivers,” Viktor’s expression tightened. “There aren’t many fish to be caught in the undercity, and the ones you find aren’t usually fit for human consumption- of course that didn’t dissuade most.”

Cait ignored her line in lieu of listening closely to his every word, it wasn’t often that her lanky friend freely offered much information about his childhood.

“I began sneaking to this very dock to fish, oftentimes in the middle of the night. Until one day I was caught.”

“Caught for what? It’s a public dock?” her face twisted in confusion.

“Yes, for the citizens of Piltover, not some street rat with a makeshift fishing rod. That was… my first experience with enforcers,” he trailed off tightly, the whirring reel of his line being pulled enough indication that he was finished speaking.

“My parents are still furious,” she started. “They think I’m rebelling, that I’m only doing this to piss them off.”

“Are you?” he asked, tone more curious than judgmental in nature.

“Hah, no- if I wanted to rebel I’d become a street fighter or something.”

“Eh- you would probably do well,” a smirk ghosted his lips.

“You’re not gonna say some unhelpful shit like, at least you have a family who worries about you,” Cait sighed, blowing a stray strand of hair from her face.

“Ah- no I am not,” he looked at the line thoughtfully, fingers toying with the handle. “I think you are strong and capable of deciding for yourself what you want out of life.”

Cait’s cheeks warmed, it wasn’t often that Viktor extended compliments to others- aside from you of course. It wasn’t as if he were cold, he just wasn’t very practiced in verbalizing his affections.

“You’re holding something back,” she accused, picking up on the tenseness of his posture.

“You wish me to be completely honest?” he asked, a tinge of warning in his tone.

“You know I do,” she responded earnestly, abandoning the rod completely in favor of his carefully blank expression.

“I think… it is easy to romanticize the enforcers when you see them in Piltover. Even more so when you grow up in a house such as your own. Polished and smiling, heroically chasing down criminals, helping the elderly carry heavy bags-” Viktor gave a dry smile.

“But when you know them as I do, you cannot see them as anything short of cruel. Tell me, what did you see of the rebellion? Perhaps heroic tales of enforcers dying in tragedy, young hopefuls who never came home- all to to protect their precious homeland from the undercity scum.”

Of course she berated herself, how could she have not connected the dots before. He was a boy living in the undercity during the riots…

It was times like these that put things into perspective. Viktor was not simply her kind enigmatic scientist friend- who doted over you with aching devotion and bickered with Jayce in the lab all day. He was a man born of struggle, he had probably seen more horrors as a child than she’d experienced in lifetime.

“As a boy on the streets, I saw them as monsters, I feared them. Watched as they killed without reason or mercy- to make a statement they said, a warning against rebellion for future generations. Those who could not fight learned to run, or in my case… hide,” he met her eyes with solemn gaze.

“You must understand, what it truly means- when the day comes that you are asked to restore order. The things your fellow officers will do… they will haunt you, and despite what you may be thinking, you will not be able to stop them all.”

“I- I’m sorry, I didn’t…” her face reddened with shame. She had heard a few rumors, assuming they were one-offs, anomalies. It was an entirely different thing to have Viktor, someone she counted as a dear friend, opening up to her about his experiences. The raw pain in his eyes, the old memories fresh on his tongue.

“I do not say this to be hurtful, I only wish to give you my perspective. Regardless, never forget… you do have a family who will support you, even if it is not your parents,” despite the heavy topics at hand, the smile he sent Cait was warm and encouraging.

“Thanks, for everything” she croaked out, throat feeling unusually dry.

“Of course, eh- I think you may have a bite,” he pointed towards the end of her rod, taunt line causing it to dip towards the sea below.

Viktor had meant what he’d said earlier, she was strong and capable- and he had faith that she would figure out what she wanted for herself. All he wanted was for her to find what she was looking for.

******

“Jayce”

“Hmm” he strolled next to you, looking happily at the blue sky- basking in the warm sunshine that heated his face.

Something had been on your mind, a morbid worry that just would wiggle it’s way from your thoughts.

“If I die, you’ll make sure Viktor’s okay right?”

Jayce stumbled, almost falling flat on the cobblestone- dropping the basket of peaches in the process.

“Ah- careful they’ll bruise!” you darted down to start gathering the ones that had begun to roll away. Frantically plucking peaches from the ground, you’d forgotten all about your impromptu conversation about mortality.

Jayce grabbed at your shoulders, pulling you up from the ground- forcing you to face him.

“I’m sorry, what?” he needed an immediate explanation.

“I said they’ll bruise, peaches are very delicate y’know” you mumbled, unable to meet his eyes.

“No, no, no- I don’t care about the peaches… Why did you say that?” his grip tightened, panic bleeding into his tone. “Are you dying? Y- you’re dying aren’t you?” Jayce yelled, hands raking through his hair- looking more frantic by the moment.

“Shh- no, stop causing a scene I am not dying” you hissed, shaking his shoulders.

“Oh- okay,” he let out a relieved sigh. “What’s wrong with you, why would you casually bring that up on our shopping day,” he pinned you with a glare, feeling a little foolish for completely losing his composure so quickly.

“Oh, er- well I was just thinking the other day, that if something ever happened to me… I would want you to make sure Viktor was okay,” your cheeks flushed and you felt like an idiot. What is wrong with me, he’s right- why would I casually bring this up while we’re out buying fruit.

Jayce’s expression fell flat, eyes glinting with disbelief. “You’re joking?”

“I just mean- y’know, make sure he eats and sleeps and stuff…” your voice was fragile, a nervous tightness pulling around your eyes.

“He’s not a housecat, I couldn’t just leave a trail of cookies and wait for him to come out from under the bed. If you- if something happened to you,” Jayce’s eyes grew dark, face taking on a serious tone you seldom saw. “He would never come back from it. Never.”

And what could you say? There was no arguing with that, if something ever happened to Viktor… you’d never recover either.

You reached up, cupping Jayce’s strong jaw in your hand. “It’s a good thing I’ll never die, huh?” Your joke had its desired effect, watching Jayce’s face soften into a faint smile.

“C’mon, let’s go get some paczki and see if they caught any fish,” he took the basket of peaches from your grip- setting a quick pace towards the docks.

******

Viktor was still sulking as you fastened the clip of your earrings, watching him through the mirror as he buttoned his dress shirt.

“Honey, you can’t say ‘I learned that from Jayce’ during sex and expect me not to laugh,” you chided, pressing your lips together to stifle the fresh waves of laughter stirring in your throat.

“I was simply giving credit where it is due, it’s the scientific way,” he grumbled- realizing his buttons were done asymmetrically.

“Here, let me-” you brushed his fingers aside, feeling the soft silk slide through your grip.

You’d seen the dress shirt through a shop window, and the deep burgundy had immediately reminded you of Viktor’s favorite sweater. It was lovely, a smooth button down of buttery silk. The shimmery splash of red against his creamy skin was positively mesmerizing- like watching spilled wine trickle across fresh porcelain.

He didn’t really see the appeal, to him it was a shirt- a nice shirt, but simply a shirt. Although he was certainly not complaining when you immediately dropped to your knees after watching him try it on for the first time.

Viktor sent you a grateful smile as you finished, patting his chest gently. He began tucking the shirt in and you hopped up on the ledge- using the time to appraise his lean form.

He looked delicious

The breezy silk tucked into a snug pair of black slacks, making his legs look even more indecently long- highlighting the narrow angles of his waist. You’d intentionally left the topmost button undone- collar parted just enough to let some of his sharp clavicle peek out from beneath. His freshly oiled hair glinting under the dim lights- that soft smile tugging at his plush lips as he realized you were staring.

You wanted to devour him.

Viktor’s skin prickled under your gaze, that familiar swoop of excitement from low in his stomach. He felt almost like… prey, and it was thrilling. Tonight will certainly be memorable.

Once the two of you had gotten together, it didn’t take long for him to realize how much you had been holding yourself back. You loved touching him- all the time.

He pointed it out once when you’d had your arms wrapped around him from behind, just as a fond observation. You’d asked if it bothered him, worried that you might have been too much, too clingy. Of course, he soothed your concerns easily- telling you how much he loved your affection. He simply wasn’t used to being touched so lovingly and so often

Each time you passed him a hand would reach out to nudge his shoulder, card through his hair, the occasional playful squeeze of his ass. As if it physically pained you to go long without physical contact.

It was exactly what he’d needed.

He never worried you were pulling away, never had doubts that you didn’t want him. How could he when no matter if you’d been away working for an entire day or simply went to take a shower alone, you greeted him with a kiss upon returning.

He felt…proud, because every time he reciprocated your affections you practically beamed. Especially in public, as if you were thrilled to show anyone who could see that he was yours, that he belonged to you. You made him feel as if he were something precious, something to be treasured and loved.

“You wanna know something,” you asked casually.

“What?” he regarded you suspiciously.

You beckoned him forward, taking his hand and turning it in your own- thumbs smoothing across the ridges of his knuckles teasingly.

Starting at your inner knee, you placed his palm flat against your skin before sliding it up slowly. Up past the scrunched hem of your dress, up into the sensitive skin of your inner thigh. Detouring outward to finally rest on the bareness of your plush hip- under your dress.

Leaving the hand there, you pulled back with a wicked grin- waiting patiently for that moment of understanding to cross his expression.

“You- you are not wearing…” Viktor threw his head back with a weak groan, grip tightening into your flesh. “Why? Why must you do this to me?”

“Well, I can’t touch you all night, but at least now every time I look at you… you’ll know-” your knuckles grazed across his parted lips lightly. “That there’s not a single thing separating us but this thin little dress.”

“You are cruel,” he accused, fingers trailing down to dip into the wetness of your core.

“Mmmm, wish we had time for that- you’ll have to wait till we get back,” you grasped his wrist- pulling it up. Leaning forward to suck the taste of yourself from his finger, watching as his gaze sharpened with want.

“How am I to attend the party like this?” he exclaimed, gesturing down to the sizeable bulge in his slacks.

“Hmm, not my problem,” you teased.

“Just as I suspected, cruel,” his fingers reached up to trail across your dipping neckline, lips twisting into a fond smile.

“Ah- there is one other thing, before we go,” he exited the bathroom and you hopped off the counter to follow.

“I had meant to give you this last night, however we became somewhat preoccupied.”

You watched him pull a small box from his nightstand, breath catching in your throat as he strode closer- the sweet licorice of his scent washing over you.

It would be a nice addition to your ensemble, he decided. A simple black dress that- now that he thought about it, the silky material was not dissimilar to that of his own shirt. It cut low on your neckline, delicate bows adorning each shoulder, serving as dainty straps- hem grazing your ankles. The shimmering material clung to your body, curves speaking for themselves under the thin covering.

You opened the box with shaky hands, heart squeezing tightly within your chest as you gazed at the contents.

A gleaming pearl, perfectly round and opalescent- set into a smooth, thin chain. You caressed the surface reverently, thinking it was the most perfect piece of jewelry you’d ever seen.

“Zoloste” you whispered thickly. “It’s perfect.”

Viktor beamed with satisfaction- plucking it from the crushed velvet before moving behind you. Frozen in place, you felt the heat of his back- the brush of his fingers swiping stray hairs from your neck. Undoing the clasp, he reached around your neck to settle the necklace, swiftly hooking it into place. His hot breath began murmuring in your ear, voice pouring out sweet and thick- like dark honey.

“Pearls are… the epitome of natural beauty. There is no need to shape them, to change them. They are given to us just as they should be, created perfect by nature- just as they are.”

Viktor laid a brief kiss to the base of your neck before turning you to face him.

“Lovely,” he murmured, eyes drawn to the lustrous pearl nestled neatly into the hollow of your throat. Leaning forward, he left a soft trail of kisses across one clavicle before moving to the other.

“Although we are meant to remain somewhat, eh- inconspicuous tonight. I wished for you to wear this as a reminder, I am yours… always.”

“I love you, always,” you grazed a gentle thumb against his sharp cheekbone.

“It will be the greatest challenge of my life,” he sighed dramatically.

“What?” you chuckled.

“Keeping my hands to myself,” he said, hands smoothing across your curves- reaching back to gently knead at your ass.

“Can I tie you up tonight?” you asked, eyes glinting with desire

“Tie me up?” he asked, head tilting in confusion. Had he misheard you?

“Yes,” you pressed forward into his chest. “Tonight, when we get home- I want to tie you to our bed, and make you cum again and again- until you’re messy and used and crying for me.”

He felt your lips brush against his, gently rubbing a bit of their red lacquer off onto his own- it was as close to marking him as you were going to get. “Over and over until you can’t take any more,” you felt his hardness twitch against your stomach, a thrill of satisfaction running through your veins.

“So, can I?” you asked again, more firmly this time.

“Yes,” he nodded frantically, feeling less than eloquent as his cock reached new levels of hardness in the confines of his slacks.

“Are you sure?” you asked with an air of indifference. “It doesn’t sound like you’re sure?”

“Yes, please- I want it, all of if,” he begged, pupils blown in desperation.

“Okay, I believe you,” you smiled, tugging his hand in your own. “Let’s go, we wouldn’t want to be late,” your voice sing-songed cheerfully, a sharp contrast from what he expected of your attitude before the party.

Might as well make the most of the night, you thought optimistically. Deciding that even if you couldn’t touch Viktor, you were going to tease him for all you were worth.

******

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[k0ra-kumori]

Killer Frost, Caitlin Snow (DC Super Hero Girls 2019)

#PolarDemons

It was an ordinary day at the Metropolis school, I was getting ready to go to class, and maybe my mind was still a little tormented by what happened to Casey Krinsky, I was thinking about it too much in the last few days, and I don't know why , maybe it was because every time I met her at school I felt a sense of guilt and wanted to apologize to her? No ... I already tried that, and it didn't work.

- Zee! Are you okay? You're already standing there for about 5 minutes! Let's be late, and mr.Chapin promise that if we were late again he would kick us out! (Babs)

- Sorry Babs, I'm coming after you.

I was startled when Barbara called me, but I needed to get out of that trance, maybe the class distracted me a little about Casey.

(Time Skip)

It was time to go, and studying only made my mind worse, I needed a break, Mr. Chapin was unbearable today.

"Where are my friends?" I thought, we usually all leave the class together, I went looking for them and while I was walking down the main hall I saw a crowd, and my friends were there too! I went to them as soon as possible.

- Girls! What are you doing? I looked for you everywhere.

- Hey, duh! We told you in the class that we were going to come here, but it looks like you were too distracted to pay attention to us. (Kara)

- i-I'm sorry is that I ... What are you looking at?

- The new girl, her name is Caitlin Snow, she makes magnificent ice sculptures, it looks like she was transferred

from the old school because her parents moved to metropolis.(Karen)

- I heard she was the most popular girl in the school she came from, it looks like you're going to have competition Zee haha. (Kara)

Kara slaps my arm as part of the joke and I have a very weak laugh, I was happy to have another student at school, and it looks like I wouldn't be the only popular girl here now, you might think it's envy or something, but something about this girl tells me that she’s not welcome here, there’s something wrong with her ...

- Aren't you Zee zatara? I heard a lot about you. (Caitlin)

I didn't notice Caitlin approaching, I was distracted again.

- A-ah hi, yes it is me, very pleased.

I reach out to her for a friendly handshake, but she doesn't fight back ...

- My name is Caitlin Snow, you don't feel threatened by me or anything, do you (Caitlin)

- T-threatened ?! excuse me?

- It's just that I was the most popular girl in my school before I left, and you are the most popular girl here, so ... (Caitlin)

- Oh, of course, I’m very calm about it.

- If that's what you say ... (Caitlin)

Caitlin walks towards the exit of the school door, but in the middle of the way she stops in front of the photographs of all the proms that the Metropolis school has had, and by chance, I was the queen of all these proms, she looks calmly all the pictures one by one, when Caitlin then takes one of my prom queen pictures in her hand and suddenly ... she throws it in the trash.

- I was the most popular girl in my school, and believe me Zee zatara, I don't like to share anything with anyone, especially titles, and in fact, you should feel threatened by me. This school is already mine, bye bye. (Caitlin)

I couldn't believe it, she threatened me?! I didn't feel threatened by her in any way, but now ... I felt very threatened, and it wasn't because of my title.

- You saw that-- GIRLS!

- Ah it was bad zee, we were seeing the ice statue, it moves can you believe it ?! This is very cool! (Kara)

- Were you going to say something, Zee? (Jess)

- No, I don't think so. Let's go home?

(Time skip)

After a long and tiring trip home I had time to relax a little, I was thinking more clearly now.

- Caitlin Snow is not it? Let's see what you do for a living.

I search for Caitlin's name on instagram, and luckily I found her profile, she was in first place in searches.

- but what is so impressive about you ...

I keep looking for something suspicious in Caitlin's profile, I know you think I'm jealous, but believe me, it's not jealous, I'm suspicious of this girl. Well, I look around for a while and I can't find anything, all I found out was that Caitlin makes a video of make-up, ice sculptures, and that her family has their own business, she and her mother give presentations on magical ice sculptures. and skating in a theater ... familiar isn't it? Maybe I would even be jealous of her? After all, she was beautiful, intelligent and had her own business. I was already accepting that I was getting jealous of the girl with white hair, when I decide to click on any video on her Instagram just to end it all, the video was starting, Caitlin talked about makeup, how to make a perfect contour and these things, I watched the video for about 2 minutes, until something caught my attention... I realized that every time the mirror appeared, the image would lock up, looking like those films from the 1950s, you know? I thought it was strange, but I didn't want to watch the rest of the video with the image of a film from my father's time! so I used my magic to make the video stop locking... it was a mistake, because as soon as I cast the spell on the video, I looked in the mirror, and believe me, it was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life, there was something with ... horns in the mirror! This confirmed my suspicions, there was something wrong with that girl and I intended to find out what.

- Zee, it's time to sleep.

- Okay daddy, good night.

I turn off the light and fall asleep, but I still thinking about it for a bit before falling asleep.

(Time skip)

I was already at school, and last night I decided that in addition to discovering what is strange about this girl, I was going to keep everyone away from her, if there was something more sinister behind it, it was better to let everyone away so that no one would get hurt, so I decided to give a magic show at school today, so no one would be around Caitlin.

- Ladies and gentlemen, witness the unique, incredible and fabulous, Zee zatara!

I was waiting for people's cheers, but nobody said anything, maybe everyone was on a different side of the school? Well, I take my bench and my special effects and look for a place with a lot of people at school, and walking through the halls I saw her... it was too late, everyone was surrounding Caitlin and watching her ice skating show, there was always an ice rink here? How come I never noticed ?!

- Sister! You arrived at the right time, we watching the new girl skating on the ice, join us! (Diana)

Diana pulls my arm to take me to Caitlin's show, but I release my arm from Diana's grip.

- Everything is fine? Don't you want to see the show? (Diana)

- I-i want, but ...

I sigh.

- Diana, there is something wrong with this girl, I don't know what it is but, there is something wrong with her.

- Something wrong? What you mean? (Diana)

- Yesterday I was watching a video about her on instagram, and in the reflection of the mirror something with horns appeared, look!

I had taken a screenshot of the video if it was useful, so I showed it to Diana.

- something with horns? where? (Diana)

- Right there in the mirror!

- Zee, has nothing there. (Diana)

- b-but, you don't see it?

- ... Look zee, you must be feeling threatened by Caitlin's presence I know, but remember what I said to Barbara Minerva when she said she was the cheetah? I said "One person’s success doesn’t exclude another person’s success" you don’t have to be jealous of her, Zee.(Diana)

- No, no, no, Diana please believe me I’m not jealous of her, don’t you see the horned creature in the mirror ?!

- Sorry zee, you will need more than a blank mirror to prove that Caitlin is a monster. (Diana)

Diana is gone, she went to see the show like everyone else...

- Diana... the monster... I don't believe it, am I going crazy?

I was questioning my sanity now, she is not here at school for 3 days and is already driving me crazy, is it me who is to blame? Was my magic playing with my mind? I didn't know anything else at this point, if the diana who was born in a home full of magic and monsters didn't believe me, who else would believe it? Maybe Casey Krinsky was messing with my mind right now, I better go wash my face to ease the tension.

(In the bathroom)

- control yourself Zee, you're going crazy, keep calm! My god what is happening to me...

My makeup was totally messy now, maybe redoing it would help me, so as soon as I look in the mirror I see the horned demon's reflection, from the chest down he was just bones, his outside ribs gave him a touch ghastly.

- Do you talk to yourself? (Caitlin)

- C-ca...Caitlin ?!

I look in the mirror again, and the reflection was normal now, it was just Caitlin's reflection.

- Weren't you at your skating show?

- I was, but I had to come here to touch up my makeup, by the way, today is crazy day and nobody told me? Hahahaha (Caitlin)

She snorts out of the bathroom. In just 2 days she dropped my food, made me stumble, and ruined my school work, I was sick of her being mean to me.

- Why you hate me?

- I do not hate you Zatara, you are cool, the only problem I have with you is that you are in this school with me, I remember saying that I do not like to share, and that the title of popular girl was mine, 80% of this title already belongs to me, but if you don’t leave the game I’ll never have the rest. (Caitlin)

- I'm not leaving this school, especially since I know you're hiding something scary from the rest of the people.

- Girl, you're crazy. (Caitlin)

- I'm not crazy, what is it then?!

I show the mirror photo to Caitlin, and she smiles arrogantly.

- it's good to know that you have magic.

- W-what are you talking about?

- Find out for yourself, Zatanna.

Caitlin comes out of the bathroom, leaving me with doubts and alone there.

