#aw he's so curled up what a tiny wee thing

[angstandhappiness]

LMAO cute

Headcanon: If one ever tries to pick up Damian Wayne, you will get a solid armful of a curled up boy. He’s like an armadillo. Protecting the internal organs and all that. His brothers have tried wiggling him out of form, but he stays tucked into a ball. One time Bruce yanked him away from a threatening paparazzi. He didn’t laugh at how Damian’s knees went up to his chest like a fold-up chair, but he wanted to.

[uglyshirtsinc]

AIGHT HERE WE GO BUCKLE UP!! Endermen hybrids Illumina, Purpled, and Ranboo! With a sprinkle of Technodad and Sonboo, a drizzle of Little Brother Purpled and Big Brother Punz, with a side of Illumina and Fruit friendship! Less go! This was meant to be a ramble but literally ended up a fic outline?? Could even be read as a fic if you wanted??? What the hell 6 am me???

Endermen hyrbid are valuable because since they're half human instead of making enderpearls they make eyes of ender, and they respawn like humans do so they're used to farm ender eyes.

Ranboo meets Illumina and Purpled after being kidnapped and separated from his dad at the wee age of eleven meets sixteen year old Illumina and eleven year old Purpled.

He's tossed into a cell with the two of them, Illumina being there to calm the younger two down after being used for the farm. Whenever Illumina is brought back to the cell, he cares for the boys and dotes on them, acting much more worried and clingy that normal. They let him take care of them, knowing that keeping them safe calms him.

They talk about their lives before being taken, Illumina talks about the adventures he and his friend Fruit would go on. The dangerous things they did. He promises the boys to one day show them cool tricks, using the excuse of "the cell is too tiny and someone would get hurt" as to why he can't show them off there, not wanting to tell them the little portions of food he recieves (even less considering he gives most to the boys) has eaten away at his strength.

Purpled talks about his adoptive brother Punz who's just a bit older than Illumina, at age seventeen. How he was a cool mercenary hired to do "super secret" stuff and protect people. He tells them about his trident and tomahawk.

When Ranboo opened up, it gave Illumina his first real sense of hope he's had in a long time. Ran talks about his dad, emperor of the Antarctic Empire and faithful patron of the powerful Blood God. Illumina had heard of the Arctic Empire's hybrid son and after story after story began to believe that Ran really was the prince of the Empire. Ran's father obviously loved him, each story leaving him in tears of either longing or laughter. His father would be searching for them, and he would find them.

Weeks turned to months and nothing changed, until Ran was on the floor screaming in pain and Purpled was hiding in the corner wailing in fear. Illumina could hear cracking, popping, and spotted two hard lumps just next to Ranboo's shoulder blades and realized he wasn't just some Enderman hybrid, but rather a dragon hybrid. When the pain finally subsided and their captors returned to take the two young boys Illumina knew what he had to do.

He didn't know much of Gods and patrons, only what he read while searching the strongholds with Fruit after their latest adventure.

Patrons were messy, being worthy to have one and be a follower was even messier. But within that moment, he didn't care. Thousands of voices in his head was better than having to witness those monsters that held them captive force Ran to cough and gag and wheeze in attempt to get Dragons Breath from the boy. It was worth it to return Purpled to his brother, to see the boys eyes light up the same way they did when Ran said his dad would save them. And for just a moment, Illumina let himself be selfish. It was worth it to get to hold his best friend close, to be strong enough to scale buildings and run from golems they'd messed with. To see the sunrise over a snowy mountain, to show the world he was faster, stronger, and smarter than anyone imagined.

Cutting his hand on a jagged rock sticking from the walls that he had warned the boys about so often, be used his own blood to draw the symbol. When it glows and the world fades, stands before him a towering man with hair as white as snow, wearing the finest attire fit for a king, dressed in gold with everything he wore.

Wordlessly, a deal is made and as their hands shake Illumina is staring into dark, ruby red eyes sparkling with a beast like excitement. The Blood God speaks and tells him "They have been waiting." And Illumina knows what he means.

When the world returns, his ragged and dirty clothes are replaced by the ones he would wear before the monsters took him. A pouch of emeralds hangs from his belt and a familiar black mask covers his nose and mouth. His strength has returned, but at a cost he has yet to find out.

There's no whispers, no cries, no one yelling in his head. There's no insanity blocking his train of thought. No amnesia. He is Illumina.

He wraps himself with the one thin blanket they were allowed, curling up near the gate to keep himself and his clothes covered.

Purpled is first to return and Illumina places a figer over his lips, signaling Purpled to stay quiet. When Ran returns, it takes Illumina less than thirty seconds to have the monstrous man on the ground unconscious. Ran and Purpled watch in awe as he checks the horrid man for anything of value to them. A ring of keys, a pouch of coin, an iron sword, and a map are all Illumina deems worthy.

While his strength has returned, he's mindful of the boys and their weak bodies. He carries Purpled on his back, the violet eyed boy the smallest out of them all.

It takes hours to escape their prison mostly undetected. When they do, Illumina grabs the first horse he can find that's saddled up and tells the boys to hold on as he rides off.

The map was appreciated beyond comprehension. It doesn't take long to find a town and get the boys proper clothing that will survive the journey to the Arctic. Keeping them close and their heads down they get what they need tools wise and leave before the sun can even set.

It's hard, telling Purpled that he'll have to wait even longer to see his brother, but promises once they return Ranboo home that Punz can come there to take him home. If Illumina must admit, he chooses Technoblade first because once it hits the news of the princes return and Illumina's name is spread, he hopes Fruit will come and find him, even if they have to meet in the middle.

Throughout the terror and pain, they push through. From the nights they got separated, Purpled clinging to Ran and assuring the dragon hybrid Illumina will find them, fighting off zombies when Ran couldn't stand straight to hold a sword. The relief when Illumina scoops them both into his arms and holds then tighter than before.

With hunters hot on their tail they can't afford to stop and it takes four months itself to reach the borders between the Arctic Empire and whatever land they found themselves in.

Ran's wings have grown in, one a dark, scaley black with brilliant green in the folds between each bone. The other is a is white and reminds Illumina of a jellyfish, bits and tassles hanging from the wing giving it a much more fragile, paper thin appearance. Both are incredibly strong, despite their looks, and it's often the intimidation factor the two wings bring that gets them out of sticky situations.

A year has passed since they've been held in captivity, Illumina now seventeen and the boys twelve.

Illumina buys the cheapest tickets to the Empire, having to hold Ran's hand to keep him from teleporting ahead in excitement. He cries multiple times, the feeling of finally being free and so close to home hitting him like a truck. Illumina sees the excitement on Purpleds face, knowing after Ran he gets his family too.

They arrive on the island and immediately Ranboo is dragging them the way to the inner walls. Claiming to know his home like the back of his hand. Passing by a few guards, Purpled asks why they don't just tell the guards they have the prince.

"The guards were the whole reason Ranboo ended up where he was, plus they could try killing us immediately thinking we took Ran. I can't risk putting you two in any more danger." Is the reply he gets.

They teleport to the other side of the walls easily, walking to the other, and teleporting. This repeats for two days till they reach the inner most wall. Techno stands on a platform in the town center, his expression showing no emotion and stance as proper as ever. Just watching him stand so straight makes Illumina's back ache.

Ranboo sobs on the spot and before he can call for his father and rush forward a hand is placed on Illumina's shoulder with a harsh grip.

The guard asks who they are, saying they most definitely are not meant to be there, and within that moment a rage so heavy it hits Illumina like a tidal wave.

A year of torture and pain, months of walking and risking his life to get here and right as he can reach it someone stops him. Illumina barely registers it before the boys jump back screaming and he's pulled his sword out to hit the other man.

He faintly hears cries of "Harvey!" As more people rush towards them. He can only focus on his blade pressing against the man, Harvey's, sword and the deep laughter filling his mind.

"It seems you've finally been broken into." The Blood God thinks aloud.

He yells for Ran to run to his dad who's being ushered of stage, his speech being cut short.

Ran looks between his father who has yet to notice him and then back to Illumina who's risked so much for him. To Purpled, who looks horrified and is trying his hardest to pull back Illumina.

And he chooses them.

Jumping between Illumina and Tapl he unfurls his large wings and yells out with a slightly staticy voice "Stop!"

And it's as if the world has stopped, the Blood God no longer speaking in Illumina's mind, Purpled can sag his shoulders in relief, and all eyes are on them.

He looks into Tapl's heterochromatic eyes and in a voice barely above a whisper says "Stop attacking my family."

Tapl steps back, the other guards step back. All can easily recognize the missing Prince, from the two-toned hair to the sparkling eyes only he possesses.

His name is breathed out and demands attention. Ranboo turns to gaze at his father from across the short distance and it's real.

They meet in the middle and Ran holds his father like a scared child, and Techno allows himself to crumble and cry. He cries for the child thought to be dead, stolen from him by those he trusted. He cries for the year and months he's spent separated from him. They cry together, and tears of pent up pain turn to tears of happiness. His grandfather and uncles appear soon enough, he's wrapped in hugs so tight and a pair of wings so warm he could fall asleep.

Purpled and Illumina and thanked for bringing him back, and all Illumina asks is for them to help them find their homes. A message is sent far and wide of Purpled's reappearance and it takes less than a month for a blonde boy, fresh i to adulthood to come crashing through the castle doors and Purpled to find himself wrapped in his big brothers arms once more.

Punz sobs so loudly it's heard from across the palace, clinging to his baby brother and cradling him like a baby.

You'd think after the royal family just about got on their knees to thank him, Illumina would be used to it and stop being so embarrassed, but something about seeing Purpled light up like he's dreamed of seeing the boy do and finally getting to see with his own two eyes the brother he talked about makes him very thankful for the mask there to hide his flushed cheeks.

Ranboo and Purpled aren't ready to let go, so Punz stays with his brother in the castle for awhile.

Illumina is asked thousands and thousands of questions, where they were taken, how they escaped, etcetera.

He takes Techno aside and confesses the deal he made in return for their freedom. He confesses he has yet to know what he's given up to the Patron and his fears. He confesses that He couldn't bare the thought of young Purpled loosing his hope and being raised in a place like that, Ranboo being hurt worse and worse for bottles of acidic breath.

He apologizes for being selfish and wanting to find his family.

And for the first time in forever, he's being held in the safety of a warm hug. He gets to cry and be comforted, he gets to be weak.

It takes longer, but one day new face appears and after four years he breaths in that ridiculously sweet scent of green apples and sweet fruits that Fruit Berries always had. He hugs his friend once again.

They show the boys their tricks, as Illumina promised. They watch them do stupidly dangerous things that make Phil, Techno, and Wilbur flinch and jump to catch the two seventeen year olds, always groaning in faux annoyance watching them land safely, Phil claiming this'll give him a heart attack and Wilbue and Techno agreeing their stupid (while impressive) actions are gonna be bad influences on their sons. Wilbur calls it quits after they manage to drag Punz in, the mercenary dueling the two of them and trying to see whether strength or agility are better. Purpled is torn between cheering for either family member and just yells words of encouragement a lot.

For once in a long long time, they're safe.

[renee-writer]

Lost Chapter 69 Little Feet

AO3

He is awed by her feet. They are so tiny. He holds her in his arms as Claire sleeps, the sleep of the worthy. He is awed by what she did, by the pain she overcame to bring Julia Jamie into the world. He knows he couldn’t have done it.

 

A chuckle has his child turning her face towards him. “You heard that did you, love? Daddy was just thinking how incredibly strong your mammy is. Women are. You will grow up to be just as strong. Will do great things.” She blinks her hazel eyes and his heart gives a lurch. The love he feels for her! She has Claire’s face, mixed a bit with the stranger that helped make her. As it isn’t the evil man, he doesn’t mind it. He is her daddy anyway. “I am,” he completes his thought aloud, “Julia Jamie Fraser. That is your name. My daughter.” She blinks again, lazily and his smile grows wider. “You may not be blood of my blood but you are heart of my heart. I vow to you that, no matter how many siblings God grants you, you shall always be my first born. You have my name, my clan, my family. You will have the protection of my body. You have my heart. I will be your daddy as long as I draw breath. When God calls me home, I will guard you from there.”

 

Later, in that seemingly endless, first night, Claire holds her child as she nurses. A peace she didn’t know she could feel, floods through her. The tiny bundle in her arms, a child conceived in fear, now feels her with such love. She strokes her curls, so like her own. Jamie sleeps, sitting up, beside them.

 

“Daddy is tired. He should sleep while he can, eh, for we go home tomorrow. Oh, how you will love growing up in Lallybroch. So much room to run and play. To learn as you explore, in safety.” A shiver at remembering. She so wished he was behind bars or, better yet, buried deep in the ground. That he was out there.. No, she won’t spoil this special time by thinking about him. They are safe and will remain so.

 

“You will grow up wild and free, like children should. Those wee feet will run barefoot in the grass, will climb trees. Those wee hands will pick flowers and help mammy in the garden. I am going to plant a medicinal garden. Mammy was a doctor, you see, before… well I will tell you about that later. So, working with medical plants seems to be a good thing to do. And you can help.”

 

She smiles at the thought. Her little girl, curls up in pigtails, working along side her. The baby slips off her breast and she looks down to find her sleeping. Laying her across her shoulder, she rubs her back, seeking a burb, before she lays her down in the bassinet beside the bed. She then lays down herself. The Fraser’s are soon all asleep.

 

From the shadows created by the low light, a figure stands, looking in on them.

[scapegrace74-blog]

Lie Alone

A/N  In commenting on the last installment in the Metric universe, I said that Jamie’s date with Claire was complete dating wish fulfillment on my part.  Which got me thinking about their next date and what other personal preferences I could cram into this story.  And yet it’s definitely Claire’s turn to take Jamie for a spin, which meant that... well, you’ll see!

All other parts of the Metric Universe are available on my AO3 page.

The song by Blanco White (another guest artist!) that inspired the title and which features in the fic can be heard here: https://youtu.be/SNp7sb5vXTs

Big shout out to @holdhertightandsayhername, who introduced me to this artist in her marvelous fic The Sands of Time.  

June 21, 2018, London, England

Sassench:  Do you have plans later Fraser?

Wee Fox Cub:  depends r u making a better pffer?

Sassench: Meet me out front at Joe’s.  5pm.

Wee Fox Cub: :thumbs up emoji:

Sassench:  And Jamie?  Wear something tight.  Preferably leather.

Wee Fox Cub:  ...

***

He couldn’t imagine what Claire had in mind, but he’d cancelled his plans to watch the England South Africa test match with the lads and was instead haunting the kerb in front of her temporary lodging, wearing fitted black jeans and his leather jacket, despite the sunny mid-summer weather.  When his date hadn’t emerged from the building by 4:05, he pulled out his phone.  An approaching mechanical thrum interrupted him mid-text.

The first thing he noticed were her boots: black, with a thick rubber sole and chunky heel.  These were zipped over leather pants that clung to her coltish legs like a second skin, matching the matte gleam of the motor between them.  A leather jacket, the tailored twin of his own, hugged her narrow waist.  By the time his eyes had scrolled upward, a visored helmet was being removed, and Claire’s familiar hair and teasing brass eyes appeared.

“You’re staring, Jamie,” she remarked.  The fact that the voice was his roommate’s usual no-nonsense tone, seasoned with a touch of humour, was a necessary dash of reality.  

“Aye,” he admitted.  “Tis a verra beautiful... machine ye’re ridin’, Sassenach.  Is it yers?”

Her curls danced in the sunlight as she shook them out.

“God, no.  Joe only let me borrow it after I promised to cover his next two on-call shifts.  But don’t worry!  I practically grew up on a motorcycle.  I’ve had my license since I was sixteen.”

He filed this information away in the cluttered part of brain entitled Things I Never Expected to Learn about Claire Beauchamp. Accepting a second helmet, he swung himself onto the seat behind her.  His legs bracketed her hips in an unfamiliar, but by no means unpleasant, inversion.  Claire revved the motor, sending a shiver up his spine.  His arms wrapped around her waist, and they pulled into the slow flow of traffic.

“Comfy?”  Her voice startled him, low and intimate, coming from directly behind his ear.   He realized belatedly that the helmets were furnished with a communications system.

“Aye,” he asserted, although comfortable wasn’t exactly the word he’d use for his current state.  Somewhere between apprehensive and exhilarated would be more accurate.  “Will we make it tae our destination afore sundown, do ye think?”

She chuckled warmly, reaching back with one hand to tap him on the knee.

“Never you fear, my lad.  I have our urban escape route all planned out.  We’ll be flying in no time.”

She wasn’t wrong.  After a series of abrupt stops and starts, they dipped below the Thames in a well-lit tunnel, the echo of passing lorries muting all other sound.  Soon after that they were picking up speed on a wide motorway, the bike crouching against the wind.  He watched the throbbing mass of the city peel away, slowly giving way to greenery and the pastel light he associated with freedom.  He thought they were heading south along the Orbital into Surrey, but beyond that he had no notion of their whereabouts.  

Giving himself up into her care, he settled against Claire’s back, the crescent of her arse fitting neatly into the bowl of his thighs.  He was aware of being aroused, but it was a hazy rather than a sharp feeling, blunted by contentment.  If Claire was offended by the firmness pressing into her rump, she gave no sign.

After several hours of almost meditative motion, they turned onto a country lane, overhung by a leafy canopy.  Tidy Tudor buildings overlooked the road, their leaden windows glowing orange in the setting sun.   Their motorcycle joined a parade of vehicles ascending a low hill in a series of sharp turns.  Each time the bike navigated one of these, he was forced to tighten his grip on Claire’s torso, which by now felt like an extension of his own body.  He glowed like one of those panes of glass, molten and reflecting back the warmth that radiated from the core of who she was.  

The forest thinned into green hillside as they reached a parking lot.  He couldn’t help but feel disappointment as he observed the crowds.  Wherever they were, it was obviously a popular destination.  On the bike, he’d felt peculiarly isolated, alone with Claire, their conversation eased by the intermediary of the microphones.  Now he’d have to share her with the world.

He groaned as he unfolded his long legs to stand upright, and Claire grinned.

“They don’t make motorcycles in your size, I’m afraid.”

“An’ wha’ size is that, Sassenach?” he hummed suggestively while stretching his arms high above his head, untucking his shirt in the process.

Claire’s eyes dipped to where his belly was briefly exposed, then lower.

“Large,” was her bold answer, and he shot her a wickedly pleased glance.

After a beat she visibly gathered herself, reaching into the storage compartment behind where he had been sitting and pulling out a small bag and his plaid, which had somehow stayed in her possession after the fire.

“Are you up for a short hike?”

“For ye, Sassenach, anything.”

They meandered through an oak wood, then up a series of crude steps, until finally arriving on a grassy slope, the land falling away steeply to the south.  Low ridges and shallow valleys furled below them like gentle waves, reaching out to the horizon where the sun was preparing to set.  The air was fragrant, the ground releasing the heat of the day.

“One of my many boarding schools wasn’t far from here,” Claire explained as she spread the blanket near their feet.  “I must have been fourteen or so, and having a terrible time fitting in.  Uncle Lamb came to visit, probably at the headmaster’s behest, and this is where he took me.  I don’t remember what he said, but by the time we left, I felt better.  More at peace.  In lockstep with the larger order of things.   I’ve come back, now and then.  Any time I needed to find that feeling again.”

As she spoke, Claire emptied the small bag of its contents.  He recognized the logo from a deli they both frequented on two wrapped sandwiches, along with a pint of strawberries, some crisps, a lemonade and a bottle of his favourite summer ale.  She’d thought of everything, and it snagged at his heart.

“Tis bonnie.  I’m honoured ye wanted tae share it with me, Sassenach.”

They ate slowly, savouring the simple meal as the sky above their heads smudged from orange to pink to ever-deepening shades of purple.  One by one, the stars twinkled to life, like so many travelers lighting their fires for the night.  Away from the city, they numbered in the thousands, each a signpost on someone’s journey.  His mind spread out to fill the space between them, taking his thoughts to Lallybroch, moments from his youth long forgotten, the steadying hand of his parent’s guidance.  Claire was right.  Something about the place invited serenity.  He sighed with pleasure, tension he hadn’t even acknowledged draining slowly down his spine.

Claire’s hand crept across the blanket, and their pinkie fingers met, then overlapped.  As the air around them cooled, the breeze picked up, and he felt her shiver.

“Ye’re cold.  We should be on our way, aye?”

“Wait.  There’s one more thing I want you to see.”

He could think of several more things he wanted to see, but they were well hidden by leather and her guarded nature.  He’d known when he proposed this season of courtship that the road to Claire’s heart would be long and arduous, with many twists and lay-bys.  There could be no rushing the voyage.  He was confident the destination, should he be granted entry, would be worth any hardship.  And thankfully the views along the way were spectacular in their own right.

He’d been watching her profile out of the corner of his eye when the horizon burst into multi-coloured song.  Purple starbursts and red streamers exploded across a black canvas, followed by a pulsing yellow orb.  In the milliseconds before his consciousness caught up with the evidence, he was captivated.  Then he physically recoiled, expecting pain in the form of a cascade of memories.  Instead, the symphony of light continued without a sound.  He looked at Claire in awe.

“The wind is to the north, so it’s blowing the sound in the other direction.  I checked before I picked you up,” she explained.

The fireworks continued for another ten or fifteen minutes.  He’d never be quite sure, because he was lost in sensation.  The beautiful display was completely over-shadowed by the beauty of the woman beside him, her tiny finger still laced with his own.  

“Ye ken tis I who’s supposed tae be courtin’ ye, don’t ye, Sassenach?” he commented when a final fury of light gave way once again to stars.

“Says who?” she sniffed, but he could see the corner of her mouth twitch upwards.  

After performing a mental inventory of any and all physical impediments, he leaned slowly into her side, his intention unmistakable.  His heart thrilled when Claire met him halfway, her mouth damp and tart from the lemonade.  It was a kiss that walked the boundary between chaste and sensual, and he wished it could last forever.

“Thank ye, Claire.  Truly.”

At a loss for words for once, she dipped her head in acknowledgement.  They silently gathered their things and walked hand-in-hand to the bike.

The ride back to London was swift, with music taking the place of conversation.  A particularly beautiful song, poetic and wistful, left him feeling that Claire was speaking to him through its words; words she could not yet find the courage to say.  Accompanied by only a single guitar, a male voice rose in wistful intensity.

So I lie alone, and risk each night, I long to let you in But there's a life I lost, drifted out, before You let me in.

His fingers found their way beneath her jacket and rested on the warm skin of her belly.  He felt her soft skin give a shudder, like a ripple of wind across the still surface of a pond.

