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sunnydaisy1 · 4 years ago

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Kayaking

DYLAN O’BRIEN X READER

A/N: wassup im backk! okay not really school is once again kicking my arse and im back to posting once every century *finger guns* but yeah I’m now obsessed with dylan obrien again and wrote this. - Also, sad note, my computer is not letting me update my masterlist so my Tom Holland x reader and this post won’t be on there but everything can still be accessed via my profile. Thankss :))

SUMMARY: You and dylan are camp counsellors and are leading a kayaking activity together (i suck at summaries)

Maybe gets a lil spicy spicy hehe

You walk into the canteen, a bubbling group of 8 year old's behind you bouncing with adrenaline from just completing the trampolining activity. You walk them over to the tables laid out in a long row, ensuring every kid was seated before taking your own place. You chatted with a few of the campers as they patiently waited for lunch. Before long the canteen was becoming packed with campers and counsellors alike, and you turned when you heard a particularly rowdy group of kids enter, lead by none other than Dylan, a red bandana tied around his head and a wide grin plastered on his face. He immediately caught your eye and sauntered over to your table, followed by his kids as they merged with yours. Dylan plonked himself in the empty seat next to you since Alyssa had moved up to make room for him. You had whisper shouted at her not to but Dylan come over before she could move back. "Hellooo ladies." Dylan beamed at you, crossing his arms in front of him. You rolled your eyes but a small smile slipped onto your lips. "How was trampolining?" He asked the group of campers sitting near to him, catching you by surprise as he must have looked at what you had on your rota. "It was awesome!" Arthur responded, eagerly exclaiming from a few seats down. "Yeah Y/N showed us her backflip!" Kiera cheered from beside you, making Dylan raise his eyebrows in surprise at you. "Oh really?" His mouth twitched with a slight lopsided smirk. Last night, you, Dylan and some other counsellors had the night off and were allowed to hang out in the indoor sports area. You had ended up dragging Dylan over to the trampolines, wanting to bounce and do your very impressive forward rolls. Dylan had almost ended up pissing himself when he saw you roll haphazardly across the trampolines, hair becoming staticy. You had pouted and shoved him playfully, jokingly teasing that he couldnt do any better. Of course Dylan had then proceeded to back flip in front of you, making you feel overwhelmingly embarassed. He had laughed at your shocked face that quickly turned appalled when he asked if you wanted him to teach you how to do it. You had very reluctantly (okay so maybe not that reluctantly when dylan pulled your hand into his) agreed to let him teach you how to do it. He got a mat for going underneath you incase you fell and you were surprised with how careful he was being, Dylan normally being so utterly careless and clumsy. He had started with getting you to just bounce, laughing at your frustrated face. You soon progressed onto the actual flipping, starting off with Dylan holding your back and upper legs to help you master the movement before you managed to do it yourself. By the end of the evening you had mastered a pretty impressive backflip, feeling proud of yourself and way more confident in your new trampolining skills. Dylan of course had loved every second of it, playfully teasing and coaching you whilst maybe also enjoying having an excuse to touch you. You looked sheepishly to Dylan as Kiera continued to babble on about trampolining and he nudged your shoulder with his, "proud of you." You grinned but also felt your entire body heat up with the soft gaze of affection Dylan was looking at you with. You muttered a thanks, being interrupted by the shrill echoes of the lunchtime bell. Amy, the head counsellor, stepped to the front of the canteen as always, making sure everyone knew what was going on before she announced which table would get food first. Soon, it came to your table and you queued up behind the campers, waiting with Dylan at the back. Grabbing you both a tray you handed him his, to which he grinned and thanked you. You headed over to the hot food station, one of the workers serving you a sausage roll before you walked to the salad bar. You were scooping some sweetcorn onto your plate when you felt a hand on your lower back. You instantly jumped and turned to see Dylan smirking at you. "Piss of will you O'Brien you almost gave me a heart attack." He just grinned and popped one of the tomatoes from your plate in his mouth, chuckling as you thwacked him before he scooted off to your table. You sighed as you collected your plate and returned to your seat, narrowing your eyes at Dylan as he watched you with a widespread grin. "You're such a pain Dyl." You stated, taking a bite of your sausage roll. "Thanks y/n, love you too." He responded, munching on his meal. Soon, lunch was over and you and Dylan had both sent off your campers to get changed into their wet gear, as you had a joint kayaking activity together this afternoon. You retied your laces before hopping back up, Dylan walking over to you after collecting the keys to the canoe shed. He wiggled his eyebrows at you, jangling the keys in his hand. You let out a huff of amusement, before you both walked down to the lake together. Dylan quickly unlocked the shed, walking inside the slightly damp and musky structure. He hauled out the large bags containing the life jackets while you untied the straps holding the kayaks together. Once you noticed Dylan slipping into the toilet at the back to change into his trunks, you scooted out the shed, wanting to find the red life jackets for your campers. Your fingers were fumbling with undoing the bag's ties and you had just managed to pull out the adult sized life jacket when Dylan sauntered out, grabbing the jacket from your hand and slipping it onto his body. "Hey!" You said, turning to see Dylan cheekily grinning at you, hands on his bright pink clad hips. Your eyes ran over his body, brow raising when you studied his choice of bold pink trunks. His honey eyes met yours as you looked up and you couldn't help a small smile peaking out your mouth at how adorably dorky he looked. "That's my life jacket." You stated, dropping the bag you had been holding. Dylan pretended to look around the red jacket he was wearing, "Can't see your name on it." He replied cheekily, slight dimples on his cheeks. You huffed and prodded him, "Come on Dyl, you know red is my favourite colour." Dylan just stuck his tongue out at you, "Tough luck y/n." You frowned and flipped him off, reluctantly putting on the unappealing blue life jacket, leaving it to hang open, similiarly like Dylan's. Soon, the campers all arrived down to the lake and you and Dylan had finished setting up the equipment, kayaks and paddles layed out neatly beside jackets. You had to do the mandatory safety talk, ensuring every kid knew what to do and Dylan was rather unhelpfully distracting you by running his fingers along the edge of your life jacket's back, you shoving him multiple times to get him to stop. He continued anyway, a smug smile plastered on his face when you shivered as his fingers 'accidentally' brushed under your counsellor polo top. When you eventually finished the safety talk, Dylan removed his hand from your back, clasping his hands together like he often did in counsellor mode. "Okay everybody, partner up and pop on a life jacket, I'm gonna show you how to adjust it so you're all ready to get out on the lake." You grab your water bottle while he waits for everybody to grab their jackets. You are just screwing the lid back on when you feel a tug, yanking you over to Dylan's front. You look up to see the kids giggling and Dylan wiggles his dark eyebrows at you before reaching down and zipping your life jacket up. "Everybody zip their partner's jacket up." You look to see all the surrounding kids echoe Dylan's movements, having fun helping their friends. "Okay next part, you're gonna need to give this strap here a nice tug." He places a hand on your side, pulling quickly at the strap, winking at you as the jacket becomes more secure. You feel your body heat up and try to ignore Dylan's nimble, slender fingers resting on your side. "Ready for the final bit everyone?" He asks the kids and they all nod enthusiastically. "Okay then, you're gonna give these shoulder straps the same tug you did for the other and then I need you to lift your bud's jacket up, making sure it's nice and tight." As Dylan says this, he pulls each of your shoulder straps tight, smirking as his fingertips brush along your collar. He then reaches underneath the jacket's shoulders and lifts upwards, beaming as your torso just gets tugged upwards. You feel your heart pounding as Dylan releases you, his smug face turning to help the younger kids. You cough lightly, trying to rid the fogginess in your brain before you go and help. Soon, the kids are all ready, paddles in hands and you have lifted yourself into your kayak, off the jetty so that you can help from the water. You swiftly maneouver yourself into postion, watching as Dylan checks the first kid's life jacket before lifting the kayak into the water easily. You can practically feel yourself gulp, watching his tan, lean arms bulge against the yellow polo shirt all counsellors had to wear. Your gaze flickers to the pink trunks, clad around his thighs and you sigh, not understanding how he can pull off such stupid coloured items. "You gonna help y/n or just stare?" Dylan asks you, watching as you stutter and quickly grab the kayak, steadying it so the child can get into it. An hour later, all kids were on the water, having mastered the basics you and Dylan had taught them and a fair few of them soaking wet from splashing or falling in during the races you had got them to do. "Alright campers," You yell, gaining their attention while you paddle to the middle of them, "We are gonna have one last competition. We're gonna raft all the kayaks together, Dylan's campers on one side, mine on the other." Suprisingly quickly, the campers rafted together, all holding onto each other's kayaks so that they didn't float off. You sandwiched yourself in the middle, watching amused as the teenage girls from Dylan's campers raced to sidle up next to his kayak, two of them smug as they reached the spots next to him. Katie and Laura grinned as Dylan grabbed onto their kayaks, their arms 'coincidentally' touching his as they held onto his kayak. It was common knowledge that Dylan was a popular counsellor amongst the older girls, often being subject to much of the gossip around camp and you could understand why. His chiselled face and body were unfairly god-like, his brown hair was soft and most often messy and those damn moles on his face often got compared as the luckiest things on earth. He also had an immensely lovely personality; he was hilarious, kind, caring and sensitive. To be honest, a large majority of camp you found yourself almost having to wipe drool away from your face after staring at him across the room for too long. You eventually tied all the kayaks together, creating a temporary raft that was secure enough for your planned competition. "Okay so here's what's gonna happen. You will see that you all have a number on the front of your kayak. If I call that number, you have to get out of your kayak, run across the raft and into the other person's seat." You were basically playing a more elaborate game of ladders. (A/N: I have no clue if ladders is a worldwide game or just here in the UK but if you don't know what it is just google it :) ) The kids all squealed enthusiastically and you were glad to see even the older ones who were usually more reluctant with activities were looking excited. "Okay we will have a few practise rounds so you get the hang of it. Ready? Okay.....Number 7!" You shouted and instantly, two small kids scrambled up from their kayaks, climbing across the raft before plonking themselves in the other's seat. "Woah, you guys were quick! Okay one more practise before we start counting points for teams." Soon, the competition was well underway and kids had been scrambling their way across, a few falling into the water. Then, when two of the campers were settling back into their kayaks, Ethan shouted out, "Y/N and Dylan should have a go!" At once, all the campers shrieked in agreement, making you look at Dylan. He shrugged, a smirk working its way onto his face. You grinned, "Okay but you'll have to hold onto each other reallyyy tight!" They didn't really considering a rope held you all together but it made it more exciting. "Right count us down then." Dylan said. "3,2,1 GO!" The campers all screamed and immediately, you hauled yourself up, clambering over to reach Dylan's kayak. You are almost at his, grinning with the knowledge you were gonna win as Dylan made the kayaks rock more, slowing him down. All of a sudden, you felt a hard push on your side and a second later you were surrounded by cold water. "DYLAN!" You screeched as you came to the surface of the lake, said man watching you with glee as you bobbed, clothes now soaking wet. He cheekily reaches out for you and you grip his hand, pretending to get ready to get out before giving his arm a hard tug, causing him to topple into the water. You laugh as he surfaces, treading water as he flicks his hair out his face like a wet dog. "I can't believe you fell for that!" You chuckled, grinning triumphantly at his now soaked state too before making eye contact with him. The pair of you instantly raced towards the kayaks again, you managing to scoot back on and into Dylan's seat before he reaches yours. "HA! MY TEAM WINS!" You shouted, beaming and high fiving some of the campers around you. "Yeah, yeah yeah." Dylan shakes his head defeatedly, a smile on his face anyway. Once the kayaks are unrafted, the campers make their way back to the jetty, Dylan getting out to help the kids. You steady the kayak as he reaches under the straps of the less strong kids, easily lifting them up and onto the wooden jetty. Once all the kids are safely out the water and kayaks laid out by the shed for the next group, you paddle and steer so you're beside the jetty. Placing your paddle on the side, you go to get out when you feel Dylan's warm arms wrap around your waist and lift you up, you barely having to push to get out the kayak. "Uh thanks..." You say, body tingling from the freckled man's touch. He just winks at you and lifts your kayak out the water, placing it next to the others. You dismiss the kids, all of them running off to the cabins to shower and change before the next activity. You walk into the canoe shed, placing the rope back where it came from, and tidying away a few bits before you too went off to change. You lean down to pick up a few plastic balls and place them on the side when a hand tugs your now open jacket, causing you to stumble into a hard chest. You look up to see Dylan smiling down at you, brown hair sticking up in all directions. Your hands are pressed against his chest, his own life jacket open as well. "Uh hi." You say, and Dylan brushes a strand of your hair out your face. "Hi." His eyes are looking right into yours and his hands are on your waist and you can feel your heart pounding against your ribcage. "Wasn't very nice of you to pull me in like that was it y/n." He says softly, gaze darting down to your lips. "You pushed me in first!" You say, poking his chest and Dylan grins, his head tilting and a lopsided smirk gracing his mouth. "Guess so, I think I can make it up to you though." You frown in confusion but feel your stomach flip when Dylan leans forward, pressing a kiss to your mouth. Your eyes are shot wide open, watching as Dylan's own brown eyes open and look at you through dark lashes. Then, your hand tugs on the fabric of his shirt, causing his lips to press against yours again and you close your eyes, a hand running behind his neck to tug on the hairs at the base of his head. It escalates pretty quickly and you find yourself being lifted onto the side of the cabinet in the shed, Dylan pressed between your legs as his lips work against yours. Your hands push his polo up slightly, running along his abs and torso, admiring as his muscles contract at your touch. He runs his fingers softly up your side, his mouth caressing yours. "Once you guys have finished making out, the kids are meeting you in the hall." A loud voice echoes out and you both instantly break apart, flushing and extracting your hands from up each other's shirts. You see Amy walking out the shed, her red hair swooping as she shouts out a final, "Oh and please don't fuck in the shed!" You look up at Dylan who's expression mirrors the same as his mum finding a girl in his room and burst out laughing. Dylan's warm gaze flicks back to you and he grins lazily, lips puffy and swollen. His hands have fallen to your thighs and you giggle as he leans in again, going to kiss you but you place a hand on his chest, pushing him back softly and sliding off the cabinet. "Dyl come on we still need to get changed" You slip your hand into his and tug him out the shed, much to his protests of 'y/n please, the kids can wait a bit longer' but you just roll your eyes and drag him to the counsellor cabins, the promise of a possible shared shower causing Dylan to walk a bit faster.

#dylan #dylan obrien imagine #dylan obrien oneshot #dylan obrien x reader #dylan o'brien x reader #dylan o'brien #dylan obrien #dylan o'brien oneshot #stiles stilinksi x reader #urm why is this man so hot #someone save me i hate school #dylan obrien is sexy #when is 1d gonna reunite #imma head out

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universe-on-her-shoulders · 4 years ago

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for the prompt thing, n.6 and ianto and gwen, a god-tier friendship

6. “Huh…. There are a lot less corpses than I was expecting. Are you sure we’re in the right place?”

“Huh,” Ianto slammed the door of the SUV behind himself and looked around at the quiet suburban street. There were the faint sounds of families in their back gardens; the bounce of trampoline springs, the hum of a lawnmower, and snatches of laughter. “All seems very normal.”

“One day, Ianto Jones,” Gwen noted, circling the vehicle to where he was stood and checking the pistol strapped to her hip. “You’re going to learn that saying things like that when you work for Torchwood is a very dangerous thing to do.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, they inevitably precipitate large amounts of screaming, blood, and aliens. And then usually a lot of paperwork for you, and a lot of Retcon to administer to sometimes-reluctant civilians.”

“Good point,” Ianto grimaced at the mere prospect. “There are a lot less corpses than I was expecting though. Adonisians aren’t usually this... neat. Are you sure we’re in the right place?”

“Are you criticising my map-reading skills?”

“Would I do that?”

“Yes,” Gwen noted, raising her eyebrows at Ianto, who only grinned. “You absolutely would, and you have in the past.”

“I feel that I’m being very negatively portrayed, Ms Cooper.”

“I feel like I might need to start criticising your driving, Mr Jones.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my driving!”

“Fine,” Gwen smirked at him. “Your coffee then.”

Ianto’s eyes narrowed. “You monster. You wouldn’t dare criticise my coffee.”

“Watch me,” she blinked up at him with angelic innocence, just as their earpieces crackled into life.

“Are you two done flirting?” Owen asked from back at the Hub, and Ianto snorted at the irritation in his tone. “Or do I have to dob you in to both Rhys and Jack, because I don’t think they’ll be thrilled about this.”

“Ianto’s not my type,” Gwen deadpanned, tipping him a wink. “And I don’t think I’m his. Don’t you usually like them a bit more... I don’t know, tall and American and dashing and butch?”

“Pretty much,” Ianto confirmed. “You’re just bitter that no-one’s flirting with you, Owen.”

“Alright, alright, leave the below the belt comments out of it,” they could practically hear Owen rolling his eyes as he spoke. “Go and find out what’s going on, and I’ll flirt with you both later, how’s that?”

Send me a Torchwood pairing (romantic or platonic) and a number and I’ll write you a drabble!

#gwen cooper #ianto jones #owen harper #torchwood #asks #anons #drabbles

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alias-b · 4 years ago

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sins of my youth. 013

Billy Hargrove x OC! Evie Fenny~ Also posted to my AO3

Summary: It was common knowledge that Billy Hargrove hated Hawkins. Hated Cherry Lane. Even loathed the strange girl next door. Evie Fenny wasn’t too fond of the chaotic Cali transfer either. An awful high school tradition sparks a chain of events that changes everything, ultimately bringing two frayed souls together.

Hey all!! Evie attends a party to get back into the swing of being a messy teen and the night doesn't go as expected. Billy opens up about his past in California with a story Evie finds all too familiar. TW: Slight sexual refs, teens drinking/smoking, talk of past s*icide/death, and addiction. TAG LIST OPEN. Always open to chatting about the fic, thanks!!

Chapter 13: Almost Paradise

“Are you sure about this?” Heather spoke over Evie’s shoulder.

“We always hit the mid-winter break parties. Why wouldn’t we, Heath?” Evie applied her favorite shade of cherry in the mirror. Makeup still only covered so much that next night. But, with the swelling down, she hoped it wasn't that bad.

“Figured you’d be hanging with Billy.”

“We haven’t done anything...much. His dad is grinding him to stay in. He'll...also be at the party I'm sure.”

