#aurora would whack the back of his head

[ellecdc]

hiya elle!!!

could i request a first-time dad sirius fic of siri introducing his baby to the other marauders?? 🩷🩷

so. stinkin'. cute.

dad!Sirius Black x mom!reader who are introducing their first child to the Marauders

You felt as though you were experiencing the world through glasses that weren’t your exact prescription, riding out the last of the adrenaline coursing through your veins after the past 24 hours. You were floating in this liminal space between discomfort and euphoria, pain and joy, worry and love.

You thought perhaps though the love was beginning to win out.

You were sitting in your hospital bed as you watched Sirius gently bounce the tiny bundle he was holding up to his face.

“Isn’t her nose just perfect, sweets?” He asked you (for quite possibly the 13th time in the four hours your daughter has been earth side) without moving his gaze from said nose.

“So perfect.” You agreed readily, smiling softly at the picture and hoping that this image in your memory didn’t fade as you became more lucid. 

There was a gentle knock before a mop of wild hair and a pair of spectacles shoved its head in through the door to your room.

James gasped quietly yet no less dramatically as he looked between you and Sirius.

“Can we come in?” He whispered, adorning quite possibly one of the biggest smiles you’d even seen on him (which was really saying something, considering he has been notoriously sunny since the day you met him), before Lily shoved her head in just below his. 

“I promise we’ll behave.” She added.

Sirius chuckled and nodded his head in invitation. “You were never the one we were worried about, Red.”

In a way that only happened throughout the history of humanity at the precise moment family members or loved ones entered the room of a newborn and their parents; Lily, James, and Peter all tiptoed in, for some reason even hunching low as if their lack of height would somehow make them any quieter.

James gasped again as he and Lily peered over Sirius’ shoulder to get a glimpse of the newborn in his hands; all three friends sharing identical beaming grins. “She’s beautiful, Sirius.” Lily whispered in awe.

“Bloody perfect, is what she is.” James agreed, leaning around Sirius to look at you. “Way to go, mum. Brilliant job you’ve done.”

“Thank you, Jamie.” You replied, turning a little shy as Sirius turned his lovesick gaze to you, which was very embarrassing considering he literally just watched you push his fucking child out of your crotch. 

“What’s her name?” Peter asked, standing in front of Sirius like an eager kid waiting for their turn to pick a toy from the treasure box.

“This is Aurora Jubilee.” Sirius said proudly, turning his daughter slightly so that Pete could get a look.

“Bloody perfect.” James reiterated when you heard a quiet commotion outside your hospital room.

“I said I was sorry, Reg. The baby can’t tell time yet, she won’t know you’re late!”

You then heard something that sounded an awful lot like someone being whacked with a bouquet of flowers.

“Idiot.” Regulus hissed. “I’m trying to make a good impression; just because you don’t worry whether or not Harry finds his uncle to be untimely doesn’t mean I want to set the same precedent for my niece. Tu as tellement de chance tu es une bonne baise.”

The door pushed open slightly further as Remus and Regulus quietly stepped in, furious blushes adorning their faces when they realised that you all had paused in order to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“How nice of you to finally join us, little brother. Your niece has been asking for you.” Sirius deadpanned. 

Regulus scoffed and Remus grimaced as Regulus came rushing over to your side and pressed a kiss to your hair. “How are you doing, mama?” He asked, pulling back to consider your form as Remus pressed his own kiss to your head. 

“I’m good, uncle Reggie, thank you.” You smiled at him.

“Good.” He said with a curt nod. “I worry, leaving you in the care of my brother - you deserve better.”

“Sod off.” Sirius muttered, causing Lily to gently swat at his back.

“Watch your mouth, Sirius. There are little ears now.”

“Yeah, watch your fucking mouth, Sirius.” Remus volleyed.

“Christ, our kids are doomed.” Lily complained as she moved to sit on the end of your bed.

“Okay, I can’t take it anymore; let me hold her.” James demanded, making grabby hands to Sirius.

“Okay but Prongs, I swear to god if you fumble this like you fum-”

“I didn’t fumble that pass! You threw it too hard!” James quickly negated with a petulant whine.

Moving in slow motion, Sirius relinquished his hold on his new favourite person into James’ capable and seasoned dad hands before moving to perch himself beside you on your bed. 

“‘Lo, Aurora. I’m uncle Prongs; your favourite. I’m going to buy you so many stuffies, your dad and mum will need to buy a second place  just to have somewhere to put them all. And Haz is going to be the best big cousin you could ever ask for; he’s already trying to convince me to buy you a bike so you guys can ride together. And-”

“Okay.” Lily interrupted. “My turn.” 

James harrumphed but acquiesced and passed her over to his wife.

“She has her mummy’s nose.” Lily cooed, causing Sirius to gently pull you into his side and pressing his nose into your hair.

“That’s what I’ve been saying.” He said, causing you to snort.

“No. You just kept saying it was perfect.” You argued.

“Exactly.”

“Let’s just hope you have your mummy’s smarts, too.” Lily concluded, passing Aurora to Pete.

“Oi!” 

“Hi, ‘Ro.” Peter said, smiling down at the infant as she started to stir slightly. “No, no. Please don’t wake up. Oh god, oh god, James take her - take her! I’m not ready for this!”

“Oh hand her ‘ere.” Remus mumbled, moving to take the tiny bundle from his mate. “Wormy smells, doesn’t he, little love?” He cooed at the baby who, much to Peter’s chagrin, stopped fussing immediately. 

“Oh you and I are going to get into so much trouble, darlin’. I’m going to teach you so many swear words, and I’ll help you prank your dad any time you want - you just give me a ring and I’ll be there.”

Any contention between Remus and Regulus from their arrival melted quickly as Regulus leaned into Remus’ side to gaze at the newest Black family member. 

“You wanna hold her, love?” Remus asked him quietly, causing Regulus to shake his head quickly. 

“I don’t want to hurt her.”

Sirius scoffed. “Please, we let Peter hold her.”

“Sod off!”

“What if I drop her?” Regulus continued.

“Just don’t drop her. God, you’re a weird bloke.” Sirius muttered under his breath, though Regulus seemed to catch it as he levelled his brother with a glare. 

His face softened considerably as Remus shifted his hold in order to transfer Aurora into Regulus’ careful arms.

He spent a few moments just looking down at his new niece, a silent conversation seeming to pass between them as Remus reached around him to stroke the downy soft skin on the side of her face.

“Okay, I’ve only known Aurora for three minutes; but if anything ever happened to her, I would kill everyone in this room and then myself.” He said simply. 

Peter let out a nervous laugh before he realised Regulus was quite serious. 

“Good.” Sirius said with a nod. “That’s why we picked you to be her godfather.”

Regulus’ head whipped up at that as he seemed to strengthen his hold on the baby in his arms.

“You what?”

“If anything ever happened to us, we know you’d do everything in your power to give her a good life - the best life.” You explained.

“I- but…really?”

“Yeah.” Sirius said emphatically. “Besides, you inherited all of mother and father’s dirty money anyway, might as well use it to spoil our girl.”

Though there were clearly tears forming in Regulus’ eyes, he turned his attention back to his goddaughter with a derisive scoff. 

“I was planning on doing that anyway, Sirius. Je suis vraiment désolé de te dire ça, Aurora, mais ton père est un idiot.”

Remus snorted. “Already teaching her important life lessons.”

“Get bent, Moony.” Sirius sneered.

[ramsywasalittlelamb]

cover up and say goodnight, say goodnight

a batfamily agere fic! 2.7k words, fluff! warnings for mentions of nightmares and fear toxin, never goes in depth!

hello!! ive been super inactive as of late for a multitude of reasons, but mostly bc ive gone back into spy mode of having an online existence lol enjoy the fic! (better to read on ao3 imo!) lmk if i need to add any warnings!

pinterest photo links 1 2 3, title from this must be the place by talking heads!!

First it was Tim.

He had been taken off duty mid-patrol after a dose of fear toxin had been administered to him and possibly Jason. Even though he argued that he was fine, he took an antidote, and they should be more worried about Jason, Bruce persisted until Tim resigned for the night and retreated back to the cave.

He would never admit that his hands trembled with the scenes flashing in his mind on the back of his eyes each time he blinked for a second. 

He would never admit that the hug he received from Alfred upon arriving made him tear up underneath the mask.

He would never admit that in the middle of the night, the lonely openness of the room and the creak in the hallway floorboards began to scare him enough to not sleep, prompting him to go to Bruce’s room because Bruce’s room was safe. Because Bruce was safe.

Bruce squinted in the darkness of his room when a weight dipped his mattress, beginning to sit up to ask what was wrong or if someone was hurt, but soon settled back down when he saw a teary eyed Tim crawling into the bed with Aurora tucked between his arms in a tight hug, thinking he hadn’t woken Bruce up.

Bruce would never admit that Tim woke him up.

Next it was Damian.

He had come home later than Drake but earlier than the others for school purposes, getting enough sleep the night prior was valued for the loud and noisy classmates he had to put up with for a majority of his day, along with getting his homework done on time for the next day.

He had finished his schoolwork, freshened up, and followed his usual routine for the weekdays, ready to sleep.

Except.. something was off.

He had traced back everything he did, and everything he did was in the correct order and routine…

Oh, his pacifier was missing from his bedside table. He must have left it in father’s bedroom from the previous night.

He folded back his covers and trotted down the hall, narrowly avoiding the loud spots on the floor and opening the door to father’s room, only to see Drake and father slumbering.

He continued forward, passing the empty and inviting spot on one of father’s side to grab his pacifier and return back to his bed.

But he paused, eyes and mind darting between the open slot on the mattress and the half open door, revealing the nightlights placed throughout the hall.

Bruce would never be able to explain the selfish disappointment he felt when he heard the door close, only for a burst of joy to replace and erupt in his chest when he felt Damian snuggle against his side, the pacifier knocking against his shoulder in a rhythmic motion.

This time, it wasn’t Jason.

He had been having nightmares on repeat— as if that was new,— the way he had been carrying himself and working the past few nights had been concerning at the very least. Everyone had noticed, but didn’t bring it up, until Dick came over from Bludhaven and took him aside.

Jason had admitted to not having great sleep recently, but had argued that, once again, it wasn’t new to him. He could work it out, push through. And once the nightmares have made their run, everyone can carry on their merry way.

Of course, nothing ever worked out that way for anyone in this family.

His head felt full of just.. a feeling of disturbance, followed by the fact that he was distracted by how his left arm and right leg weren’t cooperating with him, one of scarecrow’s men had whacked him square in the head, sending him to the ground.

The rush of cold air flowing through a crack on his mask hit his face, everything felt so far away. Why does everything feel so fuzzy? Why is someone yelling in my ears? Why are there so many sounds?

The hands under his armpits dragging him from his spot on the floor cut him out of his thoughts, his eyes burning along with his lungs, the loudness in his ears was just too much. He struggled against the hands dragging him, effectively flipping on his stomach and away from the person.

He blinked heavily up at the person, his vision swimming as he squinted at them. Dick? Tim? Bruce? None of those options sounded great to deal with right now.

Next thing he knew, he was jolting awake with panic and fear seizing in his chest, an overwhelming feeling of everything crashing into his system. He wasn’t in his room, he wasn’t even in a safe house, this was the manor.

With remnants of the nightmare leaping around in the fog of his mind, he clutched the sheets closer to him as he tried to move off the bed, but his limbs didn’t want to cooperate. His knees hit the cold floor with a whimper leaving his mouth, tears filling up his eyes quickly as he sat in his own misery.

Then it was Cass.

She almost always sought someone out for cuddles during the night, regressed or not. It was comforting being wrapped up in someone’s arms, but just like tonight, sometimes it was because it just got really cold and lonely in the manor.

Tucking her big bird plush in her arms as she wrapped her fluffy blanket around her shoulders, she ventured out into the hall.

Her hand was on the handle of Bruce’s door, when something felt.. off… There was an icy ache of worry forming in her chest, something in the back of her head to look around first.

Listening to her instincts, she checks all the rooms, some of them missing their owner, making her smile knowing she’ll have more people to hug tonight.

Two rooms, side by side, had light coming from underneath the door. Dick was awake, which was no surprise seeing as he slept until five in the afternoon, but Jason being awake set off the alarms in her head.

Opening it slowly to let him know she was entering, and thankfully not receiving a request to leave, she saw Jason sitting beside his bed with his face hidden by his arms resting on his tucked up knees. The blankets tossed around and his pillow shoved between the wall and mattress. Clearly not a restful night.

She sat beside him, at a distance for his comfort, allowing him all the space and time he needs, but letting him know she was there. She would always be there for them.

“Nightmare.” Jason grumbled, his voice muffled by his position. She hummed, nodding even though she knew he couldn’t see it. She knows how terrible nightmares can be, she also knows how badly they affect everyone in the family differently. Some had gotten used to them and could shake them off easier, meanwhile others couldn’t even close their eyes without an image of the bad dream reappearing.

“It sucks and— and it’s frustrating! I know I get them, and they still get me shaken up when it happens, and it sucks!” He says, throwing his head back against the mattress, letting his arms fall to his side.

Hm, regressed.

She takes big bird from her arms and places him into Jason’s lap. If he helps her take her mind off bad things, he should help Jason do the same.

“Big bird? What am I supposed to do with it?” He wipes his nose with his sleeve with a small scowl and questioning look at the plush.

“Him.” She corrects, “Hug.”

He pauses, looking between Cass and Big bird, before picking up the stuffed animal and hugging it, releasing a breath of what seemed like relief.

“Come.” Cass says after letting Jason have a moment of peace with big bird, standing up and reaching a hand out for Jason to take.

He takes it, the two of them walking hand in hand a little further in the hallway to Bruce’s room. Jason pauses at the doorway, but Cass pats his hand, nodding with encouragement.

Cass lays with her back to Tim, scooting as close as she can to make room for Jason— though that’s not too hard with how large Bruce’s bed is. Jason shuffles hesitantly, tucking his head under Cass’s chin and allowing himself to be hugged by her, whilst hugging big bird in his arms.

She won’t be cuddled tonight, but she’s always willing to repay what the others have given her.

“G’night, love you.” He whispers to her, nuzzling further against her in search of comfort.

“Love you too.” She murmurs back, a smile etched on her face as she drifts off.

After hearing a few doors and very quiet talking, Duke decides to get up from his bed of misery.

He had tried making it more comfortable over the time he’s been here, but sometimes nothing would shake the feeling of homesickness he still felt.

Plus, that fuzzy feeling— regression, he reminds himself— keeps making it hard to do anything but lay down and cry in his own sadness, curled up with his all too cold blankets and in want of a hug.

But it’s late, everyone is probably settled back down for the night and— and he couldn’t just bother anyone for a hug anyway. He’s new to this family, the dynamic, and he just.. he didn’t slide in perfectly like a puzzle piece yet.

Sure, he was close with them and he talked to them like family, but everything was still new and he continued to find out more things. Not only about them, but himself too.

And right now, he just feels small, tired, and homesick.

Though.. Tim did tell him that if he ever felt in need of a hug, no matter the time, Bruce will always be willing to give one to him— Perks of being the new kid, Bruce couldn’t really get angry with you, Dick added. And Bruce did give some good hugs.

It wouldn’t hurt to try.

He picks himself off the bed and goes down to the end of the hall to Bruce’s door. He can hear Bruce snoring on the other side, the sound of the sheets rustling every now and then. Maybe Bruce was just an active sleeper.

He opens the door and…

Pretty much everyone is already in the bed, like a secured spot dedicated to each and every one of them. Ouch.

His bottom lip begins to wobble as his eyes well with tears. It’s not that serious, really, but seeing all the others so adjusted and comfortable to do this like it’s a routine, meanwhile he still feels like he’s intruding on everything.. It’s isolating, to say the least.

He doesn’t know how long he stands there, staring at the absolute cozy and familial scene in front of him, watching like an outsider, like it’s a paused screen.

Dick hears the door to Bruce’s door open for the umpteenth time tonight, but he never hears it close. 

Odd.

He clicks off his phone, peeking his head out quietly to investigate and Duke is standing at Bruce’s door, teary eyed, fidgeting with the frayed hoodie strings.

Alarms go off in his head immediately. Duke never seeks out Bruce in the middle of the night like this, and he certainly has never seen Duke come to anyone crying, so something must’ve happened.

He walks over, his steps unintentionally quiet until he purposefully makes a floorboard creak under his weight. Duke jumps at the noise and stares wide at Dick.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Did something happen?” Dick whispers, bending over a little to get more eye-to-eye with Duke, reaching over to pull the bedroom door nearly closed to block the sound of them talking.

Duke glances between Dick and inside the room through the small crack, biting on his lip before shaking his head, wiping his tears away with the sleeve of his hoodie. “‘M fine.” He says wetly with a sniffle. Very convincing.

“Duke, if something is wrong, you can let me or anyone one of us know. We won’t judge you or tell another person.” He assures, trying so hard to get concern across and not worry and panic in his expressions.

Duke hesitates, “I’m jus’ not feeling good. Sad.” He says, his bottom lip quivering as more tears well up. “Jus’ wanna hug.” He says in such a pitiful way, Dick thinks his heart just got torn then ripped out of his chest.

“Oh, lightning bug, I’d be more than willing to give you a hug— any of us would be.” He says, opening his arms for Duke to crash into, to which he promptly does. Tears soak through Dick’s shirt, though he doesn’t really care at the moment because his baby brother is sad, and he can’t have that.

“Did you want a hug from Bruce?” Dick asks after a few beats, he needs to figure out why the kid was just standing there. Duke nods against his chest. “Okay, so why didn’t you go in and get one, bug?” Duke hesitates again, holding Dick tighter.

“Didn’t feel right. Everybody is asleep ‘n cozy and.. I’d just be bothering them.” Duke says, muffled against Dick’s chest. “It’s scary being the new kid.” He says, moving his head to look up at Dick with a nervous look and tears steadily streaming down his eyes.

“Duke.. bud, I know it’s scary. You could never bother us though, especially if you’re upset.” Dick says with a frown, sorrow filling his voice as he runs a hand over Duke’s head comfortingly. “How about we go in there together? If you feel uncomfortable then you can leave or hug me tighter, how does that sound?”

A small and shaky— but still!— smile breaks onto Duke's face, making Dick smile back. The two walk over next to the side Damian rests on, seeing as the other was quite packed. Dick shuffles under the covers, Damian snuffles for a few moments, both Dick and Duke freeze until he flips over and nuzzles against Dick, who just combs his fingers through his hair.

Duke shifts on his feet for a few moments, then slowly climbs next to Dick, adjusting himself comfortably under the blankets and curling around Dick, who runs a hand up and down his back.

Within moments, Dick is the only one awake, smiling to himself as he looks over all of his siblings and his dad bundled together in peace. A giddy feeling fills his chest, a childish glee tugging at his mind. He holds Damian and Duke closer as he closes his eyes, happy to be sleeping surrounded by warmth and love.

Alfred checked all of the kids' rooms after nobody showed up in the midst of his cooking— let alone once it was done. No footsteps, no laughter, no tired groans from the ones who stayed up all night.

It was suspicious.

Nevertheless, he carried onwards to Bruce’s room, opening the door quietly, ready to start the daily routine of many years, until he saw Bruce already awake, surrounded by a pile of sleeping children.

“Good morning, sir.” Alfred whispers, a smile tugging at his lips at the sight.

Bruce huffs a breath in reply as he tries to sit upwards, shushing Jason when he whines at the subtlest movements or sounds, petting down his hair.

“I believe you might be stuck on the bed for the day, Master Bruce.” He says above the children, careful not to disturb any of them. Bruce chuckles quietly, “I guess I am. Not the worst situation to be stuck in though.” He says fondly, his eyes full of admiration and love for all his kids.

“Definitely not the worst.” He agrees, moving towards the bed to readjust Bruce’s pillow, seeing as the man couldn’t really move to do it himself.

Stepping away to leave the room, he pauses at the door. “I’ll come back with breakfast, perhaps a bedroom picnic is in order.” Alfred says, a twinkle of happiness shining brightly in his eyes as he leaves.

It may be Bruce’s bedroom, but the bed certainly does not hold one owner.

[kiibo-is-flustered]

Easy Target

Summery: Sodo was the group dog toy; whatever anyone wanted to do to him, they felt like they had the right to. Which lead the band members to an interesting discovery.