The motorway ribboned out beneath them.  The journey had only just begun.

*

*

*

*

Because this is a multi-disciplinary blog, here’s a shot of the view that Jamie and Claire enjoyed in this fic, which is Box Hill in Surrey (taken from Google Earth, as I’ve never been).

And here’s Claire’s bike!

[areiton]

can you imagine wee little tony giving every little thing he makes to wee little rhodey? and every time rhodey gives him a bright happy smile because of it tiny tony just goes !!!!! i did that!!! i made him smile!!!!!!

It starts with a drawing. Tony isn’t very good at it, but Rhodey keeps smiling at his picture, and the preschool teacher didn’t want to hang it up, so Tony slides it over to Rhodey, who grins at him him, this dazzling thing. Rhodey clutches it carefully, and it wrinkles a little when they curl up for naps, but he won’t let anyone touch it and Tony drifts off, content that Rhodey liked what he made. 

It’s not just drawings, though. There’s the little castle he makes out of legos, and Rhodey coos over and Tony sobs, when another kid smashes it. Rhodey looks so sad and he can make it again, he can but Rhodey shouldn’t ever look sad. 

So he starts making things at home. A new castle, and Rhodey breathes this soft, awed, “cool.” a noise that Tony likes even better than when Mama calls him darling boy because he’s getting big and that’s a name for babies, Howard said so.  

He makes a robot dog and a mechanical plane and a little radio that matches the one he keeps tucked under his pillow and it means that every night he can hear Rhodey’s sleepy voice telling him “night, Tones.” 

He makes a falcon and an elephant, and after they take a trip to the zoo with Ana and Jarvis and Mrs Rhodey, he makes a little platypus and a matching peacock. 

And every time he gifts Rhodey something, Rhodey smiles, all bright and pleased and takes it with careful hands, like what Tony has done is special and amazing. 

“Howard says I’m wasting my time. That it’s for babies,” he says, once, tears in his eyes because the wing fell of Rhodey’s new plane, even though he stayed up all night to fix it and his fingers burnt from the hot metal--he isn’t supposed to weld, but everyone was asleep and didn’t tell him to stop. 

“Howard,” Rhodey scowls, “is a poophead.” 

Tony almost screams, and throws himself into his friend’s chest, burrowing there with the broken metal offerings and Rhodey’s chubby arms come around him, his friend muttering stupid poopyhead over and over, his fingers tangled gentle in Tony’s hair. 

He never quite stops making things for Rhodey. 

[zeoumren]

The skeletons, the swamp and the song bird(undertale  drabble)

I am not gonna post this to Ao3 (probably) but I wanted to  write something about the boys™ ( y’know San’s Red and Skull because they spark joy) and I ended up making...a swamp monster Au? hey, you know what sure. I'm chill. 

So please enjoy this little drabble 

Sans is half blue spotted salamander 

Red is half Marine  iguana

And our boy skull is an unholy amalgam of  giant leeches  that makes him look  like he has tentacles. c: 

It had been another indescribably shitty day.

You were not a pessimist but the dark circles under your eyes had something to say about your lifestyle. 

It was shit, plain and simple. You had a hard time separating your real life from your work life and that lead to more stress, less sleep and a pissy boss telling you to get your act together before coming back to the venue.

A sigh left you as you sat hunched over on a stump in the forest clearing. 

This was your quiet place, you came here to sing and practice routines.

You were an entertainer and it was hard not to keep your mask on, you pretended all the time to be someone...something you were not it was hard when someone asked you about yourself because you didn't know who you were off the stage anymore.

So yeah, life was kinda shit right now so you threw yourself into what you normally did when you hiked up here, into the humid underbrush of a forest no one wanted to come to, legends of creatures eating full-grown men whole and actual real dangers surrounded this place, but you didn’t much care anymore.

After all, the ones who were more dangerous were outside the forest.

Taking off a ball cap and letting your hair tumble free you wipe your brow free of sweat and kick your legs as you sit.

Most of the forest was loud, full if chattering and nattering of birds and other creatures, but this space that just dropped off into a bog, was quiet.

You liked to come here in the wee hours of the morning and watch the fog roll off the algae-green water, it made for the perfect ambience to a forlorn song or a crooning that let all your own heartbreak loose.

But today, in the evening after being told your routine was shit and you were one slip up from being let go and replaced by someone new, who you had no grievance with, but it was the principal of the matter, you had worked so hard to get to sing and perform for crowds and now….you were having it dangled above your head.

You grit your teeth and for the first time since you ever came here you let out a cry of pure frustration and rage.

The quiet never broke, even through all your angered screaming, then looking between your knees as you sat and into the murky water you buried your head in your hands and wept.

You did not know what to do! It was all too much all at once.

Still, you came back to a familiar song, even with a tearful voice.

"Green finch and linnet bird, nightingale, blackbird teach me how to sing."

You were able to get a few verses in before the sun began to Dip down below the horizon and you got up from your perch.

No point trying to navigate this quagmire in the gloom.

You took careful steps, keeping to the path you always did when something caught your attention. A pale bluish light hovering in the air, soon being joined by more close by of other colours…you spotted red as well, and a strange, almost grey-blue light. You hummed to yourself, reminded of the fact that this was a bog, and swamp gas igniting was a thing. Still, you stopped and stared, a smile playing at your lips.

"Wow, this is the most beautiful light show I have ever seen! And people say the Fen is haunted. More like hauntingly beautiful!"

You giggle to yourself and don't even notice the lights flare brighter at your statement.

You always loved the Gloom, you just never knew the gloom loved you back.

---

Well….you never thought it could get worse, but even after giving it your all you still ended up being fired. 

So you came to the bog to say your goodbyes. You probably would have to move back into your parent’s town.

"I'm gonna miss this place, not the shitty managers, or the fights...but I always thought the locals were silly to be afraid. This place is so magical and I'm really gonna miss it…" 

It was weird, saying goodbye to a place. But you somehow still ended up crying a little.

And for the first time ever in this clearing, you heard a sound.

A mournful wailing, deep like a foghorn that rattled into your very bones.

It looked like the Bog itself had seemed to shift, the top layer of Jenny green teeth giving way to the sound of mud slurping and water gushing.

You couldn't move, frozen to the spot as you watched in awed terror.

Writhing tentacles that moved like leeches and were just as black moved towards you, you figured this was it, you were dead. You sucked in a breath and screwed your eyes up tight.

You were startled as the wet appendages slowly ran over your cheek. Delicately.

You cracked open an eye and saw there in the water a skull, a giant gaping hole that looked painful gushing water as it rose, one of its eyes was devoid of light and the other…

Was a deep crimson, the colour of blood.

Yet it smiled softly, even with so many teeth.

The tentacles seemed to be coming from it and it made you cock your head to the side as it almost shyly drew closer, hauling more of its body out of the water.

Its torso was also skeletal, and it was gigantic, at least eight feet tall without including its lower half.

You thought of story's of swamp hags dragging people under and looked at this...it seemed to fit some sort of description...it definitely looked like a drowned corpse.

But as it hauled itself out of the water and you saw how it slid over to you in one fluid motion, how its bones melded into strange dark tentacles, how it's eye lit up when it reached a skeletal hand over to pat your hair.

This was surreal, strange in every sense of the word. Your voice caught in your throat as  two other skulls, smaller than the first bobbed in the water, one had white pinpricks of light for eyes like the stars in the sky, the other had sharper teeth and predatory red slits for eye lights.

They shared a look and dipped under the surface, leaving you with the behemoth.

It was so strange having something so giant hold your face and look you over, play with your hair.

You finally found your voice, it wobbled despite your best efforts.

"S-sorry to bother you...I didn't know anyone lived here. Don't worry I will go."

The touching and playing stopped and it said one word that made your stomach drop and your bones freeze.

"N o."

It was soft, but full of a strange emotion you could not understand and you felt your eyes widen in shock as millions of tentacles surrounded you, even if you were to scream it would come out muffled as the world was blotted out by the writhing darkness.

---

The moment you were spat out from the inky prison you were on a shore...a tiny island with a cave in the center.

You were surrounded by the bog and your heart sped up when you saw the water froth and churn.

Out of the murk popped the small skeletal creature...white eyes.

He watched you curiously before sliding up onto the island. His lower body made you actually smile, he looked like some sort of blue newt from the waist down. That was it. You had to have bumped your head and were slowly bleeding out. None of this was possible.

So, since this is probably a weird dream induced by bloodless, you may as well be nice. You smile and wave to the creature who looks shocked and  his skeletal face flushes a bright blue as little wisps of blue light curl around him.

He Pat's his face roughly and scampers off into the cave.

"Bye lil guy." 

The next thing you know you are being tackled and you are staring up at a grinning maw full of sharp teeth and slit red eyes.

"Um...are you going to eat me?"

If you are already dying you may as well just get that question out of the way. The newt skeleton seemed harmless...but this one…

It looked more like one of those lizards that catches fish, it had sharp claws on both its skeletal and reptilian appendages. This was a predator and it could rip you apart...yet you were suprised when it laughed and started ...purring?

It was a gravely sound that you felt in your bones, but it was strangely warm.

"Heh, cute but I'm not gonna even try songbird. Skull would kill me...oh speak of the devil. Goodluck sweetness.~"

He scrambled off of you, but not before licking your cheek with a forked red tongue.

He too wandered off to the cave...it struck you that these creatures could talk, which sent your mind reeling, even as you were picked up by curling black tentacles.

You crossed your arms and looked at the creature holding you.

Skull...right?

"So...are you going to eat me?"

Skull...looked horrified. His one eye light got impossibly small and he surged out of the water, reaching out to hold you...your clothing was no doubt ruined by now and everything felt so surreal. He scooped you up and you were shocked by how warm he was.

"No. Wont. Keep you safe."

You blinked softly.

Huh.

"Can I go home?"

You were squeezed a little tighter and you realized he was bringing you to the cave.

"Keep you safe."

You were placed up high on a rocky shelf that was covered with sweet smelling moss and animal skins. tentacles retreating after softly patting your head. You blinked in the low light.

It...was a little home? The cave had three rocky pools of water and some different shelves and outcroppings. You held in your grasp of wonder as all around you little jars filled with bioluminescent blue mushrooms blinked to life in the growing gloom. 

You may be dead...but you guessed there were worse places to be dead. You looked down and waved at the little newtiton and received a wink from the skelezard.

Skull was winding himself into a ball of tentacles inside the biggest pool while the other two were resting on old animal skins and warming up by a fire that crackled with the smell of roasting fish.

You sighed softly and laid down on the surprisingly soft moss.

You guessed this was fine for now.

It is not like you had anywhere to be and you were safe, unless you were already dead...plus you probably were in shock, nothing felt real right now.

Closing your eyes you heard three separate voices call out to say the same thing.

" Good night songbird" 

---

"How long do you think she will sleep for?"

Sans stifled a yawn as he had stayed up to chat with the others.

It was no fair, he had found you first, someone singing in the early morning just for him. He had hoped to lure you with the will-o-the-wisp's into the water at first but in the end he had let you go. You were just...your song was so sad.

Mournful.

He couldn't bring himself to hurt you, and you came back. A new song each day that felt like it was just for him.

Then Red had to show up and decide he liked your singing too.

And you came once or twice at night so, skull found out too. Skull was dangerous, sans thought for sure you were dead but the behemoth seemed smitten. He liked your happy songs filled with love, your sad songs filled with loss...you sounded like you had lived all these songs.

Then you came to the fen not with a song, but with tears, with frustration and heartbreak.

And yet you had still called their home beautiful...their lights that they put up to cheer you...you called them beautiful too.

And of course it was hard to hold skull back from wanting to take you then.

"I dunno squirt. But Hell. I know she deserves some sleep...she always looks so tired. But she still hikes out here everyday."

Red growled and looked up at your sleeping form.

Their songbird was suffering all this time and they never noticed until now.

It made his instincts flare up. He had to protect you...he had to, you were too fragile to keep out of sight for long.

If he did someone else might hurt you.

You were better off here.

He may be adverse to skulls method of getting you here, but now that you were…

"So, we all agree we are keeping her?"

Sans thought it over and nodded, he may not want to share, but he was stuck in this situation now.

"...I mean...I don't want her to leave, and she is so tiny and thin. We should probably take care of her."

"Protect little bird. Needs to eat more."

Skull was already in full nesting mode with you here. It was weird to see someone so...feral become a purring kitten in your presence.

They all stopped and stared all three skulls snapping up to the shelf when you cooed out a little yawn before rolling over in your sleep. 

"...too cute."

Skull was holding his face and twirling his tentacles into tight knots. He probably wanted to hold you.

"Stars, yeah we gotta keep her. I'll get her more furs for her nest tomorrow."

And now Red was gone too. His mind working on instinct to protect, provide and comfort.

Though sans was not much better. He was already trying to figure out where to catch more humans and extort them for favours so they would give him things for you.

Yes. They all looked at each other and nodded.

The songbird was theirs. The world would never harm them again.

[a-sweet-pea]

I’m alive!

No updates to ongoing stories I’m afraid, but I did a little spit-and-polish on an Elle-James borrower ficlet; here it is posted for the internet to enjoy as a reminder that I still exist.

- - -

The bean fell like a dandelion being cut down; an ill-fated step onto a stack of comics sent him toppling over. His head hit the bedside table with a sickening crack and he slumped to the carpet, eyes shut.

“No,” Elle whispered, peering out from her perch behind the entertainment center. She may not have spoken to the bean before (or made her presence known in any discernable way) but you didn’t live in someone’s room for a year without getting a little bit fond of them. Especially when they had such good taste in sweets and television shows.

What if he’s hurt? She thought, stepping tentatively out into the open. He was flat on the floor; his chest hardly rose as he breathed. Surely somebody heard him fall. But there was no sound of footsteps on the stair, no sign that any of the other beans there had heard, if there were here at all. I have to do something.

- - -

Blinding white pain clouded James’ vision. His breaths were quick and shallow. He didn’t know what had tripped him up, but he cursed whatever it was under his breath. He’d hit his head, hard. I hope I’m not bleeding. He moved his arms to push up off the floor, but they buckled when he tried to put his weight on them. “Christ,” he grunted. The room went fuzzy. Something brushed against his leg, but he didn’t move; he wasn’t sure if he could. He could swore he felt his phone coming out of his pocket. Must be at a weird angle or something.

“Hello, 999?”

James’ head throbbed. He opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a weak groan.

“My...friend fell and hit his head; I think he might really be hurt.”

A cluster of pain tightened in the base of James’ skull. Where’s the voice coming from? It was a woman’s voice, one he didn’t recognize. He couldn’t imaine how a strange woman got in his room. There was wetness on the base of his skull, and his eyelids were getting droopy.

“I don’t know if he has a concussion, please, just get here as quickly as you can.”

He managed to turn his head a fraction, and caught a glimpse of a miniscule figure, sliding a miniature hand across the screen of his phone, before his eyes shut.

- - -

James was careful lying down so his head hit the pillow gently. The doctor had said he should take a lie down, now that his parents were home and they could keep an eye on him. He wasn’t going to go to sleep; he knew enough to know that was a bad move when you’d had a head injury, possibly a concussion. He didn’t say as much to the doctor, but he was fairly sure he did have a concussion, or something terribly wrong with him, seeing the last thing he’d seen before passing out was a little person. He closed his eyes and tried to picture them in his mind, but the image was blurry. I’ll go downstairs for a tea in a few minutes, he thought. But not before he took a few quiet moments just to lay down; hospitals were stressful places.

He hadn’t been lying down more than a few minutes when he heard a small noise. He opened his eyes a crack, not enough so that anyone would know they were open, and saw something very small climbing up onto the mattress beside him, something not much bigger than a mouse. He shut his eyes again and tried to breathe slow and steady, like he was sleeping. Either the head injury was worse than he thought, or there was in fact a little person in the room, perhaps the same one that had called the ambulance. Nice of them to come check on me. Now there was a delicate touch on his head, and James had to fight to keep from smiling. When the touch disappeared, he opened his eyes a crack again. There was the small figure of a girl, four inches tall, walking away from him.

“Ah thought I’d imagined ye.”

- - -

Shit. Elle stared down the bridge of a giant nose to two curious eyes beyond. This is what I get for trying to be nice. She did a one-eighty and took off at a run back toward the earring-hook grappling line stil caught in the cover at the base of the bed.

“Whoah, slow doon!” A wall of flesh thudded down in front of her, deforming the soft blanket below. She struggled to turn the other way again on the uneven surface, but it was no use; she faced an equally high wall in the opposite direction.

“Shit.”

“There, jist haud still a wee minute, aye?” The bean’s face loomed above her and the hands on either side came close, cupping around her.

“No, no, no,” she muttered, fruitlessly trying to pry apart his fingers as they closed tight in front of her. For a moment, she was in a tumble of warm darkness, and then the sky opened up above her, revealing the bean’s staring face.

“Hullo.” Elle covered her head with her hands and curled up tight. “Och, ye poor wee sowel, dinnae dae that. I’m no gonnae hurt ye.” She looked up, shoulders still hunched. “Ah want tae thank ye!”

“Thank me?”

“Aye!” He smiled. “You called the ambulance, didn’t ye?” A blush rose in her cheek. She looked away and nodded, unable to muster any words. “Christ, but you’re a tiny wee thing. Must be how ye’ve been living here aw this time without me noticing.

“I, I don’t-“

How else would you know the address tae give the paramedics?” Elle flushed. Stupid, stupid, now you’ll have to move, and it’ll be somewhere with spiders with a bean who doesn’t like any of the snacks I like.

“It’s awright, I’m no mad!” The hand lifted higher, closer to his staring face. “Ken ah might ae had a concussion, aye? And naebdy else was home. If ye hadnae called, ah might have died.”

Elle shook her head. “You wouldn’t have died.”

“Mebbe not,” he conceded. “But ah’s be in worse shape, for sure. So,” he smiled wide. “How do ah reward ma wee lifesaver?”

“What? N-no, I don’t need-“

“And I’ll no be taking no fer an answer.” The hand lowered until it was resting on the bed again. Elle clambered off the bean’s palm and found her footing on the blanket. The bean’s head and shoulders rose as he stood up from the bed. For a moment, she was gripped by a desire to run, looking at the full height of him. She could probably get pretty far before he could react; the hand hanging at his side would reach for her, but she would be too far away, halfway down the bed. The urge was powerful, but it was brief. She was used to this view of him, towering over her, but the eye contact and the smile were new, and foolish as it was, they made her want to stay. For the moment, anyway.

“How’d you like a cup of tea and a biscuit?” Elle sat herself down in a fold of the blanket.

“I would like it very much, thank you.”

[djarinslover]

Tenderly

A muffled shout caused you to stir, grogginess clouding your head. You heard it again, which caused alarm to run through your body. You stilled, listening for the sound again to figure out if it meant danger. Only, you realized it was Jack. He was having a nightmare, caught up in the sheets as he twisted and turned. You leaned over to turn on the bedside lamp, turning back to touch his shoulder. He jerked violently away from your touch, but it didn’t stop you. You smoothed a hand over his shoulder, sliding it over his chest to his other shoulder, curling yourself best as you could against his side. He felt feverish, sweating as he kept mumbling out words between sharp gasps.

“Jack, honey. Wake up,” you whispered in his ear, other had brushing his sweaty hair aside. “It’s just a nightmare, baby. It’s not real.”

Slowly, he began to ease out of the nightmare, twitching and crying out less. You continued to whisper in his ear until his big beautiful eyes fluttered open to meet yours. Those eyes that you loved so much were clouded with unshed tears. He whimpered softly, rolling over to his side to wrap his arms around you. You hugged him close, fingers running through the hair on the nape of his neck.

After a few moments of quiet, where Jack’s breath began to get even, you asked, “Want to talk about it, baby?”

He shook his head. You knew his nightmares varied in intensity, some were recurring ones that had haunted him for years - his recruitment process, training, his first mission, his high school sweetheart dying, you getting kidnapped. Others were vague, stress related, typical ones everyone gets.

“Was it about work?”

He nodded.

You knew about Jack’s job, even though technically you weren’t supposed to know. It had came out accidentally, when the two of you were out on your weekly date night. You were walking through the park hand in hand when out of nowhere, a man grabbed you by the throat, a gun pointed to your head. You can’t even remember what the man was monologuing about, everything was a blur except for Jack’s face. You had never seen him so angry or terrifed before. It was a look you never wanted to see twist his pretty face again.

So after your boyfriend heroically saved you, he sat you down and explained everything he did for a living. You didn’t mind what he truly did, even though he begged you on his knees that night, tears rolling down his face, to run away. Run away from him, from the city, change your name and never look back. You took his face in your hands and swore to him that you would learn self defense and how to use a weapon. It didn’t ease his anxiety until he saw how you began to handle yourself, and as time went on, he slowly became less wary. Eventually you met Ginger Ale, Champ and Tequila, along with other field agents including Kingsman agents from England, Eggsy (Galahad was his code name) and Harry Hart. You weren’t an agent but you felt like they were all close friends.

You were brought back to the present as Jack nudged your collarbone with his nose, lips pressing against your skin. His fingers were digging bruises into your hips, he was trying to stay grounded, needed to know you were real and alive and there.

“Do you want some hot chocolate? That always helped me as a kid with bad nightmares.”

He nodded weakly, so you pressed a kiss to his forehead before speeding off to the kitchen. You put on the loudest tea pot you had, then went back to your boyfriend. He was curled up with a pillow, tv flashing off of his face. He had put on some stupid drama on Lifetime. You crawled under the sheets with him, drawing his head to your chest. You played with his hair, the two of you becoming invested in the awful movie until the water was boiled. You returned to your room with two mugs of hot chocolate, one filled to the brim with tiny marshmallows the way Jack liked it. He flashed you a brilliant smile when you handed him the mug, all sight of the nightmare seeming to have passed.

“Hey, darling?” Jack rasped after a while. Your drinks were half way finished and a different movie was playing. You were half asleep on his chest.

“Hmm?”

He nudged you up, making you grumble out a selective choice of words that made him chuckle. He reached over to his bedside table, searching around in a drawer for a quick second before turning to look at you sheepishly, hands behind his back. “I know this isn’t the most perfect moment, not all decorated or at a fancy restaurant with a band playing. But that nightmare I had made me decide it’s time.” Your eyes widened as he spoke. He broke out in a smile. “I couldn’t wait for the perfect moment any longer. I need to know now.”