(Time skip)

It's been 5 days, and Caitlin is officially the most popular girl in school, my friends just talked about her and about the ice skating shows, that didn't help at all, so I decided to stay a few days alone.

- Should we go over there and talk to Zee? I'm already getting worried. (Jess)

- I tried to talk to her a couple of days ago, but she insists that Caitlin is a villain, I think we better let her have some time. (Diana)

I watched my friends from afar, I was missing them so much, but I couldn't go back without discovering the horrible thing that Caitlin was, I couldn't solve this case on an empty stomach, so I went to get a snack in the cafeteria, I got one a little bit of spaghetti and I went towards my table, but suddenly Caitlin puts her foot in front of me and I fall to the floo ... face to face with the spaghetti, the whole school laughed at me.

- I do not believe that! (Kara)

- G-guys, calm down, it could have been an accident. (Karen)

- Accident will be my fist landing on the face of that pale white girl! (Kara)

I get up, I had noodles all over my hair and face, I was already irritated by all that and I wanted to hit Caitlin, but I couldn't, Jess taught me that anger is not always the way. I was annoyed, but I tried to stay calm.

- Caitlin, can I talk to you outside for a minute?

- Of course my dear, I'll be back girls.

(Out of school)

- about what you want to talk?

- "About what you want to talk?" Really?! What was that?!

- It was an accident.

- Accident ... ACCIDENT ?! ARGH.

I got annoyed, Jess would be disappointed in me, but I couldn't take any more teasing, I ended up not even caring if she was going to know that I have magic, so I hit her with a spell of magic, and of course, I regret doing that.

- Oh my god, I'm so sorry Caitlin, I'm really sorry!

Caitlin didn't move, I was worried, and as soon as I was going to call the ambulance she started to move... But it wasn't just that, I don't know if I hit my head too hard on the food tray a few minutes ago or something like that, but, I was watching Caitlin increase in size, that's right, she was growing and her shape and clothes were changing, the sky was getting cloudy and for some reason it started to snow ... it was summer! Why was it snowing?!

- I'm already tired of you Zee zatara ... (Killer Frost)

- C-Caitlin?

I was getting farther and farther away, it was getting really weird, as Caitlin moved her shape seemed bigger, she leaned on some bricks of the destroyed wall in order to get up, and as soon as she stands, I get scared, Caitlin was super tall! She had to bend down to go through the door, she are so big.

- I will kill you, Zee zatara! (Killer Frost)

I had no more doubts, Caitlin had super powers and was ready to transform into one of her ice sculptures, I wasted no time and soon changed too, and as soon as I was going to run away, she took me by the cape.

- You're in so much trouble. (Killer Frost)

- I don't want to fight with you, please let's talk!

- I have nothing to talk to you about! (Killer Frost)

Caitlin threw me so far and so high, that I ended up on the 7th floor wall of a building. My body was hurting a lot, but I had to defeat it, but as soon as I got up, Caitlin landed on my body and tried to hang me.

- By the way, you can call me Killer Frost instead of Caitlin in the next life, Zee Zatara! (Killer Frost)

- I'm not afraid of snow!

I teleport to the opposite side of Killer Frost, I needed to defeat it somehow, so I create a loop to be able to hold it, I throw the loop at Frost, but it freezes it and turns the shards into sharp pieces of ice, then throw them at me, I teleport again and try to hit her with my magic, but she creates an ice shield to protect herself from my attacks.

- Frost, let's talk! I do not want to hurt you!

- BUT I WANT TO HURT YOU! I JUST WANTED ATTENTION, YOU ALREADY HAVE TOO MUCH ATTENTION! (Killer Frost)

The earth begins to tremble, and in the midst of so much snow a giant snake made of ice chases me, I run, but the snake captures me.

- You always had everything you wanted Zatanna, attention, love, friends, and now it's my turn to have it all!

I wanted to say something, but then I start to feel my body getting cold, I look at my legs and see that I'm starting to freeze, would this be the end of me? No ... I couldn't die like that, I needed help, and luckily, I see a shiny golden lasso looping the tail of the giant snake that held me, the snake melted, and behind it revealed five super heroines, Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Supergirl, Green Lantern and Bumblebee.

- Are you okay? (Wonder Woman)

Wonder woman said, she took my hand and saw that I had a low body temperature.

- stay out of this fight, you could end up hurting yourself even more. (Wonder Woman)

[backtothestart02]

Just Best Friends - 8/? | westallen fanfiction

A/N: Sorry for the wait! Hope you enjoy!

This full chap is dedicated to the lovely Nora on twitter. Hope you enjoy this, girl!

...

Chapter 8 -

The next afternoon when the clock hit 12 o’clock, Iris found herself drumming her fingers on her desk, debating what she was going to do during her lunch hour. Mason had gone out. Linda was eating her little home-packed lunch at her desk, but that wasn’t exactly an invitation for her to go over and attempt a chit-chat either. She could go visit her dad at CCPD or she could visit…

Pulling out her phone from her purse, she immediately texted the person most present on her mind. It was a few minutes before he responded back, not by texting back but by strolling through the front door of CCPN and heading straight for her desk.

“Hey, Iris!” he said cheerfully.

“Hey,” she said, unable to keep the smile from spreading across her face.

“So, you wanted to do lunch?” he asked, hopefully.

She bit her bottom lip as she stood up to approach him.

“Actually, I was hoping for something else that hit a little closer to home.”

His brows furrowed. “Oh?”

She grabbed a hold of his arm and pulled him back outside, so they could be a little more private.

“STAR Labs,” she said, as soon as they were out of earshot of passersby.

Barry blinked. “You want me to…give you a tour?”

“No, no, no.” She shook her head, stifling a laugh. “I want to be there when you do your…. you know,” she lowered her voice. “Flash stuff.”

“Oh!” His eyes widened. “I see.”

She frowned. “Unless you don’t…want me there?”

“No, no, no!” he reassured. “It’s not that. Not that at all. I’ve dreamed of the day you’d be on the coms, helping me in the field.”

She got giddy hearing that spill from his mouth.

“’Kay, good.”

“It’s just…unexpected.” He cleared his throat. “But come on.” He held out his hand. “I’ll get you there in a Flash.” He winked.

Taking a deep breath, she forced her butterflies to get them under control. She gave Barry her hand, and within seconds they were inside STAR Labs with Cisco, Caitlin, and Dr. Wells staring at them.

“Hello, Barry…and, and Iris.” Cisco blinked, then turned to glare at Barry. “I didn’t know we were bringing in visitors.”

“Iris isn’t a visitor,” Barry declared. “Not anymore.” He spared a glance at her twinkling eyes. “She’s going to be part of team Flash.”

She practically bounced up onto her toes.

“When I can be,” she clarified. “I do have a job, obviously.”

“As a reporter,” Caitlin stated.

“Right, yes.”

But Barry saw right through Caitlin’s mask.

“She can be trusted, Cait. I wouldn’t bring her in here if she couldn’t.”

“Oh, does that mean Linda can’t be trusted?” Cisco asked, amused.

Iris, for one, was dumbfounded. What did Linda have to do with any of this? She turned to look at Barry.

“What is he talking about, Barry?”

“Nothing! Nothing. He’s talking about nothing.”

Before she could question him further, Dr. Wells wheeled himself towards her and held out his hand to shake hers. Reluctantly, she shook it.

“Hello, Ms. West. I’m happy you’ll be joining us. We were all waiting for the day Barry would finally let you in on his little secret.”

After shaking his hand, Iris looked over at Barry who was avoiding her gaze.

“Yes, so was I.”

“Cisco!” Barry declared, walking over to him. “Any crime activity? Anything that the Flash can help out with?”

“No, not at the-” An alarm suddenly went off. “Then again…”

Caitlin was closer, so she went over to the monitor to see what was the matter.

“Bank robbery on 5th and Oak. Better run, Ba-”

But he was gone before she could finish her sentence. Excitement running through Iris’ veins, she circled around the desk to see what Cisco and Caitlin were looking at.

“Where is he?” she asked.

“Right there,” Caitlin said, pointing to a moving dot on the monitor.

“Oh, my God, this is so exciting.” She bounced again. “Get him, Barry.”

“Working on it, Iris,” Barry said back, and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

Cisco and Caitlin shared an amused look.

“There’s a microphone right there,” Cisco pointed out. “He can hear whatever you’re saying.”

“Oh.”

She felt chills race up her spine. Anything?

A million dirty phrases filtered through her mind, and she had to fight to squash each and every one of them. They were in the presence of others after all, and he was not her boyfriend.

“Got ‘em,” Barry said before she could think of anything else. “I’m just going to wait for the police to show up, and then I’ll be back.”

“A job well done. Nice work, Mr. Allen,” Dr. Wells said into his own pair of coms. Then he wheeled himself out of the room.

It was about 10 minutes before Barry returned, but it sent all their hair and papers flying when he did. He was smiling from ear to ear. His eyes were bright and happy. It was contagious, at least for Iris.

Cisco high-fived him on his way in.

“Nice job, Barry,” Caitlin said, and he smiled at her.

Iris was rounding the desk already, and she jumped into his arms, making him hug her tightly. Cisco and Caitlin shared another look but said nothing.

“That was amazing, Barry.” Slowly he set her down, but she still clung to his arms, and he held her close. “So, so cool. Thank you for bringing me here.”

“Of course.” He could not stop smiling.

Eventually, he took a step back and changed his clothes in a flash. Before Iris knew it, his Flash suit was hanging up on display on the other side of the room, and Barry was back in the clothes he’d worn when they first arrived.

“Now you want to grab lunch?” he asked, hopeful. “I can flash us to Big Belly Burger, so it won’t take so long.”

Iris giggled infectiously.

“Okay. I mean, if you’re not needed here?”

Barry glanced over at Cisco.

“Go ahead,” he said. “Flash is off-duty…for now.”

“Great!” Barry said cheerfully. “Come on, let’s go.”

He held out his arm for her to loop hers through, which she did, and they practically skipped out of the cortex down the hall.

“Bring us back some food!” Cisco called out, and Caitlin leaned towards him.

“It’ll probably be a while.”

Cisco sighed.

“Yeah, yeah, I know…”

…

The next afternoon, just as Iris was shutting down her computer and turning to leave, she came face to face with Barry smiling ear to ear, a beautiful long stem rose between his fingers that displayed a vibrant reddish orange. As soon as her eyes met his, he extended it out to her. Gingerly, she took it and sniffed at its fragrance, feeling happiness rushing through her at the beautiful scent.

“For me?” she asked, tipping her head up after a moment.

He nodded. “For you.”

She stood up, everything inside of her urging her to tip her head up again, but this time so he could kiss her.

Her only problem was the thought likely hadn’t even occurred to him. He was just being a sweet friend. Because she had a boyfriend, and they had just really become friends again.

She pushed the thought aside and gave him a quirky smile instead.

“You know, it took guts for you to give me this.”

His brows furrowed.

“It did?”

“Uh-huh.” She closed the distance between them, and she swore she could hear him catch his breath. “I mean, after how I reacted to the last bunch.”

“Oh.” He chuckled nervously. “Right. Well, we’re good now, so I thought I’d give it another go.” He paused. “We are good, right?”

She rolled her eyes and bit her bottom lip, suppressing the flirtatious giggle that was demanding to get out.

“Oh, yeah, we’re good.”

“Can I walk you home?”

Her heart flipped inside her chest. Then a thought occurred to her.

“Actually…” He frowned. “I mean, yes, of course.” He smiled, relieved.

“But?”

“No buts,” she assured. “I just had an idea that I thought I might pass by you.”

He took a step back so she could work her way around her desk, and they walked toward the exit.

“Shoot,” he said, as they passed through the doors.

“Well…” She looped her arm through his. “I was thinking…movie night.”

Barry’s eyes lit up, his insides unbelievably excited.

“That’s a great idea. Should we have it at Joe’s or-”

“How about my place,” she suggested. “Well, mine and Eddie’s,” she amended.

He frowned.

“Is that a good idea? I mean, with Eddie gone? Won’t he feel…”

She rolled her eyes.

“Eddie’s not coming back till tomorrow, and we’ve talked about entertaining guests in the past, so.”

“Wait, guests? As in plural?” Barry asked, his spirits plummeting.

“Yeah.” She bounced a little as they walked down the block. “I was thinking you could invite Cisco and Caitlin over, even Dr. Wells if he wants to come.”

“Oh, I see.”

He tried his best not to sound disappointed. After all, a whole night alone with just him and Iris was probably not a good idea. It was how she’d ended up cheating in the first place.

He wanted to avoid her giving in to temptation again.

Right?

She seemed to have caught onto his tone anyway though.

“Oh, you didn’t think…”

“No, no, of course not.” He forced a smile. “I’ll text them right away. I’m sure they’ll say yes. They’re always up for a movie. Well, except for Dr. Wells. He doesn’t seem to go anywhere besides STAR Labs and his house.” He frowned. “He seems to like it that way for some reason.”

“Oh, that’s alright. And hey, you and I can have a movie night just us next weekend. How does that sound? At my dad’s place that time, so we’re not overly bothersome to Eddie.”

She giggled profusely, but Barry knew her idea was for the best. Eddie would probably feel like a third wheel again and get mad again. Then again, maybe he should make sure Joe was home for that event, if they ended up going through with it. It would be good to have a third party…just in case.

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

He pulled out his phone and texted Cisco, Caitlin, and Wells the idea. Within a couple minutes he got the expected responses. Yes from Cisco and Caitlin, and a ‘not this time’ from Dr. Wells.

“Wells says thanks but he can’t,” he told Iris.

“As you suspected.” She rolled her eyes. “And the other two?” she asked hopeful. “I reeeally want them to like me.”

Barry frowned and looked at her.

“They like you. Why would you think they don’t like you?”

She shrugged.

“It’s just a feeling I got, like they didn’t want me around or wished I wasn’t there, or something.”

“Nah, they’re just not used to anyone else being around. It’s been just the four of us for so long, and Joe of course. But I wouldn’t worry about it. Cisco will like you as soon as you say the word ‘snacks’ tonight, and Caitlin…well, admittedly she’s a harder nut to crack, but if Cisco likes you, so will she. I really wouldn’t worry about it.”

“Does that mean they said yes?” she asked, spinning on her feet slightly as she walked.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, they said yes.” He chuckled. She was so damn cute when she was excited.

“Awesome! So then, maybe you can flash us there? So we can get ready quicker? I want to be ready in ti-”

Before she could finish her sentence, they were there in front of her apartment door, and she had to fight to catch her breath.

“I will never get used to that.” She laughed.

“Sorry.” He blushed slightly. “Maybe I should have-”

“No, no, don’t apologize.” She pulled her key out of her purse. “I liked it.” She winked.

Barry felt his face get warm but followed her into the apartment. He’d never been there before, so he let his eyes trace the surroundings. The living room was a good size, and so was the kitchen. He decided not to think about the bedroom, given what likely went on there when Iris and Eddie were in the mood, but the place was nice. He could see why Iris said yes to living there when Eddie asked.

“It’s nice, your place.”

“Hmm?” She looked up at him after setting her purse down. “Oh, thanks. The décor left must to be desired when I first moved in, so all those homey touches are all me.”

Barry smiled when he looked at her.

“That’s very you.”

She laughed and tucked a curl behind her ear.

“I’m gonna go get changed, then we can get stuff arranged, find some snacks, pick the movie. Sound good?”

“Oh, yeah, of course. Take your time.”

“Great.”

She turned then, looking back over her shoulder a few times to smile at him before opening the half-closed door to her bedroom and stepping inside. Barry could hear her digging through her drawers, searching for a comfortable yet cute outfit for when the others arrived. He heard the clothes land on the bed and whoosh of her shrugging out of her sweater. Then there was silence, and he knew she was really undressing. As in, taking her dress off, maybe switching into a more comfortable bra…

He shook himself out of the images that conjured up and walked across the room. He had to get her out of his head. No matter how much he wanted her to break up with Eddie and be with him, right now it just wasn’t on her agenda. He had to accept that and not…fantasize about her every waking second.

But, without her there before him, he struggled to find something to do. He tossed a pillow from one side of the couch to another and adjusted a folded blanket on one of the chairs before proceeding to pop his mouth and lick his lips. He just barely held back from starting to hum.

Breaking through his thoughts was Iris’ labored breathing that he couldn’t help but hear. Then came some huffing, a groan of frustration and an actual foot stomp. It concerned and amused him almost simultaneously.

He leaned his body in the direction of the door even though it was only open a crack and offered his help.

“Everything okay in there?”

The complaining noises ceased.

“Uh, yeah, I just…the zipper is stuck.”

A million scenarios suddenly poured out into his consciousness. He had to fight to breathe at the image of her half-dressed, her hair draped over her shoulder as she looked up at him with those deep brown eyes of hers and asked him to undress her.

Help unzip her rather.

He tried to squash the image, but he couldn’t. Despite himself he caved to the desire, convincing himself he was just being a good friend by even offering.

“Need any help?”

The silence that followed made him regret everything, but he walked toward the door anyway, pausing briefly to smooth down his shirt, and gingerly opened the door. She turned her head over her shoulder, just as he’d imagined she would, and he swallowed at the sight of her. He forced himself to squash every compliment in the book that was suddenly at the forefront of his mind.

After all, she was struggling.

“I mean, if you wouldn’t mind?” she asked pathetically.

He breathed a sigh of relief and approached her easily.

“No, of course not.”

Licking his lips, he came to a stop and moved her long locks over her left shoulder. He saw her visibly shiver as his fingertips brushed her bare skin and stilled.

“Is this weird?” she asked, just as he was about to ask her the logical question – if she was cold.

He shook himself free of the spell she always put him under when they were this close.

“Why would it be weird?” he asked, focusing intently on the state of the jeopardized zipper. “We’re just best friends,” he continued. “You’re with Eddie. I know that.”

“No, I know, but uh…you’re still in love with me, right?”

His breath was stolen from his again. Suddenly his fingers wouldn’t move.

How did she keep doing this to him?

“Right,” he forced himself to say. “But I don’t see how tha-”

“And I’m intensely attracted to you now, remember?”

He felt his pants starts to tighten. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

“Right.”

She took a tiny step forward, and his hands fell to his sides.

“You probably shouldn’t be touching me. Or…at least not skin to skin.”

She turned to face him, and the view from the front was even more devastating to the state of his heart. And pants.

“Got it.” A thought occurred to him. “But uh…how will you get your dress off then?”

That particular problem clearly hadn’t dawned on her. She sighed, and her shoulders slumped.

“I guess I’ll just wear it forever.”

A sudden grin turned into a chuckle, and Barry approached her again.

“I have an idea.”

“What?” Her nose scrunched up.

“I’ll use my super speed,” he said, warming to the idea immediately. “It’ll be really fast! Are those the clothes you want to wear?”

He gestured to what was spread out on the bed, and she turned to look before looking back at him.

“Well, yeah, bu-”

“It’s okay. It’ll be great! I did it with Caitlin once. She didn’t feel a thing. I didn’t see a thing. It was great!”

He was so excited now, Iris couldn’t help but feel some of his energy pour onto her. She also couldn’t deny the little green monster that was cropping up inside her.

“You did it with Caitlin?” she asked, hoping none of that green would spill out of her.

Barry didn’t seem to notice.

“Yeah,” he said. “She got drunk, so I took her home. She needed help undressing, and-” He stopped suddenly, flushing a bright red. “Wow, this sounds way more inappropriate than it was.”

But Iris wasn’t listening. Barry and Caitlin were already making out in her head, their clothes falling to the wayside, and she couldn’t stand it. Barry’s worried tone was the only thing that freed her from the horrifying vision.

Her eyes widened, and she stepped forward.

“No, it’s okay. I get it. You were just being a good friend. It’s fine. Go ahead.” She nodded.

“Yeah?” he asked, hopeful.

“Yeah. I’m ready.”

He took a breath, and gestured for her to turn back around, which she did with a smile. Then using his super speed, he successfully, freed and realigned the zipper, after which he undressed her and redressed her into the clothes she had laid out.

“There you go! All done.”

Iris peeked beneath her shirt and looked over at him.

“You changed my bra. I didn’t lay out a new one.”

He froze.

“I didn’t see anything, I swear!” He held his hands open in surrender.

Is he hyperventilating? She wondered.

“I just…I thought you might want something a little more comfortable for movie night.” He laughed nervously.

She smiled suddenly and placed her hand on his arm.

“It’s okay, Barry.”

“Yeah?”

She giggled.

“Yeah. Come on, let’s get everything set up.”

She tipped her head toward the doorway, and he followed her into the living room, breathing a sigh of relief after closing the bedroom door behind them.

…

As predicted, minus some brief awkwardness when Cisco and Caitlin arrived together, as soon as Iris displayed an array of snacks to Cisco on the countertop, Cisco dove in full force and gathered as much as he could put on the plates Iris had set out. His behavior made Caitlin actually laugh, and she smiled at Iris as she moved to grab her own plate.

“Thanks for inviting us, Iris. This was a great idea.”

She met Barry’s eyes at the compliment. He sent her a wink, which sent chills spreading through her body again.

“Thanks, Caitlin. I thought it would be fun.”

“Although, you know…” Barry started, a teasing lilt to his voice. “It was actually me that invited you both.”

Cisco rolled his eyes and plopped down in one of the comfy chairs.

“I’m sorry,” Caitlin said sarcastically. “Thank you, Barry.”

She took the other chair and popped some popcorn into her mouth, while Barry grinned.

“You’re forgiven,” he said, and took a seat on the couch.