"That why you put on the new bra?"

"It's not new..." Evie fixed her sleeve to hide the black strap. Blushed a whole garden of strawberries. "Like I said...haven't done anything."

“Haven’t had the chance, hm.” Heather plopped down and stole some mirror space. Relenting as she applied a lustrous pink shade to her lips that matched the scrunchie holding her curls high. “I know you’re hopelessly into him. All the eye fucking over the movie last night. If you hadn’t have passed out on the couch-”

“Would...you be mad?” Evie looked up.

“I’m just coming around to him again. If you trust him, I will.” Heather smiled. “I just have to be the bitchy best friend. Make him sweat it out for my own enjoyment. Cute how he tucked you in last night through, looked like he might not leave you.”

Evie lowered a brush doused in gold glitter from her eye.

“I am sorry...about the whole-”

“You don’t have to be sorry about him, Bowers is the one that should be sorry.” Heather frowned. “I’m not mad you didn’t tell me. Honest. I get it. I can’t imagine what I would have done.”

“You wouldn’t be in that situation because you’re smarter than me.”

“No, I’ve made poor boy choices too. We both know that.” Heather beamed. “Can I borrow your earrings? The little cherries you made.”

“Sure, keep them. You get more mileage out of them than I do. I can make more.”

Heather squealed and went to steal them. Evie thought it funny, her friend would rather wear her craft projects than the baby diamonds in silver and gold her parents were always buying.

“Hey, I… My mom’s been lying to me. About my dad.” Evie admitted. “He’s trying to call and give her money, I think. I don’t know if he asks about me. Where he is. I’m just… I don’t know what to do with it all, Heath.” Her voice broke and leveled out. Slowly the brush came up again. “You ever feel like you remember things differently? Like maybe we never see things as they are, we just see things as we are?”

Heather turned to see, still putting the earrings in.

“I’m sure Mona’s trying to protect you. She’s always been so much.” She pressed her lips and tilted Evie’s face to check her work as she always did. “Covered it nicely. How’s your head?”

“No pounding anymore. Not getting dizzy, I think I barely avoided a concussion.” A beat. “I just wonder what exactly she’s protecting me from. It’s eating me.”

Felt like too appropriate an expression.

“We’ll figure it out, but you put way too much pressure on yourself like you’re alone, Eves, and you’re not.” Heather pulled Evie in to hug her. “You have me and Steve. Friends at school.”

Blue hopped up on the desk to meow loudly, both girls broke to giggle.

“Yes, you too, cutie.” Heather scratched the kitten’s chin. “And Billy, I guess. Whatever.”

“Yeah, I don’t know what we’re doing. But, I don’t mind it so I guess I’ll chase that.” Evie thumbed Heather’s lipstick at the corner. “You’re set.”

“You, too. Let’s head out.” Heather winked and stood up.

Blue trailed after them so Evie filled her dish. Grabbed a prized jacket she used to be too afraid to wear for how loud it was. Red leather and fringe. Bitchin'. A signature piece of clothing. Undoubtedly Evangeline. Fredrick didn't like it so it was packed away with all her sharp edges.

Heather beamed as her friend donned it. Completed Evie's look with a black skirt and graphic shirt tucked in. Vaguely mesh pattern tights and her warm boots. Gold hoops gleaming and her little music note necklace. Plucked piece of juicy fruit and a hard pit for good measure. Curls bounced, almost obscene.

“Think Brock and his shitheads will crash?” Heather waited for the door to be locked before they got into her car.

“I’m not worried about Brock after what happened with Fredrick.” Evie stared at the empty place in the Hargrove driveway where Billy’s Camaro usually sat. No doubt he was already there raging. Evie got annoyed with the flame in her stomach that flickered at the thought of running into him there with all the dancing they’d been doing. Every little maybe and almost. Syllables rolling off tongues to tangle.

Loch Nora rangers were undoubtedly the best.

Evie still liked parties. Liked the stimulation. The noise. That beautiful overlapping noise to wash her world out. The drunk idiot teens wandering to dance or do dumb shit. All technicolor. Even liked them better than what Fredrick would take her too. Annoying how Fredrick had become this constant life point of comparison. Physically out and still here to set the scales.

Time for some liquor.

She peered around and realized Steve never came to them anymore. Heather even asked him and he just declines too politely. Three drinks sank into her stomach so Evie went out back to where some meathead with no shirt was pouring. Moved through sprightly bodies to get another cup. Smoke and sweat in the cool night air.

“Fenny, you hear Tannen got a DUI?” Nameless meathead poured.

“No, shit?” She took her plastic cup back. Black and gold glitter nails clicking the artificial red.

“Swear to god! His dad’s basically paying everyone to make it disappear.” The guy chuckled. “Lucky, the idiot didn’t crash into anyone.”

“Yeah, he’s a mess.” Evie tipped her cup in thanks and watched teens bop around the covered pool to booming music. Rich house on a hill, no one was calling the cops. Cold and slush weren't stopping the festivities, it only made them turn up the noise and heat. Her outfit combated the lingering winter well enough. Perks of being a bigger gal. Thick skin to combat the weather and assholes. “Thanks.”

“Plenty more to go around.”

Evie caught a bunch of metalheads thrashing around a huge trampoline. Jumping from the lowest part of the roof to it and climbing all over. Billy among them spitting beer and cackling. A hungry wolf against the bright moon. Readied to toss his head back and-

“Evangeline!” He howled and she rolled her eyes below, drinking. Cup lifted to acknowledge them. Billy flashed his teeth, glowed there at her. Still among his following.

"You clean up well, Fenny!" One boy cooed so Billy shoved him into one of the many seat cushions that had been stolen to line the perch.

"Why not join us? Stay awhile." Billy crouched at the edge. Admired Evie glittering and that outfit. Tassels constantly in motion, she looked like a song leaping off unworthy pages. They echoed the calls and she laughed outright, went back inside to a chorus of whines wanting her to stay and indulge them in their debauchery.

“They out of the hard stuff already?” Heather approached and offered a tiny joint to Evie that she caved and puffed. “Tammy’s asking. I’m switching to water.”

“Beer only it looks like. It’s raining boys out there though.”

“Oh, maybe I’ll catch myself one.” Heather winked and wandered outside with the smoke.

Evie got squished in between her and Tammy moments later. Talking school and beauty and graduation getting closer. Across the way, Billy had a whole room entertained with his California stories. Evie lingered to see his eyes flicker over to her.

The strange radar he had when she was around. Always on high. He smiled bright and animated his tale, kept them all hooked and laughing because he was just too badass. Too good. A firework in this boring town. Perched on the table with a smoke in hand.

Spinning tales around the way he spun her under confetti.

And they kept peering at each other. Billy got more persistent as Evie made it a point not to look. To stay reeled into Tammy gushing about the car she was almost saved up for. This baby pink bug she dreamed about. Robin joined them and Tammy blushed as they shared a freshly rolled joint. Heather and Evie shared knowing looks.

Billy decided he wanted attention from Evangeline and left the stories behind to cross toward her. Evie felt sparks when he plucked up her hand, nodding aside. One tug and smoldering eyes. She didn't move and played a pout.

“I’m having an important discussion with the girls about the principal's clearly fake mustache, Hargrove.” She lifted her eyes, biting her lip as if that might curve her intoxication. Curled a smirk he matched.

"Thrilling. Something tells me it ain't getting mileage." Billy didn’t take his eyes from Evie. “Ladies?”

“We just finished actually, Evie was about to get herself another drink. You look like just the soul brave enough to help with that.” Tammy, oblivious but a wingman to the end, cut in so Billy pulled Evie up.

Heather flashed a guilty smile as they went off because Evie was aimlessly bickering. They didn’t go out back for a drink. Billy climbed the steps with her hand. Slowly Evie adjusted to lace their fingers. They moved over bodies and went down the hallways into a vacant TV room with beaten couches and thick screens.

“What are you doing?” Evie dropped her arms as Billy bit his tongue with intent eyes and crossed into her space for a kiss. Tasting of some green apple schnapps the boys outside had downed with all the hard stuff.

“Just something I thought about for a while.” He cupped her face for another and Evie felt dizzy for the first time after her drinks. Billy and his lips. Tasting her. Pulling her back into a couch with him.

“You mean like a day?” Evie had giggled. Breaking the kiss to see his pupils spread.

“Hey, it was a long, long day.” Came a shrug, eyes on her pretty tights that were sending him. “I can only say so much over the phone.” Hands worked under the skirt. Melted Evie down while she came in for more of him.

Straddling Billy’s hard thigh, she combed his hair back and ravished him in turn. What could she say? She liked to kiss him. Liked his mouth and his palms and his heat against her. Scorching. Billy adjusted, taking her hips to press his leg up into her.

Evie rocked unconsciously. Gave him a little moan. Let him untuck her shirt. She came out and felt his hand on her bra. Fingers sunk under the fabric while they locked eyes. Rolled her nipple until another moan lulled. Evie still pulling at his hair, lips opening.

“No bad kisses yet, hm?” The hum hitched as Evie pressed into him. Kissed him deeper. Not worried she might squish him with the shameless, signature way he touched her.

“Let’s try a few more.” Evie about whimpered into his tongue. Brow furrowing. Breath quicker. Something ready to churn in her belly.

Billy gripped her hips to encourage her on. Shifted down the line of her jaw. Silken mouth trailing to release warm sighs. Evie had her hands pressed against his grey tee. Skimming under the leather jacket to feel the hard lines. Miles of him to trace and explore. Shifting, one hand came to his left shoulder. Finger pressed and Billy gave a jerk, breath catching as he pulled back to hiss.

Evie narrowed and yanked away the moment he looked in pain. Avoiding her eyes as if he wasn’t just trying to turn them over and finish this.

“Are you okay?”

“Fine.” Billy leaned back in for a kiss she barely responded to. Thoughts racing. “It’s nothing.” He cupped the back of her head. Lips all over Evie’s neck. Fingers slipped to push his jacket aside and Billy grasped her wrist. “Evie, it’s nothing.”

“You’re hurt.” She frowned. Billy gripped her arm still, searching. He opened his mouth to speak and the door burst open, giggles sounding at the same time Evie threw herself out of Billy’s lap. Practically to the other side of the couch. Shamefully tucking her shirt back in.

“Oooh, this one’s taken,” Tommy backed up and processed who was in there again with Carol under his arm, “Billy and Fenny? No fucking way, you two. Ha!” He cackled and Billy gave an agitated breath.

“We’re busy, shut the door, man.”

“No shit, you’re busy. I’m shocked. I thought Fen wasn’t speaking to you ever again after-”

“Hagen, we’re talking.” Evie slid her eyes to Carol who’d gotten dead silent. Eyes bright and full of hate. Piles and piles. A tremendous build of fire and loathing directed at Evie for existing in the same space.

“Talk away. Have fun, kids!” Tommy only found it funny. Jeering in his annoying way before Carol shoved off him and stomped out. “Hey Carol, what’s your problem?” He smacked the door shut following his upset girlfriend down the hall.

“Shit, asshole.” Billy rubbed his shoulder. “Where were we?” The purr made Evie turn her head, thoughts elsewhere. Billy crawled to kiss her again and Evie stood. “Hey, where’re you going?”

“I just, I feel weird now.” Evie stumbled around the coffee table. Cheeks bright and rosy. Not sparing him a glance because Carol’s eyes gnawed her. Created an incessant buzzing around her brain. Billy jolted to follow but she was out the door. Looking around for Carol and Tommy’s loudmouth. Boots hurried down the steps after Tommy, still trying to coax his girl back to the festivities.

“Carol, hey,” Evie pushed beyond Tommy once Carol was out a sliding door, “Hey, can we just talk?”

“You are such a fucking loser, you know that?” Carol spun on her heel to direct some teenage rage in Evie’s direction. A few outside by the kegs noticed the tiff, pausing to see.

A crack.

“Why do you hate me so much?” Evie dropped her shoulders. Billy slipped out and stepped up behind Tommy, pausing at the standoff. Carol staggered. Clearly intoxicated. Cracking a huge, watery smile. Reckless. She stepped toward Evie so a burst came. “Why! I'm not mean to you! I've never been mean to you! I only talk back and I still feel guilty, but you're so... Why?”

"You're nice to me?" She made it sound unreal and laughable.

"Yeah, actually! I don't understand it, I've tried to be kind to you." Evie felt a tear slip down and stayed level. "No one deserves to be treated the way I see you treat others. So, why?"

“Because!” Carol shot back, welling too. “You’re so fucking kind and...playing innocent...and you're good! And I..." She stopped with another deafening crack. So loud, it rang. Carol really stopped to reflect and hated what she saw looking back at her. But, Evie was here looking too so the hate rerouted.

"Good?" Evie breathed and so much ugly spread in her veins like a disease.

"And...And you get all this attention! Acting like you don’t know! And just look at you! Do you really think you’d get that attention if these boys didn’t feel sorry for you?” Carol stumbled and pointed a finger in Evie’s face, furious and shaking. Too close.

Evie got silent. Dropped everything she felt.

“You’re the one I feel sorry for.”

Carol buzzed with rage and reeled back to slap her so hard, the force sent her into Tommy.

"Girl fight!" Came some yelps.

“What the hell, Carol?” He caught Evie on pure instinct, not understanding either. Billy charged forward and Carol kept pushing as Evie found her footing.

A chorus of shocked gasps and awe came from the drunk teens near the pool. The music blared.

“Hit me back, you bitch! Yeah? Do it like you did to Tannen. Think you’re any better than me!” Carol was near sobbing. Eyes crinkling with tears as she shoved before Tommy got in front of her. Looped an arm around her waist.

“That’s enough, Care, c’mon.” He and Billy separated the girls, but Evie wasn’t trying to hit back. Just stared with huge eyes and a palm against her hot cheek.

"Hey. Hey, you okay?" Billy stood in front of her now, tugging. Evie wasn't budging. Enthralled. Stuck. Sinking. Not good. "Let's go. She's wasted."

“Evie!” Heather was racing across the grass to help. “Carol, back off her.” She planted her feet between them and Carol sneered, struggling against her boyfriend.

“Ooh, Princess Heather to the rescue. Admit it, you just like being the pretty friend.” More hissing channeled out.

“Just, shut up!”

“How about you tell Fenny why Tannen even tried to chase her skirts that night? Yeah?” Carol broke free and tackled Heather into the grass. "Tell her what a shit friend you are, baby!"

“Another girl fight!” Teens howled across the way. Billy and Tommy shoved in to pull the clawing women apart as they rolled around and pulled at hair.

Evie heard herself shouting to stop, barely audible over the crowds that closed in on them to cheer and chant.

“Tell her, sweet pea? Tell her that her dear B-F-F set her up with some animal. I was at that party, I heard you, bitch!” Carol skidded as Tommy pulled her off. Billy had Heather by the arm, trying to yank her up from the grass. She began to sniffle. “Perfect Heather. Little priss who can do no wrong. Perfect body. Perfect life. The teen dream. Tossing bones to us lowly folk when you're done.”

Carol laughed and cried all at once. Even the crowd slowed to watch her. Evie felt a coldness spread at the display.

“Oh yeah, Heather, you’re a real carpenter’s dream!” Carol mocked relentlessly. “Flat as a board and needs a screw! Go on and tell Fenny what a great friend you are. You brushed Tannen aside and pawned that puppy off on someone easier.”

“I didn’t know he was like that yet, okay! It was stupid.” Heather admitted, tears falling. Evie froze at that, didn’t move toward her.

“Heath, what’s she talking about?” Evie hated how wounded she sounded.

“I just thought maybe he’d cheer you up, we all were drinking and, Tannen, he...he was nice at the time. So I thought. I just...you know-”

“Just, what?” Evie leveled out. Billy let Heather go once he brought her up from the grass so she came to Evie. Crowds all but hushed.

“Can...Can we not talk about it here?” Heather tucked her hair aside, sounding too small.

“No, I love an audience! Talk.” Evie’s spine went rigid.

“I just...nudged Tannen your way. You just broke up with that guy over the summer and your dad left. Tannen was, I don’t know, it was stupid. He was nice and...and good looking. I thought he’d make you feel better. I didn’t know he was like that yet. I just was trying to hook my friend up.”

"Please, you alluded to owing him a favor after. He ate that up. You talked up a desperate animal in need of a hot beef injection. You said Fenny could barely thread a needle these days." Carol bellowed. More shock. More awe.

"I was super drunk!" Heather covered her eyes to rub them

“So, you told him to try fucking me! Told him I was desperate for it!” Evie’s voice rose and Heather quelled with shame.

“You were so sad...I thought he’d give you a good night.” The tone trailed off.

“I’m fat, but I can get laid on my own, thanks. I don’t need your fucking help, how little do you think of me?” Evie’s curls shook around with the same fervor. Heather just held herself and stared at the grass. “Do I really seem that pathetic to you?”

“No, it’s not that at all-”

“It feels like that,” Evie stepped back, “keep me around because I make you look like the Queen Bee and toss some asshole with a reputation my way out of pity if I cease to function.”

“Evie, it’s not like that!” Heather wept and got her hand shoved off when she tried to touch her friend. Evie wiggled through the crowd because it split for her fury.

“Get off me,” she went around the house, “get away from me, Heather! I don't need you!"

Heather stopped on the lawn and just stood there to see Evie follow the street lamps off.

Carol watched them go, sagging into Tommy who was definitely too drunk for this.

“Jesus, what’d you do?” He pulled her in another direction. Back to the house. Away from the excitement resuming. “Shouldn’t start that shit.” They got back inside so he led his girlfriend into an empty bathroom. “You okay?”

“I am now. Bitches. I just...I can’t fucking…” Carol sniffled and cleared her throat. "I don't know why I hate her, okay, I just do! She just gets...everything."

“This is about your mom getting back with that asshole.”

“It’s not about that!” Her defense went up. “I’m just tired of Fenny acting like she can get everything she wants. Throwing herself at Billy, fuck. Wondered why he all but dropped everyone else. I thought he and Vicki had something. Gotta be kidding me.” Carol crossed her arms to lean back into the counter as Tommy washed his face with cold water, nauseous.

“I don’t even think Fenny’s gonna go for him when she’s already got a thing with…” He perked. Lips sealing. Carol noticed.

“Thing with who?”

“Nothing, I just...I saw something...and I’m drunk. I’m fucking drunk, Care.” He got his shirt tugged.