———

Sodo had become an easy target to pick on in the band. He was small, easily irritated, not very strong (so he couldn’t fight back), and he was cute. The band members had all the right to mess with him.

But Mr.Grumpy, on the other hand, did not like it as much as the other ghouls did. They were all intimidated by him to some degree but it seemed like when they were performing at rituals that Sodo became their little toy.

It started with Rain. They were leaning their heads together for a stunt that they usually pulled in Year Zero. Rain came up behind the smaller ghoul, who was standing on the staircase so that he was taller, and wrapped his hands around the front and back of his neck. He squeezed, simultaneously digging his fingers into his skin. Sodo jumped but had to keep playing. He whipped his head around to Rain, giving him a nonverbal ‘fuck you’. He could see the water ghoul smiling under his balaclava as he skipped off. Asshole.

Swiss flicked Sodos helmet and ran his fingers up his spine, Phantom got down on his knees in front of him and squeezed the front and back of his thighs, Rain bit him, Aurora bit him, hell, even Papa bit him. Copia kept caressing Sodos thighs during Kiss the Go-Goat which made the ghoul almost kick him in the face. Sodo kept on feeling flicks or little whacks behind him but he couldn’t tell who it was. Someone kept smacking his butt but he never caught the culprit. Every time he’d get a chance to turn around, everyone would be far away from him and they all shared evil glances with one another. They were ganging up on him. Assholes.

Another attack from Swiss was when the ghoul hopped off his stage for bows he stopped behind Sodo, sticking a finger in his butt and then scurrying off. Sodos entire body froze. He was mad. Rain saw it from across the stage and couldn’t stop laughing. The next night at the following ritual, Rain also stuck a finger in Sodos ass. Thankfully their pants were thick but obviously Sodo could still…feel it. Just cause they were being assholes didn’t mean they got to touch his. He was getting sick of all the poking and flicks and having his ass violated and being touched in ways that made him…jumpy.

But none of that was even half as bad as what Rain did at their most recent ritual. Sodos guitar was making a pitchy frequency and the usual bit was that Rain came over and made him stop. Rain has been getting rather…creative with some of his more recent distractions but nothing could’ve prepared him for this one.

He held the guitar up and out a bit as he kept shredding. That’s when he felt ten fingers dig into the sides of his ribs and wiggle. He immediately jumped and his guitar made a startled squeak before he silenced it. It seemed like it surprised him more than anything. But he knew exactly what Rains intent was with that, he was mad (and embarrassed) to admit that it worked. Sodo slowly turned around to face the water ghoul only to see him giggling at him and shaking his head as if to say ‘wasn’t me’. He could see the fire ghoul about to explode so he backed off. Sodo stood there in absolute shock. Rain just fucking? Tickled him? On stage? He was going to have a heart attack. Top ten most embarrassing moments of his life.

Sodo spent the rest of the ritual pouting. As soon as they got off stage, he tackled Rain to the ground and sat on his waist. The taller ghoul was laughing but the smaller was not.

“Fuck you, first of all.” He spat but Rain just kept on giggling. As the other band members passed by them, Copia stopped and pressed two fingers into Sodos rib and wiggled them. The ghoul yelped and curled in on himself. He turned to flash his attacker a threatening glare but as soon as he saw it was Papa he turned back down to hide on himself.

“Papa…” He groused.

“I didn’t know about this one.” Papa chirped, vibrating his fingers into his side again. The ghoul let out another meekly squeal and shot his body down onto Rains, who he was still sitting on. But that was his first mistake because Rain just brought his hands up to prod at his sides. Sodos body sprang back up as he tried to escape his malicious fingers but Papa greeted him with fluttery neck scratches. He just couldn’t win. Sodo scrunched his shoulders up and used his hands to bat away at the fingers attacking his sides. Rain brought his hands down and squeezed his hips which made the smaller ghoul jump and squeak again. He quickly got to his feet and took a few defensive steps away as he caught his breath.

“Ohokay, you win.”

“Oh no, you’re not done yet.” Rain smirked which made Sodos stomach fill with butterflies. He started backing off a bit quicker but Rain swiftly stood and Papa followed closely behind. Uh oh, this wasn’t good. The three broke out into a chase which, assuming from the loud laughter that broke out backstage moments later, ended in favor of the offense.

———

A/N sorry so short I wanted to speedwrite lmao. Part 2? Part 2 perhaps?

Inspo vids ;3 not everything is directly from these but I got a lot of ideas from them lol

[eclvpses]

Eyeing Clem wearily, each scooch down a step and, consequently, closer to Leo made his frown set deeper and deeper onto his features. He was half expecting her to whack him upside the head - her usual go-to whenever he was acting up - but was left momentarily stunned when all she did instead was press a kiss to his forehead. It was enough to coax a laugh out of him, reaching forward with a coo to squeeze her cheeks and pooch her lips together into a pucker. “Shit, Clem, you love me sooo bad.” It’d probably drive her nuts, continuing on the sudden display of affection and adding to it with vigour, but Leo thrived on annoying the people he loved. It was almost more satisfying when it just so happened to be Clementine. 

With their closer proximity, it made it easier for Leo to communicate through nothing but his put out expressions. He was a yapper at heart, but sometimes there were things that just couldn’t be conveyed through words. “I don’t wanna think about a secret third option. I’m still stuck on what went wrong with the first option.” That felt a bit too close to the truth. Really, Leo had been trying to reason that he just, frankly, wasn’t intelligent enough to consider a second option, let alone a third, but the way he’d worded it made it sound like he really was hung up in this situation. Which wasn’t a stretch - try and deny it as much as he wanted to, Leo knew there was some pining going on. If that was even the right word for it, it wasn’t like he was well versed with the concept.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it, you’re getting laid left, right, and centre. Spare me the details before I kill myself out of pure jealousy. Maybe if Tinder finally lifted my ban I’d have more fuckin’ luck.” Despite the fact that he’d asked, Leo rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, practically into the back of his head, which he thunked gently against the railing of Clem’s fire escape and left there. For all of a few seconds, before he was bursting into shocked laughter, slapping a hand over her mouth. “Shut the fuck up! Desperate times! Whatever - I’m practically 30, and totally mature.” He’d actually said he was 32, which was maybe pushing it, but it’d been a spur of the moment decision. Leo was too impulsive to be blamed for his wrongdoings - so he liked to reason. Glancing at Clem from the corner of his eye, he scratched awkwardly at his chin, the topic broaching on something he wanted to tell her but knew would get him in trouble. Trouble with Clem was always a slightly horrifying position to be put in. “I wanna tell you something but you’re gonna kick my ass.” He mumbled, patting out an awkward beat on his knees. “I saw Lia at Aurora the other night. We… caught up.” Which was one way of putting it - turning his head away as he waited the few moments it would take Clementine to put two and two together.

Leo’s expression reminds Clem of one of those tiny chihuahuas that get all aggressive at larger dogs, with such unearned confidence, at that. Not that that’s always what he looks like, mind you — Leo can be menacing when he wants to be, a trait they both share and have bonded over — but directed at her, Clementine can’t help but tighten her lips into an amused smile. She almost wants to take him by the scruff and wash him off in the sink. She scoots down the steps one at a time until she’s seated only one step above Leo, making it easier for her to lean in and drop an exaggerated kiss on her friend’s forehead. “Fuckin’ grump,” she mutters at him, but there’s a lack of heat to her tone. Most of it is made up of the fondness that’s grown for him throughout the years.

Making a face at Leo’s insinuation that Jar Jar Binks is sexually appealing, she decides to very casually ignore that quip in favor of the Alec comment. Not that there’s a lot she can say, mind you — she hasn’t debriefed this with Alec at all, but something tells her Leo and Shambles’s previous relationship might have at least something to do with Alec’s reluctance to start anything with Leo. She’d never been a fan of that relationship in the first place — had made it clear to both her friends — but it’s also not something she examines for too long. Brings up all sorts of irrational thoughts, and that’s not helpful when she’s this fucking high. Or, like, ever. “Or maybe there’s a secret third option you’re not considering,” she points out, taking another drag of her joint. Exhaling the smoke straight onto his face, she adds, “I’m calling you pretty enough to punch, yeah.” She grins widely at him, shoots him a playful wink.

It’s not an act. Clem snorts. Yeah, okay, sure. She figures it’ll do no one any good trying to coax the truth out of Leo tonight — least of all her, with all the dodging he’s doing. He should be an Olympic dodger. Is there such a thing? “If my brain hasn’t exploded yet in your presence, I think I’m in the clear,” she quips. Clicking her tongue at his question, almost as if it’s ridiculous he even has to ask, Clem gestures toward herself. “Look at me. Of fucking course I’ve been getting laid,” she rolls her eyes. “There was a cutie from Tinder a couple nights ago. Jesus, she was fun.” Might have to reach out to her again, actually. “There’s this woman from the bar — way older than me, but Christ, I wanna go down on her so badly,” she whines. “I’ll convince her yet.” She raises a judgmental eyebrow at Leo. “Unless I want to pull what you did with Dr. Seuss and fucking lie about my age to convince her to sleep with me.”

[princedcmon-blog]

@sunsetframed || sc

         small  10  year  old  feet  run  from  the  castle’s  door  straight  to  the  silver  carriage  that  had  stopped  right  in  front.  prince  daymon  knew  who  it  was  ----  cinderella.  his  godmother.  he  dodges  past  the  servants  that  were  carrying  in  cinderella’s  bags  &&  ran  straight  into  her,  arms  wrapping  around  the  skirt  of  her  dress.   ❝   bonjour  marraine  !!  ❞  he  says,  grinning  up  at  her.   ❝   did  you  bring  me  anything  from  france  ?  ❞

[retro-system]

honestly i like that mario isn't constantly chewing people out when they insult or belittle luigi, because there are times when he does, and those times are usually when luigi breaks down because of it.

to me that shows that luigi can handle the insults to a degree, and that if it's not to a point where it overwhelms him, he probably prefers to deal with it on his own, rather than lean on mario, who could probably get people off his case a lot more efficiently, as someone who most (especially toads) would actually listen to and respect. and mario respects this, so generally stays out of it.

but i think about a couple of times he did stand up for luigi, such as in partners in time...

the star door gives luigi three options when asking him who made it possible for him to obtain the aurora block that would allow him to pass through it with the others (mario, the babies, or himself), and after you choose each option the door snaps that it was gained through he teamwork of all four of them, and thus he had answered incorrectly. when luigi refutes that there had been no option to say that, the star door claims he's lying, and that he refuses to acknowledge the group's teamwork, and declares he'll be punished as stated in the screenshot, causing luigi to break down in tears. that's when mario starts shouting at the door, turning its own claim on its head and declaring that it's lying about giving luigi the fourth option and that luigi did nothing wrong, and baby mario -- a bit more physical than his adult self -- whacking the door repeatedly with his hammer. the star door acknowledges mario's faith and love for luigi and allows them all to pass.

another example is in bowser's inside story (in a scene which, funnily enough, directly references partners in time).

after defeating some shroobs that bowser had frozen, mario, luigi and starlow discuss the origins of the shroobs, mario telling starlow they had defeated an army of them as babies. starlow sings mario's praises, declaring that only he could accomplish such a feat at such a young age. mario tells her that luigi fought hard too, elevating luigi's ego until starlow responds with the above question of if he attacked them with "ferocious crying". then he turns away silently, crouching down and doodling on the ground dully. mario turns to look at him, before turning back to starlow to explain to her that luigi had defeated the shroobs in the end. starlow apologises to luigi, which brings his mood back up and they continue forward.

luigi is treated unfairly many times in the m&l series (and in the other mario games as a whole really), but he sucks it up and moves on. but sometimes someone will say something that'll hit him where it hurts, and i think mario knows that's when he needs to step in. he knows luigi's limits, and knows without luigi saying vocally when he needs help.

[galvanizedfriend]

Klaroline Fic: The Wolf III [07/21]

Summary: Months after their return to New Orleans, Klaus and Caroline try to settle into a semblance of normalcy, while Elijah struggles to forgive his brother's sins. But a mysterious prophecy that foretells the downfall of the Mikaelson family brings them all together in a war that will reopen ancient wounds and see each of the siblings doomed: one by friend, one by foe and one by family.

[It's The Originals Season 3, but Caroline had Klaus' baby, now she's a vampire and they are back in New Orleans after a stint in Mystic Falls. It's mostly about Klaroline, obviously.]

--

S03E07 The Other Girl in New Orleans ✨ Caroline comes to with the world spinning madly around her.

Bile rises to the back of her throat, a taste in her mouth like something died inside of her, nausea wrecking her stomach. She scrunches her eyes shut, trying to still the freaking merry-go-round on crack in her head, but it only seems to make it worse.

Everything hurts. There isn't an inch of skin on her body that doesn't ache or burn as though someone has set it on fire from the inside. Her muscles are screaming, heavy all over, but when she tries to move, she realizes she can't. Something's restraining her.

It's a minute before she can actually pry her eyes open. She finds clarity is not much better than the darkness, the light piercing through her irises like a hot poker. The world's tilted out of position, a multitude of colors popping before her. The more she tries to focus, the sicker she gets, but Caroline perseveres. Slow and dazed, she tries to process the situation.

Something about the place looks familiar, the little of it she can see, though she can't immediately identify it through the fog in her head. She can tell she's on the floor, though her arms are hanging above her head in a terribly uncomfortable position, the pain around her wrists indicating she's been there for a while. She hears the rusty sound of chains as she tries to move again, but she's so weak it barely rattles. She can't even crane her neck to look up. The mere effort of craning her neck up makes her wish someone would crack her spine, just so she'd be put out of this misery.

Focus, Caroline. Focus.

She sucks the air in slowly, tries to think through the haze.

What's the last thing she remembers?

She left the compound. Was on her way to Lucien's. She remembers getting to the building, the elevator opening before her, and then...

That's when the thread of memory gets lost. Everything is just... A tangle of flashes that makes her skull pound like there's a little person with a hammer doing a number in there.

Now that she thinks about it, there's a whole side of her head really pounding, more so than the rest, and the dull ache seems to come from the outer part, not the little man with the hammer. It's distinctive because it's a kind of pain she hasn't felt in a long time, like an old wound. She gets wounds more frequently than ever before these days, certainly more than she wishes, the most atrocious, gruesome things, but they're all new, and then they're gone. One of the perks of vampirism.

It's like... She was whacked. Very hard, across the forehead. She thinks she remembers that. Vaguely. But then... Nothing. It slips away again.

But why isn't that pain gone yet? Why would she have an old wound?

What the freaking hell happened?

"Ah, you're awake. Finally! Bit lazy, aren’t you? Thought you were going to sleep all morning."

The accented voice slices through her, making her insides curl with dread. Caroline strains her eyes enough to discern a figure approaching, high heels clicking against the stone floor.

"Welcome," Aurora says pleasantly. "You and I are going to have a girl's day today. I think it's about time we get to know each other. Don't you?"

Read the full chapter here

--

Sorry about the slight delay, I know I said *fridays*, but I had to force myself to stop tinkering with this one or else I'd never post it.

Please, read the A/N! This chapter goes heavy on jealous!Caroline and also angst. lololol All mistakes and insane writing are my own, no betas, we die like men. 🥲

If you enjoy it, please please consider leaving a comment, hitting the kudos button and reblogging the post. It's much appreciated, writers feed on that stuff and also makes me very happy. 😁

Really hope you guys enjoy it! ✨

[tiarahoarder]

The Space Between

Iwaizumi x Gn!reader

Your long distance relationship with Iwaizumi come to an end for a short period as he surprises you at your college to spend his break in japan with you, his most loved being in the world.

Currently playing: Exist For Love by AURORA

Warnings: fluff and also bad boy iwa with a motorcycle 😉, aged up characters

Note from the author: my bff has a crush on bad boys and gave me this idea. So this is for my iwa fuckers 😂😂. Also there are outtakes for this, let me know if I should post that too, I hope you enjoy!

"It's been too long" you thought.

After graduating from aoba johsai, you and iwaizumi had to go your separate ways. He had moved to America and you, stayed in miyagi. You loved him with all you had and he loved back the same. Along with the move to America, both you and iwaizumi had swore to make it work long distance.

Finally after many months limited to only seeing his handsome face on a screen, he had taken advantage of his break to visit Japan.

You insisted on picking him up from the airport, but as stubborn as iwaizumi is, he claimed he had his own means of transport. You had no Idea what this meant, so you agreed anyway.

It was the day that iwaizumi is supposed to touch down in japan. For you, it was a normal day with normal classes at the college. Little did you know, your hunk of a boyfriend was waiting to surprise you at the exit of your school.

He had forced intel out of matsukawa, who thought iwaizumi's plan was whack. Iwaizumi however, did not care what matsukawa's "better plan" was. He rented a Harley Davidson and made his way towards your college; in no time he was waiting by the exit with his phone in hand.

"Oh my god hajime!" His head shot up from his phone at the sound of your angelic voice.

For a moment he forgot how to speak. It has been so long since he had last saw you in real life, it still felt like a dream. As you run to meet him with a hug, he met you in between with a bone crushing hug.

"Oh y/n, I miss so so much, too much" He dug his head into the crook of your neck, inhaling your scent.

Pulling you towards the motorcycle parked at the side of the road, you inquired about his new hobby of riding. Without a word, iwaizumi had pinned you against the motorcycle to kiss you passionately.

Cradling your face in his hand, he explained. "I thought I would surprise you. I know how much you love to feel the wind in your hair."

He helped you put on your helmet and soon enough the two of you are on your way to spend the next two weeks together in simple bliss.

Reblogs, comments and like appreciated 😘

[itssuppertim3]

Teldryn prompts? I gotchu

What did he want to be when he grew up, and why didn't it happen? (unless he always wanted to be a mercenary)

And what was his reaction to finding out his patron was the Dragonborn? Did he have second thoughts and think about leaving? And what made him stay?

Ohh @otvlanga , my beloved,,,,,

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

Teldryn's always had a bright and adventurous imagination since childhood. He most likely would've wanted to be some type of tidleholder, perhaps a renowned hero who vanquishes any enemy that crosses his feet (I imagine him keeping a sword-like stick strapped to his trousers, lol). Boy, was he pissed to realize that those dreams were nothing but a waste after sitting in the Netch like a bird locked in a cage.

So far, he's earned his title by defending Raven Rock from local dangers, but he's never felt like it was enough. He wants more. He wants to escape that rathole of a town and set his sights far out onto the horizon, nothing holding him back. But alas, those will continue to be mindless dreams to him.

It isn't until a wanderer, someone completely foreign to dreary old Solstheim, struts in the tavern, worn out and covered head-to-toe in dusty ash. Teldryn observes this stranger from the corner of the room with a keen eye. He can already feel the anticipation of his heart throbbing against his chest. He tries to remind himself that his renewed hope is all in vein. Whoever this traveler was, the odds of them requesting his services were close to none.

"You, there. Are you a mercenary?"

He can feel his mouth go dry in response. Was it truly him that they were speaking to? Was this some kind of farfetched joke? He almost neglects to answer the stranger's question, and later replies with an eager, "yes!" Teldryn continues on with his special trademark in hopes of luring their interest, and it would appear that he's successful! A pouch with an abundancy of 500 septims is passed his way and he can't believe his eyes. For once, in a very long time, his life was actually going somewhere.

It isn't that Teldryn's never experienced the thrill of adventuring before. He's had patrons from all around hire his services. It's just, well, business has been a tad slow since the passing of his Nordic friend. Maybe it was the reluctancy of getting close to another person, only to witness their death flash before him. Yes, he was a coward. But maybe, just maybe, he'd get a second, a better chance, this go-round? Only time will tell.

Behind his mask, the Dunmer's mouth falls agape at the dragon's glowing corpse. By Azura's wisdom, he's never seen such a phenomenon in all his days! Like a violent surge of auroras, the luminescence is entwined into his employer's body. When the dragon remains are reduced to bones, Teldryn rushes to his boss and latches onto their shoulders, throwing a storm of questions their way. Are they alright? What just happened? Was that some type of magic? Just what was going on?? His hands fall loose to his sides when they tell him the truth, that they're the Dragonborn. He's so baffled that he breathes an exhasperated laugh.