“So, what are we watching?” Cisco asked, pointing out the blank screen.

“Well…” Iris approached it. “I thought… - and I hope you don’t mind Caitlin, but uh… I grabbed Star Wars?” She held up A New Hope to show them all.

Cisco’s jaw dropped. He immediately looked at Barry.

“Did you put her up to this?”

Barry held up his hands in defense.

“I had nothing to do with it. I’m as surprised as you are.”

Caitlin laughed.

“What made you choose that one, Iris?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “It’s technically the original.”

“It is the original,” Cisco deadpanned.

“It’s true.” Barry grabbed his snack plate.

Iris laughed.

“Barry’s always making references I don’t understand. I thought it’d be cool to see where it all comes from.”

“You know, Cisco is always making references too,” Caitlin pointed out. “I’ve always shot down his attempts to get me to watch though.”

“Yes. Yes, you have.” Cisco narrowed his eyes.

“Oh, I hope you don’t mi-” Iris started, worried.

“No, no, don’t even worry about it. It was inevitable.” Caitlin chuckled. “Go ahead. I’m ready.”

Iris smiled, relieved.

“Great.”

She turned on the TV, pushed in the DVD, and pressed play, immediately plopping on the couch next to Barry, snuggling close and laying her head on his chest as the movie began. Caitlin took notice at first and looked over at Cisco, but he was already absorbed into the movie, so she abandoned her observations to watch the movie too.

As the movie continued, Barry unconsciously wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She started to eat off his plate about half an hour into the movie, and his jaw dropped when he reached for something himself and found all his snacks had been consumed and she’d been chewing the last one. His chest rumbled due to his quiet chuckle, and she looked up at him.

She mouthed ‘what’, and he shrugged slightly then glanced down at his empty plate before looking back up at her. She appeared to be embarrassed, so to hide that, she swung her legs down and snatched the plate out of his hand to go refill it in the kitchen with more snacks. He checked her out the whole way there, watching her hips sway of their own volition and the perfect round cheeks of her ass in those snug sweatpants. He shifted in his seat slightly when she turned around and headed back over to him.

“There,” she whispered, handing him the plate. “Happy?”

“Always,” he whispered back before pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She was the first to grab some finger food from his plate. He just made sure to get a few in before he started watching the movie again.

With just half an hour left of the movie to go, Iris had shifted to practically on top of Barry with how tense she’d gotten as the action started to really pick up in the back half of the movie. Barry seemed completely unaware, his grip on her only tightening when he thought she might actually fall off of him. There was no chance of that though, not with her pressing herself so much into him and ducking her head into his sweater when she thought she couldn’t take what might happen next.

In the midst of it all, neither of them, and not Cisco or Caitlin either, heard the key in the lock turn again or a certain someone walk through the door before he spoke himself into existence and had Iris turning her head.

“Iris.”

“Eddie.”

Horror zipped through her until she talked herself down with the pep talk that what she was doing was completely innocent and fine. She untangled her hand from Barry’s and walked over to Eddie, placing a quick peck on his surprised lips.

“You’re home early.”

“An earlier flight came in, so I thought I’d take it.”

“Oh.” She licked her lips before turning on the charm. “Well, that’s great.” She rubbed her hand down his arm. “I’m so glad your home.”

He looked at her strangely.

“We’re having a movie night. I hope you don��t mind?” She bit her lip.

“No,” he said instantly. “No, of course not. You…you have fun.”

“You should join us!” she encouraged, but his immediate sigh told her that was not on the menu.

“Uh…I’m actually kind of tired. I was thinking a shower and then bed, if you don’t mind.”

She frowned but accepted it.

“Okay, yeah. You must be exhausted. I’m sure jet lag is setting in.”

“Right.”

He pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“You’ll come in later, yeah?”

“Of course.”

His smile was forced, even she could sense it.

“Enjoy your movie then.” He shifted his gaze to their guests. “Good seeing you all.” He waved before heading towards the bedroom with his suitcase in hand.

“You too!” they all sang out in a chorus before looking back at the TV screen.

Iris frowned, wondering if she should do something, but Barry calling out to her shifted her focus entirely.

“You okay?” he asked when she didn’t immediately move.

She shook off her girlfriend duties before climbing back onto the couch beside him.

“Yeah, totally. Let’s see how this thing ends.”

She smiled and looped her arm through his, tucking her legs under her again and focusing entirely on the movie and her guests until they all left.

…

With Eddie presumably asleep, Barry had flashed all the snacks away after Caitlin and Cisco left, thanking Iris for her hospitality on their way out. Caitlin admitted to still not understanding all the references to which Cisco just encouraged them to have another movie night to watch the next one. It made the girls laugh and Barry shrug helplessly when Cisco looked to him for support.

Barry lingered a little while, even after he had everything put away. It took him a while to say goodbye to Iris, mostly because he wasn’t sure how things would proceed with them now that Eddie was back. He didn’t say it, but Iris caught on with how he kept coming up with reasons to stay. She didn’t know how to reassure him that everything would be okay though, so eventually she just pointed out the time and how she should probably go and he took note of it, hugging her close before eventually leaving.

The apartment was silent once more. One by one, Iris turned off the lights, sighing to herself as she finally approached the bedroom. To her surprise, when she opened it, the light on Eddie’s side of the bed was on and he was propped up against his pillow, looking at his phone.

“You’re awake,” she said, coming to a stop.

He set his phone on the bedside table and looked up at her.

“I thought I’d wait up for you.”

She crossed the room to pull her pajamas out of a drawer.

“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have taken so long,” she said by way of apology.

Eddie shook it off with ease.

“Don’t worry about it. You were having fun with your friends, and I said I was going to bed.”

“Maybe next time you’ll join us,” she suggested as she changed clothes, facing away from him.

“Maybe,” he said, watching her and trying not to wonder too hard why she was seeking privacy.

Once dressed, she walked over to the bed and pulled back the blanket on her side. She tucked herself in, but before she could think to lay down and get herself comfortable, Eddie broached the subject she’d hoped he’d forgotten about. At least for tonight.

“So, have you thought about us?”

She opted for confusion.

“What do you mean?”

He turned toward her.

“Well, I was gone for a week, Iris. And I didn’t call you or text at all during that time.”

“I know that.” She frowned. “I figured you wanted space.”

“I did,” he said, and her chest tightened. “But I also wanted to give you the time and space you needed to sort things out.”

She nodded, accepting that.

“So…” he continued. “Did you sort things out?”

“I made up with Barry,” she said.

“Obviously.”

“Obviously.” She forced a laugh.

“And your dad?” He tilted his head.

She sighed. “Not yet. One step at a time though, right?”

“Right.” He pursed his lips. “And us?”

“What about us?” She hedged cautiously.

“Are we good?” he asked. “Or do you think we should start going to therapy? Or break up?”

Her breath was stolen from her.

This was the moment.

She could end it all right here. She could tell him she’d cheated, that she’d realized she was in love with Barry, that she wanted to be with Barry. She could tell him she was so, so sorry, and that she’d understand completely if he never wanted to talk to or see her again.

Because she did want to be with Barry. And tonight she’d gotten confirmation that he was still in love with her. He’d probably take her in a heartbeat if she went to his door tonight.

Maybe. Maybe. If he wasn’t too wounded by how she’d rejected him time and time again. She deserved to be rejected by him if he felt like it, to have to fight for him the way he’d repeatedly fought for her, to be alone, with nobody for a while, because of how she’d crushed his fragile, beautiful heart.

She gulped.

“Iris?”

She fixed her eyes on Eddie’s and knew she wasn’t going to do it. Not tonight at any rate. She couldn’t face what was bound to be a blow up if she told Eddie everything. She couldn’t take the uncertainty of whether or not Barry would take her should she confess how she was feeling to him. She couldn’t break yet another heart with Eddie looking at her now, so vulnerable and so hopeful for what she had to say. She did still care about him, and she loved him. Even if from the way she’d felt when he walked in the door told her loud and clear that she was no longer in love with him.

So, she softened her features and cupped his face, taking the easy way out. For now.

“I think we’re okay, Eddie.”

He sighed in relief and wrapped his fingers around hers.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She smiled. “I think you were right about it being about Barry. Once we made things right, everything seemed to fall into place.” Literally. “I don’t think we need therapy either. I think moving forward we’ll be okay.”

“I’m so glad to hear you say that. I was so worried.” He laughed a little nervously.

“No need to be.” She hesitated before saying, “I love you.”

A small smile spread across her lips, and she leaned forward, kissing just the corner of his lips before turning away and getting settled on her side of the bed. He frowned, somewhat surprised by her actions and the direction in which she was choosing to sleep.

“Good night, Eddie. I’m glad you’re home.”

He told himself it was nothing. That he was overthinking things.

He turned off his light and adjusted his pillow. He debated curling his body around hers, but something about that didn’t feel right suddenly. He turned the other way and got himself comfortable, as the thought that something wasn’t right continued to gnaw at him.

“Good night, Iris,” he lifted his head up to say. “I love you.”

She didn’t say anything in return, and he heard a gentle snore coming from her side of the bed a few seconds later.

He laid his head back down onto his pillow and pushed the nagging thought away.

It’s probably nothing.

But it nagged at him still.

[adsosfraser]

The Stone’s Toll - Chapter Nine

Read on AO3

Jamie woke that morning, to his wife tangled around him. The singular thing driving him was between his legs. He kissed her neck and tugged at her skin with a sharp sting. Claire stirred and smiled up at him. Gathering her bottom lip between his teeth, his hands meandered down her shoulders, to the slope of her breasts, to her abdomen, and finally lifted the plump piece of flesh that he loved so much. 

 “Is this real? Are you real?” 

 “Would I do this if I was only a dream Sassenach?” He pinched the backside of her arse and grinned. She yelped in response and swatted his fingers away from the now stinging flesh. 

“You’re real.” She smiled and placed her palms on either side of his jaw. 

 “I’ll prove just how real enough I am lass.” He smirked and moved his hands away from her backside, further down to cup between her legs. 

 “Jamie. Stop.” Claire panted out. 

 “Have I hurt ye, Claire?” He immediately pulled away, hovering over her and softly brushing her sides. 

 “No, but there are some things I need to tell you… before we’re intimate.” 

 “Is this about Frank?”

 “What? No! Why on earth would you be thinking about him?” 

 “Well did ye?-” 

 “Once. But I didn’t encourage it.” Her lips tightened into a line. “This isn’t what I wanted to talk about Jamie.” 

 Before he could eek out a livid response, Claire jumped out of the bed towards the corner of the room. Pulling out a small silver box inside her leather bag, she plucked out a dome-shaped cup. She had two more tucked away in the small metal tin. Her hands then grabbed purchase of a small vial within her medicine bag. The objects flew onto the bed and she plopped down next to Jamie. 

 “This,” she pointed to the vial, “is a concoction of fennel and posies.”

 Jamie had grabbed the odd rubber cup and rolled it between his fingers. Claire swatted it out of his hands a little annoyed at her husband’s dirty fingernails; she would have to clean it again. 

 “And this,” she waved the small cup in front of his eyes, “is a diaphragm. Some call it a ‘womb veil’. These are all forms of birth control.” 

 “Birth… control?” He rolled out the syllables in his last word. 

 “Yes, preventative measures to avoid pregnancy.” 

 “Christ, ye would kill a bairn!” He immediately regretted his words as his wife recoiled and her eyes betrayed the hurt inside of her. 

 “No, because there would be none in the first place. It stops the sperm- seed from ever even getting into a woman to create the baby in the first place.” 

 “But surely God-” He spoke more softly. 

 “Would want me to use it.” Tears pricked at her eyes. “Jamie I’m not… I’m not ready.” Jamie shifted to hold his wife closer as the atmosphere changed from playful to sombre. “I couldn’t go through that again to not have my baby in my arms. I truly think it would kill me, it almost did.” 

 His heart softened at her admission and he knew he would do whatever would make her safe and happy, even if it meant a life of celibacy. But he hoped to God it would never come to that.

 “I dinna want ye to bear another child. I wouldna risk your loss Sassenach.” Jamie carefully pulled a curl away from her eye. “Not for a dozen bairns. We’ve Fergus and our nephew and nieces- weans enough. And our two beautiful lasses are wi’ God. So,” he paused to blink away the moisture in his eyes and swallow down the tightness of his throat, “if this wee diaphragm,” he rolled the word around his tongue, ”and posy is what’ll help ye I’ll gladly pick it fer you every day if that’s your wish.” 

 He picked up the diaphragm from her hands again, inspecting it more closely. “How does this wee thing work?” 

 “Well, I place it inside me so it covers my cervix, it should rest comfortably against my pubic bone.” 

 “Ye put that… inside ye?” He was completely disturbed by the thought. 

 “It’s not like there hasn’t been anything in there before, and I’d dare say it was even larger than that ‘wee thing’.” She grabbed a healthy hold of him to emphasise her point. 

 “Aye, that it is.” He looked down with pride and she rolled her eyes at him, but couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips. 

 “I’ll have to take the herbs one more week, to be safe. Can you wait for me?” 

 “I’d wait forever if it came to it, fer ye Sassenach, always.” 

 “Well, and we can always do other things.” She flipped Jamie to his back and her head travelled down his body to the curls nestled atop his pubic bone. “So long as you don’t, ‘spill your seed’ inside of me. Well inside my-” 

 He expressed his agreement with a loud grunt. 

 Six days later, Jamie was practically jumping in his skin with anticipation. He had gone back to the cave, much to Claire’s dismay. Instructing her to stay at Lallybroch, he wasn’t surprised when her head of curls popped into the shadows of the fire in his small sanctuary. He was very attentive, eager to make sure she kept up her steady intake of fennel and posy. They spent most of the days cuddling together and ignoring anyone else but themselves when he wasn’t out hunting for food. Most of the food was sent off to Lallybroch through Fergus. She didn’t want to admit it, but they were both avoiding their family’s disorderly presence and unanswerable questions. Fergus stopped by frequently and Claire was glad of the company while Jamie was off. Claire spoke to both Jamie and Fergus about her many childhood adventures; those stories were safe from the fresh pang of loss she had endured. But Jamie finally put his foot down on the final night when Claire got a crick in her neck and returned her back, but her wee hands gripped him hard into their bed. There would be no returning to the cave. 

 Claire wrapped a shawl around her and tiptoed to the window. The sunrise was almost over, bringing with it an unusually bright and cloudless day. She peeked down across the courtyard, and her blood turned cold. Jamie was pulling up his breeks over his sark. Without hesitation, Claire shoved Jamie into the small wooden closet of the Laird’s room and quickly pulled the laces of her skirt and bodice. Not a moment later, the door banged open to the sight of a pock-marked redcoat. His eyes scanned the room and landed on the closet. 

 “Where is he?” 

 Claire played dumb, not willing to speak to reveal that her accent would be the same as his. That would raise even more questions that she couldn’t possibly answer. The only thing she could think of at that moment was to play into the delicacy of her gender and faint into his arms. With an overdramatic flare of the back of her hand to her forehead, she slumped onto the floor. 

 Her prone position reminded her of another stiff surface. A cold metal sheet, uncaring hands, and a pressure in circles on her temples. Panic squeezed her throat and veins.

 “Captain! This woman needs assistance up here!” 

 But it was Jenny who appeared at the door, not the Captain. 

 She gathered Claire onto her lap as best as she could being so far along in her pregnancy. “Oh no! My puir cousin! Ye see she had a great fall one day. The tragedy took her speech and now she has spells such as these all the time. I’m heart sorry ye had to see that Corporal…?” Claire relaxed into the familiar arms, so different from the ones that had restrained her.

 “Lieutenant Wilson.” He puffed out his chest.

 “Weel, Lieutenant, as ye can see my cousin Mistress Malcolm has taken up residence in this room recently. Bless her soul, the accident that stole her speech took her husband as well.” 

 The redcoat placed his tricorn over his heart and bowed his head. “Terribly sorry madame. Thank you for your cooperation.” 

 “O’ course, now away wi’ ye, we must prepare yer meal.” 

 Jenny was panting and gripped Claire’s hand when the soldier whipped out of sight. Liquid seeped down her skirts and to the stone floor below. “Jenny-” 

 “We must tend to the redcoats first.” 

 “No. Jenny. You’re only eight months along. We need to see to you immediately.”  

 “The Lieutenant-” 

 “Can go hang. Ian and Mrs. Crook will see to them.” 

 Jamie slipped out undetected down to the root cellar.

 Jenny cursed, screamed and paced around her room. The midwife was impossible, refusing to sanitise properly before touching Jenny and Claire finally kicked her out. No woman like that would be touching her sister nor her future niece or nephew. Jenny slumped into the bed with Claire’s help when her labouring was over. Caitlin Maisri Murray was impossibly tiny when she met the world. No screams wrenched through her tiny lungs and Claire was immediately pressing the child to her thigh. Her forefinger and middle finger pushed into her chest and she breathed into the limp body. Finally, her chest heaved two minutes later, and her loud banshee shrieks filled the room. Her niece was a fighter. With her help, she would weather her first days, which would soon turn into thousands. 

 She had taken up massaging the baby girl to soothe her traumatised muscles from the hard birth. Claire cradled her niece’s turned head carefully in her hand and propped her stomach on her legs. Her hands began to deftly massage the exhausted baby’s back, legs, and arms, and once she was finished she gave a small peck to her wee nose. She still had a lot of growing to do to recover, but Claire was certain she would become a scraggly and loose-toothed toddler and a beautiful teenager before growing into the mature young woman she could envision her as now. Opening her bright eyes, moisture gathered at the corner of her aunt’s eyes in reaction to the brilliant colour. They were so like Jamie’s, and she knew not all babies kept their original colour, but she hoped. Would her daughters’ eyes have looked like this?

  The men had all dispersed for drinks in the Great Room downstairs and Claire brought Ian over to the side to share the great news. She signalled with her hands to keep up the pretence of her muteness but whispered quietly with nearly closed lips as well to Ian. The Captain, Claire presumed, sauntered over to her and held out a paper. Laird MacKenzie sprawled across the material in an adolescent scrawl. 

 “A letter for your Mistress. We thank you for your hospitality and wish her congratulations.” Claire nodded and tucked the paper into the pocket beneath her skirts. 

 It was dark, the middle of night, and Jamie snuck back in when the redcoats mounted their horses. He fell asleep immediately tucked into his wife. She grabbed the small grey tin from within her leather bag and pulled out the diaphragm. She adjusted it inside her until it laid comfortably and sighed. It had been days since her return, filled with distress and sickness, panic and dismay, and the events of the past few months had come crashing down upon her once again. She needed her husband. Crawling over him, he woke from his slumber. He grinned up at her and slowly came back to reality. 

 “Thanks to yer quick-thinking Sassenach, not only was my life saved but my wee niece and all in Lallybroch.” 

 “You saved my life James Fraser, on more accounts than one. I thought it might be fair for me to return the favour.” Claire smirked and rolled their bodies so she straddled him. “And not only that, I want to protect you forever Jamie. To see you safe until we’re old and grey, with an army of grand nephews and nieces, and the grandchildren Fergus will bless us with, to surround us. You can’t get rid of me ever again.” She softly kissed his forehead, along his cheeks, the tip of his nose, and slowly brushed her lips against his eager ones.

 “Och, Sassenach. Stuck with ye for life? I can think of worse.” He stared back at his wife with mischief in his eyes and adjusted his body so they were both on their sides.

 Claire rolled her eyes as she lightly slapped his arm. She leaned even closer to him, which seemed impossible with their skin flushed up together already. Her thumb trailed a line across his bottom lip and she replaced it with her own mouth. 

 “Make love to your wife.” She whispered, obstructed by his lips but he heard her like his life depended on the very cadence of her voice. Claire let go of his lips to kiss the spot behind his ear that made him squirm. “Make love to me Jamie.” 

 Their lovemaking was frantic, both seemingly clawed to possess every inch of skin.

 When they laid dazed on their backs, recovering from their post-coital bliss, Jamie lightly pressed his fingers onto the fading burns on her stomach and traced up to the two identical circles on her temples. Her hand found the healing scar on his thigh and she stroked over the raised skin. She looked at the large gash across her husband's thigh, still red with the newness of the injury. 

 “How?” 

 “Culloden.” He gritted out. “How?” 

 Her hands guided his towards her stomach. “The stones.” Now, her temples. “Boston.” 

 She didn’t want to discuss it any further, just as he was reluctant to share the details of that dreary morning on the moor. She neglected the scar on her breast and he didn’t push any further for her to speak on it. Would he feel ashamed of her truth? Of course, he wouldn’t, but she did. It was difficult for her to think back on. Speaking on it would make it true, so she kept those memories locked tight in her brain. Maybe, with more time she could heal, and she would share everything with him completely like they once had been. 

 “Boston?” 

 “Danvers State Hospital to be specific. Or as some call it- will call it the State Lunatic Hospital at Danvers. Frank put me there when I-“ 

 “Frank did this to you?” Jamie’s teeth clenched in anger and Claire could feel the heat radiating from his skin onto hers. “If he were here, I’d fight him fer ye Sassenach. I should ha’ never sent ye to him.” 

 “You couldn’t possibly have known. You were doing what you thought best, with the information we had at the time.” 

 “What is it, that left these scars on your puir heid?” 

 “They’ll fade. Soon there won’t even be a scar, I’m sure.”

 “I dinna care about how they look on ye Sassenach, I care that ye went through pain to have them, I would ha’ gladly taken it myself.” His eyes were glossy as he implored her. “Now tell me.” 