He adjusted to sit on one knee, pulling out a ring from behind his back. It was small, not super flashy but not plain. It looked like a few rings you pointed out you liked months ago, when you decided to talk about marriage and if it was right for your relationship. He had a dopey look on his face, a mix between apprehension and excitement. 

“Will you marry me, doll?”

“Oh my god, Jack. Of course. Yes. A thousand times yes!”

You threw yourself into his arms, nuzzling your face into his neck. Squeezing him hard, you pulled back to look in his eyes. “I can’t wait to tell the gang you proposed at two forty am because of a nightmare.”

His face pinched at that, eyebrows knitting together as he tried to scowl, but you knew a laugh was bubbling in his throat. “No such thing happened. We went to Paris for the weekend, where I proposed in front of the Eiffel Tower as fireworks went off,” he joked as he slid the ring on your finger.

You admired the ring on your finger, grinning so hard you thought your face would split. You gave Jack a deep kiss, both of you laying down as you shared sweet nothings and giggles, curled up with each other. Safe.

In the morning, the first thing you registered was the light kisses being pressed along the back of your neck and shoulders. You stirred, rolling over to meet Jack’s eyes. He looked so soft in the morning light that filled your bedroom, golden light making him look like an angel. A tender look was in his eye as he nose bumped yours, lips pressing a kiss to your own.

“Good morning, Mrs. Daniels.”

Heart thumping in your throat, you remembered what happened in the wee hours of the morning. Looking at your hand, a new feeling flooded over your body. It left you warm and tingly. You could get used to being addressed like that. Jack Daniels was yours and yours forever. Nightmares and all.

[padfootagain]

Girl Crush (XVII)

Chapter 17 : Before The Water Lilies

Here we go again for a new chapter!!! We stay in the very cute Christmas spirit in London for these two idiots pinning for each other like crazy... Warning for extreme fluffiness, side effects might include a lot of 'awwww' and some hearts melting, you've been warned!!!

I hope you like this chapter, tell me what you thought about it!

Word Count: 2603

Trafalgar Square exceeded your expectations.

There was someone dressed as Pikachu dancing to Staying Alive in front of the majestic National Gallery, people hurried to avoid the sharp cold moving around the tall column and the fountain. Many tourists took pictures in front of the black statues of lions. A little crowd had gathered around a man playing guitar. Traffic was loud and dense, red buses and dark cabs and random cars driving around the square and passing under the Admiralty Arch. A woman was drawing mountains on the pavement with chalks.

Your eyes glimmered with joy and awe and excitement, and Harry was grinning from ear to ear at the sight.

You were going to the National Gallery that morning, and you couldn't wait.

The sky was grey and seemed low above your heads, sign of imminent snow or rain. But a moody weather was far from enough to stop you from exploring the city.

"Are you ready?" Harry asked, guiding you across the square and towards the large museum.

You nodded, clapping your hands together in excitement, jumping a couple of times instead of walking, making him laugh.

"They have some of Monet's water lilies, you know?"

"I know. I've been there before."

"And some De Vinci…"

"They do."

"And Van Gogh!"

"Indeed."

"And Turner, and Cézanne!"

"Are we attempting to name all of the painters that have their paintings exposed in there or…?"

You swatted his arm playfully, rolling your eyes.

"Sorry, I'm just rambling," you mumbled, but he nudged you, making you look up at him.

"I was just teasing you. I like it when you ramble."

"You like it?"

"Yeah, it's cute."

"Cute?"

He shrugged, suddenly realizing the meaning of the words he was speaking out loud, and he thanked the cold for giving him a perfect excuse for his flushed cheeks.

"I mean… yeah…" he stuttered. "Come on, hurry up! I'm freezing out here, and I need a wee!"

You laughed at him, but let him escape for this time around, and hurried with him to seek shelter from the winter wind that seemed to be cutting through your cheekbones.

The entrance was set in a more modern hall that the famous columns overhanging the square, with a wall made of glass and a large boutique to buy souvenirs. You studied the map of the museum while waiting for Harry as he went to the bathroom, and when he came back, you had a plan for the visit, to which Harry didn't complain. As long as it kept this grin on your face, he was up for anything.

The halls themselves were as majestic as you could have imagined, large stairs of stone and pillars and high ceilings and cracking wooden floors. You made your way through the halls, travelling through time from De Vinci's and Michelangelo's sketches to the grave figures pictured on Flemish paintings to the stormy oceans painted by Turner and the weird shapes of Picasso's works.

Every hall offered surprises, little gems that you liked more than the rest. You walked with Harry never leaving your side, whispering to each other either to make stupid jokes and shushed giggles, or to comment on the paintings you admired.

You walked around and spend time revisiting your favourite paintings, and you settled on a bench in front of your absolute favourite: Monet's water lilies.

Harry was resting his head on your shoulder while you both stared at the paintings, studying the touches of paint and movements of the brush that seemed to have scared the colours across the canvas. People passed around you, sometimes blocking the view, but you didn't care. There was something peaceful in sitting in the art gallery, surrounded by these paintings that had taken so many hours to make, for sure; in the rhythm of the crowd moving all around you and the shushed voices speaking in many languages, most of them that you couldn’t understand and sometimes not even recognize. Life felt slower in there. People's movements were not rushed, they took only little steps to move through the room, stopping before each painting, taking pictures of their favourites.

And Monet's painting in itself was soothing as well. Green and blue and touches of white and pink and purple to paint the bridge crossing the little river covered with waterlilies, their tiny white shapes lost in their large leaves. It felt like you were there, almost. It felt peaceful, tender. A little haven in your busy and fast life. Crazy how the painting of a place you had never visited could echo through your chest, make your heart slow down, shush your thoughts, make your limb a little numb and your lips curve into a smile as you studied its beauty.

And there was also the fact that Harry was by your side. You had taken off some of your warm clothes and opened your coats. He held both your scarves in his hands, resting on his laps. His brown curls tickled your neck, his head heavy on your shoulder, the pressure reassuring, a welcomed weight to carry as if it had felt empty without it, as if his head was meant to rest there, fitting perfectly into the shape of your shoulder and neck. Your knee rested lightly against his bruised one, after the fall of the previous night while ice skating. Your two arms were pressed together, and you had to admit that you were eager for the contact, welcoming every new inch of his body touching yours. It felt reassuring, natural. Almost meant to be. You felt safe with him so close to you.

"Did you know that when Monet grew older, he couldn't see well anymore," you let out in a whisper. "He was sick, and he couldn't see clearly shapes and all the shades of blue and green."

"Really?" he asked, lifting his head just a little to tell you he was listening, but not enough to disconnect your two bodies in any way.

"Yeah. I don't remember the name of the disease but… he spent years and years and years going back to that same spot to paint this bridge. And as his vision deteriorated and yet he kept on painting, the shapes became less and less clear in his paintings, and all the shades of blue and green he painted red or purple instead."

"I didn't know that. It must be terrible though… You've spent your whole life painting, and then you get sick, and your vision falters. And you can't do the only thing you're good at anymore. What can you do then, if you can't do the only thing you have talent for?"

His voice grew quieter as he went on, and you wondered if he was still talking about Monet when he was done.

You shrugged.

"You find other things to live for. You find another purpose. You still have everything else: your family, your friends, the people who love you, other hobbies and places you've never explored to go to. You still have sunrises upon frozen rooftops and strawberry ice creams in June and ducks to feed at the park. So I guess… even if it's hard, you just keep on going, only, you bend your own path to fit your new life instead."

He slowly nodded, and the worry that had made him frown seemed to have melted and turned into a soft smile.

And perhaps it was because he was so relaxed looking at these paintings, or perhaps it was because all he could smell was your perfume to a point where he forgot any other scent he had ever breathed in, or maybe it was because of how his head rose and fell just the tiniest bit every time you breathed, or maybe it was because of how close the two of you were in general and he was too tired to stop it from blurring his mind… he wasn't sure why, but before he could think them, he had uttered words he might have wanted to keep for himself. Sometimes, the most earnest words were the hardest to keep quiet though.

"I hope you'll still be there when I'm old and can't sing anymore."

You rested your cheek on the top of his head, slowly nodding.

"I'll always be here, Harry. Don't you know that by now?"

He smiled, just like you did.

"You know what? I think I do."

You were sitting on a bench watching ducks paddle off down the pond.

It was cold, and the clouds were still white above your heads, and the more time passed, the more you were certain that they were about to break.

Saint James's Park was a cute little park. With trees and patches of grass and ponds and ducks, even though at this time of the year most trees had lost their foliage, and most flowers were still unborn. The grass wore white glitter made by the frost under the shade of bushes and trees, hidden places that the sun couldn't reach to make the ice melt. You watched a few sparrows flying around while you rubbed your bare hands together, punishment for forgetting your gloves at Harry's. And you felt sorry for the little birds, they must have been so cold without shelter…

"If I were a bird, I think I would like to be a swallow," you blurted out, making Harry turn his attention to you again instead of the ducks in the brownish water.

"Hmm?"

He had taken off his beanie, and the tip of his ears were made crimson by the biting cold. The tip of his nose had the same shade too, and you found him absolutely adorable this way.

"I mean, it's nice!" you went on in a dreamy tone. "You leave for the South when it becomes too cold around here, and then you come back when it's warm and sunny again. Plus, your return means that spring is coming, you carry lovely meanings in your flight."

Harry's lips curved in a tender smile, and he slowly nodded.

"You're right, it's nice."

"What bird would you like to be?"

"I don't want to be a bird," he shook his head, a playful glint alit in his eyes. "I'd rather be a fish."

"A fish?"

"You have the entire ocean as a playground, so many adventures ahead. Wouldn’t that be nice?"

You laughed, but nodded anyway.

"It would be nice indeed."

"So you can be a swallow, and I'll be a fish."

"What kind of fish?"

He shrugged.

"The kind that lives near swallows."

You couldn't refrain a barely noticeable gasp, before smiling at him in the softest of ways.

"Well then, let's do that for our next lives then. Harry the fish and Y/N the swallow."

"Sounds good to me."

Harry noticed how your kept on rubbing your palms together and moving your fingers, blowing puffs of air against them to warm your skin. He remembered then that you had forgotten your gloves at his place that morning.

So he took his own pair off, and took your hands one by one, putting his large gloves on you.

They were so warm after he had worn them for some time, it was reassuring, and your painful skin almost instantly felt like it was burning instead of freezing.

"You're gonna be cold," you protested, although you didn't stop him from taking your other hand in his, his long fingers oozing warmth through your skin. He wasn't wearing any of his rings today and his skin was gentle and soft against yours, just like his movements.

"We can share. For now, you're the one who's freezing. Better warm your hands up before your fingers start falling off."

"Ha ha ha! Very funny!" you crinkled your nose and rolled your eyes, making him laugh.

Harry was about to tease you some more when he was interrupted by the sensation of something tiny yet very cold touching the bridge of his nose. He squinted quite ungracefully, trying to see what had touched him, before rising his bare fingers to his face. His skin was a little wet.

But then he spotted a white snowflake caught on your scarf, just as your eyes grew wider as you realized what was happening.

"Harry! It's snowing!" you gasped, a grin splitting your cheeks and digging cute creases at the corner of your eyes.

You looked up at the sky with eyes glimmering with excitement while Harry looked at you instead. You were so happy and beautiful…

It was starting to snow harder and harder with each second ticking by, and Harry mindlessly reached for his phone. He barely thought about what he was doing as he captured your picture in this moment: you were laughing, your arms and hands extended before you to catch the snowflakes. You examined the crystals with a curiosity and joy that could have belonged to a child. And it made his heart feel warm and big and growing even more as if it were filled with sunshine and couldn't keep the light in…

As he checked the picture again, he reckoned that he had found his new lockscreen.

You giggled in the most adorable way as a couple of snowflakes made their way between your scarf and your collar, making you shiver as they landed at the base of your neck.

"Ha! It's cold!" you squealed between your giggles, making Harry burst out in laughter.

"Do you think it'll snow enough to cover the ground?" you asked him, but your friend could only shrug.

"I don't know. It wasn't even supposed to snow today."

"Well, they got it wrong."

"It's nice that they were wrong on that one though, don't you think?"

You nodded.

"Yeah, it's nice."

Harry grew quiet again, grinning and turning his face to the sky to feel the frozen droplets against his skin, closing his eyes and reaching to hold the sleeve of your warm coat, as if to make sure that you would stay close even if he wasn't looking. As if he were afraid you weren't truly here, and that if he let his eyelids fall, you would disappear in thin air or be carried away with the snowflakes. But you had no intention to go anywhere.

You watched him as he threw his head back, face towards the sky, enjoying the stinging cold of the snowflakes delicately fall onto his cheeks. His hair was already stained with snow, white dots caught in the mess of his brown curls, and a few of the ice crystals had been caught on his eyelashes as well. He didn't seem to mind though. He was smiling, beaming even. Your heart seemed to be growing in size, and your whole body felt relaxed and warm. A smile formed on your lips, tender and gentle, and there was no way for you to refrain it. You wished you could run your fingers through his hair and keep them there just like these snowflakes hanging at his curls.

You noticed every detail of his face, every crack at the corner of his eyes that came with smiling, how his dimples grew deeper, every tiny mark on his skin, and every barely noticeable freckle, and the tiny crack on his lips caused by the cold…

It was overwhelming, sometimes, the situation you were in.

And you wondered then if you would ever feel that way with Gareth too, because deep down you knew that one day, you would have to. Perhaps it was time to try harder to do so…

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

Tag list :   @ponycake27​ @horsesreign @xinyourdreamsx @jbluevelvet@notkeppeki @daynigt-dreamer-stuff @fudgeflyss @stuckupstucky@snek-shit @suchatinyinfinity@i-padfootblack-things  @buckybsarmy @heyohheyitsgabi@jigsawlover10 @emyyjemyy​ @addictedtofictionalcharacters​​ @staringmoony​@madamrogers​​​​​ @cronias13​​​​​ @stylesfics-xx​​​​​ @mellamolayla​​ @mariaenchanted​

[maroonmorons]

Also since you said you'd like more prompts: Buck for some reason ending up holding a baby and Eddie sees it and despite the fact that they literally just got together and it is waaaay too early to think about it, Eddie's mind is already making up images of Buck holding their child while Chris peers down at his new sibling. Orrrrrr a story where Buck grows his hair out and Eddie (again) loses his shit because CURLS and the team teases him. - cinnamon roll anon

(ok so I started writing this and it got a wee bit crazy so hopefully you don’t mind adlfkslfnsdnf)

honesty means telling you the truth (buck/eddie, T, 2k) AO3

           “No, Daddy!Like Bucky’s!”

Hesitantly, meeting Christopher’s eyes in the mirror, Eddielowers the brush he’d been gently working through Christopher’s curls.

           “Like Bucky’s?”

           “Yeah!”Christopher insists. “Down.”

He jerks his hands in a sideways motion that’s apparentlysupposed to mimics Buck’s.

           “Mijo,”Eddie sighs, “I don’t know how Buck does his hair.”

           “Why not?”Christopher demands, as if it’s perfectly reasonable for Eddie to ask his bestfriend about his grooming habits.

           “I’m notsure. You can ask him next time you see him, okay?”

Christopher sighs but immediately pairs it with a softsmile.

           “Okay,Daddy.”

           “Daddydoesn’t have these luscious curls,” Eddie teases. “Daddy doesn’t know.” Heworks the brush through Christopher’s hair carefully before putting in a littlegel and tousling Christopher’s hair.

Truthfully, he’s not sure he wants to see his tiny son withsuch an adult, pulled together style. But, if it will make Christopher happy –Eddie is more than willing to adjust.

…

The day ends up being painfully long and Eddie nearlyforgets to mention the conversation to Buck.

It’s only when Buck emerges from the shower with his curlsstill doused and a towel around his shoulders to protect his fresh grey t-shirtthat Eddie thinks of it again.

           “You know,Chris asked me to do his hair like yours today.”

As expected, Buck’s entire face lights up.

           “No way,”he grins, “really?”

           “Really,”Eddie confirms. “He said ‘like Bucky’s!’” Eddie does a purposefully silly highpitched voice to imitate his son.

Buck grins so wide his eyes all but disappear.

           “He’d lookso cute. Then again…he always looks cute.”

Eddie almost puffs up his chest with pride, even thougheveryone in the station already knows how proud he is of Christopher.

“Chris is so young though,” Buck adds, expression turningsoft and thoughtful, “he should just have fun right now.”

Eddie arches a brow.

           “So, youdon’t have fun anymore?”

Buck scoffs.

           “Obviously,I have fun, Eddie. I just gel my hair because helmet hair, duh.”

           “What aboutwhen you’re not here?”

           “I don’tgel my hair when I’m just working out or chilling at home,” Buck says, shrugging.He pulls the towel from his shoulders as he approaches his locker, snapping thetowel playfully at Eddie even though they’re not close enough for it to makecontact.

           “You alwaysgel your hair when I see you,” Eddie points out.

Buck is silent for long enough that Eddie looks back up frombuttoning his own shirt.

Is Buck blushing? The back of his neck and what Eddiecan see of his cheek are tinged pink.

           “Just usedto it,” Buck mumbles finally.

           “You justsaid you don’t gel it every morning though,” Eddie argues.

He doesn’t know why he isn’t letting it go but…well, he justisn’t.

Buck sighs, half turning to Eddie.

Yeah, he’s definitely blushing.

           “It looksbetter, alright?”

           “Awwww,”Eddie coos. “You make sure you look nice for me, Buckley?”

           “You knowyou’re handsome,” Buck says.

His mouth does a funny little thing around the word handsome,as if he’d been about to say something else.

           “Do I makeyou feel insecure?” Eddie asks, frowning now.

Buck groans in response.

           “No, youdon’t. Okay? Just. Let’s talk about something else.”

Eddie finishes his shirt, letting Buck think he’s going tolet it go. Then, he crosses to his best friend and busts out his signaturemove.

His hand meets the juncture between Buck’s neck andshoulder. He presses just hard enough to convey his sincerity.

           “You cantell me, Buck.”

Buck sighs and rolls his eyes quickly before meeting Eddie’sgaze again.

           “My parentsgot me started doing it when I was young. So, it’s pretty much ingrained in menow.”

Eddie has to run his tongue over his teeth to keep himselffrom saying something rash.

           “Well,” hesettles on, “if you ever decide to let your curls down – you’ll matchChristopher.”

It’s enough to ease a smile back over Buck’s lips and Eddiecounts it as a win.

…

>> so Friday night..

Eddie frowns at his phone screen.

Is he forgetting plans?

Friday night?

>> I could come over

Buck supplies immediately.

>> spend the night and help Chris do his hair inthe morning

Eddie smiles at the thought immediately.

sounds great

He’s definitely gonna have to take pictures.

…

The week drags its feet all the way into Friday afternoon,enough that Eddie feels like he’s going to go crazy with it.

Everything is more than ready for Buck to come over. It’s tooclean, actually.

For all the shit Eddie gave Buck about trying to look goodfor him – he’s certainly trying to look good for Buck now.

Dios mío, Eddie thinks.

It’s a good thing his best friend can be oblivioussometimes.

If only Buck knew…

But it wouldn’t be a good idea to think about that now.

Buck won’t be here in the next five minutes but he will behere soon. Not to mention, Eddie can’t sneak off when he gets here either.

So, nope. Eddie will not be thinking about what Buck lookslike fresh out of the shower. He won’t be thinking about Buck growing his hairout so it would be long enough to hold onto. No – he certainly won’t bethinking about that.

Eddie takes a deep breath and thinks about getting a glassof ice water to drink.

Yup, think about ice, Eddie. Just think about ice.

Eddie’s will is tested increasingly as the night progresses.

First of all – they have popcorn with extra butter. This hasBuck constantly touching his lips and leaving shiny smears of butter along thepink curves.

Then, of course, he’s wrapping those same lips around theneck of his beer bottle to drink from it.

And (worst of all?) when they watch Air Bud Buckcries. He tries to hide it but he’s biting at those damn lips and making theseawful snuffling sounds that make Eddie want to duck and cover his way right outof the room.

Finally, Eddie has to smack the side of his arm where it’slying across the back of the couch.

Luckily, Christopher remains oblivious between them.

What the hell? Eddie demands with his eyes.

On screen the golden retriever is eating pudding excitedly.

Judging by the tilt of Christopher’s head he’s concerned buthe’s certainly not as affected as Buck.

But Buck just squints at Eddie before hunching his shouldersand crossing his arms.

Eddie doesn’t miss the way Buck’s hand keeps sneaking up tothe corners of his eyes for the next several minutes.

Eddie doesn’t check on Buck verbally until the movie isover.

           “You good?”

There – that’s safe. He could just be asking if Buck is tootired. Right? Right.

Buck shoots him a smile that Eddie examines for a longmoment before allowing himself to relax.

           “Fine, Eds.You good?”

Eddie nods in confirmation and Buck immediately leans downto Chris.

“And what about you, Superman? You good?”

           “I’m good,Bucky,” Christopher says, only half yawning.

           “Good.”

Buck looks to Eddie again, cheeks darkening when he seesEddie still watching him.

For a split second, it sends a sliver of unease throughEddie.

Does Buck know?

He can’t.

Right?

Christopher only makes it through half the next movie beforedropping off and Eddie carries him to bed before helping Buck clean up.

He makes sure Buck’s set up in the guest room before making hisway to his own bed.

He may or may not sigh wistfully to himself on the way thereand once he’s settled in.

…

When Eddie makes his way to the coffeemaker the followingmorning he sees there’s already coffee brewed.

As he makes himself a cup, he listens to giggles coming fromthe bathroom.

By the time he walks back down the hallway there’s a smileon his face.

Buck and Christopher are side by side in the mirror,Christopher grinning into the mirror as Buck touches up the sides of hisperfectly gelled hair.

Buck’s hair is still surprisingly gel free and damp from ashower. He must have been up even earlier than Christopher.

           “Okay,”Buck says, “now for the finishing touch.”

He helps Christopher put his glasses back on, fingertipslight against Christopher’s head.

           “I looklike you, Bucky!”

           “You do,”Buck agrees, grinning right back at the boy. “And I look like you!”

Fuck, Eddie thinks vaguely.

Buck is going to be the death of him. Sooner rather thanlater it looks like.

           “Mijo, youlook so old!” Eddie teases. “When are you moving out?”

Christopher giggles.

           “Never,Daddy!”

           “Good.”

Eddie squeezes into the bathroom and sets his mug on thecounter so he can pick Christopher up.

           “I love you,Son.”      

           “I love youtoo. And Bucky.”

Christopher wraps both arms around Eddie’s neck even as hesays it, so Eddie’s not too bothered.