In some twisted aspect, the mercenary expected himself to treat his boss as if they were a deity. He was unsure of how he should address them. I mean... they were practically royalty, after all. Now, he wants to whack himself for even suggesting the thought. He realizes that, regardless of title or status, they're still the same person that walked in the Retching Netch, worn out and ash covering them head-to-toe.

He stays with them, not for fame nor glory, but because they are dear to him. They hired him to always have their back and remain by their side. And by the Eight, he will do just that.

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

This idea was so scrumptious, I could've eaten that prompt.

[wiypt-writes]

What The Stark Spangled F**k?

A Stark Spangled Forever One Shot- Finding Rori

Summary: Rori gets a pet. And hilarity/chaos ensues.

Warnings: Bad language words…

A/N: This came to me yesterday and is inspired by my own fairground goldfish, Evans, who is 5 this year. 

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar Katie Stark and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.

Stark Spangled Forever Masterlist // Main Masterlist

The Rogers household for once, was reasonably quiet. It was a Saturday afternoon and both Jamie and Aurora were out with Bucky and Sam, leaving Katie and Steve with just Harry (and bump, which was still in the very small, early bump stages being 16 weeks or so). Katie was led on the sofa, Stark squashed alongside her on his back whilst she read a book and Steve was led on the rug with Harry, the pair of them drawing on a large piece of paper using the crayons that Stark hadn’t eaten. 

The little boy was happily colouring along, grinning and talking to his Dad as he went, occasionally glancing up at ‘Moana’ which was playing on the TV, sometimes he would start to imitate the singing, causing Katie to glance up and watch him, smiling softly. Out of their three youngest kids, he had without doubt been the easiest one to deal with. He hardly ever cried or made a fuss, never complained, he was such a placid little boy. Steve and Katie had no idea who he took after as neither of them were known for their patience or calmness really. And frankly, compared to his sister who could be the biggest pain in the ass on the planet, it was a welcome change. Which was why they liked to make time for him on his own as when the other two were around, they demanded all the attention, something which Katie hated, and Steve knew was worrying her about when baby number four arrived.

But their peace was shattered as the security system alerted them to the fact the gate had been opened by “Bucky Barnes” and Steve glanced up at the clock. It was gone five, he hadn’t realised it was getting that late in the day. He let out a sigh, and exchanged a look with Katie who had placed her book down in preparation for the onslaught.

Which arrived a few minutes later as Jamie sauntered into the room, baseball cap perched on his head backwards, followed by Rori who was clutching a plastic bag in her hand, and contained in which was…

“Oh you are kidding me, right?” Steve nodded to the offending fish swimming around in small circles as Rori held it up grinning. He looked at Katie who was trying not to laugh as he shook his head. Rori had been asking the two of them for a fish for weeks and they had persistently said no but  surprise, surprise here she was with one.

“BUCKY! BUCKY!” Steve yelled as Harry grinned, joining in and clapping.

Buck appeared in the doorway, looking at Steve innocently whilst behind him Sam carried some form of small tank which held a pink castle and some other ornaments along with some food, gravel and a filter.

“I told you not to buy her a damned goldfish Bucky!” Steve looked at him, shaking his head

“I didn’t.” Bucky shrugged “I won her one.”

“Fisheee!” Harry said as he toddled over to Rori to get a closer look.

“That’s…that’s a technicality!” Steve spluttered before he looked at Sam who shook his head.

“I had nothing to do with this man.”

“Don’t lie Uncle Sam.” Jamie said, dropping onto the sofa, Stark licking his face “You helped Rori pick the tank in the pet store.” “Traitor” Sam narrowed his eyes at him.

“You,” Steve pointed at Bucky as he stood up from the rug, “are the biggest jerk ever, you know that?”

Bucky grinned innocently as Rori turned to Katie who examined the fish before she gave a shake of her head and sighed.

“Well it’s hre now so we might as well set the tank up.” And just like that, the Star Spangled Diva once more got her own way, as half an hour or so later, said bastard fish was safely in its new home, the tank sitting on the corner unit in the den where Steve had placed it once it had been filled and the ornaments arranged EXACTLY how Rori wanted them.

“I think we should call it Klaus.” Jamie nodded.

“What the hell kinda name is that?” Bucky looked at him.

“It’s the fish from American Dad.” Jamie shrugged.

“Okay. two things.” Steve looked at Jamie sternly. “One, me and your Ma told you that you were far too young to watch that and therefore were not allowed and two, I echo what Buck just said, what the hell kinda name is Klaus?”

“The fish can talk.” Jamie shrugged. “And he’s German, used to be a guy until the CIA turned him into a fish and-“ “Alright, just no.” Steve shook his head. “The fish is not being called Klaus and if I catch you watching that again, I’m gonna take the plug off your TV.” “Oh come on dad, like you didn’t watch shows you weren’t allowed to when you were my age.” Jamie protested and Katie gave a snort.

“Yeah, like TV existed back then.” 

Jamie frowned for a moment before a look of realisation spread across his face “Oh yeah!” “Most Exciting thing we saw was the ‘Wizard of Oz’.” Bucky said, nostalgically “Man, Technicolour…what a revelation.” “That’s so whack.” Jamie mumbled.

“Yeah, now you’re talking and I’m hearing words but,” Steve shrugged and grinned as Jamie aimed a dig at him which Steve easily dodged. The two began to play spar with one another, their laugher and exclamations getting louder until Rori cut across the noise as she moved her head from where she was looking at the fish in its tank. “I’m going to call her Dori.” she said. Steve stopped what he was doing, which allowed Jamie to land a punch to his arm, which in all fairness was pretty fucking hard.

“Ow…” He said, rubbing at the place Jamie’s knuckles at connected with his bicep and looked down at the 9 year old “Good shot son…” Jamie grinned and they all turned to where Rori was stood, Katie crouched down next to her as they both watched the fish. “What did you say Princess?”

“I said her name. Imma call her Dori, like in Finding Nemo and Finding Dori…” she shrugged “And it’s like my name…”

“Dori and Rori.” Katie grinned at her daughter “Hey, Finding Rori…gedddit?”

Rori grinned and Hi-Fived her Momma the pair of them laughing whilst Steve and Jamie exchanged a look.

“Nah, I think you should call it Dot.” Bucky said simply. Steve turned to look at him. “What? It’s orangey red…so was her hair…”

“No,it’s Dori” Rori corrected him.

“Dot is better.”

“Dori!”

“Dot!”

“MY FISH, MY NAME UNCLE BUCKY!” Rori stamped her foot. And Katie turned to look at her, a firm expression on her face but it was Steve that issued the warning.

“Aurora enough! And you…” he pointed at Bucky who grinned at him, “stop antagonising her.”

“Chaos, confusion, my work here is done.” Bucky grinned, giving Steve a salute. “Same time next week?”

******* It was a few weeks later when disaster struck…

“Steeeeeeve!” Katie’s yell hit his ears and he stiffened slightly, before he put down his mug and hurried out of the kitchen and into the den.

“What’s wrong?” he frowned. She simply pointed to the corner of the room where Dori’s tank sat and he saw the fish bobbing on the surface.

Dead

“Oh fuck.” He swallowed. “How did that happen?”

“Well, I’m no expert but I suspect the half disintegrated cookie at the bottom of the tank might be something to do with it.” Katie sighed.

“I told her not to feed it them.” Steve groaned.

“You’re gonna have to go get a new one.” Katie looked at him “Before she gets back because I can’t cope with a diva meltdown Steve, not today.”

“Me?” Steve looked at her

“Yes, you.” Katie said. “I was up all night as you know, I can’t stop puking, I’m tired and you’re not in today and…”

“Ok, ok.” Steve nodded, placating her as he dropped a kiss to her cheek “Right…leave it with me.” She smiled at him, leaned up to give him a kiss before she swept out of the den, Harry toddling behind her. Steve glanced at the dead fish before he pulled out his phone.

“S’up Punk?” Bucky greeted him.

“Me and you got a mission, a big mission.” Steve said, “Meet me at the Coffee shop in 30.”

And that’s how both World War 2 Veterans, the Captain and his Sergeant, ended up in a local Pet Shop an hour or so later with said dead fish in a Tupperware container, a very bemused assistant looking at them.

“I need one of these” Steve explained, showing the fish to him.

“You need a goldfish, Sir?” “Yeah but it needs to look exactly like this one.” Steve said.

“Ok, they all look similar…” the assistant began until Bucky cut him off. “No, you don’t know his daughter.” Bucky shook his head “When we say exactly the same, we mean, exactly the same…” Less than an hour later, Dori The Second was placed in the now cleaned tank, the 3 adults and Harry watching it carefully.

“Think she’ll notice?” Steve asked, looking at Katie.

“Hmmm, it looks the same to me.” she said. “Suppose we’ll find out later.” Steve was crapping his pants all day. And when he finally collected Rori from school, he was on tenterhooks until she headed into the Den after getting changed and having a juice box. He glanced at Katie, as the pair of them held their breath, and they thought they’d gotten away with it for a few minutes, until they heard her yell.

“Shit…” Katie mumbled, as they both headed into the room.

“Everything ok?”

“Why does Dori have a white spot on her tail?” Rori looked at her mom and dad.

“Where?” Steve frowned.

“There!” She exclaimed, pointing. Steve leaned down to look and there was the tiniest white spot on the tip of the fish’s tail, no bigger than a pin prick.

“Some fish get markings like that.” Katie said, her quick thinking kicking in “it might go again, or it might get bigger…maybe you should keep notes and some pictures, then you can track it.” “Oh, ok, yeah that sounds cool!” Rori grinned and Steve glanced at his wife, relief flooding his system.

A little later, once Jamie, Rori and Harry were in bed, Katie and Steve sat down to dinner.

“I can’t believe we pulled it off.” Steve sighed, spearing a piece of broccoli with his fork “I mean, of all the missions we’ve run…”

Katie chuckled, “You know, when I was a kid I had a goldfish. Tony got him for my 8th birthday, called him Flounder, you know after the fish in the little mermaid?”

“Yeah?” Steve looked at her.

She nodded “Yup. He lived for like 11 years…or rather I thought he did. On my 18th birthday Tony confessed that Flounder, who was at this point still alive, was in fact Flounder the 9th. He had in fact died 9 times and each time Tony replaced him without me knowing.”

Steve paused, his fork raised halfway to his mouth before he gave a groan. “So basically I’ve turned into Tony?”

“There are worse people you could have become.” Katie snorted as Steve shook his head, swallowing his food.

“Bucky is a dead man.” he sighed, “This is all his fault.” “Well he’d do anything for Rori.” Katie shrugged “She has the pair of you, and Sam for that matter, wrapped around her pinkie.”

“Wonder where she gets that from?” Steve looked at her “I mean, can you blame me? She’s basically Tony with your looks.”

A couple of hours later, after some TV and a cuddle on the couch, both of them decided to head to bed. It was still reasonably early but Katie was tired and Steve decided to go with her, he could watch TV in bed. They both checked on their kids, and Steve left Katie to tuck Harry in properly as he wandered over to Jamie’s room. He opened the door, Stark pushing in to take his customary place on the foot of the bed.

“Lights out pal.” Steve said gently as he dropped a kiss to his forehead. He reached for the remote, turning his son’s TV off as Jamie reached for his lamp, clicking the switch, leaving the only source of light as that which was coming from the hall way.  “Night buddy.” “Night…” Jamie said, before he spoke again just as Steve was about to leave the room. “I know you swapped the fish.” Steve turned back to look at him, shrugging “I don’t know what you mean.” “Mom’s right, you’re a terrible liar.” Jamie said and Steve could just make out his face, a smirk was playing on his lips “Don’t worry, I won’t tell Rori…if you give me twenty bucks…” “How about I don’t, and you still don’t or you’re grounded.” “Grounding me aint gonna reverse time and stop me telling her in the first place.” Jamie shrugged.

Steve blinked. He paused for a second, contemplating his options. He could come down like a tonne of bricks on the kid, which to be fair was very tempting, or he could take the easy way out which frankly, at that moment, was far more appealing. And so, Steve Rogers, the first Captain America, once-upon-a-time leader of the World’s Mightiest Heroes found himself reduced to bargaining with a blackmailing 9 year old. His blackmailing 9 year old to be precise.

You little shit.

“5 bucks.” Steve opened the negotiation.

“15.” shot back Jamie.

“10.”

“Deal.” Jamie grinned. “Night dad.” “Yeah, whatever…” Steve grumbled, closing the bedroom door behind him. He stopped dead as he saw Katie looking at him, her hands on her hips.

“Did you seriously just let him do that?” she shook her head.

“Do you wanna deal with a diva tantrum?”

“Steve, he just completely…”

“I know what he did, Doll.” Steve sighed, following her into their room “And for the record, this is on you.” “Me?”  she frowned as he reached out, his arms wrapping around her from behind, hands softly cupping her bump. “Yes, because that part of him that just blackmailed me, was his 50% Stark.” he said, placing a kiss to her neck.

Katie tilted her head and looked at him with narrowed eyes. He arched an eyebrow at her and she gave a snort, shaking her head. “Who knew that your own daughter would be your downfall.”

“She’s Tony but with your looks.” Steve shrugged “What do you expect?”

“Well,” Katie mused, “you said you’d give him 10 bucks but you didn’t say when. You can point this out to him tomorrow, if he wants it he can have it when he’s tidied his room.” “That’s…sneaky” Steve grinned.

“Fight fire with fire Soldier.” she smirked “You pointed out he’s half Stark, well, I’m 100% Stark, which means I can out Stark him all day long.”

 **Original Posting**

[thelostandforgottenangel]

Turtle’s Naked Challenge

@bloody-weapons-soft-soul13​ @fyreball66​ @lonelyheart-clubband @blossom-skies @narwals14 @betelgeusessonajblog @missbeautyandherbeast @midnightrebel669 @midnight-chocolate-turtle @myheyheyheystuff @nikitaboeve @mistyroselove @waterstar2016 @bluesakurablossom @bayverse-turtle-power @nights-legacy @janna-the-breaker @missmagellanic @darksaphire2002 @aurora-the-kunoichi @moonlightflower21 @queendice98 @infintyfandoms @ravn-87 @bmntgirl @vixie-chan233

This took a while to do considering my daughter after hearing her auntie bae claim I was fucking lazy decided to dump a drink over my flashdrives so I couldn’t use them anymore resulting in losing all my files, stories, and all my asks but as requested here’s some steamy wet turtle nudity

Her boyfriend had gotten to her place after a long strenuous patrol looking so tired and rundown just knowing being the leader could be hard

Being the older brother to three whack job goofy brothers could also do a number on a turtle’s mentality and had her heart going out to him instantly one these nights making her somewhat baby her alpha much to the displeasure on his face

He didn’t like the coddling but knowing how grumpy he could be had the woman wanting to make it better because Leonardo deserved to be pampered like a king when he allowed her to do so

After all he made her feel like a queen every day she could do the same for her leader

Upon offering him her shower to relax and wash the day away but also giving him tons of kisses that pulled a loving smile from her special guy and promising of more once he was done had him swayed easily

Plus he seemed more willing as her hand trailed up his plastron hearing her whispering of maybe some more enticing fun once he was finished he had immediately hopped in to clean up while she got comfortable and started reading her new book he had gotten her a few weeks back

The woman figured he might be a while and he deserved the longest shower he could stand so why not read a few chapters until he was done already having their movie ready to be started and dinner in the stove already prepared knowing he loved home cooked meals

Only the best for her turtle

She was so absorbed in the pages happily following the hero’s tale the water turning off didn’t even register to her nor did the bathroom door squeaking or abnormal soft steps approaching her couch where she was lounged out comfortably

What did was the sopping wet towel that landed on her making her squeak and jump a foot in the air

“Finally reading it – it’s a really good story”

She pulled the cloth off her before freezing seeing her leader standing there proud in front of her in all his glorious perfection steam roving lazily off his leaf green flesh as those blue sapphires set her on fire feeling the room getting warm as she looked him over shifting in her seat as something else started to feel ‘hot’

She was panting and all he was doing was looking at her

The throbbing appendage between his thick thighs had her trying desperately not to look down and she failed miserably as he strolled forward a sly grin on his face his lower lip caught between his teeth before he tilted her head up smelling what he was doing to her and the soft fabric of the blue nightie had him seconds from losing his dominate stance

“Just wondering does that offer still stand or are you just going to sit there drooling all over the book” she apparently didn’t answer him fast enough because the look in his eyes shifted as he got over her growling under his breath “Bedroom now and on your knees before I break the couch again~”

Her body responded this time as he moved back so fluidly walking towards the hallway before letting her pass him a small moan leaving her as the pressure of his fingers on the back of her neck had her bending to his will “Whatever you want Sensei”

He had to be having a bad day cause when he got to her place he was growling, cussing, and mumbling nasty obscenities through his bared teeth

No doubt somebody had pissed him off and being how late it was that list of names was fairly a mile long but not limited to several of the normal characters but after a bit of persuading and lots of affection to her teddy bear she had finally convinced him to go take a hot shower to calm himself

She hated seeing him so upset

She lit the sweet fresh picked strawberry candles on the counter just for him knowing the smell of her newest set always made him feel calm remembering with clarity the first night she got them he had shown up in a rage over something she truly didn’t understand but the second he took a deep breath he had just relaxed curling up with his head on her chest passing out almost immediately purring like a kitten

Every night after if she knew he was coming over she was burning those candles finding he became very affectionate and needy

He tried to coax his love into the bedroom mumbling he just wanted cuddles but she handed him her biggest towel and sent him on his way swearing they could snuggle after he was done for as long as her turtle needed

Not wanting to bother the hothead she had sat down on the sofa to wait knowing once he was done she could drag the turtle into some loving cuddles until he wanted to talk about what happened so maybe when he headed home he was in a much better mood

While he was showering she just knew he would be a while and it was her favorite night so the woman turned on her TV fast to catch up on her crime show and became oblivious to everything in her surroundings

She was focused on her favorite character shirtless grinning like a love sick school girl hardly hearing the bathroom door open so when a towel landed over her head she was a bit shocked quickly pulling it off “Raphie this is the best part what are you-!?”