 “In the asylum, they had these new treatments, electric shock therapy. They place these two rubber circles wrapped in like socks or something attached to a headband on your temples, and send volts of electricity through your brain. Like harnessing lightning right to your head.” His grip tightened, appalled at his wife’s description. “My mind was hazy for days, I couldn’t do much but stare listlessly at walls. I saw Fergus then, on the first night following the treatment, though I’m not sure he saw me.” 

 “He yelled out fer ye, almost at the same time every week.” 

 “Oh.” It felt better to know those nights he was truly there. “I was in there for little over a month, so I only had to endure it two times- wait no three, I think. I was a lot luckier than others, who were prisoners there for years on end. I shiver to think what that would have been like, a prisoner to your own mind and unable to say no to your jailer, or even saying no but them being apathetic towards your plight.” 

 “Fer all ye speak o’ the future, it doesna seem much better than now.” 

 “It’s true, some people use their innovations for evil then, that’s why the war I was in started. Evil exists in any time, in any place.” 

 “Weel I’m glad yer here in my arms, away from those mad bastards, and I know I can be there to fight anyone who wishes ye ill.” Her thigh began rubbing between his. 

 “I am too Jamie. So much.” 

 Laird and Lady clung tight to each other in their bed, in their home knowing they would have to leave tomorrow.

[flightlessangelwings]

The Interlude: A Marcus Pike Love Story, Chapter 3

Marcus Pike x fem!Reader

Word count: 2.9k

Warnings: none, fluff, pining, angst

Masterlist in bio, story also tagged

(gif credit @damerondjarin​)

~

Over the next few weeks, not a day went by that you and Marcus didn’t speak to each other. You were always texting all throughout the day while you both were at work. He always told you what he could about the current case he was on and you told him about the next big event you had planned. There were even nights when you would sneak out of bed after your boyfriend Tom fell asleep to text Marcus from the bathroom.

I need my good luck charm again. Marcus texted you one day when he was stuck on a case with no leads.

You should have seen this Karen today. You said one day after your client was not satisfied with what you gave her, and refused to work with you no matter how hard you tried to help her. 

Sometimes, the two of you would meet for lunch or coffee, since during the day was the only time you could get away from Tom without suspicion. Marcus always insisted on paying for you despite your protests, so one day you made him an offer that he accepted: you would take the bill every other time. You argued that it was the fair way to do this, and Marcus didn’t counter.

“So you’re telling me you were in a band when you were younger?” you laughed as you and Marcus talked about your college days over a late morning coffee.

He joined in your laughter, “What? I don’t look like the type?”

You looked down shyly, “It’s not that,” you met his eyes, “I used to do musical theater in college. Guess we’re just both musically inclined.”

“Now that I would have loved to see,” Marcus beamed at you.

You could feel heat rise in your cheeks as you thought back to the various parts you played, “I miss it some days. I had a few bigger parts, but the one I really wanted was the lead in My Fair Lady my senior year,” you sighed, “I didn’t get it though, lost it to my friend Caitlin.”

Marcus noticed the way your face dropped, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” you picked yourself back up, “She was awesome actually. Better than I could have been,” you chuckled, “She was a theater major anyway, I just did it for fun.” 

“I bet you would have been wonderful,” he replied with a dreamy look on his face.

You were at a loss for words as you just stared at him. Marcus was always so genuine with his compliments and he always seemed to lift you up with his words without even trying. And as handsome as he was, it was his kindness that really drew you to him. 

When you realized you hadn’t said anything in a few minutes, you cleared your throat and changed the subject, “I actually have something I wanted to ask you, Marcus,” you were nervous to ask, but it was something you really wanted. 

He seemed to sense your anxiety and rested his hand over yours on the table, “Anything,” he said your name in a way that made your heart race.

“Well,” you took a deep breath, “There’s this gala for the local big historians group on Friday night. It’s my biggest event of the year,” you had mentioned it to Marcus a few times since it consumed so much of your time this this year you took the lead on it for the first time, “And usually Johnny comes with me as my date, but he’s busy that night…” You paused. When you had mentioned it to Johnny last week, he seemed to make a lazy excuse and suggested there was someone else you should take as your date instead, “It’s black tie, and I know it’s kind of last minute, but would you like to come with me?”

Marcus couldn’t believe what you were asking; it was like a dream to him, “I think I can find a tux in time,” he replied with a bright smile once he calmed his racing thoughts. He wanted to ask why your boyfriend didn’t accompany you, but relationships was one topic that the two of you never touched on.

It took you a beat to realize that he said yes to you and your face lit up, “Really?” then, it was as if you could sense his unasked question, “Tom never likes to come to these things. He’s actually out of town until this weekend anyway.”

“His loss,” Marcus said before he could stop himself and he froze when he realized what he said. But when he looked at you, you had a huge grin on your face.

“It’s my turn to take the tab,” you said with a pep in your voice, “Why don’t you meet at my place at 7 on Friday and the car can pick us up from there?”

The week flew by and come Friday evening, you were in the mirror to put the finishing touches on your outfit. You wore a brand new formal gown that you got just for the gala and you had your hair and makeup done to perfection. Just as you gave yourself one last look, there was a knock at your door.

“Right on time, Agent Pike,” you greeted him before you even opened your door completely. You stopped dead in your tracks when you looked up to see him standing there in a perfectly fitted black tuxedo and he had never looked more beautiful to you.

Marcus was about to give you a witty reply when he too was too awestruck to move or say anything. You looked absolutely stunning in your gown, and Marcus could feel his heart pound in his chest at the sight of you, “Wow,” he breathed, “You look so beautiful.”

You giggled softly as you took a step back to let him in, “So do you,” you voice was just above a whisper. As Marcus walked past you, you noticed for the first time that he held a small box in his hands, “You didn’t have to bring anything,” you commented as you gestured to the box.

It was Marcus’ turn to be nervous this time, “I...I’ve actually been hanging on to this for a while now,” he faced you and slowly opened the box to reveal the necklace that you had bid on at the auction weeks ago. It was just as lovely as you remembered.

“Marcus…” you gasped as he moved behind you to clasp it around your neck, “You didn’t…” you watched him in the mirror and you felt your skin tingle when his fingers brushed against your neck. You fought back tears at all the emotions that rushed through you.

He didn’t say anything as he fasted it around your neck and then he met your eyes in the mirror, “Perfect,” was all he said. 

So are you, you thought. It took you a moment to realize he let his hands rest on your shoulders, and you found that you never wanted him to let you go. But, you had to get going or else you would be late so you cleared your throat, took his hand and led him out the door where the car was waiting to pick you up.

The gala itself was glamorous, Marcus had never seen anything so beautiful in his life. Other than you that was. People in their finest attire filled the large reception hall and there was a bar on either wall staffed with waiters to serve food and drinks. You glanced around with a critical eye to make sure all of your hard work showed and nothing was wrong.

Marcus made sure to compliment you on your hard work, and the way your smile lit up the entire room made his face flush. He held out an arm for you so that you could survey the event before you could let yourself enjoy the time. As the two of you walked around, Marcus noticed the way people eyed the two of you, and he definitely overheard more than one person comment what a lovely couple you were. He swallowed hard, and he was sure you didn’t hear the comment since you were too focused on everything else around you.

It wasn’t long before one of your staff rushed up to you with a crisis, and you let out a frustrated sigh, “I’m sorry Marcus,” you turned to him with an apologetic look on your face, “I gotta go deal with this before the director speaks. It’s all you can drink so enjoy yourself,” you gestured over to the bar where there was a line of people waiting for a drink, “Can you get me something too please? You pick.”

“Don’t worry about it. Go, make sure everything’s ok,” Marcus replied in a genuine voice. He understood the need to make everything perfect and he definitely understood being dedicated to your job.

Before you even thought about it, you placed a quick kiss to his cheek, “I’ll find you when I’m done, I promise,” with that you rushed off with your assistant. 

Marcus stood for a moment, dumbfounded, as he brushed his fingers against his cheek. He only moved when people started to knock into him as they walked past and he decided to get in line for drinks.

He stood with his hands in his pockets as he looked around the room. You truly outdid yourself with the event; everything was perfect and the guests seemed to really enjoy themselves. Marcus was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t hear something call his name at first.

“Agent Pike?” the man came up from behind him, “I didn’t know you would be here.”

“Director,” Marcus shook his hand. He recognized the head of the Smithsonian right away since he had worked with him several times in the past, “It’s good to see you, sir.”

“I’d say the same, but seeing you here is making me worried,” the director joked, “Is there something I need to be concerned with?”

Marcus laughed, “No, no. I’m here as a date actually. I know the event planner,” he referred to you by your title and then your name.

“The event planner?” he raised his eyebrows before he reached into his pocket and produced his business card, “Well give her this then and tell her to call me first thing Monday morning. This is the best this gala has been in years, and I’d love to have her plan the Smithsonian’s next big event.”

Marcus beamed with pride, “Yes sir,” he couldn’t wait to tell you and he found himself giddy as he thought about the look on your face.

“Make sure to tell your girlfriend she did an amazing job,” the director gave Marcus a pat on his shoulder before he walked away.

He stood frozen in shock at the word the director referred to you as. Marcus was so deep in his head that he didn’t even hear you walk up next to him until you called his name a few times, “Oh, hey,” he finally said.

“You still with me, Marcus?” your smile really was something else, especially with that necklace around your neck.

“I am,” he wrapped an arm around your shoulders, “Oh, before I forget,” Marcus handed you the business card, “This is for you, and he wants you to call him first thing Monday morning. He’s impressed with your work.” So am I.

Just like he thought it would, your face lit up as you looked at the director of the Smithsonian’s card, “This is… wow…” you were struck speechless. 

Marcus couldn’t help the way his hand reached out for you and he gently brushed your cheek before he laid his hand against your jaw to make you look at him. Just as he was about to say something, an announcement rang through for everyone to gather in the other room to listen to the evening’s speaker. Disappointment was clear in both of your eyes as Marcus took your hand and led you away to listen to the speaker.

Once the speech was over, the space turned into a dance floor. It was always the most fun part of the evening whenever you came with Johnny because you could just let loose with your best friend. But, with Marcus, it felt different. It was still a lot of fun, but you felt a connection with Marcus that you never felt with anyone else. He held you while you danced together in a way that made your heart pound in your chest.

After some fast dance songs, the music then turned into a slow ballad. People all around you paired up and started to sway together, but you just looked at Marcus with wide eyes. You wanted to dance with him more than anything, but you also didn’t want to push your boundaries with him. But before you could lead him away from the dance floor, Marcus rested his hand on your hip and took your other hand in his to lead you in a slow dance. 

He gave you a questioning look, as if to ask if this was ok. You responded wordlessly and leaned into his touch and let him lead you in your dance. You breath caught in your throat when you felt his grip tighten on you. 

Marcus smiled brightly at you, and he found he didn’t want this moment to end. You were always beautiful in his eyes, but tonight you shined like the brightest star in the sky. In that moment, Marcus wanted nothing more than to kiss you, and he judged by the look on your face that the feeling was mutual. 

Slowly, tentatively, he leaned in close to you until his lips hovered over yours. He paused just before he touched his lips to yours to give you the chance to turn away to tell him no. When you didn’t and your eyes fluttered shut, Marcus took the silent invitation. He was about to close the gap between your faces when the slow song ended and an upbeat song started to play.

The sudden noise made you jump in surprise as you back away from Marcus just a bit. You giggled nervously and played with your hands and you found that you couldn’t meet his eyes after your almost kiss. 

“You want to get out of here?” Marcus asked over the music.

You finally met his eye and nodded. It was silent between the two of you as you went outside and waited for the car to pick you up and take you back to your place. Marcus thanked the driver before he got out first to open the car door for you and led you up to your front door. He thought you would pull your key out and open the door, but you stood still and just stared at the knob, lost in thought.

Marcus took a breath and said your name to get your attention. He couldn’t hold it in anymore, he had to say something, “I can’t watch you live like this anymore,” he started, his palms sweaty with nerves. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this nervous around a woman, “I like you,” you let out a gasp as you whipped your head around to meet his gaze, “I really like you. And I can’t watch you be with Tom anymore.” I don’t want to see him hurt you anymore.

“Marcus…”

“Leave him,” Marcus pleaded, “Leave him and be with me. I promise I’ll take care of you and I’ll protect you. I’ll never hurt you the way Tom has,” emotion lined his voice at his confession.

You blinked in surprise as your hands trembled, “What?”

“Listen,” he took your hands in his, “I’ve had my share of bad relationships. And between my ex wife divorcing me and my ex fiancé leaving me for someone else, I’ve been afraid of rejection. But for you, I’m willing to take that risk. Because you’re worth it, and you deserve better than him.” Marcus laid his heart out on the line for you as he spoke.

“Marcus… I…” you looked down at your connected hands before you met his eyes again. Tears welled in your eyes, but they weren’t tears of sorrow, “I do like you. A lot. But I… We…. It’s complicated,” your heart pounded in your chest.

He whispered your name as he brushed a tear away from your cheek. You leaned into his touch; it was always so electric for you whenever he touched you.

‘I’m not telling you ‘no.’ Just... give me some time, ok? I need to figure some things out.”

Marcus couldn't hide the disappointment in his face, but he nodded. He understood it was a lot he just put on you, and he also knew it wouldn’t be easy for you to change your entire life like this overnight. Although part of him hoped you would say yes to him right away, “I’ll wait as long as you need me to. You’re worth the wait,” his thumb brushed your cheek as he held your face.

“Marcus…” you choked back a sob as you fought the urge to just kiss him, “I’m sorry. I…” you broke away and unlocked your door before you stepped inside, “Thank you for coming, Marcus. That was the best time I’ve ever had.”

“Yeah, me too,” his voice was laced with melancholy as he watched you close the door. Marcus waited until he heard the lock click before he turned and got into his car. He sat there for a few moments and just watched your shadow move about your house before he drove away. 

~

Notes: I’m so sorry for how this chapter ended... But the scene where they danced at the gala was one of the first that I thought of for this story so I’m excited we got to it! As always, taglists are open so let me know if you’d like to be added to any.

Everything taglist: @thirsty-flygirl​ @ithinkhesgaybutwesavedmufasa​

Pedro characters taglist @tintinwrites​ @ollypopp​ @starwarswh0re​ @emesispo​  @perropascal​ @shadow-assassin-blix​ @huliabitch​ @randomness501​ @absurdthirst​ @clydesducktape​ @lackofhonor​ @phoenixhalliwell​ @girlwithanewplan​  @wickedfrsgrl​  @theravenreads​ @maryan028​ @wonder-jedi​ @lilangeldevil006​ @agingerindenial​ @synystersilenceinblacknwhite​ @thewaythisis​ @yespolkadotkitty​ 

The Interlude only @cinewhore​ @mrsparknuts​ @klaine-92​ @din-damn-djarin​ @feelmyroarrrr​ @miss-me-jack​ @buckysalefty​ @sixties-loser​ @starless-eyes-remain​ @ihavenoideaforausernamee​ @aplaceofpeace​ @hopplessdreamer​ @chibi-liz05​ 

[stilloutofmyvulcanmind]

Fluff Alphabet - Harry Wells

Pairing: Harry Wells x Gender Neutral!Reader

Word count: 1.7k

Warnings: None

Summary: A fluffy A-Z with Harry Wells!

A/N: These are really fun to do, so if you’d like to see more, let me know! (Also, if you would want others, let me know who you’d like to see)

~

A = Attractive (What do they find attractive about the other?)

Harry loves your smile and the way your face lights up around him. Knowing you’re so happy because of him makes him feel special.

B = Baby (Do they want a family? Why/Why not?)

Harry already has Jesse, and since he’s on the older side now, he’s not particularly looking to have another baby. That being said, if you really want a child, he could be talked into it, and when you get the news you’re pregnant or have been approved for adoption he’s overjoyed. 

C = Cuddle (How do they cuddle?)

Harry never admits in public that he likes to cuddle, but when you start dating, you quickly find out he does. He’s a big fan of spooning, the protective beast inside him soothed by having an arm wrapped securely around your waist. 

D = Dates (What are dates with them like?)

Dates tend to be lowkey with Harry. He’s pretty private on both Earth-1 and 2, so usually it’s either dinner out at a quiet restaurant, or a shared meal at home the two of you cooked together.

E = Everything (You are my ____ (e.g. my life, my world…))

“You are my heart.”

F = Feelings (When did they know they were in love?)

One night while you were visiting Earth-2, Harry came home late to find you asleep on the sofa. You had a blanket draped over your lap, and an open book barely clutched in your hands. He realized you’d tried to stay up for him, and that was when he knew. The love he hadn’t felt in years was back, and it left him a little breathless, and if he was to be honest, a little scared. Which is why he sat on his feelings for a while before saying anything.

G = Gentle (Are they gentle? If so, how?)

Harry doesn’t tend to be that gentle. He’s not just rough around the edges. But sometimes he is. If you’re upset, or even worse, hurt, his hands will be gentle on you, careful not to inflict further pain, searching for ways to make it better. And, in the late hours of the night, or the early hours of the morning, when you’re laying in bed together, he’ll gently trace as much of you as he can, committing every inch to memory.

H = Hands (How do they like to hold hands?)

Harry isn’t really one to hold hands. PDA isn’t his thing, and he’d rather keep affection in private. But sometimes, when you’re on the sofa watching something together, he likes it when you slip a hand into his and snuggle a little closer. One time, during a Team movie night, he slid his hand over yours instead. You didn’t say anything, but the two of you shared a private smile, and no words were needed.

I = Impression (What was their first impression?)

Harry wasn’t entirely sure what to make of you at first. He met you along with the rest of the Team, and at the time his only thoughts were how could you help him save Jesse? As for you, you were with the rest of the Team and thought he was a sexy dick. 

J = Jealousy (Do they get jealous?)

Not always, but sometimes. He knows you’d never cheat or do anything to hurt him, but occasionally he’ll see you with someone else, laughing, happy and at ease, he’ll feel the jealousy start to creep in. He tries to not let on though, since he knows the only reason he’s jealous is because a part of him still believes you deserve someone better than him.

K = Kiss (How do they kiss? Who initiated the first kiss?)

The first kiss was pretty much mutual. It was late, and after a long day, you stayed behind at the Labs to join Harry for a drink and unwind. A couple of drinks in, you were both pleasantly tipsy, and Harry was more relaxed than normal. One thing led to another then you were both leaning in to kiss. Neither of you could have imagined it being better. Harry’s kisses tend to be intense. He pours all the emotions he doesn’t know how to say into them. Sometimes, they’re more passionate, rougher, because his mind is swirling and he’s desperate for you. Other times, they’re slower, deeper, his hands on your face, keeping you close. Either way, they’re always intense.

L = Love (Who says ‘I love you’ first?)

You say ‘I love you’ first, and when you do, you have to be prepared for him not to say it back immediately. Harry had never imagined finding love again, and he isn’t one to wear his heart on his sleeve, so it would take him some time to gather the courage to say it in return. When he does say it, it won’t be when you expect it. It’ll be during some quiet domestic moment when he sees you doing your thing, and gets hit with the realisation that he can’t keep his feelings hidden any longer. 

M = Memory (What’s their favourite memory together?)

One day you and Harry had volunteered to go out and get Big Belly Burger for the Team, but on the way back a sudden downpour caught you by surprise and forced you both to take shelter under a shop doorway. Both soaked already anyway, you had started laughing when he grumbled and pushed wet hair out of his face. Harry was taken aback by how beautiful you looked, and it was the first time he realized that he cared for you.

N = Nickel (Do they spoil? Do they buy the person they love everything?)

It depends on whose Earth you’re on. Harry doesn’t have much on Earth-1 so he can’t spoil you, but he likes to make up for it when you visit Earth-2. He doesn’t go overboard, but if you spot something you like while out sight-seeing, he’ll get it for you.

O = Orange (What colour reminds them of their other half?)

Black. The association has likely less to do with you, and more to do with the few occasions he let you drape his black coat or jacket over your shoulders. Now whenever he looks at them, he’s reminded of you. 

P = Pet names (What pet names do they use?)

Harry keeps it simple. ‘Sweetheart’ or ‘Honey’ are usually his main goto’s, but when you’re alone he also calls you ‘atom’ because you make up his world. Just don’t tell anyone that.

Q = Quaint (What is their favourite non-modern thing?)

Harry’s no musical savant, but he does love vinyl still. Collecting them is a guilty pleasure of his. Watching you dance to them is also a pleasure. Just less guilty.

R = Rainy Day (What do they like to do on a rainy day?)

Harry spends most of his days rainy or not in his lab anyway, so it doesn’t make much difference to him. However, he does secretly like it when you drag him out and make him cuddle with you on the sofa while you binge watch something.

S = Sad (How do they cheer themselves/others up?)

Since Harry is Mr. Broody, he doesn’t do a thing to cheer himself up. He just lets it sit and dwells without telling anyone anything. You learn the signs though, and when you know he’s down, go to cuddle him, because that’s the one thing you know will cheer him up. As for you, he’s not very good at knowing how to cheer you up either. He wants to, he hates seeing you upset, but if it’s not a problem he can physically fix, he ends up being at a loss. Tell him what he can do though, and he’ll do it without question.

T = Talking (What do they like to talk about?)

Science, obviously. He’ll readily go on about whatever he’s working on at length. When you’re comfortable together, he likes to talk about Jesse as a child too, and his life prior to the Particle Accelerator. 

U = Unencumbered (What helps them relax?)

Honestly, not much. Harry’s pretty much always tightly wound, but you’ve found that a back massage or even just hugging him from behind, helps him to unwind. 