Eddie deposits Christopher at the table in the kitchen, arelieved smile fitting itself to his lips as he sees Buck brought his coffeeout behind them.

           “Thank you,”he says, accepting the mug. “Your curls are adorable, Buckley.”

Predictable, by now, Buck blushes in response.

           “Well, they’renot all smooshed from my helmet or my pillow. So…they look alright.”

Eddie’s not sure he’s allowed. But he’s also not sure he’llever have the chance again.

Disguising his nerves by taking a sip of coffee, he reachesout with his left hand to run his fingers through Buck’s curls.

There’s more hair than Eddie expected and his fingers curlwithout his permission.

Before he realizes it he’s got a handful of Buck’s hair anda mouthful of coffee. Eddie’s brain is painfully unable to determine what to dowith either.

Slowly, his brain starts to crank into action again.

He lowers the mug in his right hand and carefully swallows thehot coffee. Then, he forces himself to release Buck’s hair.

           “I, uh,didn’t know your hair was so long.”

           “Yeah,”Buck says, “curls are, uh, deceptive. I should get it trimmed, actually.”

           “Don’t.”

Fuck. You were almost out of the woods, Diaz.

           “Um,” Buckhalf smiles. “Why not?”

           “It…looksgood,” Eddie says lamely.

           “Does itfeel good?”

           “I…”

           “You?” Buckprompts.

           “Should makebreakfast.”

           “Okay,”Buck agrees, letting him off the hook.

Eddie has a feeling it has a lot more to do with Christophersitting at the table than anything else.

…

The locker room is empty when Eddie arrives for the nextshift and he changes perfunctorily.

He doesn’t see Buck until he gets upstairs and he verynearly stops in his tracks.

Buck’s hair is defined with gel but not brushed in anyspecific direction.

He looks amazing.

More than that though, what’s got Eddie’s stomach curling inon itself, is that Eddie knows it’s for him.

Buck has a smile that looks like it’s just for Eddie as heapproaches.

Eddie can’t help but think that yeah, that smile probably isjust for him.

           “Hey,” Bucksays.

           “Hey,”Eddie returns.

He has literally no idea who is upstairs with them. He hasn’tlooked yet and doesn’t much care.

“Your hair looks nice.”

           “Thanks.”

Buck blinks twice rapidly.

“I thought maybe if I did something for you, you’d dosomething for me?”

Even though he feels breathless, Eddie forces himself to respond;

           “Yeah?”

           “You couldask me on a date,” Buck suggests.

           “Is thatsomething you want?” Eddie can’t help but ask.

           “Don’t youalready know?” Buck demands after huffing out a laugh.

Eddie tucks his hands in his pockets and lifts both shouldersin a shrug.

           “Chim, Chim,”Hen is whisper shouting, “get up here, it’s happening. It’s happening!”

Buck and Eddie both ignore her.

           “Yes,Eddie, I would like to go out with you. Now, will you actually ask me out?”

           “Can we grabsome dinner next time we’re not both here?”

           “Yeah. CanChris come for the first part?”

He’s gonna be the death of me.

           “Yeah,”Eddie agrees faintly. “He can.”

For the first part.

Still, might not be a bad way to go…

[thethreemages]

Yeaaah, didn’t mean to make such a late holiday-related TTM pic this year... buut yknow, stuff happens to where I just wasn’t feeling too inspired, I’m afraid :/. Hope this simple & cute lil fluffy pic will be enough to suffice for the meantime though... featuring a much younger Raider Crane as he meets with his beloved baby sister Noira for the first time~ 💙 DA Link

~Fic Below the Cut~

Wintervale had come much like it did any other year in Graystone's main capitol... with many either inside or out bustling in the streets as the cool winter flurries fell up from above. Whether one would be feeling the holiday mood to celebrate with loved ones or not, it was a time many looked forward to in more ways than one. Especially for one particular citizen in the form of Raider Crane, whom was eagerly awaiting the Wintervale morning right by the window sill. Not even for the regular tradition of tearing into his presents... but for expecting the arrival of his parents coming home with a brand new member of the family. His very own baby sister. "Erm... Raider, sweetheart? Don't you think you'd be more comfortable here by the fire?" came the concerned, yet calming voice of his dear Aunt Freya, whom was staying at the family residence to help out with Raider while his parents were busy. Her nephew in the meantime was diligently stuck near the window eyeing the falling snow outside... which was very unlike the past Wintervale's where he'd normally be zipping all over the place in excitement. No, this time was far too special for him to goof off on... so he simply declined his aunt's kindly offer with a quick shake of his head. "Nuh uh, sissy's almost here! I gotta look for her!" Raider insisted, pointing out towards the snow, "If I don't, she won't like me!" Gently laughing with a small smile, Freya simply got up to sit by the couch Raider was kneeling over, patting him on the head, "Oh, I'm sure she won't mind, Raider. She's still just a wee lass after all... the moment she sees you through that door, she's sure to love you~" The thought of that filled Raider with a little more hope... but true to his nature, he quickly went back to leaning to the window to wait anyway. This naturally earned a small sigh from his aunt... yet considering what the family's been going through these past few weeks, she couldn't bring herself to blame the boy. As it was... the arrival of the newest Crane daughter came with some "complications" that prevented her from being born on her expected due date... instead, the build of stress and anxieties from her mother's experiences in the last few months of pregnancy kickstarted an earlier labor. While the baby ended up being relatively fine, all things considered... doctors were still adamant to keep her by the hospital for at least a longer observation period. It was by sheer luck and persistence that her folks were finally allowed to bring her home on this special holiday in particular... much to everyone's relief. Thus... once Raider finally spotted the parking lights of his parents' car up by the front, his face lit up like the sun as he hurriedly hopped off the couch to greet his family, "-SHE'S HERE! AUNTIE AUNTIE, SHE'S HERE~!" "Ooh, thank the Saints!" Freya relaxed in a relieved smile, patiently letting Raider tug her by the sleeve to wait by the door. Little guy was already bounding up and down by his heels by the time the door unlocked and opened... revealing not just his clearly tired and frustrated parents, but the bundled up baby girl in question quietly resting away in her mother's arms. "Mommy! Daddy! How's sissy??" Raider loudly and excitedly asked both his parents, earning a half-annoyed grunt from his father Lachlan as he was trying to hang up his coat. "Quiet down, boy. You're goin' to wake the girl." Lachlan gruffly reminded his son, gesturing to his wife Vinia who looked like she was trying to hold off a migraine whilst keeping the baby asleep. Realizing this, Raider quickly hushed down a bit to a whisper as he then nudged to his mother in curiosity, "Psst, Mommy? Is sissy okay?" Unlike her husband, Vinia was at least a bit more patient to respond to Raider in a gentler tone, taking some deep breaths from her migraine to half-smile back, "Your sister's doing much better, Raider. Just give us a moment and we'll let you see her..." "Ohhh, okay!" her little boy nodded back obediently, without another word rushing over to the couch to give his parents some space to settle into the home. His aunt soon headed over to assess how things were going from the hospital stay, even being allowed to hold the baby whilst Lachlan brought down the overnight bags. "Aww... what a darlin' little angel~" Freya warmly smiled at the bundle in her arms, looking over at the couple in curiosity, "Have either of you decided on a name, yet? I know things were hectic back at the hospital and all, so..." "Pff, well of course we did..." Lachlan responded with a huff after putting away one of the bags, "We'll be callin' her 'Noira'... for one of the Crane's many great past figures, Noira the Victress." Intrigued by this particular name choice, it made Freya think a bit more before she gave a look of confusion, "...Wasn't Victress Noira the leader of a band of blood pirates...?" Perhaps to not too much of a surprise, Lachlan didn't seem to get what the issue was as he raised a brow back at her, "...and your point is...?" "Well... pardon me to be judgin' on baby names, but isn't that a bit too grizzly of an origin to name your own daughter after?" Freya further questioned... growing even more unamused by her brother simply giving a haughty laugh, "Well duh... that's what makes the name as fittin' as it be! Y'know us Cranes have to be held up to the strongest of warrior titles, that's been the oath of our family since the beginning ages of Terra..." Lachlan confidently explained as he glanced back over to the bundle in his wife's arms, yawning strongly before snuggling up in her blanket again. "-Besides, lil Noira over there be carryin' a vast Water magic aura... tis only natural she carry a similarly strong title much like her brother is with our grandfather's. What more can ya want?" and thus, without even giving his sister time respond back to that statement, Lachlan simply turned away from view as he went over to grab a quick smoke outside, leaving the rest of his kin alone in the living area. There were... many things on Freya's mind in regards to her brother, from his long-standing gruff attitude to his never-ending stubbornness on keeping up these countless "traditions" from their family name... but in this moment of seeing Raider so eager to scooch over to Vinia and the baby, she decided to just leave the issue be for now and let this treasured memory continue on in peace... "Mommy... she's so pretty..." Raider gently uttered, staring in awe at such a tiny and delicate lil thing. From her pudgy lil cheeks, to her tiny hands, to the soft lil tufts of hair curled on her head... one would be a fool to find Noira to be anything other than adorable. Watching her son be so intrigued by his sister was a sight that even Vinia couldn't resist finding charm in... tiredly smiling down at the siblings meeting for the first time. "...Would you like to hold her, Raider?" Vinia softly spoke to her son, immediately bringing a small gasp of joy to Raider face, "-Really??" "-As long as you promise to be careful, that is... then yes." she calmly nodded back, her tone recognizably staying firm but not enough to deter her little boy. It took a quick second for Raider to calm himself on quietly nodding yes in a promise... which luckily gave enough trust in Vinia to carefully maneuver Noira to relax down into Raider's lap, with the help of some pillows nearby. Needlessly to say, Aunt Freya wasted no time hurrying to grab the recorder up on the shelf to capture this moment... smiling warmly at the sight of Raider being so overjoyed around his new sibling. Seeming to be the most happiness she'd seen from the boy than any of his past Wintervale gifts, Raider couldn't help but declare an 'oath' of his own to the baby girl below him. "Psst, hi Noira... I'm your brother, Raider! I know the big world may be a bit scary now... since you're so little and all. But no need to worry, 'cause as your big brother... I promise to always save you! No one's gonna hurt my baby sissy while I'm around, never ever!" With that... it seemed to finally stir up Noira from her sleep enough for her to carefully blink her lil eyes open... a brilliant blue color matching much like her brother's gazing back at her. Carefully but lovingly, Raider gave her a hug and kiss to show how much he cherished her stepping into his life. To his young, innocent heart, it was the best present he could've asked for for the holiday of Wintervale...

[necromaniackat]

Dare

It started with a dare. That’s all it was. That’s all it was supposed to be. A dare. Not even a good one at that. Although, it wasn’t a bad one either.

It started one uneventful Saturday night, after dinner someone -Tony- convinced the team that playing games was how they’d spend their night off. His drug of choice was Monopoly, but everyone protested against that idea, saying he was too good at that game and by the end of it he’d have all the properties and money, leaving everyone broke and pissed with him. Plus, that game could go on for hours and nobody had the patience for that. Eliese, the mind master 2.0, suggested Mario Kart and that won by popular vote. Steve and Bucky sat the first few rounds out, learning how to use the controllers and understand how the game worked. Eliese made a snide comment about how their ages were showing, this earned a playful headlock from Steve and a spirited tap on the wrist from Bucky. Mario Kart turned into Jack Box after about two hours of watching Steve and Bucky drive off the edges of Rainbow Road a billion times. Then regular Jack Box turned into drunken Jack Box very rapidly. Steve left the room very quickly when a game of Tee K.O became overly sexual after Eliese’s shirt was presented reading ‘More anal, more power’ with the abstract drawing of something nobody could quite make out. The conversation then went ass over handlebars down the rabbit hole of sexual experiences. 

“I think ‘Liese has us all beat when it comes to the amount of experiences,” Tony announced from one end of the sectional sofa, tipping his drink back against his lips. Eliese cocked an eyebrow at his comment. A pale pink covered her already rosy cheeks as she was soon thrown into the deep end of the conversation after spending the majority of the time silently listening to the others ramble on about their good and terrible experiences.

“Why do you say that?” She piped up curiously from her spot on the ottoman beside the sectional sofa. Natasha scoffed, almost choking on her drink.

“Because we live here too. And we see the people trying to sneak out without being noticed the morning after,” She laughed into the opening of her beer bottle.

“People?” Bucky emphasised on the word with an arched eyebrow. This caused Natasha to giggle into her beer while the rest of the team looked at the hundred-year-old super soldier as though he was way behind the learning curve, and it was the most amusing thing to behold. Eliese’s face darkened in redness and she groaned to herself, knowing where this was headed.

“Boys. Girls. People who we can’t quite figure out their genders,” Tony listed the genders of the people who’ve left the newest Avenger’s bedroom for a fun time. The pale red colour on Eliese’s rosy cheeks deepened into an almost maroon colour. She bowed her head down between her shoulders, letting her thick dark hair hide her away from being seen. This earned an awe and a pat on the knee from the red-haired assassin. Bucky turned his attention to Eliese with a puzzled expression.

“So, you’re gay, doll?” He quizzed, almost sounding disappointed. Eliese snapped her head up at his inquiry and shook her head with a goofy smile. Never in her life did she think she’d ever hear the words gay and doll put together in a sentence. It was rather amusing in her mildly drunk mind.

“No,” She drew the word out slightly. “–Gay is liking the same gender as you.” Eliese corrected the super soldier, still holding her goofy grin as she did so. This did not clear things up for him in the slightest. He held the puzzled expression, if anything the creases between his furrowed brows deepened. Eliese figured out quickly she was going to have to spell this out for him. She turned her body to face him, he sat on the other side of Natasha at the end of the sectional while she sat on the ottoman on the opposite side of the feisty red head and clasped her hands together in her lap with a heavy sigh.

“Bucky,” She uttered his name in a monotonous way. “–I’m pansexual. This means I like having sexual interactions with people of all genders. Basically, if you’re game, I’m game. I don’t care what you identify as.” The redness of Eliese’s cheeks died into a pale pink colour once again. She’s usually okay with educating people about the different sexual orientations and gender identities, but for some reason having to explain it to Bucky made her feel exposed and vulnerable. It was easier to explain this stuff to Steve than it was to explain this to Bucky. Why was this so difficult to explain to him? She’s gotten the same responses from the whole team; she knew they were accepting and understanding. But for some reason, spilling the beans about her sexual escapades to Bucky, even in the least amount of detail, made her feel extremely exposed. Like she was just caught being naked in public.

“So, you date all sorts of genders, doll?” Another uncomfortable question from the ex Winter Soldier. Eliese was all for explaining these things to people who wanted to know, as long as it didn’t include her orientations. She was always afraid of judgement, coming from a very religious State where she was a Pastor’s daughter and attended church every Sunday as well as Sunday school. This was before she high tailed it out of there when she was eighteen and headed to New York to pursue a career after university of course. New York was a far better suit for her, all things considering.

“‘Liese doesn’t date!” Tony exclaimed in a bout of hysterical laughter. This earned an even more confused look from Bucky.

“But you…”

“–Hook up sites.” ‘Liese cut the question from Bucky short. “–I don’t usually date people. It’s not my thing.” Her face was now beet red, even her neck and ears were glowing like the embers of a campfire on a hot summer night.

“Hook up sites?” Bucky drew the words out with an arched eyebrow and a grim line drawing his lips.

“Websites or apps where you can meet people for meaningless sex, Buck.” Bruce answered hastily, sensing ‘Liese really didn’t like all these questions being asked about her and what goes on in her private life. She could only nod along with Bruce’s very clear explanation about what a hook up was.

“Oh,” Bucky breathed as though he hadn’t taken a breath of air in a long time.

There was a small bout of silence as the blue-eyed man processed the information he’d been given. He had a lot of questions, but he didn’t want this to turn into an educational night seeing as Tony would probably kill him for being a buzz kill. And boy, was Eliese glad he didn’t have anymore questions. She could feel her heart beginning to beat a bit faster than usual making her body heat up exponentially. Her head fell back down between her shoulders and she pulled the draw strings of her black hoodie to castle her reddened face behind the scrunched-up fabric. The sudden rush of heat radiating off of the young woman sitting next to her caused Natasha to sit upright and glance over at a red faced Eliese.

“‘Liese!” Natasha exclaimed with a mock Louisianan accent. ‘Liese jolted her head up in sudden excitement, throwing the hood of her sweater back.

“Truth or dare,” She added completely out of left field. This made everyone sitting in the living room swift with an antsy feeling. Eliese drew her eyebrows together at Natasha confusedly. She wasn’t sure if she heard the assassin correctly.

“Excuse me?”

“Truth or dare,” Nat repeated herself, knowing full well which one ‘Liese was going to pick. Eliese was a feisty master mind, and mind master, from bible thumping Louisiana who couldn’t pass up a good dare, even in her junior years. Unbeknownst to Eliese, this was a trap and the smirk that curled half of her face evilly said dare me.

“Dare,” She replied, leaning towards the assassin cockily. Natasha shared an equally evil smirk as she matched Eliese’s body language, leaning towards the twenty-four-year-old. Nat wiggled her finger to pull Eliese closer so she could whisper the dare. ‘Liese followed the untold instructions and leaned in real close.

“I dare you to show Terminator over there what your sexuality really is,” Nat whispered to Eliese in broken Cajun French. Eliese cocked an eyebrow curiously.

‘How so?’ Eliese planted the question in Nat’s mind, intrigued and giddy to see how and where this will go.

‘Show him everything you’ve ever done or wanted to do with someone.’ The words were cooed into Eliese’s mind in response. Eliese’s onyx coloured eyes found the super soldier, he was curious as to what was being said even though he could hear it, he had no idea what was being said. His icy gaze was trained on Eliese’s face with a look of trepidation.

‘Like plant the thoughts in his head or?’ Eliese questioned mentally. She pulled away from Natasha who was nodding with an evil smile writing devious all over her face. This made ‘Liese smirk at her knowingly.

‘And the purpose of this is?’ She asked curiously, wanting to know why this was such a big deal. Eliese was sure he’d just ask her to help him Google all of this, or even ask Steve for some education.

‘Super soldier hasn’t gotten laid in an exceptionally long time. This is just to get under his skin a bit. Y’know, show old school the new school ways.’ Natasha was evil, she really and truly was. ‘Liese guessed she’s been wanting to do this for a while now. Now she has a weapon slash accomplice, a motive, and a plan. Truly evil.  

“Now?” She asked out loud, realizing they hadn’t said anything out loud in a few moments. Natasha laughed and shook her head, waving a hand at the young woman.

“Take your time. Whenever you want to do it, do it.” Natasha just made things very interesting. Very interesting indeed.

After an extremely exposing game of truth or dare that lasted until the wee hours of the morning, everyone packed up shop and went to bed. But not before ‘Liese imbedded a tiny innocent thought in Bucky’s head before they parted ways in the hallway. It was nothing over the top, nothing that would make him think she was the one who put it there. Just the image of her holding hands with another girl which slowly switched to the image of her holding hands with a boy. Bucky had looked back over his shoulder at her, she saw his reflection in the doorknob. She felt his eyes scanning her up and down, taking in her appearance from behind before he scurried into his dark room. Eliese didn’t go to bed right away. She sat cross legged on her bed for an hour or so, scheming away cunningly.

The next morning Eliese was one of the first ones awake. She went down to the kitchen and made herself a bowl of multi grain Cheerios with a cup of coffee. The racket she made woke most of the team up and they came trickling in, in search for coffee and food to help cure their hangovers. Steve, on the other hand, was just fine, even though he had his fill of beers last night. Hell, he even went for a run that morning. He and Eliese made pleasant conversation about several things including the next week’s training schedule. Somehow, his schedule was changed when he wasn’t looking –Gee I wonder who could’ve done that– and put ‘Liese and Bucky in the gym to train together, alone.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear! Sauntering in was a freshly showered Bucky. His wet dark hair was slicked back from his face and he seemed to glow a very clean glow. Like polished silverware in sunlight. The Sargent sported mildly baggy grey sweatpants, a white wifebeater underneath a black hoodie that was halfway zipped up.

Eliese was mid way to her mouth with a spoonful of cereal when he came in. Her dark amber eyes watched him like a hawk, almost forgetting the clever plan she had put together when she went to bed last night. But the moment his brilliant blue eyes fixated on her; she threw the image into his head of her lustfully kissing an androgynous looking boy, or girl. Eliese couldn’t remember that person’s actual gender. His eyes immediately fell from her to the countertop between them. ‘Liese so badly wanted to smirk at his reaction, but that’d give her away to him.

The rest of the day was filled with doing an ungodly amount of paperwork. Eliese had a fair amount of paperwork to do, mainly sorting through bills and budgeting for the next few weeks. ‘Liese hated relying on the government for her funds to live. So, she did freelance podcasting for some extra cash in between saving the world and training. For most of the day, Bucky loomed by Eliese with his nose a few hundred pages in a protocol handbook. Whenever ‘Liese felt his gaze on her for longer than a few seconds, she’d imbed innocent images and thoughts of her and various gendered lovers in his head. His eyes would evade her quickly soon after.

Monday was your typical Monday. Everyone was up at an unreasonable hour of the morning, weaving in and out of the kitchen and living areas. Bucky actually avoided being in the same room as ‘Liese most of the morning. He wanted to avoid having the thoughts he’s been having and the only salvation he’d get was when he wasn’t around her. Although, he couldn’t avoid her when she came into the empty gym early that afternoon to do some training with him. Luckily, his laser focus kept him from thinking about her in such ways. But that didn’t save him from the thoughts and images that invaded his mind during dinner and the hours after dinner before bed.

Tuesday Natasha pulled Eliese aside and asked if she could amp up the antics a bit more. Eliese took that as the green light to unleash the wrath of her desires and her past experiences. So, after breakfast Eliese scouted Bucky out. She found him swimming laps in the pool outside. ‘Liese went to the poolside and began doing some yoga on her plush mat, wearing a pair of loose black short shorts that flared out around her thighs and a matching loose black racer back tank top overtop of a purple sports bra. Bucky nearly drowned when she implanted a very NSFW scene in his head. He, in a very fast sequence, escorted himself from the pool, muttering curses under his breath as he tied a towel around his waist and stomped his way back into the tower. Natasha was so pleased to have been there to witness this. She hysterically laughed into a decorative pillow on one of the lounge chairs. The rest of the day was uneventful. Eliese did not want to over do it and blow her cover.