The woman looked up from her couch to see the massive turtle standing there with a serious look completely stripped of his normal attire leaving her in a dazed stupor upon seeing what was in front of her as he stepped in the way of her TV

Licking his lips Raphael stood holding a smaller towel drying off his neck as water dripped down his naked built body and damn he had her full attention before a smug smile was aimed at her when she couldn’t look away taking in his perfectly sculpted physique realizing now she had never comprehended how big he was

“Ya still wanna watch the show or – ya up ta help me blow off some pent up steam?” he winked still exuding cockiness walking towards her room giving her a great view of his ass making her turn off the TV so fast not caring if she missed her new episodes before jumping over the back of her couch already unbuttoning her blouse

“No sir… Nope not at all” she ran after him hearing that thunderous chuckle as she shut her bedroom door jumping the massive turtle quickly once he was on her bed kissing him hard as the woman was pulled against him knowing she wasn’t going to let Raph leave tonight “I’m all yours baby”

He was late and not answering his phone… of course he was and after she had worked so hard making him his favorite Italian dish and had even gone all out to make a beautiful tiramisu from scratch which was far from easy like the recipe online had claimed but it was all for her loving genius wanting his rare day off to be perfect but after this long she knew he’s be at her window the moment he realized it

As forgetful as Donatello was she knew he wouldn’t stand her up

Almost on cue two hours later the genius was tapping on the frame with that cute bashful smile on his face as he climbed in the window dropping his gear in the chair she had purposely moved there to keep him from just dropping everything on her floor

“Sorry dove the truck was in need of a tune up and then I got distracted by the leaking radiator hoses – it was a big mess but I’m here – and dinner smells amazing”

Her adorkable nerd trying to explain the whole ordeal as if the woman couldn’t tell what had kept her boyfriend was always adorable he wore the evidence of oil and grease all over his skin and pants stained

The woman jumping back as he started moving in to kiss her made him pause hoping she wasn’t mad at him before she stopped the genius with one finger pointing to the problem before heading to her room

He was still looking himself over like he didn’t see the problem when she reappeared handing him a large towel and the clothes he had left last time he had stayed at her place a serious look plastered on her face but the ghost of a smile on her lips told him she wasn’t upset “You are not sitting on the couch or any furniture until every speck of that is off you”

He gave her the cutest pout starting to argue that he was starving and she knew how long it would take for him to actually get off every bit of grease which – actually made her reconsider her words wondering if he had eaten today but moved closer bringing him down by his dirty mask giving him a loving kiss

She promised as soon as he was cleaned up she would have his plate ready before going to the kitchen getting the degreaser scrub she bought after the last time the genius came over covered in oil after fixing the garbage truck seeing him roll his eyes before chuckling as he finally gave stealing one last kiss as he headed down the hallway

It was going to be a little bit with his having to scrub his arms and hands so she turned on her computer starting to check over a few things her boss needed by next week already having it mostly done thanks to having a brilliant boyfriend who explained it in full detail in less then a minute where as her dumbass boss had pulled her into a three hour long meeting to explain it but left her even more confused

But of course the computer was running slower then normal calling down the hall she would need his tech support help to fix it later whining as it tried to shut down on her after working great minutes before

She had just hit save when a soaked towel landed in her lap making her jump nearly spilling her drink on the laptop before snapping around to get onto the turtle but paused her face draining of any anger that had been there to be replaced by a dark blush

A smaller towel draped over his shoulders as he dried his neck and face had her suddenly aware of just how handsome he was without the mask he always wore but him standing there with nothing on but a crooked half smile on his lips and his glasses hanging low on his snout giving her a clear view of the molten honey brown orbs taking her in

“Did I hear somebody needs tech support? I hate to tell you this princess but the price of services goes up on my day off~”

She couldn’t even come up with a single thing to say with him looking down at her, that heated bedroom gaze melting her in her chair as his mates wide eyes drifted slowly over his body left completely breathless by just how sensual he looked

They had been together for a while and Donnie was normally a little shy even around her but right then he was just as confident as any of his brothers “But maybe I could be swayed to give you a discount for the right payment”

His smile widened noticing she was unable to tear her gaze away from his body always loving how she could boost his self confidence so easily

“I’m willing to do a full payment with interest if you’ll fix it by tomorrow morning Sir”

Her eyes finally met his again feeling the heat building in her, she was already well aware of what he was silently commanding closing her computer the second he shifted his weight back, dinner long forgotten before she was hurrying after him catching his hand

She was in his arms seconds later his lips crushing hers just as the door shut never realizing they were on the bed until the thin fabric of her top ripped and he was ravishing her breast

His glasses coming off was her only warning the lovable shy genius was no longer there

She had already pushed all of the furniture out of the way hoping his patrol wouldn’t last too much longer knowing Leo would try to not make him too late but it gave her time to get everything set up along with the three pizzas and his favorite snacks

Having just finished up with everything a smile spread on her lips when he clambered through the main bay window from her balcony already dressed out in his old sweatpants covered in paint stains with all his supplies knowing he had just ran the whole way after getting home his arms immediately placing them on the plastic on the floor before he was behind her wrapping his girl in a tight hug giving all the kisses he could to her

“What do you think?”

Michelangelo had came over to do an art date and being as the wonderful girlfriend she was she had gotten some of the biggest canvases she could find at the craft store for them wanting to do something special for both of them giggling as he kissed down her neck seeing her surprise for him “I love it babycakes! This is perfect!” his excitement only made her smile wider

They were going to do a portrait for one another so she had planned out her painting to the youngest turtle since she had seen his excitement in having a special night at her place like she tried to do often for him

Being Mikey couldn’t go out in public and she knew how much it bothered him that he couldn’t take her somewhere on dates even though she didn’t really want to be in public the woman always tried to come up with fun dates where the only thing that really mattered was being together and making sure he knew his baby didn’t need to be seen out with somebody or go anywhere fancy to love him

All she needed was the loving and attentive turtle who made her feel special every single day

After placing their easels back to back both of them were so ready to get started grabbing one box of pizza to sit between them as he prepared his stuff being overly affectionate with her kissing and holding her just wanting to watch what she was going to do but she shooed him to his side

This had to be a surprise

Two hours later she finished with the layout starting to add color, of course she couldn’t see what he was doing but her normally hyper noisy boyfriend was surprisingly quiet hearing him working hard on whatever he was painting for her made her work even harder wanting it to be perfect for him

Lost in the painting the woman couldn’t stop from smiling the more and more it looked like his shell the deep mahogany blending in with the hints of chestnut and small streaks of orange she had admired since the day she met him giving it a few finishing touches

He called out he was done just as she finished the last major detail making her carefully pick up her painting placing it over on a homemade drying rack when he came over placing his canvas beside hers for the big reveal

Mikey was instantly pressed against her back holding her from behind hearing a surprised gasp at seeing the pattern of his carapace plates up close “Baby! Holy crap it’s – does my shell really look like that?” she giggled as he tried to look over his shoulder before she took in what he had done

On his there was lots of color blended in together making it very bright, happy, and a bit psychedelic the way the splatters brought out the finer details, her name was in a graffiti like cursive style with tiny spots of glitter making it shimmer like a diamond before seeing in the center the imprint of his chest plate was painted there in his own cute signature loving how he had painted in the heart with green and orange so she would never forget him

“It’s beautiful-” she turned to kiss him noticing his sweats on the floor looking back before she exploded in laughter shocked to see the turtle standing there with a wide grin his brow line wiggling before her eyes slipped lower finding him there in nothing

“Oh my god Mikey!” her boyfriend stood there looking so proud of himself, his entire upper half centered more towards his plastron was covered in multiple colors of paint that went all the way down past his waistline which told her he had painted himself and pressed against the canvas he was splattered in every color imaginable across his muscular arms and cute happy face “Did you get any paint on the canvas”

He seemed so offended looking himself up and down before striking a pose in full Mikey fashion giving her a flirtatious wink “Oh baby you see this body it is the canvas” she giggled waving him off before screaming out as he tackled her to the floor kissing her as he smeared some paint on her face

“N-NO MIKEY! STOP!” she was laughing way too much to be taken serious squirming as he pulled at her clothes mumbling she should try painting nude too throwing them off to the side

Biting her lip she tried to stop from moaning her cheeks burned hotly while trailing the streaks of colorful paint that made his body stand out a bit more biting her lip trying to look up blushing and finding it a bit difficult to resist him with the thick shaft already erect and throbbing against her exposed belly as he picked up a brush as he opened her to him pressing close so she could feel him “Now baby girl – I know something I’m about to paint white~”

With him this was what she lived for her arms surrounding him as she kissed her way to his neck not really caring if she got messy when his hands accidently landed in her paints starting to like where this was going as he smeared it over her curves when she fell limp finally submitting as she pointed to a stack of canvases off to the side

“Let’s do something that will only be for your eyes Daddy~”

[feverinfeveroutfic]

chapter twenty-two: organs

*one of the few times i have to put up a smut warning*

One thing that Marla told them before they showed back up at the complex was that Alex could take to Belinda's bed, as long as he changed the sheets once the morning came given it was Friday and Belinda would be on her way home soon enough.

Meanwhile, it was almost two o'clock in the morning by the time Sam, Marla, Alex, and Chuck made the triumphant return to Hell's Kitchen, and at that point, the rain from the thick of winter was upon them. But despite the late time, Sam was wide awake and ready to do something she knew would get her away from Bill once and for all. It may have been the late time doing a number on her mind so to speak, but at that point, she would do anything to move her away from that old life, that old prison where she was far and removed from her friends and her parents. Her old home that had become anything but a home at that point and she would cross the line to ensure that it would stay that way forever.

Marla meanwhile struggled to take her keys out of her pocket: she fumbled them as she handled the one for the dead bolt. Alex lingered right next to her side so she could better focus on the keyhole.

“Put it in the hole,” Marla muttered, “c'mon, go in the hole!”

“It's the keyhole with the keyhole!” he declared right then, and Sam burst out laughing at that.

But they soon heard a soft click and Marla opened the door. The dark apartment showed no signs of life abound, and thus Sam's only conclusion was Belinda had gone back up to Albany and back to work up there. The perfect setting for them to do this.

“So what do you think we should do first?” Sam asked her once Alex had closed the door behind him.

“Well, let's turn on the light first,” Marla began, and careful not to trip over anything, she ambled across the room for the lamp on the floor there. The apartment filled with that familiar golden light.

“Seeing as it's late,” she started again, “Chuck, how 'bout you get yourself comfortable?”

“Gladly!” Without another moment's hesitation, he kicked his shoes off, and then Marla led Sam out of the front room and down the hall to that dark bedroom there.

The dresser closest to the door made Sam wonder what exactly her best friend had in mind at that moment.

“So what're you gonna do? You just gonna take Polaroids of me and Chuck in funky positions and then go with that?”

“Not quite,” Marla replied as she picked out a little black tape recorder from the bottom dresser drawer. She removed the protective cap on the lens, and then she gestured for Sam to take to the front room once again. Alex had disappeared from there, but neither Sam nor Marla saw him in the other bedroom on the way out from the hallway.

“Where's the little man?” Marla asked Chuck, who had taken his seat there on Sam's couch.

“He's hanging out with the kitty cat out on the porch,” he replied with a twinkle in his eye. Sam turned her attention to the door which separated the apartment from the porch out there: in the dim light from the street, she recognized Alex's helmet of jet black hair over the railing. The little sliver of gray shone under the dim light such that it appeared as an icicle from the ground up.

“I'll just put it here,” Marla told them as she set it down on the edge of the coffee table. She adjusted it so the lens was pointed right down to the floor on the other side of the room.

“So what should we do?” Sam asked her.

Chuck took to the floor, flat on his back and with his arms spread out before him.

“Take 'em off for me,” he commanded her. “We're gonna rip his throat out with this, Sammich. Rip out his throat and let him bleed out.”

Marla squatted down behind the coffee table and she kept her fingers over the two main buttons.

“Could really go for a ginger snap right about now,” Alex confessed from behind the glass doors.

“A ginger snap?” Chuck replied back.

“We had a few of those upon the most recent times we hung out,” Sam explained as she took a step back from Chuck and towards the front door. “I'm guessing he associates them with hanging out.”

“And it's early in the morning, too,” Marla pointed out, “—his little body's all out of whack.”

“Samantha Shelley and Chuck Billy make a porno, too,” Sam joked, and that made Alex laugh out loud. He clasped a hand to his mouth right then, even though he had no reason to with New York City all around them. Marla adjusted her spot behind the coffee table: not only was Sam about to make her debut as an actress but Marla her debut as a director and filmographer.

Sam peeled off her top and showed off her body to Chuck. He lifted his head and moved his hands right underneath the nape of his neck: he pushed his hair out from underneath so it all fanned out from the back of his head. She knelt down before him and he gazed up at her: a thick patch of wavy hair spread over one side of his forehead. She gazed into his eyes and he raised his eyebrows at her.

“It's almost Valentine's Day,” Marla announced to the tape recorder, “Miss Shelley—or rather Mrs—whatever the fuck his last name is, Bill, his wife—is about to get down with the Indian chief, and without his permission as well.”

Chuck gestured for her to come on closer to him.

“We're gonna have singing with no clothes on lessons,” he declared, and that brought a laugh out of both Sam and Marla; the former gave her hair a little toss back from the side of her neck. She reached for Chuck's shoulder but she had no idea as to how to do it right there on the floor. At least when she and Alex lay next to each other in his bed they were in the safety of a bed.

The same thing went for when she and Joey got alone together when in England.

“Get on top of me,” he begged her.

“I'll get on top of you if you show me how it's done, big guy,” was all Sam could think of.

She moved her knee over his waist so she straddled his body. She stared right into his face: the camera pointed right on her felt as though she was being put on the spot right then and there. She was about to cross so many lines right then and there with Chuck.

There was a soft clicking noise but Sam paid no attention to it. Instead, she moved over Chuck's body and came within his face. He reached up and fondled her chest with the very tips of his fingers.

“Yeah—Yeah—Yeah, right there, Chief,” she breathed out; it more tickled her than aroused her but she was on camera nonetheless.

“You like that, don't ya, baby?” he said with something of a grin on his face; Sam could tell he was trying really hard not to laugh.

“I'm going to leave the two of you alone,” Marla said in a singsong voice, and once she had gone back into the rest of the apartment, Sam turned to Chuck with her face as warm and red as a fresh tomato.

“Let's get on it,” he told her. Sam crawled over his body such that her hair dangled down onto his shoulders. He reached behind her and unhooked her bra so she had exposed herself to him.

She opened his jeans and exposed himself to her. If he fondled her then she should do the same thing for him. A little bit hard but she knew it would be enough for them.

He flashed her a wink, albeit with his right eye so it was out of the sight of the camera. Her knee obstructed the view so she could miss him, but it looked as though they were in fact doing it right there on the floor. She locked eyes with him all the while.

Every thrust of her hips she was right there right next to him. Chuck's chest rose and fell in heavy fashion as if it was genuine.

But they never made official contact with each other.

“Okay so like—like—like that!” he sputtered. “Here, Cowgirl, lemme help you—”

“Giddy up, ya dead horse!” she blurted out; out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Alex with his back turned in their direction. She raised her head and gave her hair a toss back from her neck. Even though she wasn't really upon Chuck's erection, the sheer excitement of being there right next to it was enough to get her going even more. She was so close to him that it proved to be enough. More than enough.

Add to this, the soft light from the lamp cast enough shadow over their genitals so it genuinely looked real as far as she could tell.

“Faster!” Chuck commanded. “Faster! Faster! Oh god, you do it like a pro!”

He breathed harder and harder, even though she knew he was faking it. Her necklaces clinked and clanked against each other with her movements.

A small fleeting thought ran through her mind that told her Bill would know the difference given he had two daughters. But then again, she was right there on the floor with Chuck, right there without Bill's knowledge, right there without a single prowess that indicated a good marriage.

Even Aurora and Emile wouldn't pull that on each other.

Chuck closed his eyes and lay his head flat on the floor as if he was reaching his peak. She gyrated her hips a few more times and then he gasped. He tilted his head back so those long inky black curls drifted right behind his head like the waves of the ocean.

“Okay, okay—okay, that's enough,” he begged her and she climbed off of him. She kept her bare back to the camera but she lingered before him so he could have a view of it. His eyes were hooded and his mouth hung agape, as if he had genuinely achieved orgasm.

“Did you come, baby?” she asked him with a devilish grin.

“Like hell I did, yeah,” he said in a broken voice. He let out a long low whistle and Sam stepped away from him. Marla had snuck back to the recorder, albeit with her Polaroid camera, and she kept her hand right over the button. Sam held still there right next to her as she pressed the stop button so it looked as though Sam herself had turned it off.

“Are we good?” Chuck called out.

“We are good!” Marla declared.

“Phew! That was unreal.”

“That all sounded like it was completely real, though,” Alex told him from the porch. Sam rejoined Chuck there on the floor, still with no pants on: her bra straps hung loose all about her arms and shoulders, even as she lay back down.

She had seen Joey naked and she had seen Cliff naked, but neither one of them held a candle to what she had done there on the floor, even if it was fake.

Marla held her Polaroid camera up to her face for the perfect shot.

“Some photos to show off to the whole wide world, too,” she declared with a devilish grin upon her face. Sam lay down next to Chuck with no clothes on as Marla flashed a pair of Polaroid pictures of them. Both photographs slid out from the slot on the camera's front and onto the floor by Chuck's feet.

“A little something for Testament's new album,” she added as he put his arm around Sam and held her close to his warm body.

“This is how you practice what you preach,” Sam proclaimed which brought a big hearty laugh out of Alex from out on the porch.

“How you practice what you preach and with your shirt still on,” Chuck added as he fondled the bottom of his shirt with two fingers.

“And that, my friends, is how sex is made into a weapon,” Marla pointed out as she took another photograph of them. “There's just enough of a sheen on your faces to make it look real, too.”

That third Polaroid fell right next to Sam's bare foot, and she sat upright for a better look at it.

Something about the lighting and the way in which it bathed over Chuck's body and his brown skin in particular. Maybe it was the fact that they had put on a show to get her out of an unlawful marriage, or maybe it was the fact that it was so late at night, but the sight of that photograph woke something up in Sam. Chuck himself then sat upright and fixed his pants even while there on the floor.

That Polaroid needed something more as she lifted it right off of the floor and examined it better. With her free hand, she brought her bra straps back up over her shoulders; and yet she set the photograph in her lap so she could hook it back up. Even though she didn't have her panties and her jeans back on, Alex stepped back into the apartment with Genie, who darted ahead of him and bowed around the corner to the hallway.

“Can you make a copy of this one?” she asked Marla. “I kind of want to draw it.”

Alex had a twinkle in his eye when she said that, but he kept on going into the next room.

“You wanna draw that?” Marla chuckled at that as she set the camera down on the table next to them. “I guess we should do more stuff late at night more often, Sam.” Her expression then turned serious. “Also—because you guys did a little hanky panky here on the floor, you might wanna take a shower, Sam.”

“We didn't have any contact with each other, though,” Chuck pointed out.

“Oh, you didn't?” She was amazed by that.

“No way. She got pretty close to me but—no cigar.”

“Wow!” Marla showed Sam an excited smile. “Do I see a career in acting for Miss Shelley?”

“I dunno, though,” she confessed with a shrug. “There's so much that I wanna do.”

“Right?” Marla extended a hand to her and she stood up right before her.

“Where are my pants?” Sam asked her.

“Right there.” Marla gestured to the floor right behind her, and she stooped down and she picked up Sam's underwear from the floor.

“Okay—don't touch 'em. I'll be right back.”

She made her way down the hall to the bathroom and ultimately the shower: she took off her necklaces and her bracelets and set them down on the counter top. If nothing, she got a free shower. Every time she closed her eyes and let the water wash over her, she pictured the act itself once again.

So close to that taut skin and there was nothing further than that. Even though it was fake, the very thought of the act itself had liberated her in a way: laying there with Chuck had set her free in the best way she could possibly imagine. More so than her drawing Joey or Cliff, or even laying next to Cliff in her old bed.

She had officially become the bad girl and the art vixen.

Once she had cleaned off and rinsed away all of the residue, she switched off the water, and then she climbed out of the bathtub and put a towel around her waist. Even with it being fake, to think that she had not only lost her virginity to Chuck but she did it in the most satisfying way possible. And now there had to be a way for Bill to witness it all himself, three photographs and all.

Once she dried off and put her panties back on, and she put her hair up in the towel, she made her way across the hall to her old room, now Belinda's room, but there was no way she could sleep on her couch that night especially with Chuck out there for the rest of the night. Alex meanwhile had taken to Belinda's bed: he sat there on the edge of the narrow mattress in nothing more than his own underwear and his shirt.

“Why'd you take your pants off?” she asked him in a hushed voice, and Alex chuckled at her a bit.

“Why not? It's not like we're gonna get caught.”

“You just wanna lay next to a girl who had weaponized sex, don't you?” she teased him.

“I'm gonna be perfectly honest with you, Samantha,” he started, “that was—that was something.”

“Did you see it?” she asked him, and he peered behind her to the door to ensure Chuck and Marla weren't eavesdropping on them.

“Only a small sliver of it,” he confessed to her. “Like—I happened to look over my shoulder at one point for a few seconds, but a few seconds proved to be enough, though.”

He chuckled at that and she took her spot right next to him there on the bed, and she adjusted the wrapped up towel upon her head.

“So you think I did a good job?” she asked him.

“I do, yes!”

“Do you think I could go into acting like what Marla said to me after the fact?”

“Maybe. It's definitely within you, and it's definitely without you, too.”

“You're something, Alex,” she retorted back to him, and with a shake of her head. “You are really just—something.”

“Something?” he echoed her with a single raise of an eyebrow.

“Yeah. Something.”

She eyed the tip of his nose and she never realized how full the end was before: like a little button.

She then stopped right in her tracks.

“Ah, shit,” she muttered.

“What's up?” he asked her in a soft voice, and she moved her head forward so the towel came unraveled down into her hands. Wet locks of dark hair fell over her face; she lifted her head so it all relaxed all about her shoulders and the sides of her neck.

“I forgot to call Eric,” she replied. “I promised him I would when we got here to New York.”

“Well, it's about three in the morning over there, though,” Alex pointed out as he rubbed his eyes.

“Could always leave a message,” she told him.

“Yeah, that's true.” He shifted his weight on the bed right next to her. She turned her attention to him. They were both sitting there in their underwear, especially her: at least he had his shirt still on. She thought about Joey and if he was really alright back at his place, back there upstate.

She meant every word she had said to him back there: she wanted to help him in every fashion possible. But she had to let him go if she really loved him, and she was sure that she loved him.

Sam kept her gaze fixed on Alex right next to her, right on his bare legs and those slender knees. Where Joey had those knobby knee caps and those sleek sinewy legs, perfect for running and moving fast along the ice, Alex's legs were pale and slender, and his thighs were rather narrow. Even sitting there next to her on the edge of Belinda's bed, he was statuesque.

“Penny for your thoughts?” he asked her in a soft voice.

They had traveled hundreds of miles together: it only made sense that she could respond to that in the best way possible.

“I wanna touch you,” she confessed.

“Then touch me,” he encouraged her with a little gyration of his head.

“But I also don't,” she added. “I want to keep you intact for the rest of your life.”

“But you also wanna touch me?” He raised an eyebrow at her again.

“Yes.”

“Then touch me. Get it out of your system, Samantha. You can do it above the belt.”

“One thing I did with Frankie once was run my fingers through his hair right before I drew him,” she explained, “I did it with Joey and Cliff, too. I saw it as a gateway into what I'm getting myself into.”

“It's like you're taking our rhythm,” he followed along.

“Exactly!” She raised her hands to the sides of his head as if she was about to run her fingers through his hair. But instead, she tucked his hair behind his small ears, which resembled to those of an elf. His face appeared rounder and softer than before, and his eyes stood out more.

“You look—so much better with long hair,” she told him. “I mean—I can kind of see a short 'do here, but you have the kind of face that's perfect for long hair.”

“What about shoulder length?” he asked her.

“Yeah, I can see it,” she said.

“I'm beat,” he admitted with a shake of his head.

“I was just going to say, you look tired.”

Alex rubbed his eyes and Sam slung the towel over the back of the chair before her. He lay closest to the wall and then she lay down right next to him.

Since they were in Belinda's bed, she kept her clearance between the two of them even once she turned off the light and she lay her head down on the pillow next to him. Alex sighed through his nose, and she listened to Marla and Chuck button up the apartment for the remainder of the night.

Even though the sun would be up within a couple of hours time, a little bit of sleep would help herself as well as Alex. A couple of hours proved to be enough for the mysterious man in her dreams.

She found herself back on the edge of that black ocean once again, right inside of the harbor as it was lit up by the fire opals on the bracelet Chuck had given her. The mysterious man took his seat right next to her on the edge of the heavy wooden dock: his deep hollow eyes looked on at her as if he was about to bestow final judgment onto her. She turned her attention to him and the large streak upon his head. He held something inside of his hands as he lay them upon his lap.

She brought her gaze to his palms and what lay there as the black waters swirled all around underneath their feet. Out of the corner of her eye, the water seemed to catch fire, or maybe the orange and yellow fire opal glints within it all. But she paid more attention to what he had in his hand.

He held out one hand and she made out the sight of the three black cherries there upon his skin. Their smooth skin glimmered and twinkled with the swirling waters underneath them.

“Take one,” he beckoned her.

“But they're poison,” she told him.

“Take one,” he insisted.

Nibbling on her bottom lip, she picked up the one cherry closest to her as the skin fizzled out and formed a deep haze, as if they were covered in black fur.

“They're poison,” she insisted.

“Take it,” he encouraged her. “You'll feel better.”

She held the cherry closer to her lips and she placed it on her tongue.

Sam awoke at that moment, and to bright white sunlight no less: she was alone in the bedroom, and as far as she could tell, she was alone in the apartment. She sat upright and swung her legs over the edge of the mattress. Her wet hair left a cold wet spot there on the bed sheet next to her: even if it wasn't Belinda's bed, she and Alex would have to change the sheets anyway.

Alex himself surfaced in the doorway with his pants unfastened.

“There you are,” he told her as he zipped up, “I was just about to see if you woke up yet. I guess Belinda's gonna be home in like an hour or so.”

“What time is it?” she asked him.

“Almost ten o'clock. Marla went to get us breakfast.” He eyed her bare legs. “You want your jeans?”

“Please.”

He doubled back into the next room for her pants and her top, and then he left the room so as to give her privacy.

Once she was fully dressed, she returned to the bathroom for her necklaces and then she headed into the front room, where Chuck had taken a spot on her couch, along with Genie: she rubbed on his legs and raised her head up to him.

“Pretty cool kitty cat you ladies have here,” he told her once she came into the room.

“She's a love sponge,” Sam told him, and the front door swung open right then and Marla stepped in with two brown paper bags in hand.

“There you are!” she proclaimed once she shut the door with her hip. “I was kind of worried you wouldn't wake up until way after.”

“Nah,” Sam assured her with a shake of her head. Marla set down the one bag in her left hand on the coffee.

“There's a muffin in there for Chuck, a couple of scones for you and me—there are four cups of coffee out here on the deck, too. Also, Alex?”

He turned to her and she handed him the one in her right hand.

“Oh boy!” he declared, and he eagerly took it and took his seat there at the kitchen table. He took out a ginger snap and a breakfast sandwich on an English muffin, and rested both on the table before him; Marla returned with a cardboard holder with four paper cups inside.

“They were out of tea,” she told him as she handed him one of the cups. “So I got you coffee.”

“Works for me,” he assured her, and Sam and Marla both joined him there at the table.

“They didn't have gyros, though,” she continued.

“Dammit!”

“A gyro, Alex?” Chuck called out to him from the living room.

“It just sounded good,” he confessed. “When Marla said that they sell gyros, I was like 'yes please.'”

“I got you that cookie plus a little breakfast sandwich.”

Alex shrugged, and then he leaned back in his chair and bit away at the ginger snap as if he was a little boy again. Sam and Marla watched him with smiles on their faces; the former then turned to Marla.

“Okay, so now the next question,” she started in a low voice; Marla proceeded to sip on her coffee. “How are we getting that tape and the Polaroids over there to the house in Elsinore?”

“A man named Dave,” Marla replied and she held the cup at the base with both hands. “I called him before you and Alex got up, and I told him where it is and he'll drop it off for us. Told him the whole story and he relayed the account he would have to tell Bill once he saw him there at the house.”

“Hope this works,” Sam confessed. “That's my fear is Bill will see it as obvious.”

“Sam, if it was easy for Bel and me to break into his house, it should be easy for him to believe that that tape is real. I thought you did it for real! You guys pretty much had your organs hanging out.”

“No, my fear is that he'll see it as me putting on a show,” she clarified. “Like I had no passion, like I was faking it.”

“Sam, let me ask you—did you and him ever do it?”

And Sam shook her head.

“Then how would he know that you were faking?” Marla asked her. “He wouldn't know what pleases you. He wouldn't know how to please you.”

“Yeah, he wouldn't know how to please you the way Joey does,” Alex pointed out.

“By the way, good job referring to Chuck as Chief, too,” Marla chuckled.

“Hey, you introduced him as the Indian Chief,” Sam said with a shrug of her shoulders. She turned to her scone, a fresh blueberry one straight out of the oven and still warm despite the freezing rain outside. No sooner had she begun to pick at it when Alex had already started on his sandwich. Sam had only reached halfway when he had downed all of it right then and there.

“My goodness, you were hungry,” Marla declared.

“Quite.” Alex leaned back with his hands on his stomach. “Stick a fork in me, I'm done for now.”

Sam looked over at him, at his slender body: to think she had her arms around him at one point.

“I wanna touch you,” she confessed to him right in front of Marla and Chuck.

“Then touch me,” he said.

“Yeah, touch him,” Chuck himself joined in from the living room.

A knock on the door caught all of their attention.

“That's probably Bel,” Marla announced, and Alex grimaced at that. Sam nodded at him and she realized that they hadn't changed the sheets yet. Marla opened the door and gasped.

“Oh, hi. Come on in.”

Wrapped up in a puffy winter jacket, Charlie stepped inside there and his big curly hair waved about from the cold outside.

“Hello, Charlie,” Sam declared with a stern tone of voice.

“Hi,” he greeted her as he took his seat at the table.

“Mr. Fire Joey Belladonna without any rhyme or reason,” she continued, and Charlie stopped right in his tracks with his mouth agape. He looked over at Alex and the unimpressed expression on his face.

“What're ya doin'?” Alex demanded as he gave himself a little massage.

“I can explain,” he started with a gesture of his hands.

“You better,” Sam scolded him, “you know, we found Joey laid out at his house. With a syringe right next to him.”

“What.” Charlie was stunned by that.

“Yeah. He didn't inject, but it looked like he did, though. He could've overdosed, Charlie.”

“What was in it?”

“That's beside the point,” she continued, heated, “he could have died, Charlie!”

“Can I talk, please?” he asked her with a serious expression.

“Yes.” Sam leaned back in her chair and fumed at him.

“We wanted him to have a break,” he said.

“A break?” Sam echoed that.

“Yeah. Touring was—starting to get to him a little bit. So—we made the decision that it'd be best for him to take a break from the band for a few months. So we told him to go home.”

“That's no reason to fire him, though,” Alex pointed out.

“Actually—yeah, it is, Alex. When you guys weren't looking, he was often throwing down and getting down with all the drinking and partying. You know, Sam here tried to get him to stop but he just kept going. Don't think of it as firing, though, if that's what he told you. It's more like 'laying him off' because like I said we decided on a few months.”

“Did you—at least tell him that?” Sam asked him.

“I think I did,” Charlie confessed, “but I was just put in a hard position, though. I don't really remember everything I told him.”

Sam and Alex looked at one another. There did in fact seem to be a bit of truth to it, but neither of them could tell for sure, especially Sam since she was the one who was on the phone with Joey on that day.

“Did you guys want a break, too?” Sam asked him, and he nodded his head and his dark eyes were serious all the while. She peered over at Alex, who then knitted his eyebrows at that.

“Why would he think you guys fired him?” Marla asked him, and Charlie shook his head.

“No clue. And all that—his taking a needle to the arm—tells me is we were ready for a break.”

“You guys were still going great, though,” Chuck joined in from behind; he stood right next to Charlie with his hands pressed to his hips.

“Yeah, we were on the outside,” Charlie admitted, “but—things were just—not looking good within. I am looking forward to seeing you guys kick ass now.”

“The door is open, Chuck,” Alex declared.

“Hell yeah, it is, little man,” Chuck said.

“No, really, the door is open.”

“Yeah, it is,” Sam chimed in, and Chuck shut the door behind Charlie with the back of his fist, and then he flashed the two of them the sign of the horns.

[what-is-your-plan-today]

Stark Spangled Destiny

Ch 2- Touche, Kiddo.

Co-Created with @icanfeelastormbrewing​

Chapter Summary: Tony and Natasha take Katie back to the first of several key points of impact in her life- the day Tony returned from Afghanistan…

Chapter Warnings: Bad Language words.

Chapter Pairings:  Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

A/N: So these chapters contain flashbacks of sorts- but they’re not flashbacks as Katie is watching the events unfold in front of her-a “Time heist” of sorts. However, to keep it clear and hopefully not confusing, the events she is watching are depicted in itallics instead of me trying to keep calling her 2010 v 2030 Katie…

Please let me know what you think- comments and re-blogs muchly appreciated.

You’re dead.” Katie spluttered, looking at Tony.

“Yeah, so they tell me.” He mused, taking a look around, observing his surroundings. “Which is kind of a bummer…” “So what the fuck is this?” she asked. “Am I dreaming? Having some kind of mental breakdown hallucination? Are you a ghost? If so where the fuck have you been for the past 7 years, asshole?”

“I wasn’t needed.” Tony shrugged “But, this is your party so to speak. I can be whatever you want to be if it makes you feel better. I mean, you did have strange dreams at times when you were younger. I distinctly recall one about a giant white rabbit chasing you through the streets of London with an ice cream cone as a hat.” “I was high when I fell asleep.” Katie shrugged, then she gave a moan “What am I doing talking to you? This is insane…I need to wake up.” She closed her eyes, pinched herself, yelping at the pain. When she opened them she saw Tony leaning against the tree trunk, one knee bent as his shoe pressed flat against the trunk behind him, arms folded. “Yeah, sorry Kiddo. Still here.” “This is all inside my head.” Katie took a deep breath “This is all inside my head, this isn’t real.” “What was it that Dumblebee dude said? You know the Wizard from Harry Potter?” Tony clicked the fingers on his right hand, pointing at Katie as she rolled her eyes.

“Dumbledor…"

“Whatever, the point is what he said. You know, that quote you loved ‘Of Course this is happening inside your head, but why on Earth should that mean that it is not real?’. You can’t have forgotten, you had it stencilled on the wall in your apartment.”

“I haven’t, trust me.” Katie said softly “It’s Jamie’s favourite too. He has it above his bed, Steve did it for him along with a painting of the Hogwarts Castle"

“Wow, he read them all already?” Tony raised an eyebrow “He’s 10.” “He’s smart.” Katie smiled “A real bookworm, and an artist. Announced the other day he wants to write and illustrate kid’s books now, not be a Baseball player anymore. Steve insists there’s time for him to come to his senses but…” 

"Cap still with the giddy optimism huh?" Tony arched an eyebrow and she felt her eye begin to prick with tears, and that familiar stinging sensation associated with trying to stave off the tears filled the upper inside of her nose and she looked at Tony before she rushed forward and he stood up straight. At the last minute, before she threw herself at him she stopped dead and reached out with a shaky hand, her palm pressing against the pin striped material of his waistcoat. He was solid, warm, she could feel his heart beating. 

“I…” she looked up at him, the tears once more pouring from her eyes “I don’t want this to be in my head."

Tony smiled, his own eyes brimming with tears as Katie slid her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. She breathed in his familiar cologne, a smell she hadn’t forgotten but one that hadn’t filled her senses in a long time. His hands gently rubbed at her back as he held her close, one hand creeping upwards where it rest on the back of her hair as he dropped a kiss to her head. His familiar fatherly-brotherly touch was seeping into her bones, quelling the deep, dark aching she’d been feeling since…well, she couldn’t remember. Steve was her home, her safe place, her rock, there was no denying that, but Tony was her childhood pillar of strength. He was the man that had band aided her knees and palms, tucked her in, fought the monsters under her bed and for that reason, he would always be a source of comfort and strength.

Even if this was just some whacked out hallucination.

And then, she felt another emotion. An emotion she remembered feeling before many a times watching Steve catapult himself off buildings, bridges, hanging off helicopters before dropping into rivers. It was anger. Anger at the self-sacrificing nature that drove her soldier to act first and think later...but she was feeling it here at her brother. Unable to quell it she pulled back and her right hand laid a stinging slap to Tony’s left cheek. His head snapped to the right and he gave an angry yell.

“Jesus Kiddo…what the fuck was that for?” “For dying, dickwad!” she yelled, the tears falling down her face. “You died and you left me...” “It wasn’t like I had a choice.” He sighed, dropping his head “This was always the end I was going to get, not the end I wanted but…”

“She took it well then.” Another familiar voice drawled and Katie stiffened in her brothers’ arms, and looked up at him, eyes wide as she turned slowly to see a familiar face looking back at her. Green eyes sparkling, red hair shining in the stray rays of sunlight that crept into the thicket as it fell forward around her face and shoulders over the top of her black leather jacket with a bounce Katie hadn’t seen for years.

“Nat…” she swallowed, wiping her eyes “You look…”

“Yeah, better.” She shrugged, “Whatever this is, it took us back to a time before it all went to shit. I think this was my hair in 2015 or 16…” “Leipzig you looked like that.” Tony mused as Katie stepped away from him, to scan Natasha up and down. “I, on the other hand, I’m not sure. But I look good so…” “Modest as always.” Katie grumbled as she stopped in front of Natasha, before they embraced as well. “How’s my little man?”

“Not so little anymore.” Katie shrugged “He’s like up to here now…”  she held her hand up to a point in the mjddle of her rib-cage “…and he looks just like Steve.”

“Yeah we actually know.” Tony cut in “We know about all 5 of them, she’s just making conversation. I gotta say, I’m kinda liking the fact Emmy hooked up with Parker. They'll make cute babies"

"Oh God, don't. Steve's already freaking out about them wanting to move in together." Katie laughed and Tony grinned.

"Henry...that wasn't after Hank Pym was it?" He asked and Katie shook her head.

"It was a name Steve liked. I picked his middle. And it was the other way for Flossie..."

Natasha snorted “I gotta say you gave Aurora a perfect name. After a princess...” “The Star Spangled Diva." Katie shook her head before she grinned “She’s ace.” “She’s a Stark that's for sure.” Tony smiled proudly.

“Steve says that. Says she looks like me and has your attitude. Drives him insane.” Tony smirked “Good to know. Been dead 7 years and still bugging the crap out of Spangles.” He nodded, clapping his hand together, rubbing his palms against one another in glee.

Katie looked at her brother for a moment before she shook her head. “Ok, so is this the part where the two of you give me some kind of pep talk, you know about the kids and my outburst before or…” “Well, we could.” Tony said, “But you always responded better to visuals, so we’re gonna show you.” “Tony I have no desire to see any of that again.” She shook her head “I already know I fucked up.” “We’re not here about the fact you cussed out Jamie.” Nat said gently

Katie frowned “Then what is this?”

“We’re more concerned with the fact you don’t seem to understand how much you matter to everyone.” The red head continued “What was it you said before? Something along the lines of not seeing the point of being in their lives?”

Katie looked down at her feet.

“You’re human kiddo.” Tony said “Humans are flawed. They fuck up...some of us less than others, granted.” Katie raised her head, cocking an eyebrow at Tony “You’re such a conceited bastard.” “True.” Tony nodded, “But all things considered I think I have a right to be. I mean my best achievement is stood right in front of me.” He shrugged “I’d like to include Moo in that but, well Pep’s done the hard work there really, bringing her up. You on the other hand, well that was all me.” he stepped forward and took both her hands “And I’m smug as fuck about it, because you’re an amazing woman Kiddo, you just need reminding of that fact so we can get you over this sudden lack of self-worth you seem to be displaying.” Katie shook her head, tears forming in her eyes “Tone…” “It’s true.” He shrugged, letting go of her hands “But, you’ll see for yourself. Come on.”

He turned and started walking up the path towards the Memorial Gardens and Katie watched him before she turned to Natasha. Nat nodded her head towards Tony’s back and with a shrug Katie turned to follow him.

“Might as well see what whacked out journey my subconscious has planned.” She muttered to herself, following her brother as he walked ahead of her slightly. As they emerged from the thicket of trees, Katie noticed the Gardens were completely empty and it was eerily quiet. Eventually Tony stopped by an orange Audi and Katie shook her head.

“What?” Tony asked “I liked this colour.”

Natasha walked passed Katie and opened the door, folding the seat forward so she could slip into the back. Katie watched Tony as he settled in the driver’s side before she took another look around. The sun was starting to set, sending streaks of lilac and burnt red across the sky before she climbed in and shut the door. Tony fired the engine and the familiar sounds of AC/DCs Back in Black hit her ears. Despite herself she gave a smile, glancing out of the window as Tony drove the car forward, the music filled her senses.

Suddenly, she frowned. Her head flicking to look out of the window to her side before she turned back to the windscreen as she recognised her surroundings which seemed to have changed when she blinked. “How…”

“We’re not in Kansas anymore Dorothy…” Tony said, looking at her as she turned her head to meet his eyes.

“No, we’re in fucking California!” she practically exploded “How? That’s not possible!”

“Neither is seeing dead people but you’re managing that just fine.” Natasha drawled. Katie ran her hands over her face letting out a groan.

“I’m tripping…I have to be. Did someone spike my coffee before?”

Tony smirked as he pulled the car off the road onto the Military air base and drew up behind a row of blacked out SUVs, each flanked by an armed guard.

“Wait…” she leaned forward, looking at 3 familiar figures waiting on the tarmac as a huge C17 taxied towards them. “This…this is the day you came back from Afghanistan.”

Tony nodded as Katie opened the door to the car and climbed out. She took a few steps forward stopping in front of the car bonnet. Natasha stood by her left, Tony by her right as she watched the aircraft come to a stop.

“Come on…” Tony said, striding forwards “You know how I like to make an entrance, be kind of cool for me to actually watch it for once.” They weaved their way through the line of SUVs and Katie paused, stopping. Curiously, she cocked her head to one side and waved her hand in front of one of the guard’s faces. He didn’t even blink.

“They can’t see you.” Natasha said, “Think of it as being like A Christmas Carol…”

Kate looked at her, before she took a deep breath “So not quite a Time heist?”

Nat smirked and nodded “Almost, but not quite, no.”

“Fucking hell.” Katie shook her head and turned to make her way over to Tony who was now stood just behind Pepper.

“God her ass looks great.” He mumbled. Katie gave a snort as she stopped behind her 2010 self.

“Was I really that skinny?” she muttered, taking in her frame. Her waist was ridiculously tiny, emphasised by the sharp, black tailored suit she wore, her hair pinned back into a bun. She moved round to the side, taking in her profile. Her eyes were shining, her jaw tensing as she held back the tears. “Mind you, I don’t think I ate properly for the entire time you were gone…” “You’re not exactly fat now” Tony scoffed. She ignored him, her eyes still fixed on herself. As she watched, 2010 Katie turned to Pepper who looked at her, the pair of them sharing a smile as Katie extended her hand, Pepper taking it, squeezing her fingers.

The tars of happiness trickled down her face, as the ramp on the aircraft carrier opened to reveal her brother. His hair was longer, he looked thinner but he was alive and all things considered he looked pretty good. Dressed in a sharp grey suit, brown shirt and a brown tie sporting white polka dots. His face was a little bruised but his goatee was well groomed and he still wore that determined, arrogant look she knew so well As Rhodey helped him down the ramp, he waved away the gurney that was being wheeled towards him and unable to stand it any longer, Katie shot forward. Tony was barely at the bottom before she flung herself at him, not caring that his arm was a sling.

“Hey Kiddo.” he said softly as she buried her face into his neck.

“You fucking asshole!” she sobbed “next time, you ride with Rhodey, you got that?”

“Trust me, there will be no next time.” he chuckled as she pulled back and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Afghanistan is a shit hole.”

“It was you know…” Tony mumbled and Katie turned her head away from watching her past reunion with her brother to look at him. “But there was one thing that kept me going in that hell hole. And that was getting back to you. I couldn’t leave you. Not after what happened to Mom and Dad.” Katie swallowed and turned back to see herself and her brother walking towards Pepper, her hand linked in his as they stopped.

“Your eyes are red.” Tony looked at Pepper “A few tears for your long-lost boss?”

“Tears of joy” Pepper smiled back “I hate job hunting.” “Yeah, vacation's over.” Tony said simply, and he headed past Pepper towards Happy. Katie watched as the two men embraced and she turned to Pepper.

“Twenty bucks says the first place he goes is for a cheeseburger.”

“You know me…knew me…whatever, so well.” Tony looped an arm round Katie as they watched their 2010 selves climb into the car and set off.

“I didn’t even try and convince you otherwise.” She sighed, looking at him “I knew you’d refuse to go to the hospital. I didn’t see the immediate press-conference coming though, that was a curve ball.”

“That was an interesting one for us too at SHIELD.” Nat said, “As soon as Fury got the call about how you’d escaped and that you’d called one he dispatched Coulson.”

“God…” Katie shook her head “This was like 20 years ago now. I was so young, a baby…”

“Well, now you don’t look a day over 46…” Tony said, patting her shoulder.

She glared at him and he chuckled “Come on…” Tony said, patting her shoulder.

Katie cast her eyes once more at the tail of the Rolls which was heading over the airfield tarmac and the three of them walked back to Tony’s Audi.

**** “Higher Daddy!” Harry giggled as Steve pushed him on the swing lazily with one arm, all the time keeping one eye on Rori who was currently with Jamie, the pair of them hanging off the climbing frame upside down whilst Stark sat at the bottom, barking at them. Whilst all his kids seemed to have inherited some of the serum’s benefits in that they were rarely sick and on the whole pretty robust, they were still fifty-percent ‘normal’ for want of a better word, and his heart was constantly in his mouth when they did stuff like that. To his horror he watched, Rori pulled herself up and then tucker herself into a ball and flipping herself backwards off the frame, landing on her feet.

“That’s how to stick a landing.” She looked at Jamie, her tongue poking out at him before she trotted back over to her dad ignoring her brother’s shout of “loser…” as she headed off.

“Can you not do that?” Steve sighed exasperatedly as she stopped by his side.

“Do what?” she looked up at him, her green eyes frowning a little. “Throw yourself off stuff.” “Momma says you did it all the time.” Rori looked at him “She said you threw yourself out of an elevator with her on your back.” “That…that was different.” He finished lamely.

“How?” “Because I had no choice.” “Why didn’t you just push the button to take the elevator down?” Rori looked at him like he was an idiot and he groaned.

“Rori, just…oh, I dunno, go and play on the slide or something. And by that I mean slide down it, not jump off it.”

“Hey Dad?” Jamie appeared by his side and Steve looked down at him “You wanna play catch?”

“Why don’t you play with Stark?” Steve said “I need to keep an eye on Harry and Flossie buddy.”

“Stark just runs off with the ball. He never brings it back.”

“Well, try teaching him.” “I have.” Jamie whined.

“Jamie, don’t start.” Steve said sternly “You’re skating on thin ice as it is.” “I’ll play.” Rori offered. Steve could see Jamie was considering his options before he shrugged.

“Ok.”

The two of them headed off towards the small sandlot to the side of the park, Steve watching as he continued to push Harry in the swing, his gaze then turning to Florence who was asleep in the stroller. Eventually Harry got bored and wanted to play on the slide so Steve lifted him out and they made their way over, Harry’s hand wrapped around Steve’s as he pushed Florence with the other. He watched Harry as he climbed the steps and then moved to the bottom of the slide, crouching as the little boy whizzed down laughing, Steve smiled as he caught him and tossed him into the air slightly.

“Again!” he demanded. Steve let him down and he repeated the motion a few times before Steve checked his watch. It was getting a little late, granted it was a Saturday but he didn’t want to deal with the fall out of them all being over tired and cranky over dinner. Katie had dealt with enough tantrums and tears today.

“Kids, think we should head back.” He said as he approached the older two. Jamie looked at him, about to protest and Steve glared at him.

“What did I say before?” he asked firmly. Jamie took a deep breath and nodded.

“Ok Dad.”

Together they walked back, Jamie and Rori a little ahead as Steve kept pace with Harry. They took the path through one of the green parks that led to their road and Rori stopped at a bank of wild flowers.

“Hey, can we pick some for Momma?” she asked, turning to look at Steve. “The blue ones are pretty.”

Steve smiled “I think that’s a great idea.”

“Make momma smile?” Harry asked, looking up and Steve nodded.

“Yeah, yeah it will.”

He watched as Jamie and Rori headed off to a patch to the left to pick a few and Steve crouched down consulting with Harry as to which ones he wanted to get. He helped him pick a few before he turned back to see Jamie and Rori clutching handfuls each.

“You leave any for the bees?” He quipped and Rori looked at him.

“There are looooads…” she said gesturing with her hands, giving an eye roll that was ridiculously comparable to those of her mother.

“Well that’s me told.” Steve arched an eyebrow. “Ok, give them here.”

He took them gently, adding them to Harry’s and he laid them on the little shelf at the bottom of the stroller before the 5 of them made their way back home.

**** Tony parked the Audi haphazardly in a space outside the Stark Industries HQ main building.

“Nice parking.” Katie quipped.

“It’s out company, I own this parking lot. Well I did. And besides, like you keep saying, this isn’t real so what does it matter?” he asked as the three of them exited the car. Katie glanced over to where Obadiah Stane was waiting with the press and their employees, laughing loudly and generally acting like the big shot.

“Dick.” She mumbled. “I never liked him.”

“Yeah, I know. You told me a lot. And it turns out you were right about him.” Tony shrugged. “Who knew?”

She snorted and Natasha gave a chuckle. “I’ll leave you two to this one.” She said gently, leaning against the car, folding her arms. Katie looked at her, before she turned and followed Tony as he strode forward, watching as the Rolls pulled up. The people stood round the turning circle all started to applause and when the car stopped and Obadiah strode forwards, arms open.

“Look at this!” He opened the door, presenting Tony to everyone and pulling him into a hug “We were going to meet at the hospital.”

“No, I'm fine.” Tony said, turning to Happy who offered him the Burger King bag from which Tony pulled another cheeseburger.

“Look at you!” Obadiah chuckled “You had to have a burger, yeah?”

“Which reminds me…” Katie nudged Pepper as they walked around the back of the car “You owe me twenty.” Pepper snorted and shook her head, “Come on.”

Katie and Pepper headed inside, following Tony and Obadiah who were chatting away, the cameras flashing as they walked through the cool, marble clad reception are of HQ where the podium that the press conferences were held from stood to the side. Katie and Pepper stopped, Katie taking a breath as she watched Tony walking through the group of people, speaking to various until a voice by her side made her jump.

“Miss Potts, may I speak to you for a moment?”

Katie turned to see an unassuming man, with short dark hair and a kind face dressed in a black suit, a Visitor Tag attached to his breast pocket. She looked at him for a second before her attention turned back to Tony who was busy talking to a woman in a red suit.

“I’m not part of the press conference…” Pepper spoke to the man “But it’s about to begin right now”

“I'm not a reporter. I'm Agent Phil Coulson, with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.” The man spoke and that got Katie’s attention. She turned to look at him, smiling.

“That's quite a mouthful.” She grinned and Agent Coulson gave her a smile.

“I know. We're working on it.” He smiled as Pepper took the business card he was holding. Katie arched an eyebrow and smiled, once more turning her eyes back to her brother.

“You know, we've been approached already by the DOD, the FBI, the CIA...” Pepper continued and Coulson cut her off gently.

“We're a separate division with a more specific focus. We need to debrief Mr. Stark about the circumstances of his escape.”

Katie turned to him, frowning and wondering exactly how they knew about it. Reading her facial expression, Coulson shrugged slightly and Pepper nodded. “I'll put something in the book, shall I?”

“Thank you.”

Katie was about to quiz him more when she heard Tony calling for her. She looked at her brother and he gestured with his head.

“Excuse me…” She strode forward and Tony put an arm round her shoulder.

“I need to speak to you.” He said “Before I talk to the world.”

“God, I remember this like it was yesterday.” Katie turned to Tony as they followed in the wake of themselves, everyone parting as Tony steered his sister towards the little break out room towards the back, which housed the coffee and vending machines.

“Yup…” Tony said as they ducked inside the room with themselves “It was a pretty life defining moment. For me anyway…”

“It was for both of us.” She said, watching as 2010 Tony clicked he door shut “This is where it all began. Iron Man, SHIELD…all of it.”

Tony smiled and they both turned their heads to watch their past selves.

“I’m shutting down the Weapons Manufacturing.” Tony said and Katie frowned.

“What? Why?”

“I saw out there what our weapons are being used for.” Tony shook his head “I don’t know how those terrorists got hold of them, because I sure as hell didn’t approve any bids to that particular group, did the Commercial Department negotiate them without me using your delegated authority?”

“Of course not!” she replied indignantly “What do you take me for? They must have been traded on the black market…”

“And that is exactly my point!” Tony said, nodding at her “We can’t police it all. So I want to shut it down. Focus our efforts elsewhere”

“What happened to you out there Tone?” Katie considered her brother for a moment and he took a deep breath.

“For the first time I met my Jiminy Cricket…”he looked at her “Tony Stark doesn’t want to be the most famous mass murderer in the history of America anymore.”

Katie frowned. “That Vanity Fair article. You read it?”

“Of course I read it, it was about me.” He shrugged “The reporter…erm..”

“Everhart?” Katie looked at him “You forgot her name after you banged her as well?”

“Whatever that’s not important.” Tony waved her off “But Kiddo,all those lives we’ve saved by advancing medical technology and the starvation prevented from intelli-crops, she mentioned none of that.”

“Because that doesn’t sell papers.” Katie shook us head “Whereas dubbing us Merchants of Death does.”

“War profiteering she called it. And she was right.” Tony implored “You know, Dad always said that peace means…”

“Having a bigger stick than the other guy, yeah, you told me” Katie looked at her brother.

“And it’s a great line coming from the guy selling the sticks.” Tony shook his head. “But what if no one was selling the sticks?”

Katie took a deep breath “People would then just make their own sticks, and they’d be harder to police.”

“But what if I told you I had a pretty big assed stick of my own? The biggest stick anyone could have.”

“I’m not…” Katie sighed, rubbing at her temple “Tony you’ve lost me”

“I wouldn’t have escaped if it hadn’t been for my cell mate out there. He saved my life” Tony tapped his chest “Not only did he build an electromagnet to keep a bunch of shrapnel from shredding my heart, he sacrificed himself soI could escape. His last words were an instruction, not to waste my life Kiddo, and I have no intention of doing so anymore.” He looked down at his feet taking a deep breath before he raised his head to meet her gaze “I don’t want my legacy, our legacy, to be about how many deaths we may or may not have been indirectly responsible for.”

“You really did have an epiphany didn’t you?” Katie looked at him, not a shred of sarcasm in her voice.

“It was my moment of clarity” Tony nodded “And I have a permanent reminder, as you know already from the calls and briefings….”

He moved his arm gently, wincing as he did so, loosening his tie a little and undoing the top few buttons on his shirt. He gently parted it and Katie gave a gasp at the small circle of light in the middle of his chest.

“This thing powered a suit I made. A metal suit. I shrunk the Arc reactor down in a damned cave, and that’s what’s now keeping the shrapnel in place…but it powered a heavy assed suit for 15 minutes. Just think of all the good we could do with it with it. Renewable technology, medical equipment…maybe some other form of potential peace keeping initiative with a slightly smaller metal suit.”

“Is this the big stick you were talking about?” Katie asked, arching her eyebrow. “A metal suit.”

Tony took a deep breath “In a fashion, yes. It could remove the need for…other sticks so to speak.”

Katie took a deep breath before she stepped forward and began to do his shirt back up for him, not saying a word as she mulled over what he had said. The fact they traded weapons had been something she tried not to think about, justifying it in her mind as a means to an end- if they didn’t someone else would. But remove that completely…

She re-knotted his tie and slid it up to his collar before she straightened it and stood back, rolling her eyes as Tony loosened it once more.

“I need you to trust me on this Kiddo.” He said softly and she looked at him, her eyes searching his. There wasn’t a single ounce of doubt there, quit the contrary. This was obviously something he vehemently believed in. And for that reason, she decided to back him.

“Ok.” She nodded “We’ll shut it down.”

Katie watched as her 2010 self and brother embraced, turning to Tony “You have no idea how much of a head fuck that was” she said as they followed themselves out of the room.

“Oh, believe me I do.” Tony said, as they stood at the back of the room, watching as Obadiah greeted the press, 2010 Katie walking up to stand besides him.

Tony sat down in front of the podium. “Hey, would it be all right if everyone sat down?” He asked, fishing the cheeseburger out of his pocket “Why don't you just sit down? That way you can see me, and I can... a little less formal and...” Tony took a bite of the cheeseburger as Katie glanced at Obi, giving a shrug, before she sat to Tony’s left.

“Good to see you.” Tony looked at Obi who smiled.

“Good to see you.” He said, reaching out and touching Tony’s shoulder.

“I never got to say goodbye to Dad.” Tony said, looking around. He glanced at Katie, “We never got to say goodbye to our father.” He swallowed his food and placed the half eaten burger on the floor as he considered his words “There's questions that I would have asked him. I would have asked him how he felt about what this company did. If he was conflicted, if he ever had doubts.”

Katie glanced at the floor as Tony paused for a second.

“Or maybe he was every inch the man we all remember from the newsreels.” He once more turned to Katie who gently placed her hand on his back, giving a small rub over his suit jacket. Taking a deep breath he looked out over the room “I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them. And I saw that we had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability.”

Out of the corner of her eye, as the members of the press began to call Tony’s name, Katie saw Obadiah shift slightly, frowning a little at what Tony had just said.

“Hey Ben…” Tony nodded to one of the reporters.

“What happened over there?”

“I had my eyes opened.” Tony stood and moved behind the podium, Katie watching his every move. “I came to realize that I have more to offer this world than just making things that blow up.”

He glanced down at Katie and she gave him a small nod.

“And that is why, effective immediately, me and my sister are shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International”

The room erupted in commotion, everyone standing and talking at the same time. Katie took her position by her brother as Tony simply continued speaking

“…until such a time as we can decide what the future of the company will be.”

Obadiah placed his hand over Tony’s shoulder, trying to cut in a little and mentioned something about selling a lot of newspapers but Tony ignored him

“…what direction it should take, one that we’re comfortable with and is consistent with the highest good for this country, as well.”

At that he turned to Katie and the two of them left the stage, Tony’s arm looped around her shoulder as he dropped a kiss to her temple.

Obadiah continued to speak as Katie turned to Tony, watching themselves as they left the room.

“Wanna go watch the follow up fireworks?” he grinned and she gave a chuckle.

“Why not, we’re here…we may as well.”

They walked out to see their past selves climbing into Happy’s car and Natasha straightened up as they headed to the Audi.

“Have fun?” she drawled and Katie looked at her and shrugged.

“I suppose I never really understood the significance of that moment. Like I said to Tony in there, this is what kicked it all off. How Iron Man was born.”

Natasha looked at Tony, giving him a little nod “You were right to bring here her then.” “Just like I said.” He shrugged as he opened the door to the Audi, gesturing to it with his head “Now, get in Losers, we’re going Arc Reactor viewing.”

Katie rolled her eyes at Natasha as the 2 of them climbed into the car and Tony followed the Rolls that was working its way across the Stark Industries site. Eventually it stopped outside the large, glass fronted building which housed the Arc Reactor that powered the plant. The three of them exited and followed 2010 Tony and Katie inside.

“So this is a larger version of what was in your chest.” Natasha looked up at the huge power source, giving it the once over.

“Yup.” Tony nodded, “Pretty cool huh.”

Natasha gave a hmmm of agreement as Katie’s eyes strayed to herself as she stood with Tony, the two of them stood side by side, looking up at it.

“Not sure Obi is gonna be happy.” She turned to look at Tony who shrugged, his eyes not leaving the Arc Reactor.

“I don’t much care.” He shrugged “We’ve bowed to him and the board for far too long…” “Well, that’s kind of the point of a board” she looked at him.

“Yeah, but the two of us make the majority, as you know.” Tony shrugged. “Look, Kiddo, this is the right thing to do…we just gotta ride out the bow of this shit storm for while.”

“That’s…a mixed metaphor.” Katie snorted and Tony grinned. At that point the doors to the building opened and they turned to see Obadiah stood, cigar in his mouth, hands on his hips.

“Well, that..uh... That went well.”

“Did we just paint a target on the back of our heads?” Tony asked reaching up to undo his tie.

“Your heads? What about my head?” Obi asked walking behind them, pacing slightly. “What do you think the over-under on the stock drop is gonna be tomorrow?”

“Uh, optimistically, 40 points.” Katie offered as Tony whipped off his tie.

“At minimum.” Obadiah nodded.

“Yup” Tony agreed, hanging his tie over his jacket which was draped on the railings around the reactor.

“Tony, Katie, we're a weapons manufacturer.” Obadiah said softly, looking at him.

“Obi, I just don't want a body count to be our only legacy.” Tony turned to face him.

“That's what we do. We're iron mongers. We make weapons.”

“It’s our name on the side of the building.” Katie chipped in and Obadiah shook his head.

“What we do keeps the world from falling into chaos.”

“Not based on what I saw.” Tony shook his head “We're not doing a good enough job. We can do better. We're gonna do something else” “Like what?” Obadiah asked “You want us to make baby bottles?”

“Tony thinks we should take another look into arc reactor technology.” Katie said “And I agree.

“Ah, come on.” Obi looked at her, then shook his head, waving his hands towards the item in question “The arc reactor, that's a publicity stunt! Guys’ come on. We built that thing to shut the hippies up”

“It works.” Katie said simply and Tony smiled, catching her eye for a second as Obi scoffed.

“Yeah, as a science project. The arc was never cost effective. We knew that before we built it.” He shook his head once more pacing behind the siblings, neither of who turned to face him “Arc reactor technology, that's a dead end, right?”

Obadiah’s tone was almost sarcastic and Katie understood instantly that he knew about the one in Tony’s chest. From the smile on her brother’s face he’d also reached the same conclusion.

“Maybe.” Tony said, his smile growing bigger as he looked up at the larger arc once more before he turned to Katie, his smile growing bigger. She gave him one of her own as they both turned to look at Obi.

“Huh? Am I right? We haven't had a breakthrough in that in what? Thirty years.”

“That's what they say.” Tony said, narrowing his eyes as Obadiah looked straight at him. Katie snorted.

“Obi, could you have a lousier poker face?” she rolled her eyes.

“Just tell me, who told you?” Tony looked at him.

“Never mind who told me…” Obi pointed towards his chest “Show me”

“It's Rhodey or Pepper.” Tony continued

“I want to see it.” Obadiah continued.

“Okay, Rhodey…” Tony undid his sling and looking around he began to undo his shirt to show Obadiah the reactor in his chest. The older man looked at it for a moment, glancing to the larger arc before he chuckled a little

“Okay…” he said as he began to button Tony's shirt back up, the same way Katie had earlier.

“Okay? It works…” Tony looked at him.

Obadiah sighed, giving a smile and looped his arm around Tony’s shoulder. “Listen to me, Tony. We're a team.” He gestured to Katie “The three of us, do you understand? There's nothing we can't do if we stick together, like your father and I.”

“I'm sorry I didn't give you a heads-up, okay?” Tony looked at him “But if I had...”

“Tony. Tony, no more of this "ready, fire, aim" business. You understand me?”

“Wasn’t that another one of Dad's line?” Katie asked and Tony looked at her, nodding.

“You two have gotta let me handle this.” Obi looked at them “We're gonna have to play a whole different kind of ball now. We're going to have to take a lot of heat.” He said as Katie helped Tony back into his jacket. “I want you to promise me that you're gonna lay low.”

Katie, Tony and Natasha watched the other figures leave the building and Katie sighed, her eyes flicking back up to the arc reactor.

“You know, that was a great trip down memory lane and everything Tone, but you’re gonna have to help me out here as to how, exactly, that’s supposed to relate to my apparent sudden lack of self-worth…”

“You backed my decision.” Tony said simply “You were one hundred percent behind me when I said I wanted to shut down the weapons manufacturing.”

“I know, but…” “If you hadn’t been, Tony would never have done it.”  Natasha shrugged

“Red’s right, you were always my sanity check. Despite what you may have thought to the contrary, I trusted your opinions Kiddo. Every key decision I made with SI was done with you by my side.” “That’s not true.”

“It is.” Tony pressed “Think about it for a second. The Charities, the deals, the partnerships, the take overs, the Arc Reactor...not one single big thing I did with that company, with our company, was done without you. Even when you disagreed I took that into consideration and modified stuff so that it was more in-line with what you suggested or thought.” Katie swallowed, shaking her head slightly, lost for words. Eventually she took a deep breath and looked at her brother “I didn’t realise. I always thought you did that simply because you needed my vote on stuff to make a majority…”

“Well you thought wrong.” He shrugged “But I’ll forgive you. The world only has space for one Stark genius.” “Good job you’re dead then.” She shot back and he looked at her, his eyebrow arching slightly, an incredulous smirk on his face as Natasha snorted.

“Touche, Kiddo. Touche.”

[ericsonclan]

The Gentle Warmth of Friendship

Summary: Brody and Violet journey with their Pokemon when suddenly they meet someone new.

Word Count: 3353

Read on AO3:

“Are you sure we’re heading in the right direction?” Brody asked as she struggled to balance the PokeNav in her hand while gently holding Cleffa. Ralts walked beside her, calm and collected as it followed its trainer.

“Clef?” The small pokemon looked up at its trainer’s face and saw the worry in her eyes. Brody’s brows furrowed as she studied the map. Prescott shouldn’t be far away from the route they were on.

“I don’t know. Aasim said to stay on route 116 and keep walking until we see a road marker that points towards Prescott,” Violet shuffled the pack on her back. Part of her wanted to take a break for the day and set up camp. But another, bigger part of her wanted to continue on. If the two of them walked on and didn’t stop, they could reach the town by nightfall.

“Okay, well I’m sure we’ll be able to find it,” Brody jogged forward and caught up with her friend. The auburn gave a friendly smile to Violet who offered a small one in return. Cubone walked alongside Violet and kept one hand on its weapon and another on her pant leg. The pokemon had always been extremely attached to Violet ever since the day she had found it after its mother’s passing.

Violet looked down with a smile. “You let me know if you get tired, Cubone, and we can stop,”

The words made Cubone look up with big eyes. “Cu? Cubone!” it cried happily and its grip on Violet’s pant leg tightened. Violet shook her head good-naturedly then turned her sights up ahead. Cubone had a tendency to push itself too hard but that only made things worse for the pokemon. With how tired it got it sometimes couldn’t keep up with Violet. At that point Cubone would start to cry from loneliness, causing a sad melody to vibrate throughout the skull it wore on its head, making it shake.

“Veno!”

The sudden call made Brody and Violet stop to see that Venonat had gotten distracted by rock collecting. The bug type pokemon pitter pattered over and stopped in front of Violet. Its large red eyes looked into hers as it held up the item. “Venonat!”

“For me?” Violet knelt down and gave a soft smile as her pokemon handed over the item before she tucked it away. “Thanks.”

“Nat! Nat!” The pokemon exclaimed happily and did a small dance before it gave Violet a look. Instantly the trainer knew what it wanted and carefully picked up her pokemon. Soon the two trainers were off on the route once more.

“Doesn’t carrying all those rocks become tiring?” Brody looked over at Violet who glanced over her way. Violet moved a bit closer to Brody and brought her voice down to a whisper.

“I don’t keep all of them. My pack gets too fucking heavy so when Venonat is napping I usually place them to the side or give them to some wild pokemon I see if they’re friendly.” Violet’s explanation made Brody chuckle softly. The reaction made Violet frown. “It's not funny.”

“Sorry, no, it's just that's really sweet. You really do love your pokemon, Vi.” Brody smiled softly and Violet looked away.

“Yeah, of course. I’d be a pretty shitty trainer if I didn’t think about my pokemon.”

“Speaking of trainers, I can’t wait to see the others in Prescott,” Brody’s eyes shone with joy and her Ralts moved closer towards her, drawn in by her positive emotions.

“Me too. I bet you’re really excited to see one trainer in particular,” Violet teased her friend who nudged her arm.

“Hey! I’m gonna be happy to see the others too! I haven’t seen Ruby in ages and Minnie will definitely want to challenge me to a pokemon battle when we arrive.” As Brody spoke Cleffa held onto her finger, snuggling it contentedly. “But yeah, I can’t wait to see Mitch either and watch that confident smirk turn dorky as soon as he sees me.”

“Not like your face is any better. You two short circuit around each other.” Violet’s words made Brody grow embarrassed.

“Well, it's not like you and Prisha are any better. You told me you dropped your PokeNav into the curry the last time you two camped together because she surprised you with a hug from behind!” Brody was now the one with the smug, teasing expression on her face while Violet felt overwhelmed.

“Whatever, the Pokenav still worked and besides, it's not as embarrassing as that berry incident,” Violet’s smile returned when she saw that Brody clearly remembered that day.

“Well played, Vi. Anyways, I heard that Prescott has quite the gym leader.” Brody shifted their conversation before rummaging around in her pockets. She offered some berries and other treats to Violet. Violet gave a small thanks before handing some of the treats to her pokemon before munching on a berry herself.

“Yeah, I heard the gym there is tough. The Fairy gym leader is known to kick anyone’s ass that challenges him,”

Brody nodded and was about to add to that when suddenly a patch of grass to her right rustled wildly. Both trainers stopped in their tracks and carefully studied the grass. Violet instinctively moved forward in front of Brody and prepared to defend her friend if need be.

The grass continued to move until suddenly a purple blob pokemon wiggled forward. Its beady little eyes looked at Brody then Violet before it smiled. “Ditto!” It cried happily then noticed Venonat staring at it from the safety of Violet’s arms. WIthout warning the Ditto began to transform and became an exact replica of the bug type pokemon.

“Veno?” Violet’s Venonat looked somewhat scared but squirmed out of Violet’s arms. Cautiously it moved forward and examined the Ditto who now looked exactly like it. Venonat did a few different motions with its claws and they were mirrored with ease. “Nat! Nat!” The pokemon screeched and waddled back frantically, clutching onto Violet’s leg desperately.

“Ditto?” Ditto looked confused as to why that had scared its potential new friend. The Ditto morphed back into its original form and was about to imitate another pokemon to see if it could become friends with it when all of sudden a soft voice called out to it.

“Ditto! There you are!” A trainer ran forward, his dark hair getting in the way of his eyes as he scooped up the Ditto. “I thought I told you, no running off and bugging other trainers,” The trainer scolded his pokemon before looking over at Violet and Brody. “Sorry about my Ditto.”

“It's fine,” Violet mumbled and picked up her Venonat.

“Yeah, your Ditto was just trying to make friends, right?” Brody smiled over at the trainer who nodded slowly.

“Ditto always tries to make new friends, thinks that it will help with my social anxiety,” the trainer explained, gesturing with his hands a lot and causing Ditto to nearly slip out of his arms.

“Well, there was no harm done. I’m Brody and this is Violet,” The auburn trainer gestured to herself then to Violet who gave a small nod of acknowledgement.

“It's nice to meet you. My name is James,” The trainer’s soft voice grew a bit quieter. It had been a while since he had run into trainers that weren’t mad that his Pokemon had bugged them. “Well, I should get-”

“Riolu!” A pokemon cried out protectively and ran forward. Its little paws whacked against the ground before the blue pokemon slid in front of James. Its red eyes dared Brody and Violet to even try to take a step forward.

“Riolu! No!” James placed down Ditto and reached out to stop his Riolu from starting a fight like it usually did. “These are nice trainers. What did I say about fighting?”

“Ri!” The pokemon huffed as it looked back at its trainer. James picked it up, now holding both his pokemon in his arms. Riolu’s eyes soon snapped over at the group once more. Quickly it sensed the auras surrounding the two trainers and their pokemon. Brody had a calm, comforting aura and her Cleffa and Ralts seemed to have a similar aura radiating off of them as well. Riolu looked over and noticed the spooked aurora around Venonat and felt the lonely aura around Cubone although it seemed to be tamer than other Cubones and an undertone of happiness danced within its aura. Lastly Riolu looked over at Violet and noticed her quiet, subtle aura. There was no malice or anger amongst them. The pokemon glanced back at its trainer. Now that Riolu thought about it, James’ aura was unusually calm too. “Ri, Ri,” Riolu grumbled and settled down.

“Thank you,” James hugged his pokemon softly. “Sorry about Riolu. He tends to get overprotective of me,”

“That's okay, just shows that you have a good bond with your pokemon,” Violet’s words made James’ eyes grow large. They had clearly meant a lot to him. He was about to thank her for them but a laugh made all three trainers pause. They looked over to see two grunts strolling forward. Both of them had a menacing aura to them and the look in their eyes made it clear they were looking for trouble.

“Look, Joey, we found some cool pokemon for the boss!” The grunt on the left smiled smugly at his friend.

“Yeah, I bet the boss is gonna give us a promotion. Maybe we can even get to choose one of the next Pokemon in the ring!” Joey’s eyes shone with a twisted joy.

“I don’t know who you are but we don’t want trouble,” Brody spoke up and drew the two grunts’ attention.

“Well, we do and we want your pokemon too!” Joey strode forward but Violet stood in front of the group alongside James’ Riolu who had wiggled out of its trainer’s arms.

“Get your own Pokemon and leave us the hell alone!” Violet growled at the grunts, her eyes burning with warning.

The two grunts shared a look and began to laugh.

“Who’s gonna stop us? Your little bug? Listen, just give us the Cubone, Riolu, Ditto and Ralts and we’ll let you keep your shitty pokemon.” There was cocky confidence in the grunt’s orders. Those words caused three different reactions from the trainers. Violet gritted her teeth and curled her hands into fists while James slowly strode forward, his eyes shimmering coldly. Brody gathered Ditto, Ralts, and Venonat together who Violet had told to go back to her.

“You would try to tear apart pokemon from their trainers? I won’t let you do that.” James’ calm aura had shifted and he was ready to fight if need be.

Heh, you don’t have a choice! We’re taking them by force! Ready, Justin?” Joey smiled over to his friend as he took out his pokeball.

“I’m always ready! We’re gonna show these dumbasses the might of Team Delta!” Justin unclipped his pokeball from his hip and tossed it in the air. The ball flew high before a light hummed from inside it and a pokemon emerged. A Machoke landed on the ground and shook its fist as it looked over at Violet and James. Its left eye was missing and scars littered its body. The sight pained James’ heart. What had happened to this pokemon? Had its trainer done this? Before James could ponder further Joey threw his pokeball and a Skarmory appeared in front of them. It gave a high pitched cry causing Brody, Violet and James to cover their ears. Its metal wings were damaged and its beak was bent. Violet clenched both of her fists. These two didn’t give a shit about any pokemon, even their own.

“Violet, would you help me in this battle?” James looked over with determination. Clearly he was just as upset by the sight before him as Violet was.

“Yeah.” Violet nodded and knelt down in front of her Cubone. “I’m going to need your help.” “Cubone!” The pokemon cried to hype itself up and waved around the bone weapon it wielded.

“Riolu, are you ready?” James asked his pokemon companion who got into a fighting stance.

“Riolu!” The pokemon declared proudly and glared at the Delta grunts.

“Okay then. We challenge you to a pokemon battle!” James yelled as he stood beside Violet.

“Bring it, losers!” Justin laughed then gave the first command. “Machoke, use low kick!”

“Choke!” Machoke roared and charged forward. It used its left leg to stabilize itself before sending a devastating low kick directly at Riolu’s face. Riolu lifted its arms to block the attack and soften the blow as it skidded backwards. Dust and dirt flew through the air; the battle had begun.

“Cubone, use headbutt!” Violet instructed and her pokemon charged forward with its head turned downwards towards Machoke.

“Cu!” the pokemon cried and landed a direct hit but it didn’t seem to do much damage.

“Skarmory, use wing attack!” Joey snapped and the pokemon immediately obeyed. Its sharp wings shone in the light and it flew forward, spinning wildly before its wings slashed out at Cubone. Cubone whimpered in pain and stumbled back. It was a super effective move.

“Cubone!” Violet glared at Joey with fiery hatred in her eyes. “You piece of shit!” Her anger only made Joey’s twisted smile grow. Violet’s jaw tightened; she wouldn’t give up so easily.  “Cubone, use headbutt!”

Cubone listened and charged forward, ramming into the Skarmory.

“Heh, you’re so fucking stup-’

“Now! Use Bone rush!” Violet’s words made Joey freeze as Cubone used its bone and harshly hit Skarmory again and again. Skarmory cried out  and tried to get away but the Cubone was too close and unusually fast.

“Justin! Help!” Joey yelled but his friend ignored him. He was too busy having fun using Machoke to low kick Riolu again and again.

“I don’t have time for your whiny shit, Joey! I’m busy beating the shit out of this twerp!” His words made James shake with anger.

“Riolu, use quick attack to dodge the next blow!” James cried and Riolu gave a nod. As soon as Machoke tried to use another low kick Riolu used quick attack, zooming underneath the outstretched leg.

“Machoke?” Machoke spun around this way and that to find its opponent.

“Now, use metal claw!” James’ voice rang out and danced around the battlefield as Riolu appeared through its makeshift shield of dust. Its claws shone as it tore at Machoke. Machoke gave a pained sound and tried to retaliate but Riolu slipped into the dusty wind once more. James continued on like this, commanding Riolu to use quick attacks to dodge Machoke’s onslaught before sending in a metal claw attack of its own. Slowly but surely Riolu was chipping away at Machoke’s health until James called out for the finishing blow. “Riolu, use force palm!”

“Ri, Ri!” Riolu dashed forward and appeared in front of Machoke. Getting on its left leg Riolu lifted up its right one slightly and got into a fighting stance. Moving both of its paws back it charged up a devastating attack and sent its right paw forward, crashing into Machoke’s chest.

“Choke?” Machoke stumbled back, frightened that it had lost. It tried to reach out to Justin but folded over and collapsed on the ground.

Justin tsked angrily and held out the pokeball to retrieve the pokemon. “Fucking useless! I’ll just have to steal a better pokemon,” Justin tossed aside the pokeball into a pile of mud nearby then looked over to see how Joey was faring.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it!!!!” Joey yelled. “Skarmory! Use fly now!”

Skarmory tried its best to get away as fast as possible but it turned out to be fruitless.

“Cubone, use bonemerang!” Violet’s words made the Delta grunt’s eyes shake with realization.

“Cu, cu!” Cubone lifted up its arm and with a mighty toss threw its bone through the air. The attack connected and hit the Skarmory in mid flight. The pokemon gave another high pitched cry which made Violet and James cover their ears once more before Skarmory fell from the sky. Joey didn’t seem worried at all. In fact, it looked like he was going to let it fall to the ground. Violet and James ran forward at the same time to catch the pokemon, sliding across the ground to save it just in time. They had been able to stop the Skarmory from getting severely harmed even though it would definitely cost them a few bruises over the coming days.

“Argh!” Joey reluctantly held out his pokeball to retrieve Skarmory before he noticed that Justin had discarded his pokemon. Joey thought for a moment and followed suit, tossing aside his pokeball like it was nothing.

“How dare you!” Brody ran forward and carefully fished the two pokeballs out of the mud.

“You two are just selfish assholes!” Violet spat with venom and strode forward with James.

In that moment all of Justin and Joey’s bravery seemed to disappear and they frantically pushed each other out of the way as they tried to escape. They were fighting each other so much that a small pouch slipped out of Justin’s pocket without him even realizing it. “Team Delta won’t forget about this!” Justin yelled angrily then turned and disappeared down the road with Joey.

The three trainers were quiet for a few moments before Violet and James turned their attention to their Pokemon. Violet carefully checked Cubone’s injuries and took out a potion spray. Gently she began to spray the wounds and used some bandages to make sure no infection got into the injuries before they reached Prescott and could visit a PokeCenter. James frantically checked Riolu for injuries before tenderly holding the Pokemon in his arms.

“Thank you, for helping me fight them off,” James smiled softly at Violet.

Violet picked up Cubone who clutched onto her shirt. The blonde trainer looked over at James then glanced away. “It was no big deal. Someone had to stop those assholes,” Violet offered a small smile towards James then turned towards Brody who was sadly looking at the pokeballs which held the discarded Pokemon. “We should see if Prescott has a Pokemon sanctuary.”

Brody glanced up at Violet’s words and nodded. “I don’t know who would abandon their Pokemon like this.”

“Heartless people, that's who. I’ve seen it before,” Violet walked forward and stopped beside Brody. “They’ll be okay.”

That made a gentle smile appear on Brody’s lips. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“Thanks for watching out for Venonat too,” Violet offered a small smile her friend’s way.

“No problem.” Brody’s lips held the same smile until an idea crossed her mind. “Oh, James, would you like to journey with us to Prescott? It could be safer to have others with you in case Team Delta shows up again. Plus, it's always more fun to travel with company,”

James’ eyes grew large at Brody’s offer. He studied her eyes for a moment and saw she was truly genuine. Glancing over, he noticed Violet gave a small nod in agreement and that she was being genuine too. “Alright, I haven’t traveled with others in a while so I may not be the best company,” James readjusted his pack then hurried forward with Ditto and Riolu.

“That's okay. I tend to do the most talking anyway since Violet can get lost in her thoughts and be kinda standoffish, especially with new people. But practice makes perfect so speak up whenever you feel comfortable,” Brody smiled over at James before looking at Violet who was frowning slightly at Brody’s description of her and quickly glanced away.

James was silent, processing the kindness he had been offered while watching as Brody reassured Violet who shrugged her off but seemed to not have taken offense. It was clear these two were close friends and maybe, just maybe they could be his friends too. James looked at the road ahead. It could be wishful thinking but he wanted to believe otherwise. These two definitely made him want to believe.

[kate-sinclaire]

an admission (Ethan x MC)

Book:
 Open Heart Pairing: 
Ethan x f!MC (Isabelle Valentine) Summary:
 Ethan realizes his feelings for Isabelle are too much to ignore and push aside. He decides to do something about them. Rating:
 PG/T TAGS: @princess-geek​ @callmethea​ @wildvitamin​ NOTE: All characters belong to Pixelberry Studios, I’m just borrowing them. I also do not own the image. Image found here. Other author note: This story is so cheesy, I know, but I needed some Ethan happiness for once instead of the angst. Will definitely write Ethan angst in the future, though. I hope you enjoy!

--

“Doctor Valentine,” he started, watching himself in the mirror. He shook his head and took in a deep breath. “Rook-damn it.” He felt like an idiot pacing back and forth in his bedroom, hands clasped behind his back. He had rehearsed this so many times and yet it kept coming out wrong. “Isabelle,” he restarted, looking earnestly into his reflection. He looked tired- absolutely exhausted. Which made sense considering he had been up all night trying to figure out how to tell the woman he loved that he loved her.

God, he sounded pathetic. He had been battling this for so long-battling feeling for so long. But something about being around Isabelle made him so weak and so strong all at once. He let out a sigh and sat down on the edge of his bed, tapping his fingertips against his knee. “Isabelle, I-” He stopped. This was ridiculous. He just needed to get over himself and head out to her. He took a deep breath and walked toward the door.

--

Isabelle stared blankly at the television, trying to distract herself from the usual chats with Ethan-the same ones that ended with him telling her they could never be together. She flipped the channel and wiped underneath her eyes, trying to remove the runny mascara from her face as Sienna cheerfully walked into the room.

“I brought ice cream!” she grinned, handing over the bowl of mint chocolate chip. Isabelle looked at her gratefully and set it on her lap.

“Uh oh,” Jackie murmured from behind. “Izzy’s crying, Sienna bought her her favorite ice cream, and we’re watching...Grey’s Anatomy? Seriously? Don’t we basically live that show every day?”

“Don’t judge me,” Isabelle sniffled, cuddling herself in her hoodie. “I’m battling a great depression.”

“And you think this sad ass show is going to help that?”

“Oh, leave her alone,” Sienna chimed in, resting her head on Isabelle’s shoulder. “I happen to like this show.”

“Of course you do,” Jackie smirked, pulling out a medical textbook from a bag slung over one of the kitchen chairs. She took a seat on the other side of Isabelle and made herself comfortable underneath one of the throw blankets.

“Oh no, she’s watching Grey’s,” Elijah noticed as he came in through the front door. “What’s wrong, Izzy?”

“Everyone is so concerned about me today,” Isabelle laughed, her nose still plugged from her crying episode. “Really, I’m fine.” But she knew the state that she was in gave it away; grey sweatpants, a red stained sweatshirt, and comfy socks were not doing her any favors.

“It’s Doctor Ramsey,” Sienna whispered not so quietly.

“Sienna!” Isabelle scolded and she shrugged.

“Am I wrong?” Sienna asked with raised eyebrows. Isabelle ignored her, averting her eyes back to the show instead. “He’s been doing his usual ‘I can’t be with you because it would be a breach of ethics’ talk.”

“I can’t stand that guy,” Jackie huffed. “I mean, he’s brilliant, but talk about a jackass.”

“You just called the most brilliant diagnostics physician a jackass.”

“You just don’t know him like I do,” Isabelle defended him, brushing strands of her brunette hair with her fingertips. “When he’s with me he’s...kind. And gentle. And...”

“Not a jackass?” Sienna finished with a supportive smile. 

Three knocks pounded on the door and all of the roommates glanced at each other, confused. “Is that Aurora, maybe?” Isabelle asked, timidly standing up. Jackie shrugged.

“She didn’t say she’d be here.”

“Rookie, it’s me,” Ethan’s voice boomed through the cheap door. She looked at Sienna, eyes wide.

“He can’t see me like this,” Isabelle whispered frantically, smoothing out her frizzy hair. 

“Why not? He’s seen you in less,” Jackie smirked, causing Sienna to whack her with a pillow. “Ow! Just answer the door.” Isabelle winced at her reflection in the hallway mirror and took a deep breath as she tentatively wrapped her hand around the doorknob.

“Rook-oh,” his eyes widened at the sight of Isabelle and she felt her cheeks flush. She looked like hell and now he knew it, too. But what struck her as even more odd was his state; clean shaven, in his famous sweater and slacks, with a bouquet of white roses tucked underneath his arm. “You look...”

“I know,” Isabelle laughed self consciously.

“No, I don’t think you do,” he marveled at her as though she was the beautiful answer to all of his questions.  “You look beautiful.”

“Well, well, this is a sight to see,” Jackie grinned and Ethan stood up a bit straighter, clearing his throat. And just as he was about to make some ridiculous excuse or reason for being there, Sienna roughly pulled Jackie down the hallway and into her room. Elijah followed with a chuckle but gave Isabelle a wink.

“I like the flowers. White roses, you remembered,” Isabelle nodded to the bouquet and Ethan immediately handed them out with a soft smile.

“I find it...increasingly difficult to forget even the smallest detail about you, Isabelle,” he murmured. Her eyes widened in surprise at the admission and she cradled the flowers in her arms.

“Would you like to come in?” she asked, gesturing inside. Ethan shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.

“No, no. I need to tell you something now before...” his voice trailed off for a moment before shooting her an apologetic glance. “As you know, I’m not good at talking about my feelings.”

“That’s an understatement,” Isabelle laughed and he shot her a playful glare. “Sorry, continue.”

“Right. As I was saying, I’m not good at talking about my feelings. But you, Isabelle, you make me want to be better at it. You make me want to feel. And that’s not something I’ve wanted in a very long time,” he cleared his throat again and rubbed the nape of his neck. Isabelle could feel her eyes water and she quickly brushed the tears away before he noticed.

“I’ve been an ass,” he admitted. “I thought that pushing you away would be good for both of us. I thought that by pushing you away, I was helping your career. But, God, Isabelle, it’s so painful. And I’m afraid that I just can’t do it anymore. Isabelle Valentine, I’m in love with you. Desperately and completely. Wholly and fully.” And this time, the tears couldn’t be stopped. Isabelle wiped her eyes but more flooded down her cheeks and Ethan took a step forward, cradling her face in his hands. “Don’t cry,” he whispered, kissing her temple.

“Tell me that again,” she murmured. The corners of his mouth quirked up.

“I'm in love with you,” he replied.

“No, no. The part about you being an ass,” she laughed and he grinned a rare, relaxed smile that Isabelle hadn’t seen in months. “I love you too, Ethan.” 

[let-me-write-shit]

Somebody To You: 11

Are people actually reading this? lol. Friendly reminder to please Like and/or Reblog. It helps more than you think! :)

Word Count: 2,924

Click Here For Previous Chapter & Other Completed Stories

PLEASE let me know what you think

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

CHAPTER ELEVEN:

“You are the most annoying boy on the planet!” Zoey laughed, gently rubbing her face with a cleanser as the hot steam engulfed her in the shower, “It’s baffling why so many girls are obsessed with you!”

Harry’s laugh echoed throughout the bathroom, almost sounding robotic from her phone’s speakers, “You were one of those girls before, don’t forget!”

She let the water rinse off the suds and quipped, “Yeah, well that was before I knew you. Besides, I liked Louis more.”

Harry gasped, “Take it back!”

She let out a giggle, lathering shampoo into her hands when a knock sounded at the door, “Zoey?” Nancy called, “Were you talking to me? I thought I heard you.”

“No, I’m just on the phone with Harry! He won’t leave me alone!”

Nancy chuckled, “Annoying piece of shit! Remind me why people obsess over him?”

“That’s what I said!”

The girls laughed and Nancy’s voice faded as she walked away from the door saying, “Okay, I’m heading out now. See you tonight!”

  Harry spoke again, “You two are bullies.”

“I’m trying to get ready and you won’t let me hang up!”

“For what? It’s 10 AM there! You barely got six hours of sleep after work last night, and you go back again tonight!”

“Alright, don’t you have anything better to do than memorize my work schedule and chart my sleeping habits? Like, I don’t know, perform a concert?”

“I’m off today, thank you very much!” Harry spat back. “Don’t you have anything better to do than to watch movies all day or to kidnap any more stray cats?”

“For your information, I’m going out!”

“Yeah? Where to? Another date with Brett?” Harry snorted, jokingly. After a moment of silence, he spoke again, more seriously, “Wait, really? You’re going on a date with Brett?”

“I wouldn’t call it a date…”

“Zoey!” He whined.

“What? We’re just hanging out! Andy will be there, too!”

It’s been a few weeks since Harry’s last visit, and things seemed to be going back to normal, although a few incidents worth mentioning had happened. The morning of his departure was probably the single most embarrassing moment of her life. Zoey had gotten up early. Super early. Her internal alarm clock was out of whack that day, for some reason, and so she had the pleasure of seeing the awkward morning after scene when Harry dropped Rory back off at the apartment. 

It must have been around 5 AM because it was still dark, but a faint blue was visible on the horizon. Zoey was making a cup of coffee in the dark kitchen, not wanting to turn the lights on and blind herself, when the door opened and the two stumbled in, Harry in comfortable sweats while Rory wore the same dress as the night before, crinkled now, and her long brown hair in knots. If she didn’t know Rory any better, she would have guessed she was drunk. But she knew that Rory was just clumsy when she was tired. They seemed to not notice her as he led her straight to her bedroom. But on his way out, they caught eyes and Harry gasped at the sight of her.

“Were you there when we got in?” He asked, stepping into the kitchen.

“Yes, and how very gentlemanly of you to bring my roommate back. I trust you had a good night,” she quietly joked, not wanting to wake anyone, while stirring the milk in her coffee and tapping the excess off the spoon.

Harry rolled his eyes, walking further into the dark kitchen and reaching for a mug out of the cupboard, “Yeah, it was alright.”

“Alright?” she questioned quietly, rounding the island and taking a seat on the furthest barstool. “You can’t blame poor performances on inebriation this time, H. You didn’t have a sip of alcohol last night.”

“You really are the worst,” he grinned, pouring himself a cup of coffee and silently spilling the milk in. 

It was so silent that you could barely hear Brett sneaking up behind Zoey, shirtless and only in his boxes, looping his arms around her waist and nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck, moaning in his thick Australian accent, “Was wondering where you went. You were incredible last night. You up for more?”

The clank of Harry’s spoon against his mug as he stirred caught Brett’s attention and he jumped back, “Fuck!” he shouted, clutching his muscular chest, “Hey, Harry! Didn’t see you there.”

“Morning,” Harry muttered, expressionless.

“Morning,” Brett repeated, looking down to see Zoey burying her face in her hands, embarrassed. He continued, “You, uh, heading out today?”

“Yeah, just grabbing a cup of coffee before I go,” he motioned down to his mug.

Brett awkwardly chuckled, shifting on his feet, “Alright. Well, uh, safe...safe travels. I’m just gonna, uh, head back to bed.”

Harry nodded and quietly called after him, “See you later.”

Once Brett was out of sight, Zoey peeked through the cracks in her fingers at Harry who’s eyebrows were raised, waiting for her to say something. Instead, she laughed, which made the singer crack a smile.

“I trust you had a good night,” he mocked her, taking a sip of his coffee.

“It was alright,” she poked fun back.

“Well, from the sounds of it, it was way more than alright,” he said, rounding the island and sitting beside her.

“Maybe for him,” she whispered to herself.

“The kissing again?”

She furrowed her eyebrows in thought, groaning, “Yeah, I don’t know what it is. Everything else is great, I just can’t get past the horrible kissing.”

“Well have you told him?”

“I’m not a monster, I would never!” she laughed, “I just try to avoid kissing.”

He chuckled, sarcastically saying, “Nice. That’ll help.” After a moment of awkward silence he spoke again, “Can we just agree to never have a morning-after-sex run in ever again?”

“Yep, absolutely. Never again. Totally awkward,” she hurriedly agreed.

Later that day there were pictures circulating of the two of them at the beach. Fans had pretty much shut down the idea of them dating almost immediately, thankfully, but they did seem to make a connection between Zoey to Aurora and rumors began circulating about Harry and the model, which didn’t exactly help any when Harry was still trying to figure out what to do about that whole situation.

Zoey, on the other hand, had seemed to be getting better. She still missed her friend and would think of her often when she was alone but was able to enjoy her nights out now without feeling guilty. She had gone on a couple of dates with some guys she had met, though it never went anywhere. They just weren’t her type. Still, she had Brett. He had picked back up where he left off, coming over often to hang out with Zoey and her roommates.

Brett had become so close to Nancy and Rory that sometimes she’d come home from work and the three of them would be sitting on the couch or out on the balcony without Zoey knowing he would even be over that day. She didn’t mind, though. They always had fun together. Besides, every now and then after her roommates had gone to bed she would take Brett back to her room. Obviously her roommates knew something was going on between the two of them, and they knew that it wasn’t necessarily anything serious or official, but that didn’t stop them from making haughty eyes at her whenever they woke up to find that Brett was still there in the morning.

Harry clearly didn’t understand the situation with Brett, although Zoey never went into much detail about it with him. He just didn’t get the point of sleeping with someone continuously with no intention of taking it further. “You’ve been on other dates, you can clearly sleep with anyone you want. Why keep going back to Brett if you have no interest in him?” he always asked her. And it was a fair question, but she didn’t really know how to answer it. Because it was easy? Because she didn’t have to work hard for it? Because she knew him and she felt comfortable? Maybe a mix of all three? Honestly, maybe it was just because she could. Why did it matter, anyway? 

Harry continued to annoy Zoey, refusing to hang up the phone while she got ready for her ‘outing’ until there was a knock on his hotel room door. With his phone to his ear, listening to Zoey ramble on about newly learned, surprisingly interesting facts of Rome, he squinted through the peephole to see his friend and guitarist, Mitch. He opened the door for his friend and just as Mitch was about to speak, he noticed the phone against Harry’s ear and quickly shut his mouth, following the singer inside, and having a seat on the edge of his bed while Harry sat at the desk chair.

Mitch watched as Harry’s eyes widened and his smile grew, letting out a roar of a laugh, “You made that up!” The guitarist couldn’t help but smile at his friend's amusement. They caught eyes and almost as if Harry realized that Mitch was in the room, Harry cleared his throat and said, “Alright, well I’ll let you finish getting ready….Yeah, whatever. Goodluck. Bye.”

The phone went black and Harry looked up to see a smiling Mitch, “Zoey?”

Harry tried his best to conceal a grin, narrowing his eyes and placing his phone face down on the desk, “I don’t want to hear it.”

Mitch smirked, teasing him, “You sure it’s Rory you like and not Zoey?”

“Come on, man,” Harry whined, “She’s just one of my best friends, that’s all. If you met her you would know. She’s not even my type.”

“All I’m saying is I’ve seen you around Rory, and she’s a great girl, but I don’t see you smile nearly as much with her as you do when you’re talking to or about Zoey. Plus, I’ve seen her pictures. You can’t tell me that you don’t think she’s hot.”

“Of course she’s fucking hot, but that doesn’t change anything. I like Rory.”

“Yeah? Is that why you haven’t asked her out yet?”

“Oh, shut it!” Harry groaned, kicking Mitch’s legs, “She’s just a friend.”

But a little part of him worried. Mitch wasn’t the only one to tell him that. Most of his friends would comment on it whenever they caught him on the phone or talked about his little trips out to LA. They all knew of Zoey because he had mentioned her. And he realized after a few people pointed it out, that he had talked about her often. It was normal to talk about your best friends, he thought. But any time he mentioned something, they’d give him a look like he was hiding something and it started to have him second guess things. 

Did he like Zoey? He found himself wanting to talk to her every day, and that’s a pretty telltale sign of a crush. Yeah, he accidentally fantasized about her once or twice, but he did that with nearly any girl he met. Hell, he fantasized about Nancy at one point, that didn’t mean he wanted to date her. Despite what everyone thought, it IS possible to just be friends with someone of the opposite sex without wanting to sleep with them. He liked Rory. There was nothing to not like. She was sexy, smart, cultured, and made him laugh. It just wasn’t the right time to get serious, that’s all.

Zoey put on a white cropped tee, borrowed Nancy’s black denim skirt, and pulled her hair into a ponytail, deciding on a pair of converse before heading downtown to meet up with Andy and Brett for a bite to eat. They decided to sit outside on the restaurant's terrace to enjoy the beautiful warm weather. Their server, a cute, button nosed redhead, kept making eyes at Brett the whole entire time, checking in on them a little more than she probably needed to.

“If you were American you wouldn’t be getting this much attention,” Andy clicked his tongue, taking a bite of his potatoes, making Zoey laugh. Andy turned to her and waved his fork at her, “Uht uh, you not allowed to laugh. You been takin’ this fool to your bed for months now.”

It was Brett’s turn to laugh and Zoey shoved both of them, “I’m only using him for sex,” she joked.

Andy chuckled, “Period!”

“I’m not complaining,” Brett smirked, sipping his drink.

“Duh! Why would you complain when you get to see these beauties,” Andy grabbed Zoey’s chest and gave her breasts a quick squeeze.

Zoey laughed, looking at Brett, “You’re welcome.”

After another hour or so of eating, they decided to walk up and down the strip for a bit. But not before Brett got the waitress’s number. 

The three of them went in and out of little boutiques, mostly window shopping, although Andy bought himself a cute black-rimmed fedora hat when Brett shoved his phone in his back pocket and said, “Rory is going to meet up with us in a few.”

“Oh, did she get done early?” Zoey asked, checking her phone to see if she had any missed calls or texts from her. Nothing.

Brett nodded, “Yeah, she said she’s only a couple minutes out so I told her we’d meet her at the pretzel shop up here.”

Even just in the last few weeks, Rory’s career had skyrocketed. It was now to the point where she got recognized on the street and paparazzi would publish her in magazines on outings. Her DM’s were filled with famous and non-famous people, and still, she was the sweetest girl Zoey had ever met. Harry was lucky to have met her when he did. And honestly stupid for not giving her an answer yet. 

Things had been a little weird between her and Rory since Harry’s last visit, though. She couldn’t help but think that Rory was mad at her for something. Maybe it was because of the paparazzi shot of her and Harry at the beach. Or maybe her friendship with Harry annoyed her. She asked Nancy, but Nancy just shoved it off, saying Rory was probably just stressed about work and she had nothing to worry about. Still, something felt off. 

Rory had on a black bodysuit with denim shorts, a black belt, a brown blazer, and a black fedora, making sure to wear large black sunglasses. She and Brett walked side by side as Andy and Zoey walked a little further behind them, laughing at each other and joking around. They spotted an ice cream shop and called out to the other two.

“Hey! We’re going to stop for ice cream!” Andy informed them. “Want any?” Rory and Brett looked at each other and both shook their heads no. He continued, “Alright! Well, we should get going soon. We gotta change for work. Meet you there?” he asked Brett.

“Yeah, I’ll see you at work!” Brett nodded, and he and Rory walked off.

“At least she’s with Brett in case she gets noticed,” Zoey pointed out, “He’s big enough to look like a bodyguard. No one will want to mess with her.”

“Speaking of, what’s going on with her and Harry? Are they official yet, or what?”

Zoey shrugged, “Dunno.”

She was honestly so confused about them anymore. Zoey stopped bringing it up to Harry because he kept up the same sorry excuse that he always did. She didn’t even know if they were still even a thing. Sure, Aurora spoke of Harry every now and then, but it always seemed so casual and in passing. She didn’t drool over him like she used to. Maybe she was getting tired of waiting for him, which was exactly what Zoey warned him of. 

Andy shook his head, “Man, it really is all men that are dumb. That’s a damn shame if he misses out on her.”

Zoey nodded in agreement, but a part of her was always a little unsure about the prospect of them dating. I mean, Harry had pointed it out before; Aurora fit every category of the type of girl he always dated. She was a beautiful, skinny, successful model. Zoey would be lying if she said she didn’t want him to venture outside of that mold a little bit. Sure, all of their personalities were different, but maybe there was a reason that none of his relationships worked out. He needed something different.

She had to admit, it annoyed her a little bit when his fans were so quick to shut the idea down of herself and Harry dating because she wasn’t the kind of girl he dated. Not because she wanted to date him or anything. But it almost felt as if people knew that she wasn’t good enough for him because she didn’t have the typical lifestyle that the girls he usually dates did. She knew she was just as pretty and as smart and as funny as the rest of them, but because she didn’t have a social media following, there’s no way Harry would touch her. She just wanted him to prove everyone wrong. Not with her, of course. That would be absurd. But with someone. 

However, Rory was perfect. In all sense of the word. And again, he’d be stupid to let her go.

KEEP READING

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

Taglist:

@thurhomish​