“Tommy.” She sucked her cheeks in and he knew he’d be caving. “What did you see?”

“Evie’s been seeing Bowers, I saw her leaving his place all roughed up. Not the first time, I live a street away. Saw them in his driveway shouting at each other once. It was so dark. They kissed and she...well, her head dropped down for a bit. Thought I was having a nightmare there. I tried to forget it and just act like... I didn't believe it was her until I saw her on that bus. I'm drunk, fuck...” Tommy blurted in one breath. Carol’s lips opened.

“No fucking way.”

“Listen, I could be wrong-”

“We can’t let them get away with that. I mean, he’s a teacher. What if he really hurt-”

“You’re not doing it to save, Fenny, you’re doing it to make her life worse. Just...forget I said anything. I’m fucked up. Shit. I fucked up. I fucked up so bad.” Tommy rubbed his eyes. Let them dart. Carol slid her gaze away and crossed her fingers behind her back.

“Fine. Whatever you say, T. We'll forget it.” Another pull brought him in for a kiss. Tommy caressed her arms and felt Carol trying to make herself small. “Can I stay at your place tonight? I can’t go home to Jason on our couch again. I just...I can’t. I can't do it, Tommy.”

She trembled so he tucked her under his chin.

“You know you don’t have to ask, babe.”

*** ** **

Evie was down the hill still stomping under barely lit streets. Teens ranging to music still in the distance. Forgetting her. Intent, she marched over frozen sidewalks covered in slush. The tip of her nose and ears grew chilled pink. Heather had shouted after but stopped the pursuit at the end of the lawn. Ruefully, Evie wouldn’t weep, she already cried enough this damn week.

She just wanted to be better. Higher. Then all of it.

The unmistakable rev of Billy’s Camaro rolled up behind her.

“Evie, don’t make me come out to steal you. Just get in.” The window came down. “You can’t walk home in that skirt with the snow. We don’t have to talk about it.”

She paused to hear him. Eyes on the wind sweeping frosted shrubbery about across the perfectly trimmed lawns. Rich people. Cozy in their homes burning bags of money on nights like this.

“Are you going to be all the same to me, Billy? Tell me right now, I swear to god. Pretty face trying to get its way with words that are just...empty. You gonna get mad if I don’t put out and try to grab at me like Tannen? Why are you bothering with me?” Evie sniffled, hands out and dropping as he watched her. Brow furrowed. “You saw them looking at us funny.”

“Evie.” He reasoned. “Where am I right now? Am I back there shotgunning free liquor or am I freezing my balls off coming after you? Again.”

“You’re here with me. But, how do I know this isn’t some weird game for you with a prize at the end. Kids like us, we don’t go together. Are you trying to win a prize so you can move to the next? Can’t blame me for thinking it.” She approached the car. Still guarding herself. “I can’t let that go.”

“I like you, Evie, and I can tell you that a hundred times. But, it means nothing if you won’t let me.” Billy leaned over to click the door open. “You don’t let anyone like you.” He waited as she didn’t move, hands gripping the wheel before he sighed. “Didn’t notice the other kids, if you really care. I’m the Keg King.”

A cold breath puffed out her nose, almost amused.

“I was enjoying the view.” Billy drew those glittery blues to her expression.

“What makes this a view?”

“You.” A shrug pulled along with her heartstrings. “Get in, let’s go somewhere.”

“Where?”

“Anywhere you like. Just as we planned, remember?” Billy winked at her and Evie’s walls lowered. She looked back at the house party echoing and got in to buckle herself.

“How much have you had to drink?”

“Relax.” He sped off. “Barely anything and I even drank water. You proud?” He fiddled with the radio. “Wasn’t feeling it tonight.”

“Looked like a party on the roof.”

“Well, I still gotta impress the following.” Billy gestured to the glovebox. “Put a tape in, will you?”

“You and your hair metal...and...oh?” Evie skimmed the selection while they whirled away from Loch Nora. “What is this? Fleetwood Mac. I’m so impressed.”

“Ugh, that must be Max’s, she keeps leaving her tapes in my car. Throw it out.”

“Wow. Apologize to Stevie.” Evie gasped and mocked. Cupped her hands over the sacred tape. “He didn’t mean that.” Billy peered over to crack a laugh at her jabbing. “Alright, alright. Can’t go wrong with a little Queen.”

“Fair enough.” Billy let her slip the tape in and mess with the volume so they could still hear each other. “You really mad at Heather?”

Evie went flat.

“Yes and I’ll stay mad at least until school starts back up.” She crossed her arms, relaxing as the heat picked up. Too good just as Carol said.

“Where am I taking you?” Billy turned down another road, flying beyond the trees and Evie stared at his profile. Intent on the road for once.

“You opposed to a little more cold?”

“I have blankets in back. Might have to get cozy.” He slid those eyes over and Evie sucked her cheeks in.

“Take a left up here. I know a secret spot.”

** ** **

“You didn’t say anything about hiking through a dark forest,” Billy whined with his arms full of blankets. "If Michael Myers reams my ass-"

"Maybe I'm a Thing like the movie and I'm taking you somewhere to assimilate." Evie teased ahead of him.

"I actually like the sound of that, Angel. Proceed. Assimilate with me all night long." Suggestive.

She just laughed, loathing him.

“It’s not far. I'll protect you, Billy. You hear the water and ice cracking? Chicken.” Evie flicked a flashlight they snagged from his car after parking in the thrush. “Just up there. C’mon. I promise it’s worth it.” She hurried up, leaving him behind to watch her silhouette in starlight

“Someday, I’m gonna stop chasing this girl,” Billy uttered under his breath, hurrying to follow because that was the biggest lie he'd ever told himself. “The whole ‘no murder’ deal stands.”

“Naturally.” Evie giggled and stepped over a log. “Here.”

They walked along the train tracks going both directions. Came upon the cliffs where the bridge was laid out. Billy looked out at the frozen water yards below. At the moon and stars bathing the space in an ethereal glow. Frozen water framing the rocks. Looked like a castle full of magic.

“Down here.” She went to the edge and climbed down under the steel and wood tracks. Into the space that was suspended over the great fall.

“This is your spot?”

“You'll see why.” Evie reached for his wrist so he didn’t trip. Snagged the blankets from him. “Prettier with all the icicles. Look.” Billy did. Admired the iridescent, dewy glimmer. “And now we wait.”

“Wait?” He came to Evie, lighting a cigarette. “For what?”

“You’ll see, I said.” She settled a blanket around her shoulders and gave him one. Playfully covering his shoulders.

“Wait to freeze to death.” Billy had grumbled as Evie paced farther, stepping over boards and balancing on steel beams.

He saw the moonlight stream through the tracks into her curls. Admired her when she peered back to press a genuine smile. His cigarette dropped. Cherry glowing all the way down. Air whistled.

"Tell me more about yourself, Billy Hargrove." Evie cocked her head at a dewy spiderweb. "Favorite fruit? Favorite insect? Are you fonder of chocolates or-?"

"You think I'm interesting." He decided.

"I think you're here with me." Evie curled around a steel post to see him.

"Tangerines," Billy replied after a beat, "and favorite bug? Do scarab beetles count? Just think they look cool as shit."

"Naturally. Good choice, I suppose." She sized him up and tapped her chin when Billy gestured across the way. Neither moving. "Pineapple and luna moths."

"Luna moths?"

"Yeah," Evie hummed to herself and hid away behind the beam, "I always thought they looked like they were fluttering straight out of our dreams. Don't you?"

Billy took one step. Really watched her shift in ethereal lights. Luminous and bathed utterly.

"Evangeline." He mused as she teetered across a board and came to the edge. Eyes on the water far below. "Why a singer?"

"Hm?" She faced away from him. Seemingly in a dream herself. Billy imagined moths glowing around her pretty hair. Fluttering to follow her into the dark. He wished she'd extend a hand to him so he could join. Follow her right into it.

"Why do you want to be a singer?"

"Always liked it. Growing up, I just felt right, I guess. The most like me. This girl I wanted to be and she's on a stage under too many lights. Singing her heart out to miles of crowds. Touching them all in a way. Connecting." Evie trailed her fingers over chains that hung down, clicked them together like wind chimes. Billy edged up after her. Not getting too close. Wondered about what was ticking in Evie's soul.

"Nice to be heard when you put music out into the world," Billy observed and she seemed to like that. Curls bouncing softer with her voice. Evie unfurled for him there and she was breathtaking.

“I wanna write music that lifts people so high, they’ll have to look down to see heaven." Evie gasped gently, heart-soaring while she came to the other edge on the opposite side. Almost leaning too far.

"Yeah?" He felt her tug tender cords in his soul. Didn't take his eyes away.

"I want to write something that makes others understand they’re not alone. Not small. You know? One great song before I...” Evie trailed off with a sober sort of melodic call beckoning and looked far below to the great fall that was one stumble away. One step. Fingers opened. Her arms lifted enough to drop the blanket behind her and feel the wind. “You think I can write a song powerful enough to help me fly over this bridge, Billy?”

One hand lifted higher, lips open and unable to stop. Unable to look away from the edge. Steady as can be, Billy slid his palm against her. Skin awakening. Reminded her that she was here. That he was with her. That they weren't alone and the song was alive. Fingers laced and Evie seemed to reel back to him, brown eyes glinting to see his face there. Freckles all glowy. Curls spun of gold shifting just right.

"You're beautiful." She observed there.

Billy surely would have followed her to the edge, but he didn't want her to go. Stay.

"You're strange." He'd found this sentiment before and it sounded all the more lovely tonight. Billy gently pulled her from the edge. “Come here, Angel, warm me up.”

Billy draped himself in the other blanket again. Shifted her under it as if it were a cape. A shroud that would keep them both from harm's way. From the edge.

“Okay, Dracula, easy.” She stumbled into him. The diamond lines of Billy’s chest cut into her. “Wait, you feel that?” She watched his earring shift while he looked around. “The vibration.”

“Yeah, I do.” He muttered suggestively.

“Not that kind. Just listen. Feel it.” Evie stepped out, almost giddy as she plucked her blanket up and felt around. Billy welcomed it in his chest. The smooth vibrations generating from above. “Get ready.”

“Ready?” He laughed, coming toward her again. Billy stepped into her space as Evie reached back to curl her fingers into his leather jacket. Head tilted up toward the tracks.

“Lie down with me.” She began to tug and Billy felt this drunkenness take him over at Evie and her smile brightening. They reclined together wrapped in blankets and Billy realized it as the horns called over Evie’s wild laughter.

“You’re full of surprises, Fenny.”

“It helps to scream it out, whatever you want. Just let it go with the train.” She kept snickering as the bridge really began to shake. Billy watched her face. Alight and wild. Red lips against the moonlight pooling to spill over her and illuminate the glitter in her makeup.

“You’re beautiful.” He said then. Unsure if she really heard him over the howl of the oncoming cars.

Billy laughed with her. The roar of a train began to charge above. Blaring horns and steel wheels cranking fast. Her nose crinkled as the windswept their hair. Lips opening to scream with it. Billy couldn’t help joining her. Both of them calling out against the rumbling that never seemed to end.

Icicles fell around the edges and reminded Billy of confetti. Falling so slow and sweet to decorate the space. Shattering colors. That night he first danced with her and kissed her long and hard. Spinning round and round.

Evie pulled herself up and climbed higher into the beams. Head tossed back to give a call like a siren.

“Fuck you!” She saw Billy stand and peered at him. “Keep yelling! Anything you want at anyone! Really let ‘em have it!”

“You first!”

“You left mom and me, you selfish fucking prick!” She raged up into the air for her father that wasn’t around. Hair whirling up into the gust of wind. The train took her syllables with it. Shouting back. "You can't just make people and then abandon them! They'll think they did something wrong forever!" Billy felt his chest tighten. Joined her. Heart bursting.

“Why didn’t you just let me fucking save you! Why wasn't I enough!” He didn’t yell for Neil who beat him senseless. Perched upon steel Evie saw Billy tense. Burst again. “I hate you!” He cried that. Evie's fingers pressed harder into steel. Lost in him. Billy heaved for fresher air. Having never faced it all.

The train ended as they stared at each other. Both breathing into the frozen air. Heaving to gasp.

Evie slipped down and tossed her arms around Billy’s shoulders. Kissed him back into cold steel as if she was trying to comfort him. Kiss him all better. Luna moths landing delicately on their bodies to open and close their lovely wings.

"Why'd you do that?" Billy asked of her for the first time. Evie beamed at the turn in the phrase.

"Because at that time, you weren't going to." She brought him back in. Wanting more. Cupping his face. “Feel any better?” Evie drew out, leaving him to look fluttered. Unsure, Billy swept in so he didn’t have to reply yet. Miles of kisses hot like the cherry of his smoke he let tumble below.

“Felt good.” He murmured, pulling her into him. “If anything.”

“You can’t tell anyone about this place. It’s my secret. Our secret.” She pecked his lips and Billy drew out because they both were too cold to continue. The heat in her belly wasn’t enough.

He tilted his forehead against hers, lulled forth when her weight shifted back and the loss. The loss of her ached Billy down to his marrow. This almost paradise they constructed together.

Curls fell into his face before he lifted to glimpse Evie once more. Wondered how she’d look swaying with lush moonbeams in her hair always. Pretty goddess draped in starlight. Painted in pearly shimmers.

Enough to take his breath, Billy gasped for it back and gave this distant chuckle. Nodded to promise he wouldn't tell a soul. Evie caught him wincing as her hand moved over his shoulder again so she left him completely.

“Sorry.”

“It’s nothing.” He turned to go, eyes elsewhere. Anywhere else they could dart. Not on her. “Let’s just head back.” Billy felt like he was in a dream. Spinning and dizzy all the way back to the car. He realized as the locks clicked that Evie had been speaking.

“Are you alright?” She swallowed and Billy looked at the car keys in his hand. Little scorpion keychain glinting. “Were you talking to your mom back there?”

“Yeah. I just…” Billy shook his head and turned the engine on. “I don’t know where it came from.”

“I thought it’d be Neil.”

“I guess I can’t even stomach dreaming of him.” He replied. “I know it’s not a dream if he’s there. Even if he’s getting his. You know?”

“Yeah. I, uh… Do you…?” Evie squirmed in her seat, worried he’d close up on her as he stared at the road and drove at a steady speed for once.

“Do I, what?”

“Hate her?”

“No.” He skidded at a red light, almost sounded defensive. Shoulders fell. Knuckles went white on the wheel. “Sometimes.” Evie felt her cheeks burn and tried to sound even, it still came out as an airy whisper.

“What happened to her, Billy?”

“She just died.” He sighed to calm his own tone from sounding hot. “She died when I was fourteen.” Finally, he corrected himself. “She killed herself.”

“I’m sorry.” Evie tried not to stare at him. Fear it made him uncomfortable quelled, but she couldn’t look away. Billy closed his eyes at the next red light to breathe, opened them.

“It happens.” He said. “People wake up one morning and decide they don’t want to wake up ever again...and they act on it. And they succeed.” It felt like he started to drive slower the closer they got to Cherry. “Doesn’t matter who they leave behind.”

Evie carefully extended her hand over to touch his in his lap. Because it does fucking matter and it always will. The fingers on the wheel flexed and Billy didn’t tear away.

“She had a lot of problems. Like my dad. Maybe they tried to fix each other once. I don’t know.” Billy continued. Too tender about it all. “They divorced when I was nine. All the back in forth. The visitations. Courtrooms making me choose and I just...I wanted her. I wanted it to stop too. I know she was messed up, but she tried to get better… You believe me, don’t you?”

His blue eyes glistened. Jaw tensing. Billy pulled up between their houses and neither moved as he cut the engine.

“Yes, I believe you.” Evie found the syllables around her tongue.

“You believe people can get better, Evie?”

She almost welled with him. It struck her heart with lightning.

“I really hope so.” She had to or she was lost just as well. Evie sniffled and tried to be stone again when all the emotion came into her voice to cloud it.

“She never hit me though. Dad drank and beat the shit out of her. Made her drug habits worse and worse. Liked when she was some coked-out zombie. Pills and needles, it just… Fuck, Evie, she just kept falling back. They fought for custody the whole time and I really thought she was getting better. Dad acted like a fucking hero, rescuing me from an evil druggie.”

“You’re worth getting better for.” Evie felt Billy slip from her hand so he could clear his throat and rub his eyes.

“I found her, you know?” He shuddered and stared at his open palms in his lap. Saw red on them. “It was her weekend and I took the bus home from school like I always did. We were going to go to the boardwalk.”

His head tipped back and he gave this grim smile. They never made it to that boardwalk, Evie realized.

“The smell of that house, I’ll never… Just rotten...and I couldn’t even see her face at first because of all the flies.” It was Billy who reached out aimlessly for Evie’s wrist. Something to stay rooted, she figured. “My mom was beautiful and she always smelled like oranges. Like the big orchard she worked at. But, the fucking house just smelled like shit and piss and vomit and rust when I came in. Like death. I found her in the bathtub all bloated and ugly and the water was already brown. She sat in there alone decaying and no one...”

Billy kept rubbing his eyes again until they were too swollen to cry. Evie had his hand in both of hers, clamped tight to keep him alert. Unwavering.

“I didn’t know what to do so I called for help. I couldn’t lift her out, I wasn’t strong enough and I kept screaming... Then, I tried my dad three times, and...fuck, I ended up calling Susan. They’d started dating a couple of months before and I didn’t like her. Or her kid. But, she was too nice and gave me a number to call if I needed her after they’d gotten serious. I don’t know why I kept it in my backpack. She came when they were loading my mom up. Kept trying to hold me and I wouldn’t let her until I was too weak to fight it.”

“She does care about you. She’s scared, too.”

“My dad cleans up his act well from time to time. Plays the perfect father and boyfriend, she fell for it. In too deep now with no way out. He'll bleed her dry, too. My dad, he likes it when people don’t have a way out. Mom found a way though, spite him.” Billy dropped his head back again, chest sinking before he looked at Evie. Quivered there. “I just get...so mad.”

“I know.” She sank into the seat a little to watch him.

“She left a note that said sorry. That she loved me. Left this for me, too.” Billy fingered his pendant. “Wasn’t enough. Sometimes, I walk into my own house now and that smell… I can’t escape it. I’m always in that house. In that room with the flies covering everything.”