V = Vaunt (What do they like to show off? What are they proud of?)

His intelligence is the main one. Jesse is the other.

W = Wedding (When, how, where do they propose?)

Harry did put a lot of thought into the proposal, and even consulted Iris, Caitlin and Jesse on it. Grand displays aren’t his thing, but if it’s your first time getting married, he wants to make it special. He ends up taking you to Earth-2’s Atlantis for a mini break and pulls out all the stops. You get the best hotel with the best view, and Harry makes sure you have the best time. In the night, you order room service, and sit out on a balcony, to watch the city from up high. It’s a beautiful sight, and as time goes on Harry starts to confess how much he loves you. It’s clear to see that he struggles to find the right words to articulate his feelings, but he does, and, when he’s done, gets down on one knee and pulls out a ring box.

X = Xylophone (What’s their song?)

Harry wouldn’t say he has a song in particular. But, on the first morning he stayed at your place, he caught you dancing to the radio in the kitchen, and now the song that was playing can often be heard in his lab too.

Y = Yes (Do they ever think of getting married/proposing?)

Harry had no plans of ever getting remarried, but after being with you for some time, he realised he wanted to. He knows it’s an antiquated thought, but he wants to see a ring on your finger so everyone knows you’re his, and he’s yours.

Z = Zebra (If they wanted a pet, what would they get?)

Harry would want something low maintenance. A large aquarium would be nice. You could also talk him into getting a cat if you really wanted one, and if he took a liking to have said cat sleep on his lap while he worked, he’d never admit it.

[thenightling]

The Sandman / Locke & Key crossover review

I just read The Sandman / Locke & Key crossover issue 2 and though the artwork is beautiful some of the continuity issues really start to bother me very quickly

Warning, there are some spoilers below.

Continuity problems on the first few pages.  What's with Gilbert's dark humor about Lucien being blinded?  I know he has some quirky moments but that seems a bit much, like mocking Rose for nearly being raped in the alley.  The Corinthian being banished.  In Overture he fled.  He went on the run to avoid being uncreated. Since when is The Corinthian sexist? He's many things but "You're just a woman."  That didn't quite fit him.   He's an asshole but for many other reasons.  The title of the book Mary asked for to trick The Corinthian was a parody on "How to make  friends and influence people."  That book wasn't published until 1936.  The year this is set in is 1927...   They still keep calling him Shaper.  Only the fae called him shaper, it's a direct translation of Morpheus.   They should be calling him Dream or Morpheus in The Dreaming or in the case of Cain and Abel "Prince of stories."   They claim only "The shaper" can uncreate his dream folk.  Okay but... holding The Dreaming from 2018  Lucien uncreated Merv's friends...

And that’s just in the first five pages.

One thing that really felt wrong to me is when Gilbert and Lucien find out that their master is being held in a cage in The Waking World they decide NOT to rescue him because it would “humiliate” him.  And he can be “dangerous if he resents you.”  So you let your world deteriorate for a century because it might bruise his ego.   

By that reasoning in issue 2 of The Sandman when Morpheus ended up at The House of Mystery Cain and Abel should have left him on the doorstep.

(Mocking scenario:   Abel: “Should we help him?” / Cain: “Naw, don’t want to embarrass him. Just leave him on the doorstep.”

Seriously, it would have been better to just not let them know their king is caged- rather than “We left him there because it would bruise his ego to be rescued.”  That’s so... stupid.

Also, no, Lucien.  His last lover did not suffer in Hell for ten thousand years.  He had lovers after Nada including Titania. YOU would know this.  

She literally says fuck him and none of his subjects say otherwise?!

Ha... ha?

Also why does Gilbert know who Rose Walker is already?   He says “You remind me of someone I haven’t met yet” and then name drops her.  Did Joe Hill completely misunderstand what was going on in Soft Places?  That though Morpheus was fresh from Captivity, for Gilbert it was the 1990s?

The characterizations in here are so terrible. Lucifer is portrayed as more of a traditional Devil and for some reason not just resembling Bowie but specifically 1997 Bowie including 1997 clothing for some reason.  And his behavior was more traditional maniacal villain.  

There are so many continuity errors.   Etrigan isn’t a rhymer yet.  Hell somehow already seems to have its triumvirate.  Azazel was eating Choronzon but somehow he’s fine when The Sandman starts.

Even the bonus article about a massive fire at Fawny Rig is a current canon contradiction.  Fawny Rig is in tact in The Dreaming (2018) comics.   

 I had trouble reading it simply after she woke from The Dreaming knowing Gilbert AND Lucien voted to leave Morpheus caged.  

 I can’t believe Neil was okay with Gilbert and Lucien deciding it’s better to leave Morpheus caged for the next century.

Yet again, the art is lovely but the characterizations and continuity errors are just so terrible, it made it an unpleasant read.  The first volume wasn’t as bad even with mysteriously de-aged Alexander Burgess...

I feel like Joe Hill wasn’t trying to emulate Neil Gaiman and his universe but rather the continuity created by Caitlin R. Kiernan during the era of The Sandman presents and I ...I am not a fan of that era of Sandman writing. I doubt many people are.  I disliked Caitlin R. Kiernan’s Sandman content so much it almost made me lose interest in The Sandman all together and doubt the quality of the original Sandman.  This had nearly the same effect.   I sat here thinking “How could Neil Gaiman approve Lucien and Gilbert literally voting to leave Morpheus caged and bad mouthing him worse than Merv Pumpkinhead?”  

This is harder to ignore than Caitlin R. Kiernan's Dreaming because this was written by Joe Hill as part of his Locke & Key comics.  That means it'll forever BE canon to Lock & Key.  There's no de-canonizing this...

I think I liked it better when it looked like Joe Hill was just going to stepstep The dream folk asking about where Morpheus is but instead... they really opt to leave him a cage for a century and let their world crumble around them as a result all because it might bruise his ego.   It made a lot more sense when they did not know where he was at all. I know Morpheus was a jerk in this era but it makes me feel extra sorry for him that his own subjects would treat him this way, especially Lucien.

I can’t get over their reaction to Mary suggesting they rescue Morpheus.  Honestly, it would have made more sense for them to try to save him, fail, and somehow lose the memory of the effort.  It would have been frustrating but it would not have character-assassinated Lucien like this, that he LET his library be destroyed because he didn’t want to free his master from his cage.  Seriously, this makes no sense.

Based on one of the variant covers of issue 2 of this crossover it does look like they originally planned to have a subplot of Mary trying to rescue Morpheus, perhaps with Gilbert and Lucien’s help, but maybe Roderick caught them and erased their memories of seeing Morpheus there, via magick spell. That would have made more sense than what is actually inhere.  It’s like at the last second someone decided they shouldn’t do that so now you have Gilbert and Lucien going very out-of-character and literally voting to leave Morpheus caged indefinitely and talking Mary out of trying to save him.

I am unnerved that Neil was okay with how poor Gilbert and Lucien were treated to accommodate plot convenience.  Raising Morpheus from the dead is forbidden but having Lucien and Gilbert vote to leave Morpheus caged and destroy their own world- AND The Dreaming Library- that's fine?!

Mary’s story ends okay but the portrayal of the dream folk and how they act about Morpheus, even during his darker phase of his existence, is pretty terrible. 

[captain-ross-poldark]

Another interesting article from the Irish DM.

THE WOMAN WHO FINALLY TAMED POLDARK

By Maeve Quigley

Heartthrob Aidan Turner has a track record of dating co-stars and it seems like he’s finally found his leading lady as it’s revealed he and Caitlin Fitzgerald have tied the knot

THEY were the pictures that broke the hearts of thousands of fans — the dark-haired actor affectionately smooching his new wife on the romantic streets of Rome, as their wedding rings flashed in the warm Italian dusk. After three years of dating, Aidan Turner tied the knot with fellow thespian Caitlin Fitzgerald in a secret ceremony in the Italian capital last summer, although news of the nuptials has just broken.

The pair met on the set of adventure film The Man Who Killed Hitler And Then The Bigfoot and it seems — despite Turner’s previous protestations that he would never date another actress — they couldn’t help falling for each other.

Pictures taken on August 8 show the newlyweds days after tying the knot as they flashed their gold bands while enjoying a romantic al fresco dinner date at Pierluigi’s restaurant in Rome.

In the newly-released images, the loved-up pair seem unable to keep their hands off each other as they sip their drinks, holding on to one another as they gaze into each other’s eyes.

It is believed Fitzgerald also came to Ireland before the pandemic to meet Turner’s extended family — possibly ahead of their big day. Of course, she’s not the first woman with beauty and talent to be seen on the arm of the dashing Dubliner.

But at 37, the man whose shirtless scything in BBC drama Poldark had women everywhere a-quiver is now officially off the market.

Turner was born in Clondalkin, the son of Eileen, an accountant, and Pat, an electrician. He is the youngest of two boys; his brother works for the Revenue.

The family later moved to Walkinstown where growing up he was quite shy so his mum sent him to ballroom dancing classes as she felt it would help him no matter what career he chose. He became quite the champion and could possibly have been headed for an international career before he got bitten by the acting bug when he attended the Gaiety School of Acting, where he dated classmate India Whisker for a short time.

Even then, Turner’s dashing good looks were getting him noticed off stage.

To supplement his acting career, he got a job as a barman in famous Dublin nightclub Lillie’s Bordello, where he proved to be a big hit with the VIP guests

‘Women would come in just to stare at him,’ said former hostess now wellness guru and television presenter Andrea Hayes, who gave the acting student his position behind the bar. ‘I’m not joking.’

His first big acting break came when he landed the part of receptionist Ruairi MacGowan in RTE’s long-running medical drama The Clinic, taking the seat left vacant by another major success story, Chris O’Dowd, who also played a medical administrator on the show.

Around this time he was dating Charlene McKenna. The thenaspiring acting stars were together from 2007 to 2009 and shared a flat together in London before their relationship ended just weeks after McKenna had said in an interview how happy she was.

McKenna has recently got married in secret herself, to actor Adam Rothenburg, with whom she starred in Ripper Street, although she has said she still has a friendship with Turner.

‘He’s flying and I’m so proud of him,’ she said of Turner in a 2016 interview. ‘We still keep in touch and I knew he would do this well for himself. I always told him he would be a movie star.’

While they lived together, Turner landed his breakthrough role as tortured vampire Mitchell in the BBC Three hit Being Human.

Mitchell was torn between his blood lust and doing the right thing and was keen on leather trousers and coats, allowing Turner to smoulder on screen for the first but certainly not the last time.

He managed to gain a cult following from the role — as well as a new girlfriend in the form of his co-star Lenora Critchlow who played a ghost to Turner’s vampire.

When their relationship ended, Turner also chose to quit his role on the show.

But it was Being Human that got him his role in The Hobbit after director Peter Jackson saw him in the show and was struck by his elfin features. He never made it to the elves though, instead playing a dwarf.

And as his star ascended, he began dating another actress, this time Cork-born Sarah Greene. They had been friends for a few years after meeting on the set of Titus Andronicus, directed by Selina Cartmell at Dublin’s Project Arts Centre; but love didn’t blossom until much later.

‘I played Demetrius, her character wasn’t a named character but we met on that,’ Turner said in a magazine interview. ‘It was all very platonic and we never hooked up or anything, but that’s how we got to know each other. Then years later we just met again and it just sort of took off.’

Turner and Greene became the golden couple of the Irish drama scene, both with careers on the rise. They were together when he landed the role of Ross Poldark in the BBC revival of the Cornish drama that became a huge international success.

The fame that came with the role was difficult for both to handle as Turner is not a fan of being seen as a celebrity while Greene hated people taking photographs of her boyfriend while they went about their daily business.

Though then happy in his relationship with Greene, Turner admitted that he had been heartbroken in the past and it was something he was able to channel into his role as the brooding Ross Poldark, a man torn between two women.

‘I don’t know anyone on this planet who hasn’t had their heart broken,’ he told the Radio Times. ‘It’s happened to me. Love is love it’s the purest and rawest thing we have in life.’

As their careers progressed, the couple spent more time apart as Turner was in New Zealand with The Hobbit while Greene was working on projects like Vikings closer to home. But he insisted the distance wasn’t a problem.

‘You meet someone, you fall in love, then you can only see them over Skype or phone calls or texts and emails. And you have this whole other side to your relationship and it’s... it was fun,’ he said in a 2015 interview. He added: ‘We knew we really wanted to be together. And knew if we could do that, we could tackle a lot more. It was never: God, this is hard, bloody hell, we need to review this. This sucks. We never questioned it; it was great. So we had that from the beginning...’

But as the Poldark mania went into overdrive, so did the rumour mill and there were false reports of an engagement and even a secret wedding between himself and Greene. In actual fact the opposite was the case, with the relationship ending in 2015, five years after it started.

Turner then seemed to swear off dating those in the same business, despite his track record. In a press conference for the fourth series of Poldark, he said dating in acting circles meant you could never get away from work, admitting: ‘If you’re in my business and you find somebody who does exactly what you do and you’re living with them, then you’re in the business all the time.

‘You go home, talk about casting directors, you talk about the press, you talk about the next job you’re doing — it can become quite dull and taxing,’ he added.

So instead he was linked to a mystery law graduate, an advertising executive and then the artist Nettie Wakefield, who he dated for around a year before their hectic schedules drove them apart in what was described as an amicable split.

But obviously when he met the stunning blonde Irish-American, Caitlin Fitzgerald, 38, on a film set three years ago, Turner’s new rules went out the window, so bowled over was he by the beauty and talent of his co-star. By the time the film was premiered, the pair already looked smitten, posing on the red carpet together.

Fitzgerald appeared at a concert with Michael Sheen, with whom she starred in Masters of Sex but was seeing Turner at that time and like him, is an intensely private person.

Despite his fame and the stir his bare-chested scything caused, Turner has never been one to chase the celebrity lifestyle — perhaps because of those nights he spent observing celebrities while working behind the bar in Lillie’s.

‘If I allowed myself to let it change my life, it could,’ he has said in the past of his fame. ‘Where there’s celebrity, it’s easy to slip into that — being followed in nightclubs, or dating famous people or getting adverts. I’m just not interested in that stuff.

‘I want to do good work with good actors and filmmakers, read interesting scripts. I didn’t get into this business for celebrity. I did it for my love of film and stories and theatre.’

So although it has now been widely reported that he and Fitzgerald tied the knot in front of his parents Eileen and Pat, neither of them are likely to confirm their nuptials at any stage in the near future.

In fact, the only kissing Turner is likely to talk about is for his role in the film Leonardo, which explores the life and sexuality of Leonardo Da Vinci. In the film we will see Turner as the renaissance artist in a passionate clinch with another man as it explores Da Vinci’s sexuality and his rumoured affair with his apprentice Gian Giacomo Caprotti, better known by his nickname Salai. It is for his art that Turner intends to keep us all guessing as he’d rather we were interested in his roles than his romances.

‘It’s important to me that people don’t know too much about me because I’m trying to play characters,’ he has said in the past

‘Sometimes you see actors who are really good, but you have trouble separating that actor from the celebrity profile.

‘I don’t want to be one of those guys. It helps that people don’t know a lot about me, I guess.’

[kyubicled]

[INDEX] >

"When his conquest of Dorne failed, Aegon the Conquorer hoped that his fire would be more the bane to the Kings of Winter. His councillors begged he reconsider, for of all the Seven Kingdoms, none were so feared as the North. Aegon, in vainglory, ignored their caution, believing not in the legends of The Spartan, fabled guardian of the North, the legendary Immortal Last Hero, Warrior Made Flesh, Bane of Winter, and the Storm God Decended. But he did not deny King Torrhen as his greatest rival.

Thus, he sent his sister-wife Visenya, astride the mighty Vhaegar, to treat with the King in the North, stating he would render him the same lesson he did to the Kings of the Rock and Reach at the Field of Fire unless he bent his knee and swore fealty to Aegon.

King Torrhen's famous defiance would be the greatest challenge to House Targaryen's hegemony, and would threaten to crush Aegon's rule in its infancy--in a war that would be immortalized as the War of Ice and Fire. While King Aegon prepared his armies for a full-scale invasion, and mounted Belarion the Black Dread, King Torrhen entered the hallowed and revered halls of the Forward Unto Dawn, the mythical resting place of the Spartan, held most sacred by the people of the North.

Histories and legends alike told that in ages long past, the Kings of Winter would come to this mysterious hall of steel and sorcery in times of utmost peril for the North, begging the Spartan to awaken from his deathless slumber and arise once more to protect them. It was said that in the Long Night, Bran the Builder befriended the Spartan, and his eternal companion, the Maiden Made of Light, who both subsequently rallied the First Men and Children behind them, and the Spartan used his sword of living fire to drive back the Others. The Maiden Made of Light, else-wise known as the Bringer of Harvest, Mother of Knowledge, and the Great Peacecrafter, gave Brandon great gifts of knowledge, including the secrets of writing, farming and irrigation, iron and steelcraft, medicine and sciences, and many others, before she and the Spartan returned to their shared slumber, offering to return in times when they would be most needed, but not before.

When the Andals came, King Theon the Liberator rallied the North behind the Spartan, and marched south of the Neck to aid their First Men brethren in the south. Armed with the secret arts of steelcraft and the Spartan's terrible might, the Starks soundly crushed every Andal army that dared challenge them, and swore to fealty all who did not. Strangely, they never conquered the lands they took, instead liberating them from the Andal yoke and restoring their holdings to their rightful lords and rulers. Legend has it it was the Spartan's command, as he had not come to conquer, but to liberate. Other tales state that it was the Maiden who stayed the Spartan's wrath, as even to the conquering Andals she showed mercy. When King Horrar Hoare of the Iron Islands sought to reave and sack the North, the Spartan was said to have called upon a great and terrible storm to sink the Ironborn into the sea, sending down Horrar's son to the Drowned God before flying in his mythical steel bird to Great Wyk, slaying King Horrar in his very hall, and left a warning of doom to the Ironborn to never again sail to threaten the North again. Together with the remaining First Men kings, including King Monfyrd V Durrandon of the Stormlands, King Trystifer V Mudd of the Rivers and Hills, King Tybolt Lannister of the Rock, and King Gwayne IV Gardener of the Reach, as well as what few Children of the Forest remained, Theon and the Spartan drove back what Andals resisted them back into the Vale of Arryn, where legends state the Spartan took the Bloody Gate alone, and the Andals fled in terror of him. Knowing they faced certain destruction, the Andals sued for peace, and swore to never again invade the lands of the First Men in the name of their faith. Following this, the Spartan and the Maiden returned to the Forward Unto Dawn and continued their eternal sleep. In the years to comes, the tenuous peace they bought for the Seven Kingdoms would be lost to wars and petty fighting, and the Andals' faith would spread over the South, but the memory of the terror and awe he inspired nevertheless kept the Andals from crusading and conquering, and the Ironborn would not dare send another longship to plague the North for near a thousand years.

The threat Aegon the Conqueror posed was the most dire the North had faced since the Long Night. All of the South, save Dorne, stood behind the Targaryen banner, and they came to bring fire and blood as never before. It is unknown what transpired withing that ancient hall, but when King Torrhen emerged, out came with him was two figures; one, clad in the legendary armor and bearing the fabled thunder weapons of the Spartan, and the other a beautiful maiden who glowed like the full moon. From Last Hearth to the Neck, the North rose united behind them, in awe that their legendary heroes had returned to drive back the dragonlords.

Aegon came with his two remaining dragons, his sister-wife, and sixty thousand men to bring Fire and Blood to the North. Torrhen met him with half that number, but the sight of the Spartan, his fabled war machines, and the fearsome arms and armors of the North, gave Aegon pause. The Spartan flew his flying machine right into Aegons camp, and with him was King Torrhen. Torrhen demanded Aegon turn his army and his dragons back, lest he feel the full might and fury of Winter. Aegon arrogantly replied he would melt away Torrhen's winter with Fire and Blood. The next day, the great battle to decide the fate of Westeros commenced. Astride Balerion, and with his sister-wife Visenya astride Vhaegar, the Conquorer sought to blast Moat Caitlin as he had Harrenhal, and allow his army to storm the North. But the Spartan denied him this, intercepting the Targaryens in the skies with his great steel dragon. Though Aegons dragons were mighty, their fire could not melt the Spartan's mount, nor could their claws and teeth repel it. And where dragons roared with fire, the Spartan answered with thunder. First he struck down Vhaegar with a roar of lightening, ripping through Visenya's dragon like so much cloth, and sent dragon and rider both crashing to their deaths. Aegon, mad with wroth, sought to destroy the Spartan with Balerion, but even the Black Dread could not prevail, and was too sent crashing down. With the Dragon King defeated, the North was saved, and the battle forever afterwords known as the Field of Thunder was won for House Stark, and one of the most crushing defeats House Targayen would ever suffer.

To the shock of all, Aegon and Belarion both survived the fall. Belarion was crippled, and Aegon was burned so badly in some places his armor was fused to his flesh, but the Spartan, in an act of compassion, saved and spared their lives, and the Maiden tending to Aegon's wounds, and had Visenya's body pulled from the waters of the Neck. Though Torrhen's Bannerman urged him to kill Aegon, Torrhen instead chose to allow the Spartan to decide his fate. And in an act that would astonish and befuddle many great thinkers for centuries to come, the Spartan allowed Aegon to return south. In exchange for the North's independence, the Spartan would acknowledge Aegon as ruler of all the lands he had united, citing that Aegon could give unity and progress to the South where petty warring kingdoms could not. To seal this Pact of Ice and Fire, Torrhen's daughter would wed Aegon, and she would be his new queen. Eventually, a daughter of House Targayen would be promised to a son of House Stark.