Wednesday Eliese left Bucky well enough alone, even during training and especially when the topic of sex came back from the grave, the same way Church the cat did in Pet Semetary. With revenge and pure inhumane evil. This time, Eliese excused herself from the group to avoid having the topic becoming directed towards her again. But it didn’t stop her from thinking about past experiences and hopeful future experiences. This time, Bucky was the one to get into her head. It only made her more vengeful to get under his skin.

Thursday started with Eliese waking up much earlier than everyone else. She quickly got dressed and then tiptoed her way across the hall to the super soldier’s door. She silently hovered outside as she fed the unconscious man a very sexual dream. Not too long after she began feeding him this scene, she could hear the faint muffled groans and moans through the door. Soon after, Natasha woke up and came out of her room, eyeing Eliese outside the man’s room, holding in her giggles. She smiled to herself and pat ‘Liese on the back as she wandered past on her way to the kitchen. When Eliese heard Bucky jolt awake, cursing to himself, she scattered away and went back to her room as quickly and quietly as she could.

Unbeknownst to Eliese, Bucky was cursing to himself because he woke up when he spoiled his newly cleaned bed sheets. But she got the hint that he did in fact enjoy the dream when the two of them opened their bedroom doors in unison, coming face to face with each other. Eliese’s face became a pale shade of red, the same shade as Bucky’s. He was holding his balled-up bedding in his arms. The two of them walked side by side to the kitchen, Bucky dumping his dirty bedding into the laundry shoot on the way. Eliese couldn’t help herself. She had to replay snippets of the scene she had fed him in his head as they walked and chatted about that day’s plans. Eliese had to admit it though, he could keep his composure very well. But she was unrelenting and amped up the images and scenes, adding her wildest desires which included him binding her hands and feet together with her own clothes and spanking her until her ass was red and bruising before he face fucks her and makes her gag on his engorged manhood and finally for the big bang of a finishing act, edging each other into a tailspin of pure jubilation.

Bucky cracked under the pressure, avoiding her for the entire day after breakfast. He didn’t even show up to their training session. Which frustrated and aggravated Steve since Eliese needed a training partner and according to the schedule Bucky was supposed to train with her. So, he was upset and rather confused when he saw her in the gym all alone, beating a dummy to a pulp. When Steve found Bucky later that afternoon, he chewed him out about it. Bucky could only say he got caught up with something else, which wasn’t a complete lie. Bucky did get caught up in something else, after he went to the gym and saw Eliese doing pre warmup warmups in tight black shorts that rode up in places he hasn’t been able to keep out of his head the last few days, a loose fitting black graphic tee shirt that also rode up her stomach and back as she stretched into extremely flexible yoga poses. He had to leave after seeing that. The images and sounds that have taunted him since Saturday caused him to flee to the privacy of his room. Eliese didn’t even know he showed up, so she didn’t get the chance to plant more thoughts in his head. And she didn’t see him all afternoon.

He only showed his face at dinner, silently praying he could keep his mind elsewhere. But his efforts were fruitless. The moment he saw her sitting at the table his breathing hitched, and unfortunately for him, the last spot was right next to her. This time, when Eliese implanted images in his head, they weren’t as heavy handed as this morning. They were sweet and sensual. Bucky didn’t stick around after dinner; he had his third cold shower of the day and then went to bed early.

Friday, Bucky was up earlier than everyone else, including Eliese. He had his breakfast quickly then went into hiding, staying as far away from Eliese as he could possibly get. The team was beginning to think they had some sort of falling out about something. Natasha and Eliese knew better. Their plan was coming together rather nicely. To be honest, ‘Liese thought it’d take much longer than a few days to even begin to get under his skin. He mustn’t have gotten laid in a long time if it’s this easy to get his blood rushing. But her heart would break a little whenever she’d find him in one spot, he’d immediately get up and leave to go somewhere else. Avoiding her because he was flustered was one thing, but this wasn’t that thing. He was avoiding her out of anger now. He was angry, and it made her feel incredibly guilty for playing with him like this.

Eliese let out a heavy sigh as she entered the gym, setting the heavy bag down on the floor by the wall and giving the empty gym a once over. She couldn’t see or hear anybody else in there. Bucky wasn’t there. She doubted he’d even show up.

‘He probably has Steve or someone else coming to train with me.’ She thought sadly. When she got the training schedule, she was happy that finally she was having some alone time with Bucky. Dare or no dare. She just wanted to feel him close to her. Not just in a sexual way either. That revelation scared ‘Liese half to death. She isn’t one for romance. Lust is her game, and romance is her biggest fear. But with him, she wanted him to woo her and she wanted to woo him too. She’s begged Steve to let her train with Bucky for months but Steve didn’t think it was a good idea considering their size differences. He was scared Bucky might get a little too into it, like he usually does, and seriously hurt Eliese by accident. And then on Sunday when the schedules were given out, ‘Liese knew Nat had tampered with it so she and Bucky were in the gym together alone. But that didn’t stop Eliese from being elated with the idea of being that close to him. Dare or no dare.

Eliese squatted down and pulled her phone out from the pocket of the gym bag. She opened the text messages she shared with Natasha and frowned.

Okay. I think I’ve gotten under his skin enough. Do I win the dare yet?

Immediately her phone pinged, signalling a new text.

Not yet. Just a little longer and we should be good. 😉

‘Liese let out exasperated sigh as she examined the empty gym. She didn’t like this. Yes, this was fun in the beginning but now it’s not. Bucky’s her friend and teammate. She didn’t want to lose him at the expense of a damn dare.

“It wasn’t even a good dare,” Eliese whispered to herself harshly, throwing her phone onto the bag in frustration.

“What wasn’t a good dare, doll?” A raspy male voice asked from behind her. ‘Liese jumped to her feet, spinning around to see who was there. To her dismay, it was Bucky. He was standing a few feet away tying the draw strings to his loose-fitting grey sweatpants. Eliese looked from Bucky to her phone then back to Bucky in a quick succession with her mouth hung open, flabbergasted.

“Ugh.” ‘Liese was at a loss for words. “–Nothing,” She added then rethought that answer. Clearly it was something and he’d pick up on that. Eliese closed her eyes for a moment, trying to come up with something to say.

“A friend. Back in Louisiana was dared to do something extremely stupid and now she and somebody else are suffering.” She opened her eyes to see a bemused Bucky standing in front of her.

“What was she dared to do?” He asked curiously, crossing his arms over his puffed-out chest. As if his shoulders and chest could get any bigger!

“Lead somebody on.” The words fled Eliese’s mouth in shame. She pursed her lips and looked down at the floor in disgrace. ‘Really? That’s what you came up with? Why not just tell him that Natasha dared you to implant those thoughts in his head and play with him like a goddamn toy? How mad can he be? You know, not having control over his own mind for seventy years and all. Oh god, he’s gonna be pissed. I’m gonna die. He’s gonna kill me.’ ‘Liese thought to herself cruelly.

“Yeah, that isn’t a good dare. Playing with some else’s emotions is a very dangerous game,” Bucky mumbled, nodding in agreement. ‘Liese nodded as well. She jumped when Bucky clapped his hands. Her ochre coloured eyes found his again, a playful smile was spread across his face as he rubbed his large hands together.

“Let’s train, shall we?” Bucky was eager to get this over with. ‘Liese nodded again.

The two of them began with stretching and warmups. A few laps around the gym, Bucky taking the lead in front of a much smaller Eliese. Her eyes couldn’t help but wander his form from behind as he jogged, taking in the way his hips moved with each step. Then came a harsh round of push ups and jumping jacks. Again, her eyes couldn’t seem to pry themselves away from the way his dark grey tee shirt rode up his torso with every jump which had his arms hanging above his head for a brief second. Or how his shoulder muscles flexed and relaxed with every push up.

Eliese was done with this dare. She wasn’t going to put anything else in his head, if anything she wanted to undo everything she’s done. She was completely and utterly finished with getting to his head. But now, he was getting to hers. Especially now that they’ve begun stretching and most of the stretches required physical contact from the partner of some kind.

‘I deserve this.’ She thought gruellingly as she raised her hands above her head and leaned back as far as she could. She nearly toppled over when she looked over at Bucky, his shirt had ridden far up his upper body. His sweatpants hung extremely low on his hips, showing even more skin. A small trail of dark hairs led up his abdomen and under his shirt from the band of his sweats. Eliese had to look away and tightly close her eyes, scrunching her nose.

‘I deserve this! I deserve this! I deserve this!’ Eliese repeated this like a mantra to herself. She hated this but she also knew this was karma coming back to bite her in the ass.

‘I deserve this.’ She kept repeating to herself over and over again. Deeply and desperately believing this was true. She deserved the cruel merciless punishment karma was serving icy cold on a silver platter.

If Eliese thought warmups and stretches were torture, when they finally got on the mat to begin hand on hand combat; she was really in for it. Bucky was in no way gentle with her which caused ‘Liese to think that maybe the others were going easy on her and she really wasn’t that good of a fighter. This only egged on her need to prove herself as a rightful part of this team. But Bucky was not going to make that an easy task to do. He continuously threw her to the floor and he even chuckled about it.

Eliese scrambled to her feet after being thrown to the ground for the hundredth time. She was huffing and puffing but it wasn’t from the intense workout, it was out of pure frustration. She was sweat soaked, making the thin material of her tank top almost see through and her dark hair to cling to her skin. Her already rosy cheeks were a very deep shade of red now.

“Give up yet, doll?” Bucky asked in a mocking tone. He could only stand there looking down at Eliese with his signature smirk tugging half his face. He had barely broken a sweat. ‘Liese snickered at him and shook her head.

“I don’t give up that easily,” She replied, throwing her right leg forcefully up at him, aiming for his waist and lower ribs. There was no way she was going to aim for the shoulders, she’d break her leg against those things! To Eliese’s dismay, Bucky didn’t even blink even when he grabbed her ankle. His entire hand was able to wrap around it. ‘Liese braced herself for the inevitable fall to the floor. But it didn’t come. Instead, Bucky strode closer to ‘Liese with her ankle still in hand. His blue eyes only left her amber coloured ones when he stood a few inches away from her, holding her ankle perpendicular with the floor. He gave the view in front of him a once over. His eyes greedily eating her alive as he licked his lips. His eyes found hers again, sharing a glimmer of artfulness with another half smirk.

“Oh, I know.” He drily said. “–You’re a merciless little dame.” A shiver was sent screaming down Eliese’s spine as his came out as a raspy half whisper.

“And you need to be put in your place.” Bucky gave a swift kick to her other ankle, taking it out from under her as he let go of the one he’d been holding. Eliese landed on her back on the floor with a loud grunt. A cunning plan hatched in her head the moment her body hit the mat. She coiled her body into a ball on the ground, hands holding onto her hip as she cried out in pain. A weight crashed into Bucky’s chest as he gazed down at her rolling onto her side in anguish. His nerves became shattered as he dropped to his knees in a panic, quickly examining her for any obvious broken bones. He didn’t mean to hurt her. He didn’t think that would hurt her.

“Oh shit, ‘Liese. I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean,” His apologies were cut short when Eliese twisted around, propelling her legs upwards until they wrapped around his shoulders and she thrusted her weight to the side. Bucky didn’t know what happened, one second she was crying in pain and the next she was straddling his upper chest with his arms trapped at his sides between her legs.

‘Liese shot him a cocky smile and settled her weight down on him, pinning his much larger body under hers. Although, her cocky smile was wiped away when a low growl erupted from Bucky’s chest, sending reverberations rampaging through Eliese’s lower body. This caught her off guard. Unwillingly, her eyes tightly squeezed closed, she hummed in enjoyment at the sensations and fell forward, her hands caught herself before she ended up smothering Bucky with her chest. When Eliese shifted her weight so the majority of it was off his chest, Bucky hooked his arms around her legs and pulled himself into an upright position.

‘Liese didn’t even notice this, not until her back was gently laid down on the cool mat. Her hips had slid down his torso until their hips were pressed together. Eliese opened her eyes slowly, widening in mortification when her gaze landed on the obvious wet spot on his shirt where she was once settled. The look on her face caused the super soldier’s brows to fall together confusedly. He followed her gaze down to the very obvious wet spot on his dark grey shirt. The air got caught in the back of his throat when he realized what had happened, or rather, why that happened.

He let out a nervous chuckle and looked at the red-faced girl laying on the ground between his outstretched legs. Eliese snapped out of her horrified state and met his gaze. Her heart was racing inside her chest and the words she wanted to say slipped away before she could say them.

“Buck...–I’m sorry. That wasn’t,”

“–Ah, that’s okay, doll. Nothing to be ashamed of,” He confidently supposed with a chuckle. Before she even could do or say anything, he tucked his legs underneath him and leaned forward. His arms still wrapped around her now shaky legs, bringing her hips up until they were snuggly pressed into his as he loomed over her. He lowered his face down, stopping beside Eliese’s ruby red face.

“I’m not ashamed of what I’m doing to you,” He huskily alleged in her ear. The feeling of his body heavily pressing into hers and then the way he whispered to her, this caused Eliese sharply inhaled as goosebumps rose up on her skin.

“Are you ashamed of what you’ve been doing to me?” His voice had dropped an octave or two as she spoke into her ear. His hot breath tickling her skin as he spoke. Eliese was only able to manage a shameful nod. Bucky chuckled again, sending vibrations searing through Eliese’s tiny body underneath his. It was like being set on fire from the inside, a slow torturous burn that could go on forever and ever, and ever.  

“Don’t be,” He said lowly, his voice was almost a guttural growl. This was getting too much for the smaller to handle. She knew she wanted him in ways she’s never wanted anybody else, but that was just a fantasy. This was getting too real. She couldn’t handle the excited and immoral feeling bubbling in her stomach and the wildfire roaring through her veins.  

With all her might, Eliese tried to wiggle her way from underneath him. But her efforts were futile when the super soldier tightened his arms around her legs and dragged her back towards him, pulling her hips flush against his. Eliese had to bite back the staggered and, to some extent, excited squeal when she felt something big and hard press against her butt firmly. And it wasn’t his leg. Although, for the sake of comedic relief, one could say it is a third leg. A very big, hard leg. And now it was firmly nestled against the apex of Eliese’s thighs. To both of their reliefs.  

“Oh no, no, no. Where do you think you’re going, doll?” He darkly chortled, holding her firmly against him. He pressed some weight down onto her to keep her from being able to wiggle away again. She could only lay there staring up at him wide eyed, her flushed face was glowing a hell fire red and her body was throwing off the same heat.

“Bu…  –Bucky, please,” ‘Liese pleaded in shallow pants. She pleaded with her entire being to him. Her dark eyebrows were pulled together, and her dark amber coloured eyes begged him to let her go. Her mind was begging him to let her go, but her shaking body deserted her with her desires, begging him to make a move already, otherwise she was going to explode with tension.

“Please, what?” He goaded. His iron gaze never left her trembling body or her pleading face. He licked his lips as his stare stayed on her.  

“You don’t like it when people play games with your emotions?” He questioned, his voice dipping lower than before. His usually bright blue eyes were darkened with lust as they bore down into Eliese’s soul. As if he was watching every secret desire she has, like a movie on the silver screen. This made the smaller female feel exposed and vulnerable, but she’d be lying if it didn’t entice her to keep going, see how far this could go before either of them broke.

“With your desires?” He asked, again dropping his voice lower and lower. Eliese could feel tears beginning to form behind her eyes. The look of fear made itself known across her flushed face. This made Bucky unwrap his arms from her legs, giving her the option to get up and leave. But she didn’t move an inch. ‘Liese stayed half laying over his lap and half on the polyester mat that was sticky from sweat and the heat from their bodies. Bucky took this as a sign she wanted to stay, even though she was scared senseless.

“FRIDAY lock the gym doors,” He demanded in a raspy voice. He kept his eyes locked on hers, watching the fear transform into need and want; a primal selfishness that darkened her already dusky eyes. Without thinking, Bucky dipped his head down until his lips crashed against hers in a burst of needy passion. He grinned into the kiss when her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer to her as the lust fuelled kiss became needier and needier. Her hand found the nape of his neck, tangling in the long strands that were dampened by the light sheen of sweat seeping from his hairline. Eliese could swear hell wouldn’t be nearly a hot as her skin felt in that moment. Especially when his hand found her hip tightly. This made ‘Liese gasp unwillingly in excitement and surprise. Bucky took this opportunity to slip his tongue past her lips as the hungry kiss became more heated.  

His large hand easily engulfed her narrow hip, his fingers curved over the round of her butt while his thumb sat in the crease of her thigh. His fingers dug into the fabric flesh of her butt headily. Eliese so desperately wished for his thumb to extend so it’ll follow the natural valley to where she wanted him the most, to where she needed him the most. To utter her dismay his hand did the exact opposite and disappeared, as did his lips crushing hers.

Oxygen flooded her brain as she opened her eyes to see where he had gone, and why he had gone. But the newly found air inflating her lungs leaped from her chest when she saw his once vibrant blue eyes were now a midnight blue and nearly overwhelmed by his dilated pupils. His dark hair had fallen from the bun, shadowing his face and his dark eyes burrowing into her soul. His broad chest heaved deep breathes, his lips parted slightly. He was now sitting upright between her quivering legs. The way he looked down at her, it was as though he was looking at her like she was his prey and there was no getting away. It both terrified and thrilled the smaller.

He carefully wrapped his hands around her hips and slid her off his lap until she laid on the mat at his side. Eliese was finding it impossible to do anything beyond laying still, staring wide eyed at him as she forced her lungs to take in any amount of air. Her body shivered noticeably when his hands moved from her hips up to the waistband of her black yoga pants, hiking up the black tank top to reveal the thick band of her pants. His darkened eyes moved from hers to the fabric wrapped around the pale flesh of her waist then back to hers. He fingered the thick band as though asking if this was okay. Eliese had lost any ability to speak so in response to his unasked consent, she jerked her hips up from the floor.

Prudently and excruciatingly slowly, he began pulling them down inch by inch. A gasp of air got caught in the back of her throat when his knuckles grazed over her thighs. A jolt of nervousness and exhilaration screamed up her spine at the feeling of his skin brushing one thigh while the cool metal of his other hand touched the other. Bucky stopped immediately and watched her face, looking for any signs that she wanted him to stop what he was doing. But there were none. So, he continued, pulling the black leggings down her jittery legs. An amused grin fell across his face when he saw the white fabric of her panties, tie-dyed with greys, purples and oranges. Obviously one of the many Halloween themed panties in her collection.

“I never took you for a tie-dye person,” He said, admiring Eliese’s charming choice of panties. “–Eat me, hey?” He cocked an eyebrow at the shimmery purple lettering on the front of the panties. Eliese couldn’t help but hysterically and nervously giggle at this moment. When she chose her underwear this morning, she wasn’t thinking they’d be seen by anyone but her, nevertheless by the super soldier she’s been playing a game of cat and mouse with for a week. But it didn’t break either of them from continuing the moment. Bucky resumed back to pulling the black leggings down until they were bunched up around Eliese’s ankles. His eyes took in the dark red and purple-blue splotches that littered the smaller’s legs. ‘Liese stifled a laugh, knowing he was wondering where, why and how the many bruises came to be.

“I bruise like a peach.” She tried to sit up on her elbows, but she fell back down with force when Bucky’s hands pressed on her shoulders, pushing her back down into some sort of submission. ‘Liese let out a squeal when her bound legs were yanked on until she lay diagonally from her previous position, and her legs were hoisted up on Bucky’s shoulder. He leered at the small woman as he leaned forward until his hands were on either side of her head and his hips loomed over hers teasingly. He tauntingly tilted his head as he looked down at her, a devious smirk curving half his face.

“You like them, don’t you?” He asked dryly. He rocked his body forward slowly, making sure not to let his hips touch hers. He wanted to tease her until she’s begging him. He loves it when she begs him. Whenever he’d tease her in a joking way; holding something she wants above her head, just out of her reach and she’d beg him to give it back; that is the first time he wondered what she’d sound like if she was begging him to make her orgasm after a long string of teasing. She didn’t need him to put those thoughts in his head, they were already there. Those thoughts are what made Bucky go to Steve and determinedly request not to put him and ‘Liese in the gym to train together.

Eliese let out a penurious whimper as he steadily rocked his body over hers, avoiding any contact between their hips. Her brows rutted as she tried to wiggle her hips for any sort of friction. Bucky darkly chuckled and shook his head.

“If you don’t answer me, I’ll keep you like this. And you know I can keep this up all day,” He began. “–I’ll ask again, do you like it when your lovers mark you, leave bruises and love bites?” He asked as he ghostly rolled his hips over hers, just enough to let her know he was there but not enough to give her any satisfaction. Frustrated and lust fuelled tears spilled from Eliese’s dark eyes as she tried to find her voice which had once again abandoned her. She could only whimper beneath him. She so desperately wanted to answer him, but she couldn’t. She could see him growing impatient above her which only scared her voice away further.

In the blink of an eye Bucky had sat up and flipped Eliese over onto her stomach. He rested his chest over her back lightly, brushing her dark hair behind her ear. He leaned his face down until his hot breath smothered the side of her face. Eliese could only let out shaky pants of air as her cheek was pressed against the blue wrestling mat. From the corner of her eye she saw Bucky’s form over hers.

“Because judging by what you showed me yesterday, you love it.” With that Bucky brought back a hand, raising it above his head before it swiftly moved through the air until it met the pale flesh of Eliese’s ass. Eliese let out a gaudy lude yelp as the cold metal met her soft flesh harshly. A vibrant red handprint was left in its wake. He waited a moment for her to answer him, and when she didn’t, he repeated his actions with a tad bit more power. Each time his hand contacted her she’d let out an equally loud and lude cry, which caused a noticeable twitch from Bucky’s untouched erection each time. Tears made puddles on the plush wrestling mat around Eliese’s face, out of pure frustration, nervousness, and needy want.

“Eliese, if you don’t tell me, I’ll leave you here. Untouched. Exposed. A mess. Horny to the point where only I will be able to satisfy you,” He said to her lowly, after bringing his body and hands away from her. Eliese let out a barely audible needy cry that was mixed with hindrance. She turned her head away from him, burying her face into the mat under her to hide whatever emotion was most prominent on her flushed face. She shook violently, begging her voice to come back so his promise went undone and she could get some form of release. Bucky hummed at the sights and sounds in front of him.  

“Yes,” She whispered shakily. She took a deep, uneven breath. “–Yes, I do.” This earned an approving hum from the super soldier before he planted gentle kisses across her shoulder blades. She could only let out shaky whimpers when his assault on her backside subsided and was replaced with the soothing feeling of his cool hand gentling rubbing the scorching abused skin. Eliese closed her eyes at the feeling, turning her face so her cheek was back to being pressed against the mat.