That shook Evie. They weren’t perfect kids, but they didn’t deserve to be trapped in that house. In that room. Where trauma was fed on a loop. A haunted house where they were the ghosts doomed and trapped to wander. To relive what killed them from the first.

“I tried so fucking hard to make her better, I took care of her and I wasn’t there. I let my dad drive her to-”

“Billy, it’s not your fault.” Evie had his hand pressed against her chest at that. “It’s not.” Both painfully sober, they just looked at each other. Leveled out. “I’m sure she tried so hard for you. Some people, they just… Addiction is…”

Evie felt this ice swell up her stomach. Addiction is a harsh cycle. It never really ends, you work at it and fight it, but it’s always there in the back of your memories urging. Once you start, you’re always an addict. Recovering or not. You can’t stop.

You can’t stop.

“Getting help is so hard when you’re sick.” Was all Evie could manage. Unable to portray how profoundly she understood. “Your job was to be a kid.”

“All I wanted was to go back to California and now, I’m not sure if I ever can. Just knowing she won’t be there again. Sometimes when I’m here, I just pretend she’s alive and still picking oranges on long, hot days.” Billy swallowed. “My dad just...shut down for the first time when he showed up to get me from Susan’s. I asked him if he was gonna hug me. Susan had for a long time. And he just tensed and told me not to be soft. That I can’t act like a pussy and mom was just too fucking sick to get better. But, I knew she had a chance. I knew it was enough. I...” Billy’s voice cut over. He tried to gasp for some clear air so Evie pulled him over the seats into her arms.

“You’re enough.” She said. Plain and simple. So easily.

Billy vibrated in response.

"Sometimes I think you navigate the world like something bad is coming for you and you're waiting for it, Evie," he muffled into her, "and I don't want you to go, too."

"I won't go." Evie held steady, eyes flickering beyond him at dead space. "Promise."

Hands came up like he might shove her off before Billy shattered. Melted into her heat. The soft slopes of flesh. Arms went under his so she could hold him close. Billy hitched a sob and stopped anything else that dared creep up his throat. Fingers wrung into her clothing. Evie let him squeeze her tight. Within inches of breath. Make her a balmy slice of paradise he could sink into.

Billy closed his eyes. Face pressing into the line of her collar. Inhaling perfume and lotion. Flames bubbling up from her skin.

“Come to bed with me,” Evie’s lips touched his ear, “nothing funny. I just don’t want you to sleep alone tonight.” Billy felt himself relent, only nodded into her hair.

They snuck out under street lamps and went into the Fenny house. Cleaned up without words to dress down for bed. Blue wiggled in with them atop the pillows and Billy faced away.

Evie wished she had something better to say, but she just told him goodnight. Gently murmured it against his spine as she tucked in behind him.

“Evie.” Billy shifted after a long beat. Turned over to face her there. Barely awake at that point, her eyes cracked.

“Hm?”

“Thanks.” Billy moved again on his back because it always seemed to get her nuzzling into his side. “What I told you. Don’t tell anyone else. Please.” Arm stretching so Evie could take her place and mumble something he didn’t catch, a nod followed. Nose pressing to the cotton tee he left on, Evie slipped away first. Left Billy to his thoughts as he watched the dim lights pull between the blinds and curtains to make patterns along her ceiling.

He knew he was consumed and he wasn’t sorry. Not one bit. Evie tumbled deeper into her dreams. Not stirring as fingers played with her curls. Petting them softly. Billy mulled over it all and he just wasn’t ashamed and he couldn’t figure out how to make her see it. But, he was willing to keep trying. Evie was worth trying for, too. Plain and simple. Sighing out, Billy let himself begin to slip too.

“Anyone…” He couldn’t help uttering, almost melodic. Lashes fluttering. “...who knows what love is…”

Billy peered down at Evie’s face, peaceful and relaxed against his chest. Cheek pressing hot through the fabric as his fingertips ran a barely-there line down the silky skin.

The rest of the lyrics never came. Tangled into his heartstrings where they made a cozy home.