Following Aegon's defeat and returned to his own domains, the Spartan and Maiden again returned to the Dawn to slumber, helping to forge a lasting peace between the North and the South, and ironically helping to ensure House Targayen would endure as long as it remained in friendship to House Stark. Indeed, it would not be until the Mad King murdered King Rickard and his son, Prince Brandon, near three hundred years later, that the Targaryens would eventually fall. Let this be a grave warning to all who would imperil the North and it's people."

~Maester Benjamyn, A History of House Stark and the Spartan

[saiilorstars]

Rise Up

Ch.12: For the Girl Who Had Everything

Previous Story: It Had To Be You || Current Masterlist

Pairings: Barry Allen x OFC

Chapter Summary: Team Flash enlists the help of newcomer Black Orchid to save Belén and Barry from Datura's and Poison Ivy's clutches. While they figure out the best course of action, Belén and Barry are each submerged into their own personal worlds...turned nightmares?

Pronunciation of OC: Bell-en. The last syllable has an emphasis so it’s not pronounced like ‘Helen’ would be.

Taglist: @ocfairygodmother​ @anotherunreadblog​​ @transformerfan97​ ​ @stareyedplanet​ @perfectlystiles​ [If you’d like to be part of this OC’s taglist, let me know!]

Author's Note: 

Itaclis is for Belén's world.

Bold is for Barry's world.

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

"Belén? You ready to go?" Iris' voice didn't register until the third time she asked the same question.

Belén finally blinked and tore her eyes from the nothingness she'd been entranced with. She blinked a couple times until she realized she was standing in front of a metal table, inside what looked like a laboratory. She herself was wearing a lab coat and some protective glasses. "...what?" she whispered. Where the hell was she!?

"Belén, we're going to be late!" Iris exclaimed. "Don't tell me you have cold feet already!"

"Cold feet—what?" Belén made a face that indicated pure, honest confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Hey," Linda Park strode into the lab with her phone in hand. "Caitlin says she's already at the store. We good?"

"Yeah, I'm just waiting for Belén to get with the program," Iris chuckled. "I think she's got cold feet."

"Already?" Linda gaped. "You're not at the aisle yet."

Aisle?" Belén repeated, though something inside told her she'd be figuring it out in a couple seconds. Her eyes found her left hand where a shiny silver ring sat on her ring finger. "Oh my God is that an engagement ring!?" she practically screeched.

Now she had the odd stares from Iris and Linda.

"She's out of it," Iris shook her head.

"We gotta go or we're going to be late," Linda said.

Between the two, they grabbed Belén's things, pulling her protective glasses off and her lab coat, and dragged her out of the building...all in the meanwhile she had a meltdown over the news.

"What do you mean I'm getting married!? I can't get married!" she frantically looked between the two women holding her arms. They were walking her down the street as if she'd try to run away from them, and actually...if given the chance, she might just.

"Belén, wake up!" Iris gave her an odd glance. "This has been going on for almost a year now. This is the last fitting of your wedding dress—"

"I don't have a wedding dress because I'm not getting married!" Belén exclaimed. "I never got engaged! I am not engaged!"

"Jesus, Belén, how many hours of sleep did you get last night?" Linda asked, giving Belén the same look Iris had.

"The right amount to know that I never got engaged to anyone!" Belén finally wrestled free from their hooks and whirled around to face them. She pointed a sharp finger at the two women, warning them not to get any closer. "Now listen to me when I say that I am not getting married!"

"Fine, but you're the one who's going to explain that to Barry later," Iris said, freezing Belén in her spot.

The ombre-blonde blinked several times as the words hit her. "... Barry?" she repeated. "I'm...getting married...t-to Barry?" Iris and Linda both nodded their heads. "What…?" Belén felt light headed. Oh yes she did. "...when…?"

When she started rocking on her feet to the point of nearly falling, Iris and Linda hurried to catch her.

"Oh God Belén, don't tell me your already pregnant!" Linda's laugh was no joke for Belén who nearly fell again.

"Don't say that! I'm not—what is going on!?" Belén shouted to the air.

~0~

"Shivhan Jang," Cisco loudly read the name off the profile he had posted on the screen on wall for the others to see, "Twenty-seven year old with no actual priors…"

"Then why is she in our system?" Joe cut him off and pointed to the fact Cisco had the CCPD system open for them to see.

A smile spread across his face. "She had a speeding ticket she never paid."

"Okay, moving on?" Iris motioned them not to get so stuck on that one detail. They were on a time limit here, after all.

"Okay," Cisco clapped his hands together before continuing with his briefing. "Let's see. She and her family emigrated from Korea when she was 5, she's been a part of Central City's school records since kindergarten but we've got no college attendance. She dropped out."

"What about her powers?" Joe asked. "Did she get them from the Particle Accelerator?"

"Yup, there's footage of her in a flower shop the night the Particle Accelerator went off. I'd show it to you but it is not pretty."

"Can we trust her?" Joe wearily asked. He couldn't believe they were relying on a woman Belén technically kidnapped.

"She wants her freedom…" Cisco reminded.

"But how do we know she won't run out on us as soon as Caitlin finishes healing her?"

"Because we're chipping her," Cisco said so matter-of-factly that both Joe and Iris stared at him in shock.

"We're what?" Iris put a hand behind her ear just to make sure she was listening clearly.

"Relax," Cisco waved her and Joe off. "It's just a lie, but she won't know that. We tell her we found a way to switch her powers off. She likes her powers. She will help us."

"I don't know," Joe shook his head. "Sounds like we're being…"

"Shady?" Iris finished for him. "First, Belén kidnaps her, then we force her to help us with lies and deceit?"

"The situation is dire, Iris!" Cisco snapped. "We're not hurting her and we really are letting her go afterwards. Belén can kill us later."

"And you know she will kill us for letting her go," Iris reiterated that part just so they all knew what was going to come after. Cisco seemed more or less prepared for it.

~0~

"Barry?" someone softly called. "Barry?"

The speedster in question stirred awake after about the fourth call of his name. He opened his eyes and met a white sheet bunched up beside him. A bed. He was laying on a bed.

"Barry?"

It clicked to Barry that it was Belén calling his name. He sat upright and rubbed his eyes. There was something wrong here and he couldn't tell what it was.

"Good morning," Belén was sitting near the foot of the bed, to Barry's left, and was smiling at the speedster. "You must have been really tired because I've been trying to wake you up for a good 15 minutes now."

"What happened?" Barry dropped his hands from his face, though he was still partially groggy. "I thought I was…" but he trailed off when he finally looked at Belén. "Oh my God…Belén you're-you're…" He could finish the words in one go.

Belén raised an eyebrow at him. "What? Barry, are you okay?"

But Barry was speechless. Now he knew there was definitely something wrong. "You're...pregnant."

Belén's look indicated she was worried for him and not herself, like he was. She gazed down at her pregnant belly, which looked to be around 4 months at least, and chuckled. "Okay, what were you dreaming about that's got you so out of it?"

Barry's mouth was gaping and it didn't look like it would be closing anytime soon. "What!? But you're —"

"Pregnant, yeah," she nodded. "Have been for 5 months now. Did you just notice, or…?"

Barry looked like he would pass out at any moment. "When did that — how did that — what!?"

"Okay, Barry, you're seriously worrying me now."

"I'm... ut you're pregnant! You're—" Barry was stopped only because Belén had put her hand over his mouth. Still, his eyes were wide in alarm.

"I know, pregnant," Belén nodded slowly. "We've been through this. Now I'm going to take my hand off your mouth and we're going to get ready for the day. We've got work. Got it?" Barry slowly nodded and, keeping her word, Belén drew her hand away from his mouth. "There," she smiled, "All better. Now c'mon! I'm craving some chocolate banana pancakes!" She pecked his lips and scooted off the bed, though it was a bit of a struggle.

All Barry did was watch her go with wide, wide eyes.

~ 0 ~

Belén felt like she couldn't breath...and it wasn't because of the wedding dress hugging her body. No, no, it was the world she was living in.

"Belén, you don't look so happy," Caitlin's voice drew Belén's gaze from her reflection. She'd been staring at herself in the mirror for a good five minutes, but she wasn't in-tune with the rest of reality. "You look beautiful."

They were inside the store where apparently Belén had ordered her wedding dress from. Caitlin, Iris and Linda were sitting across her, watching her in delight as they got a full view of the finished dress.

"Yeah, um…" Belén cleared her throat and turned away from the mirror. "I'm just...it doesn't feel real…"

Caitlin smiled. "Yeah, that's understandable."

"You look so pretty, girl!" Linda exclaimed. "Barry's going to lose it when he sees you!"

At the mention of Barry, Belén stiffened. She looked down at her left hand again, where the shiny ring still sat. "I'm…" she swallowed hard. "I need my Mom. Where is she?"

"At home, where else?" Iris gave her a strange look. "You and her don't really talk, remember?"

Well, that rang right.

"I...need to see Barry, then," Belén figured if anyone would tell her the truth it would be Barry. Of course, the others didn't see it that way.

"You just can't wait, huh?" Linda gave her a smirk.

Belén reddened in a short minute. "Oh God, stop!"

"Oh give her a break," Caitlin waved them off, but of course they just burst into laughter.

"I need to see Barry, where is he?" Belén grabbed Caitlin's wrist. "Please?"

Of course Caitlin told her Barry was at the precinct. That also rang truth. Needless to say, Belén dragged Caitlin back to the fitting room so that she could help unzip the damn dress for her. She needed to get away from there and find Barry.

She didn't even think about giving any of her friends an explanation for her hasty leave...but it wasn't like they weren't going to guess. Luckily for her, the way to the precinct was just like it always was. There were few things that seemed just like her world, but this couldn't be it.

She kept thinking that as she walked into the precinct.  She was only halfway into the bullpen when she spotted Barry coming out of the Captain's office. Well, he seemed normal.

"Barry?" she called once and had his full attention.

His face brightened and soon he bid goodbye to his co-worker. He came directly to her and greeted her with a kiss that, honestly, felt pretty real. "Hey," Barry smiled at her. "How'd it go today?"

"Hm?" it took Belén a few seconds to realize he meant her trip to the wedding dress store. "Oh, right, um...we gotta talk about that."

"Oh, okay," Barry nodded. "You want to go up to the lab?"

Belén agreed and allowed him to take her hand—her left hand—and lead her out of the bullpen. His hand felt real enough to be him...but there was something inside telling her that this was all wrong.

~ 0 ~

Caitlin finished stitching up the last bit of open skin on Shivhan's shoulder. Soon as she said she was done, Shivhan pulled up the STAR Labs shirt she'd borrowed up to her shoulder again.

"Thanks," Shivhan mumbled and got up from the medbed. "So, what do I do next?"

"Well, we're making you a tracker and implanting a communications system to your suit so we can talk to you while you're out," Caitlin picked up her tablet she'd left on the table.

"And when do I get to go out?"

"Soon."

Shivhan sighed loudly in annoyance. "Sure, take your time. Not like I'm in a hurry to leave."

Caitlin looked up from her tablet. "Why? We could offer you help here."

"I don't need help from you people. You let the Azalea and the Flash get kidnapped. Good going."

Caitlin pursed her lips at the hard jab. She couldn't exactly argue much in their defense there, right? Shivhan seemed to know what she'd done because she smirked.

Caitlin briefly glared in return them added, "And yet you needed my help stitching you back up." That made Shivhan's smirk falter. "Don't have many doctors around you?"

"They tend to get robbed where I'm from," Shivhan meant to leave the room, though she had no idea where she'd be going since she didn't know STAR Labs yet.

"Then maybe we can help you after this," Caitlin's offer forced Shivhan to turn around. "Help out that neighborhood of yours…"

"That is my territory. I will take care of it!"

A ghost of a smile appeared on Caitlin's face. "I guess it's not all about self preservation."

Now it was Shivhan's turn to glare. Caitlin, on her part, just smiled kindly.

"It's okay. That's your home and you have every right to be defensive about it. Why do you think neither the Azalea nor the Flash leave Central City? It's their home too and they want to defend it."

Shivhan rolled her eyes, but secretly she respected that. She was big on loyalty. And right now...she supposed she had to be loyal to the two metas who'd been defending them all this time.

"Dammit," she muttered under her breath. "Alright, let's go get those two metas."

~ 0 ~

Belén stared at her engagement ring while Barry went around his lab to clean up some things before they left.

"Hey Bells," he called, unknowingly using her nickname she was sure he wasn't supposed to know in this fake world. "Could you give me that file?"

Belén followed his gaze to the desk behind her and picked up said file. He nodded that it was that one and so she handed it to him.

"You have a lot of work today?" she asked as a means to keep the silence away and, honestly, to weed out any information that could help her figure out what was going on.

"Just a big case," Barry left the file flat at a table. "I think I have everything good but you know Captain Jang wants everything to be perfect."

"Captain Jang?" Belén repeated.

"Shivhan Jang?"

Belén blinked in shock. That was the bartender she met…

"Oh my God. Shivhan Jang?" she brought an index finger to bite on.

"What are you doing?" Barry walked back to her. "You don't usually bite your nails."

"I don't?"

He pulled her finger from her mouth and shook his head. "No. You work at a lab. You think it's disgusting."

"A lab...right…" Belén pursed her lips there. "What do I do there again? I thought I was a reporter or something…"

Barry laughed. "Right. Like you would ever leave your botany for anything."

"I'm a...botanist…" Belén nodded her head. Oh yeah, there was something wrong here because she didn't have a clue as to what a botanist would do. She loved her plants, but...she was no scientist.

"I think this whole wedding preparation is taking a toll on you," Barry smiled at her. "Thank God it's almost over, right?"

"Hmm? When is…?"

"Next week! Can you believe it?" Barry didn't notice her shock as he picked up her left hand to stroke her skin. "Feels like yesterday was the day I proposed. The park's fountain water was really cold."

"You proposed at our park fountain?" Belén blinked. That...sounded like it could be real. Their park fountain did have special memories.

"Course," Barry smiled at her. "Now I just really want us to get to the date so I can call you my wife."

"Wife…" Belén said the word and felt like she lost air. It did make her feel butterflies in her stomach. "I'm...going to be your... wife…"

No one could take the big grin off Barry's face. Belén certainly couldn't do it, even if she did know it wasn't real.

"Sooo…how's about I take my fiance out for some lunch?" Barry brought her hand up to his lips for a kiss.

Goddammit , Belén swooned. She nodded slowly and silently while her heart jolted in her chest.

~0~

By this point, Barry knew there was something so, so wrong. After a rather quiet breakfast with Belén, he practically raced to get to work. Least there, things seemed normal. The only thing that wasn't the same was the fact Veronica wasn't part of the precinct, neither was Patty.  By the time lunch came around, Barry was going crazy trying to figure out what was wrong with his world. When Belén walked in, she found Barry at his desk with his head down and hands over his head's back.

"Barry?" her voice immediately pulled him up in a sitting position.

There she was, looking very...pregnant. He almost did a double take, but it was enough for Belén to notice.

"I know...not very...pretty-" she made a gesture at her stomach. "-appealing."

"No, that's not -" Barry didn't know what to say to her. It was hard enough looking at her. "I'm sorry."

"Instead of an apology, I'd really like to know what's going on with you," she walked further inside the lab. "This morning you were... completely out of it."

Barry nodded. It was a fair request, but it wasn't an easy one to respond to. He turned his chair to face her and offered her a tiny small. "I'm just...having some trouble waking up." Wasn't that the truth.

"Yeah, I know I sleep crazy," Belén sheepishly smiled.

Barry gave her a look. She wasn't a crazy sleeper. He didn't have the chance to sleepover with her a lot, but the few times he did she always slept peacefully. She barely moved.

Just something else that was wrong.

"Can we go to lunch?" Barry asked her. The only way he would figure out what was going on was if he got to talking.

Belén would be the only one he could trust.

~0~

"Hey," Joe strode into the cortex rather quickly if anyone had paid enough attention. "Did we figure out a plan to get Barry and Belén back?"

"Working on it," Cisco was tinkering with a small device in his hands.

"Yeah, uh, we got another problem," Joe informed, making Cisco look up from his work.

"What?"

Joe looked shaky, jittery…

"Where is she!?" Veronica Green's voice carried into the room minutes before she appeared. She looked absolutely furious, and yet...terrified.

"Oh you didn't," Cisco shot Joe a look. The man rubbed the back of his head, to his credit looking guilty. "You told her!?"

"I had to. Her daughter's been kidnapped," Joe reminded. "I already have my own son out there. I know exactly what it feels like—"

"We were getting them back! She's mad as hell!" Cisco flapped a hand in Veronica's direction. "With a gun!"

"Oh give it a break and tell me where my daughter is," Veronica snapped. "I cannot believe you let her get kidnapped! This is exactly why I don't want Belén anywhere near this world!"

"Well she's in it and we're working on it," Cisco nearly snapped himself. "Now would you please stop shouting at me? I'm trying to work on something here!"

"What is it?" Joe spotted the small device in Cisco's hand.

"It's a comm. system for Shivhan," Cisco turned back for the table he'd been working at.

"Who's Shivhan?" Veronica crossed her arms.

"Someone helping us to get Belén and Barry back."

"This is crazy! Why can't we just get the CCPD into this!?"

Cisco shook his head and mumbled something that sounded like 'beginners'. He turned back woman with a polite smile. "Because these are dangerous, poisonous, metahumans that the CCPD is not capable of fighting."

Veronica looked outraged. Her eyes flickered to Joe and waited for him to say something in their defense, but of course he never did. "You're just going to let him say things like that?"

"I ain't fighting no poisonous metas," Joe gave her a crazed look. "I have seen first-hand what those two are like and believe me when I tell you that these guys-" he pointed at Cisco, "-know how to handle it. With some supervision of course."

"Kind of gave the compliment and took it away," Cisco mumbled to him before facing Veronica. "Look, Ms. Green, Belén knows how to handle herself. She can hang on until we get there to help her."

But that didn't seem to satisfy Veronica much. "You just take this so easily. Like it's normal." Before Cisco could say it pretty much was part of their daily meta life, Veronica went on. "I could lose Belén just like I lost Maritza and Rayan."

"You're not losing anyone," Joe pointed at her then moved his finger to Cisco. "And you gotta hurry up. We cannot let Datura and Poison Ivy keep Belén and Barry another minute."

Cisco agreed.

~ 0 ~

"Sooo...we're not getting lunch," Barry confessed as he and Belén walked down the street. They'd been walking for a while now and while Belén had thought of asking him to just speed them to their destination, the act of walking and talking was a better strategy to get more information.

Now though, she looked at him curiously. "What? Why not?"

"I have a surprise for you," he announced with that same cheeky smile he had in real life.

"Well, what is it?"

"It's just down the block," he nodded up ahead. They'd turned down a new block of houses recently but Belén wasn't sure what he was nodding at.

He walked them to the last house of the block. While he didn't say anything, Belén noticed the 'for sale' sign in the front yard now had a bright red 'sold' over it.

Barry stopped them at the front door and reached for something in his pocket. "I did a thing...a surprise...and...well…" he pulled out a key that he held between them, "Surprise."

Belén's dark eyes widened as she looked at the keys and the front door. "You didn't…"

"I did," nodded Barry. "We talked about it but with all the planning we never really got around to looking. I thought I'd do that and I found one I know you'll love."

"Barry, I…" Belén didn't know what to do nor say. Her head kept turning from his soft face to the front door.

"It's ours, Bells," he put a finger under her chin and gently turned her gaze to him. "It's our home."

Belén couldn't help it. Her eyes teared up. It wasn't real, she knew, but she couldn't help wish - for a brief second - that it was. She wished they weren't always in constant danger with metahumans trying to kill them. It always felt like there was more bad than good in their lives, more tears than smiles.

She wished they could just be happy and safe.

She threw her arms around Barry and hugged him tight. Barry wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her head.

"I love you, Bells," he whispered.

"I love you too," she closed her eyes tight.

~ 0 ~

"You did all that in the span of 3 hours?" Shivhan looked over the magenta colored suit Cisco had apparently made for her.

Cisco had brought the suit to the cortex for her and the others to see. They still weren't very sure of Shivhan but so far, she hadn't tried to run away...though they were aware she was under the lie that she was chipped.

"Yeah, well, I was a bit rushed," Cisco huffed. "But I'll get it done better after we get our friends back."

"Nina's on her way here," Iris looked up from her phone.

Beside her, Veronica shook her head. "I cannot believe Dr. Clarke is in on this as well."

"Goes to show you that everyone can be a meta and still have a life," Iris said as a means to support Belén's life style.

"Or it shows that everyone's a liar," Veronica made sure to look at everyone in the cortex.

"Hey, don't count me in your web, lady," Shivhan crossed her arms and looked Veronica in the face. "I'm here helping your daughter who, by the way," she made sure to look at Cisco, "I still don't know her actual name. But she knows mine? How's that fair."

"She found you fair and square," Cisco raised his hands.

Shivhan rolled her eyes and pointed at her new suit. "Tell me when I can wear this stupid thing, alright? I'm gonna go take a shot before I have to face a murderer." But just as she was leaving, Caitlin came into the cortex with a grim face.

"I think I know why Datura and Poison Ivy have been stealing from labs," she announced.

"She stole some sleep and dream prototypes, didn't she?" asked Joe.

"Yeah, and given everything else that she took, according to Harry...they might have used it to build a sort of...dream inducer."