“Do you want me to mark you up?” He asked, gently but firmly tapping the dark red bruising skin. A wave of pain ridden but satisfactory shakes screamed through her body. Eliese’s face scrunched as she took a steadying breath.

“Mhm,” She could only hum in response. Bucky chuckled as he ran his fingertips over the dark red spots where his abuse of her ass was more evident.

“I need words, doll,” He said, giving another light tap to the purpling place amongst the redness. Eliese inhaled sharply, her body tensing at the feeling. She had to stabilize herself with quick shallow gasps.

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?” Bucky demanded forebodingly; his hand gently followed the curve of her backside to between her shuddering thighs. His touch ghosted over the wet, hell fire like heat between her legs. Unwillingly, Eliese’s hips jerked back to follow his trace but his other hand firmly grasped the back of her neck to hold her in place.

“Bucky,” She squirmed under his grasp.

“Yes, what?” His voice dripped with dominance and the will to drive the smaller into submission. As lightly as he could he ran his fingers the length between her throbbing clit and her desperate and soaking wet entrance. Eliese shuddered at the feeling.

“Please,” ‘Liese innocently begged as all morality began to vanish from her mind.

“Yes, what?” This time his voice came out as a sinister command. Eliese’s face scrunched at the feeling of his fingers ghosting over the drenched part of her panties. The tips of his fingers taunted her entrance lightly. And with that, Eliese snapped into submission.

“Yes! I want you mark me. Please!” She cried as loudly as her trembling voice allowed. A grim chuckle left Bucky as he rested his hand on the small of her back and removed the one from the back of her neck.

“Now,” He whirred against her ear as he rested over her trembling body. “–Was that so hard?” ‘Liese peeled her eyes open and took in the shadowy figure that loomed over her. She let out a soft sigh when his lips pressed against the shell of her ear. Without thinking she reached back to touch whatever part of him she could get her hands on. Her fingertips ghosted over his cheek, feeling the rough stubble that shadowed his jaw. He turned his face into her touch momentarily to kiss her palm before going back to pressing his lips to her ear.

He pulled away from her, causing ‘Liese to wince at the lack of contact. But she gasped when his large hands had found themselves wrapped around her waist and flipped her over onto her back again. Bucky took in her appearance, noting how the fearful expression was entirely gone now and was replaced with a heavenly semblance. Her face was still flushed and wet from tears. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, catching quick breathes between her parted lips to supply her brain with the oxygen she’s struggling to obtain. Her half-closed dark eyes seemed to be entirely black due to her blown out pupils.

He smiled at the sight of her completely consumed by the state he catapulted her into. He leaned down, placing his lips on hers gently. Eliese sighed against his lips as her hands found their way into his soft hair.

“Such a good girl,” Bucky purred against her lips. His mouth formed his classic smirk when she softly moaned against his lips in response to his praise. His smirk broadened when she stifled a whimper when his hand gently trailed down her exposed stomach to the bright orange lacy band of her underwear. His hand stayed there, curling, and uncurling his fingers gently over her skin. Unknowingly to Bucky, Eliese untangled one of her hands from his hair, letting it fall onto her torso before it sneakily travelled from her body to his. His nerves became fiery when he felt her hand linger over his flexed thigh, delicately brushing the back of her hand up it. This time it was his turn to gasp in surprise when her fingertips danced over his needy erection.

The super soldier had to pull away from ‘Liese, bowing his head down against her breastbone as his breathing hitched and his once sturdy arms shook. The steady, rushing rivers of pleasure coursed through his entire body and his mind was merely river rafting down it, with only the blind hope he’d make it out on the other side in one piece. He hadn’t realized exactly how badly he wanted to be touched until her fingers lightly skated up and down his length.

“‘Liese,” He breathed against her chest, lifting his head to look at her equally pleasured expression. “–You need to stop that.” Eliese watched his jaw clench when she curled her fingers over the obvious figure pressing against the grey sweatpants. Her dark eyebrows furrowed in playful curiosity, lighting grabbing hold of him.

“Why?” She innocently asked, flexing and unflexing her fingers around him in a rhythmical way. His entire body violently shivered at the feeling.

“Because,” He panted heavily. “–I’m close.” ‘Liese shared a quizzical expression as she continued her actions. He’d twitch in her hand with each delicate and calculated movement.

“Close? Close to what?” She questioned in an equally innocent demeanor, but it was laced with playful mischief. Eliese continued to gently touch Bucky’s erection, loving the reaction she was pulling out of him. She yelped when Bucky swiftly grabbed her wrists with one hand, pinning them down against the plush mat. Eliese twisted her hips around so her ass was facing his hips, getting ready for the inevitable. With his other hand he pulled at the waistband of his sweatpants, pushing them down around his knees. Bucky pushed Eliese’s panties aside and in one swift motion he entered her.

Both of their minds reeled at the feeling. ‘Liese loving how his large cock stretched her, pressing against her walls firmly. She couldn’t help but twitch and squirm underneath him. Bucky held himself inside of her, loving the feeling of her walls pulsing around him. He was amazed by how hot and wet she was as she squeezed him. He stayed there, letting them both get used to the physical feeling of their bodies being connected.

“Are you okay?” Bucky breathlessly asked, peering down at Eliese. Her dark eyes were practically rolling at the feeling of being filled like this. A dopey smile fell across her face, she nodded blissfully.

“You can do something now,” She said softly. Bucky nodded in acknowledgment. He slowly, pulled his hips back until the head of his erection was barely inside her before roughly thrusting back into her. This earned a low moan from the smaller. He continued his movements, still pinning her wrists down.

His thrusts began to get faster and harder. Bucky was beginning to lose himself in the moment, completely enjoying the experience and sensations overrunning his mind and body.

“Is this what you wanted, little girl?” He growled, wrapping his free hand around her throat firmly. “­–You wanted me to fuck you like this?” Bucky began to squeeze his right hand that was wrapped around her throat. Eliese’s mind was entirely vacant of any coherent thought. Feeling his cock stroking every inch of her walls with each thrust, on top of his hand firmly squeezing her throat, had sent her mind and body into a state of euphoria. Her head was lost in the clouds and her body felt like it was floating.

“You wanted me to fuck you like a slut?” He remarked through gritted teeth. Eliese let out a high pitched moan, loving the wet sounds coming from their lower regions mixed with Bucky’s growling degradation.

“Is that why you showed me how badly you wanted me? Wanted me to make you my slut?” He snarled lowly. He released her wrists momentarily to rip open the gym shirt and sports bra, exposing her chest to the cool air of the gym. Her nipples immediately hardened from the contact the air condition room. He gripped her throat a little tighter, making sure not to choke her out but enough to send her into a dizzy haze. His leaned down and bit her left breast hard enough to break the skin. Small pools of blood immediately showed up and a dark blue-purple mark accented the bite mark. This earned a loud cry of pleasure from Eliese. Bucky continued to thrust into the smaller at a fast and rough pace while biting down on Eliese’s chest, leaving more bite marks and bruises.

Eliese could feel it, the inevitable rollercoaster approaching the highest point feeling. The air in her body lifted as her skin cooled down. Tingles ran from her toes to her knees. Her eyes tightly closed to shield herself from the drop that was coming next.

“Mmmmmm,” She hummed as the approach was getting closer. “–Bucky…almost…there,” She murmured between heavy breathes.

“Not yet, you’re not.” Bucky smirked to himself, stopping all movement. He released her throat and wrists, sitting up with his cock still inside her. Eliese groaned in disapproval, trying to wriggle her hips in such a way in hopes Bucky’s stilled erection would hit that one special spot to send her flying into euphoria but she couldn’t find it.

The super soldier pulled out of her, earning another disapproving groan from the elfin woman. He grabbed her hips, flipping her onto her knees. He hoisted her ass up while keeping her face against the mat. Bucky, grabbed onto the hem of her panties and pulled them down her thighs, stopping at her bent knees.

Eliese had no idea what he was up to. She started to twist around to get a better view of him but that was interrupted by the feeling of a hot and wet tongue dipping into her core. Eliese squealed in delight. She fell down, face planting into the wrestling mat as her legs shook.

Bucky grinned to himself as he lapped his tongue from her clit to her entrance, probing the wet entrance confidently. With his left hand he reached between her legs and found her clit. He gently pinched it between his forefinger and thumb. Every time Eliese would moan Bucky would hum in response, probing his tongue deeper. He chuckled in amusement when ‘Liese screamed in pleasure when the metal touching her clit began vibrating. Her legs shook as she rocked her hips back against his face. Bucky removed his mouth from her entrance and watched as she kept rocking her hips back towards him.

“Mmm, you taste fucking delicious,” He told her, slapping her bruising ass with his right hand. Eliese shrieked loudly, clenching her thighs around Bucky’s hand. Bucky chuckled again, running his right hand from her welting and bruising rear to the soaking wet entrance. He gently traced her opening with his fingertips while he kept his other fingers wrapped around her clit. Sending a new wave of tingles rushing through Eliese’s legs and toes.

Finally, Bucky pushed two fingers into her core. He began slowly stroking her walls. Eliese’s moans became broken as her eyes rolled. A loud cry erupted from her when she felt Bucky’s fingers curl against her A spot.

“Please, please, please,” Eliese mindlessly begged. “–Please let me cum!” Her cry came out wobbly and desperate. Bucky thrusted his fingers into her deeper and faster, curling his fingers against her walls.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you. Can you say that again?” Bucky mocked in a low voice. Eliese gave him a throaty moan, throwing her hips back into his hand. She so badly wanted more. Her greedy cunt wanted more.

“Bucky, please!” She cried out loud. “–Please let me cum.” Eliese’s begs and pleads caused Bucky to darkly titter at her. Eliese swore her legs were going to give out before Bucky was done with her.

“You’re a greedy little slut aren’t you?” Bucky asked, pushing his fingers knuckles deep into her core and curling them against her walls. He grinned widely when he felt her walls begin to pulse around him, signaling her orgasm was near.

“Yes, I am,” She huffed. “–I’m a greedy little slut,” Eliese practically screamed. Her sore throat was somewhere in the back of her hazy mind, but she was too busy floating around in the euphoric feeling Bucky was supplying her.

“And you want me to let you cum?” He quizzed with an arched eyebrow. From his point of view, Eliese was looking like a slice of heaven on the floor. Her body trembled, a light sheen of sweat glistened over her flushed skin. Eliese’s eyes were clamped shut, brows furrowed, and lips parted slightly.

“Yes, please. Please let me cum!” She replied with a hoarse voice. Eliese let out a whine when Bucky’s fingers left her. But she was soon filled to the brim once again. Bucky thrusted his cock into Eliese without warning. His hands were tightly holding onto Eliese’s narrow hips, sure to leave dark bruises in their wake.

Eliese was completely blissed out at this point. Bucky could throw her at a wall, and she wouldn’t care. She was lost in all the sensations overruling her body. It felt as though she was floating along a lazy river. Her head was swimming. And these sensations translated to her core squeezing and pulsing around Bucky’s member.

This made him thrust into her faster and harder. He grabbed onto her ponytail and pulled it, bringing her back to meet his chest. His other hand wrapped around her throat. Bucky could feel Eliese’s heart beating quickly in the artery in her neck.

“Okay doll,” Bucky murmured in her ear. “–Cum for me,” He gravelly growled against her ear. That was all Eliese needed to hear. She didn’t even realize she was consciously holding back her orgasm until she could just let go. Warm tingles erupted up her legs into her spine. Her mind being catapulted over the highest point of the rollercoaster. Eliese’s body violently shook against his as he continued to thrust into her, riding out her orgasm and chasing after his high.

After a few more thrusts Bucky’s hips stiffened, burying his cock deep inside of Eliese. He was overcome with the feeling of warm water rushing through his groin. His entire body exploded with tingles as his mind was sling shot into the same euphoria Eliese was currently lost in. All while his cock was filling Eliese’s core with his cum, letting it drip out and down her thighs.

The pair of them collapsed onto the plush wrestling mat. Bucky, being careful not to land on top of the smaller. They both panted heavily as they came back to their senses.

“That was…”

“Ugh-huh,” Bucky agreed, knowing what Eliese was about to say.

“You were… wow,” Eliese was at a loss for words. Bucky laughed and nodded in flattery.

“You were wow too,” He told her. Eliese immediately beginning to giggle from all the emotions and sensations her body just went through. Bucky couldn’t help but chuckle along with her. Their giggles were silenced by Eliese’s phone pinging from across the room.

“Looks like you won the dare,” Bucky said. Eliese closed her eyes and nodded in agreement.

“I totally won the dare.”

[maviemesregles]

Once I was an Eagle

This chapter is a turning point for Claire and Jamie, an invisible equator in their relationship. And symbolically it's 10th part of this story. It took an effort to get this exactly right, to build that emotional bridge that'll help us understand their feelings. I hope I managed to capture all the feelings both of them. But please, please have faith in them.

Anne @eclecticstarlightconnoisseur​, thank you for holding my hand along the way  💜

P.S. Sorry for breaking your wee hearts in previous and this chapter, my dear kind-hearted readers. Bear with me ;) ;)

X

A/N:

mo charaid - my friend in Scottish Gaelic

Read on AO3

Chapter I: The beginnings

Chapter II: Sassenach

Chapter III: Catharsis

Chapter IV: Lovestruck. Part I

Chapter V: Lovestruck. Part II

Chapter VI: Flecks of Sun

Chapter VII: Mince pies & baubles

Chapter VIII: Home

Chapter IX: Once upon a dream

                                      Chapter X: Of loss and faith

For what felt like centuries-long minutes, Jamie stood with his palm on the door. His head bowed, breathing deeply, trying to find some strength from the inanimate wood surface for he had none. The only thing that drove him from Glasgow to Edinburgh in thirty minutes was guilt. And fear. He grasped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles blanched white. His gut wrenched as Geillis's voice replayed the manifesto in his head.

His wee Sassenach almost bled to death. His bonny and fierce lass was cut open and he wasna there for her.

He hadn’t cried when Geillis told him. His breath hitched with a sob learning that their child was gone. Burning, expanding heat inside his chest almost cracked it open, threatening to release his bloody insides out. His hands trembled just a bit when he’d found enough courage to ask about Claire.  

“Is she alive?”

His own mother had died because of complications during labour. Jenny’s second pregnancy was a difficult one after which Ian was never the same. Jamie’s fear was rational but so overtaking that he exhaled with a wheezing sound against his throat salty with unshed tears. She was alive and he must fight for her.

Wiping damp hands over the rough denim fabric of his jeans, he gently pushed the door open. A veil of moisture burned in his eyes as Jamie crossed a dark, shadowy room stopping next to the bed. His instinct to shield her, to protect made him almost too weak. Because he failed. He failed her when she most needed him. Jamie sat down in the chair in front of Claire’s motionless body.

Christ, she looked so small and ever so fragile. She was still, covered in a thin white hospital sheet that matched her skin colour. He swallowed against dry tears that burned his throat. Jamie could not make himself look down a small bump of her stomach. It was all that was left showing where their child was once sheltered and nurtured by her body. So he kept his eyes on Claire’s face. She looked so peaceful, drifting to a faraway land where Jamie did not know the route. He wanted to gather Claire close, keep her within himself, let her crawl inside his body and remain there. Safe and guarded. Not hurt.

A Dhia, he would have given everything to be able to take her pain away.

Dr Hildegarde told him it was a placental abruption. Something that could not have been stopped so they had to perform C-section. Their baby was stillborn, one of the complications occurring in fifteen percent of cases. He could feel an aching hole inside his chest and a tight set of his jaw against oncoming wave of tears as Dr Hildegarde’s thin fingers squeezed his shoulder in sympathy. Geillis, with puffy and bloodshot eyes, told him Claire has lost a large amount of blood and received a transfusion.

Jamie kept staring at Claire’s asleep face. Gritting his teeth, he caught a thought at the back of his mind that made his blood freeze. Now that she slept, he hoped she was not in pain. She was but Jamie did not know that. Claire was given pain medication by a nurse and it helped her to drift back to soothing darkness. She did not have to face a reality where she had lost her baby. Claire’s face was smooth, only a slight furrow between her eyebrows disturbed the peacefulness. A part of Jamie wished she slept forever like this. Not hurt, without need to live with the ache and heartbreak of losing their child. He shook his head violently as if to rid himself of the awful thought that was creeping into his fevered mind. The selfish little, fragile part of himself whispered that she’ll hate him. When Claire wakes she will realise what a failure he is and she won’t want him anymore. He feared it and it made him feel sick to his stomach

Jamie hesitated, afraid that Claire could flinch away from his touch as he reached his hand to her. Oh, how much he wanted to comfort her. How he wished he could reverse time and not put his Sassenach to such misery because of himself.

He could bear just about anything but not her pain.

Tips of his fingers gently curved over her soft cheek. She did not move, only eyebrows knitted a deeper crease between them. Jamie bit his lip blood bursting, fighting against the tears rushing as the tide, copper tasting faintly in his mouth.

Even now partly covered in the night shadows, she was so, so beautiful. There was an unearthliness about her pale, pale skin like she would soon belong to the angels. Jamie could almost imagine how their wee lassie would have looked alike with her mother. He sucked in the sterile scented air and exhaled in a shallow breath. The sounds of his heart shattering filled each corner of the room.

Thumb smoothing the transparent shell of her ears Jamie jerked at the sudden sound filling the space. It was a whimper, faint and delicate as early snow but so desperate it made him cold to the marrow of his bones.

“Sassenach,” He whispered, voice hoarse with the effort. Jamie had no idea what he could say to her to make it better. There was nothing. Nothing he could do or say to make it hurt less. She leaned into his palm, face painted with visible distress and Jamie thought he would lose it.

So he did the best he could. Fingers gently curling into her hair, he whispered to her in ancient Gàidhlig as he always did when Claire had hard times. It seemed to soothe her and he had hoped it would bring the same relief to his Sorcha now.

She stilled for a while before her eyes fluttered open. They told him she had awakened before after coming out of surgery when the last lingering sensations of drugs faded away. She asked for him Geillis said. Claire needed him there, and he wasn’t.

She blinked, eyes still dull and heavy-lidded. Her lungs burned as she inhaled deeply as if a needle had punctured the skin. Her mouth was tacky. Feeling a drowsy shadowiness swim behind her dry eyelids Claire stared through Jamie. Slowly coming out from submerging oblivion all she could feel was pain. It started under her skin laying its sharp claws along the edges of her limbs, dipping inside red tissue. It ran in the bloodstream igniting each fibre like fierce lightning bolt traveling from nerve to nerve. The pain was inside burnt deep behind her eyelids, coating her throat, shredding the lungs. Claire’s body hung on the brink of giving in and falling back into the peaceful darkness. It took all the strength she had left inside to concentrate and not step back into the blackness. Her vision blurred, eyes straining with the effort. She felt dizzy. When she realised that her quiet sanctuary was disturbed by an intruder, her eyes finally focused.

Jamie’s lips quirked into a ghost of a smile. “Mo cridhe…” His warm palm cupped her cheek and she shrugged away. Pulling a sheet up to her chin she stared at Jamie as if he was a stranger.

For a long time, there was a silence and neither of them moved.

She felt so lonesome. She was all alone. Abandoned. She was so so so lonely in all of this.

Even in midnight darkness she could see the barely checked tears in Jamie’s eyes. It felt like a millennia that he was frozen. Not able to move or say anything. Jamie looked utterly broken.

Destroyed.

But she did not feel a thing about it.

Swallowing a choking lump in his throat Jamie opened his mouth. He only gasped for air as he groped for words, not able to say anything. Eyes blown wide, hands shaking by his sides, Jamie just looked back at Claire who jerked away again when he wanted to lean down to touch her.

“Don’t touch me” Claire’s voice echoed in the hollowness of her chest.

“I am so verra sorry, Sassenach” His voice was no more than a weak, strangled rasp.

She turned away as the tears spilled down his cheeks, making their way down his neck. She still could not bear seeing him cry.

Her hands slowly reached now a barren expanse of her abdomen. Covered with a thin hospital sheet her own body felt foreign and unfamiliar. Claire was as the goddess Niobe whose children were slain and unburied. She was turned to stone and brooded endlessly over the sorrows sent by Gods. Only this time Claire was the one to blame, her own traitorous body. She laid there, numb and cold as the stone herself.

Claire’s voice cracked, forced out her dry throat. “Go home, Jamie”

“No,” It sounded like a groan. Full of anger, frustration, heartbreak.

When her eyes found Jamie’s, Claire’s words were nothing but a broken whisper.

“I have lost a lifetime with my child before even be able to experience it.”

 °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

It was early predawn with the sun trying to breakthrough stubborn clouds floating over Scotland.

Jamie startled, awakened to the sound of shoes gliding over the linoleum. Geillis gently touched his shoulder, eyes scanning  still asleep Claire.

“Ye should go home, mo charaid,” His fellow Scotswoman circled the bed, glancing at vital signs monitor. “Yer no good like that for Claire, go to sleep, have a bite.”

Standing up Jamie felt needles prickle his numb legs. Muscles cramped from a broken sleep on that tiny chair. Shaking off the remnants of his restless night he turned to Geillis, zipping the jacket up.

“Promise me, ye stay with her and willna leave for a moment?” Jamie nervously ran a hand through his hair, before tapping it on his thigh. “I’m going to use the bathroom and grab something from the car.”

Geillis nodded, smiling faintly. “I willna. But ye promise ye will eat a proper lunch and get some sleep tonight. Ye have to be strong for Claire. She will need ye.”

Jamie swallowed, shaking his head in agreement. The only thing that kept him from falling apart was Claire’s need for him, his strength that he could lend her. Even though she might reject him again, that’s the least he could do for his wee Sassenach.

He was gone no longer than twenty minutes. Jamie made a quick visit to the bathroom, splashed cold water over his face, grabbed an awful resemblance of a coffee from a vending machine. He changed his sweaty t-shirt in the car for a freshly washed gym one, dug out Claire’s favourite Jaffa cakes from the glovebox and was on his way back.

When he stepped inside the ICU room Claire was awake. And it made him somewhat jealous and guilty again that he did not catch the moment when she woke. He froze and just stood like an idiot in the doorway. Claire did not even look up, kept staring at her folded hands on her knees. Mary Hawkins hovered over her changing the bag of IV fluids, smiling shyly as she reminded Claire to eat her breakfast. She only nodded absently but did not touch the tray with tea, porridge, bread rolls and butter with raspberry jam. Claire always thought it was rather funny that NHS offered continental breakfast at hospitals. The last thing she wanted to do was eat now. Claire would gladly remain in a state of unconscious drowsiness and a dead sleep for the rest of her life.

As they were left alone Jamie moved slowly, setting aside the cakes on the bedside stand. He thought he’d seen a faint smile on Claire’s lips but wasn’t sure he did not imagine it.

“Ye mind?” Jamie exhaled, trying to keep his voice steady. Claire scooted over slightly allowing him a bit of space on the narrow bed. Jamie lowered himself carefully to sit, too aware of her fragile state. He was afraid he could break her if he is not cautious enough.

They stayed quiet for a while, both lost in the loud sounds coming from the hospital hall.

“How do ye feel?” He asked at last, eyes searching hers but she stubbornly looked away.

Jamie prayed that she would answer him, that she wouldn’t pull back. His heart was aching hoping that she would grant him the least a bit of mercy and just share her burden with him. Christ, it was his child too.

Claire shivered at the sound of Jamie’s voice. So familiar, so concerned, so him. Somewhere very deep deep inside her there was a space that was screaming for him, that needed him desperately. The ache of it was tearing her apart but it was buried under a cloak of overtaking grief. She could not get out from its cold, gripping claws. The sight of Jamie was breaking her heart, ripping it out but she kept thinking she was alone when it all happened. How scared she was.

Claire wanted to reach out to him and reassure him she’s not angry. But the turmoil was too great. There was a mix of feelings she did not understand. She was scared, angry, she felt guilty and weak. But mostly she was hurt. There was a great deal of pain and Claire had no idea how to deal with it.

She absently smoothed the crumpled fabric of white sheet over her belly.

“Empty,” Her voice cracked. “I feel empty.”

The breath choked out of him and Jamie leaned in to her wanting to cradle her close. But he stopped midway unsure and taken aback by the feeling that he had to think if he can touch her.

His hand froze in the air just inches away from soft curve of her cheek. A lonely tear rolled down Claire’s face and she whimpered against her will. Biting down her lip hard enough so it hurts, so maybe, just maybe it will distract her from the real tragedy her own life turned into. She could not bear to see that look on Jamie’s face. When his thumb gently wiped away a salty drop, the burning soreness inside her chest threatened to burst out burying them both with lava-like sorrow. Her fingers closed around Jamie’s warm palm withdrawing it from her face.

But he kept trying. The haunting feeling of losing her kept him going. He would not lose her.

“Ye should eat yer breakfast, mo ghraidh,” Jamie offered quietly “ Ye need it to keep up yer strength.”

“I failed, Jamie.” Claire’s voice was distant as she drew patterns over the white sheet. “I failed our daughter. I failed us.”

He wanted to say something, deny those ridiculous words but she shook her head dismissing him.

“You should leave, go home, there is no use for you to sit here, Jamie.”

He was losing her. He was losing it all.

Pressing a dry kiss to her forehead Jamie just sat back. If that chair would be the place he has to spend the rest of his days on to be near Claire, he would do it.

Later in the day Claire just laid, resting as much as possible. She spent her time pretending to watch TV, switching the channels just for the sake of keeping her hands busy. With no child to lay in her arms, she felt an exceptional need to do something, anything that would fill that hole. Jamie has been with her most of the time, only occasionally taking trips to the bathroom or to stretch the muscles in his legs, pacing endless circles in the hallway. They did not talk much, only business-like exchange of phrase.

Though Claire needed to remain calm, resting in order to heal quickly, they needed her to get up for walks. Nurse Olivia explained to Claire she needed to become progressively mobile in order to prevent constipation and blood clots. Jamie volunteered but Claire said she wanted Geilis with her. It was a great relief for Claire going on those painful, even though gentle walks with her best friend. It was a change from Jamie’s utterly destroyed face and she felt as she could breathe a little bit easier without seeing him looking so guilty, looking so sad. Geillis did not push, did not start the conversations Claire did not want to hold. She just talked, as usual, made filthy jokes, shared her memories from last Tinder date and filled her in all recent gossip at the hospital. Claire was grateful for that.

Later, after Jamie convinced her to take a bite of a dinner she fell into a restless sleep. Geillis on the other hand finally managed to drag Jamie out of the hospital room and laughed at him softly when he groaned at the bright hall light.

“Yer like a bloody mole.” She pushed him towards the cafeteria paying zero attention at his protests. “Ye have to eat, Claire willna thank me if I let ye starve yerself.”

Geillis only smirked when Jamie demolished two full meals with a clear look on her face “I told ye”. She was rumbling about everything and anything but Jamie barely listened. After some time, wiping the grease from his lips, Geillis moved a plate aside, reaching for Jamie’s hand.

“Dinna worry, she’ll come around,” the ginger-haired woman smiled. “She needs time, time to heal and accept.”

He nodded.

“And so do ye.”

 °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Claire dreamt. She was weightless. Free and peaceful, floating in serene darkness. There was no pain, no fear, no loss. Her body was a feather, not her own, inside the space of the parallel universe. She did not know her name or who she was. Everything was foreign and new. It was dark and soothingly warm. There was no existence of her, whoever she has been before. She felt at peace wrapped in the cocoon of warmth surrounding her. She was nobody, motionless and still. Perfect in its hollowness. There was no time nor space but quiet buzzing filling Claire’s senses. She just was. Swimming in the endless distant land of nothing. She did not know how long she has been there, in the space of bottomless chasm. But then there was something. Growing inside her solar plexus, spreading its roots in her bloodstream. Running under the surface of Claire’s transparent skin. Trying to break out, the pressure of it clawing at her heart. Leaving a flow of blood soaking trail. A name.

Jamie.

[desktopdust]

Phantom Network: Malware Uninstall

A common question bandied about in regards to the Phantom Network is how a bunch of (insert adjectives like “lowlife” or “no good dirty”, etc) thieves manage to work together without constantly stabbing each other in the back. Yes, I’ll admit, even I didn’t quite understand it back when I was but a wee passive civilian living a mundane life, but I now realize this was only because I grossly misunderstood what a Phantom Thief is.

Most often, you hear “thief” and you picture someone taking something for themselves--a selfish hoarder who collects by any means necessary.  A Phantom Thief, however, has more noble goals in mind...and a flair for the dramatic. Bit of a tangent, but important to note. You see, Phantom Thieves don’t steal for themselves: they steal for others.  We take from the rich and give to the poor and all that jazz, because even if it’s only a drop in the ocean of wealth the elites have built up, the act of stealing from them proves that they aren’t invincible.  It’s all too easy to feel powerless in this world.  But when those with power aren’t able to stop regular people from knocking them down a peg, you get a tiny bit of hope, and more often than you might expect, that tiny bit of hope can make all the difference. Those dedicated to making that happen join the Phantom Network with a simple vow: “honor among thieves”.

Usually, that’s enough.  But no organization is inherently pure, and no matter what your goals are (especially when you’re working outside the law), it’s only natural you’ll attract some folks who are in it for the wrong reasons.  And that’s what we have the FW Protocol for!  If a thief is found to have no honor, the Protocol strips them of their privileges and finds the safest way to expunge them from the organization.  We don’t go as far as to execute somebody, but with how difficult memory deletion is to pull off, lifetime imprisonment is a fairly common result.  The system works...most of the time.  The Protocol can’t be too aggressive, so it usually waits for someone else to file a complaint.  But, with the whole “honor” thing, a lot of good Phantom Thieves won’t feel right ratting on their colleagues unless they go way over the line, at which point they’ve probably already caused an incident and have the Protocol on their tail.  Plenty of thieves manage to operate in that gray area, serving themselves without pissing anyone off too much...and I’ve all too frequently had the pleasure of dealing with one such individual.

Kari always pushed the limits even of that gray area.  But it’s rare to find someone who can competently manipulate time, so she wasn’t entirely wrong in thinking that the Network needed her.  Even after being betrayed over and over, I still haven’t filed a complaint, because she hasn’t outright ruined any job she’s been on and I don’t want to resort to drastic measures just for being personally wronged.  Like I said, honor among thieves.  I had decided to just put the whole thing behind me, not work with or even think about her ever again, but...things took a bit of a turn.

The “courtroom” we have at HQ is rarely used, so it’s a bit cramped.  I practically had to wedge myself into the corner as I took my seat and waited for things to kick off.  Opposite the door, the Phantom Network Admin sat at a blocky steel desk: a broad-shouldered, dark-skinned individual with a cyan bionic eye and metal down one half of their face, the other partly obscured by their many red curls.  Between us were four lightly-armored folks who each wore solid red shades, and in the midst of them, Kari, with a jamming bolt stuck to her alchemar between her shoulder blades and shackles on her wrists.

“Phantom Thief Kari, the Epoch Swindler,” the Admin said.  “Following the recent incident at Navy Canyon, the FW Protocol has conducted an investigation and found you in violation of your vow as a Phantom Thief.  What do you have to say in your own defense?”

Kari adjusted her bangs with a puff of air.  “Listen boss, I know I’m not exactly a paragon of virtue--honor isn’t something that comes all that easily to me.  But have I really done anything that awful?  I’m still serving the essential functions of a Phantom Thief, and none of my transgressions have impeded operations in any meaningful way.”  Under her breath, she added, “Until Navy Canyon, at least...but that was an accident.”

“It is worth noting there have been no formal complaints filed against her,” said one of the FWs surrounding her.  “However, when we interviewed those who have worked with her in the past, we noticed a running theme of dishonorable conduct.  Several such thieves have been brought in today to share their accounts on-record.”

The various assembled thieves were called up one by one, each sharing a lovely little tale about some time Kari shafted them.  Honestly it was hard not to laugh: I felt their pain.  Through it all, Kari just stood there, completely silent as her misdeeds were laid out before her.  Part of me couldn’t help but take satisfaction in the sight.  But, another part...

“Lastly, we would like to hear from Phantom Thief Roche.”

I pushed my way to the front of the room, avoiding eye contact with Kari for as long as I could.  When I faced the FWs, though, I could see her out of the corner of my eye, staring dag...huh. Well, she was staring, but not as maliciously as I was expecting.

“Roche.  On how many occasions have you worked with Kari?”

“Ah, nearly a dozen, I guess,” I said.

“And during these occasions, did Kari conduct herself in a manner you found questionable?”

“Every time.”  I saw Kari look to the floor.  That’s the most remorse I’ve ever seen her show.

“In particular, please share your recollection of the Cosmic Sapphire heist.”

“Right.”  I shifted my weight a little.  “A certain Mr. Snyder had the national museum display a set of fine jewels he had collected over the years, so the two of us set out to steal the exhibit.  Breaking in was easy, and then I went to the display room while Kari disabled the security.  As soon as I had an opening, I snatched the jewels, but as I was headed out I was jumped by a mercenary using a sound alchemar.  Turns out Snyder had shelled out quite a sum bringing in extra help once we warned him we were coming.  I’m sure I don’t need to go into detail about why fighting sound-users is tricky--suffice to say I was on the back foot, with things only evening out once Kari showed up.  We were doing okay, so I made a plan to end it.  I got in close as a distraction...next thing I knew, my bag felt a good bit lighter, and I was eating concrete.  Took me a minute to piece everything together, but basically: Kari stopped time, took the jewels off my hand, and then bolted back here on her own.  Not to be dramatic, but I almost died there.  That’s the only time since joining the Network I’ve had to make an emergency call. In the end, Kari got full payment, I looked like an amateur, and…”

Hesitation struck.  See, I haven’t taken a look at the Cosmic Sapphire Collection--it was turned over to the Admin and stored in the Network’s cache--but I’ve always had a strong suspicion that a few of the jewels didn’t make it back to HQ.  I wanted to bring it up, but...it’s not like I had any proof.  It was baseless, and I’d just be slandering Kari and making her (already very bad-looking) case look a lot worse.  She was still looking at the floor, and it was still weirding me out.

Nodding, one of the FWs asked, “And?”

Mmm, I might hate her, but I gotta be fair.  I sighed, continuing, “And, I’m just mad about it.  Being left to die and all.  But, there you have it.”

I went back to my seat.  The Admin folded their hands before their face, staring at Kari as they sifted through the information they had just absorbed.  “Well.  It sounds to me as though you’ve been awfully consistent, and all that’s saved you from comeuppance is the reluctance of more honorable thieves.  Do you have anything to add, Kari?”

She shook her head.  “...No.”

Yikes.  I’d never seen her like this, and it was really starting to get to me.

“This selfish streak casts itself upon your current claims.  Having previously been so willing to let your colleagues come to harm, it becomes more difficult to believe that the losses suffered at Navy Canyon were simply an accident.  Especially considering how flippant you were in the wake of the incident.”

“Makes sense.”

The Admin paused, and boy did it drag on.  Eventually, they said, “Have any come to speak in defense of Kari?”

“None,” answered an FW.

“So we truly have only your word to go on that this was an accident?”

“Come on, I--” Kari snapped, but cut herself off with a huff.  “Alright.  I’m an asshole, no two ways about it--it’s not like I don’t know.  Maybe I didn’t react right to what was going on, but at this point, what do I have to gain by lying about it?  It was an accident.  I didn’t want those thieves to die.  Believe me, don’t believe me, whatever.  Are we gonna keep running in circles, or can we just get this over with?”

Damn, okay. Something got to her.

The Admin said, “You must have an idea of what my decision would have to be if we leave things here.  Are you alright with that?”

“I just want it over with,” Kari mumbled.  “If there’s no changing it, then this is just torture.”

So...she’d already accepted being banned from the Network?  And was still insisting it was an accident?  Why?  What did she benefit from being honest at that point?

The Admin sat up straight.  “Very well.”

Hold on.

“Kari, you are hereby--”

“Wait!” I said.  All eyes turned to me.  “...Boss. To be fair...I think she’s telling the truth about Navy Canyon being an accident.”

The Admin raised an eyebrow.  “You do? Even though she’s put your life in jeopardy before?”

“I mean I’m still mad about that, don’t get me wrong.  But it’s not like she let the others die and then got out of there: she stayed and finished the mission, and even saved the lives of the right flank later on.  Why would she do that if she had killed the vanguard on purpose?”

After another all-too-long pause, the Admin said, “You make a fine point. But even if that was simply an accident, the trend in her conduct still stands.”

I glanced at Kari.  She was staring at me, eyes wide with confusion.  Don’t ask me, I didn’t get it either.  “Of course.  But, we don’t need to overreact, right?  I think the fact that she stayed after that accident shows she’s not a completely lost cause--maybe we can help her to be a little more honorable, given enough time and incentive.”

The Admin considered this, leading to yet another long silence during which I could feel myself growing old.

“Plus, where are we going to find another time-user on her level?  Not to sound like a business bastard, but you can look at it as an investment.”

The Admin chuckled.  “Practical. I suppose if we lock her for a while, we can take the time to educate her on proper Phantom Thief conduct. Mandatory, of course, and she’ll be confined to quarters otherwise.  Reparations will also need to be arranged, but that’s something we can work out at a later date.  Does this sound acceptable to you, Kari?”

She turned back to face the Admin.  “...Well, doesn’t sound like my idea of a good time, but...I suppose it’s better than my other option.”

“This will only work if you are truly willing to learn.  If you remain obstinate, this verdict can and will be amended.”

“Okay, I get it.  I’ll take it seriously.”

“Good.  Does anyone else have anything to add?”  No one did. “Then we’re done.  Please escort Kari back to her quarters and confiscate her alchemar.  Once you are satisfied the conditions are secure, please inform me, and then we can proceed.”

The FWs ushered Kari out of the room.  As she passed, she stared at me, but I kept my eyes forward.  The other thieves filed out, and I stayed where I was until finally the Admin walked up to me.

“I have to admit, Roche: I wasn’t expecting that from you.”

With a shrug, I got to my feet.  “Yeah, me neither.  Couldn’t tell you why that happened.”

The Admin smiled.  “I see. You know, if we’re going to instill a sense of honor in Kari, there’s quite a bit she could learn from you.”

Every muscle in my body went stiff as I began to question recent decisions.

“Don’t worry, I won’t put you through that.”

The tension drained out of me all at once.  You’d think it’d be cathartic, but it was more like the experience of finally vomiting after hours of nausea.

“Thank you for speaking up, Roche.  Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Kari was locked for a good few months after that.  She wasn’t entirely responding well to her training, but she did make an effort, and eventually we got somewhere.  After doing a handful of supervised jobs pro bono, she was allowed to leave her quarters, and no one at HQ saw her for another couple months after that.  But, she did come back eventually and resumed duties as normal.  I haven’t interacted with her since the investigation, and I don’t really feel an urge to change that.  I’d like to think she’s made some real progress, but...it’s hard to give someone the benefit of the doubt after repeated betrayal.  I’m gonna keep my distance.  With any luck, she’s at least got some sense of honor now, and she won’t be my problem ever again.

[ohtheseboysilove]

Omg, I’m living for the winter writing prompts! Could you possibly combine 1 and 6, smutty and fluffy with Ben?

01. we just had a one-night stand but a massive storm hit so now we’re snowed in, hello awkward.

+

06. we always carpool home for the holidays from college but a storm hit and now we’re taking the last room at the local b&b (bonus: bedsharing! we’re adults!)

4248 words (???). Smut and fluff.

!!! Christmas / Winter prompts !!!

"You got everything ?"

You nodded with a tired smile and slid into the car seat, buckling your belt, immediately turning on the heater. The weather was bloody cold and foggy, making you winced.

"You’re sure it’s safe to drive home ?” You asked as Ben jumped behind the steering wheel, taking off his favourite brown beanie from his head.

You chuckled at the mop of curly blond hairs emerging on the top of his head, making him looked much younger than his age.

"My mom said it must be alright, if it’s not snowing we should be okay" He shrugged, always the positive one and started the car, letting you decided for the music. "And I don’t know you but I, really want to go back home for Christmas, no way I’m staying in my shitty uni room for the holidays” He smirked, one hand on the wheel and the other hand scratching the stubble on his chin, eyes focusing on the busy road.

“Yeah, true" You agreed and changed the radio station until you stopped when you heard the familiar rhythm of an old Arctic Monkeys’ song.

You and Ben were from the same little town in the north of England so for every holidays — when the two of you went back home at least — the both of you did the travel together. You shared the petrol price and sometimes when Ben was really tired, he would ask you to drive. It was a win-win situation. So for the third year in a row, you were driving to home, only five little hours away from your native town.

Only two hours into the travel, the traffic was still awful, cars barely moving as everyone wanted desperately to go home for Christmas.

"Ben, close this fucking window ! It’s bloody cold" You scolded him as he took a big puff of his cigarette, blowing the smoke outside the car.

"If I don’t have my fag right now, I’m gonna wreck this asshole who is honking for the past five minutes" The blond groaned and yelled something to the man, giving him his middle finger when he finally managed to pass him. “What a prick" Ben scoffed and watched him drive away, his hands and lips red from the coldness.

"You have literally no patience" You chuckled and popped a m&ms in your mouth, lazily chewing it.

The blond shrugged and threw his cigarette butt on the road, earning a warning glance from you. He gave a big innocent smile and you would lie if you said that your heart didn’t miss a beat at this moment.

"Gimme one, missy" He opened his mouth, head lightly turned toward you.

You threw it one which fell on his lap then somewhere on the floor, he complained about your aptitude to throw correctly and you gave him your middle finger for all answer. He asked again and this time the sweet hit him square on the teeth, a pathetic whine escaping from his plump lips.

"You’re such a baby" You rolled your eyes.

"Am not, you could have break my fucking teeth" He scolded and ran his tongue on his mouth, checking if everything was still here in the little mirror above his head. "Now gimme one correctly please"

"For a rugby player you’re a total pussy, you know that ?" You sighed and handed him the packet, ignoring the memories about the few times you had the chance to witness Ben in his tight little rugby short. It was true sight for the eyes. The blond smirked with amusement but didn’t move his hand, simply opened his mouth. "I’m not gonna feed you, Benjamin" You stated with a death glare, pushing another m&m’s in your mouth instead.

"My hands are busy" He gave you a cocky grin, wiggling his fingers firmly wrapped around the wheel. "Come on, pretty please ?" He fluttered his eyelashes exaggeratedly but you simply ignoring him, gaze looking outside the window.

"Ouch !" You gasped when you felt a harsh pinch on your right thigh. "Asshole" He simply smiled wider, still waiting for his chocolate.

He squeezed your thigh again and this time you decided to cave. The warmth of his hand around your leg was distracting you way too much. And you still have few more hours before arriving home so it wasn’t really the time to get naughty thoughts about Ben. You pretended to be annoyed and grabbed two m&ms, popping them between his pink, pillowed lips. You felt warmth spread around your neck when he playfully bit your digits, giving you a teasing smile.

"Thanks, love" He sent you a smirk and gazed back at the road, a satisfied smile floating in his face.

You mumbled a low ‘you’re welcome’ and swallowed nervously, hoping your cheeks weren’t as red as you were feeling hot. That was the thing with you and Ben, this constant...sexual tension. You knew each other for three years, hanging out together sometimes, no quite as usual as you did with your other friends but still friends nonetheless. Ben was hot, you couldn’t denied that and you weren’t bad yourself, you caught him checking you out more than once and he probably did the same with you but nothing never happened. Mostly because when you met, you had a boyfriend for most of the year. Then he started seeing this girl from his class when you broke up with Chris. Timing was always a bitch for the two of you and honestly you weren’t a fan of one night stand with one of your friend. It could be really awkward. But for the first time that you found the both of you stuck in the car for hours, you were both completely single. Meaning anything could happen. But you weren’t sure if you wanted something to happen. Or if he wanted that.

**

You were already three and half hours into the drive home but still bloody far away as the roads were busy and slowed down because of the bad weather. You both decided to stop for a wee and a coffee at the first gas station.

"I took you a latte" Ben yawned when you came back from the toilet, seating in front of him at the little picnic table outside.

"Thanks Benny” You lazily replied, the cold wind making winced.

You drank in silent and quickly, stealing little glances to each other. You hated how cute he looked with his beanie back on his head, few curls escaping from it.

"I’m gonna buy fags, do you need anything, love ?" You shook your head and thanked him when he threw you the car keys.

You rapidly went back into the warmth of the car and slid off your shoes before dropping your clothes feet on the dashboard, stretching lazily your arms.

"It’s so bloody cold" Ben complained when he came back few minutes later, rubbing his hands together as he sat back. "And bad news, it’s snowing"

"It is ?" You gasped and opened the window to check, few snow flakes falling slowly onto your hands before melting. "Shit"

"The cashier said a storm is coming and most of the road would be close soon enough" You dropped your head back into the seat with a desperate groan. "He said there is a little motel not far from here but we should get going if we want to find available rooms" He sighed and looked at you, a grimace on his face.

"Great, this is great" You crossed your arms above your stomach and shrugged. "Well let’s go I guess. We don’t really have any choice, right ?" You watched Ben nodded weakly as he started driving again, fingers drumming nervously on his thigh.

You only had fifteen little minute to the cheap motel but the weather turned out absolutely horrible. It was now heavily snowing, you could barely see the road and it was quite dangerous to keep going without snow chains. When Ben finally reached the motel you were both relieved and quickly made your way to the reception, praying there way still rooms.

"Hi, could we rent two rooms for tonight, please ?" You asked with your nicest, pleading smile.

The old lady at the reception checked the reservation on a clipboard, her glasses pressed on her nose as she looked for available rooms.

"Unfortunately we have only one room left for tonight, would you still have it ?"

You and Ben exchanged a quick glanced and immediately accepted. The options were pretty limited anyway. She handed you the keys of the fifteenth room on the second floor and the blond told you he would go grab your and his stuffs. You walked to the room and sadly, it wasn’t twin beds but only a double one in the middle of the room. The situation was awfully cliché but it did make you nervous.

You sighed and checked the tiny little bathroom, your body craving for a hot shower. You decided to take one now, it would be done for the night as it was already six in the evening.

"Feeling better ?" You almost jumped as you found Ben laying on the bed, one arm flexed under his head as he watched something on the small t.v hanging on the wall.

"Yeah, much better" You tightened your grip around the white towel around your body as you entered the room, looking into your bag for some comfy clothes.

You felt your heartbeat quickened as Ben’s eyes followed your movements, glancing at your legs freshly exposed. It was certainly going to be a tense and long evening.

**

The both of you were munching on ham sandwiches nicely made by the lady owning the hostel as mostly everything around was close because of the snowstorm, the electricity was long gone because of the weather. No t.v or lights. That why you were in a strange romantic atmosphere with candles and flash lights, seating criss-crossed on the bed, sharing a bottle of rhum together. The heater wasn’t really good and there was nothing much to do expect play cards and get drunk.

"Alright, you won again" Ben sighed and threw his cards on the night table after losing for fifth time in a row against you. "Can we do something else ? It’s not fun anymore” He complained as you beamed with pride, loving teasing him about your wins.

"You’re a sore loser Benjamin” You smirked and took a good swing of the rhum, grimacing a bit at the strong taste. "But I agree, it’s a bit boring to always beat your ass"

He rolled his eyes and snatched the bottle from your hands, taking an equal big sip as you.

"Never I have ever...suck a dick" Ben grinned, apparently really proud of his phrase as he knew you would probably drink.

"Very mature, Benny" You clicked your tongue but took a sip, feeling like in a fucking teenage movie. You played to this kind of game quite often but with much more people in the room usually. You felt like the situation could get out of hand really quickly. "Never I have ever...lick a pussy" You decided to play his little game and childishly blew him a raspberry.

"You don’t know what you’re missing. Pussies are delicious" He shrugged and drank, running his tongue on his pillowed lips to catch a lost drop of rhum. Your neck warmed at the thought of Ben eating you out, his pretty red face buried deep inside your thighs could certainly be a beautiful view.

The game went on with stupid sex questions which had for only goal to make the other drank more. When you both ran out of ideas you stopped the games and instead told each other awkward and a bit embarrassing anecdotes.

"He didn’t not !" You giggled loudly as Ben’s eyes were wide open after you told him about the time you ended up spending the night with a weirdo. "God, that’s crazy"

"Right ? And fuckin’ embarrassing, I was so drunk" You giggled more and squeezed Ben’s knees. "You turn now, mister Jonesy"

He nodded and wiggled his button nose, thinking about something funny to tell you. Your gaze lingered on his face, admiring his strong and perfectly well-define jaw, his high and beautiful cheek bones or his large shoulders barely hiding by his thin white cotton tee-shirt. You felt your features burned when you met his — gorgeous — green eyes, catching you checking him out shamelessly. He held your gaze for few seconds, wetting his pink lips with his tongue. You quickly looked away, pressure bubbling in your belly at his intense stare.

"Okay, I have a good one" Ben announced with a raspy voice. You looked back at him, ignoring the goosebumps spreading on your arms. How where you supposed to sleep next to him tonight ? "Do you remember Sasha’s party for his twenty-two birthday ?"

"Of course I do" You snorted at the memories, it had been a wild night.

"And this girl I brought home with me ? Natalia ?" You frowned your brows then nodded, remembering the beautiful blond girl from Sasha’s class. "So we hum...we had sex but I called her the wrong name" He confessed, the tips of his ears reddening.

"What ? Oh Ben, this is awful" You cackled loudly, covering your mouth with your hand to stop the stupid giggles.

"I know I wasn’t very proud" He playfully smiled and swallowed quietly, his Adam’s apple bobbing harshly. "And now she hates me"

"Can’t really blame her" You teased him.

"True but I can blame you" Ben said bluntly, his large palm rubbing his chest under his top. Thing he did when he was embarrassed.

"Me ?" You squealed with arched brow, not sure where he was going with this information.

"You" He repeated and you shared a long, heavy gaze, only broke when you watched his hand slowly rubbed on your clothed thigh. "I...I said your name that night" Your eyes widened but you stayed silent, not knowing if you were supposed to laugh or not. "I saw you wearing this tiny little skirt, the brown one and I couldn’t think about anything else that night" You felt your breath stopped for a long second, excitement bubbling inside your stomach.

"Y—yeah ?" You murmured quietly as he crawled next to you, his hot breath falling against your face.

"It’s wasn’t the first time I thought about when I was with someone else" He whispered back, the shadows of light from the candles were dancing on his face, the green of his eyes deeper than ever. "Thought about you a lot, more than I should" He slowly trailed a pad on your burning cheekbone, testing the water.

You were silent, a bit shocked by his words. Ben, probably one of the hottest person you ever met had naughty thoughts about you. It was insane. A pool of wetness was already forming in your knickers.

"I did too" You breathed quietly, shivers rolling down your spine at the just filling his pretty eyes. It was happening. For real.

"Can I kiss you ?" His nose bumped slightly against yours and for all answer you pressed your needy lips against his.

The kiss was hungry and hot, tongues quickly messing with each other, hands roaming on both of your bodies. It was a kiss from years of building tension finally exploding in a rough, eager kiss. You tugged on his top and he took the hint pretty quickly, throwing it somewhere on the floor as you immediately sponged pecks against his strong and smooth chest, heavy sighs escaping both of your mouth.

"God, I need to see you, love. Please" The blond murmured and you let go of his nipple, taking off your tee-shirt and exposing your bare breasts to the gorgeous man under you. "Holy shit, you’re so hot" He cursed, tongue trailing around your tits, one of his hand already working inside your pants, fingers rubbing against your socked panties.

"Ben, need more" You cried, hips bucking against his frame, your hand firmly gripping his curly hairs. "Take my pants off” You said in a panting pleading, watching him with quickly did it before doing the same with his own.

He didn’t lost a second and dove two fingers inside your mouth, making you suck them before caressing your folds, earning loud moans from you. Soon enough it wasn’t his fingers anymore but his burning tongue inside you, legs bended on his shoulders, his thumb taking great care of your throbbing clit.

"Oh shit" You whimpered, pressure building inside you dramatically quickly and you couldn’t do much expect pushing his mouth further between your legs. "Keep going Ben !" You rolled your left nipple between your digits, babbling incoherent words as you reached the edge of your orgasm.

You came in a shamefully loud pleading of Ben’s name, waves of pure bliss crashing down you. You could here him sucked his fingers clean, making you whimpered at the obscene sound. He grabbed your chin for a lusty kiss, teeth knocking against each other but frankly you couldn’t care less, you just needed him at this moment.

"Oh god, love !" Ben cried when you wrapped your fingers around his cock, giving few pumps on it.

"Do you have a condom ?" You breathed quietly, nails sinking into the skin of his neck as he nibbled naughtily your collarbone.

"Yeah" He pushed himself of the bed and you didn’t miss the occasion to look at his perky pretty ass before he came back, proudly shaking a condom. "Come here, love" You did as he said, spreading your legs just for him and he quickly rolled the protection on his hard length, his chest panting up and down. "You’re ready ?" You nodded, bottom lip trapped between your teeth as you watched his thick shaft disappeared inside you, a grunt falling from Ben’s throat at the same moment.

It was clearly better than you could have imagined.

**

You were freaking out. Hands against the sink and your gaze facing you into the mirror.

What now ?

You just had sex with Ben. Incredibly good sex by the way. But still, what now ? You hated this kind of awkwardness, you were already overthinking every little details of the evening and it was wasn’t looking good. You still have two hours and half of driving tomorrow with the blond, why on earth did you sleep with him ? Was it only a one-night stand ? Probably. He never mentioned any feelings toward you.

You swallowed nervously and after peeing, you splashed fresh water onto your face, taking a deep breath before joining Benjamin. He was casually laying under the covers, only wearing his boxer and it was incredibly distracting but you didn’t look at this chest, feeling already too uncomfortable. He was lazily scrolling on his phone and gave you a little, tight smile when he met your gaze. Awkward. He seemed as uncomfortable as you were. Great.

You hurried up to the bed, wearing your fluffy pyjama and slid under the heavy covers, barely looking at him.

"Goodnight, (Y/N)" He called your by your name and it was a very rare fact. You felt even worse, rolling the covers until your nose to hide your flushed face.

"Night, Ben" You closed your eyes and quickly fell asleep, as far away as possible from him, — without being too obvious — tired by the amazing sex you just had.

**

The next morning was even worst. Few words were exchanged as you both packed your things after a quick shower and a disgusting cup of coffee, making your way to the reception in a dead silence.

"Oh my dears, but the roads aren’t clear yet, the snowstorm is probably going back in the end of the morning so no circulation before at least tomorrow afternoon" The old lady explained when you handed her back the room’s keys.

"What ? Are you sure ?" You asked with nervousness, the thought of staying stuck here with Ben was making your stomach churned. You weren’t one for confrontation, more like avoiding awkward situation like this one.

"It’s all over the news, sweetie. The electricity is back but I’m not sure for how long" She gave you an apologetic smile and you kept the keys, not having much choice anyway.

Ben was surprisingly silent as you made your way back to the room, a ball of stress eating you alive. It was the worst fucking scenario ever.

"I’m gonna for a smoke" The blond said before disappearing quickly, leaving you all by yourself in the bedroom.

"Bloody hell" You cursed and let your face fell in your palms, wondering how the fuck you were supposed to spend more time together in this tense atmosphere.

You opted for a coward escape and slid under the covers, pretending to nap when you heard Ben in the hallway. He opened the doors and silently took his shoes off, seating on the side of his bed, sighing quietly.

"(Y/N) ? Are you awake ?" He murmured and ran a hand into your messy hairs, making you swallowed silently. "Come on, love, I know you don’t nap so early in the morning" You simply buried your face further into the covers, neck bright red with shame. "We need to talk" He added and tugged on the covers, trying to see your face.

"I’m sleeping" You mumbled and he simply chuckled, opting for an other tactic. He slid under the cover and moved until he was face to face with you.

"Hi there" Ben murmured with a little smile. "It too hot under these covers, how can you even breath ?" He exclaimed and you simply shrugged, nose buried into the pillow to avoid his intense gaze. "(Y/N), come on. I wasn’t that bad, was I ? Can you at least look at me ?" He tried to joke but the glance you gave him making stopped immediately.

You were so uncomfortable and Ben was just making the situation worse.

"I don’t wanna talk about it" You whispered. "We just had sex, it’s not a big deal" You mumbled with a bitter tone and wished you could just disappear from here right now.

The blond chewed on his lip for few seconds, one of his finger gently caressing the shape of your jaw, making you froze.

"I think it’s a big deal. Or you wouldn’t react like that. Not talking to me, barely looking at me" He stated the fact and you felt even more ashamed. It wasn’t your fault if you were the kind who get too easily attached or who couldn’t just have sex with someone then pretended it never happened. "I can’t read your mind, love. You need to talk to me" He slid two fingers under your chin, forcing you to finally look at him and you probably never felt more vulnerable than right now.

"Does it mean something to you ?" You murmured anxiously, cheeks burning from how uncomfortable you were. "Or was I just a...random shag ?"

"Of course not, (Y/N) ! You’re my friend, I would be totally stupid to go to you if I only want a quick fuck" Ben frowned his brows, a bit destabilised by your words. "I like you, (Y/N), I thought it was quite obvious" A delicate shade of pink painted on his face, his voice less confident than usual. "Especially after yesterday night"

You were both a blushing mess, the memories of the night before still freshly inked in your minds.

"I...didn’t know" You replied in a whisper. "You barely talked to me this morning, I thought you regretted it" You voice broke at the last word and Ben’s face fell when he noticed that you were hurt because of him.

"I’m sorry, I should have said something yesterday but you were so uncomfortable, practically running to the bathroom then going straight to bed..." He sighed heavily, his warm hand softly cupping your cheek. "I didn’t want to push you to talk to me so I thought we can talk about it today but it was even worst, I didn’t know how to speak about the subject anymore. I’m sorry if you felt like I used you like for a cheap and easy shag, it’s not true"

You let out a shaky breath, relief rolling down your body and pressed a hand on Ben’s cheek, giving him a timid smile.

"I’m sorry too, I hate awkward conversation and I didn’t know what to say so I just...avoid it" He rubbed his thumb against your skin before pressing a butterfly kiss on your cold nose. "But I like you too, Ben. For few months now" You admitted with a shiver.

"Try few years" He chuckled softly and you looked at him with shock. "It’s alright our timing had always been awful but we finally got it right” He winked and you nodded shyly, biting on your lip before capturing his mouth for a slow and tender kiss.

"You know what ? I’m pretty glad for this shitty snowstorm" You giggled as he trailed few pecks on your face, looking at you with tenderness.

"I think people called that a Christmas miracle" Ben smirked and you cackled louder before he found your lips again, sweet and perfectly shaped for each other.

**

[heythatpenguinhere]

Change

*Happy early Thanksgiving!! I am thankful for all of your support and all these amazing fandoms and worlds to get lost in. Here’s another Rayllum fanfic to give you some love. Its a bit angsty, but full of love and fluff to enjoy. As always, thanks again for reading! I’m always open to ideas and prompts to write away to. (Pardon any errors, I hadn’t proofread it yet but was so excited to share it) 

A woman’s scream ripped through the magical woods of the Xadia. I pair of emerald eyes were torn violently awake at the sound and the familiarity of the voice. The lack of a warm body next to the man confirmed his worst fears. 

“Rayla!” He screamed. 

Callum tore the woven sheets off his body with fervor and began to search the small home frantically for his love. She had been right next to him when they had gone to bed. She had smiled as she tucked her body into his and closed her eyes to the night. He had soaked the bliss that came with knowing he was hers and she was his; that she was safe in his arms every night. Yet now she was missing and the only sign he had of her was her piercing scream mere moments again. 

“Callum!” A distant voice yelled back desperately. 

He turned his body to the voice’s direction and ran. Under the dim light in their home, he found Rayla leaned against the hallway wall. She was huddled in herself, doubled over in pain perhaps? 

He dropped to his knees in front of her, “Rayla! Rayla what is wrong?” He said scanning her body for injuries of any kind or the source of her pain. 

She seemed to be wincing for sure. “I-I don’t know. It just hurts! I think I’m... bleedin’...” 

Callum was instantly more alarmed now. “Bleeding where? Where does it hurt?” He said, holding onto her arms now to balance her. 

Rayla groaned, “My belly… it hurts… I’m bleedin’ under Callum!” She stated in frustration. 

Callum was incredibly more confused now and still panicked. He didn’t know why she would be in pain or bleeding especially from there. 

“Callum, don’t just sit there… get help!” She shouted at him and Callum shot up and out of their home in record time.

Rayla was hurt and he knew needed to get help, but Lord knows he didn’t want to face her wrath either. 

-

Rayla now lay in a cot resting. A local Elven healer was quick to come when noticing Callum’s frantic pleas for assistance luckily and was able to move her to the medical hut. While he examined her and even used some magic to look into further details, Callum couldn’t help but be on edge. Rayla was in pain and he couldn’t do anything to help her. Her grip on his hand was enough to restrict his blood flow, but he didn’t mind truthfully; he would grin and bare it to offer her whatever he could. The healer hummed to himself, expression pinched in concentration. As Rayla let out another groan of pain, he gestured to a woman who came with a vial of colored liquid. 

“I am going to administer some pain relief to her, to help her ailment.” He said kindly to the both of them. 

Rayla groaned, “It’s… about time!”

-

With Rayla now more calmed and relaxed, Callum could also take a slight break for himself. He was relieved when she was no longer stirring in pain or discomfort. He was still concerned as to what was wrong and if they could fix it.

“Rayla? I just want you to know that I’m here with you okay?” He said squeezing her hand. He still hadn’t let go of it yet. 

The tired Moonshadow elf before him smiled, an expression of care gracing her features. “I know. I know you are.”

-

“I’m WHAT?!” 

For the second time that night, Rayla’s voice broke through the air. It wasn’t a scream of pain this time, but rather something else.

“You’re with child Rayla. Congratulations are in order it would seem then! You both are to be parents.” The healer said, yet again much too kindly and unnerved by Rayla’s tone of voice. 

The two “parents-to-be” sat absolutely dumbfounded, mouths still gaping like a fish out of water. Rayla was pregnant. She was going to have a baby. She and Callum were going to have a baby. A baby them was happening…

“B-But how can that be? I’m an elf and Callum is a human! I-I’ve never heard of this happenin’ before!” She stated, stumbling over her words in disbelief as Callum had yet to move an inch. 

“It’s rare, but not unheard of. Elves and humans are similar enough in make up to procreate if desired, but there are still very few pairs like yourselves yet within the kingdoms. You both may very well be the first to do in hundreds of years! You’re making history literally.” He stated with hands expressive and excited. 

They both took a second to process more of what was being said to them as Rayla touched her flat stomach. There was an actual living, breathing, developing mix of her and Callum in there; this was really happening. Neither of them had given much thought into the possibility of kids. The couple was recently married as of about a year or so now and were still adjusting to young, married life; everything was about to change now. 

Rayla turned to face Callum, “We’re… we’re going to be parents.”

With a loud thunk noise, Callum fainted. 

-

“Please keep in mind that this pregnancy will be a bit difficult. We don’t have any real way of knowing your gestation duration and any complications that could occur from a halfling birth. I would recommend plenty of rest and before you object, please do so for you and your child’s sake.” The man noted on a scroll with notes for Rayla and Callum to take with them. 

To say Rayla was annoyed at this, was an understatement. Rayla did not do well with sitting still and just “resting”. 

Despite the irritation, she looked down at her belly, “You wee devil already changing things for us huh?” She said teasingly and rubbed it affectionately. 

Callum watched on, now having gained consciousness, at the sight before him. His wife and now their child sat in front of him; the tiny, defenseless life that surprised them both. Would he be a good dad? Would everything go well? Would Rayla get ill again like she did earlier? How complicated would things get? How were they going to prepare for a new life? The questions swirled around and around in his head, threatening to overwhelm him and take his breath away. 

“Callum?” Rayla’s voice pulled him from inside his head. 

He looked into her eyes to see uncertainty. She was still holding onto her belly. He didn’t quite know the words to say. 

“Are you okay?” she asked him. 

“I-I’m alright. I’m sorry Rayla… I didn’t ever want you to get hurt and I am sorry I didn’t consider the possibilities of you being in this state. I should have been more careful. I’m sorry, but I promise I’ll be here by your side always.” He said reaching out to grasp the hand around her stomach. 

“You big dumb human. I didn’t consider it either, but I’m happy. Really I am. We get to be parents now Callum. I know it may not be easy, but we’re a family. We have each other through this and I know you’ll be amazing dad. I love you.” She said, eyes tearing up. 

Those words reassured Callum to his core. Tears threatened to fall in his own eyes and he squeezed her hand before moving it to her belly. He moved closer and leaned down. 

“Hi little one, I’m your dad.”

-

Labor was a nightmare. Rayla had gone into labor around 8 months in and had complications. She had begun to hemorrhage at one point and Callum nearly fainted again as he saw the amount of blood being expelled. The healer had been right, the pregnancy would not be easy and the labor wouldn’t be either. Rayla took the contractions and labor like an absolute warrior however and Callum was overwhelmed with awe at his wife’s strength in those moments. 

It was a long process and no one knew what to expect when the baby was delivered. Would it look human or elf or even both? Would it be healthy at all? Callum was holding his breath and wishing to whatever he could that both Rayla and their child would be safe. 

After nearly a full day of labor, Rayla and Callum’s child was finally born. The child’s cries filled the air and mixed with cheers of excitement in the room. Their child was placed in Rayla’s tired arms quickly as the healers worked to finish tending to Rayla. Callum swore he had never seen a more beautiful sight in his eyes; their child and his wife together, gazing at each other. 

“It’s a girl!” 

The halfling was a perfect mix of the two of them: she had white shiny hair like Rayla, skin lighter than Callum’s but not tinted like Rayla’s own. She also had small markings on her face that curled from the sides of her closed eyes, along with a freckle under her left eye. When she opened her eyes, they were a hazel green color as well. 

“She’s so beautiful…” Rayla said now having relaxed further from labor. 

Callum could only nod in agreement and reached his hand out to her. Their daughter wrapped her tiny hand around his finger and he swore he melted right then and there. 

-

“Happy Birthday Sarai!” They both said as they walked into their daughter’s room. 

The little toddler squealed in joy and motioned to be picked up. 

Callum reached out and grabbed her in his arms. Sarai was one year old now. They couldn’t believe how the time had gone by! Their little surprise was blossoming every single day. Her white hair had grown with slight waves to it and she had two tiny horns developing now on her head (much to Rayla’s utter joy). She still remained a great mix of her two parents, but she surprisingly had her inherited from both their families as she had her grandmother’s freckled beauty mark and similar eye markings to her other grandmother. 

Sarai was loved by all around her. She was dotted on by her uncle and other family members constantly and even strangers could not help but marvel at the little doll-like child with two different backgrounds. Her parents had expected pushback from some due to her parentage, but the support outweighed the negative. And truthfully Rayla had no issue pulling out her blades if anyone ever got too touchy about her daughter either.

She was truly the joy of their lives. She wasn’t expected, but now the two of them could not imagine life without her in it filling it with newfound joys. The lessons they were learning as parents and the growth they together had was amazing. The depth of their love for each other and Sarai kept growing. Their little family was perfect and the future of Xadia had never looked brighter.