Billy immersed himself in burning amber, closed his eyes to follow Evie into absolute darkness. Almost paradise.

~~~~~~~

Thanks guys for being so lovely! This is probs my fav chapter to date. Leave words in my ask or replies if you have them! Love to hear from you all xoxo

TAGGED:: @80sbxtch @nottherightseason @orxhidshavana @alagalaska @alongcamedolly @kellyk-chan @10blurredsmoke10 @stanley--barber @charmed-asylum @unmistakablyunknown

#billy hargrove #Billy hargrove x oc #Billy Hargrove imagine #billy hargrove fanfiction #stranger things fanfiction #Billy x Angel #mine #writing #somy #angel fenny

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rmbabydoll · 5 years ago

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What I said and What I meant Chapter 3: I really, really like you

A/N: This was one of my favorite chapters to write. Like I said before, this story is connected with the tea prompts I did, so being called La Brava now, Aiba is in love with Gentle Criminal. Hope you enjoy!

It was a sunny afternoon. Gentle and La Brava were out on another harrowing act of villainy. This time, they targeted people who had been committing the most heinous crime the common person could commit.

“Hello, dear viewers, welcome to another Gentle Video.” Gentle started.

“For today’s topic, we shall tackle is the putrid practice of parking in a handicapped zone. As you all know, it is most impolite to park somewhere reserved for those who need an advantageous location before entering an establishment, especially the local supermarket. So, what we shall do is move these vehicles in a more appropriate place.”

“Gently trampoline!” He announced as Gentle touched the ground and managed to bounce a car in a non handicapped place using two large elastic barriers to cushion the vehicle in place.

La Brava was in awe as she filmed the stunt.

“So cool!” she cried.

“Thank you, La Brava.” Gentle responded with a bow.

“Now, how about we mix it up? Cutting to black now” La Brava announced as the camera went black. When it did come back on, it was focused on Gentle behind the wheel as she and him were inside a car, driving it.

“Ta-da! It’s a lovely day for a drive. Don’t you think, Gentle?” La Brava inquired behind the camera.

“Indeed!” Gentle responded.

Unbeknownst to viewers, La Brava managed to hack a car’s lock system to safely move the vehicle to an appropriate but farther parking space. They attempted to get away with this with another car. That is, until the owner of the vehicle noticed them and started to run towards them to stop their shenanigans.

“We gotta go!” Gentle proclaimed.

“Just press the button; I’ve already wired it to start!” La Brava exclaimed as she turned off the camera and stashed it away.

Soon, La Brava and Gentle were driving away from the owner at reasonable speed of 20mph with the owner still chasing them at 15mph. They parked the car at a faraway space, evacuated the vehicle and then fled the scene by bouncing in the air. They didn’t make it far before they noticed there had been a flying hero that been patrolling the area. When the hero noticed them, they landed on the ground to try to escape evade capture.

“Oh, this is bad! How are we gonna escape?!” asked La Brava.

Gentle looked around for any mean of escape until he spotted a car parked in a red zone.

“Do you think you could hack THAT car?” He asked.

“Yeah, I can try.” La Brava answered, racing behind him to the car.

La Brava hacked the lock system and she got in the car but noticed Gentle touch the tires.

“What were you doing?” She asked as he got in and strapped on his seatbelt.

“Hopefully, earning us an advantage.” He said.

He started the car and started driving the vehicle to ensure their escape. Everything seemed to go smoothly until the hero caught up with them along with a police car.

“Can you go faster?” La Brava inquired frantically.

“Yes.” Gentle replied as he sped up and he veered through several streets.

It was getting hard to shake the police car and hero before Gentle noticed as he turned on a street, there was a sign for speed bumps a mile ahead.

“La Brava, I need you to take the wheel!”, Gentle proclaimed as he drove.

“What?!” She exclaimed.

“Just trust me!” He responded.

Gentle lowered his window, waiting for the right moment.

“Now!” He cried as he let go of the wheel as La Brava reached from her seat to hold it steady.

Just then, Gentle leaned out the window to create a barrier to prevent the police car from tailing them.

Then, 15 seconds later, the car hit a speed bump, catapulting the car several feet up. It was then that they were high enough for Gentle to throw a barrier at the oncoming hero, throwing the hero’s trajectory off balance. With both obstacles dealt with, all that was left was for the duo to escape to freedom.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

They both were yelling as the car continued to leap in the air up and down the street. The car bounced several times before the elasticity on the tires wore off and the car started to skid forward on the road. Gentle veered in a nearby space alongside the sidewalk a few feet ahead.

Gasps for air filled the car before the duo calmed down. They managed to stumble out of the car but with some very queasy stomachs.

“I don’t feel so so good.” La Brava said

“I know, but we have to keep moving; if we take the bus, the apartment is just a block away.” said Gentle as he removed his coat to avoid suspicion.

“Okay, I’ll try.” responded La Brava as she at least removed her gloves.

As soon as they got home, they vomited.

“Ugh, I really don’t feel good.” Said La Brava as she keeled over in the tub.

“Me neither, bleh!” said Gentle as he threw up in the toilet.

La Brava turned to him and rubbed his back.

“Thank you; I just need to sit here for awhile.” He told her.

“How about I make us some tea?” La Brava suggested.

“That sounds a pleasant idea. Could you bring it here? I don’t think I can make it to the kitchen.” Gentle said as he crawled to the sink to wash out his mouth.

La Brava went to the kitchen and sipped some water from the kitchen sink as she waited for the tea to brew. She came back to see Gentle had turned on the shower to wash away La Brava’s vomit from the tub.

“Here” she said as she handed him a cup of lemon ginger tea.

“Perfect, my dear. This should settle our stomachs.” He took a small sip of the tea. “Mm, I’m starting to feel a little better.”

“I thought so,” La Brava said. “I couldn’t decide between the peppermint tea or lemon ginger tea, but I decided to go with lemon ginger since it has probiotics.”

“Wise choice, my dear.” Gentle praised.

“Despite the outcome, today was awesome! It’s too bad though we didn’t record it.” La Brava reflected.

“Now that would have made excellent entertainment!” Gentle contemplated. “We could’ve called it “Rush Hour 4: Electric Boogaloo.”

“Or “How to Park and Bounce (from the police)” La Brava joked.

They both laughed as they rested their bodies beside the tub.

“I really, really like you “said Gentle.

“Aww, I really, really, really like you.” said La Brava.

They both smiled at each other as Gentle then rested his head against the edge of tub. They sat in comfortable silence before Gentle started to reach out to touch La Brava’s head and mindlessly stroked her hair.

“You have such pretty hair.” He muttered as Gentle stroked her hair.

La Brava mindlessly nuzzled his arm with her cheek.

They continued to smile for a good five seconds before both inhaled and with wide eyes and a frozen expression, Gentle quickly asked. “Is there any more tea?”

“Yes, let me go get you another cup!” La Brava quickly answered, grabbing his tea cup and scurrying to the kitchen with a rushing blush crossing her face.

Once she was gone, Gentle groaned and leaned to face the tub, placing his hands over his face. “What was I thinking?! I’ve absolutely lost my mind to do and say that!”

“You have such pretty hair” and the look of shock by pink and purple eyes replayed in his mind.

His face took on a crimson hue. “Somebody please put me out of my misery.”

Gentle Criminal: evader of capture, death, but very little chance his best friend didn’t see him as a hapless fool.

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#gentle criminal #la brava #gentlebrava #aiba manami #tobita danjuro #my hero academia #boku no hero academia

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rosemaidenvixen · 5 years ago

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Flipping the Script

Chapter 2: Enter the Trollhunter II

Ao3

Nomura had on occasion, accidentally allowed her car to drift too far to one side of the highway while driving; and as a result, had her tires go across the grooves designed to alert drivers of their precarious position.

The feeling was jarring and unpleasant, to say the least.

Amplify that sensation over a thousand times, add a neverending sharp turn, and that was approximately how it felt to be driving down the massive staircase.

Nomura rattled in her armor as the jagged crystal steps battered at the car. She was being dinged black and blue, but at least the seatbelt kept her from flying around.

Despite being on a redneck rollercoaster from hell, she wasn’t screaming, not even a peep. Nomura really wanted to say that this was because she never panicked and was always the epitome of grace under pressure.

In reality her diaphragm was paralyzed with terror.

This was in direct contrast to Strickler and Otto, who were wailing their heads off.

It was actually pretty impressive that neither of them had passed out from lack of oxygen by now.

For his part Otto had given up any attempt to control the vehicle and was now just along for the ride. Or maybe he was trying to control their wild descent, it was impossible to tell at this point.

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you viewed things, they rounded a final corner and shot out of the staircase. Bouncing on the last few steps in a way that reminded her of a trampoline for all the wrong reasons.

The tires tore against the cobblestones as Otto slammed on the brakes. The car fishtailed, two out of four tires having gone flat on their way down.

But friction and physics were on their side and the car slowly, painfully, came to a stop.

Insane ride finally at an end, they all sat panting and shaking in their seats, still braced for whatever shock was sure to be coming next. So of course they all jolted when the rear bumper fell off with a loud clang.

Well Nomura and Strickler did, Otto slumped over against the steering wheel in a dead faint.

So they were alive, which was a definite plus, but now the car was totaled and Otto was unconscious. Those were things, things that she should probably deal with.

Still trembling from residual adrenaline, Nomura pried herself out of the car, clinging to the side to keep from falling over. Across the hood she could see Strickler getting out and going over to Otto’s door, checking him over no doubt.

Now that she had a moment to breathe, Nomura glanced around at her surroundings. They were in a stone city of some kind, buildings and storefronts carved directly into or out of the bedrock. All illuminated by a myriad of crystals that glowed every color of the rainbow. A glittering metropolis hidden beneath the foundation of Arcadia Oaks.

It would have been beautiful if not for the steadily increasing number of trolls gathering around the car, none of them looked happy.

“Humans? In Trollmarket?”

“Fleshbags!”

“What are they doing here?”

“Might be changelings...”

Angor was standing between them and the crowd, front and center, but the nervous expression he wore was not reassuring.

Right on queue the sword magically reappeared on Nomura’s back, she really hoped that didn’t mean she would have to use it in the next few seconds.

Before the crowd’s grumbling could escalate to shouting, a troll broke through the crowd and dashed around to join Angor in separating them from the mob. Shorter than most other trolls, green with six eyes and four arms.

Dictatious.

“Calm down everyone, no reason to panic,” his voice boomed in the stone corridor “Let’s not lose our heads…”

Nomura, ignoring the looky-loos for now, scurried around to the other side of the car to help Strickler pull Otto out. They managed to lift the bespeckled man out of his seat, only to stagger under his weight. Nomura grunted as she strained to support him, Otto wasn’t that heavy, but he wasn’t that light either, and his flopping limps and overall limpness did not help when trying to maneuver him.

As soon as all three of them were conscious and above ground, she was going to thank Strickler and Otto for all the times during college they dragged her drunk, unconscious body onto the couch and into the recovery position.

Stricker gave an uncertain glance at the troll standing off to the side "A little help...Angor?"

Looking glad at being given a way to help directly, Angor stepped over and plucked Otto out of their arms and into his as easily as a human might pick up a baby.

Meanwhile Dictatious was still trying to calm the masses “These humans are no intruders,” he struggled to make himself heard over the rising grumblings of the crowd “Please allow me to introduce our new Trollhunter and her...”

Half of his eyes swiveled over in her direction “These are your brothers,” he stage whispered “Correct?”

“I-- Yes,”

That was close enough to the truth that it might as well be. And besides, the whole truth was...complicated.

“Our new Trollhunter, and her brothers!”

His words seemed to have the opposite effect than intended, riling up the crowd even further rather than calming them.

Before Nomura could start to panic about the soon-to-be angry mob, a new voice boomed above the others.

“WHAT. IS. THIS!”

She felt, through the tremors in the ground, the new troll coming before she saw him. The crowd parted, making way for a massive, coal black troll to storm through. The newcomer was bigger than Angor and a lot bigger than Dictatious. He was nearly as big as Draal, hell maybe he was bigger. His only clothing was a kilt and scabbards holding twin swords strapped to his back. Horns curled around his face framing an ugly snarl with the fringes of the dark, matted mane running down his back peeking out. The only trace of color on him besides black was in his blazingly red eyes, which were laser focused on Dictatious.

“YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS--” he stabbed an accusatory finger in Nomura’s direction “FLESHBAG, IS OUR NEW TROLLHUNTER!?”

Dictatious folded both sets of arms “Yes Bular I do, and don’t just take my word for it, the armor and the amulet speak for themselves,”

Bular snapped his gaze in Nomura’s direction and let out a low growl, she squashed the urge to flinch.

“She can’t be the Trollhunter! She’s not a troll!”

Dictatious met Bular’s gaze without flinching “I admit it’s unconventional, but the amulet has made its choice. Now there is nothing for us to do but accept it,”

Bular seethed, hands balled into fists, shaking with barely restrained fury. His eyes raked over Nomura’s silver armor and the amulet hovering above her heart “You have no right to wear that armor, human,” he spat, stomping in her direction, she wobbled and took an involuntary step back “I am Bular the Vicious, son of Gunmar the Glorious and the amulet’s rightful heir!”

Gunmar? Who was-- Oh yeah, Dictatious had said that he was the Trollhunter before her. Back up, he had a son!?

Suddenly Bular’s arm shot forward and his fingers closed around the amulet faster than she could react to.

“AND I WILL NOT SEE HIS LEGACY SULLIED!”

Just as he started to pull at the silver disk, the amulet hummed with energy and erupted with a concussive blast, throwing Nomura back to be caught by Strickler, and hurtling Bular into the crowd, who scattered away from the flying troll with gasps of shock and stunned looks on their faces.

If Bular had been mad before now he was profoundly pissed off. Roaring, he hurtled to his feet and charged back towards her.

Nomura snarled, shaking off Strickler’s attempts to hold her back, and stalked forward to meet the dark troll head on.

She knew in some part of her mind how stupid this was, going up against an eight foot tall stone monster that could snap her spine like a twig. But after everything she’d just been through today Nomura was done.

She had absolutely no fucks left to give.

The two squared off, mere feet apart.

“Listen well human--”

“No, you listen!” Nomura cut him off with a growl “I found this amulet nine hours ago and in that time I’ve been chased, punched, thrown, tossed, and threatened with death more times than in the rest of my life combined!”

She leaned in until their faces were mere inches apart, close enough to smell his halitosis, closer than she ever would have dared if she were less tired and pissed overall “This amulet has been nothing but trouble, and apparently giving it back isn’t an option. Believe me I tried,”

Their noses were almost touching now as Nomura pressed even closer, she could see Bular’s eyes widening “So if you want it so bad, how about I shove it straight up your--”

Strickler grabbed Nomura by the arm and yanked her back, probably trying to get her out of biting range “Let’s save the more colorful threats for another day, shall we?” he said, panic thinly veiled with a brittle smile.

But rather than bellowing or threatening her with limb shearing, Bular looked like he had been stunned into silence by her outburst. This lasted for a few seconds before he snorted and turned away “We’ll see what Usurna has to say about this,” he grumbled while walking off.

Nomura pulled herself free from Strickler and watched Bular leave through narrowed eyes. Picking fights on her first day as Trollhunter was probably a bad idea, especially since she already had one troll gunning for her, but Gunmar’s son or not, that guy was an ass. The crowd was dispersing now, trolls losing interest now that violence was no longer imminent and heading off in different directions. Taking advantage of the lull, Dictatious swooped in and grabbed each of them by the arm “Let’s move along, shall we,”

They hustled through the market, following Dictatious’s lead. Angor trailed after them, bridal carrying the unconscious Otto. Strickler kept gawking at all the sights and sounds of the troll city, Nomura was more concerned with the trolls constantly milling about, occasionally giving them the stink eye.

“So are we...safe here?”

“Oh yes,” Dictatious said animatedly “Trollmarket’s wards are impenetrable, no Gumm Gumm could ever set foot here,”

“No, I mean is it safe for us,” Nomura gestured to herself and the two men “Humans?”

All six of Dictatious’s eyes blinked “Oh, that is...less certain,”

Strickler narrowed in on that “What exactly does that mean, ‘less certain’?”

“Humans have never before set foot in Trollmarket, the fact that you are here is a tremendous upheaval to our way of life. And rapid change is not something trolls are accustomed to, and some may react...poorly,”

Despite the uneasy mood, Dictatious suddenly brightened and hurried ahead while gesturing for them to follow.

“Enough talk of such dire things. Master Nomura, it is time for you to see precisely what you’re fighting for as our Trollhunter,”

Hustling after Dictatious, Nomura turned and reached a clear area of the street that bordered a massive chasm. Looking up and following the troll’s line of sight, Nomura let out a gasp.

On the other side of the chasm was a crystal the size of a skyscraper. But even in spite of its size, this was no ordinary piece of quartz. The crystal glowed with soft, orange-yellow light. Something about it just felt warm, like coming face to face with the sun.

Nomura heard a soft gasp from behind her as Strickler experienced his own reaction to the crystal. Angor appeared bemused by their reactions, even as he shut his eyes and let out a pleased hum as the light of the crystal hit him.

“The Hearthstone,” Dictatious said with no small amount of pride “Source of strength and vitality for all Trollkind. As our Trollhunter, your sworn duty is to protect it and all the trolls who share in its warmth,”

Looking up at the hearthstone, Nomura felt an uncomfortable stirring in her chest. Magical amulets were a terrible way to choose public servants, she was standing by that, but it was obvious that this whole Hearthstone-Trollhunter gig was very important. And she wasn’t sure that she could be what they needed.

Luckily she was saved from her emotions by Otto starting to wake up. Golden eyes widening in alarm at the squirming human in his arms, Angor hastily set Otto down on the cobblestones as gently as he could and took a few steps back.

Nomura and Strickler hurried up to him as Otto groaned and twitched back into consciousness.

“I just had the strangest dream…” Otto sat up and straightened his crooked glasses “Nomura found a magic amulet and then trolls were-- Gott in himmel!?”

Strickler flashed him a sympathetic look while helping him to his feet “Unfortunately we are all very much awake, are you injured at all?”

Otto groaned and stretched “Nein...but I am going to need a stiff drink at the end of today,”

Nomura patted him on the shoulder “You and me both,”

Otto blinked and looked around “Where are we exactly?”

“Trollmarket,” Strickler replied, cutting off Dictatious who had opened his mouth in preparation to explain. He shut it and scowled, but allowed Strickler to continue.

“Apparently an entire Trollish metropolis exists beneath Arcadia, with no one the wiser, and Nomura has most recently been appointed as their protector,”

Otto snorted “Now that I find hard to believe,”

Nomura punched him on the shoulder “Asshole,”

Angor and Dictatious shared a puzzled look, the shorter troll raising a brow ridge in confusion “Is that a human term of endearment?”

“Dictatious Galaridgal!”

They all turned at the new voice booming through the stone streets.

A new troll strode towards them. She was about as tall as Angor, but broader. She carried a large glowing, crystal staff. Bioluminescent lines traced and curled across her stone skin, and her mouth was firmly fixed in a scowl.

“Dictatious Galaridgal. What in the name of Gorgus is going on? I had to hear from Bular of all people that our new Trollhunter--” she narrowed her eyes in Nomura’s direction “Is apparently a human,”

“Well, Usurna, you see--”

Apparently Usurna decided to skip over Dictatious and go straight to the source. Frowning deeply, the new troll strode over to Nomura “So, you are Trollmarket’s new protector?”

Nomura glanced down at the silver armor, not even bothering to conceal her eye roll “Looks like it,”

Usurna’s gaze narrowed “There is only one test for a true Trollhunter,” she turned and gestured with her staff “Come,”

An alarmed look flashed between Angor and Dictatious, but they said nothing as they fell into step behind Usurna; Nomura, Otto, and Strickler following.

Usurna led them to a stone alley off to the side, so narrow that even the three humans had to go single file. The alley widened and Nomura stepped out of the corridor after Angor only to freeze in her tracks and let out a small gasp, actions mirrored a few seconds later by Strickler and Otto.

They were heading down a narrow stone path that led to an arena circled by massive walls. On either side of the entrance a massive statue of a troll stood, expressions somber and weapons held at the ready.

Nomura gazed around in wonderment, adrenaline from her fight with Draal and the subsequent encounter with Bular melting away, as she followed the trolls into the arena. Even remembering how awestruck she’d been when she saw the golden gate bridge at age ten couldn’t compare.

The six of them reached the center of the arena, if anything the view was even more impressive from here. From this vantage point Nomura could see that statues of trolls standing atop massive pillars ringed the entire space.

“Trollhunter,”

It took Nomura a second to realize Usurna was talking to her “Yeah?”

She gestured with her staff to to troll sized footprints in the floor “Step forth,”

Before Nomura could walk over, Dictatious stepped between them “I understand that this whole situation is...unexpected, but could we not do this after Master Nomura has at least been trained in the basics?”

Usurna was unmoved “No, these are serious matters, and I do not wish to waste any time,”

Slumping in defeat, Dictatious stepped over to stand beside an anxious looking Angor.

“Now Trollhunter, step forth,”

Slightly more nervous now, Nomura walked over and placed her feet into the corresponding prints. Something shifted in the stone beneath her feet. With a rattle several large stone panels moved aside and a large, multi armed mannequin of sorts rose up from the floor.

“Behold the soothscryer!” Usurna pointed at the thing’s mouth “Insert your right hand Trollhunter,”

Nomura looked up, the dummy’s mouth was full of rings of sharps spikes “Yeah, no,”

“That was not a request,”