"A dream what-now?" Veronica frowned at her. Even Shivhan turned around when she was meant to be finding a drink somewhere in the building.

"Harry and I went over it, and we're pretty sure they've put…" Caitlin briefly glanced at Shivhan before continuing, "...the Azalea and the Flash into dream comas. They're dreaming whatever Datura and Poison Ivy programmed them to."

"So they could basically be having nightmares?" Cisco shivered. "Like walking zombies? Or death?"

Caitlin hated he was choosing to put those images in their heads, especially when Veronica was right behind him.

"We need to get them out!" Veronica exclaimed. "My daughter could have the worst nightmare invented by some murderer!"

"Why put them through that, though?" Iris made the question no one else thought to ask. She received quite a look from Veronica.

"Who cares! We just need to get them out of it!"

"It matters because Datura obviously put a lot of thought into this plan," Iris argued. "It's only reasonable we try to figure out a reason why."

"Because she's a psychopathic murderer?" Shivhan shrugged. "Sometimes there's no reason except to just be plain mean."

"She's right," Harry's voice cut in before anyone else could say anything. He walked into the cortex, making it his first appearance since Belén and Barry were taken. The guilt, while he fought it, was burdening his shoulders. "Datura used to be calculating before she came to this Earth. Now she's acting just like Zoom. She wants to be better than the Azalea before killing her. Miss Jang is right. Sometimes there's no reason except to just be mean. And if Datura controls the worlds...she's going to be outright cruel."

~ 0 ~

"Oh yum," Belén took a whiff of her plate the moment it was set in front of her. She'd ordered steak with mashed potatoes and some vegetables.

Barry watched her eat and had to chuckle at her excitement. It definitely felt like her. When Belén noticed his stare, she blushed and stopped eating.

"I had an insane craving today for steak. It's cooked so...we should be good," she rubbed the top of her stomach.

The smile on Barry faltered for a second. Right. That was definitely not real. It couldn't be. But still…

"How, um...how did that happen?" he knew the moment he asked the question that it wasn't worded right and it would definitely put him in an awkward situation.

"How did what happen?" Belén raised an eyebrow at him. Barry didn't say anything but his eyes flickered to her stomach. "What? You mean when did I get pregnant? Barry! You were there!"

"I know, but—"

"I didn't make this happen on my own, you know!"

Barry cleared his throat while he felt his face warm up. "I haven't...we've never…" but of course he couldn't say finish that sentence because apparently it wasn't true here.

"We never what?" Belén demanded to know. "Don't tell me you're doubting your fatherhood all of a sudden."

Barry shook his head. But it was just another face that didn't fit in this reality. Because in his world, he never touched Belén. And she wasn't the type to cheat on him. There was no way in hell she could be pregnant.

"Seriously Barry, what is going on with you?" Belén put her fork down on the table. "All day today you've been so weird. I'm a little worried, honestly."

"I-I'm fine," Barry coughed. "I think I just hit my head or something."

"And you forgot things?" Belén smiled in amusement. "Or is it that dad-shock come early?"

Barry bobbed his head. Dad. It was wrong and he had to figure out a way to get out of it. "Hey Belén, what's your favorite color?"

"Pink, why? You knew that…?"

Dammit, that was right. "Why is it your favorite color again?"

"Um...because it's on my favorite flower, Azaleas."

Dammit, also right.

"Alright, Barry, now you're really - oh!" Belén suddenly froze which, of course, made Barry immediately panic.

"What? What is it—"

"It's moving! My baby's moving!" Belén exclaimed and shifted in her seat so that she could sit sideways. "Barry, come here!"

Barry didn't really know what to do, but for some reason his feet moved without his consent. In 2 seconds he was with Belén but his hands trembled as they went back and forth trying to decide whether or not to touch her.

Belén grabbed one of his hands and gently placed it over her belly. Sure enough, Barry felt the light thump underneath.

It'snotrealit'snotrealit'snotreal, Barry told himself repeatedly to remind himself that he couldn't get sucked into this fantasy.

But the thumps continued.

"She's moving," Belén smiled with tears in her eyes.

Barry's gaze snapped up to meet hers. "...she? It's a girl?" Belén nodded her head.

Oh my God it's not real, and yet as Barry told himself that he just couldn't take his hand off Belén's stomach. He was feeling his baby kick.

~ 0 ~

Barry had brought them into the house which turned out to be beautiful. Belén never really thought about house shopping, and much less house shopping with your fiance. She was letting herself get sucked into this world and she hated it...but she just couldn't snap out of it. As Barry led her into the dining table and the kitchen, describing all the things they could do...she found herself falling more in love.

"And I promise not to burn the house down trying to cook that lasagna of yours," he said after showing her the stove.

A light chuckle slipped through her lips. "It's cute you think you'll ever get my family's recipe."

"Well, I'm going to be part of your family now," he swiftly countered with. "You could make the exception, then…"

"Yeah, we'll see!" she bopped his nose and started heading out. "Let's go see upstairs!"

"But I want that recipe!" he called after her.

They came up to the second floor and found four doors. They poked their head inside the first door's room and found a small room that could be for a guest.

"Or, you know...for a...baby...or something…" Barry said quietly, though not that quietly because Belén heard perfectly.

She smiled to herself. "Yeah, maybe…" she turned and walked for the next room. It turned out to be a decent sized bathroom. "Oh, I love that mirror," she gawked at the long, rectangular mirror hanging on the wall. "Is that a marble counter?"

"Easy, you look more in love with that than me," Barry frowned as she stroked the counter.

She laughed. "Jealous, much?"

"Let's keep looking, c'mon. Our room has a balconyyyy…" he sing-sang for her and got her attention.

"Don't lie to me…"

"I'm not…"

Belén bolted from the bathroom and skipped the third door to go straight for what was meant to be their bedroom. She flung open the door and saw a large bedroom inside. There was a beautiful, sparkly chandelier on the ceiling. But then her eyes found the balcony and she definitely fell in love with it.

"Oh those are so pretty!" she squealed and rushed inside the room. "You know I miss that from when I used to live at my dad's house?"

"Yeah," Barry nodded. "I thought you might like this one."

"I do," she said before opening the balcony doors. She stepped outside and was met with a gentle breeze. "Oh my God I love this."

Barry came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm glad you do." He pressed a kiss to her cheek and held her close. "Because this is our home. It's our room. And I can't wait to live here with you."

Belén breathed in a shaky breath. "Yeah…I'd love to live here with...you…" she turned around and ran her hands up and down his arms. "We'd be happy here."

"Course we will be," Barry smiled at her. He gently pulled her back into the bedroom. "Now you know why I can't wait for next week. Are you ready to become Mrs. Allen?"

"Uum…" Belén bit her lip. "Well...I would like to be...some day…"

"That day is so close," Barry nuzzled his nose next to hers while she brought her hands to rest on his shoulders. He soon kissed her.

~ 0 ~

In the real world, Datura ran her index finger down the side of Barry's face. The unconscious speedster was placed on a metal bed with a few pads on wires sticking to his face, all connected to a machine behind.

"Don't be tempted," Poison Ivy's smooth voice warned.

Datura looked up from the speedster and scowled. "Never. I just find...it amazing. Pure appearance, though." She gazed down at Barry, who was no longer wearing his cowl as that had been ripped off the moment he was knocked out. "It's too bad Zoom is going to kill him later on. If it was up to me...he'd get to live."

"Really?" Poison Ivy crossed her arms. "You would seriously let him leave?"

Datura rolled her eyes but said nothing more.

Poison Ivy dropped her arms and moved down the room until she came up beside the second bed placed only a few feet from Barry's. This one had Belén laying on it, unconscious and with the same wires on her face as Barry. Her mask had also disappeared. "And this one? Did she ever have a chance?"

"If she didn't have her powers, then maybe," Datura turned to face Belén, but as soon as she did...a deep glare settled over her face. There was only honest hatred towards Belén, whether Datura wanted to hide it or not.

"I don't think so," Poison Ivy shook her head. She passed a hand over Belén's face, thinking it would be so easy to just end her right there...but of course Datura would never want it to be that easy. "I believe that was the plan...until you met her...and saw what she had."

Datura met Poison Ivy's look and glared. "She has the powers that can save my life. That's what I need from her."

"So then let's just take them and leave," Poison Ivy knew her suggestion would be shut down but she had to make a point of saying it out loud. "Better yet, let's just take Belén and go back to our Earth. We can run all the tests we need back there, with people who will back us up, and we can do it all from the comfort of our home."

"No," Datura's voice was hard and final. "She dies here," she said with a clenched jaw. "Where her friends are, where her family is...and where her Barry is. They can all watch her die here. That is what I deserve. Watch her life crumble as mine did." Her eyes gazed over Belén's figure and, without her knowledge, one of her hands started glowing with one of her siphoned powers. "Let's make the nice dreams turn into nightmares." She moved to the machine controlling the dream worlds. "Because if I know Belén, she's getting sucked into the fantasy whether she likes it or not. And that means when it finally crashes down, it'll hurt even more. Let's make it rain with pain." She reached for one of the small knobs on the machine and happily turned it over until a new sound took it over. The faint blue glow it had turned into an angry red.

Poison Ivy noticed Datura's hand glowing again. She always did. She was always aware that her friend slowly slipping from her, and if they didn't do something soon...

Soon there would be nothing left of her friend.

~0~

"I've been thinking of some names," Belén confessed to Barry once the two were out of the restaurant.

Barry, who was holding her hand, looked down at her with the utmost curiosity. "Really? What are they?"

"You can veto them if you'd like. Like what Ross and Rachel did when they were having a girl," Belén's suggestion made Barry laugh. "I'm serious!"

"Just go ahead!"

"Fine. I was thinking about Reneé?"

"Mm, that's almost as bad as Ruth."

Belén rolled her eyes. "Alright. How about Alya?"

"Better," Barry nodded.

"Then there's Ximena. I also kind of like Valerie, Aileen, and Everly."

"You...have put a lot of thought into this," Barry concluded, making Belén laugh. "I like those..."

"Well since I'm not at the lab anymore, there's not a lot for me to do," she shrugged.

"Lab? What lab?"

Belén gave him a glance, waiting for him to take it back but of course he didn't. "My lab? My job? At Mercury Labs? My botany work!"

"... right, right," Barry quickly said in an attempt to keep things looking normal. "You're a...botanist…"

See that wasn't right either.

But he didn't have a lot of time to think about it. All of a sudden, they heard gunshots.

~0~

"When do you want to go to the furniture store?" Barry asked once they were out of the house. He was busy locking the front door of their new house.

Belén rocked on her feet while she thought about the idea. "Ummm...don't know. Whenever I guess."

"Well, I don't think we should waste time. We get married next week so we should have things semi-ready for then…" Barry trailed off when he noticed Belén looking at the bushes of their front yard. "What?"

"That would be the perfect spot to grow Azaleas," she said with a growing smile.

"Yeah? Go look at it, then. We can stop and buy some seeds."

Belén pointed at him, indicating she liked the idea. She moved to step down from the front porch when a strong force rumbled underneath her. "Wh-what's happening!?" she couldn't get her balance no matter how hard she tried. The ground shook with all its might.

"It's an earthquake!" Barry exclaimed.

~ 0 ~

No one seemed to know where the bullets were coming from at first, but the firing didn't stop.

And then people started going down.

Two across the street had blood splatter on their foreheads, on behind that caught a bullet in their chest.

"We gotta get out of here!" Barry exclaimed. His first reaction was to speed them out of there...until he realized he couldn't. "I don't have my powers," he realized in horror.

"Barry, I can't run…" Belén said fearfully as if she knew what was going to happen next.

"It's okay, we'll just go as far as you can," Barry tugged her hand forwards and made her at least sprint. He had no idea where those damn bullets were coming from except that they were nonstop.

He was about to turn them down a new block when he felt Belén's shake and scream. When he looked back, he saw a red dripping from the back of her neck. There was a bullet in the back of her head.

As quickly as the bullet came, the life slipped from her eyes. And Barry got to see it firsthand and up close.

"No! No! NO!" He screamed as he caught Belén's body from falling. Still, with his own body shaking, he dropped to his knees, with his arms cradling her body. "Belén!" he cried out but she was motionless. Her eyes were open, but still.

~ 0 ~

"Earthquakes don't happen in Central City!" Belén shrieked as she clung onto a pillar of the front porch.

"Well, they do!" Barry tried to find his footing anywhere he could.

The house was shaking and grumbling. Belén's eyes widened when she saw cracks started to run down from the pillar she was holding. Her first instinct was to let go, but in doing so she almost fell back if Barry hadn't caught her.

"We gotta get out of here!" he tried pushing them forwards, but every time he took a step the shaking forced them back 2 steps.

"How strong is this house?" Belén's gaze was rising as she saw the cracks spreading on the porch's ceiling. The cracks then became loud groans releasing bits of cement.

"Move!" Barry tried pushing her forwards again. She put all her effort into running but the shaking was too damn hard.

"AH!" she screeched when a chunk of a pillar slid off its place and fell just in front of her feet. She once again moved but with one hand fiercely holding onto Barry's. They just needed to get off the porch and onto the yard where they could wait the earthquake out.

But things went too fast.

"Belén!" Barry suddenly screamed before shoving Belén forwards with all his might. She toppled over the front steps with her own scream, but as soon as she raised her head off the ground she saw the porch ceiling crumble down over Barry.

"BARRY!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "NO! NO!" she scrambled to her feet however she could and made way for the porch. Her vision was blurry but she saw dust and the pile of ceiling pieces over the porch. She tried to use her vines to take the pieces off, but to her horror she couldn't.

She didn't have her powers.

"No! No! C'mon!" she pulled and pulled at one piece but it was too heavy. With all her sobbing, she didn't even realize the shaking had stopped. All she knew was that Barry was trapped underneath and she couldn't save him. She dropped to her knees in front of the pillage and sobbed.

~ 0 ~

Datura had each of her hands touching Belén's and Barry's arms while she had her eyes closed. Soon as she opened her eyes, she met Poison Ivy's intent gaze from across.

"Well?" the ginger had her arms crossed.

A slight smirk spread across Datura's eyes. She was gleeful but she wanted to show some self control. She drew her hands from each of the metas' arms and sighed happily. "They're so distraught. Poor little soulmates have lost each other in such wicked ways. I only thank these powers of mine for letting me enter the mind."

"What now, then?" Poison Ivy walked towards them. "They're at their weakest, physically and mentally. Let's take Belén and go."

Before Datura could agree or disagree, a powerful blast of air threw her and Poison Ivy across the room.

"You're not taking my friend anywhere," the Tempest appeared in the air with her hands ready for a fight.

"Is this the Tempest I've read about?" Poison Ivy raised an eyebrow at the meta.

Datura groaned in annoyance. "More like a nuisance! Take care of her!"

"Fine, but we're getting the hell out of here with Belén!" Poison ivy got up on her feet and shot a vine directly at Nina.

However, a dark magenta vine ruptured the ground underneath Poison Ivy and chucked her to the side like actual trash. Datura blinked as her partner screamed before crashing down on the ground. When Datura turned back to Nina, she saw the latter was not alone anymore.

Black Orchid, donning a new magenta and black colored one-suit, stood tall and proud. Her face was covered with a long black mask.

"You have a Black Orchid in this world too?" Datura gritted her teeth together.

"It wouldn't be the best world if it didn't," Black Orchid flashed her a smirk.

"You should know I killed her too," Datura's eyes flashed a wicked magenta color not previously seen before.

And that was recorded by both the Tempest and Black Orchid. STAR Labs wanted every angle covered in order to use it against Datura later on.

"You're going down just like her," Datura's voice overlapped with that of a woman's. Purple vines wrapped around her arms as she raised them to fire strong, magenta bolts. At least, they looked like bolts.

Black Orchid's eyes widened before she jumped out of the way. As each of the magenta 'bolts' landed, they spread around.

"What is that?" Nina blinked in horror as she watched it suck the color off the ground it was spreading on.

"Chloroplast," Black Orchid swallowed hard and shot Datura a glare.

Datura just smirked. She raised her hands in an 'I've got more' motion. Black Orchid charged towards her, forgetting her fears for a moment. Datura welcomed her with a series of more chloroplast bolts that Black Orchid would just barely dodge.

"Hey Nina, get Belén and Barry," Cisco's voice instructed from their comms.

"Yeah, I'll get them," Nina nodded and turned for her friends lying unconsciously on their beds. She flew towards them only to be shot down with a vine. Her face hit the ground first, making sure to warn Nina she'd have bruises later on.

"You're not touching them," Poison Ivy was back in the game and was angrier than ever.

With a groan, Nina turned flat on her back. She drew one leg up as if she were going to sit up but instead pushed it forwards to release another blast of air. It rocked Poison Ivy back, despite her efforts to stay still, and gave Nina the chance to get up.

"Where'd they fish you out from, huh?" Datura threw her best punch across Black Orchid's face. She smirked as she watched Black Orchid rub her cheek.

Course her smugness was part of her problem.

Black Orchid swung back then shoved Datura down. "You're one confident bitch, but that's going to be your downfall."

Now it was Datura's turn to rub her chin, and when she did she felt drips of blood from her upper lip. With golden eyes she rose from the ground and delivered a series of electric bolts. "I can't be defeated, you idiot. I am literally invincible," she declared, once again with a second voice overlapping with her own.

Black Orchid might have been a tiny scared there. She retreated to hide behind a crate while Datura began firing the electric bolts. Meanwhile, the Tempest flew to avoid Poison Ivy's entangling vines.

"Nina, get Belén! And Barry!" Cisco exclaimed again.

"I am trying my best here!" the woman snapped.

"We know," Caitlin agreed, "But if you get them out of that coma, it'll be a lot easier to take Datura and Poison Ivy down."

Nina stopped flying all of a sudden and whirled around. Another vine was coming for her so she twirled in the air and forced the vine in a different direction. She then created a miniature cyclone that she released straight for Poison Ivy. The ginger hadn't been expecting that for sure.

There was a clear satisfaction in Nina's face when she heard Poison Ivy's garbled screams. She flew back towards Belén and Barry and landed between their beds. "I have no idea what to do here. Do I just pull the wires off their faces or…?"

"Yes!" went both Cisco and Caitlin.

With a shrug, Nina yanked the wires off Belén's face first. As soon as they were off her skin, Belén awoke with a sharp gasp. She sat upright on instinct with wide, blinking eyes.

"Barry!" she cried horrifically.

"You're fine!" Nina put her hands on Belén's shoulders. "Belén, listen, you're fine! It wasn't real!"

Belén breathed heavily as reality set around her. "I was - I was…" she couldn't even come up with the right words to describe the horrific events she experienced.

"You're good," Nina offered her a smile. "Datura put you in a dream world where she controlled everything."

"Barry died…" Belén swallowed hard, almost crying there and then.

"But he didn't!" Nina moved aside and showed her that Barry was safe (in what fit anyways) and lying next to them. "He's right here. He's in a dream world too."

"Barry!" Belén bolted from her bed, ignoring the fact or feet were a little wobbly, and rushed up to Barry's side. Her eyes looked over the wires attached to his face and without hesitation she ripped them right off.

Like her, Barry woke up gasping and sat upright with the same horrific face. "Belén!" he screamed but Belén grabbed his face and turned his head to her.

"I'm here! It's me!"

Barry quickly looked her over and since he saw her back in her suit and it with no blood on her, he knew this had to be the real world. "Oh my God," he pulled her into a tight hug. "You died…"

"So did you," she choked the words out. She couldn't possibly hug him tighter and yet she needed to be closer to him. "You died saving me and I - I couldn't save you. I-I didn't have my powers and I…"

"I know," Barry kissed her head. "I didn't have my powers either."

"Sounds like Datura put you through hell," Nina's voice drew them apart for a moment. "Might I suggest a little revenge?" She made a gesture to the scene in front of them.

Datura was firing at Black Orchid with silver laser beams.

Belén didn't need to be asked twice. For once, she didn't care about the logics. She only wanted pain. Her skin started turning green and scaley, quicker than it ever had before.

"Datura," She darkly muttered and marched forwards.

"This might not be the best way to fight…" Barry trailed off when he knew Belén wouldn't stop to think about it. If she had gone through something similar to what he had, there was no way in hell she would stop until Datura was down.

Black Orchid's feet we're scraping against the cement as she was being forced back with the beams being shot at her. She didn't know she was about to have backup from the person she was meant to be saving. Belén swing a vine like a lasso and smacked it against Datura's side. Before the Earth 2 metahuman could realize what hit her, Belén struck down another vine that hit Datura right on her face. Needless to say it left several deep, open wounds.

Poison Ivy had finally detangled herself from the cyclone the Tempest sent her way and caught sight of what the Azalea had done to her partner. Just as she was about to run towards them, the Flash zipped up in front of her.

"I don't think so," he shook his head at her.

Poison Ivy's lips curled into a snarl. This plan was about to blow up in their face and of course Datura wouldn't see it because of her rage. She needed to get them out of there now.

Belén had jumped on Datura and punched her consecutively. "You made me think he was dead! I couldn't save him and it was all just some game to you!?"

Datura grabbed Belén's arms and butted heads with her. When Belén hit the ground, Datura paid her with the same coin and jumped on her to punch her. "It was my own personal nightmare just for you! Because I want you to know that I am in control of your life. And that your life...it's going to shatter into pieces like mine did. Only yours will end with your death."

"Get off of her!" Black Orchid kicked Datura's in the face and sent the meta back.