“Have you seen the teeth on that thing? I’m not putting my hand anywhere near it,”

A thin, painful looking smile carved itself into Usurna’s face “I am losing my patience Trollhunter, either you offer the soothscryer your hand, or I will,”

So apparently this was a non-option, fucking wonderful.

Nomura eyed the sharp looking apparatus uneasily “Strickler, Otto, can you guys give me a boost,”

Exchanging an apprehensive glance, the two of them came over and each grabbed a leg, lifting her to reaching distance of the hole. Eyeing the jagged interior, and once again cursing the events that had brought her here, Nomura slowly inserted her hand.

The machine clamped down on it.

Nomura screamed, she tried to jerk her hand out of the hole, kicking at Strickler and Otto in her mad flailing. They dropped her but the machine’s grip on her arm kept Nomura suspended.

Then the mechanism released.

Nomura dropped to the floor. Ignoring Strickler and Otto squawking as they broke her fall, she scrambled at her freed hand.

Four fingers and a thumb, all intact and moving properly.

Nomura went limp with relief, only to have Strickler elbow her in the side “Get off of me,” he groused. Angor and Dictatious scurried over to help them up

Meanwhile Usurna was still examining the mannequin that had almost made Nomura an amputee. She sniffed at it “Inconclusive,”

“Inconclusive!?” Nomura struggled to her feet, supported by “What the hell does that mean?!”

Usurna turned and started striding away “It means that the soothscryer needs more time to render its judgement,”

Nomura narrowed her eyes at the dismissive troll “So what, we just try again next week?”

Ursurna let out a chuckle “Next week? I doubt you will last that long human,” she paused “Oh forgive me, I doubt you will last that long Trollhunter,”

#Tales of Arcadia #Trollhunters #fanfic #role reversal AU #role swap au #zelda nomura #walter strickler #otto scaarbach #angor rot #dictacious galadrigal #bular #usurna #flipping the script #Trollhunter!Nomura #rmvwrites

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lamptracker · 5 years ago

Note

heyy i was wondering if you could do an imagine about reader and tom adopting a toddler and the kid is excited that their dad is spiderman?

“Congratulations, you’re officially a family now,” the judge says.

It was a long road for all of you to get to this point. For you, it was two miscarriages before you had your daughter, Sophie, who’s now six. But you nearly died while giving birth to her; your doctors strongly advised against you attempting another pregnancy.

For Tom, it was the pain of watching you struggle to grasp your greatest dream: motherhood. His heart broke along with yours during each of your miscarriages. He nearly lost you. It was hell watching you go through all that.

And for your new son, four-year-old Marcus, it was being born to a single mom struggling off and on with drug addiction who’d already had three kids taken away from her. She was clean the whole time she was pregnant but gave Marcus up for adoption because she knew she might fall back into old habits. She wanted him to have a good life, a life she knew she couldn’t give him. So he bounced around foster homes for a while before he landed with you and Tom.

From the first time you laid eyes on him, his big eyes and wide smile, you knew: This was your son.

And now... it’s official.

“What do you want to do now, Marcus?” you ask. “It’s your special day, we can do whatever you want!”

“Trampoline park!” Marcus exclaims excitedly. “I wanna learn to do a backflip just like Daddy!”

You laugh. “That sounds great, Marcus. So, are you excited you get to live with us forever now?”

Marcus nods. “I get to live with Spider-Man! That is so cool!”

You and Tom chuckle. “I think it’s cool that you get to live with us,” Tom says. “We love you so much, did you know that?”

“Yeah, I know that. I love you too, Mommy and Daddy. And Sophie too. Can she come to the trampoline park too?”

“Of course, do you want to go to Granny Nikki’s to get her or do you want them to meet us there?”

Marcus thinks about this for a moment. “Do you think Granny Nikki would jump on the trampoline with me?”

“I think she’d like that very much, buddy.” Tom smiles at you. “I’ll have them meet us there.”

You strap Marcus into his car seat and get in the car. Tom fires off a quick text to his mom and climbs behind the wheel.

“You’re all misty,” you say teasingly.

“I know.” Tom quickly wipes his eye with the back of his hand. “I just can’t believe we actually have a son now. We fought so hard to get here, all of us. And to hear that little guy back there call us Mommy and Daddy is worth all of it.”

You reach over the center console, gently grasping Tom’s hand. “I hate some of the stuff we had to go through,” you admit, “but I’m so glad Marcus found us.”

“Me too, darling, I-”

“Mommy! I’m hungry!”

You pull a pocket of goldfish crackers out of your purse, tear them open, and hand them back to Marcus. “Try not to spill, okay, bud?”

“Okay, Mommy. I will try.”

You smile as Tom drives to the trampoline park. As you listen to little Marcus sing to himself while he enjoys his snack, you finally feel like your family is complete.

#tom holland #tom holland imagine #asianravenpuff

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bookenders · 5 years ago

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Mate, I heckin' love question 29 so I'm requesting you answer this for... whoever you like? It'd be cool to have multiple to compare, but that's up to you!

[Send me some numbers!]

OOooooo! @quilloftheclouds, I love this one, too! As a big video game nerd, I’m gonna have too much fun with this one.

Let’s get super carried away (ha, see what I did there?) and do it for all the Fish Food folks!

29. If your oc was in a video game, what would their idle animation be? (When the player stays still for too long, the animation that plays.)

For the sake of my imaginings, I pictured each of them idling in the lobby of their respective HQs or out in the middle of the city in full uniform. Both so they could use their powers at will and so I could pretend I made a video game for a hot second.

Iron Will would be standing with his arms crossed looking all official, then sneak a peek around, close his eyes, breathe deep, and let his hero posture drop completely. Then he’d jerk back into reality and quickly gather his hero-facade and nod at the nearest PC or NPC very official-like.

Overseer has this fancy schmancy console strapped to his wrist that’s like a very high tech Apple watch crossed with a Pip Boy. His idle would be poking around on the screen, then it shoots out a couple sparks and he flinches and smacks it until it works again. Then he’d glance around and hope nobody saw that.

Lithium would probably hop backwards in a trust fall, land on the ground hard, and immediately bounce back up a little too high before landing on her feet with a slight wobble. Like people do on those big trampolines in gyms. But with concrete.

Babylon would pull a dossier out from somewhere, flip through it, sigh in a very put-upon manner, check their watch, and put the dossier away. This is, of course, accompanied by their signature Foot Tap of Impatience and Lost Efficiency.

Sparkplug would probably ignite a small fire in her hand and pretend to eat it to freak people out. Or play with a swirly ball of fire Jareth the Goblin King style (by which I mean contact juggling).

Nightmare would glance at the player over her shoulder and wink before turning back around like nothing happened.

Battalion (super special character I haven’t introduced yet!) would adjust the straps on her gauntlets, unsheathe her sword, do a couple flippy tricks with it, and put it back.

PRE-ORDER EXCLUSIVE IDLE ANIMATIONS - Other Powers

Iron Will: Pulls a soda can from somewhere and crushes it between his hands, then pulls his hands apart, revealing a fully intact soda can. Basically, an aluminum accordion. The item sometimes changes from a soda can to a small steel rod.

Lithium: Pulls a lighter out of her pocket, snaps it on, focuses on it until it shoots a HUGE flame jet into the air, clicks it off, and tucks it back into her pocket.

Overseer: Drone Buddy flies in and spins a circle around his head before zooming off. Overseer is overjoyed.

Nightmare: Turns to face the player, the screen goes dark at the edges and shaky for a moment, turns back around, and the effect fades.

#ender answers #quilloftheclouds #OC Questions #Fish Food #FF Iron Will #FF Overseer #FF Lithium #FF Nightmare #FF Babylon #FF Battalion #FF Sparkplug #idle animations #OC development questions

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makeste · 6 years ago

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BnHA Chapter 176: Delaware Smash: Air Force

Previously on BnHA: Class A finalized their preparations for the culture festival. Deku realized that the rope he was going to use to dangle Aoyama above everyone like a twinkling car air freshener was dangerously frayed. So he was all “looks like I’ll have to go buy a new one tomorrow morning at the store that’s conveniently right next door to where the villains will be having tea.” So he did. And conveniently ran into the disguised villains on his way back to U.A. To make a long story short, Deku offhandedly said something about tea, and Gentle got all excited and was all “DID YOU SAY TEA?!” and then Deku recognized his voice from the Youtube video that he had seen only a few days earlier. So now they’re gonna fight, because Deku has his cool new gloves that Mei made for him, and he’s not about to let any dumb villains ruin class A’s performance and Eri’s special day. So yeah. Go fuck him up, Deku.

Today on BnHA: Deku confronts Gentle, who sheds his disguise and tells La Brava to start filming. He then reveals his quirk, which can transform anything he touches -- even air -- to make it elastic. So he starts bouncing Deku all over the place, but then La Brava belatedly recognizes Deku from the sports festival and is all “holy shit Gentle, we don’t want to mess with that kid, he’s fucking crazy.” Deku is indeed fucking crazy, and he thinks back to all of his excited classmates who are looking forward to the festival and have worked so hard to prepare. With new determination, he takes aim at Gentle and fires his new attack, Delaware Smash: Air Force. He then leaps at Gentle and violently bodyslams him into a nearby construction site. Sorry about that, Gentle, but La Brava tried to warn you.

(As always, all comments not marked with an ETA are my unspoiled reactions from my first readthrough of this chapter. I’ve read up through chapter 200 now, so any ETAs will reflect that.)

ohhhhHHH SNAP YOU GUYS LOOK AT THIS COVER

guys. this is my new OT3 by the way. and has been for a little while, actually. I don’t know how, but I somehow got WAYYYY into Kacchako like out of nowhere maybe a month or so ago. but BakuDeku also owns my heart and soul, and I also can’t deny that Ochako is undeniably Into Deku any way you shake it, so. it just sort of happened. and I love them. so basically this cover is everything to me. AND THEIR SHIRTS SAY PLUS ULTRA YOU GUYS, I FUCKING CAN’T OMG

MORE COLOR PAGES WOOOOOOOO

okay so somehow I was expecting Gentle to be blond. I don’t know why I always assume anyone in manga who has light colored hair must be blond. but yeah. so now I know that he’s not, though! and that’s okay! now he reminds me of Alfred from Batman if he decided one day to go out and do some crimes

and La Brava. what can we even say about her except that she remains the best, and also I’m trying to remember if her hacking skills were actually related to her quirk in any way, or if her actual quirk has yet to be revealed. hmmmm

also do you guys think she’s possibly distantly related to Mei? just, idk. similar eyes, weird obsessiveness, technologically savvy... idk. not saying they’ve gotta be sisters or anything, but third cousins, maybe?

so Deku and Gentle are staring each other down, and Gentle’s all, “the boy catches on quick,” and yeah. when it’s convenient, lol

meanwhile La Brava is all

do you recognize him?? I mean he is famous. not Kacchan or Todoroki levels of fame, but he’s up there

Deku’s looking around, but since it’s early on a Saturday morning no one else is in the area

and apparently there are no hero offices near U.A. (which makes sense, since U.A. itself is basically a huge hero office), so he probably isn’t going to get any reinforcements

this isn’t the first time that I’ve thought to myself that the kids really need some sort of panic button/emergency beacon/batsignal they can use to call for help if they need it. it really wouldn’t be that hard to do. something with a GPS that they can quickly tap and it sends out an encrypted SOS with their location. what with them running into villains every other week it’s basically a necessity at this point

you could always try texting Todoroki again in the meantime though lol. or just shout really loudly for someone to dial 110 which I believe is the Japanese emergency police number

...

...okay then!

(ETA: in all seriousness, him making a deliberate choice not to call for help creates a lot fewer plot holes than him not being able to, so good call there actually)

Gentle is quick to adapt to this new development, and tells La Brava to start filming

AND JUST LOOK AT HIM SWINGING INTO ACTION

he’s telling the listeners that his plans were foiled and so they’ve ended up like this

omg

I can’t fucking believe this guy doesn’t have a larger audience

so now Deku is diving at him in full cowl and is all “AS IF I’LL LET YOU!”

LOL WHATTT

WHAT IS HAPPENING

it only just occurred to me that we don’t actually know Gentle’s quirk either lmfao

so he makes things stretchy, and this even extends to air. holy shit

(ETA: as the translator notes point out, apparently the words “gentleman” and “elasticity” are homonyms in Japanese -- they’re both pronounced “dansei” -- which is one of the cleverer things Horikoshi has come up with tbh. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a mangaka have as much fun with names as this guy does.)

so he should basically be able to fly with his quirk, no? just bounce around on air all the livelong day. that plus a built-in shield with offensive-defensive capabilities like what we just witnessed. this old man has got some skills y’all

(ETA: friendly reminder that I’m still convinced Gentle is actually 65 years old. there’s no fucking way he’s 32. just no way)

apparently he didn’t even mean to go that hard, because he and La Brava are kind of staring now in shock

I guess Deku was coming at them more intensely than they realized, so the rebound was stronger

anyway so now they’re booking it because they realized how strong he actually is

so we’ve got villains who are looking to attack U.A., and a pissed off Deku who by now should be realizing that he can’t get in close, but who fortunately has JUST developed a brand new long range attack! oh my, kids. strap yourselves in

yes, good point there. actions speak louder than words

but Gentle says that’s out of the question

and now he’s touching the ground and unleashing another attack

lol it’s a trampoline attack and Deku is flying into the air

what was that you were saying earlier Gentle? about how he catches on quick? eh...

now Gentle is telling Deku that when he was a young lad he poured his heart and soul into school events, and he understands that Deku probably feels the same way

however, “this old beard and spirit of mine will not be denied today”

he says this mission will inspire a story for the ages, and he’d appreciate it if Deku didn’t interfere

oh my god

it’s like if Aoyama and Gai-sensei had a baby

and he can fly!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

and now La Brava remembers where she recognized Deku from, and that he’s the crazy kid who busted up his hands at the sports festival

lmao the SHEER HORROR on his face. THAT’S RIGHT YOU PUNKS. DO NOT FUCK WITH MIDORIYA IZUKU, HE IS FUCKING OFF HIS HINGES. HE IS AN OLD, BUSTED SCREEN DOOR SWAYING IN THE WIND

Gentle says they have to accomplish the mission before he pursues them any further

honestly, even if they did manage to lose Deku now, he’d just be forced to call U.A. after all and they’d put the school on lockdown. like hell they’re risking anything else happening to these kids

now he’s telling the listeners that the “attempt to enter U.A.” plan is switching to a “timed attack”, whatever that means

and meanwhile Deku is still up in the air, and I’m wondering how he’s planning to land. and also how Gentle knew that he’d be okay. because that does seem pretty damn violent, just launching him 70 feet up in the air and being all “well, good luck, bye now”

especially since all they know about his quirk is that it involves breaking a lot of fingers. so for all they know he’s about to be a splatter on the ground. smdh

so during his 20 minutes of free fall, Deku is having some flashbacks! Eri-related flashbacks! the most adorable kind!

and now Mirio is spinning around in a circle

and he says that after Deku is done performing on the big day, the three of them should wander around again

OH MY GOD

MY HEART. MY FUCKING HEART, I CAN’T. THIS ISN’T FAIR

oh my god

so now Deku’s thinking back to “this old beard and spirit of mine won’t be denied”, and he has the most determined teeth-gritted look on his face

and we all know he’s thinking that Eri’s the one who won’t be denied! because she still hasn’t smiled yet! not a real smile! and weren’t they saying that their mission wouldn’t be complete until she finally did?

and now I’m thinking back to one of Horikoshi’s interviews, where he said that “a hero is someone who brings reassurance”

and basically, fuck yeah. this is why Deku has to start winning some of these types of fights. because that’s the goal here. that’s the endgame. win the day to save everyone

anyway, I got totally swept up in the “save Eri!!!!” feels, but the flashback is actually still continuing and now Jirou is coming up to Deku and asking how he organizes his hero notebooks

and he’s nerding out and he’s all “JIROU YOU HAVE A HERO YOU ADMIRE TOO??” lol

but she says no, she just meant that she has trouble condensing her own notes to make the important points easier to read

my god Jirou I can relate. try summarizing 15-18 page chapters in a single paragraph on the daily lol

anyways, Deku is looking at the notes she prepared for the other band members, and d’awwwwww

MY GODDAMN FUCKING HEART!!!!!

LISTEN, JIROU. I’M SURE THEY’LL ALL LOVE IT. and if Bakugou gives you even a hint of attitude, you have my permission to smack him

SPEAKING OF BAKUGOU!!

oh my god I love this arc so much. I’m learning so much about Bakugou’s musical tastes and they’re exactly what I would have imagined. WE ARE SEX BOB-BOMB AND WE’RE HERE TO ANNIHILATE U.A.’S EARS WITH THIS BADASS FUCKING RIFF!!!! ONE TWO THREE FOUR!!

also I’m more convinced than ever that they sound like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

notably more effective than Bakugou’s method lmao

so now he’s taking aim at Gentle while still in the air! at this point he just lives up there now huh

ahhh I’m too excited to sum all this up, I’m just going to post it!

I’m not even surprised that once again Mina is the lowkey hero of the whole damn arc

so now there’s a whole page devoted to Deku very dramatically flicking his finger

OHHHHHH DAMN

OHHHHHHHHHH DAMN

lmao Deku is CACKLING

HAHA I LOVE IT

(ETA: I just realized this is a straight up Kacchan face and even his trademark “hahh.” now I love it even more)

Gentle’s jacket is all torn up omg

but he says that won’t be enough to stop him!

!!!!!

OHHHHHHH DAMN

La Brava status: still the cutest

Deku is shouting at Gentle that the sentiments he has are shared by everyone. okay lol

and Gentle is gritting his teeth and he’s all “how disrespectful!”

and now they’re flying into the under-construction building Gentle mentioned a few chapters ago

and La Brava is watching in distress

nooooo

why does a cute little girl have to end up sad no matter what!!

I’m sorry La Brava. but your dude has to lose, because he’s in the wrong and he’s trying to needlessly traumatize a bunch of excited kids and ruin a kindergartner’s day. sorry kiddo

BONUS: Toga Himiko preliminary sketches!

god I love Toga so much

I’m assuming these notes are also preliminary, just like these are his preliminary designs. so he knew exactly the type of character he wanted her to be right from the start

but can she actually use someone’s quirk if she transforms into them?? is this confirmed, or did he drop this idea eventually? because if that’s true, it would be huge. that would make her one of the most powerful characters in the series, full stop. but given that we haven’t actually seen her use anyone else’s quirk, I’m gonna go ahead and say he dropped this for the sake of not making her too overpowered. I’m honestly not sure if I’m disappointed or not lol

I really like this messy bun look. it’s pretty similar to what he ultimately went with in the end, but he combined that with the pigtails look. but I’m just saying, if she ever wanted to change things up and go with just the single messy bun in the back, I would 100% be here for it. my god

#bnha #boku no hero academia #midoriya izuku #gentle (bnha)#la brava #toga himiko #bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #makeste reads bnha #that one drawing with toga actually covered in blood is super intense though #like did horikoshi actually plan on going with that at one point #was there going to be some poor unfortunate corpse in the background #ffff I love the league of villains so much that sometimes I forget that oh yeah they’re crazy evil though #it's like 'oh right. the murders'#'riiiiiiiight'

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artificialqueens · 7 years ago

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Tattletale: Part 2 (Shalaska) - Rosie

A/N: Thank you for the love for Tattletale Part 1! Here’s Part 2, where the majority of the plot happens. Strap yourselves in, below is probably my favourite thing I’ve ever written. 7.3k words.

Summary: After it’s revealed someone is bullying Vixen, fingers are pointed and battle lines are drawn in the sandpit as drama amongst the primary school mothers escalates.

Catch Up on Tattletale: Part 1

Trigger Warning: for mentions of domestic violence.

Eyebrows rose, a soft gasp of shock was heard, and Sharon swore she saw a hand literally rise to clutch at their Tiffany & Co. pearl necklace.

“That’s got to be a mistake,” Sharon muttered, her blood running cold as every pair of eyes, parent and child alike, narrowed in on her baby girl.

Aquaria didn’t hit Vixen. Sharon was instinctively, wholeheartedly, positively sure of it.

“That’s a mistake,” Sharon repeated, glancing at a straight faced Alaska standing next to her and wondering why Punk’d cameras weren’t bursting out of the classroom.

But to her surprise, it was her usually quiet and reserved Aquaria who finally broke the silence.

“I didn’t hit her,” Aquaria said honestly, her eyes wide and unwavering as she looked at Vixen and her mothers.

“Are you positive?” Sasha pressed uncertainly, and it felt so awkward to Sharon to have Sasha, a mother she barely knew, question her daughter before ever saying a word to her.

“Of course she is,” Sharon bit back, threatening to lose her cool way too early.

She could see the eyes of the other parents darting between the two sides like a tennis match. She wished this wasn’t happening with so many spectators. She wished this wasn’t happening at all.

“Well Vixen is sure Aquaria hit her,” Shea said, standing up from where Vixen stood and getting on Sharon’s level. “So what are we going to do about it?”

“But I didn’t hit her,” Aquaria insisted, her tone more desperate now. She looked up at Sharon with wide eyes as she clutched the familiar, comforting material of her mother’s dress.

“We’re not going to do anything about it, because Aquaria didn’t hit her,” Sharon said firmly.

Sharon couldn’t believe the cruel twist of fate. Things were going so well before, she had met Alaska, Aquaria had been so happy when she came out of the classroom—

Suddenly an idea popped into her head.

“Which toy did the fight happen over?” Sharon asked Vixen directly but gently, a thrill running through her mind as she tasted the one-up she’d score.

“A stuffed elephant,” Vixen replied evenly, crossing her arms and looking at Aquaria. She took so much after her mother Shea, who also stood with her arms crossed. If Aquaria wasn’t currently being unfairly accused, Sharon would think Vixen’s confident attitude was extremely cute.

“But Aquaria just told me she didn’t play with toys today, did you baby?” Sharon argued evenly, kneeling down to Aquaria and Vixen’s level. “You told me about dress ups?”

“Yeah, with Brianna and Blair.”

All eyes shot to Brianna currently perched on Alaska’s hip, and the little girl nodded honestly, suddenly becoming the witness in this junior court case.

“Ah-ha!” Sharon announced, a little smug with her quick thinking. She hoped and prayed this would nip this stupid dilemma in the bud.

“That doesn’t prove anything,” Shea argued, narrowing her eyes at Sharon’s cockiness.

“What does that mean?” Sharon replied, frustrated at the back and forth.

“It means it doesn’t solve our problem. Someone hit Vixen,” Shea clarified, before giving Sharon a once over and tacking on a sentence that made her blood boil. “And your kid could be lyin’.“

Sharon clenched her jaw, her metaphorical claws spiking in fury.

“So could yours!” Sharon exclaimed, her voice rising at the accusation that her own damn child would lie.

“Are you yelling at us?” Sasha interjected, and Sharon wanted to rip her hair out in frustration. It was two against one, until another player joined the match.

“She’s not yelling,” Alaska sighed, glaring at Sasha.

Sharon bent down again, bypassing the parents and asking Vixen directly. Alaska’s interjection had given her a chance to breath, and it took all her energy to calmly ask Vixen her question.

“Vixen,” Sharon said softly but firmly. “This is serious, so we need to make sure you are absolutely positive that it was Aquaria who hurt you."

With her hands on Aquaria’s small shoulders, Sharon shook her slightly when she said her name, as if to wave her in front of Vixen and go ‘Are you sure? My little girl? My Aquaria?’

There was a beat of hopeful silence as Vixen’s young eyes looked into Sharon’s older ones. They darted to Aquaria, then to the floor, before finally looking to the side.

“Yes.”

Sharon let out a defeated sigh, knowing this didn’t confirm anything, but knowing it didn’t do anything to help the situation.

“Then make your daughter apologise,” Sasha said to Sharon, more of a demand than a suggestion.

“But I didn’t!” Aquaria pleaded to Vixen, before she stamped her tiny foot in frustration.

“See,” Sasha murmured to Shea, and Alaska rolled her eyes, as if a foot stomp was in direct correlation to harming another child.

“We need to go, Vixen has a piano lesson,” Shea said, looking at the time on her luxury watch before looking at Sharon. “We expect an apology when you’re ready to give one.”

Turning her attention to Aquaria, Shea squatted down, her voice soft but still dripping with condescension.

“If you ever hurt my daughter again young lady, you’ll be in very big trouble.”

Sharon gasped, an expression of horror twisting her features.

Aquaria, who had defended herself so honestly this whole time, finally broke down at the intimidation. Her soft features scrunched up as tears sprung to her eyes and ran down her face as she cried.

“Oh for Christ’s sake,” Shea muttered, rolling her eyes and standing up to whisper to Sasha. “Of course. Now she’s a victim.”

“Shea! Now that calls for an apology!” Alaska exclaimed in outrage.

“Alaska,” Sasha warned, as if that was meant to scare her into backing down.

“Sasha!” Alaska retorted while Sharon struggled to wipe Aquaria’s tears away before more streamed down her face.

Alaska knew Sharon could fight her own battles, but she also knew these mothers better than she did. Battle lines had just been formed, and she was well and truly putting herself on the firing line.

Sasha hoisted Vixen onto her hip and walked away with Shea, neither of them turning back as they whispered to themselves. Vixen, however, gave Aquaria one last look through the wavy red hair cascading down Sasha’s shoulder, her expression unreadable as she looked at the crying new girl.

“Show’s over, everyone,” Alaska announced sarcastically to the paralyzed crowd. “That’s all, folks!”

The gaggle of parents began to scatter, but the tension in the air refused to evaporate.

Sharon spotted Ms Monsoon as the crowd parted, and the quirky teacher hesitantly walked up to her.

“Hi. Sharon, was it?” Ms Monsoon asked tentatively, nervously touching one of the yellow pencils shoved into her messy bun.

“Yep,” Sharon said shortly, instantly irritated with how the freaking classroom teacher was only coming into the conflict now. Where was she during that showdown?

Stuffing a tissue soggy with Aquaria’s tears, which had only just started to calm down, into her bag, Sharon stood up.

“Sorry,” she apologized, already feeling bad for her short answer. “Hi, I’m Sharon Needles. I wish we were meeting under better circumstances, Ms Monsoon.”

“Oh, please, call me Jinkx,” the teacher laughed softly. “I didn’t actually see this incident happen. 30 kids, one teacher, you know how it is.”

Sharon nodded, mentally scolding Jinkx for missing the confrontation and screwing up this dynamic. She was looking for someone to blame, and Jinkx was that person for the moment.

“But I just want to let you know that I personally don’t think Aquaria hit Vixen.”

Sharon’s eyebrows jumped, pleasantly surprised at Jinkx’s honest comment.

“I know I’ve only spent a day with them, but Aquaria has a really reserved nature, and I saw her hanging around Brianna all day. Of course, that doesn’t prove anything, but I just wanted to let you know that, and that hopefully this will all blow over.”

Sharon nodded in agreement this time, however she wasn’t so sure.

“Yes, hopefully."

“What does an academic even do? Loiter around universities?” Alaska ranted over the phone to Sharon later that night.

After the confrontation in the playground, Sharon had taken Aquaria home. Monday was one of the only days of the week Aquaria didn’t have a dance class, so Sharon let her do whatever she wanted, knowing she would talk when she was ready. Even though they were both shaken, Aquaria’s deflated mood had picked up over the afternoon. She bounced on her trampoline, played with her teddies, and beautifully filled in some pages in one of her many colouring books. It was when Sharon had sat with her to colour, carefully staying within the lines, when Aquaria opened up. They had such a close relationship, and she always felt safe with her mother.

“I promise I didn’t hit her,” Aquaria said sincerely.

“I know you didn’t, I believe you completely,” Sharon said, putting down her green felt tip and pulling Aquaria into her lap.

And she did. Sharon believed her daughter. She knew her own child. Aquaria would never hurt a fly. Aquaria tucked her teddy and rabbit into bed each night, kissing them each on the forehead before bringing their ‘sheet’ (a tissue) up to their chins. Aquaria always begged for a puppy or kitten whenever they walked past the pet shop, not entirely because she wanted one, but because she thought their glass window displays were too small. Aquaria cheered from the bathroom when she peed clear, she had to sleep with a nightlight on and was kind enough to share even her most treasured dress up items with her cousins when they came to play. Aquaria couldn’t have hit Vixen.

Now that she was bathed, cosy her jimjams, cuddled and tucked into bed upstairs, Sharon finally relaxed on the couch, her phone to her ear and Alaska’s voice a comforting – albeit angry – soundtrack. They were discussing what most of the mother’s were probably gossiping about over dinner tonight with their significant others – P&C Committee Leader Power Couple Shea and Sasha verses Sharon feat. Alaska.

“I checked her LinkedIn,” Alaska said into the phone, looking at Sasha’s profile on her laptop while she sat on her bed, “after I logged out, of course, and she’s not even teaching. She wore a feminist pin on her scarf today, but she’s probably too pretentious to admit she’s a stay at home mum. There’s nothing wrong with that! That’s basically me! And Shea, a political scientist. I can’t with these two.”

Sharon laughed softly, Alaska’s passionate tirade a welcomed distraction from the battle between their children.

“Today was nice…” Sharon said softly, “before pick up, I mean.”

“God, so much happened today,” Alaska exhaled in astonishment, and Sharon laughed genuinely this time. Today had been a lot, and it was only day one.

“But yes,” Alaska continued, and Sharon could hear the smile in her voice. “Today was amazing.”

Sharon didn’t know what to say next. If Alaska was here, she would have taken her in her arms, cupped her jaw and brought their lips together. There was a silence before Sharon decided to say what was exactly on her mind.

“I wish you were here,” she whispered.

“Me too,” Alaska whispered back, as if talking too loudly would pop their bubble of intimacy.

There was more silence, but it didn’t feel awkward, just comforting.

“You’re gonna get through this,” Alaska said. “I know you know that, but… I just wanted to tell you.”

“No, thank you, I need to hear that,” Sharon said, “I feel like you’re gonna need to keep telling me. And I’m going to need you… by my side.”

“I’ll be there."

No matter how many people – a grand total of two – reassured Sharon things would blow over, they did not.

“How was your second day, Qua Qua?” Sharon said excitedly during the next days 3pm pick up, playing up her happiness upon seeing Aquaria’s long face.

“Fine,” her little girl replied after squeezing her mother in a hug, the complete opposite to the ecstatic chatterbox who was skipping out of the classroom yesterday. “Let’s go.”

Fuck, thought Sharon, eyeing off the mothers around her, who conveniently stopped their conversations and looked away when Sharon glared in their direction. After a night of dreaming about brunette hair, soft thighs and grasping hands, Sharon had slept through her alarm. She got Aquaria to school just on time, and maybe it was for the better as she didn’t have a stand around and make fake small talk to the other mothers. But she was also kicking herself – she didn’t want to seem like a coward.

To make matters worse, both Alaska and Brianna were no shows today, disappointing both Sharon and Aquaria. Sharon had woken to a text from Alaska, but it wasn’t a cute ‘good morning’ one like she first expected.

A: Cracker’s got some cold/fluey thing L Probs caught it yesterday. Keeping her home, good luck with everything, you’ll both be fine! J xx

Sharon took Aquaria’s tiny pink and blue Frozen backpack and swung it onto her right shoulder, capturing Aquaria’s hand in her left as she walked them the short distance to the car park.

“Did you play dress ups during free time today?” Sharon prompted.

“Yep,” Aquaria said shortly, and Sharon didn’t miss how she herself said the same thing to Jinkx just yesterday. The apple didn’t fall far.

“How fun! What did you dress up as?”

Radio silence.

Sharon knew her daughter, so she didn’t push as they reached their car. She buckled an emotionless Aquaria into the back before hopping into the driver’s seat. Right on cue, she heard a heartbreaking sniffle echo around the privacy of their closed car.

Sharon whipped her head around, her expression forming into a panicked grimace as Aquaria cried.

What the fuck happened, she thought.

“Aw, baby! Tell me what happened? It’s okay,” Sharon said softly, reaching behind her to squeeze Aquaria’s hand. “Do you want me to sit in the back?”

Between sniffles and sobs and the wiping of tears, Aquaria shook her head before finally calming down. After sucking in gasps of air, she relayed the day as best she could in this state.

“N-no one… played w-with me,” Aquaria sobbed, and Sharon’s eyes instantly became misty with tears at how heartbroken her daughter was. “They said… their mummies… told them to not play w-with me.”

It was like someone was squeezing the life out of Sharon’s heart, so she could only imagine how Aquaria was feeling.

“Oh, baby, it’s okay!” Sharon tried, the both of them knowing things weren’t fucking okay. It was times like this when Sharon doubted herself the most. She felt so unequipped to handle situations like this. She expected drama like this to happen later in Aquaria’s life, not in Year 1.

“Their mummies are stupid… fuddy-duddies,” Sharon said angrily, a smile tugging on Aquaria’s mouth at her mother’s word choice. “They don’t know us. Things will get better, okay? I promise you. I will have a word with them and all of this will be sorted out before we know it.”

Sharon turned around, gripping the steering wheel to a car that wasn’t even on. Shea and Sasha had flung mud, and dear God had it stuck. So how could Sharon make them clean again?

That afternoon they watched Moana and made homemade vegetarian pizzas, even though it was a Tuesday and pizza night was reserved for Fridays. Aquaria had snuggled up with Sharon under a blanket and hugging her plush rabbit, and while she was half-heartedly laughing at the funny parts, it was the first time she didn’t sing along to How Far I’ll Go, and it made Sharon’s bottom lip quiver.

As Moana crossed the ocean and saved an entire island, Sharon struggled to figure out how to save her own daughter from this mess. Once Aquaria was asleep in bed, Sharon sat on her balcony and indulged in a guilty pleasure – or three. She placed a glass of red on her side table, held a lit cigarette in one hand and had Alaska on the phone in the other.

“That’s fucked,” Alaska finally said once Sharon finished updating her. “Oh god, I’m so sorry Cracker and I weren’t there today.”

“No! This isn’t your fault,” Sharon reassured her. “Please don’t feel bad. How’s Cracker?”

“She’s a lot better than this morning, I think her immune system was just a little shocked from the first day. I’m confident she’ll be fine tomorrow. I signed up to read to the kids tomorrow anyway, so we’re definitely coming in.”

“Oh fuck,” Sharon cursed, “I volunteered too. I totally forgot that’s happening tomorrow.”

Sharon moaned, a tantrum threatening to bubble over. She took a drag of her cigarette instead.

“I don’t wanna see Shea and Sasha tomorrow. But I do, but I don’t, I don’t know!” Sharon vented.

“They won’t be there tomorrow, we got emailed a roster and they’re part of Thursday’s team, not Wednesday like us,” Alaska explained. “I’m so good.”

“You are,” Sharon smiled, her tense shoulders instantly relaxing. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Sharon sipped at her wine, Alaska’s voice and the quiet night sky stirring something inside of her.

“What are you up to?” Sharon said, her voice low. They both knew she wasn’t looking for an entirely mundane answer.

“I’m in bed…” Alaska said softly, which was the truth.

Sharon nodded, even though Alaska couldn’t see.

“…wishing you were here.”

Sharon’s heart skipped a beat, and she sat still in her deck chair, watching the smoke rise from the cigarette perched in her ashtray.

“What would you do if I was there?” Sharon asked, her voice gentle.

Alaska was silent for a moment, but Sharon could hear her rolling in her sheets.

“I’d kiss you… straddle your lap and slip my tongue into your mouth,” Alaska described, her voice low as she drawled out her words.

Sharon closed her eyes, a shiver running through her that wasn’t from the night air.

“Then what?” Sharon asked, and Alaska softly giggled at Sharon’s audible gulp.

“Then I’d kiss your jaw, kiss your neck, leave a hickey here and there, especially on that little flower ribbon tattoo thing you have on your boobie,” Alaska chuckled.

“Hey!” Sharon laughed, taking a drag of her cigarette before placing it down. “It’s from my favourite movie.”

“No it’s cute, I forgot to tell you yesterday,” Alaska said before lowering her voice again. “Where was I? Oh yeah, so, I’d kiss my way down your body…"

Sharon instinctively played with the buttons of her white work blouse, imagining the soft, teasing touches were coming from the woman on the phone.

“…kissing your tummy, kissing your inner thighs… and then my hair is tickling your skin, and my lips are getting closer… and closer to your pussy. And you’re thrusting up to me, begging me to finally give into your pulsing core—“

“My pulsing core? You should write an erotic book,” Sharon teased.

“Oh, shut up!” Alaska laughed. “Do you want me to fuck you over the phone or not?”

Sharon burst out laughing before throwing a hand over her mouth, careful not to wake Aquaria inside.

“I can’t touch myself anyway right now,” Sharon whispered into her phone, “I’m sitting on my balcony.”

“That’s hot, though,” Alaska bargained.

Sharon laughed, feeling the full effect of the wine now that their all-consuming bubble of lust had popped.

“I’ve gotta go to bed…” Sharon sighed, stubbing out her cigarette before picking up her empty wine glass and heading inside.

“Good, get some sleep,” Alaska encouraged, before sarcastically whispering, “and you can touch yourself and think of me.”

“Literally what I had planned,” Sharon admitted, making Alaska cackle.

“I’m doing it right now,” Alaska said breathily, softly gasping and playing it up for Sharon, whose knees almost buckled as she walked up her stairs to her bedroom.

“You’re gonna drive me crazy,” Sharon whispered. “You already are.”

Later that night and under the covers of her bed, Sharon predictably followed through, her slick walls throbbing around her fingers as she climaxed, Alaska on her mind as the brunette’s name tumbled out of her mouth while her limbs shook.

But as she rolled onto her side and waited for sleep to come, a feeling of guilt settled in her stomach. Her own daughter might have cried herself to sleep tonight, and what was Sharon doing? Having semi-phone sex with another Year 1 mother?

You’re a horrible parent, a sick voice in the back of her mind spat. You’re doing nothing to help your daughter.

Sharon squeezed her eyes shut, willing the voice to die as tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. She had to do something.

“The library is open!” Ms Monsoon cheered, snipping the red ribbon she had tied around the bookshelf.

Most of the parents clapped, shooting their children over the top smiles in a bid to make them more enthusiastic. Sharon and Alaska stifled a laugh, standing at the back of the classroom with a handful of other mothers and fathers.

“Parents, you can get ready at your designated reading spots outside,” Ms Monsoon smiled before letting the students pick a book of their choice from the shelf to read aloud.

“I got the quadrangle bench, what about you?” Alaska asked Sharon as they began to walk out of the classroom, her eyes on her little Cracker waiting patiently for the throng of children to part so she could grab a book.

“Sand pit bench,” Sharon said distractedly, her eyes on her own daughter as well, who was already enthralled in the pretty pictures of her book. Sharon frowned slightly, not sensing a drop of tension between Aquaria and Vixen, who were sitting at the same group table, a cup of coloured crayons spilled between them as they politely shared. If Aquaria hit Vixen, they sure seemed to be getting along just fine now.

“Good luck in those then,” Alaska winked, shooting a look down at Sharon’s heels before she laughed and walked across the school’s courtyard, the natural highlights in her brunette hair glistening in the morning sun.

“Hey,” Sharon laughed under her breath, a sense of warmth tingling in her chest that wasn’t from the whether.

A current of adrenaline ran through Sharon as she made her way to her designated reading spot. Being with Alaska made her heart race in ways she forgot it could. And being in public with her was thrilling. No one knew about them, and it was almost euphoric to have a fun little secret. For a while there, Sharon became used to living with a secret, a terrible one she would cover with concealer and fake smiles.

But Alaska had brought out the best in Sharon. She felt special and powerful and sexy, all these emotions and qualities that had lain dormant inside her for longer than she initially realised.

Sharon reached the bench and slowly sat down, her heels sinking gradually into the sand beneath her. It was a beautiful day to sit outside, the grassy oval was a vivid green and birds were chirping in the leafy trees surrounding them. Even though certain events had left a bitter taste in her mouth, Sharon was so happy to have Aquaria at RuPaul Primary.

Children started to stream out of the classroom, branching off to their designated volunteer. They had a strict five-minute reading session with each child so the entire class could swiftly move onto spelling at a sharp 9:25am. A blonde girl with rosy cheeks skipped across the oval to Sharon, the first of the five children she would listen to.

“Hi honey,” Sharon smiled, ignoring the sand the little girl unknowingly kicked into her heels. She made a mental note to dust her feet off before hopping in her car.

“Hi, I’m Blair,” the girl smiled, opening up a book about fairytales.

Even though Blair struggled and needed a lot of help, she loved putting on a different voice for each character.

“That was great!” Sharon said honestly as they finished. “You should be an actress when you’re older. You’re really good with different characters.”

Blair stared at Sharon with wide eyes before her face split into a huge smile.

“Okay!” she chirped, before racing back to the classroom to bring out the next student.

Sharon listened to Asia next, who struggled at first, but understood the more difficult words with Sharon’s guidance. Then Cracker, or Brianna, came out. She smiled and excitedly raced over to Sharon when she realised she was the volunteer she would be reading to.

“Hi Miss Sharon,” Cracker said happily, taking a seat next to Sharon on the bench.

“Hi Brianna,” Sharon smiled.

“You can call me Cracker,” she replied, opening her book.

“Okay Miss Cracker,” Sharon agreed.

Cracker read the slowest out of all the children Sharon had listened to so far, but she also read the most perfectly, as if every word was special. Her little index finger trailed along the pages, and Sharon couldn’t stop smiling as she pictured Alaska reading books to Cracker when she was even smaller, just like Sharon did with Aquaria.

“That was fantastic!” Sharon said honestly. “Well done Cracker, you did really well.”

Cracker looked at Sharon and smiled, but it was almost like her eyes were studying Sharon’s face.

“My mummy says you’re nice,” Cracker said finally.

Sharon’s eyebrows rose, her heart speeding up like before as she glanced across the oval to where Alaska was sitting listening to another child.

“I… think your mummy is nice too,” Sharon said evenly, unsure of how to respond as she failed to wipe the smile off her face. I think she’s very nice, Sharon thought.

Cracker nodded before slipping off the bench and waving goodbye to Sharon.

Then another little girl called Eureka came out, and Sharon remembered how Alaska said she had to be held back a year. Eureka was lovely, a bubbly, talkative girl who kept getting distracted and wanted to talk to Sharon instead of read.

Sharon checked her watch as Eureka walked back to the classroom, noting she was up to her final child of the morning. She looked up, her chest tightening as the last little girl crossed the oval to meet her.

“Hello Vixen!” Sharon said excitedly, trying to overcompensate for her sudden nervousness.

What the fuck was Miss Monsoon thinking putting Vixen in my reading group? Sharon thought, smiling at Vixen. Did she not remember the conflict?

“Hello,” Vixen said politely, taking a seat on the same bench as Sharon but leaving a sizeable gap.

Vixen read perfectly. Her pacing was excellent, her emphasis was point on, and she barely stumbled.

“You read so well, Vixen!” Sharon said encouragingly when Vixen finished the short book in minutes.

Sasha was an academic, she probably had one of those Beauty & The Beast floor to ceiling libraries in her home, complete with a ladder and all.

“I know,” Vixen replied honestly, yet again surprising Sharon with her confidence and candidness.

“Great,” Sharon concluded.

An awkward energy hung in the air. Sharon checked her watch and saw they still had two entire, long minutes until their session was up.

“Do you read a lot at home?” Sharon asked, making conversation.

“Yes,” Vixen replied, looking in her direction but not meeting her eye.

Sharon nodded, suddenly out of things to say. She wracked her brain to think of another way to fill time, but only one question blocked out all other thoughts.

Casting a glance around at the distracted parents and children spread out far away across the oval, Sharon swallowed her nerves and bit the bullet.

“Vixen,” Sharon started, dropping her voice, “I just wanted to ask once more, now that some time has passed…” and your hovering mothers aren’t here, she thought, “…if you could confirm who it was who hurt you?”

Vixen was still, her eyes refusing to meet Sharon’s.

“It was Aquaria,” she said finally.

Sharon nodded, wanting to create ‘an understanding’ space for Vixen to talk in. But there was nothing Sharon could understand about Aquaria apparently hitting Vixen.

“Are you… sure?” Sharon asked, treading carefully, before rushing the rest of her words out. “I just want you to know that if there is someone who has hurt you and you don’t want to get a friend into trouble, or you’re scared to tell on them—“

Sharon instantly regretted her words as a once cool, calm and collected Vixen snapped. She scooted off the bench, facing Sharon before raising her voice.

“I’m not scared!” Vixen yelled. “I’m not a baby! Aquaria hit me. I keep saying this and you won’t believe me!”

Sharon panicked, not knowing how to tame the bear she had just poked.

“It’s okay, Vixen, listen, it’s okay!” Sharon attempted in a hushed voice, but it was no use.

Vixen didn’t calm down at all. Instead, she pulled one leg back and kicked sand straight at Sharon.

“Hey!” Sharon protested, throwing her hands up as she felt tiny grains scratch her eyes. She stood up quickly, but her stupid choice of heels fell victim to the sand pit beneath her feet. In an instant, her footing gave out as her pointy heel was swallowed in the sand, her ankle twisting sharply as a result.

“Fuck!” Sharon cursed, forgetting to censor herself as hot pain burned through her ankle. She fell onto her hands and knees as her face contorted in pain.

“What is going on here?” a voice cried, getting louder as it ran towards the sand pit.

Sharon looked up as another mother ran to her rescue.

“Oh, thank you!” Sharon said graciously. “I think I twisted my—“

But Sharon was cut off as she realised the concerned mother wasn’t focusing on her.

“Are you okay, Vixen?” the mother said urgently, touching Vixen’s shoulder protectively before shooting Sharon a death glare.

Vixen shrugged her shoulders, and the woman’s comforting hands off, before nodding.

“Can I go inside?” Vixen asked the other mother calmly. She shot Sharon, who was still crumpled in the sand pit squeezing her ankle, one last look. Just like the one she had given Aquaria on that first day, it was unreadable, a mature demeanor settling over her young features.

“Of course!” the other mother said, almost ushering Vixen away from Sharon. When she was safely out of earshot, the woman turned to Sharon.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, literally looking down on her.

“And who the hell do you think you are?” Sharon bit back, glaring at the short lady above her.

“I’m Phi Phi O’Hara, and I just watched you attack Vixen Velour-Coulee,” Phi Phi bragged, her voice dripping with triumph.

Sharon rolled her eyes dramatically. Of course this was happening to her. Alaska’s words came back into her mind, and she instantly knew Phi Phi was as fake as they came. She could practically see her salivating at the ‘drama’ she had just witnessed. This would no doubt give her some brownie points amongst the other mothers.

“I didn’t attack Vixen,” Sharon explained, deciding to stay on the ground as she couldn’t manage standing up, and Phi Phi sure as fuck wasn’t offering her a helping hand. “I just asked her again in a safer space and—“

But Phi Phi wasn’t interested in Sharon’s explanation as she cut her off, scoffing to herself as she shook her head from side to side.

“You are so out of line,” Phi Phi threatened.

Sharon’s blood boiled. This woman was desperate for a fight, and with the pain throbbing in her ankle, she was more than happy to throw down.

But like an angel descending from above, Alaska rushed over as she saw Sharon on the ground and Phi Phi, of all people, standing above her.

“Sharon! What happened?”

“She attacked Vixen,” Phi Phi smugly, as if Alaska would eat this up.

“Oh my god,” Sharon yelled in frustrated, suddenly feeling exactly like Aquaria the day this all happened. “I didn’t!”

“Phi Phi, Jinkx wants us back inside,” Alaska said, not looking at Phi Phi at she slipped Sharon’s heels off her feet in a reverse Cinderella moment. She looked up at Phi Phi when she realised she still hadn’t moved. “You can go now.”

Alaska stared her down until finally Phi Phi retreated, a fight still bubbling inside of her.

“I rolled my ankle,” Sharon said softly as Alaska sat in the sandpit with her.

“Now I feel bad for joking about your heels,” Alaska smiled before pressing her cool fingers to Sharon’s inflamed skin. “Wow, okay, your ankle is really hot. We need to put pressure on it so it doesn’t swell. Can I take you to the school office? It’s probably nothing serious, but you can’t walk on it, especially in these.”

Sharon nodded, her mood completely deflated after the reading fiasco. She was more than happy to let Alaska take care of her.

“I was just—“ Sharon started up, anger boiling inside of her as she tried to explain herself.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Alaska said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind Sharon’s ear before dropping her hand quickly and looking around at the deserted oval. “You don’t have to explain right now. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

After stopping by the classroom to drop off their brief notes about each child’s reading ability, Alaska waved quickly to Cracker before rushing out and helping Sharon hobble through the grounds.

“She’s such a fucking bitch, you were so right about Phi Phi,” Sharon seethed as they sat in the school’s administration office, every muttered swear word dulling the pain in her ankle momentarily.

“It’s just your luck she was there,” Alaska said as she shook her head before laughing at the series of unfortunate events. “Drama is just attracted to you.”

“Christ, I know,” Sharon sighed before finding herself laughing drying as well. She was so grateful that Alaska and her could still find the slightly humorous side to a saga that was just getting worse.

“Sorry for the wait,” the school’s receptionist said as she rounded her high desk and came out to meet Alaska and Sharon. “Oh, Alaska!“

“Raja!” Alaska exclaimed excitedly, standing from her seat and hugging the statuesque, grey haired receptionist. “Sharon, this is Raja! We’ve known each other for years, all the mother’s go to her yoga class.”

“Not to mention you transformed practically half the gorgeous furniture in my home,” Raja replied, laugh lines forming around her eyes as she smiled.

“Nice to meet you,” Sharon said, her smile barely reaching her eyes as she squeezed her ankle.

“She twisted her ankle in the sandpit,” Alaska explained, a genuine smile now actually pulling at Sharon’s mouth at how much of a fool she sounded like. “You wouldn’t happen to have an adult sized compression bandage, would you?”

“Hmm,” Raja thought, looking at Sharon’s feet. “No, but we have normal bandages, that’ll do the trick.”

In moments, Raja had knelt down and wrapped Sharon’s ankle before securing the bandage with a small clip. There was something so comforting about Raja. Her maturity, paired with Alaska’s supportive presence, helped mend Sharon’s dejected mood – and her sore ankle.

“All better,” Raja said as she stood up and returned to her seat behind her desk. “Don’t worry about bringing the bandage back. But I just need to grab your details to keep a record.”

“Sure,” Sharon said as she slipped her heels back on and took Alaska’s hand to help her stand up. “Sharon Needles, and my mobile is—“

“Oh,” Raja interrupted, looking up at her through her thick glasses, “you’re Sharon Needles?”

Raja’s eyebrows were high, her eyes inquisitive.

Sharon tensed.

“Wow, so does everyone know about the Orientation Day debacle?” Sharon joked, not in a joking mood at all as she shot Alaska a confused glance.

Raja was quiet for a second as she sat on a secret.

“I don’t know anything about that, but I do know that a certain Phi Phi O’Hara just posted an online petition in the mother’s group Facebook page to get a certain Sharon Needles and her daughter booted from RuPaul Primary.”

The room began to spin.

Twisting her desktop screen around to show the two mothers, Raja watched as their faces simultaneously went through a series of emotions. First confusion, then fear, then anger as Sharon’s frame began to shake.

There, shining brightly on the monitor before them, was the online petition Phi Phi O’Hara and her best friend Charlie Hides had created. A bold title screaming PARENT PETITION headlined the garbage as a paragraph called upon the parents in the community to “band together” to have Sharon and Aquaria “removed”.

“… ‘on the grounds of bullying and racism’… ‘they should not be here, this is a school for kind people, not people who bully’…” Sharon whispered, her voice quivering as her eyes glowed with fury and tears. “Bullying? And racism? This has nothing to do with Vixen or Shea being black, oh my god, oh my god.”

Even though Sharon’s tone was hushed, it verged on hysterical, a sharp contrast to the formal, conservative interiors of the school’s administration office.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Alaska said, matching her hushed tone as she wrapped an arm around her shaking frame and held her tightly.

“This happened minutes ago, they were planning this,” Sharon’s voice hitched, the breakdown she was trying so desperately to fight now wrapping its grip around her throat.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Alaska hushed her. “It’s fucking ridiculous, no one is going to sign it.”

“There’s already four signatures!” Sharon whined, tears brimming in her eyes as she felt her world crumble.

She had tried so hard to ignore this drama, swallow it back, push it down, but now it was all coming racing up, thick and fast, and Sharon couldn’t hold it together anymore. This was getting out of her control, and while it was never in her control to begin with, the thought of this witch-hunt against not only her, but Aquaria too, made her sick. This had gone too far.

A single sob bubbled out of Sharon. Blinded by tears, she pulled herself out of Alaska’s tight hold, racing for the exit as she pushed her weight against the heavy glass door of the administration office, ignoring the sound of Alaska’s calls.

She bounded through the grounds as fast as she could in this state, her tears and weak ankle slowing her down as she made her way through the parking lot to her car.

The past few days spun around in her mind, and the fact that it had only been three days since school started made her want to cry harder.

Every time Sharon interfered, it blew up in her face. After defending her daughter, she had suddenly made enemies. Not only that, but it was Aquaria who had to face the consequences, left to be the one excluded on just her second day of school.

Sharon’s attempts at talking to Vixen, her determination to get to the bottom of this, had gone so horribly wrong that the fate of their enrolment was now in jeopardy.

It was when she finally reached her car and was rummaging around in her bag looking for her keys when another pair of heels on the concrete finally caught up to her.

Sharon unlocked the car before sitting inside and not turning the engine on. Alaska opened the passenger side door and sat inside.

It was only in the deafening silence of the car did Sharon finally uttered her biggest fear, for once speaking aloud the one thought she was previously too terrified to manifest.

“Maybe Aquaria did hit Vixen.”

Alaska inhaled sharply.

“You know she didn’t.”

“But what if she did,” Sharon whispered, fresh tears streaming down her face. She didn’t even bother to wipe them away.

“You raised a beautiful, caring, kind little girl, you said yourself she would never hurt a fly,” Alaska argued.

Sharon shook her head. She couldn’t help herself from disagreeing.

“I’m gonna tell you something, and you have to stay calm,” Sharon said, sniffling.

The expensive leather of her seat squeaked as she shifted to face a concerned Alaska. But Sharon couldn’t meet her eye. She instead looked at her shoulder as she licked her lips, tasting salty tears.

“I left Aquaria’s Dad for a few reasons. One was that I didn’t want to be with him, the other was that afterwards… when I wanted a divorce, he started hitting me.”

Sharon stole a glance at Alaska’s eyes. They were already red rimmed and glazed with tears, while her lips were pressed into a thin line.

“He never laid a finger on Aquaria. I wouldn’t let him. She never saw him hit me, she never heard it. She was never exposed to violence.”

Sharon’s voice hitched as she said what had been playing on her mind since the minute Vixen accused Aquaria.

“But what if she like, has it in her?” Sharon whimpered, a dirty feeling of shame swallowing her as she dared to doubt her own child’s word.

“No, Sharon, stop,” Alaska demanded, her voice cracking as tears slid down Sharon’s wet cheeks.

Sharon breathed in short, sharp little intakes of air, and it was only when Alaska grabbed her hand and squeezed it almost painfully in her own did the potential panic attack lessen.

“Breathe,” Alaska demanded, ready to drag her from this poisonous mindset. “Look at me.”

Sharon’s frantic eyes met Alaska’s, who had a vicious look in hers.

“Listen, Aquaria didn’t hit Vixen,” Alaska stated, her voice full of conviction, partly because she believed Aquaria, mostly because Sharon’s abusive past had lit a protective, raging fire inside her heart. “You’re her mother, for goodness sake. You know it in your heart that she would never hurt anyone. And this is what they want. This is what Sasha and Shea want, and what fucking Phi Phi and Charlie wants with their stupid fucking, ass kissing petition. Don’t let them win.”

Sharon stared at Alaska, her tears subsiding during Alaska’s tirade. Alaska released her vice like grip on Sharon, blood now blossoming through their white hands. Neither of them expected that to come from Alaska, yet they both needed it.

Without words, they leaned closer, wrapping their arms around each other as best they could in the awkward confines of the car. Sharon buried her face in Alaska’s hair, breathing in the floral scent of her perfume as Alaska protectively rubbed her back.

She never wanted to let go of Sharon, and she never wanted Sharon to hurt again. Her heart squeezed as something shifted between them, Sharon’s willingness to open up about her past solidifying something deeper in their future.

Sharon mumbled something softly before lifting her head from Alaska’s embrace and repeating it.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her lips inches from Alaska’s. Her wet lashes fluttered against her tear streaked cheeks as she felt Alaska’s breath dance across her skin. Leaning forwards, she yearned to close the gap, to have the warmth of Alaska’s mouth on hers.

But just as she did, her phone lit up in her lap, buzzing to alert its owner of a new email.

They both looked down, and Sharon’s brows knitted together as the unfamiliar sender’s message began to take shape.

“It’s Shea,” Sharon mumbled, swiping the message open.

“What does she want?” Alaska asked urgently as Sharon silently read the message.

There was a beat of stillness before Sharon spoke, her voice tired and dejected.

“She already knows about the sand pit. She wants to meet with me, today, this afternoon, to discuss it.”

Sharon sat back in her diver’s seat before laughing dryly and turning to face a worried Alaska.

“Things are about to go down. This is gonna get ugly.”

A/N: This is a vague crossover with Big Little Lies. If plot points look similar, that is why. I do not take any credit for Big Little Lies or the similarities whatsoever.

#rosie #shalaska #lesbian au #cisgirl au #tw domestic violence #au #sharon needles #alaska thunderfuck #aquaria #shea coulee #sasha velour #angst #rpdr fanfiction #tattletale #aquaria & sharon

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fandomoniumflurry · 7 years ago

Text

Bouncy Ball

Jo Harvelle x Sam Winchester

for @sdavid09 daily writing challenge

prompt #5: “I CAME IN LIKE A WRECKING BALL!” “You came in like a bouncy ball…”

1.8k no warnings **not my gif**

“No! No, no, no.” Jo moaned and groaned as Sam drug her across the parking lot. His dimples were deep as he grinned, both his enormous hands engulfing hers. “Sam, no. Please.” Her features were pathetic as she pleaded with him, trying to dig her heels in deeper. Her bottom lip quivered as she tried desperately to use his puppy dog eyes trick against him but clearly he wasn’t being swayed.

“Come on. It will be fun. For me, Jo.” He turned the puppy eyes around on her and she practically growled. A victorious grin made those damn dimples stand out even more and he didn’t have to pull as hard. She finally relented and let him lead her along. “I swear, you’ll love it.”

“Better be glad I love you.” She muttered under her breath, trying to retain her grumpy attitude. But it was hard to do so when the big Winchester was beyond excited and practically bouncing. He only held one of her hands now, intertwining their fingers as she walked beside him now. She let a smile curl the corner of her lips as she looked at their hands before she frowned again when he opened the door for her.

The place was loud and crowded, everyone from small children to the elderly present in the big building. From rock walls to trampolines, water slides to velcro walls, they had it all. As if the life of a hunter wasn’t adventurous and dangerous enough, Sam had insisted they spend their day at this place where it was quite possible they could break their neck or some other bone. She didn’t know this was where he was taking her until they had pulled into the parking lot. And now she regretted giving into those hazel eyes of his so easily.

Jo Harvelle prided herself on her hunting skills, having trained for a long time to prove that she was just as good as the men twice her size. But one thing about Jo was that she was clumsy. She didn’t do extreme sports or go to these kinds of places. She’d rather be out beheading a vampire or shooting a werewolf where not only did she have backup but also there weren’t a million different obstacles that could possibly kill her. At least there were no monsters here. She hoped. Though Sam was starting to look pretty evil right about now.

He brought himself to stand in front of her when he saw the look on her face. His hands rubbed up and down her arms in attempt to sooth not only her fear but her anger. He leaned down slightly to catch her eye and offered a warm smile. “Come on. Give it a chance. Then next weekend I’ll let you pick where we go, ok?”

Her eyes rolled to look up at him, her face still hard as her arms crossed over her chest. “If I die falling off that rock wall, I’m going to haunt your ass until the end of time. Pelting you with rocks, by the way. All eternity.” When his face split with his smile and a chuckle passed his lips, she couldn’t help but cracking a smile at him in return. Her body relaxed slightly as she dropped her arms before he brought his lips to her cheek. She still couldn’t help the blush that rose in her cheeks when he always did that followed by the flutter of her heart. Damn him for being so adorable.

As it would happen, the rock wall wasn’t the first place he dragged her off to. He had so much he wanted to do, so many things he wanted to experience with her that he wasn’t even sure where to start. So he decided that the trampolines were the most tame of activities. Out of everything, that was really the only thing Jo was fine with doing. Until they got in. This wasn’t normal trampolines, these were hundreds of little trampolines, tight and spread out not only on the floor but on the walls. Before she could even object, Sam pushed her gently and she was glad to land on her feet. But when he jumped behind her, it nearly sent her flying. His long arms were quick to reach out and catch her, bouncing them off the wall before he caught his balance again.

Already, he was in a fit of laughter, Jo giving him a glare before she pulled herself away from him. She gave him a crooked grin before she took off, bouncing from trampoline to trampoline to get up speed. When she was confident enough, she leapt into the wall and shot herself into the air, doing a front flip before landing on her feet again. Proud of herself, she turned to look at Sam with a bright smile, the Winchester clapping with a look of pride in his own eyes. “I’d like to see you pull those kinds of stunts, Samsquatch.” She snickered as she looked over his tall lean form and shook her head. But before she could tell him she was joking, her eyes widened as she saw him taking off.

Her hands covered her eyes the moment he hit the wall, peeking through when she heard the bounce and to her utter amazement, he was actually able to flip and land after only wobbling a little. Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head before she smiled in shock and applauded. A smug grin was plastered on his face as he made his way over to her, his hands grabbing her by the elbows to stop his bouncing. She looked up at him with a laugh before slapping his chest playfully before she bounced away with the tall man on her heels.

After a while, they took a break for some water and a quick snack. Jo laughed at the sweat that had built up on the large man’s body. Wiping a napkin over his forehead, he watched her with a smile, commenting on how she was barely even wet. “I don’t sweat, I glisten.” Which caused them both to laugh. Once they were cooled down and hydrated, they went to get strapped in at the rock wall, the one that Jo had been fearing the most. The man that was getting her into her harness tried to make small talk as he worked, making it seem like it wasn’t awkward that he was reaching in between her legs. She cast an innocent glance to Sam whose jaw was tight but he gave her a closed lip smile.

Sam took to the wall first, easily reaching hand rests and holding onto foot rests, scaling the wall effortlessly. Jo seemed to struggle a little. Nearly all the way at the top already, the Winchester looked down and grinned when he saw she was barely off the ground. He decided to sit a while and watch, getting a narrowed eye glare from the blonde as she took her time. Jo was never good with heights, not that she would get seriously injured climbing a plaster wall but the thought of falling still didn’t seem very appealing. Her knuckles turned white when she grabbed onto every rock, holding on so tight she was sure she would have blisters later.

When she finally made it up to Sam, she was out of breath and trembling. Sam laughed but didn’t mock her, simply extended a hand to her to help her scale the rest of the way. Her fears ebbed a bit when she reached Sam, wishing now that she could have just ridden up on his back like a spider monkey. But he kept assuring her that she was doing good and giving her other words of encouragement to keep her going. The top didn’t take too long to reach and when she got there, she reached out to ring the bell with pride. When she turned her head back toward Sam, he was grinning from ear to ear, his hand resting against her back and she couldn’t help but blush.

The momentary distraction of his kaleidoscope eyes made her forget where she was for a moment and shift in her position. This caused her to lose her grip and with a squeal she fell from the wall. The harness around her tightened and after the initial fear, she started to giggle as she dangled there. Sam’s head shook with a laugh as he started his way down. Jo swung back and forth, pretending to glide as she called out to the Winchester. Her ridiculous show only go worse when she started singing. “I came in like a wrecking ball!” Holding onto her rope, and kicking her feet like the girl that coined the song as she descended.

Her movement caused her to collide with the rock wall and bounce off with a groan. On the ground, Sam laughed but when she bounced again he reached out his arms to gather her in when she was close to the ground. He brushed her hair from her face, her own hand resting against her head as she pouted. Her lower lip jutted out as she looked up at him pathetically and he chuckled, still cradling her in his arms. “That was more like a bouncy ball.” He commented and as much as she fought the urge, it caused her to laugh, curling into his chest and resting her head on his shoulder.

They were both removed from their straps and Jo hobbled a little at Sam’s side. He held her hand with a smile, stopping for a moment to kiss the top of her head. “How about we head out and get dinner?” Her shoulders relaxed as she let out a loud exasperated sigh with a dramatic nod of affirmation. He laughed and led the way out the door to the Impala.

Before he climbed in, she stopped, holding his hand and pulling him back to her. Her timid gaze lifted to look at him when he brought himself closer. He smiled down at her, her chocolate orbs masked by her lashes. She nibbled her bottom lip for a sec and he took her other hand in his. “This was not as bad of a day date as I thought it would be.” Her statement caused his smile to shine and she returned the smile with just as much brightness.

His head leaned forward, Jo expecting another kiss on the cheek but she was pleasantly surprised when his lips landed on hers. She smiled as he lingered there for a moment, his soft lips fitting perfectly against hers. When he pulled back, she sighed happily and leaned into his chest. He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “Come on, my little bouncy ball. This date’s not over yet.”

#tale teller's daily writing challenge #sdavid09 #jo harvelle #sam winchester #sam x jo #supernatural #spn #shelly writes #day 5

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