Soon as Poison Ivy meant to act, Barry did too. He swung an arm to stop her but she ducked. She retaliated by sliding a leg underneath and knocking him down. From above, Nina delivered new air blasts. While Poison Ivy struggled to stay on her feet, Barry got back up and started running in a circle as fast as he could.

Poison Ivy knew exactly what that meant. "Datura, we gotta get out of here!"

"No!" her partner screamed. She was facing off Belén and Shivhan with everything she had. Red energy just narrowly missed Shivhan's arm. Electric bolts could have almost fried Belén's left leg.

Belén did her best to keep up her front. She threw her own Chloroplasts, though without the sucking-energy part since she didn't yet own that ability. One of them did catch Datura's leg and it angered her. More fiercely than ever Datura's eyes glowed an orange hue before releasing lasers. Black Orchid swooped in front of Belén and raised tendrils of magenta vines as a shield for them both.

"Datura, LET'S GO!" Poison Ivy furiously shouted. She could see the paleness in her partner's face even from where she was. Datura was over exerting herself all over again. "We need -" her scream echoed in the room when Barry's thunder bolt struck her square in the chest. Her body crashed against the wall, falling over.

Datura suspended her fight and saw where her partner had landed. "No!" The orange hue disappeared from her face. She dashed towards Poison Ivy and without glancing back at the group, Datura vanished with her altogether with an electronic zap.

~0~

Caitlin conducted thorough mental examinations for Belén and Barry the moment they got back. She wanted to be 110% sure that neither were in any harm thanks to Datura.

"It doesn't look like either of you have any residual energy from that machine you were strapped to," Caitlin was happy to report after two hours of exams.

There was a mutual relief amongst the metas as well as the rest of the group crowding their room.

"How'd this even happen to you?" Iris asked the two in question.

Belén exchanged a glance with Barry, neither seeming to sure of their timing. "I was just...I was outside, moping I guess, when I saw this hue of energy at a distance," Belén explained first. "I thought it was Datura so I followed it and it brought me downtown where sure enough she was there. I fought her until she told me she had Barry."

"So you just let her take you?" Barry frowned at her. "Belén-"

She raised her hand to stop whatever he was going to say. "I figured she'd wake me up when we were at her lair or something and then we could escape together."

"But she didn't," Veronica spat. Out of the entire group, she was the only one who looked mad.

"Mom—"

"What are you going to tell me, Belén!? Look at yourself!" Veronica made a gesture at Belén's current appearance.

She had a few bruises on her face, as well as the imprint of the electrodes that had been stuck to her face. There was a cut on her lower lip, but to be honest...Belén felt physically fine. Her mentality, however, was another story.

"You need to stop all this nonsense before you get yourself killed!"

Barry gulped when he remembered his personal nightmare.

"Are you kidding me?" Belén hopped off the bed to face her mother. "Today more than ever proved I need to stop Datura. If I don't fight her, she'll come after anyone and do anything she can to hurt them. She's a danger—"

"That is going to get you KILLED!" Veronica frantically shouted with her entire body practically shaking. For a moment, the others sympathized with her (especially Joe). "Don't you see that!? She could have killed you today, Belén! You were at her mercy! You don't always get lucky Annah-Belén!" She looked around to see if anyone would back her up, or even if Belén would give in.

But she didn't. Belén just gave a small shake of her head.

"Fine," Veronica whispered. "But I will not be here to watch you get yourself killed." She stormed out of the room and the cortex altogether, just barely avoiding Shivhan coming the opposite way.

"You know," Joe spoke up after a few seconds, "Not to side with her, but...I see what she means as a parent."

"I know," Belén sighed, but he shook his head at her.

"No, you don't. None of you do because you're not parents. It's hard watching you-" Joe pointed at Barry, "-go out there, not knowing if you'll come back. I haven't had the misfortune of losing you or Iris, so I can't imagine what Veronica must feel knowing that she lost two of her kids to this metahuman world."

"I'm not saying she's wrong," Belén folded her arms, "But it's not like I'm going to listen to her and stay away. She needs to understand it's my choice and right now, I'm choosing to fight Datura."

"Not today you're not," Cisco pointed at her and even Barry. "You two need to get some rest because those nightmares could not have been easy. Now I've already put a new tracker for your suit Bells but you can take it easy."

"What if she comes back?" Shivhan spoke up for the first time since she joined the group.

"They won't," Barry assured her. "They're back on Earth 2."

"How'd this disappear?" Shivhan then asked when she remembered the odd electronic zap she'd witnessed.

"I think it's a gadget or something..."

"A dimension-teleporter," Harry corrected. "On my world, there's a meta who can...cross dimensions. Reverb. It's well known that he and Datura are pretty...close. He must have created the device and fused his powers with it."

"Well, that's lovely. Give the siphoner the ability to cross dimensions too," Iris sourly said. "It's not like she's deceiving, intelligent, powerful..."

Belén scoffed. "Where is the fairness in that? Do you know how hard it is to fight her? It's like every time I have her, she's one step ahead of me. Whatever I throw at her, she expects it. I don't know how she does that."

"And she's very good at creating nightmares," Barry hated to admit. "She got every aspect of our world right. Like...how would she know that I worked at my lab? That Belén's favorite color is pink because it's from Azaleas. The only thing she got wrong was that Belén is not a crazy sleeper and that she works as a reporter, not a botany scientist."

"Of course," Belén agreed with a small frown. "I barely move when I sleep and I don't know the first thing about botany science."

Something in Harry's mind started working as he thought about these small details no one was probably paying attention to.

"But you're kind of right," Belén said a moment after thinking of her own world. "She got you working at your lab, the Barry from my world knew I liked planting Azaleas in our yard."

Something snapped inside Harry's brain. 'It's like every time I have her, she's one step ahead of me.' He turned away from the group, his feet moving slowly in the beginning. 'Whatever I throw at her, she expects it.' His feet picked up his pace and before he knew it, he was leaving STAR Labs.

~ 0 ~

"Thanks for coming to help," Belén stood in front of Shivhan. The cortex was empty now except for them two. Before leaving, Cisco and Caitlin had informed Belén what led Shivhan to decide to help them. Belén felt like an apology was very much due here.

Shivhan had neatly folded her new suit and left it on top of the desk. "Yeah, well, I was chipped so..."

"You weren't," Belén awkwardly smiled at her. "It was just a lie so you would help us. Sorry about that. And...I'm sorry for kidnapping you. I was a bit desperate."

"And now I know why," Shivhan sighed. "I heard the stories about this Datura. I actually read your articles about her before any of this. I thought if I kept myself hidden, she wouldn't hurt me. But then there were robberies here and there, and people getting hurt...I couldn't stay away. One month was actually my longest hiding period."

"I'm sorry," Belén shook her head. "I swear I will make her go away so you and everyone else can feel safe again."

"Yeah," Shivhan nodded, "And I'm going to help you however I can. Starting with the Green."

Belén blinked. "What?"

Shivhan smiled, borderlining a smirk. "That bitch Datura is so confident I wanna wipe that smugness right off her masked face."

A small smile spread across Belén's face. "Really? Even after I kidnapped you?"

"Bold move. Kinda like you better for it."

"Oh my God, thank you!" Belén hugged her excitedly, though the bouncing was not something Shivhan was there for. She was a bit taller than Belén so it felt like she was hugging a child.

"Yeah...okay," Shivhan detached herself from Belén. "I'm not into hugs that much. So if I'm staying...does that mean Cisco will make my new suit better?" Belén nodded. "Awesome!"

"Bells?" Barry came into the cortex, though slowly in case the two women weren't finishing talking.

"I guess I will see you tomorrow to start training," Shivhan pointed at Belén then swiped her suit off the desk, keeping it nicely tucked between her arms.

"Wait, what?" Barry's clueless expression followed her as she walked towards the corridor. "You're staying?"

"Yup! See you tomorrow, new buddies!" she winked at them then disappeared.

"Something tells me she's going to be an interesting one," Belén said after a moment's thought.

Barry smiled at her, happy to see she was finally going to get the help she wanted. "You want to go home, then?"

"Yeah..." Belén sighed and glanced back at her suit on display. "It's not like she'll be showing up anytime soon. She got quite her game today. I can't believe we fell for her trap. How did she draw you in, though?"

"She had your suit's tracker, making us think you were there at the warehouse. I went to look for you there and instead I got Poison Ivy," Barry scowled. He still couldn't believe he hadn't seen the ginger coming for him.

"...what was your world like?" Belén asked after a moment. She side-glanced him with an expression indicating he didn't have to share if he didn't want to.

But instead, Barry agreed to answer once they were safe at home in the comfort of each other. He took them to her apartment where they found a spot on the couch. There they told each other what Datura had forced them to dream of; how their perfect worlds turned into nightmares with each other's deaths.

"I didn't have powers so I couldn't save you," Barry held Belén close when he remembered the bullets and the blood from her dream's counterpart. "And then you were gone...with the baby."

Belén snuggled to his chest. "Our baby? I'm sorry she made that happen." She felt her face warm up just thinking about the fact her other self had been 'pregnant' with their child. Of course, it was the same thing when she told Barry about her world where they were just a week from being married.

"I'm sorry she made your nightmare happen," Barry kissed the top of her head. "But you know that I would save you no matter what."

"Your death wouldn't be saving me, idiot," she looked up at him. "So don't you ever get that idea in your head. We either survive together or we die together. That's it."

Her hands found his face and as she stroked soft circles on his skin, they rested foreheads with each other. Eventually, they kissed. And because of the terror they lived, there was a lot to kiss for. Neither would say it then, but their kisses had changed into something deeper. Perhaps it was because of what they'd seen and gone through, or maybe it was the fact they were aware of what the future could hold for them if they wanted it.

~ 0 ~

A breach whirled into existence on Earth 1, allowing Datura to cross over. Soon as she touched ground, she saw Harry standing across.

"First time you summon me," the metahuman folded her arms. "Can I expect Belén's body behind you?"

"I know who you are," Harry went straight for the point. He'd been thinking this over for a few hours now and he couldn't be more sure of it. It all made sense. It was actually so stupid that he hadn't seen it from the very start.

Datura had a laugh. "Of course you do."

"I do," Harry reiterated with a sharpness that silenced Datura. He started taking slow steps towards her while he explained his conclusion. "It's been staring us right in the face and we missed it. I missed it," he put a hand on his chest, exhibiting true offence with himself that he had been so clueless. "Belén's been saying it over and over. You're always one step ahead of her, one step ahead of Barry. You're evenly matched against Belén. Every punch she throws, you expect it and have one better. Even from the very start. You knew who the Azalea was. You knew who the Flash was. You knew all these details about Belén, like what her favorite color was. It wasn't because you did your research. You just knew. And how would you know them? How could you always be one step ahead of Belén?" Harry stopped right in front of Datura, looking her (for the first time since he had the misfortune of meeting her) directly in her dark, chocolate brown eyes. Despite her position, Datura's red lips were quirking into a smirk. Harry remained emotionless, yet still confident he knew what was going on. "You know everything because you are Belén."

The smirk on Datura turned into outright smugness. She brought one of her gloved hands to her mask and carefully pulled it off her face. "Took you long enough." Earth 2 Belén Palayta looked exactly the same as her Earth 1 doppelganger, only she owned a darkness no other doppelganger could match.

Author's Note:

BAM. I've been waiting to reveal that one ever since Datura was first introduced! I originally had it planned to be revealed earlier but I felt like it fit better here. So, did anyone see that coming? It's literally foreshadowed in the story cover page. Hope y'all paid attention to it!

And a lovely little fun fact here: one of the girl names dream-Belén listed is the actual name I'm giving to hers and Barry's daughter in a for their season 5 rewrite. Can you guess which one it was??

[blue-m-d]

Thank You

HR Wells x reader

A/N: I was listening to Thank You by Pentatonix as I thought about this. And let me tell you I cried writing this. so if you read while listening to the song it makes the feels.. lets just say that I needed some tissues

***

It was almost seven and just like last four christmas eve’s, you were running late to pick up the gift and the special cup of coffee. Even if people thought it was kind of crazy of you to keep doing that after everything that happened. You didn’t care what those people thought. Because what brought you and him the most joy, was when you both started rambling throughout those years about the christmas presents and decorations. Talking about the perfect gifts for everyone, specially for each other… that was yours and HR’s way of keeping the joy and happiness to the team.

And it was what brought you both closer to each other, talking about starting the tradition together and keep it going within your children and grandchildren. All surrounded by Cisco’s, Caitlin’s, Wally’s, Joe’s and Iris and Barry’s children. Together as the big family you already were, but the one that you were going to become too.

You finally got to the shop to pick up “the gift”. You received a “Merry Christmas” from Mr. And Mrs. Denton, and old married couple you and HR met four years ago. You always bought everyones present from that shop so you knew each other, and you had come to care for them as if they were your own grandparents. In their shop you could find all handmade and unique stuff so it was perfect for each and every time you wanted something special to gift to your loved ones. You gave the old married couple a thank you and left the shop, not before giving them a present and a small smile. As you were going towards CC Jitters to buy the cups of coffee, you realized that there was a small note on a card that was attached to the gift.

“Tell him we wish you both a very warm and happy christmas. And that we are giving you all the care he told us he would’ve liked his parents could’ve given to you. Hope this photo brings back that joy and happy smile it brought to us that day. Merry Christmas, Y/N”.

It was indeed a photo the old couple had taking from you and HR the first time you went to their shop to start the Christmas tradition. You could clearly remember that day, and also the wall that kept you several minutes in awe as you watched all those smiles together. That day you and HR bought almost one of everything the old couple had inside their shop. And seeing those big smiles you stole from each other whenever you caught the perfect present for one of your love ones. And the way you and HR chatted about what gift would be better to whom… It was hard for the old couple to not smile at each other. Knowing quite well how that felt as they themselves did the same thing the first year of their marriage when they were almost as young as you and HR were.

When the old couple asked you both if they could take a photo of you to hang in their “happy married couple’s wall” you both couldn’t stop the blushing and as flustered as you were when you took a glance at HR’s red cheeks and big smile, you told them you were not married. You had started dating just some months before that christmas. The couple was a bit surprised to hear that, but not at all when they heard HR tell to himself “…yet.”. You didn’t hear that word because you were focused looking through your bag to pay for the last gift. It was for HR, so it was already wrapped so he wouln’t see what is was as he waited beside you.

To try and lift the awkwardness of the moment, HR made the inside joke about a small Wells with your eyes and graciousness, and you followed with “the twins will have your eyes and wonderful hair”. You both laughed and stared at each other with big happy smiles. What you both didn’t realize was that the other wanted that future for themselves with the other. Even if in both your minds you thought that it was too soon to talk about it.

That memory made you shed some tears, because that was the exact smile and moment the photo was taken.

You were almost at the door of CC Jitters where Barry, Iris, and Caitlin were waiting for you. So you tried to erase any trace of tears out of your face so they wouldn’t worry. When they saw you they each gave you a big hug. You hugged back and as you picked up the coffee cups they told you that the twins were with Joe, Cecile and baby Jenna at the West house. You said goodbye as you promised to be at the West-Allen loft as soon as possible.

You went to pick up the twins to take the present you three together.

Joe opened the door and as you greeted him, you saw the twins making funny faces to baby Jenna making her laugh. “They truly are amazing, like big brothers to baby Jenna” said Joe with a smile that showed how proud and happy he felt. “Yes, they are. A gift from heaven…”. Joe noticed the note in your voice, and gave you a small smile as he called the boys. You helped them put their scarfs, mittens and their overcoat on so you could get going.

“Can we get four Big Belly Burgers?” they asked as you entered the drivers seat after securing them with the seatbelts. You looked back to those baby blues that were shining with hope. They bring back that warmth you feel whenever you think about his eyes. “Are you going to share your fries like last year, honey?”. “Yes, ma’am.” “Well then we are going to Big Belly Burger to get them.”

They started chatting cheerfully with each other after that. They always get hungry when you start towards the road. Usually when you do get Big Belly Burger, they cannot wait to get home and start eating the food before you even get near the house. But just as last year, their excitement and joy to tell him a lot of things, kept them from eating before getting to the end of your small ride.

Just as you pull over, the memories rush back at you, and you curse this past year for not being able to come as often as you always did. Most of the special occations in which you came here, your throat closed up so it didn’t let you tell him a lot. But you still stayed there wanting his company.

The boys saw you get a bit sad, and they looked at each other remembering what they agreed some weeks ago. As you three walked towards the place, each one of you with something to share. You arrived, and greeted him with a Merry Christmas. You gave him his cup of coffee, one of the boys the present, and the other distributed the food to the four of you.

“Ma’am, can you sing the song from that band we heard on the radio the past month?” one of them asked you. As you remembered the song they were talking about, your eyes filled with tears, but you tried to calm yourself and started singing.

“Oh, Lord, it’s been a year. With little joys and little fears. It’s finally here, Christmas day. My love, I need some hope… A little faith, a hand to hold”

As you sang that last phrase, your boys took your hands in their little ones. You fought back the tears as you realized it. Smiling to them, you continued singing.

“It’s awfully cold, Christmas day. Watch the snow fall down like me sometimes.”

You look at his drumsticks. “But you pick me up, and then pick me up again.

Like winter leaves I can’t survive, without your light.” Your boys look up at you as you watch him all over their faces. That same smile and those same beautiful baby blue eyes.

“Thank you for your smile, it’s warmer than the fire.” Your boys smile bright back at you.

”Your gentle laughter is sweeter than a choir. I’ll never know, the right words to choose. So all i can say… Is thank you” HR…

*flashback*

That whole year was all about your plans together. But when you gave him the news… he fell silent. So you started to worry that maybe that wasn’t what he wanted. But then that big smile that was so characteristic of him, appeared on his face. He picked you up with so much joy, spinning you both in circles making you smile just as wide as him. But his next words weren’t the ones you had expected.

He put you down on your feet, and went to his fedora looking for something. “I first thought about asking you as soon as I got it in my hands, that was last week. But then I thought it was too soon so I thought about waiting till christmas. But this news…make me realize that I should’ve followed my first thought. So…” he turned around to face you after he found what he was looking for, but without letting you see it yet. “Ma’am,” he looked at your eyes, and got down on one knee. “Miss Y/N  Y/L/N, would you do me the honour of making me your husband?”

*end of flashback*

“We fell into the snow, and talked about growing old.” That Christmas together was all about your plans together, and just like the song… growing old, together as a family. You got married, bought a house together, your baby was on their way… until that May.

Tears started streaming down you cheeks.

“So here’s to a hundred more Christmas days. This house will be our home, and my heart will be your own. As the candles glow, Christmas day.”

At first you got a bit startled as your boys started singing the next parts with you. “Watch the snow fall down like you sometimes. But I’ll pick you up and then pick you up again. Like our winter tree on Christmas night, it needs some light.”

You hugged them, as you and your boys kept singing to him. “Thank you, for your smile. It’s warmer than the fire. Your gentle laughter is sweeter than a choir. I’ll never know the right words to choose. So all I can say, is thank you…thank you.”

You left his coffee and his Big Belly Burger and fries beside his drumsticks. You couldn’t even get a second bite of yours, but your boys ate theirs completely. Before you went back to the car you said your ‘see you soon’ and the ‘talk to you soon, dad’ from your boys.

As you entered the West-Allen loft, you realized you three were the last ones to arrive. Your big family was already chit chatting with some eggnog in hand. Your boys went directly to uncle Barry and Cisco. Barry distracted them with some Flash and Vibe toys, just as Cisco got behind them so him and Barry could start the tickle war. You couldn’t help but laugh as you watched your boys try to escape the tickling and fail while laughing uncontrollably. Their baby blue eyes shining with tears of joy from all that tickling. You can almost hear him laughing beside you looking at the same spot as you were. So happy, just like you.

“Spent all this time hanging lights, but I’m just blinded by your eyes. I look outside, the ground is white, but you and I should probably stay inside.”

It was definitely a white Christmas, just like HR liked them. You imagined a snowball fight as the team used to have, but with him and your boys. Those three pair of blue eyes blinding you with their happiness as they decided to make you join them by throwing snowballs at you. Then warming up near the fire with some hot cocoa and marshmellows in hand.

Their smiles, and laughter bringing you warmth, joy, and a pinch of sadness. You knew that daydream would not become true. At least not completely as you imagined it. But having your big family with you, was all you could ask for from that day forward.

You were happy you had them. All of them. And your boys were the reminder of how much HR loved you, and how much you loved him back. He was your angel, and you thanked the gods that made both your lives cross each other.

“Thank you, for your smile. It’s warmer than the fire. Your gentle laughter is sweeter than a choir. I can believe, this year you’ve got me through.

The least I can do… Is thank you.”

You looked outside the window and into that star he always said he liked to watch with his mother, and just…

“I love you, HR. We three do. With all our hearts.”

.

.

*****

@austarus I’m not too confident on myself to ask you to read this, but I would like to know your opinnion about it. I wrote it yesterday, and is my first short fic.  first reader insert too. nevermind, it my first finished fic, period.🤦🏻‍♂️ I have something some could call drafts, but they are just random ideas that i never finish, so this is the first i could kinda give it an end.😅

 If you like it, it’s kind of a present to you.😳😅

I’ve read most of the ones you’ve made about the Wells boys. I’m pretty sure that there’s some i’ve missed🤔, but I’m trying to get back on track on them😋. And all of them have changed my days, and given me some hope, joy, and also brought some daydreaming back🤩👌.

So if you like it it’s kind of a “thank you” for that.

if you don’t... well, I like getting feedback, specially from the ones I admire. It makes me want to get better with full energy c: