#bubbles literally exploded in a plane that wasn’t even his

[thr-333]

I got this request story idea where quirkless deku doesn't want to be a hero anymore because of bullying that he got from bakugou and wrong saying that he got from all might. So deku decides is a backpacker, travelling around the world experiencing cultures, food, quirks!!! He has even a YouTube account where talk about his travels, meet new people and talk about their quirks.

Here you go @sweetizukufan its set in nz like  you wanted :D

Ochako flopped onto her bed and groaned into a pillow. She didn’t have the right to complain, she knew that. She had been one of thousands of applicants to pass the entrance exam and for the past three years her classmates had been training just as hard as she had. And truthfully she didn’t want to complain. It was her final year at UA. It was only a matter of months until she was officially a hero her dream since a child and she was excited for it!

That didn't change the fact Aizawa had upped their training the last few months. The days got longer the work harder and quite frankly it left her with virtually zero free time. Whenever she tried voicing her thoughts she’d be met by her well meaning, but overly enthusiastic classmates encouraging her to keep her head up. 

She was! That didn’t mean she had to go through hellish training with a wide smile on her face.

“Ugh,” Ochako rolled over as it got hard to breath with the pillow smothering her. She really did need to get some sleep before waking up at five in the bloody morning tomorrow when she hit the gym. But honestly at this point if she didn’t do something to break up the monotony of training, eating and sleeping she was going to lose it.

She blindly grabbed for her phone. The school had funded getting her a newer model than her old flip phone since that had been a hindrance when she started internships. She was provided with the industry standard which her friends had tested by throwing it out a window, where it hit Bakugou’s head, and was promptly exploded then stomped on. The thing came out of it without a scratch.

She brought up youtube, it’s not like she had any games, let alone time to play them. It was probably a bad sign she had forgotten what channels she liked. With little other option she started scrolling trending with only a small amount of hesitance. She flicked past everything that was clearly clickbait, too childish or both. 

Something caught her eye and Ochako back-pedalled to take a look. It looked like some sort of vlogging channel ‘ARRIVING IN NEW ZEALAND! Auckland sky tower!!!’ was written across the screen. Even with all the caps she didn’t really see how that could be clickbait. Maybe the guy was just excited, she would like to get a holiday like that after all. The image had him smiling at the camera sitting down and below him was nothing, nothing but a street far below. Ochako was embarrassed to say her first thought was that he had some sort of floating quirk before realising he was literally sitting on a window. In her defence she had a float quirk.

Partly embarrassed she clicked on the video why not live her traveling dreams vicariously through a stranger? She used to watch her fair share of travel videos, although those were mostly in tropical places so she could research where to take her parents.

The video started with a shot looking over the wing of a plane, a montage of it starting to land. Ochako was vaguely concerned when all she could see was water out the window but just before touch down the tarmac came into view so it wasn't a surprise crash landing. The camera cut off after a few more seconds panning across the airport as the plane pulled in. The music started to fade out as the shot cut to the same guy as before.

“Hey guys Midoriya here again, just got off an eleven hour flight,” He had no right to look so cheerful at that Ochako had never been on a plane but it didn’t look particularly fun, “And let me tell you I was not prepared for the ordeal that is security here,”

Midoriya’s smile faltered a bit, looking sheepish. He was walking with the camera just outside the airport, people milling around in the background paying him no mind.

“I had no idea it would be that tough, I had an apple I got on the plane in my bag and I thought that would be alright, I got it on the plane after all!” Midoriya didn’t look upset or angry but  he was blushing madly. Ochako cracked a smile at that now that she looked closer he was probably about her age, “But no, I swear I thought they were going to arrest me! They started interrogating me, I had to stutter out that I got it on the plane, but that didn’t stop them they gave me a lecture about protecting the environment and declaring food, luckily I got off without a fine, I think it’s because I looked terrified, because I was,”

Midoriya chuckled rubbing his neck, there was a bang and he looked wideyed to the side the camera shook slightly then cut to another shot the setting slightly off from where it was showing a bit of greenery growing at the air port.

“Sorry dropped my bag,” Ochako giggled at that a bit, more that he had decided to keep that in the video than anything else, “So I thought that was the end of it, but apparently not, they started asking questions about my shoes, ‘have you visited any farms?’ ‘have you worn them hiking at any point?’ stuff like that, so that was a bit of a problem because these are my only pair of shoes in this country and I’m pretty sure they’re gonna incinerate that apple,”

A little graphic of a cartoon apple on fire popped up along with a pair of shoes. A speech bubble followed saying ‘save yourself!’ as the apple’s little chibi face screwed up.

“I promised them that no, I haven’t by the way I wouldn’t lie about this stuff the environment here is super cool and unique I couldn’t live with myself if my dirty shoes killed a forest,” The graphic was gone by now and Midoriya was walking through the airport, “But I handed over all the snacks I had in my bag, even if they were ok to bring in the country I was too anxious to risk it, that seemed to appease the border security and I got away with my shoes in tact, my snacks sacrifice will not be in vain,”

Ochako was tempted to laugh but if someone set fire to her snacks or sweets there would be hell to pay.

“Anyway now I’m hungry and have some time before my hotels check in,” Midoriya beamed at the camera, “So I’m gonna do something I’ve wanted to since planning this trip,”

On that mysterious note the video cut to another montage as Midoriya got into a taxi. Ochako let herself enjoy the sights that rolled out the window. She wished she had a computer to watch this on instead of squinting for details on her phone's screen. The montage went onto show the outside of a store then going inside to pan over all the baked goods inside. It was a smorgasbord that stoked Ochako’s envy.

“Here we are,” Midoriya sat at a table just outside the store a few bags laid out in front of him, “These sorts of bakeries are everywhere in New Zealand, I didn’t look for anywhere specific just one walking distance to my hotel room, and here we are!”

Midoriya took something from a bag showing it to the camera to make out the golden crust of a pie. Going torturously in detail as he ripped it open for the audience's benefit. Steam rose and mince flowed out, surprising Ochako as she thought it would be sweet. Breaking it open made a mess as Midoriya was forced to drop the piping hot pastry. The filling pooled across the bag it had come in making the whole thing look sloppy.

“I think my friend would kill me if she saw me do that, Gemma don’t watch this video,” Midoriya warned to late, “She’s the one who told me I had to try a pie, I have a few flavours here but lets start with the basic one, mince!”

Midoriya had some difficulty eating it now that it had fallen apart but managed and his eyes lit up.

“It’s really good, the pastry is flaky and buttery it works really well with the savoury mince the two together make a really satisfying bite, but I guess it would be better if I didn’t destroy it first,” Midoriya said sheepishly, “I won’t do that for the rest of them, promise,”

Midroiya took another bite from the pie before showing off the next one.

“This is Gemma’s favourite Butter Chicken, and trust me it smells so good!” Midoriya, the tease took a bite. Ochako had to wonder what she did to deserve this, “Wow I like this one way better, not that the other one was bad!” Midoriya hurriedly said.

He showed the inside to the camera, a rich looking butter chicken inside.

“It’s really flavourful so you don’t need any sauce that and the texture of the chicken and curry are really complimented by the pie crust,” Izuku took another bite as he talked, “I guess it’s kinda like if Butter Chicken was wrapped up in Nan so there's no way it wouldn’t be good,”

Midoriya talked more as he ate that pie and a steak and cheese one he had brought talking about both until Ochako’s mouth was salivating.

“That’s not nearly all the pie options, but I’ll be touring across New Zealand so this can be an ongoing adventure, now desert!” Midoriya brought out a long bun full of cream, it had a dollop of jam on the top and so much icing sugar Ochako feared for his health. Midoriya however ignored those fears and took a bite anyway, “The buns really soft and the area that the cream’s touched it is just the best texture ever,”

He smiled and there was cream and powder on his cheeks Ochako just knew was going to haunt her until he wiped it off.

“This entire thing is just, ‘ok how can we make this as soft as possible,” Midoriya commented getting closer to the middle of the bun where the bit of jam was, “The raspberry, I think? Jam is really good at breaking up the flavour half way through, now I can eat the rest of it,” Midoriya grinned as he finished it off. He started walking around again waiting for his check in to arrive. That didn't seem to bother him as he pointed out things on the street as he walked.

As he did, Ochako saw someone blatantly jump over the street instead of waiting for the lights. There was another person in the background who casually strolled across the side of a building, feet sticking to it somehow. While people would use their quirks on the street all the time they were usually less obvious about it as police would sometimes call them out and it did depend quirk to quirk. Midoriya zoomed in on a few of these people before it focused on him smiling as he walked.

“New Zealands got pretty cool laws around quirk usage,” He explained, clearly having done his research, enthusiastically by the looks of it, “You have to go through some basic training to prove you can control your quirk, at least so you wont hurt anyone after that you get a license and your free to use your quirk, like I island,” That Ochako thought was cool part of her training had pointed out that some situations heroes were called in for weren't always villain attacks but some public quirk usage gone south, “It’s pretty easy to get by the sounds of it but that does all depend on what your quirk may be,”

The shot cut a bit, Ochako assumed he had rambled on about that for a bit and decided to cut that part.

“In terms of heroes from what I’ve researched the police handle most of that, they’re trained in their quirks kinda like hero schools back in Japan but starting at university not highschool,” That made sense Ochako supposed, and they’d probably have more time to master their quirks too, “There’s a few heroes sure, they’re like a branch of the police department and I think there's a departmental separation between rescue and combat heroes,”

Was she privately pleased he had listed rescue heroes first? Yes, yes she was.

“But honestly there aren’t many, they seem more like the people you call in for really big stuff going on, or international relations, it makes sense the population of New Zealand isn’t all that big,” Midoriya rounded the corner someone made a peace sign at the camera before moving on, “Almost half the population is here in Auckland and the whole country hasn’t reached the five million mark yet, thats crazy to me considering Japan’s population is in the hundred million range and it’s only slightly bigger than New Zealand,”

That did seem insane to Ochako, not sure to be smug about that fact or not.

“So that's probably why heroes are less of a thing here but that doesn't mean it’s all not still really cool,” Midoriya was beaming at the camera, his positivity and enthusiasm practically punching her through the screen, “I’ve rambled enough, it’s about check in time I’ll show you guys where I’ll be staying,”

Midoriya gave a quick tour of his hotel room. It wasn't much, more of a backpackers than anything.

“It’s not big I know but I’ll only be staying here for a few days to explore Auckland then I’m off traveling so a large place wasn't really a worry,” Midoriya flopped down on the bed, bouncing slightly as he hit the mattress, “I’m gonna take a nap because I am exhausted,” His tone betrayed nothing, “But stick around because I’ve got a surprise this afternoon- well I probably put it in the title anyway so it’s not a surprise but it’s still going to be cool, See ya,” Midoriya saluted the camera and it faded to black for a few seconds.

When it came back to light it was an image looking up at a tall tower circling around it and entering the building next to it. There was a continuous shot that was sped up as he walked through the line entering an elevator which literally had a glass floor.

“Wo-” The camera was pointed down at Midoriya's shoes as he hesitated to stand on the glass patch. His foot made contact before he quickly stepped back, “Nope, no, nope,”

Ochako laughed and sank back into her bed. The elevators opened and there was a shot of large windows showing the expanse of the city. The footage sped up as Midoriya did a clean circle around the tower showing it was a loop to give a 360 degree view of Auckland. It was pretty with rolling hills and she could see forests at the edge of it. Honestly it was small compared to the cities she was used to but that made sense given what Midoriya had said earlier.

“Look at this,” The footage went back to normal speed as Midoriya focused on a chart comparing the heights of different towers, “It’s half as tall as the sky tree,”

And that was given the giant antenna on the top.

“Come check this out it’s pretty cool,” Midoriya walked down the steps until he was right next to the window, a few steps more and he came to a patch in the floor that was just glass like the elevator. Midoriya noticeably stood back from it, “It says here that the glass is just as thick and strong on the floor, so reasonably logically,” Ochako snorted, “It should be just the same as walking on the floor… they say that but…”

Midoriya switched the camera around to focus on him, looking a bit pale.

“This might shock you but I’m not really a fan of heights,” He shuddered and shook himself out, “Alright I can do this,”

What followed was a frankly painful process that Ochako couldn't help but laugh at. Midoriya would approach the glass before backing off. He set the camera up on the railing so it looked down enough that she could see the glass and street below. Midoriya tried a bunch of stuff like walking up without looking down. That didn't work and he backed out several meters before he had even reached the glass thinking he was standing on it. He tried to sit down and scoot onto it but couldn't manage more than sitting far from the edge and putting his feet on it. Ochako started howling with laughter when a kid came by running up and jumping on the glass while Midoriya looked on with fear like they were mad.

Midoriya at least had a humor about it. 2D sketches drawn over the video to help exaggerate his struggle and the entire thing filmed rather comically.

Ochako was beginning to believe he had photoshopped the image earlier before he grabbed the camera taking a deep shuddering breath.

“I can do this, I promise I can do this,” He sat down and shuffled back cringing all the way. Ochako found herself strangely proud as Midoriya actually made it onto the glass. He was white knuckled reaching up to hold the railing. He smiled shakily at the camera before turning into a more genuine look of triumph. That was until he quickly rolled off it jumping to his feet and scurrying away, “There! Done! I did it!”

He was smiling brightly now and Ochako couldn't deny she was proud of him. She had struggled herself with heights something she was forced to get over to use her quirk so she knew just how hard that can be.

“Gosh I hope that's easier than what I’m about to do,” Midoriya spun around to show a different window wires running outside and inside a countdown that was about to hit one. It did and there was a blur outside Ochako belatedly realised it was a person. Oh no.

“Now I’m not going to do that but I am going to do something pretty cool,” Ochako blew a sigh of relief but also wanted to hit him for scaring her like that. Under no circumstances should he be jumping off buildings.

They lapsed into another montage Midoriya going back downstairs. This time he had the courage to put a foot on the window in the elevator. Downstairs he went into another area donning a coat and sort of jumpsuit before layering harnesses over the top. He went up an elevator with a few other people this time. They stepped out into another room Midoriya carefully keeping the window out of frame to keep the grand reveal. Their harnesses got latched on and secured to a railing. Once everything was safe the doors pushed open revealing Auckland city, this time not hidden behind glass. 

Midoriya skipped over the likely long process of gaining the courage to go outside cutting instead to him smiling with the city at his back and wind whipping through his hair.

“Welcome to the top!” Midoriya yelled over the wind, the audio quality was bad but that was understandable. She felt worse for Midoriya who was smiling through the fear, “It’s really cold and windy up here and I’m scared!”

“Just go back down you idiot,” Ochako huffed fondly as he kept shouting to be heard over the wind.

“I’m kinda afraid of dropping my camera honestly,” Midoriya laughed but she couldn't hear it, instead he pointed in to a few specific spots across the city, “See those hills? Most of those are actually remnants of volcanoes, you see Aucklands kinda built on top of a giant pit of Magma,”

Midoriya quickly grabbed back onto the railing, slowly shuffling along the sky walk, higher than he had been inside.

“Luckily the volcanoes in this area are dormant, cause if one in this area erupts there's a pretty good chance like 50 more are gonna follow,”

Midoriya stayed up there for a little longer pointing out interesting things in the distance. Ochako could safely say she was glad when he cut back to the bottom of the sky tower. His hair was windswept and cheeks red from windchill. Ochako didn't even need to check the comments to know most of them were gushing about how cute he was.

“That was… terrifying, but I’m glad I did it, who thinks I should try skydiving next?” Midoriya grinned, before his face dropped and paled again, “God please no that was a joke,”

Ochako giggled relaxing back in bed again after the tension of the skywalk Midoriya had been leaking through the screen dissipated.

“Anyway  I’m just gonna go lie down for a while until some friends of mine get here, then we’ve got one more surprise,” Ochako hoped he hadn’t changed his mind and was going to jump off the building after all, she didn’t want to see him have a literal heart attack.

The video cut to Midoriya smiling at the camera again. He had a lot more color to him now and his hair was somewhat tamed. In his defence he had apparently got off and 11 hour flight then walked around 300 meters in the air it was allowed to be messy.

“So the person meeting me is Gemma, I mentioned her earlier, and a few other friends but their camera shy so you probably wont see them,” Midoriya was bouncing in place gaze constantly drifting away from the camera, “This is our first time meeting in person so I’m kinda excited kinda dreading if this has all just been some elaborate joke and I’m about to get stood up or worse,”

“Who hurt you and who do I need to kill?” Uraraka whispered, fully prepared to throw down the gauntlet for a youtuber she had only just discovered.

Luckily for them Gemma and his other not seen friends were spared her wrath. The camera shot was from far away so she couldn't hear or see anything in detail but it clearly showed the two running up to hug each other Midoriya pulling back to excitedly chat. Gemma matched his enthusiasm, sparkles trailing her arms as she made wide sweeping gestures.

“Here everyone say hi to Gemma,” The shot changed to frame the two of them, Gemma waving the motion sending more glittering sparkles falling from her hand and landing on Midoriya’s shoulder.

“Oh no-” Gemma stepped back to look at Midoriya the front of his shirt was covered in lingering sparkles along with his face and hair. Midoriya looked down at himself a little shocked as Gemma covered her face groaning into her hands, “I’m so sorry, I swear they fade out,”

She scrubbed her hands down her face, unaffected as her whole body shone lightly with subtle sparkles.

“I love it,” Midoriya grinned, twirling a bit to show there was a band of sparkles across his back from where her arms must have come around him. He was quite a bit shorter than her so his face also looked like someone had blown glitter in it, it just made his smile all the more dazzling.

“So you know where we’re going for dinner?” Gemma was looking at the camera but clearly asking Izuku.

“Up the tower again!” Midoriya beamed and really him plus sparkles was too unfair a combination.

This time in the elevator Gemma stood proudly on the window as Midoriya yelled at her.

“Are you crazy?!”

“Crazy you say?” At that Gemma jumped up and Midoriya let out an unholy screech as the elevator shuddered, she laughed but it was teasing not cruel. Ochako could make out the vague reflection of someone patting Midoriya on the shoulder and another person's arm came into frame to swat at Gemma.

When they reached the top Midoriya did not focus too much on the view, already having shown it. They stepped into a nicely decorated restaurant, but what was interesting was when Midoriya demonstrated that it was slowly spinning so the patrons could enjoy the view without leaving their table.

“Do you think they could speed it up?” Gemma asked, she was sitting next to Midoriya, both had their backs to the window so Ochako had a clear shot of it.

“Like a dangerous merry go round?” Midoriya questioned, the sparkles still clung to his cheeks and eyelashes.

“Exactly!” Gemma gave him finger guns, that matched her real guns. She may be sparkly but without the coat Ochako could now see she was ripped, “Also the dangerous is redundant,”

“What kind of merry go rounds-” Midoriya cut himself off as a waiter walked by, “... anyway I don’t think thats a good idea, given that the points to you know, eat,”

“Thats just what makes it more fun,” Gemma waved off.

“Uh-huh,” Midoriya raised an eyebrow skeptically before turning to the camera, “Hope you guys don’t mind but I wont be doing much food reviewing this dinner, I’ll show it off but-”

“This is a night for us to celebrate, later losers,” Gemma saluted, Midoriya squeaked telling her off before cutting the video off. Ochako laughed glad for Midoriya that his nerves had been wrong.

As promised he showed a few shots of some fancy looking food. Ochako wondered how much she would have to save up for her and her parents to eat there, not as much as the flights of course… hopefully. 

The camera placed on the table showed the scenery slowly revolving outside, getting darker and lights turning on as the sun set. By the time they were getting up to leave it was fully dark outside and Midoriya spared a moment to linger on a shot of Auckland at night.

“Izuku don’t forget your bag,” Gemma called as she shrugged on her jacket, also glittery.

“Thank-” The camera whirled around to where the bag should be. There was a slight ridge dividing the circle of the restaurant that spun and a ledges lining the outside where all the supporting beams were, “Oh sh-”

The camera started shaking as Midoriya ran through the restaurant. The shot switching to another camera that caught Midoriya as he ran the other way almost bowling over a waiter and profusely apologising. All the while you could hear Gemma and several others laughing off screen.

“Oh? Look what we have here,” Gemma moved the camera to focus on a spot as the restaurant turned around, a bag coming into view that Gemma scooped up. It was probably Midoriya's seeing as it had a couple of All Might pins and Ochako wasn’t sure how popular he was internationally.

Gemma set up the camera to focus on the opposite direction Midoriya ran. It caught the moment he came around the other side, still staring worriedly at the window. Gemma whistled sharply gaining a few glares but a relieved look from Midoriya as she held up his bag.

They left the restaurant with a few apologies at the other patrons for being loud. When the camera switched it was back on Midoriya but Ochako caught a glimpse of Gemma shimmering in the background waiting around.

“Alright that's all for today,” Midoriya smiled, Ochako stomped down the slight disappointment resolving check out his other videos from his easiness and confidence on screen Midoriya must have been at this awhile, “I’m going to be touring all over the country so stay tuned for the series, I haven't showed you nearly how beautiful New Zealand is, I hope I can make it down to the south island too cause they have some really pretty scenery, for now I’m going back to the hotel and crashing hard, see ya!”

The video signed off to the end cards a recommended video and link to Gemma’s apparent channel that looked like some sort of fitness channel with how she was lifting weights in it. Ochako promised herself to check it out.

For now she subscribed to Midoriya’s channel checking the time to see if she could squeeze in another before going to bed. She was feeling like she could get away with it. The change in pace revitalising in a way. But really she attributed that to Midoriya’s natural cheer and charisma. Somewhere in there she had allowed herself to relax and get swept up in this dorky kids mundane adventure. It was exactly the kind of thing she wanted her parents to experience one day. 

This was exactly what she had become a hero for, and now graduation was within her grasp. She just had to push a little more and then she would be out in the world able to do some good for her family and everyone else. 

Ochako smiled at the screen, resolving to get some sleep and maybe she could squeeze in another video tomorrow morning. Before she turned off her phone Ochako glanced at the channel's name, snorting to herself. It was perfect.

Green Bean and Bags

[allegra-writes]

Fireproof

Peter Parker x Reader

NSFW

Warnings: Smut; Sex pollen.

The request:

This is for @idiosadeoro who wanted Virgin!Peter, hypersensitive cause of his spider sense, and the bunch of anons who wanted Sex pollen/Fuck or die. Hope this caters to your tastes. Preparing for Halloween, this is the most fucked up thing I wrote so far 😘

Also, Infinity war? Endgame?? NOT IN THIS HOUSE.

MY MASTERLIST / SERIES MASTERLIST

You were so fired.

So fucking fired.

That was the only thought going through your mind, on repeat as you made your way to the med bay. You tried to focus on that, because if you were to think even for one second about what you were about to do, you'd never be able to go through with it.

With shaky fingers and your heart pounding inside your chest hard enough to break your ribs, you punched the code in the security panel and watched the light go green. This was it, your moment of truth. You squared your shoulders, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.

Peter knew it was you even before you spoke, there was a shift in the atmosphere, the stale air inside the bay was suddenly electrified, every one of his senses coming alive. He wished he could blame the god damned pollen, but he had long before memorized the cadence of your footsteps, the smell of your perfume. He could recognize your heartbeat in a room full of people. The truth was he had had the most desperate, hopeless crush on you from the very moment Tony had showed up in the lab with you in tow, and announced the two of you would be working together.

On a normal day, he had enough trouble controlling himself around you enough not to blurt out his feelings, but now, with the freaky alien sex pollen stuff in his system?..

“Peter?”

He feigned sleep where he was on the gurney, refusing to open his eyes. If he so much as saw your pretty face, his control would snap, he just knew it. You stepped closer.

“Y/n, it’s not a good idea for you to be here right now” he tried to warn you, but you kept on coming closer, he could feel the heat coming out of your body even feet away, every pore of his skin opening to soak up your warmth. You were saying something, and he should probably listen but you were way too close now, a whiff of your scent, flowery and sweet and female reaching his nose.

Before you could blink, he had you pinned against the wall, every inch of his firm, lithe but muscular body pressed against yours, hard planes against soft curves.

“I mean it, y/n, it’s extremely dangerous for you to be in the same room as me until Mr. Stark comes up with an antidote” His nose was practically touching yours, his breath hot against your face.

And you could actually see it, the danger he was talking about. It was there, in his eyes, the raw hunger, the barely contained desire. It made shivers run down your spine, cause you knew if he was to loose control, you would be powerless against his super strength.

For the first time ever, you were afraid of Spider-man.

But this was what you had come here for in the first place, wasn’t it? There was no antidote, at least none that would work with his enhanced metabolism. The same metabolism that was processing the alien substance twice as fast. Time was running out, and Steve and Tony were still up in the lab, debating the moral implications of getting Peter an escort.

So you swallowed your fear, and crushed your lips to his.

He returned the kiss right away, tongue parting your lips, forcing his way into your mouth. The sound that left his throat at the first taste of you was not unlike that of a wounded animal. You swallowed it, head spinning, grateful for being trapped between the wall and his body, your knees suddenly to weak to support your own weight.

Your fingers buried themselves in the curls at the back of his head by their own accord, tearing another moan out of him. He released your lips only to latch his to your neck, kissing, sucking, nibbling with no finesse or technique whatsoever.

“I can’t stop” He was murmuring between kisses, burying his apologies into your skin, “I can’t stop, I’m sorry”

It was the truth. He had tried to downplay the effects so as not to worry Tony even more, but ever since he had gotten covered in that weird pink dust, it had been hard to breath, his lungs, loins, skin, everything felt on fire.

The first taste of your lips, of your tongue, of your spit, had felt like a mouthful of fresh water, cooling down his insides. The first relief he had had in hours.

But it still wasn’t enough. He needed more. He needed you.

He parted your knees with one of his own, thigh rocking against your center.

It made you moan. The very first sound he had coaxed out of you, and it made his blood boil inside his veins. A new scent filled his nose, almost cloyingly sweet. He reclaimed your lips with a growl when he realized he was smelling your arousal.

One of his hands made its way to the back of your neck, keeping you in place as he ravaged your mouth, the other one popped open the button of your jeans and slid inside to where the heath between your legs was beckoning him. His hands were hot, leaving scorching trails in their wake. One finger found your entrance, diving in, pumping steadily in an out until you were shamelessly moving your hips, riding his hand, chasing your release.

It was embarrassing, you had never come so fast in your life but there was no mistaking the feeling coiling up inside you, tighter and tighter until it had no choice but to explode, making you cry out into Peter’s mouth.

He could have stayed like that until his death, fingers still lazily thrusting inside you, devouring those delicious little sounds from your mouth... But he noticed your hands, a second ago tugging so good at his hair, now on his chest, trying to push him away. It teared him in half, every cell in his body screaming in pain, but he complied, taking a step back. You stumbled a little on your feet.

“Please” He breathed out, voice breaking. He needed you, he would literally die… He could have sob in relief when you got rid of your lab coat and he understood you only wanted to get undressed, but he still had enough presence of mind to stop you.

“No��� You met his eyes, confusion clear in your face, “Not here” Not where there were cameras, not where he didn’t even had a proper bed to lie you down. If he was finally going to make you his, he was going to do it right, pollen or not.

A voice in the back of his head reminded him that you weren’t his, you were only doing this to save his life, but he pushed it aside, as he picked you up as if you were weightless -for him, you probably were- and took you to the little on-call room right outside the bay at breakneck speed.

He placed you softly on the bed and got rid of his clothes so quickly it had to be a record, before moving to help you out of yours. He covered your body with his perfect one, your skin was so soft, so pliant under his hands, so cool against his own feverish skin, soothing him like a balm, he wanted nothing but to bury himself into you. But he admitted, voice small and shy and so Peter it almost broke your heart.

“I- I have no idea what I’m doing…”

He felt you froze underneath him and leaned back to look at your stunned face.

“You’ve never..?”

He shook his head no.

“But, you and MJ, wasn’t she your girlfriend until like, college?

“She’s ace. I respected that.” He replied simply.

“But, back in the bay, if you've never done… anything, what was that?”

He half shrugged,

“A shot in the dark?”

He was freaking natural, then. And you? You were going to hell.

You just knew it, cause never before you had had an Innocence kink, but Peter “Perfect bubble butt” Parker was a virgin, and you were all for it, licking your lips and planning a thousand different ways to corrupt him before the night was over.

You pushed at his shoulders and he let you manhandle him until he was the one on his back on the mattress, and you were straddling his thick, gorgeous thighs.

He watched you, mesmerized, as you raked your fingernails down his torso, leaving red trails, catching on his nipples, making him hiss. His muscles rippled under your hands as you moved them over his abs, lower and lower, until you wrapped your fingers around his hard, long, angry cock. His groan went straight to your cunt, and somewhere in the back of your mind you realized this was so wrong, you weren’t like this, you shouldn’t be enjoying this so much, something really weird was going on. But this had stopped being about saving Peter’s life a long time ago.

You pumped your hand once, twice, three times, watching his head trash from side to side. You spat on your other hand and covered the head of his cock with it, caressing it with soft, circular movements that had him sobbing and cursing. It made you feel powerful, hot.

“If my hands feel this good, just imagine how it will feel when you finally get inside me…” You leaned over him to whisper dirtily in his ear, before sucking the lobe into your mouth

“Fuck!.. Yes, please, y/n… please!”

“You want it, don’t you? Want to feel me from the inside… penetrate me, break me in half with your cock…” Where was all this coming from? This was wrong, he wasn’t in his right mind, you weren’t supposed to like it.

“Yes! Please! Yes, I want it, all of it!”

You guided him to your entrance, lowering your self slowly, slowly. He was huge, and you were dripping, yes, but you needed to be careful anyway, you had never taken someone so big.

His hand went to your waist, crying out as his cock disappeared inside you, eyes fixed on the place you and him were joined. You grabbed a hold of one of his wrists, guiding his hand to one of your breasts as you started moving up and down, riding him.

“Oh God!..”

“Tell me,” you demanded, already breathing hard, he was filling you up so good, touching all the right places deep inside you, “Tell me how does it feel to be inside me”

“Hot… so wet… so tight… you feel like...” He stopped, looking up at you through half lidded eyes.

“Like what?” You urged him on, “Tell me, Peter”

“You feel like you’re mine”

Your walls contracted around him at his words, a wave of pleasure washing over you. His other hand returned to your waist and he started moving you faster up and down his cock.

“Yes, like that, show me how you like it” You were delirious, your own hand tugging at your hair, “make me yours, Peter!”

He started to buck his hips up, trying to get even deeper, his pelvis rubbing against your clit just right every time he bottomed out and your second orgasm of the night started to build.

“Gonna come inside this pretty pussy” He let out under his breath, and you didn’t know if he was talking to you or to himself, “Then, I’m going to turned you around on your hands and knees, enter your pussy from behind, not even gonna stop. Gonna make you come on my cock over and over and over…” he punctuated every word with a hard thrust, until your walls were squeezing him again, and you were screaming your release. A couple thrusts later, and you felt him coming as well, coating your insides with his hot seed.

True to his word, he flipped you over, burying his cock in your oversensitized cunt again, fucking you through the aftershocks, prolonging your pleasure until you were a moaning, trembling mess. And he wasn’t even slowing down.

“I wanted you… since the first moment I saw you” he confessed, leaning over your back to kiss your shoulder, the gesture surprisingly sweet for the way he was taking you, so raw and animalistic. “You were wearing that pink skirt… and I wanted… wanted to bend you over the lab table and have my way with you…”

Dizzily, you reached behind you to grab a handful of his hair, and turned your head to kiss him, open mouthed and sloppy. He loved it.

“This is close enough” He sighed when you broke the kiss, resting his forehead on your shoulder, hips slapping against your ass loudly.

You interrupted the steady stream of “Uh… uh…uh” leaving your throat to try and say,

“I don’t know… we could… still do it in the lab… later…”

“Fuck, you’re perfect!” He moaned against your back, before grabbing hold of your hips again, pounding into you faster than any normal boy could ever do.

…

You passed out somewhere between round five and six, not before giving him express permission to use your body as much as he needed to burn the fucking -ha- pollen out of his system.

He was running his fingers softly up and down your naked back, a barely there caress, watching you sleep, sated, relaxed and completely spent, when he heard the buzzing coming from your jeans, long forgotten on the floor near the bed. He took it out and saw Tony’s name lighting up the scream.

He slid to pick up.

“Fucking finally! Y/n, where the hell are you?!”

“Mister Stark, it’s me” He whispered his reply, as not to wake you up.

“Peter! Thank God! How are you, please tell me you didn’t-“

“Sorry, Mister Stark,” Peter interrupted him, “We kinda did…”

“Shit! Please, Peter, please tell me you kids used protection!”

“Uh…”

Tony left out another loud curse at the other side of the line.

“Where are you? Y/n did something to Friday and now it won’t tell me where you are in the tower. You still in the tower right? I need the both of you to come to the lab right now” Tony was talking a mile a minute and Peter knew something very bad, not of the good was going on.

“Why?”

“Because,” Tony’s voice was frantic as he tried to explain the gravity of the situation, “That pollen thing? That’s not an aphrodisiac like we thought, it’s a fertility treatment. It doesn’t only messes your hormones up, it messes with hers too with every fluid exchange!”

Peter turned to look at you, peacefully asleep, curling up to his side, blissfully unaware of anything and everything going on outside that bed.

And maybe it was the alien substance still fucking up his brain, but the mental image of you, round with his child, sleeping like that next to him every night? It wasn’t half as terrifying as Tony seemed to think it was.

After all, the girl of his dreams was finally his, and a baby would guarantee she would remain his, forever.

“You know what, Mister Stark? I have to go now. Talk to you tomorrow…”

“What? No, kid, don’t hang up on me! Peter Parker I swear-…”

Tony Stark heard the line go dead.

To be continued...

Buy me a coffee

[crashdevlin]

Satisfied- Ch. 15

Author’s Note: Happily Ever Eventually Masterlist, Satisfied Masterlist 

Summary: Dr. McCaullife tells Y/n to get closure, which leads to confrontations across the board.

Pairing: none 

Word Count: 3106

Chapter Warnings: mentions of cheating, mentions of mental breakdown, mentions of self-harm, mentions of noncon touching, bit of PTSD (it's a syndrome not a disorder😂🤣...in joke from another series), 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

My house is fairly small. I don’t need a lot of room. I spent more on the security system than anything, really. It’s a good one...a bajillion cameras running to a computer in my office closet, a doorbell cam going to my phone, a sensor on every door and window. I would love to say that I didn’t have Tom in mind when I bought it, but I was thinking of him more than I was thinking of paps and creepy fans. 

He had to stay in Texas due to the probation agreement, so he bought a house, too. A converted barn on the outskirts of Henly...an hour away from my home. Too close. Too close for any sort of comfort...but the ADA assured me that he was going to adhere to the protection order. So, I spent a lot of money on a security system.

When my doorbell went off and I looked at my phone to see Danneel standing on my porch, my stomach twisted. I just got rid of Jay, sent him home from New Orleans to be with his wife and then she shows up on my porch? How’d she even know where I live? *Guess this is my opportunity to get done with her, too.*

I opened the door and bit my lip as I looked at her. She had her hair down and scrunched up in sexy waves. She really is incredibly beautiful. I will never think anything else. “Hey, sweetie,” she greeted, smiling softly. “Can I come in?” I nodded and stepped back, closing the door as she set her purse on my loveseat and turned to me. “This is a cute place. You chose well.”

“Figure I don’t need a lot of space. Just enough for me and the kids on the occasion I get to see them.” I took a deep breath and crossed my arms over my chest. “What can I do for you, Danneel?”

“Jay told me about your fight at the con and-”

“That wasn’t a fight,” I interrupted, shaking my head. “That wasn’t even a disagreement.”

“Sweetie,” she started, but I sighed and caught her eyes.

“No. Please, listen.” I took another breath and looked away from her. “I’m not mad. I haven’t wanted to fight. That’s why I didn’t reach out to you after I saw the video. That’s why I shut down...and shutting down wasn’t the best way to deal with it, but still, I never wanted to fight.”

“But isn’t Jay worth fighting for, Y/n?”

That sentence sent rage zipping through my chest, but I took another breath. Calm myself, move forward. “No one is worth that much fighting. Especially if they’re not willing to fight for me. He wanted you back, Dee. I was always the consolation prize.”

“He loves you.”

“I wish that were enough...but it wasn’t enough to keep him from cheating on me.” Her face fell and I could see she wanted to argue the word ‘cheating’ so I kept talking. “You both knew I didn’t want you touching each other while I was gone...and tell me that you honestly didn’t see that I had a lot of regrets after we fucked. Tell me you didn’t know that it was probably never going to happen again...and that’s why you took the opportunity while I was gone.”

She looked down, avoiding my gaze. “Jensen and I-”

“Danneel, it’s okay.” I smiled and swallowed down my residual sadness. “Seriously. You don’t have to feel guilty here, hon. You and Jensen never stopped loving each other. That’s a fact. I just got in the way of what never should have ended in the first place. I’m moving on. I’ll find someone eventually, but for now...you and Jensen should be together. You always should have been.”

“Y/n, you deserve-”

“I deserve to move on,” I snapped, before licking my lips and stepping closer. “You and Jensen need to be together...and I need to be alone for a while. So...don’t feel bad. Don’t apologize. Don’t try to get me to fight...because I’m done fighting.”

She started crying as I hugged her, but I just felt relief. It was done. Finally, there was closure. She’d leave my house and go back to Jensen and everything would be done. A short time later she did just that...and I sat on my couch and wiped my eyes and...did some affirmations and moved forward.

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

“Closure on two fronts. That’s good,” Dr. McCauliffe said at my appointment the Monday after.

“Yeah. Now I just need closure with Nate and Tom and maybe I’ll be well-adjusted some day,” I said sarcastically.

“You should,” she encouraged, leaning forward.

“Wait...what?”

“You should have a sit-down with Tom and with Nate. You have grievances. You should air them.”

I scoffed and shook my head. “A sit-down with Tom is almost impossible. There are protections in place to keep that from happening and besides, you...you don’t want me interacting with Tom.”

“Not through text messages from unknown numbers when you’re feeling numb and broken. That was unhealthy. With you like this? Making breakthroughs and getting closure? That can only help.” She tapped her pen against her clipboard and smiled. “I’m sure there’s a way for you to meet with Tom, with protections, and clear the air a bit.”

“Clear the air. What would I even say to him? What would I even...How could I even talk to him without letting my brain go back to…” I rolled my shoulders back and ran my hand across my mouth.

“You talked to Jensen without an issue. You stood your ground twice, under stressful circumstances, and you came out the other side. I feel like you could handle this with grace. And I will be right here to help with any fallout that might occur. Okay?"

It took a lot of cajoling from Dr. McCauliffe, and some from Misha and Kim, but eventually I decided that it might not be the worst idea for my mental health if I got some closure with Nate. If that worked, I might go for closure with Tom...with a bodyguard and some lawyers and a knife in my pocket, just in case. 

I flew to Florida and took an Uber to Nate’s house. I had the driver wait, offered a $100 tip, and went up to the door. Jenny answered. I fought down a wave of anger at the sight of her. She used to be a friend. She was Nate’s friend first, a girl he told me was ‘one of the guys’ and not to worry about. I made friends to prove I wasn’t worried. I should have always been worried about Nate.

“It’s not your weekend,” she snapped.

“I’m not here for Nova. I’m here to talk to Nate.”

She scoffed and turned around to look at her husband, who was walking up from the living room. “It’s okay, Jen. I got this,” Nate said, stepping outside and shutting the door. “Sorry, she’s been kinda worried that you might decide you wanna come steal me back ever since she found out you and Jensen broke up.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not a homewrecker. That’s her job.”

“Whoa!” he exclaimed. “Don’t talk about my wife like-”

"Your wife cheated on her husband with my husband, ruined two families, and displaced three children all while smiling across the table at me during game nights and pretending she had never sucked your cock. She is as much a liar and a slut as you."

Nate's eyes went huge as I spoke. I really wasn't expecting to explode like that, but years of bubbling anger, I guess. 

"What the hell, Y/n? You flew in from Texas to call me and Jenny names?"

"No, I flew in from Texas for closure. My shrink thinks it's a good idea to get the shit I've been holding back off my chest so I came to talk to you. Honestly? Probably never woulda said a word against Jenny if she hadn't answered the door, but she did." I shrugged. "Too late now."

"What could you possibly have left to get off your chest?"

"Do you even realize how poorly you treated me? No, I'm sure you can't be that delusional. Do you even care?" I took a deep breath and looked up into his eyes. Blue just like Tom. *Gotta get a brown-eyed boy next time. Haven't been fucked over by a brown-eyed guy yet. No. No guys. No dating. Just me.* "I loved you with everything in me, Nate. You were everything to me, and you used that, used me to make yourself feel better, to make your friends laugh at the stupid fat girl who didn't realize you were fucking around. I know Jenny wasn't the first. And I bet she wasn't the last, either. Bet you got a few skeletons hiding from her too. Because you don't change. You're the same exact piece of shit you were when we were in high school...and Jenny knows that or she wouldn't be so scared that you would run away with your ex-wife. Not that I'd ever take you."

He scoffed in anger and I laughed. "I've had literal models in my bed, Nate. How delusionally narcissistic do you have to be to think that I would take a pencil-dicked, scruffy-faced, beatnik-looking motherfucker like you back?" Well, that was almost Tara-levels of confidence. When did that happen? "Look, I know you never loved me. I'm not delusional anymore, but I keep hoping that you'll love Nova...she's part of you, that should play right into your narcissism, but the way you use her like a tool, like a weapon against me...I don't think you love her any more than you loved me. And if you damage her, I will bury you."

He scoffed again. "You couldn't even win custody cause you're so unstable. What do you think you could do?"

"I didn't say I'd bury you in court." My voice was calm, with an edge of threatening. "You damage my daughter and I will do whatever I feel appropriate to pay you back." I was walking away when a final burn hit my mind. “It must be heartbreaking to you that the only thing you have the least in common with Jensen is that neither of you could keep it in your fucking pants.”

Dr. McCauliffe was right. Getting everything off my chest was freeing. I hadn’t even gotten on the plane back to Texas before I was on the phone with my lawyer. “What do you mean, you want a meeting with him? The man tried to rape you! There’s a restraining order on him and a-”

“I have to talk to him. That’s all. Lawyers present, a bodyguard or a cop in the room. I have things I need to say...Things I need to tell him so that I can get on with my life. Please, make it happen.”

“This is a bad idea.”

“Yeah, maybe. But it’s my bad idea, so...make it happen.”

And he did. He got me in a meeting with Tom at my lawyer’s office, a security guard and both lawyers present. 

I wore jeans, a baggy long-sleeved blouse, and I had my hair back and out of my face. I wasn’t there to look pretty. I was there for that closure.

My heart started pounding when I walked into that room and saw him. Obviously I wasn’t even close to over what he did...which is why I needed to talk to him about it. I sat across from him at a table in a conference room and my mind couldn’t help but replay being pressed into a long wooden table in the courthouse conference room, with a silk tie shoved in my mouth and my ass stinging. I took a deep breath and sighed it out as I sat down.

“I’d like to point out that I told my client that this was a bad idea,” Tom’s lawyer said.

“I told my client the same. She insisted,” my lawyer responded.

Tom smiled and my breath hitched. I was suddenly struck with the thought that I wasn’t ready for this. Maybe it was a bad idea. Maybe I should just walk out...but I’d already come so far. I averted my eyes from his, looked at the table instead. “My psychiatrist thought this would be a good thing for me. That I deserved closure.”

“Closure? You mean to say you’re completely done with me and want nothing to do with me in the future?” Tom’s voice made me shiver. “I have heard that one before...and you always text back eventually...Dear.”

“Closure means asking you ‘why’ and telling you all the ways you’ve hurt me, getting everything off of my chest so that I don’t have any regrets of things I should have said...and don’t call me that.”

“Why? Why what?” Tom asked and I looked up. Did he really not know?

“Why...our relationship, Tom. Our whole relationship and the way you treated me afterward. Why? Why did you treat me like that? Why did you try to own me? Why did you manipulate and hurt me? Why did you tell the world that Maverick was your son when you knew that you couldn’t be his father? Why did you make it seem like I was a cheating whore when you knew I wouldn’t cheat after what Nate did to me? Why did you try to rape me? Why?”

Tom sighed and looked to his lawyer, then back to me. “I’ve never met a woman like you, Y/n. You create these feelings in me that...I tamp them down with other women. You make me want to possess you. I knew the moment I saw you that I had to have you...completely. You’re the only woman I’ve ever possessed that way...and you did like it for a while, I know you did. I remember the way your body reacted-”

“That was in bed! You tried to take over my whole life and when I left you, you tried to ruin my life.”

“I wasn’t trying to ruin your life, I was trying to get you to interact with me. I was certain that you’d remember how you loved me if I got you away from Jensen. And look what happened. He left you, you started talking to me again.”

“He didn’t leave me. He cheated and I didn’t let him talk to me after,” I argued. I licked my lips and looked away, shaking my head. “I started talking to you because I was in a horrible place and I didn’t think I had anyone in my corner. I hated who I was and I thought it was a good idea to talk to someone who saw who I could be. It was a bad decision, just like the decision to date you in the first place.”

“But you were willing to talk to me when you were without Jensen’s influence. That’s all I was trying to do with the lawsuit. Of course I knew Maxwell isn’t my son but-”

“His name’s Maverick,” I snapped. “You never called Nova by her middle name, why do you insist on calling Mav by his?”

He shrugged. “I know that Jensen named that child. He’s an attractive young boy, deserves an appropriate name.”

“What about the rape?” I asked. “If all you wanted was to get me away from Jensen, why would you-”

“I saw you enter that room, there were several twitter accounts posting pics from inside the courthouse and...you were alone. For the first time in months, you were alone, so I went in to talk to you without Jensen or Jared running interference. I just wanted to talk, but...you got so defensive as soon as I walked in...and you called me a psycho.” He looked down and took a deep breath. “I just wanted you to remember that you loved me. That I could give you the things that you needed. Jensen never dominated you, never made you submit. I just wanted you to remember how you liked that...how you liked me. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted you back."

I shook my head. "That wasn't the way to go about it, Tom. None of this was the way to go about it. I understand going a bit crazy over someone, but you...you went too far. Way too far. I wanted to love you, but you wanted to own me, and that's not the same." I stood and gave him a tight smile. "I'm glad you agreed to meet with me so that we could talk. Because I'm gonna say, with absolutely no doubt or question, I am done, Tom, and it's not because I'm with Jensen because I'm not. It's because you don't love me and you need to move on...because I don't love you. Okay?"

I started to walk out but I stopped at the door when something in the security guard's hand caught my attention. "You should get help, too, Tom. Therapy has done wonders for me. Have a good life."

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

"You should have recorded it!" Misha exclaimed when I told him about the meeting. "You should have recorded the whole thing! Then you could have released it to the media! Everyone would have seen him for the monster he is!"

"And then I would get in trouble for recording him without his consent and it would have blown back on me." I shook my head and chuckled, taking a drink of my Old Fashioned. "That security guard is gonna buy a brand new car when he sells the video he took, though."

Blue eyes popped wide on my laptop screen as he grinned in surprise. The blue eyes I can trust. "The security guard was videoing?"

"Yeah. I noticed on my way out, so I added a little flare at the end. I high-roaded and told him to get help. Therapy has done wonders for me."

"So video is gonna hit of him admitting to all the horrible things he did?"

"Yup. I don't know...kinda feels like it's finally over, ya know? I finally feel like I can move on."

"I'm glad. I'm happy that you can finally move forward and be happy too."

I hummed and nodded. “Happy sounds like a good goal. For now, we’ll call it ‘content’ or...Satisfied.”

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

Stay tuned for Another Second Chance, coming soon!

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[toysoldiers-rwby]

Deleted Scene. SYT Ch10.2

Show Your Teeth

Characters: Fiona, Winter, May, Robyn, Joanna Rating: Explicit (tagged as thoorist) Tags: slice of life, sexual tension Word Count: almost 6k

Second Draft of ch 10. I tossed out almost 20k words to find an ending that was the right amount of tension and bittersweet. I think this one was too angsty. honestly i don't remember

Read Show Your Teeth on on Ao3

Or Tumblr

Dr. Pietro was too valuable to be in the middle of Grimm infested fields, thousands of miles away from the Kingdom. He was constantly wrangling in both the Watts and a few other scientist for his current project. It would explain Author Watts’ sour mood, his eagerness to experiment on Glade.  

But Glade was Glade, May realized with a smile. The stray that manipulated the military, the stray that outsmarted two fucking kingdoms! Being able to improvise and make the best out of being an illegal experiment…  

Glade did a double take, those glowing white pupils dilating like a cat. Ears flicking in confused circles as plume of fire they were blowing onto the metal faded to the embers died on their lips. Fire Dust glowed across their skin, high-lighting the fullness of their cheeks and hard planes of muscles beautifully.  

May only understood a few signs but she knew the sign “What?”  

She continued staring and grinning. “Nothing.”  

Glade crosses their arms and leans against the workbench. They’re posturing. With the military feeding them, they didn’t even need to flex to show off their muscles. That calm and confident grin echoing Joanna and Robyn’s. There isn’t enough raw arrogance to compete with Winter, maybe in a few years after the tuffs of curls grow out. But right now they look too adorable.  

Silvio looks up from his Scroll. His face starts at confused, slides down to contempt then utter disgusted as he looks between Glade and May. He takes a deep breath and Glade is already rolling those glowing blue eyes, “Gaaay! Oh wait…” He stares at Glade. There’s an analytically rude way his silver eyes flick up and down their body.  

They’re not in uniform. Too much grease, too much molten metal, Dust, and various other things that would permanently damage the thick fabric. Instead it’s a simple broiler suit, arms tied at the waste because fuck safety and stand in the raw Solitas air in their binder.  

“Would that still be considered Gay? How would that work with… y’know?”  

“That’s a stupid question for a genius,” May scoffs with a small smirk.  

“If I wasn’t freezing my balls off I’d pelt you snow,” Silvio glowers. He pouts, turning his chair and continues playing with Marrow’s weapon schematics. May’s Scroll pings.  

G.O.A.T: Fi and Win stares a lot too G.O.A.T: yall can admit im hot  

If they weren’t working on Winter’s weapon she’d throw her Scroll at that smug face. “Literally hot. I think I can see you steaming,” May says with a small frown. It doesn’t stay though. She’s far too happy.  

Things were getting better.  

It took till fucking mid-terms but it was fucking getting better. Glade sticks out their tongue, the Dust infused tongue piercing glowing brightly. Then they blow a kiss with embers and a wink- and the warm stutters her heartbeat. Glade chuckles silently and goes back to work. She can’t help but continue watching.  

Blacksmiths had all but died in Atlas. They have machines and factories and there was something captivating about watching the kiln from the fire and Dust dance against their skin. Something about watching someone’s passion in action.  

And yes. May wouldn’t feed that ego but Glade was hot.  

And criminal or not, they were a genius. They pulled the saber out of the kiln, setting it against the anvil and hammering it into shape. Glade may have been a pacifist but they were a fighter. There was no one else more qualified to make weapons than Aurora Glade-  

“They’re a good kisser you know.”  

May screamed turned around. They saw white wiggling ears and looked down to see Fiona smiling. She’d be laughing if she wasn’t breathing so hard. Face flushed adorably, even tinting her ears lightly- Gloveless fingers engulfed her vision.  

“Cold!” Fi’s hands cups her cheeks. May sends them tumbling backwards trying to escape but Fiona laughs and follows. She tries to find footing but its all snow out in the tundra and they fall deep into it.  

“Gay!” Silvio’s yell is swallowed by the emptiness and snow.  

Fiona manages a laugh and needs to gasp for breath again. May hisses, body shivering as snow melts against her thick Atlesian clothes. Then she’s too hot, Fi’s breath warm against her lips. Still too far.  

“I wish I could kiss you…” Fiona whispers.  

May was about to pull her into one but Marrow and Harriet shouting stops them. Thousands of miles away from the Kingdom and it’s eyes and ears still follows. Fiona sighs, ears flicking in frustration. The Junior Ops were rather far for safety reasons, testing out upgrades and smoothing out kinks as the geniuses upgrade them. There were some pros to being in this ‘Accelerated Program.’  

But stealing small moments right in under Atlas of them gives a certain thrill. May’s hands manages to slide into Fiona’s and she brings it to their lips. Fi sputters, that blush running deeper, lower down that lovely neck.  

“Nice to see you two being productive.” The drawl is both familiar and unfamiliar. Fiona gasp out another bubble of giggles and May laughs. The Glyph is actually warmer than the snow as it pulses under them. It gently pulses and lifts May and Fiona off the ground.  

The pair is meet with more than Winter’s eyes. Robyn and Joanna are grinning down at them, far to amused to play stoic like the Specialist. All three of them are flushed and panting slightly. But… for some reason no matter how deep Winter’s breath were, it wasn’t fulfilling. She was fighting in a binder again-  

“May isn’t your partner anymore,” Fiona teases with a grin. May ignores the small sting in her chest. “Your not allowed to be jealous if I top her-”  

“I don’t need to hear this!” Silvio yells a little more aggressively. He stands up, hugging his thick coat tight to his body. The civilian snow gear almost makes him penguin walk to the Junior Ops. “Marrow! Give me your gun!”  

“I thought you said-”  

“Give it!” Marrow yips and immediately surrenders his weapons. Silvio then retreats deep into the airship. Leaving Marrow confused, unarmed and pouting.  

Glade gives RMJT (Ramjet) and their supervising officer a side-ways glance and a smirk but continues to work on Winter’s weapon. With some steam and wind Dust, they cool it down sharpen the blade in long arching fluid motion. The muscle on their arms on full display and almost as nice as Joanna’s. May would need to feel them to get a fair evaluation though-  

"Kitten."  

“Stop calling me that!” May swats Joanna’s handsome face on reflex. Joanna laughs and gently pushes her hands off.  

“But you even paw,” Joanna hums low and playfully. She worse than Fiona when she feels like it and judging from the light in her eyes, she felt like it. “We still have a bet. If I win you finally start using my crossbow staff.”  

“We never decided on what I’ll get if I win,” May argues. There were so many ideas she had. A date night with just Joanna was always fun and calm. She did promise to take her around to show off the glowing street art in Mantle.  

“Why bother? That’s never going to happen,” Joanna winks and is already walking a little ways from the airship. May finds herself following, staring at that broad back and the muscles testing the fabric of her coat. She huffs in frustration but reaches for her staff and extends it. A quick double to confirm that all the Dust chambers are full.  

May nods.  

Joanna doesn’t fire her crossbow bolts. She splits that staff into two axes and charges. May’s mind fire scenario after scenario, the smile still on her face. Joanna is stronger and has a longer reach. She doesn’t need a two handed weapon to over power her and her long arms is enough for the axes.  

May smirks. Two weapons makes it harder for May to block so she’ll just dodge- Joanna fires a bolt at her feet. It glows purple and the pull of gravity nearly drops May to her knees. Instead she tucks and rolls left, then scrambles back to avoid the an axe head. The other end is loaded and May barely hits it away to avoid it. Only this time the bolt explodes far to close behind her and topples the two.  

The Marigold scowls. She vaguely remembers that Joanna was a cop, one of the best in Mantle. She’s older, has more experience fighting people than Grimm. She also has stronger Aura and more reserves. That explosions does nothing to her while May’s ears are ringing and the snow crunches unevenly under her feet.  

Joanna lets her blink the world back to focus. She’s grinning, tapping an axe bladed crossbow on her shoulder. "Gonna call it kitten?" Her partner taunts playfully. If this was last semester May might have thrown her staff or go invisible. Then throw her staff.  

She only grins. “Not even in your dreams.” May does go invisible. Joanna immediately couches down, grabbing a handful of snow and flies it into the air. May grins. Smart, resourceful. Gullible. Chambering fire dust, she melts the snow. Solitas is cold enough that water instantly freezes again, leaving a mist that blankets the field. May throws the gravity bolt back with enough Aura to pull Joanna to the ground.  

She was going to follow up with lightning but May always underestimates how strong Joanna is. The gravity bolt doesn’t pin her, barely hinders her as she charges towards May again. For a moment they were in the Field.  

For a moment, Joanna doesn’t attack and just presses her lips to May’s. She surrenders into it almost instantly. Joanna’s kiss was always slow burning. There’s a lingering sense of power and control. Like a beast in hibernation. It’s one of those things that is given to you.  

That moment passes as Joanna continues to shove May out. Their lips part far to soon. It’s worth being pinned into the snow by her girlfriend though. Hidden in the snow, Joanna breaths hot against the back of her neck.  

“I win.”  

“I don’t exactly call this a lose…” May mumbled. Joanna easily lifts them both up and May’s blushing to hard and staring at the ground. Heart beating too fast for something so simple. Maybe she did like being handled… Her teammates laugh. The Ice Queen can’t. Winter does relax, the barest hint of a smile on her face.  

Then she’s looking at Glade. The saber is finished and sings as it cuts through the air. With a press of a button the secondary splits from the handle and drops into their free hand. They test the pair out, feeling the balance, checking the sharpness. After a little more teasing and a small impatient frown from Winter, the weaponsmith finally surrenders it.  

“An adequate display,” Winter hums, keeping her expression and voice void of the pride in the eyes. Glade was amazing and they knew it. They frowned deeply at the insult and May laughed with Fiona. They were adorable. Even with the eerie glowing eyes. “Would you like to prove me wrong? I believe Watts is still trying to get combative readings from your neural augments.”  

There was an interruption from the Junior Ops. Of course it was Harriet who scoffs, “Stop playing with your pet,” Harriet said. "We’re here on business, Specialist Schnee."  

… Pet. May grits her teeth. She takes a deep breath trying to let the comment wash off. Winter’s constant reminder floats through her head. The need to play nice and play up Robyn’s image.  

It was Robyn’s fame that saved Fiona’s scholarships when the public learned Winter was promoted. It was Winter’s image that lets her be around Glade so much that their sign language was second nature in just a few months.  

Atlesian 101. Public opinion is everything. At the end of the day, they were all social creatures. All victims to a mindless and easily fooled community.  

But Robyn was a Mantle Rat. She doesn’t see the manipulative threads. She heard a bitch insult a friend who’s been stripped of everything and leaps into action.  

“What did you call Glade?” Robyn hisses. Fiona is standing by their leaders side. It wasn’t that Fiona was sweet and kind and without spite. It was that she didn’t have the protection May had, couldn’t act on her anger without a family name and money.  

So Fiona practically snarl and bare her fangs stuns May for a moment. The pair make the face of RMJT. They’re charming and cute smiles were plastered all over the net and zines. If a photo of them got leaked right now, Fi would lose her scholarships. They both looked ready to throttle the hare.  

“Get over yourself, Hill,” Harriet sneered in that Atlesian tone. May scowls. She’s faster than Robyn so she’ll be second in line to beat the asshole up. "Maybe if you were a real Atlasian Huntress you’d realize Glade is just a toy." May’s heart is in her ears. Roaring. Angry. Two years till freedom. May desperately reminds herself. Two years till they can finally bring Atlas down-  

Fiona moves first so Robyn follows her partner. Joanna’s long arms catch Fiona in a bear hug while May struggles with Robyn.  

"You called them Winter’s pet!" Fiona angrily yelled, thrashing in Joanna’s arms. Somehow May managed to shove Robyn her way. Joanna’s strong arms easily pinned the two in a bear hug. Fiona looked at the only other Faunus. Marrow had wandered over, no doubt to stop all the yelling. “Marrow! You can’t be okay with that!”  

“I- I’m not!” the underclassmen stuttered, tail low between his legs.  

"Then fucking do something!"  

“Assault isn’t the answer, Ms. Thyme,” That cool commanding voice. May sighs. That mask slips on too easily sometimes. May can’t blame her… She’s a Schnee she was literally born into it. Everyone calms a little. Winter isn’t even looking at RMJT but the airship side door. //Focus in use  

The workbench and kiln are abandoned… Winter clears her throat. Glade pokes their head out.  

Brows knitted up in fear above those glowing blue eyes, their ears a timid low. They looked at Robyn and Harriet, both their shoulders tense and absolutely pissed. Then they looked back at Winter and vigorously shake their head no, trying to hide away again.  

From the corner of her eyes, May saw Marrow bit his lip, tail twitching as he tried not to giggle. May was eager to latch to the lighter mood. Her anger doesn’t melt so easily. But… but Glade was scared. So she takes a deep breath and smiles softly. Not enough to be friendly because Glade was a solo vigilante.  

If they had to keep their relationship a secret they definitely had to keep their history with Glade buried.  

Still Her chest was bubbling at how cute timid Glade was. Marrow cracked laughing softly and May couldn’t help but to snort. Winter gave a sigh, frustration genuine on her face. For a moment even May thought she was irritated at the ‘criminal’ but the twitch in her arms told a different story. Winter fought against her true nature, pushed aside all the comforting gestures she’d learned for Weiss and gave Glade a wary thin look.  

“I assure you, you’re safe… Unless you doubt my ability to beat everyone here?” Winter asked slowly, toeing the line of intimidating and teasing. Glade made more adorable Faunus noises.  

May couldn’t help but to smile. Everyone else, save for Harriet, thought it was adorable so she was allowed to too. Before Winter could try coax them in, someone kicked Glade out of the airship. Silvio scowls glaring hard at the students.  

“Aren’t you fucking assholes suppose to be smart?” He ask. “Do you know how much Grimm you just brought in?! Two hordes of Megoliaths!”  

Winter sighs. She’s had a lot of practice so it comes out natural. It almost convinces May. “Harriet, take the fighter and the others. I need a word with RMJT.” Winter said, glaring hard at Robyn.  

During the short time it takes to load up the workstations and for the Junior Ops to leave, May realizes that Winter might actually be made. As soon as they were gone, Winter tapped a few buttons on her Scroll. May could feel the guarded edge on the back of her mind and in her Aura fade off as the hidden cameras in the room shut down.  

//HH & Winter Rift. White knights flaw. PICKUP HERE Immediately the Schnee exploded, that cool demeanor all fire and frustration.  

“What the fuck were you two thinking?!” Winter yells at Robyn and Fi. Again. At least it was almost two weeks. Still May sighs and tries to find a way to de-escalade the situation. It’s hard when she sides with Fi and Robyn. Fiona’s hackles practically raise, fist balled up tight as she glared at her former leader. Robyn looked ready to throw another punch.  

Before either of them could get a word in, Joanna’s massive figure stepped between them. She only crossed her arms, staring down at all three women. The interruption was enough for them to catch their breath. Mostly Winter who leaned against the table, almost struggling to breath as she rubbing her temples.  

“Fi… you should know you need to pick your battles. There are still people trying to get you expelled and I’m not there to-”  

“We don’t need your protection,” Fiona hissed, ears twitching low. "Focus on Glade, Silvio, Weiss and Whitley." That hit May and cracked Winter. So many emotions she needed to keep under control flashed across her face. May pressed her side into their girlfriend’s, hoping to ground her. Eventually the pain and fear faded to… guilt.  

Then Winter shook it off.  

It was replaced by fustration. “Point is there is a lot of people that don’t want to see you four graduate,” Winter said. RMJT rolled their eyes. They were the under-dogs. An estrange elite, two nontraditional Mantle Rats who said fuck the law and a Faunus that was better than a Schnee in both academic and fighting- Winter was still talking. “They have a lot of power if you give them any kind of leverage you’ll never graduate.”  

“We’ll be fine.” Robyn huffed.  

“No you wont,” Winter hissed at Robyn. She stood up, back straight and shoulders tense. Brittle. May gently put her hand on Win’s shoulder, only to have… her former partner shake it off. Winter soldiers on, “You have no idea, what Atlesians are capable of. You need to do better!”  

“I know!” Robyn yelled back. They were within each other’s melee range now. “I have people swarming me every day reminding me I’m the Hero of Mantle. I know!”  

“You wanted follow my grandfather. Step up and lead by example, Hill.”  

The importance of image finally clicks for Robyn. Realization settles in as her shoulders relax for a moment. Robyn tries to smooth out those hard edges but pitty and fustratin shines through. “So do you,” Robyn nearly hisses. “You’re the only one keeping them prisoner.”  

That makes Winter pause. She looks at Robyn and something filters across her face.  

Pity or envy?  

Before RMJT can say anything the bay doors open and Glade was the first one to jump out. Winter actual held them back. May remembered something Winter said at the beginning of summer. That Glade’s Dust was potent enough to level an entire block. They saw that masterful application during their work and now…  

And now Glade is finally away from civilians.  

Even from the possible safety of the Bullhead, high in the air, May could feel the heat piercing the Solitas cold. A blaze of fire rolled through the snow and ice, leaving the dead rocky ground bare. The weaker Megoliaths burned in the fire.  

The Dust in their boildersuit fade from red to dark orange. The herd was culled again, this time impaled by earthen spikes. A quarter of the herd was cut down in seconds. The Alpha Megoliaths roared, legs shattering the earth spikes under its feet. They could see the ground shaking from the sky. If Glade’s Aura and Dust doesn’t attract the second horde, the small earthquakes would have.  

Glade was skilled enough to avoid capture by Vale’s Glynda Goodwitch. Skilled enough to wrangle Grimm, skilled enough to have the entire Kingdom of Mistral after her and elude them for a year. Skilled enough that violence was a choice for them. And even stripped of everything they bite back in a differnt way.  

Winter crosses her arms. The movement pulls May to the argument that the two leaders could never really settle. What to do with Glade? "Their semblance is similar to General Ironwood’s Mettle." Winter explains. May hates their semblance even more. “Glade can Focus on an aspect, personality, emotions, senses, a task, Dust, lying… acting.” Winter said. There was something at the end of it. It dipped and strained… like she was stabbing her own heart. “Atlesian 102.”  

And suddenly May’s freeze and burns.  

“Give them what they think they want.” May mumbles. Focus on a lie or an act, May grits her teeth. Pretend like nothing is wrong for the sake of your friends or play up the torutred experiment to gain sympathy.  

“Everyone loves to see their hero and knight save someone. And the Faunus experiment is the perfect damsal.” Winter practically growls under her breath. May watches her. Anger deep in her eyes. Winter didn’t ask for the image, for the fame. It followed her from her family now in the military it has grown like steel wires.  

She waits a few moments. When RMJT responds with silence she finally leaps from the aircraft. She landed gracefully next to Glade. She let some of her Ice Queen image chip and crack to give Glade a pat on their head. The Specialist didn’t draw her new saber, fresh from the kiln and anvil. Instead she stepped back and let Glade fight.  

Glade never needed their help.  

Not with the Geist.  

Not after their surrender.  

May and Robyn looked at each other, conflicted and a little confused. How much was an act from their semblance? Robyn groaned into her palm. The look of regreat solid on her face before she leaped out.  

“Sometimes I think she forgets she’s dating Winter,” Joanna whispered to May. It felt like that most days… May blames the distance. The physical one, between Atlas and Mantle. “Come on. Killing Grimm will calm us down and we can’t get showed up by a civilian.”  

"How does adrenaline and hot sweaty women equal calming?" Fiona muttered. It was a half hearted joke. A little real but overall a bad deflect. May takes a breath.  

Glade is okay. Just a manipulative bitch. Hopefully. And if they’ll still be there tomorrow. Things will get better. Hopefully.  

May follows the rest of RMJT out of the airship.  

Joanna was right. Fighting Grimm burnt the argument and fight out of them. Despite all the show, Glade gased out far to quickly to be effective Hunter. They did kill a lot of the first herd and the second was no match for eight nearly qualified Hunters.  

Snow was starting to return to the area where Glade orignally landed. There was a small tent picked up with a few chairs. Fiona waving at them while Joanna gave a broad grin and blowing a kiss. Robyn plays along, a hand over her heart and swooning into May’s arms. Until the estranged Marigold snorts and drops her.  

But just because Joanna was right doesn’t mean Fiona was wrong.  

May stands above Robyn for a second. Admiring the messy plantium locks and the flushed tanned face- Robyn winks. “Ugh-” Instead of sinking down into the snow and kissing her girlfriend she kicks the snow into her face. Joanna and Fiona laugh, loud and joyful. They were all too tired to be guarded. It feels less like a fight, less like a mission watching a ‘criminal.’ Their stupid smiles always made it feel like a date.  

As soon as May took a seat in on the chairs she didn’t want to move. She hiss curses under her breath feeling her body throb. A Sabyr kicked her jaw, a Sulfur Fish stung her calf… but the thob was in her gut and growing lower and lower as she watches her partner.  

Joanna pushed Elm out of the way earlier, taking a hit from a Megoliath. It must have fucked with her shoulder because she’s rolling it, stretching her coat tight against her back muscles. May feels that solid heat ghost under her fingers. She doesn’t have the same hair routine but giving Joanna massages was good in its own way.  

She wasn’t strong enough for a deep massage but that just means May kept on trying. Enjoying warm skin under her hands, the hard shift from muscle to muscle. Every twitch was like Joanna was flexing.  

May feels Marrow’s tail thawt against her leg in a lazy motion. It sped up a little as Joanna slips a sleeve off, brunching up her shirt to push a the knot directly and showing an unfair amount of muscles.  

She wants to kiss her. Fuck public image. Fuck all the pretending, the cold attitutdes. May was tired of all the Atlesian bullshit. She killed dozens of Grimm and at least deserves to kiss her fucking girlfriends. Joanna was barely out of breath and May wanted her gasping.  

“Hey, Robyn,” Marrow called out, breaking her out of her daydream. “You can’t arrest people, can you?”  

“I quit so I could attend Atlas Academy, wags.”  

“Huh… Well that,” He gestured to Joanna. Robyn walked over, quietly observing as Elm walked up and tried to massage the kink gone. Both their muscles flexing and tested Atlesian thick clothing. "That should be illegal."  

“You know what is illegal?” Robyn asked. May could hear that stupid smile in her voice and she was groaning loudly to drown out Robyn but it didn’t work, “Not kissing my girlfriend- Damn it! Look alive, May!"  

May snapped to attention just as a Megoliath roared into view. Everyone switches back into fighting mode. May ran after her leader, twisting the chamber in her staff. It clicks empty, empty, then she felt electricity hum as lightning Dust chambers in.  

“Joanna!”  

“For the record I hate it when any of you do this!” Joanna yells. She still held her out her hands for May to vault off of and May only grins. Blame it on all the times Winter carries her around or all the rush from the Glyphs, or maybe she just likes being handled by Joanna. Her partner only frowns as hearing her thoughts. She still throws May high into the air and barely has time to dodge the Grimm herself.  

Elm jumps in, holding onto the trunk with Roots further anchoring her to the ground. May yells a warning, plunging the staff deep into the Grimm’s eye. It doesn’t bleed, doesn’t smoke, it just… sinks in with a bone shuddering wet noise. The lightning Dust pours into the Megoliath. Joanna helps Elm clear the twitching tunk and stomping legs.  

An explosion throw’s May’s off.  

It wasn’t silent like the crossbow bolts so it had to be something Fiona stole. May’s limbs burns like she’s been fighting for an hour. She sinks deep into the snow and it doesn’t help. It does the opposite. All the blood is pooling between her legs, all the running and fighting had everything rubbing just right. May tries not to think about the last time she had sex. About how the snow feels like Winter’s cool hands crawling into her neck.  

With a shuttering breath she stares up at the bright sky. Focuses on how warm the rare Solitas sun is on her skin because they were in public. Fiona eclipses the sun for a moment. Then a moment longer as her body falls-  

“Fi!” May screams, trying to scrample away. The snow gives and gives under her hands and Fiona finally craches into her. Even the sharp headbutt does nothing for the low arosual in her gut. If anything it just gives her shaft a reason to thob harder. It has everything to do with Fi’s groan and not how her brain was mixing pleasure and pain. With Fiona’s hands firm on her chest. Sweet laughter against her neck.  

May drops her Aura for a few seconds. The idea was that the snow would chill her blood. But so many hours, wrapped around Winter’s fingers… May groaned slamming her Aura back on. She wanted those cool hands on her thighs. Clawing. She wanted Fiona seated higher on her chest.  

Who’s idea was it not fuck? Winter? It has to be Winter’s.  

Fiona’s laugh draws May out of her pout. “Woops,” Fiona mumbled unapologetically. There was something in her voice. The faux innocent tone and sinfully slow drawls. “It’s a good thing Joanna won, you really need something for distance.”  

“Shut up,” May growled. As revenge she hangs limp. Fiona is strong enough to carry her but she just… so tiny. And tired. The snow makes things harder than it should be and they fall back into it. Out of stupid habits May holds Fiona tight, as if they were falling out of another crashing airship. As if Fiona wasn’t already laughing on the way down.  

“This is your fault y’know,” Fiona said with a grin. Looming over her, elbows blocking May. It fucks with her breathing and then more. Fiona’s eyes flicker down. That heated gaze slowly growing intense, like the day in the changing room. She licks her lips, her ears straining forward for more soft noise. She knows Fi can feel her heart race. That innocent smiles grows sweet and beutiful and so far from innocent.  

Her knee slides up.  

Pausing between May’s. That low throb was firmly settled between May’s legs now. She glances away but that only opens her up. Fiona’s lips and nose press into her neck. Her pulse is far to alive against such a soft kiss. Too soft. May wants more. Her body already arching for it.  

“Fi…” May was starting to tremble.  

“We deserve a second,” Fiona says as if it was a warning. Then her teeth digs in hard. May presses her hand against her mouth, breath loud and sharsh as her back arch but Fiona’s hand quickly comes up to pin it down. Her ears flutter pointedly. May wanted hands and teeth, Fiona wanted it all including her moans. She sucks hard and gives May a teaser for what it could feel around her pulsing cock.  

She doesn’t stop until May tugs her hair. After May feels pre-cum sliding down her shaft. Fiona growls and huffs. Teeth teasing the bruise but it was already healing. It still hurts, so Fi tongue sooth the spot. Low and slow like it was May’s shaft- Their Scrolls ping and Fiona looks ready to break it in her hands.  

G.O.A.T: stop. i can SMELL you horny idiots from here happywool: that’s a bad thing?  

She steal a kiss from May. Even burried in the snow, fighting in the cold, the kiss is warm and sweet. Even if Fiona’s sharp teeth nip with fustration.  

Her knee shifts higher. A hand palms May’s chest.  

G.O.A.T: SERIOUSLY. I CAN’T EXACTLY GET LAID foxhot: sounds like a u problem G.O.A.T: just finish the grimm so we can get Win home  

That stops Fiona dead in her tracks.  

mt.spur: what happen angeldust: Nothing important. G.O.A.T: i disagree and stop being a dumb bitch G.O.A.T: she’s fighting with her binder on angeldust: So are you! G.O.A.T: i didnt feint bitch  

May and Fiona rolls their eyes and share another kiss before Fiona pulls her onto her feet. "The sooner we finish the sooner we can finsih," Fiona says with a wink and runs off. May watches her with a small smile and tries to shake the snow out of her hair and clothes.  

The rest of the evening slips into a mix of auto-pilot and a straight up blur. The simple social outing for the ‘criminal’ was an extra hour, almost two. The Grimm was easy but they kept coming. Like every other week. RMJT has been out on so many missions half their classes were online, in the damn airships. The ones that weren’t were Combative Training, Advance Stealth Operations or Body Conditioning.  

Her Scroll kept going off too much to call it a nap and she feels to restless when she finally realizes they’re back in Mantle.  

May sets her back down the table and stretches out the kinks in her back. She groans as a few joints pop back into place. A pair of hands slide onto her shoulders, pressing into areas she didn’t realize were tense.  

The hands were too big to be Fiona’s, too small to be Joanna’s, too warm to be Winter’s. She blinks in surprise. For such a flirt Robyn was actually rather reserved. Most of her advances only happened when Winter was around. And sure enough, somehow the they manage to drag the Specialist.  

Or with Joanna, carry.  

A feint blush is on Winter’s cheeks now and she lets out a sigh. May has gotten used to all the touches and her partner’s casual show of strength. But Winter probably regressed up in Atlas, with only Glade.  

“You can set me down now,” Winter mumbles.  

“Not even a please,” Joanna playfully huffs. Instead she sits down on the couch. Her hands interwined with Winter’s… pressing it against her thighs.  

Just like the changing room.  

The room suddenly feels hotter. May’s blood was already hot from all of Fiona’s teasing and now its rapidly pooling in her shaft- Where’s the lamb. May looks around to see the women walk out of their bedroom, a bag in one hand and twirling the knife in the other.  

Now in the privacy of their home, Fiona is a little calmer. Her grin is still dark, her ears still strained but she doesn’t look like shes ready to pounce.  

Her prey is already caught after all.  

Fiona looks at May and winks. With a touch the coffee table and everything on it gone and she replaces it with the bed in their room. May finds her self menuvered, seated on the edge with Robyn behind her.  

May can only stare dazed at Winter. The women was… she was the image of Atlas perfection. Control, yet she’s trembling with Joanna’s hot breath on her neck. Power, though when that knife slices into her uniform she’s praying Fiona’s name.  

“Fi… fuck,” Winter mutters. Her Aura flares where the knife licks her skin. May whimpers and shifts between Robyn’s legs. Her leader murmers something. Something about how good girls don’t interrupt a show. A hand strokes May thighs, promising a reward for good girls.  

Fiona briefly smiles over her shoulder. The knowledge that this show was also for them… May throbs against her clothes. Whimpers with as Joanna hums, staring at the tent her pants. Winter looks ready to feint. Breathing shallow and eyes clouded. Still Fiona goes slow. Those flexing abs revealed inch by near minute.  

“Hurry, please Fiona… I’m going to pass out-”  

“Oh!” Fiona’s blinks, that dominance replaced by surprised concern. She laughs nervously, knife swiftly gliding through the shirt, coat and binder. Winter’s Aura lights up her skin as the blade tilts her head back.  

Exposed. Volunrable. Submissive.

[tahneef]

2 years 6 months

I moved to Queenstown, New Zealand in April 2018, as much as I would love to say all I had was a backpack and beautiful intentions, this is not true. I had a snowboard wrapped in bubble wrap, a big ass suitcase, a huge backpack filled with clothes folded by my beautiful mother and prepacked travel kit with everything I needed also packed by her. I was searching for purpose, change, lessons on the cultural differences between Aussie and NZ, and growth. What I found was a kiwi boyfriend, shitty housemates, freezing house conditions, a lot of MDMA, a kickass, inseparable girl crew, long nights out clubbing and the most amazing views I have ever seen and lived amongst my entire life. I shared a bed with this English girl who I didn’t know before moved in together. Turns out we didn’t get along well, but luckily I had other beautiful housemates I connected with in this house of 9 people. My best memories of this house were getting up every morning and walking onto my balcony and seeing Lake Queenstown and the mountains, getting covered with snow more and more each week. The cats that would just show up in the house and were so so fluffy and affectionate, my house mates Mackenzie, Kate, Dom, Gabby and Colligan, creating this beautiful little family. And everyone bagging out my accent and telling me how brave I was for moving away from home and my country at 19. 

My 2018 snow season turned into this blur of happiness and my memories blend into a crazy, free time. We would work 12 hour shifts, 6 days a week, then numb the pain by clubbing until morning, then doing it all over again. Me and my girl crew would ride as much as we could. Challenging ourselves every day and occasionally riding park. 

At the end of the season everyone had plans to move to the North island or continue their travels elsewhere; I felt lost, with a new beautiful relationship (my first proper boyfriend) who wasn’t willing to move out of home to live with me, I didn’t know where to go or what to do. All I knew is I wasn’t ready to say bye to him or come home to Aussie; So I stayed for summer, which wasn’t very good, I was yet to find my passion for summer, if you love hiking, lakes and being outside constantly then Queenstown is perfect, but I always felt like I was suffocated by the mountains. Like they were closing in on me, my soul was longing for the ocean. Growing up on the coast this makes sense, but all I would do at home by the beach is swim and I could swim in the lakes; I was yet to realize the real energetic pull from the ocean; unable to surrender to the pull at this stage in my 19 year old self.

Months went by, friends moved away and all I had was my boyfriend and his lovely family. I was contemplating coming home but then he told me he was willing to move out of home to move in with me, and this is how I ended up living in a cupboard under the stairs in Fernhill… Long story short Finn didn’t want to move out of home. I have learned that I don’t want a relationship that isn’t full of passion, love and dying to be together, a connection so strong that life without each other seems impossible. Why be together if you don’t want to wake up next to this person every day? Why be together if you don’t feel an inseparable energetic pull that leaves you longing for each other?

This is when I ended our relationship. Going through a  breakup of my first and longest relationship without any of my family or friends was hard, but the timing was good; I had just started my new job in Rentals at Coronet peak, I was living in a cupboard with amazing housemates for cheap, it was the best accommodation I ever had in Queenstown. And then I met David… What a beautiful man, dreadlocks down to his belly, a cheque republic accent, beautiful brown skin and full of passion, I have never met anyone like him. Our connection was first just through eyes, I felt such a strong gravital pull towards him and my heart would race every time he was near me; I worked in rentals and he was a shaper on the mountain. It wasn’t long until we kissed on a night out the first time we saw each other out. We sat down and told each other how much we wanted each other already but the first thing he said was that this was only for the season. He is going to Austria after and we would be exclusive until then. It hurt my heart but I would be stupid to lose this opportunity of love even if it was temporary.

We were inseparable after this night, I was completely head over heels in lust, I felt like I was literally walking on clouds, on such a high, just being in his arms was the most peaceful feeling I had ever experienced. Lots of snowboarding, love making, drum and bass nights out and dreading the future where we would part, it was the best winter I have ever lived; On our last night together it was the hardest night of my life. I remember between all of the pain and tears, I said to him ‘Do I have to tell you how I really feel about you?’ but he knew. Every single day he knew the way I looked at him and he could feel it too, how he’s the first person I have ever been in love with, how ready I was to jump on the next plane and go to Austria to be by his side, to spend my life’s savings in Europe just to have another second with him. What a blessing to feel and have the ability to feel this purity, desire, love for someone else, this drive to keep living until every last drop of energy, love, sensation is given to them. At just 20 I had already felt the strongest love imaginable and it was all his. But the worst part was, he didn’t feel the same way. Next thing I knew I was letting go of him at the airport with a 20 hour flight ahead of him and a heart that I could literally feel breaking in my chest.

 Breathe… relax and release the pain, there is so much ahead of you; My whole world felt like it was over, but the next day I had to pack my whole life into my Subaru outback, and get on the road, leave all of Queenstown behind, with my shattered heart, 18 months behind me and I didn’t even know where I was going. I Drove right up north of the South Island, I camped on the beach with seals in Kaikoura. There are literally snow capped mountains that meet the ocean there. It is incredible and watching the sunsets in Kaikoura was slowly piecing my heart back together. I blasted Tash Sultana and practiced yoga, with tears falling down my cheeks and on to the mat I knew I was healing myself slowly every time I practiced.

I caught the ferry with my car and headed for Napier which is a small town on the east coast of the North Island; It was pissing down rain, which felt like a reflection of my pain, so of course I was balling my eyes out with it, my tire looked like it was going to pop and I pulled up to this free food market my Queenstown friend had told me about. There is an organization in Napier which all of the supermarkets donate their expired goods to instead of dumping them straight away. It is amazing. My expectation was hippy, nice backpackers appreciating the market and generosity. Instead half the people looked like serious junkies. I felt so out of place and scared that I was hiding my car keys…My heart raced the entire time, but I ended up with SO much food, they had so many loafs of bread, veggies, even bakery sweets! It was so amazing.

 I then drove to a campsite that was full. It was almost dark at this point and there was only one other place I could stay. It was a 30 minute drive to a holiday park. So I had no choice but to drive there. When I arrived, there was the reception, which was covered in spider webs and had smashed glass windows. It looked abandoned... My heart was racing then a sweet man came over and I gave him $10 cash for the night. There were families permanently living in caravans, and they all looked at me as in what the fuck is this young girl doing here. I felt so unsafe, I couldn't even go to the toilet, I was so petrified something would happen to me. I could not believe the comparison, coming from posh Queenstown to this town of poverty, I had NO idea this was a problem amongst New Zealand.

I sat on the beach watching the sun go down, and I just let it all come out. My heart literally felt shattered and I had no idea how I could pick up the pieces. How do I pretend like I'm okay? How am I going to meet other travellers with my heart closed? I called my mum and told her I have to come home, that I couldn't go on, that I was completely broken. And she said to me with so much kindness and support, ‘Love, I truly believe if you come home now you will regret it. You have to see what Raglan is like, just give it a chance’. She changed my whole life just with one sentence. I don't think I slept all night, the man was supposed to look at my exploding tire in the morning but as soon as it was light I got up and drove all the way to Raglan.

When I arrived I drove straight to the beach. My mood was okay but as soon as I got there, I broke, once again. There were lots of vans with cool people. Not one other person alone. Everyone was in families or groups and again I felt so lost. But I somehow pulled it together enough to drive myself to this $10 campsite. It had such an amazing view of raglan and this nice Maori lady called Kaz checked me in. She saw through me completely. She just knew I was lost, and completely reassured me in everyway that I am in the right place. She said I would find work easy and even offered a caravan for me to stay in. Then I spent the night with Mary. A 61 year old kiwi woman who is travelling on her own. We shared a beautiful vegan dinner. I opened up about David leaving and she said what are they good for anyway? She just went through a divorce and said it's the most free and happy she has ever been. 

The next morning I went into town! It was the first time I wore my cord flares and I felt like I fit in so well. I went into bohemian gypsy which is the most amazing shop and met this gorgeous girl called Becca. Then I met Tony the boss and he said he would call me for work. Becca and I went out for a drink after her shift and we bonded so much over passionate European men, heartbreaks and yoga. I love her. I checked into the hostel and met some nice people. Every time something positive happens I feel a little more healed. I am picking up the pieces. I can't wait to grow and heal into the best version of myself possible. 

But seriously, Raglan is fucking amazing. Hands down the best place in New Zealand... And I've been all over the country. At my favourite coffee shop called Indis, you have your coffee and pay later, plus everyone plays guitar and smokes weed at the cafe and the police don't even look twice. Plus the owner is an absolute legend. He tells Aucklanders to shove their plastic takeaway cups up their arse. He doesn't do any take away cups, just have the coffee here, bring a keep cup or forget about it.

I know knew that Raglan was the town for me. Being in a town that is so environmentally sustainable/ aware, accepting of all, hippy and beautiful, I felt like I was glowing. Next thing I knew I was offered a job as a Receptionist at Raglan Backpackers and I was working at Bohemian Gypsy, making my jewellery and making new friends every day. Living at the hostel was one of the best experiences of my life. I have checked in and shown around people from over 30 different countries in the world and had sleepovers with all of them! I cannot put into words how amazing my day to day life was there and I am so deeply grateful for these experiences and every single person that was by my side.  

I wasn't ready for surfing when I first arrived in Raglan. I would try but the ocean always made me feel more vulnerable, I would cry every time I got smashed in the whitewash, looking back on it, it was just a reflection of how I was feeling inside and I didn't have the strength at the time to fight back. Instead I picked up skating. As soon as I saw people going around the pump track I was hooked. I knew I had to be able to do it. Within 7 days I could do one lap and just got better and better everyday. I got to know a lot of the locals from being at the skatepark as well. They are so friendly and have some amazing bands. Muroki is a fucking rockstar and I’m so glad I got to tell him that in person. He's going to be huge one day. We ended up with a sick summer crew at the hostel. Plus I got to live in a stationary van so I had my own space and privacy which was so amazing. Enzo, Bea, Sacha, Chris, Mash, Jamie, Lottie, Merryn, and Aaron. 

People from all over the world to come together and create this amazing versatile family. Something I had never experienced before. It was the best summer of my life and I'll never forget it. Everyday I would heal more. At the end of February I decided to give surfing a proper shot on a longboard. And I paddled straight out the back, and was hooked just by sitting in the line up. That day changed my life. Now above anything else in the world, surfing was and is my healer. The lessons from the ocean are like no other. I now have my very own 9ft single fin which I'm in love with, I live for surfing. And it's how I want to spend my life. I want to get up at 5am and go surf, I want to stay out surfing until 9pm. It turned me completely off alcohol (along with some massive mistakes) and I am forever grateful for this love that I have found.

I was planning to come back to Australia then fly to Indo to travel with my best friend Daisy. And then all this Covid stuff went down. 

That's when I met Julius. My beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes French man. After having the most amazing summer of my life I had lots of time for myself, and for the first time in my life I wasn’t looking for anyone. I was so content and happy with my life every moment. 

So when he came, I was ready for him. I knew we were meant to be together as soon as I saw him. On his second night at the hostel, we had a party and we kissed for the first time. A few days later all of NZ went into full on Level 4 lockdown. I was so happy, all 45 of us backpackers, it felt like a more down to earth, hippy version of Love Island. 

We had everything at that hostel from cooking lessons, yoga classes, stick n poke tattooing, parties, weed brownie days and so much more I cannot even put it into words what went on. Having a sleepover every night with 45 backpackers from different countries was indescribable. Falling in love alongside with my two best friends (Mash and Maria) was indescribable. It really did feel like a reality TV show where we were all stuck in a house together, with no supervision and the only worries in our worlds was our beautiful new relationships, friendships and new connections.

Within a week Julius had completely moved into my van and I was so happy. It was so nice to have a man in there, he would always be fixing things so I wouldn’t hurt myself and tell me I have to keep ‘our home’ clean. His energy is always so positive and beautiful, he can put a smile on anyone’s face and is so proud to be with me. We were falling for each other more and more everyday and I feel like he was literally made for me. 

We went skinny dipping in the bioluminescent water and they had never shined so bright. It was the most beautiful moment. He told me he loved me for the first time and my heart was full of so much energy and love. I am so in love with this man and I will be forever.

We were inseperable. A couple of months later we moved together to a small town on the coromandel coast called Whangamata. We lived in a tiny home and got jobs at the same cafe. We would ride our bikes together every morning and work the exact same hours. Months went by and we continue to grow together. This is the right love. The love that is returned, nurtured, it is a choice every single day of our lives and it still is. It is only now I realize, I have never ever ever been in love like I am with him. Lust, sure. Obsessed, sure. But this is different. I have never in my life been truely loved back unconditionally. In this moment he is the love of my life and I am eternally grateful.

I cannot express it enough how grateful I am to have had these life changing experiences. Thankyou New Zealand, Thankyou to my 19 year old self, Thankyou for pushing yourself, Thankyou for moving to a country where you knew absolutely no one. Thankyou for changing my life, forever.

[f4liveblogarchives]

Fantastic Four Vol 1 #198 & #199

Mon Aug 26 2019 [12:46 AM] Wack'd: It probably bares pointing out that this story is being billed as "The Greatest F.F. Epic of All!". I disagree [12:46 AM] maxwellelvis: I thought that kind of hyperbole on the covers died out with the Silver Age [12:46 AM] Bocaj: I wonder what the greatest FF epic of all is [12:47 AM] Wack'd: Thus far I'm not sure anything's topped the Lee/Kirby epic of the Four being trapped in Latveria, if only for its sheer manic energy as it ping-pongs wildly from one twist to the next, only to end on a shaggy dog note when Doom gets bored and lets them leave [12:47 AM] maxwellelvis: Some people would argue it's the original Galactus Trilogy. [12:48 AM] Wack'd: I mean. If you define "epic" as "more than two issues". Otherwise it's probably the Thomas/Conway/Buscema one where a janitor gets a sentient cosmic cube to turn the world into a bonkers 50s mashup [12:48 AM] Wack'd: Isn't Galactus just 49-50? Otherwise I guess you could include that [12:48 AM] maxwellelvis: Man, that story got kinda last-episode-of-The Prisoner-y in the middle when they're both captured. [12:49 AM] maxwellelvis: People count the Silver Surfer stuff in #48 as part of it. [12:49 AM] Wack'd: That's probably fair [12:49 AM] Wack'd: Anyway! Reed has the Pogo Plane and is going to get Doctor Doom [12:50 AM] Wack'd: Weirdly, he figured this out because only Doom could've designed all the neat stuff he saw at his new job, funded the rocket that got him his powers back, and captured his friends so easily [12:50 AM] Wack'd: And not because his boss is the spitting image of his old college roommate [12:51 AM] Wack'd: Seriously there's one bit where it looks like Reed might recognize Son of Doom and instead it's like "that face? where have I seen that face?" [12:51 AM] maxwellelvis: How could he know what Victor Von Doom looks like? WE barely see his face even in flashback. [12:51 AM] maxwellelvis: I just assume he always has a shadow around that he lurks in. [12:51 AM] Wack'd: Pffft [12:52 AM] maxwellelvis: Like, from what I remember from his origin story, we see his face when we see him as a boy, but as he grows to college-age, his back is turned to us or his face is obscured more. [12:52 AM] Wack'd: The Four have left Latveria alive. Numerous times. But okay.

[12:53 AM] maxwellelvis: When did Doom start hiring goons? I thought his only human employee was Boris. [12:53 AM] Wack'd: We've seen him have human goons numerous times! [12:53 AM] maxwellelvis: Oh [12:53 AM] Wack'd: Just last issue a human goon he had in the 60s came back! I made a joke about what a ridiculous continuity pull it was and everything! [12:54 AM] maxwellelvis: Right [12:54 AM] Wack'd: Okay this feels like a little much but I'm sure everyone will forget he could do this soon enough

[12:54 AM] maxwellelvis: It's just weird because I'm used to him having an army of robotic henchmen, aside from the Doombots even. [12:54 AM] Wack'd: He does run a country. It'd be weird if there were no federal jobs [12:55 AM] maxwellelvis: These guys, to be specific. His Servo-Guards. [12:55 AM] Wack'd: I never said he didn't have robots

[12:56 AM] Wack'd: Man, those are some Tony Stark lookin' goons [12:56 AM] maxwellelvis: Wow, they look way less efficient than the Servo-Guards. [12:57 AM] Wack'd: Anyway Reed tries to rewire one of the robots and as a safeguard it explodes, knocking him unconscious and into a nearby lake [12:57 AM] Wack'd: Yeah, Reed's gonna die less than halfway through the issue, I buy this

[12:58 AM] Wack'd: "Face down in the water." Keith Pollard wins yet another art award [12:59 AM] maxwellelvis: Don't they write the scripts after the art is drawn? [12:59 AM] maxwellelvis: This could be on Marv's head. [01:00 AM] Wack'd: To the extent that this wasn't a myth perpetuated to justify Stan's writing credit, it was dying out by the 80s as comics became more of an auteur medium [01:00 AM] maxwellelvis: Ahh [01:00 AM] Wack'd: So possible, but unlikely [01:00 AM] Wack'd: Last time Doom was thwarted when someone pointed out he probably didn't want to destroy all the historical artifacts in the building so he's learned literally nothing. Very in character for him

[01:01 AM] maxwellelvis: This is the same guy who burned an original Renoir because he didn't like looking at it. [01:02 AM] Wack'd: Also apparently the statue Alicia's sculpting is "a gift to the UN when they vote not to condemn Latveria for its...more aggressive policies" [01:02 AM] Wack'd: Presumably also why Doom's "stepping down"--makes him look good in the run-up to the vote [01:03 AM] Wack'd: Little does he know the UN has no power and any condemnation they issue is basically just to make themselves look good! A rare day one manages to get one over on Doom [01:04 AM] Wack'd: Doom's also convinced the spaceship explosion killed Reed. For some reason. Even Sue has to point out that's a really dumb assumption [01:05 AM] Wack'd: Love me a good "Ben doesn't know when to quit" moment

[01:08 AM] Wack'd: Love a resistance. Don't love that they're big into hereditary monarchy

[01:08 AM] maxwellelvis: Especially because the guy Doom overthrew was a genocidal monster. [01:09 AM] maxwellelvis: Or maybe Doom just does that thing were every Latverian nobleman he undermined and disposed of, in his mind, he always saw the face of the man who killed his father. [01:09 AM] maxwellelvis: Y'know, like Batman. [01:10 AM] Wack'd: Possibly. Marvel Wiki says Rudolpho appeared in person occasionally through the 70s but doesn't mention anything about him being the guy who killed Doom Daddy [01:10 AM] maxwellelvis: I didn't mean to imply that. [01:11 AM] maxwellelvis: But Doom IS the kind of guy who would probably hold him just as accountable as that man was. [01:11 AM] Wack'd: Fair [01:12 AM] Wack'd: So we get to see a bit of the statue carving and the back of Doom's head looks like he's melting and Ben says he "has a puss that makes mine look like Robbie Redford's" [01:12 AM] Bocaj: I wonder if Doom will ever do a T'Challa and make Latveria a democracy so he doesn't have to put in the hours anymore [01:12 AM] maxwellelvis: Never [01:12 AM] Wack'd: Is basically every interesting or sympathetic aspect of this guy besides his origin a massive retcon [01:12 AM] Bocaj: Historically, Doom has walked away from ruling the world at least once because he found it tedious [01:12 AM] maxwellelvis: He loves being in charge [01:12 AM] Wack'd: I'm starting to feel like it id [01:13 AM] maxwellelvis: That sounds more like he didn't realize how much work the entire world would be compared to Latveria. [01:13 AM] Wack'd: So Son of Doom shows up and is like "it's time for the transference" [01:13 AM] Wack'd: I feel like we can all see where this is going [01:13 AM] Bocaj: Whats funny is that I think Doom keeps trying to conquer the world after the Emperor Doom story [01:14 AM] Bocaj: I guess wanting is better than having [01:14 AM] maxwellelvis: He's transferring his mind into his son's body, isn't he? [01:14 AM] Bocaj: He also definitely had some airs of ennui during God Emperor Doom in Secret Wars [01:14 AM] Wack'd: I also guessed this but apparently not [01:14 AM] Wack'd:

[01:15 AM] Wack'd: He's gonna give Son of Doom all the Four's powers [01:15 AM] maxwellelvis: Ah [01:15 AM] Wack'd: Minus one [01:16 AM] Wack'd: hahahahaha

[01:16 AM] Wack'd: This is basically a Superdictionary entry [01:16 AM] Bocaj: HAY THAT MACHINE [01:16 AM] Bocaj: THAT’S THE SAME MACHINE HE USED AS A SKRULL DETECTOR IN AVENGERS EARTH'S MIGHTIEST HEROES [01:17 AM] Bocaj: "It does more than one thing. SHUT UP!" [01:17 AM] Wack'd: Huh! [01:17 AM] Wack'd: Deep cut! [01:18 AM] Wack'd: Love me some casual mook dialogue

[01:18 AM] Wack'd: God so much of this issue is just letting Reed show off [01:19 AM] Wack'd: "How will we climb this mountain?" "I'm a rope now!" "How will we hide from this drone?" "I'll make myself look like part of the mountainside!" "How will we cross this moat?" "I'm a bridge now!" [01:20 AM] Bocaj: So him giving Reed his powers back is thus implied to be not about Doom's self-serving definition of a fair fight but to fill that fourth bubble? [01:20 AM] Wack'd: Probably yeah [01:21 AM] Wack'd: Marv Wolfman: Should I pace this slower so that everyone that's been complaining about Reed not stretching has time to nut? [01:22 AM] Bocaj: pfft [01:22 AM] Wack'd: I fucking love these two

[01:24 AM] Wack'd: I would watch a sitcom about these people [01:25 AM] Wack'd: ...weren't you trying to put a king back on the throne?!?

[01:25 AM] Bocaj: Maybe they don't know what democracy means [01:26 AM] Wack'd: Latveria doesn't seem to have a robust education system [01:27 AM] Bocaj: But they do have a robot education system [01:27 AM] Bocaj: Every latverian schoolchild is taught how to make a Doombot [01:27 AM] Wack'd: So all of the rebels but the main one get trapped between sliding doors and gassed, thus massively simplifying the plot [01:28 AM] Wack'd: Zorba is distressed his men might be dead but Reed reassures him they can still win, which I'm sure was his main concern [01:29 AM] Wack'd: So it turns out Hauptmann is the brother of the original Hauptmann, who died in that Latveria epic [01:29 AM] Wack'd: I forgot [01:29 AM] Wack'd: He's totally on board with overthrowing Doom since his brother...was killed by Doom? Died on Doom's watch if nothing else. [01:30 AM] Wack'd: FINAL SHOWDOWN TIME [01:31 AM] Wack'd: I like that Doom assumes this was a clever ruse on Reed's part and that he did not, in fact, almost die

[01:31 AM] Wack'd: Anyway not final showdown time I guess! Cliffhanger time!

[01:32 AM] Wack'd: Boy the "soul-shattering secret" thing kinda makes me wish I hadn't looked him up

Mon Aug 26 2019 [01:32 AM] Wack'd: FANTASTIC FOUR VOL 1 NO 199: [01:34 AM] Wack'd: I like that Doom plays the piano. That it's just a thing he does and incorporates into his plans just because he likes it.  It's a nice little thing

[01:34 AM] maxwellelvis: That's an organ setup [01:34 AM] maxwellelvis: Just as cliche and ten times as bombastic [01:34 AM] maxwellelvis: Which suits Victor [01:36 AM] Wack'd: Anyway Zorbo is...back outside, now? And he's leading a mob? [01:37 AM] Wack'd: Doom tries to fire on them with his suit weapons but the entire mob pulls out guns and draw on him [01:37 AM] Bocaj: Normal guns? A trifle for one such as VICTOR VON DOOOOOM [01:38 AM] Wack'd: You'd think [01:38 AM] Wack'd: But he backs down and redoubles on his promise to retire [01:38 AM] Wack'd: The mob has formed, essentially, because they don't believe him [01:39 AM] Bocaj: Do they know his plan to put his son on the throne? [01:39 AM] Wack'd: Yes [01:39 AM] Wack'd: Zorbo is threatening to expose the "dark secret" behind Son of Doom [01:39 AM] Bocaj: So they're fine with that but they just don't believe Doom is really retiring? [01:40 AM] Wack'd: Well, they don't know what it is yet [01:40 AM] Wack'd: Zorbo is keeping us them in suspense [01:41 AM] Wack'd: stupid 👏🏼 baby 👏🏼 word 👏🏼 games

[01:43 AM] Wack'd: So apparently UN is threatening to expel Latveria [01:43 AM] Wack'd: This is a weird set of circumstances to slowly unfold over the course of the story but I'm digging it [01:44 AM] Wack'd: Meanwhile: Reed punches out of his sphere and frees the others while Doom is distracted with statue stuff [01:45 AM] Bocaj: Ego is his downfall as happens [01:46 AM] Wack'd: I hadn't thought about it until now but it's very interesting to me that this arc ends not with Reed learning to value his other virtues in lieu of his powers (before of course getting them back) but with him completely forgetting his midlife crisis and reforming the team

[01:47 AM] Wack'd: Like in modern comics there'd be some kind of character beat before the big return but nah, Reed can stretch again! All problems are solved forever! [01:49 AM] Wack'd: Anyway they fight some mooks, dodge some lasers, the usual, before reaching Doom. And Alicia, who is being threatened with a dislocated finger

[01:50 AM] Wack'd: So naturally the Four surrender [01:50 AM] Wack'd: Doom's speech here has big Mother Gothel energy

[01:51 AM] Wack'd: Zorbo frees the Four and Alicia. Quick turnaround time, but then the arc is ending [01:52 AM] Wack'd: The Four show up, reveal Son of Doom as a clone, fight fight fight [01:53 AM] Wack'd: ...huh. Did not see this coming

[01:54 AM] Wack'd: So anyway Son of Doom declares he has no interest in his dad's petty cruelty and thirst for revenge, and the two duke it out [01:55 AM] Wack'd: It's...pretty cool

[01:56 AM] Wack'd:

[01:56 AM] maxwellelvis: I don't think I've ever seen Doom have a breakdown like this before. [01:56 AM] Bocaj: "Learn some self-care, Doom!" "NEVER" [01:57 AM] Wack'd: As with the thing with Agatha and Nick Scratch I kinda wish the hammer had dropped sooner so we had more room to explore this dynamic [01:58 AM] Wack'd: But we definitely get some good mileage out of it in the final moments

[camillemontespan]

the interview every magazine wanted [drake walker x camille montespan]

NEW ARTICLE!! I actually loved writing this.  We got fluff, we got sass, we got corgis, we got Drake getting embarrassed about that intimate photo taken on honeymoon!

(I know some people might find this a weird way of writing fic but I genuinely enjoy writing articles like this, it’s quite fun). 

So in this, Liam asking Drake and Camille to make their baby his heir just hasn’t happened. Sorry, not in Cake’s universe. Fuck that. 

But Cordonians being all up in Camille’s vagina is all the rage! Yay!

A/N; I added another edited photo in this but there is more writing underneath in case it’s not obvious. The article doesn’t finish when the photo appears. 

@jovialyouthmusic @sirbeepsalot @pug-bitch @moonlightgem7 @fromthedeskofpaisleybleakmore @dcbbw @iplaydrake @drakewalkerisreal @katedrakeohd @emceesynonymroll @i-bloody-love-drake-walker @carabeth @burnsoslow @notoriouscs @ritachacha @rainbowsinthestorm 

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

'Are we controversial?’ Duchess Camille of Valtoria asks her husband. 

The Duke shrugs. ‘If asking for privacy is controversial, then yeah, I guess we are.’

I’m meeting the newly appointed Duke and Duchess of Valtoria at a private members club for one of the most anticipated and sought after magazine interviews in the media. The interview in question will be focusing on the current royal baby obsession sweeping Cordonia. In case you have been living under a rock for the past month, everyone has been wanting Camille to get pregnant.  After weeks of dodging paparazzi and rejecting magazine interviews, the couple have finally agreed to sit down with Trend and I am the journalist in charge of writing this feature. It has to be good. To say I’m nervous is an understatement. 

Drake and Camille are notoriously private. That is the one thing you need to know about them. The fact I even got this interview is a big deal. 

‘One interview. Our only interview. Our words, no editing, no twisting what we say,’ Drake told me down the phone. I agreed. 

The thing is... Camille isn’t pregnant yet. They want to use this interview to set the record straight. 

When I meet them in the drawing room of the Cordonia Club, they both stand to greet me. Camille hugs me tight. ‘I love your dress!’ she says. Drake shakes my hand and asks what I would like to drink. 

They’re dressed casual-smart. Camille is wearing burgundy cigarette trousers, a silk dark blue vest and black suede loafers with gold lionness heads stuck on top - they’re amazing. Drake is wearing a grey fisherman sweater, dark jeans and brown suede boots. They’re a ridiculously good looking couple; it makes my heart hurt a little. 

Did I tell you that Drake smells amazing? He leans over to hand me a glass of water and I catch a whiff of sandalwood and leather. Umf. 

The first question I ask is if they think they’re controversial which they ponder for a moment before Drake’s casual answer. 

To be frank, the beginning of their marriage attracted controversy from the get go. They got married two months ago at Drake’s family ranch in Texas. They rejected the idea of a royal wedding and instead chose to be surrounded by just close friends and family, which meant no media frenzy. This angered the media and public alike.

‘As we were just starting out as the new Duke and Duchess, I don’t think we were prepared for the intense reaction our wedding would have,’ Camille tells me. She is sat curled up on a chaise lounge, her back settled against Drake. They are sat like a normal couple who binge watch box sets. Not a Duke and Duchess. ‘We didn’t realise how much the public wanted to see our wedding.’

This may sound naive but Drake and Camille genuinely had no idea how popular they were until after they became husband and wife. ‘We were commoners,’ Drake explains. ‘We weren’t in the same league as say, Bertrand, the Duke of Ramsford.’

‘But it exploded for us when we went on honeymoon,’ Camille continues. ‘We had this beautiful and intimate wedding, away from the press. No social media, nothing. We wanted away from the chaos.  It was a little bubble, you know? But as soon as we got on the plane to the Maldives, I saw the in flight magazine and oh my God, the headlines.’

They didn’t let it ruin their honeymoon though. Camille continued to drink champagne and cliff dived into the ocean - Drake shows me a video he took of Camille jumping from a cliff in her bikini and it looks terrifying, but she turns to the camera with a mega watt smile on her face before jumping off the edge. Drake shouts proudly in the video, ‘Yes baby!’  

But, the press had been savage. Articles focused on asking if the couple even cared about Cordonia while they were swigging champagne.

‘We were on our honeymoon!’ Drake protests. 

Others called them traitors for marrying in the US - ‘ridiculous because we’re both American..’ Drake mutters.  

Drake is clearly not a fan of the press. 

One tabloid conducted an investigation into Camille’s background and brought up her sad childhood; she lost her parents aged five to drugs and was adopted by her grandmother. She never went to college because she couldn’t afford it and started working aged 14 while attending school so she could help her grandmother with bills.  She waited tables at a diner until she came to Cordonia. 

Camille goes quiet when I mention her parents. ‘I guess they’re going to be brought up to me,’ she whispers. ‘I should get used to it.’

Drake takes her hand and takes over. ‘They bring up her parents in a negative way, as if her history is meant to tarnish her. But what they don’t mention is how strong Camille is, how she doesn’t let it define her. That should be the focus of that story.’

Camille smiles gratefully at Drake and I see how their relationship works. They are a team. I decide to steer the conversation away from her parents which is clearly a sore subject - besides, we are here today to discuss the current obsession with Drake and Camille having a baby.

She insists she’s not pregnant.

As soon as Drake and Camille came back from their honeymoon, her stomach became circled in paparazzi pictures, asking if she had a bump or had just eaten a lot of pasta that day. 

‘Pasta. I love pasta,’ Camille says dryly.

Social media imploded with tweets begging for a Cake baby. 

‘Cake is like our couple name..’ Drake groans. ‘Someone came up with it and christened us that abomination. Apparently we were trending on Twitter. Something about a cake baking in the oven?’

Cordonia has always been set in its ways. A traditional country that puts family and the home first, it is not modern and it often lags behind it’s European counterparts. The need for a royal baby increased, as a Duke and Duchess without a pregnancy within the first year is seen as bad luck and will bring about instability.

‘There’s talk that if we don’t have a baby, the country will be unstable,’ Camille says. ‘I don’t know how we have had that pressure placed on our shoulders but I’ll tell you now, I don’t like it. I don’t appreciate being bombarded by paparazzi shouting at us, asking how many times we fucked on our honeymoon. I don’t appreciate having every outfit I wear scrutinised for a baby bump. I don’t appreciate it when journalists joke to Drake asking if he’s had ‘some sweet ass today.’ I’ve had so-called doctors talk to newspapers charting my health and chances of getting pregnant. What goes on inside my uterus is nobody’s business except ours.’ 

‘I literally protect her wherever we go now,’ Drake joins in. ‘If we’re leaving a building, I scout the most hidden exit. I keep her shielded from the press. We’re both under pressure in different ways but I honestly wish Camille didn’t have any of it. She’s under so much pressure to have a baby and we’ve only been married two months.’

I ask if they should have expected this sudden obsession because of who they are. Drake stares at me, a hard expression on his face. 

‘We may be the Duke and Duchess of Valtoria but we didn’t sign up for this,’ he answers. ‘We’ll take the title, we’ll take on the responsibilities required of us to support Valtoria, hell, we’re happy to do all that. But we won’t stand for being hounded. I won’t stand for it. I want Camille safe and last week, she wasn’t.’

Last week, Camille was mobbed when she was out with her friends, Olivia Nevrakis, the Duchess of Lythikos, and Lady Hana Lee. A mob of photographers chased after the three friends on the way to Camille's car, surrounding the vehicle so they couldn't drive away. The photographs made front page news with Olivia flicking up her middle finger at the camera and Camille screaming at the paparazzi to leave her alone. Hana continously beeped the car horn, shouting for them to move.

Drake shakes his head. 'I was so angry about that. By all means, take photos of us from a distance but don't terrify my wife.  Don't chase her and her friends. That's why I've started talks to issue a restraining order. Some of those paps went too far.’

Drake has indeed done that. Details are being kept hush for now but soon, the majority of the press won't be able to go near the Duke and Duchess. We don't know how strict this will be but knowing Drake, it will be a big change.

‘We went into this agreeing that we were going to do it our way,’ he tells me. ‘We want to be the most normal Duke and Duchess Cordonia has ever seen and that applies to any kids we might have. The happiest times of my childhood was when I was in Texas; Camille’s happy memories stem from playing in the garden with her grandmother. That is the kind of stuff I want for our kids.’

But surely nobility aren’t the same as commoners?

Drake chuckles. ‘We’re changing that from the inside.’

I point out that they are like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex - or, to use their more popular names, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Both couples crave privacy and Meghan herself has been under scrutiny by the British public and press. 

Camille sighs. ‘I feel worse for her because she’s married into a dynasty. We aren’t even related to the king; but Harry is. So Meghan has stepped into this role, right into the deep end.  A lot is put on her shoulders.’

I ask if she has met Meghan. 

Camille hesitates. ‘No, but she’s written me a note. We’re both similar in terms of our situation. American, not born into royalty, people wanting to know about every aspect of our lives. A true rags to riches tale, as one tabloid described me.’ She sounds bitter at this. 

‘Hey, at least Meghan’s got Harry,’ Drake jokes. ‘You got me and I’m as common as you! I know nothing!’

Camille nudges him gently with her elbow and giggles. ‘Yeah but you’re Drake Walker. Oh my Lord, you’re the best.’ 

Drake grins and they look a little lost in a daydream, blushing at each other. I forget they are still in that honeymoon stage and not yet wanting to punch each other in the face. 

I go back to their desire for privacy, bursting their bubble.  I look at Drake, who reddens but straightens his back. He knows what’s coming. 

On their honeymoon, Camille took a private photo of Drake. Little did she know that her phone would get hacked and the photo made international news. Yes, it even spread out from Cordonia. 

The photo - in case you haven’t seen it and if you haven’t, you have definitley been  living under a rock- showed Drake naked from the waist up, his lower half covered by bed sheets, reclining against the headboard. He is smirking at the camera, a staged pose that made many women -myself included- and also many men hot under the collar. 

He looked rugged. Like he had just come back from cutting wood outdoors and just wants to relax in front of his lady love before drinking whiskey by the fire. 

I ask if it’s okay to bring this photo up because the shade of beetroot that Drake has turned is making me falter. 

‘Fine, I’m just going to own it,’ Drake sighs, holding his hands up. ‘It was a fun thing, only meant for Camille’s eyes, and shocker- it went viral.’ 

Camille takes his hand. ‘Sure, when we first saw that the photo had been leaked, we were shocked. It was a huge violation. I wanted to hunt down the person who leaked the picture.  But then when I thought about it, I was like ‘hell yeah, that’s my husband!’ He looks amazing in that picture and he’s all mine.’

‘You have to say that..’ Drake says, blushing. ‘You’re my wife.’

Camille rolls her eyes. ‘Drake, anyone with a pulse loved that picture. Remember Smith from Sex and the City who posed naked with a vodka bottle? That was my sexual awakening! Just think: you have been some innocent girl’s sexual awakening!’

Drake looks horrified. 

I mention that a few of my colleagues had the picture saved as their phone screensaver. Camille bursts out laughing. Drake stares at me. ‘Who does that?!’ he asks, his voice turning high pitched.

Camille shakes her head. ‘Drake, you can’t talk. You had Salma Hayek saved as your phone screensaver for years.’

‘Yeah, until I met you! Besides, I was really young then! Now my phone screensaver is of you!’

They’re bickering like a married couple. Which they are. It’s really sweet. 

‘My mom texted me about the photo,’ Drake admits. 

Camille giggles. ‘What did she say? Oh yeah- ‘that’s my boy!’ She falls about laughing and Drake grabs her, tickling her under the arms. She starts screaming. 

‘She hates being tickled,’ Drake tells me, while still tickling her. ‘Don’t ya, Camille?’

‘I yield!’ Camille gasps. Drake lets go but the two of them are still tactile; their hands are always touching. 

I ask what’s next for them as Duke and Duchess. Camille grins. ‘We have corgis now.’

Drake laughs. ‘She’s obsessed with our new corgis.’

Camille shows me photos of their dogs on her phone. ‘Cheddar was getting lonely so we got Olive. Look at Olive! Look at how giddy she is when Drake arrives home!’ She shows me a short video of Drake coming home and Olive is bounding around his feet, barking excitedly. You can hear Drake saying, ‘Yes Olive, I love you too...’

Camille puts away her phone and looks at me seriously. ‘Honestly though? What’s next for us? I just want us to be happy. That’s all I want for us.’

Drake squeezes her hand. ‘Whatever that entails, I’m so ready for it.’ 

                          A month later, which is when this interview is about to go to print, Drake and Camille issue a statement:

We are pleased to announce that we are expecting a baby. The baby is due in September and we couldn’t be more excited and thrilled. We would appreciate privacy during this time in our lives so we can focus on planning for our new family and look forward to meeting our new arrival in the Autumn. 

-The Duke and Duchess of Valtoria

The kingdom goes crazy. The press try to take photos of the couple, but thanks to Drake’s newly established restraining order, photographers aren’t allowed within ten feet of the Duke and Duchess. 

Magazines are full of baby name predictions. Some ask who the baby will look like. Drake the DILF memes go viral.

But shielded away from the craziness are Drake and Camille. They attend royal events, wave to the cameras and meet adoring fans. Someone took a photo of an older lady speaking to Camille before handing her a present; it’s a tiny babygro with an embroidered corgi on the front and Camille shows it to Drake, her eyes filling with happy tears. 

Drake and Camille have set boundaries around their life and I don’t blame them. But they will still go to these events and smile at the cameras and talk to journalists because that is their job. That is what they have to do and they accept that. 

What they don’t have to do is tell everyone about every single intimate detail of their lives. 

Had Drake and Camille known they were expecting a baby when I interviewed them? Well, Camille drank water and insisted a lot that she wasn’t pregnant. She seemed more excited about their corgis. 

Maybe she didn’t know. 

But I realise this is not my business. It is their business, nobody else’s. 

And as a journalist who craves the next big story, I have to say; I’m in Drake and Camille’s corner. 

[strawberry-lemonade]

here is a WIP that i will never finish

------

"Excuse me, but I happen to think Mávri gáta is hilarious. Those puns are spot on."

Aria opened her mouth and paused, before closing it again.

"Zào Fortuna has got spots right?."

"Wait were you trying to aim a pun at her, but then forgot if she had spots?

"Uh, maybe..."

"Dude, you're an idiot in every sense of the word."

Aria hung her head.

"...I know."

"That's nice."

Aria threw a pillow at her before exploding in a fit of giggles.

"Mooncaaaake! You're supposed to give me a hug and say sorry!"

Marinette sighed and blew her nails before turning to look at Aria.

"We both know how that goes down."

Aria sighed and stood up.

"Have you heard from Adrien in the past few days?"

"You know what? I haven't."

"Last time I talked to him, he told me he got a boyfriend."

"He did? Why didn't I know about that?"

"Babe, weren't you on the other line?"

"Uh... I think I fell asleep."

"Wow. You really need to stop staying up all night on commissions."

"Speaking of, any news about that stuff?"

"Well, from what I've heard, my little sister from another mister is traveling to Gotham because her fashion business has taken off. 'The mysterious designer MDC has bypassed Gabriel Agreste in the polls!' 

"Well, what you heard is true-'

"I also heard that you get to stay in Wayne Manor and bring a friend. Maybe Sabine?"

"What? And risk her finding out that I parade around the city in spots every night? No thanks."

"Hm. Chloe?"

"The invitation would be wasted. She's already going to Gotham with her mom."

"What about Alya?"

"Since 2 heroes will be out of commission, Rena is going to be needed here."

"I don't know."

Aria collapsed on the bed with a groan before sitting up and smirking.

"Lila."

"Okay. Your guessing privileges have been revoked."

"Noooooo! How else will I find out who you're going to take?!"

"By asking. Like a normal person."

"How dare you assume that I'm normal."

"Now I'm beginning to wonder if I should actually tell you."

"Okay, okay! I'll shut up! Just please tell me who, so I don't have to stay up till 3, guessing."

"I wanted to ask you."

"Uh, I will give you an entire list of reasons why I shouldn't come. Plus, I don't really think they'd let me bring the cat."

"I'm asking right now, and if they say no, then I'll politely decline the invitation."

"I don't want you to miss out-"

"They replied!"

"What? Let me see!"

Aria scrambled off the chaise and scurried over to Marinette, tripping in the process. 

"Wait! Let me get up!"

Aria jumped up and stumbled into the desk.

Marinette clicked the email and recited it aloud.

"Dear MDC, your friend's cat will be allowed. If you need to arrange anything to bring your cat on the plane, please do not hesitate to ask.

 Aria squealed and hugged Marinette.

"Ok. If we can start packing now, I'll come with you." 

"Why do we have to pack now? The trip isn't until Saturday and it's only Wednesday! Can't we just enjoy the first sleepover we've had in a month?"

"Babe, please? I hate procrastinating."

"What are you talking about? You love procrastinating!"

"I don't love it, It just happens to be my default."

"Same difference!"

"Um, no, not the same difference."

"Nyah."

-------

"Dante. I am begging you. Don't turn off the computer yet."

"Aria. it's almost 1 A.M and we both have class tomorrow."

"I knoooow! But I put my fucking heart into this, and if you turn it off right now, it will delete and I have no way of saving it."

"Aria. Go to bed now."

"Nooooo! I have to finish it!"

"Fine. But as soon as the clock gets to 1. I'm turning everything off. Just because you're my favorite doesn't mean I'll let you get away with anything."

"Boi! I let you get away with so many things! Can I not just stay up for another hour to finish a damn design?!"

"Aria?"

"Hi, Minette."

"Are you gonna stay up again while binge-ing on coffee?"

"Maybe..."

"Marinette. Please tell my idiot sister that she needs sleep too."

"Aria-"

"Noooo! My favorites are teaming up to defeat me!"

"Aria. Go. To. Bed."

"No!"

Aria jumped up, seized the computer, shot into the bathroom.

"Ha! Now you can't stop me from finishing this!"

"Okay. I give up. Marinette, she's yours now."

Dante slowly backed out of the kitchen with his arms raised.

"Aria. Come out. Please. It's not a sleepover if it's only one person. Plus I need someone to binge-watch movies with!"

"...What kind of movies?"

"Um, MIB International, Charlie's Angels, Hanna, Atomic Blonde, La Femme Nikita-"

"I'm in. Just give me a second."

The sound of shuffling around could be heard in the unusually silent house. The bathroom door opened to show a dark room a few seconds later, and Aria emerged holding a closed laptop.

"I thought it wasn't going to save?"

"Yeah uh, I lied. I just wanted to keep working."

"Geez. I bet you'll be the only person in Gotham like this."

"Well, I do try to be unique!"

"Okay, we need to finish packing."

"But what about the movies?!"

"We'll watch them while we pack."

"Yay!"

-------

Five movies and two panic attacks later:

"Mooncake! Do you know where my-"

"Beanie? Downstairs in the tardis."

"Oh my gosh, thank you! I need to take a shower, are you almost finished packing?"

"Yeah, two more outfits and I'll be done."

"Kay. My phone is charging next to the window, the password is 314159, the flashy purple app turns on the TV."

With that, Aria walked out of the room and shut the door. Not even 2 minutes later, the sound of running water could be heard, along with the song 'Consideration' blasting through the house. Marinette shook her head and laughed.

"Geez Ari. Too loud."

Marinette folded the last outfit and placed it in her suitcase. Walking over to the window, she was attacked by Aria’s cat.

“Ack! Get off!”

Marinette started to try and shake the cat off and Kiro released her leg. She jumped onto the bed and yanked her legs up to avoid any further scratches. The door slammed open to reveal a soaking wet Aria in a towel. She still had soap bubbles in her hair and it had stuck to her face while she was running.

“I heard a screech! Is everything okay?”

Marinette stared for a second longer before laughing so hard she fell off the bed.

“OH MY GOSH! Did you just- holy crap! The cat just jumped on me!”

“...are you freaking kidding me? I literally jumped out of the shower to see what in the world was going on. I thought you were being abducted.”

“I’m so sorry! I just-” Marinette collapsed into another fit of giggles.

“Okay, since you’re obviously fine, I’m gonna go finish my shower. Next time, don’t screech unless it’s an emergency. Now my clothes are wet because of my idiocy. Goodbye, Little Missy Macaron.”

Aria walked out of the room, leaving Marinette to try and clean up the water mess. She just threw a towel over the puddle.

Aria walked into the bathroom while shaking her head slowly. She picked up her phone and pressed shuffle on her playlist. Once again, a song started blasting through the house.

————

Marinette grabbed Aria’s phone and unlocked it. She pressed the purple icon that Aria had told her about and clicked the red power button at the top. Nothing happened.

Right. The TV is downstairs.

Marinette sighed and checked under the bed before leaving the safety of the mattress. She picked up her two suitcases and took them downstairs. 5 minutes later, the sound of gunshots and suspenseful music coming from the living room rivaled the pop music coming from the upstairs bathroom.

—————-

Dante, Evita, and Armando came home to three girls shouting and running around, with another standing off to the side and filming. Chloe and Alya had come over to help after Aria had gotten out of the shower. Though it quickly turned into Chloe chasing Aria around and trying to get her to put on some clothes that weren’t covered in paint, and Alya filming Marinette freaking out about losing her deodorant.

“Dante! I stole your Pikachu boxers because they were in my drawers!” Aria ran past him, a disgruntled Chloe in hot pursuit.

“Why do I care?”

“Just thought you should know in case you start looking for them while I’m gone!”

“Speaking of being gone, shouldn’t you guys get going? Your flight leaves in 4 hours.”

“Crap! Evita! Do you have work soon? Can you drive us to the airport?”

“Can’t you guys just bike?”

Aria stopped and stared at Evita incredulously. Chloe didn't slow down quick enough and slammed both girls into the ground.

“Okay, we have like, 4 bags each, and the airport is like 45 miles away. ”

“Okay. I’ll take you, but I do have to work soon so we have to go now.”

“Okay. Akiv! Stop! Do you have your bags?”

“Yes, Ari.”

“Mooncake! Are you ready?”

“I NEED DEODORANT.”

“We can get some at the airport.”

“GAH! Okay, fine. Let’s go.”

The three girls ran to give Alya a hug before they left.

“Bye Als! Love you!”

“Adios, Vixen! Te Quiero!”

“Salut Alya!”

——————-

ONE EXCRUCIATINGLY LONG CAR RIDE LATER:,

Marinette, Aria, and Chloe stepped out of the Envoy and took their bags out of the trunk.

“Zai Jian, Evita! Wǒ ài nǐ!”

“Adios Mija! Te Quiero mucho!”

Aria gave Evita a hug before slinging her book bag and purse over her shoulder and pulling her suitcase over to the entrance. The girls watched the car drive off before turning and walking into the airport.

“Ay Dios Mio…”

“What?”

“Look at the lines!” Aria gestured over to about fifty people standing in front of a counter.

“Oh, mon Dieu.” 

“Um, no. Look at your tickets. We have first-class. Which is the line over there.” Chloe pointed over to a short line with only a few people.

“Oh, thank goodness.” Marinette sighed as she scanned over her plane ticket.

“Wait, really?” Aria scrambled for the small slip of paper in her wallet, accidentally dropping it.

A young male, probably around 15, picked it up. He smiled and held it out to her.

“Here you go, m’lady”

“Thanks, bro,” Aria grunted.

The boy froze for only a second, but it was long enough for her to pluck the leather contraption out of his hand and walk away with the other girls. When they were out of earshot, they all burst out laughing.

“Oh my gosh! Did you see his face when you called him ‘bro’?!”

“That was hilarious,” Aria wiped tears from her eyes.

“Welp, now we know how she keeps guys away.” 

“Who knew it was so simple?”

“No. It’s simple for me. I am the Goddess of repellent. You two are mere mortals.”

“She’s right! Oh, Great One! We are unworthy of your presence, but we beg to learn your ways!” Marinette got down on one knee, with one hand over her heart and the other being held out to Aria.

“Oh, get up Mooncake. They’re looking at us crazy again.” Chloe pulled the smaller girl onto her feet and ruffled her hair.

Marinette giggled, then bowed and took Aria’s hand. 

“I am forever indebted to you for teaching me.” She kissed the brunette’s hand before standing up straight again.

“Mooncake, I love you, but that was the weirdest thing you’ve ever done.”

“Thanks, Abelle.”

“No problem babe.”

Aria rolled her eyes. 

“Next!”

The girls looked up to see it was their turn in line.

“Please place your bags in the designated area.” The lady behind the desk gestured to a wire container.

Marinette looked to the side and placed her suitcase into the basket. The other girls quickly followed suit.

“Names?”

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

“Aria Couture.”

“Chloe Bourgeois.”

The lady typed their names into the computer before waving them away. Marinette saw the dull look in her eyes and pulled out 3 macarons before whispering something and smiling.

“Excuse me, Madame? Here are a few macarons. I hope you have a nice day!” 

Marinette picked up her bags and walked away with her friends. She didn’t miss the small smile that appeared on the woman’s face.

“So, what’d you do to the cookies?”

“Let’s just say the rest of her week will be much better.”

“Minette, I have absolutely no idea what you're implying, and at this point, I'm too scared to ask.”

————

“This is why I hate flying. I’m already exhausted and we haven’t even been at the airport for 2 hours.” Marinette groaned.

“We’re done with all the security stuff, and our suitcases are already boarding the plane, which basically means we can currently do whatever we want. And don’t you still need deodorant?”

“Ugh. You’re right. Let’s go.”

Aria grinned and walked towards a sandwich restaurant.

“Aria, where are you going? The toiletries place is over there.” Marinette pointed to a little kiosk next to the bathrooms.

“Come on. You didn’t really think we would get deodorant before we got food, did you?”

“...I am kind of hungry…”

“Let’s go then!”

Aria grabbed Marinette’s right hand and Chloe’s left hand and yanked them over to the restaurant.

——————

“Flight Number 763, First class, Now boarding.”

Aria jolted awake at the sound of the announcement. She looked over at Chloe and Marinette sleeping peacefully and contemplated waking them up. She'd rather not lose an eye, or two.

Chloe woke up as the brunette picked up a small pink bookbag.

“Good morning Chlo,” Aria yawned.

“...hi Ari.”

Grabbing all of their backpacks, she took the tickets and passports out and walked over to the admittance booth.

“Tickets please."

“Here,” Aria handed him all three tickets and passports.

 Aria looked up at the man in the booth.

“Can we go in or do you need sleeping beauty over here to confirm something,” Aria pointed at Marinette.

“Um. You can go in…”

“Thanks, have a nice day!”

The girls walked to the plane and found their seats quickly. Chloe helped Aria set Marinette down and put the carry-on bags in the capsules above them. Both girls fell back asleep about 10 minutes after they buckled up.

——————

GOTHAM:

[elizabeth-234]

Chapter Ten

https://archiveofourown.org/works/18560182/chapters/44557171

Someone to Care

Chapter nine

“I’m trying to keep you from tearing the Avengers apart.”

His breath came in short bursts as he stared at the man in front of him. The man who for a long time Tony had counted as a friend, a brother. They had been through a lot together. As a team they had save the world and Tony never thought he would live to see the day where the Avengers fought on separate sides. This was actually happening. It was no longer apart of the dreams he woke up from breathless, damp sheets encompassing him. Tony had been convinced for the longest time that they would be able to talk it out. He had no real reason before to think that they couldn’t.

They were both reasonable men. Steve wasn’t a bad man and actually Tony looked up to him for his selflessness and honor. Both men wanted to do the right thing in the end and work toward the same goal. But somewhere, the journey toward that goal got derailed and now they were bound and set on different tracks. Presently on this evacuated airfield they were face to face, only a few feet apart but a world of feeling separated them. Tony imagined a giant moat coming between their two factions. He wished it were really there so no one would be able to cross over. He stared at the self-righteous face across from him and all the stress and worry he had been hording inside himself within the past couple of weeks came rushing forward. God that helmet was ridiculous.

Fear clouded over his body and like an addicting mist Tony inhaled deeply. Chaos surrounded him every way he glanced. He was flying toward Steve, coming down hard and slamming his friend’s head with his fist. Steve staggered and retaliated with his own hit. T’Challa and Barnes were in hand to hand combat. The kid was facing off against Wanda; holding her own. He even spotted Nat and Clint squaring off in the corner of his eye. Nothing sat right about this and his vision kept shaking and tunneling in. All right Tony, just focus. Make sure they don’t make it to the Quinjet, collect Barnes, report to Ross, and make sure your team is all right. Make sure everyone is all right.

Even though he was wearing his suit, his more protective skin, Tony could still feel the punches reverberate through his body. The contusions he got from Wanda’s parlor trick via cars earlier were still aching. One of Clint’s arrows came rushing toward him. There wasn’t enough time to react and it came into contact right above his reactor. A light exploded all around him and the pressure seized his body. A deafening sound followed after as more arrows started exploding all around him. His attempts at destroying each one were useless against the endless barrage coming his way. Clint was such a pain in the ass. He continued his assault on Clint who could run surprisingly fast, ducking between crates in hopes to impede Tony’s efforts.

Then the kid had a brilliant idea. Somehow Scott Lang, aka Ant-Man, as Friday reminded him, had become an even bigger pain in the ass, literally. The kid’s plan was crazy. But crazy enough that it just might work. Tony could see the webbing wrapped securely around the giant’s legs from his vantage point in the sky. Rhodey and him flew directly up Lang’s body and both hit him squarely in the jaw, snapping his neck back and causing Lang to loose balance. He could hear the kid’s infectious laughter from the coms and felt a smile creep its way onto his face. One more down.

The laughter bubbling up from his throat fizzled out as he watched the red and blue suit they had worked so hard on fly through the air and crash into a mound of crates. There was no movement that he could see coming from the splinters of wood and scattered trail of dirt. The anger from earlier melted away and was replaced by nothing. It wasn’t even a feeling of numbness, which made a person aware of it by the hole left from the curious absence of feeling. This nothing masked itself in a gentle manner, designed as relief until the person was trapped in an eternity of blankness.

Tony flew down, landing next to her fragile body. He frantically tossed some planks of wood away and oh so carefully wiped some dirt off of her shoulder. His hands hovered over the side of her face and on top of her hand; which was grabbing at her side. What if her spine had broken? If that was the case there was no way he could move her. It would be paramount to keep her still and could cause even more damaged if her body was jostled about. Carefully, without putting strain on any of her muscles Tony slipped her mask off of her head. The eyes that had barraged him with so many questions in the past were scrunched closed, unnaturally tight. Her lips were cracked and a tint of red congregated at the right corner. A strangled sound escaped them. He could see she was attempting to move onto her back. The red colored arms came up in a defensive manner, protecting her body and her eyes shot open when he rested his metal hands on them. The muscles strained underneath his hands as she fought him, punching and scratching in order to fend off the threat she perceived. God, what was he thinking? Bringing her into an actual battle. It was beside the point that she wasn’t actually supposed to be fighting.

He tried to speak to her, to bring her back to the present. “Kid, are you okay? Come on, Peyton. It’s Tony Stark.” Her hands continued their movements. Fear clouded over her face and rooted themselves in her widened eyes, their glassy quality reflecting the harsh sun above them.

His grip remained as gentle as it could be while restraining her and again tried to reach out, “Kid, you’ve got to calm down.” She didn’t stop moving and in fact his voice just spurred her, causing her to fight even harder. More pain graced her face as she moved her battered body. Tony wasn’t sure exactly how strong she actually was, but thought if she was working at full strength he wouldn’t have been able to stop her; suit or no. At least she wasn’t as severely injured as he thought because she was moving on her own.

“Peyton, you are okay. Look at me.” Her movements were becoming slow and held less momentum as she tired herself out. Sweat accumulated on her forehead and upper lip as her breaths became more laborious and shallow. After a few minutes her eyes started to clear and a glint of recognition crept into them. She looked at him with such an expression of relief, like he had just saved her. Tony swallowed and for a moment forced himself to stare into her eyes while she still wasn’t fully aware. To face everything that could have happened. He wasn’t a savior. It was his fault the kid was hurt. That she was there on the ground in pain. He turned away, unable to see into those eyes anymore. He needed to get away from here, couldn’t bear to face what he had done anymore.

He spoke firmly over the coms, “Get down here Happy. Yeah, it’s over. Gotta take the kid back. I can’t and I’m telling you to.”

A sound escaped the kid and he moved so he could look at her again. She stared for a second. Then smiled at him causing her lips to crack and blood to congeal in the crevices. A smile for him. She had no business looking at him, much less with a pleased expression. He had led her into this fight. Led a fifteen-year-old child into a fight with superhuman adults. All their provisions and safety measures didn’t mean shit when this was the result. “You promised me you wouldn’t fight, kid. I took you at your word.” He could see her trying to shrug, which caused his expression to sharpen. How could she be so nonchalant about it?

“I’m sorry Mr. Stark. I am, but I don’t regret it. You needed all the help you could get and I could give some, Sir. I wanted to.” She was so naive; Tony bet she didn’t even comprehend what could have occurred. Ant-Man hadn’t even been trying to knock her down at the moment and look at the results.  “Plus, I made that sick entrance. Did you see me take Mr. Captain America’s shield?” She had made a noise that kind of sounded like a laugh but just rattled around in her chest, turning into a violent cough. Her head thumped back to the ground and she winced at the feel of the gravel. He gathered her mask and silently lifted her head up a bit. Not an expert at hair he tried his best to gather it out of the way and tucked the folded mask where her head came into contact with the ground.

“Kid, I will never forget that. Friday got it all recorded and I will be watching it on repeat. You have. You should have listened to me.” No response. “Can you get up?” He held out his hand and prayed she could get up. Reaching in response, she grasped it tightly. So similar to how she did at the cafe where they first officially met. How long ago that day seemed and how shocked he had been upon meeting her. Over and over again she had proven to him not only that she was an amazing hero but also that she was just an all around good person. One that made Tony want to be better.

Over his coms he heard Rhodey yelling for backup and the sounds of the fight came through it, disintegrating the peaceful moment.  Reality came back to Tony and distracted as he was didn’t notice the slight flinch Peyton made when she stood up. He still had a fight to win. This wasn’t the end yet.

“Come on kid. Happy’s going to get you back home. I have to take care of some stuff here.” He made sure that she was standing and okay before blasting off. Not even letting himself look behind to make sure that she would find her way. Happy could find her, he told himself.

They were going after the Quinjet; they had to stop that plane. This was their last hope. He could feel the turbines pressure more closely now. The air gliding around his suit feeling heavier the faster he was going. Friday informed him that Falcon was on their tails but he wasn’t worried. Their main goal was in front of them. Almost there! Then he saw Rhodey falling from the sky. It wasn’t even a decision in Tony’s mind. He spun around and started flying full acceleration after him. Rhodey’s voice came over the coms, this time a heady panic was present. He pushed his suit even harder and he held his arms as tight as they could go against his body, trying to control the shaking.

Impact.

The earth spread out underneath the robust, silver suit, dust erupting from underneath and settling like a halo on the raised edges of the depression. Tony landed besides his friend leaving his own indentation and without thinking tore his friend’s mask off. Rhodey’s eyes were shut in what looked like a peaceful sleep. The only thing giving it away was the bruising around his nose and a trail of blood leaking from there and down the side of his face under his suit. The shaking in Tony’s hands became fiercer as he hastily gathered his vitals.

Heart rate was faint but still beating with major contusions and severe whiplash. And then the worst came. The words spinal cord injury appeared in front of him. A diagram came back showing some of the lumbar nerves highlighted; L2-L5 affected. Friday in her most clinical manner informed Tony of all the repercussions of such an injury could have. Paralysis was one of the words that Tony kept circling back to. Loss of function. Friday made sure the paramedics were on their way and he sat there, his friend in his arms.  

The doubts began to crowd around him, yelling their hateful words. What if he couldn’t fix this? He wasn’t god and there was only so much one man could do. What if this was the limit? What if this went too far and there was no way to help Rhodey? Oh, Rhodey. His best friend had always been there for him. Throughout it all Tony could always count on the man between the ups and downs, and there were a lot of downs. If nothing else in his life, this pushed him over the edge and he was sure his spot in hell was now cemented in stone.

Images came faster now and Tony’s worst fears came true before his eyes. A dark mahogany box sat at the end of an isle. People clad in black lined the pews and bowed their heads. The blurred images of two chocolate-eyed children, whom would never be, appeared before him. Their beautiful faces burning the accusations and sadness on the back of his eyes. Tony remained crouching in the dirt while the nameless children stared. Time seemed to slow for him as people rushed back and forth around the site. Medics came and with care pried his hands off of his friend and carried him from the ground. They put him on a stretcher and transported him out of his sight. Tony stayed there, kneeling in the dirt, arms at his side, fingers dragging in the earth. His arms empty now.

Tony’s mind was whirling not allowing the words to sink in past the tempest inside him. There was no way this could actually happen and to all people Rhodey. His Rhodey. What if it was worse than Friday had thought? He had to fix this, make sure Rhodey was okay. Tony could do anything. Fixing things was his thing. All he had to do was create another suit, another something to help his Rhodes out. He could do this. He had built his company up from something harmful. Had created the Iron Man suit inside a cave in the desert. If there was a way, Tony Stark could find it. A sob worked its way up his chest and droplets darkened the maroon color of the suit on his chest. He hadn’t realized it had started raining. His vision blurred and another sound came from him. As her wiped his face the metal on his gloves came back slick and he realized the droplets were coming from him. This was his entire fault.

He stood up then, the metal suit encasing his cracking knees and aching ribs, which both simultaneously protested the movement. His cheeks now tacky and dried up. First though, he needed to get to Rhodey and make sure he was going to be okay. Make sure he got the best medical attention. And then, once again, he had to get to work. The sky loomed closer as he fly upward. He programmed the autopilot and closed his eyes, seeking some peace from the giant war he had just created. He found none.

Thank you for reading! 

Chapter Eleven

[timetosparedarling]

You’re a ginger? Jason Todd xxx Reader

You are sitting on the couch, counting the drops. Everything is quiet and you think about him, how he is doing, his anger and his smile. The knife in your hand was your mothers gift. Not the real one though but still, she was something to you. How long has it been since your departure? Six months? More, it has to be more. It hurts like it has been more. The couch is dripping, the man beside you is begging you for... His life? You are not angry or at least you keep telling yourself that. He won’t tell you the name but he doesn’t need to. You found what you were looking for. It is time to go home now.

‘‘Do you really have to leave now?’‘ You two were bathing in the sunlight as it was setting down. Jason was playing with your hair as if he has never really noticed it before. ‘‘I’ll be back in no time. Trust me, you won’t even notice. In a week there will be a new hottie warming your bed.’‘ He chuckled as you got up and went on the balcony to light yourself a cigarette. ‘‘ Did you really just say hottie? I had no idea I am dating my mother.’‘ ‘‘Which one?’‘ You really shouldn’t have said that but the shock on his face was definitely worth it. You knew you should have left then but the moment you felt his breath on your neck and his arms around your naked body ... An additional hour doesn't hurt anyone, right?

The plane is landing. It has been a while since you entered the country legally or at least people knew you were there. The first time you escaped you had to swim for days only to be found by a ship owned by the people you were running away from. At least they took you away from that horrible island. Your so called aunts made military look like kindergarten and the island wasn’t as friendly as your biological mother described it. No one is waiting for you at the airport. You remember the first time you visited Gotham. There is some kind of magic in visiting a place for the first time. It’s like making acquaintance with a potential best friend. You never know how it will end but you hope it won’t. Gotham reminds you of your ex girlfriend. The most beautiful thing you have ever seen that is constantly trying to kill you. Everything is different now. You are actually friends with the people who you tried so hard to avoid. The Bat family. You need to call Richard about that move he promised he would teach you and Barbara will probably kick your ass (or at least try) if you two don’t meet for coffee or patrol. But first, food.

‘‘Wait, you’re a ginger?’‘ He actually blushed. Why is there never a phone in your hand when Jason is showing clear and amusing signs of embarrassment? You should have stopped laughing since you two were on a mission for the Bat Boss and your laugh was clearly not doing doing wonders for your cover or your ability to breathe. The damn dress didn’t help with the last either. You don’t remember how the mission ended, you two probably kicked some ass and had a long discussion with the Bat Boss about brutality but you do remember the end of that night and what happened to that annoying yet expensive dress. You two were lying on the floor because beds are too mainstream and you laughed and laughed through the night waiting for the sun to come up. ‘‘I still cannot believe you are a ginger.’‘ ‘‘Really? I have come back from the dead and me being a ginger is the part you are having a hard time believing?’‘ You were still laughing when he literally rolled onto you and tried to shut you up with a kiss. He was never good at shutting you up but he had his moments. This wasn’t one of those moments. You just weren’t able to stop laughing so he started laughing too. ‘‘You helped me with my list.’‘ ‘‘ Your list?’‘ ‘‘Yeah, I have fuck Jason Todd and fuck a ginger. Now I can cross both at the same time.’‘ In that moment you knew but by the gods you would never tell anyone the truth. You chuckled and he gave you that ‘what dirty thought have you got now’ look. You didn’t tell him. You know, actions speak louder than words.

The Wayne mansion, best food in Gotham. Alfred made you lunch, breakfast? You never know what time it is these days. Maybe it was dinner already? Someone hugs you from behind while you’re stuffing your mouth with the best Bubble and Squeak cakes in the world. Judging from the height it could only be Damian. He starts asking you about the mission and you just throw him an USB key and pause your food slaughter just enough to say: ‘’ Made one just for you, little demon.’’ His reaction to the nickname is, as predicted, quite amusing. ‘’Why? You thought father doesn’t trust me with this kind of information, amazon princess?’’ ‘’No. I believe he fears your intellect.’’ Just a pinch less of sarcasm and you would have gone away with it. You should have stayed quiet. ‘’That was a nice hug though. Am I getting under your skin?’’ You have gone too far and really you should have punched yourself in the face for being so insensitive. Lucky for you, there is always a way to cheer little Dami up. ‘’Want to show Richard and the girls how real warriors fight?’’ If you weren’t as deranged as his father, his violence based joy would concern you. ‘’They are not here.’’ ‘’Why do you think your father installed cameras? It’s like those workout videos with less spandex and more blood.’’ 

He truly is a demon. You have never been more proud. You are also extremely happy that you can’t have children. They would have been worse. Much worse. 

‘‘Who are you?’‘ The night you met him and kicked his sexy little ass he asked you the same question. Who are you? You couldn’t tell him. Mainly because you are not so sure yourself. You were... are a lab experiment, a mixture of human and amazon DNA that shouldn’t be able to exist. Well, you know, if science doesn’t work, use magic. So they did. You are not complaining, the powers are great and the fact that you can make your bed with a snap of a finger is probably the next best thing. Funny, even thinking about that night makes you sarcastic. Later, when you two admitted  this was more than just friends with benefits, you still couldn’t tell him. You remember the training, the experiments that left those scars on your body, the pain when they invaded your mind over an over again. You never met the donors, they never knew you existed. Your mother was the sun that burned your skin during training and your father was the ringing in your head when they tried to tear your mind apart. And they did. They planted your parents’ worst memories. They wanted you to feel everything they felt in those moments. It was supposed to make you obey since they could bring them back whenever you thought of being a rebel. And it hurt. 

‘‘Stop messing around.’‘ The bomb was ready to explode. Jason, Damian, everyone was there. They would have all died. You heard the sound that made you brave for a few seconds. The bomb went off and you contained it. All that raw power. It would destroy at least half of the city and lets not talk about radiation. So you contained it, but that was the catch. You could feel blood pouring down as you tried to stop the explosion. You could either heal yourself or destroy it. Slowly, you could feel the explosion disappearing into nothing, making it smaller and smaller with every beat of your heart. Your blood can be duplicated if you know how. Sadly, they didn’t. The pressure disappeared and you fell to the ground. You thought this was it. You thought that you will die in the stupidest way possible, from a bullet wound. Your body already started healing itself and at this point it hurt like hell since there was barely anything left from you. You screamed and nobody could stop the pain. They could only watch and even that was too much for some.He was right next to you, holding you, shouting your name, as if that was going to make a difference. You passed out and woke up five hours later in the Batcave. That was when he asked you to move in with him and you still couldn’t tell him. You still couldn’t tell him the truth about who you are. 

You open the door. Everything smells like cigarettes and rotten food. The fridge is empty and the living/dining room is a mess. It’s 10.00 PM and nobody is home. You clean the kitchen (magic, remember) and you sit on the balcony with a cigarette in your mouth and a whiskey in your hand. You need it or at least you think you do. A few hours later you wake up in bed, in his T-shirt and nothing else. He is sitting on the end of the bed. You turn on the light only to be shocked by his appearance. He has red hair. Literally red, as in the dress of the sexiest woman alive red. You gasp. ‘’I wanted to surprise you. I stopped dying my hair and asked a friend to make them natural again. You know, for your list. But then you were gone for so long. I thought I would never see you again. So I kept them. As a reminder or something.’’ You can feel the tears rushing down your cheek. His beard has grown wild, like a garden whose owner died, but you can still see him. His beautiful jawline, those wonderful lips and those horrifying eyes that are breaking your heart with all the pain that they try to hide. He let his real hair grow to surprise you. ‘’Now you can really check of fucking a ginger.’’ You chuckle. He fucking did that. He made a joke while you were crying and he knows you don’t cry. The first time you did, he thought someone will die, most likely him. You feel the urge to flee and he knows that. He pulls you closer and you let him kiss you, again and again untill you forget why you are afraid. His red hair smells like blood and gun powder. He smells like death and judgement. You close your eyes and whisper his name. You pull him as close as you can and kiss him because admit it, he is all you thought about for the last half a year. You need him as much as he needs you and for the first time you are not being rational about it. You just need him to be here, with you, as long as he can, because if anybody understands how unimportant an innocent life can be to a crazy criminal, it’s you two. And for fuck sake you love him.

You can hear him breathing next to you, he is so calm and peacefull. It’s hard to believe he is a killing machine. And yet he let his ginger soul sucking hair grow for you. He opens his eyes. ‘’How did you know?’’ ‘’I spent the whole night at your bed when you got poisoned, remember? And I spent many night in your bed, so ...’’ ‘’Don’t tell me.’’ ‘’You snore a bit.’’ ‘’Nooo.’’ He pulls you closer and starts kissing you again. His red hair tickles your nose and your laughter fills the room. For the first time he stops and just stares at you, like he used to. You could see how he would smile at the gold dust in your eyes and raise his eyebrow at the beauty of your lips. You always convinced yourself he adores you but when he looks at you like this, you know this can only be described as a stupid, overglorified emotion such as love. ‘’You took my heart.’’ Cliche. ‘’Good thing you can’t take my soul.’’ He laughs and you are not afraid anymore. He won’t leave you and hilariously you won’t leave either. ‘’Jason, I need to tell you something. It’s about my parents.’’

[vorthosthewillis]

Planeswalker’s Guide to Stawthese

     Stawthese is a fan made plane, created by yours truly. It actually started as a D&D world simply called the Wastes, back when I played 3.5 with my college buddies. It grew, expanded, and evolved over time but sadly after leaving college I haven't had time or a group to play with, so the Wastes were left in a distant corner of my mind. Fast forward to when I began writing the first short story for Finn, and vainly thought to myself,  “What if I made the Wastes into a plane? That would be so cool!” Spoiler alert: it wasn't. There was too much of the world, too many stories I wanted to retell, and most importantly it derailed Finn’s story. So I scrapped it, and tried again. I wrote the story I meant to write, and the Wastes were reduced to a cameo through the name of Stawthese (an anagram). Since then, I have begun looking carefully at Stawthese, and deciding how it can be influenced by the Wastes while still standing on its own. I have even written a few short stories based it now, and introduced the smart but reckless goblin pyromancer Libs, the shape-shifting albino dragon Kia, and several citizens of Kel Tol.  But... I wanted to be able to show you all more. I started this, and well... Hope you all enjoy this look into the backwater plane of Stawthese!

    Stawthese is a plane hidden from sight and recovering from the ravages of war. Sometime around 800 years ago, a massive, plane-wide war erupted, destroying most of the world and its people, forever shaping the rest. The cause of the war and most details about it has been lost to time, but one thing’s for certain: the world as a Planeswalker who visits it now is very different then what is might have been. On top of all this, a planeswalker known only as Faults unleashed a powerful and massive worldspell with the last of his oldwalker powers over Stawthese during the Mending. This spell effectively has placed a shadow over the plane, hiding it from view. It is still very much possible to planeswalk to and from Stawthese... its just finding it in the first place that is almost impossible.

    Stawthese is a small plane with one large landmass and a host of small islands surrounding it. In roughly the middle of the main continent stretching from northeast down to the central west is a massive mountain chain, called the Bacctoc Mountains. The Bacctoc Mountains are so high that the snow there never melts, causing them to receive the nickname the “white backs”, a term generally used by every race but the dwarfs. The dwarvish legion of Stawthese make their home here, and between their might and their bonds together, they are not a force to be taken lightly. It is said that they are strong enough to take all of the lower half of the main continent if they so wished, and many wonder why they haven’t, given the reputation they had before the great war. No one wants to be the first to ask this to the dwarves, though.

    On the western side of the continent, just below the Bacctoc Mountains, is the region  called Khedive. This region can largely be split into two parts; the northern half consists of foothills that eventually become the Bacctoc Mountains,  while the southern half becomes more flat and littered with lakes and streams that originate in the foothills. To the far west are steep cliffs that let out to the sea, while to the east is a giant canyon that stretches all the way into the Bacctoc Mountains, simply called the Khedive canyon. Because of this the only real ways into Khedive are through the mountains or to the southeast, which leads this area to usually be somewhat isolated. This isolation was pivotal to the survival and exploding growth of the goblins. Nearly going extinct before the great war, now the goblins not only have thrived, but also established all of northern Khedive and a large portion of southern Khedive as their homelands. What’s more, interactions with several artifacts left from the great war have over time magnified the intelligence of roughly a third of the goblin clans, most notably the Quickhands clan. While they are not geniuses by any means, these particular goblins clans are still far smarter than the others, and should not be underestimated.

    The southeastern edge of Khedive skirts just below the Khedive canyon and becomes the region of Sashev. Sashev is a small but long wooded region, fueled by streams from Khedive that flow through it and empty out into the ocean. This area is not claimed by any one race, rather pockets of aven, humans, elves, and goblins can be found throughout it, though aven mostly to the east and goblins mostly to the west. While small, Sashev stretches along the southern coastline, and if you want to reach the various islands to the south or east of the main landmass, you'll either need a pirate or you’ll have to go to Kel Tol, the only significant  town in Sashev. A heavily fortified port town consisting of mostly humans and aven, Kel Tol is itself a remnant of the great war and the time before it.

    North of Sashev and east of the Khedive canyon lies the great forest region of Wurin. The forest is another remnant of ages past, as though the entire region is a enormous forest, the innermost sections contain impossibly tall trees, high as some of the smaller mountains and several centuries old. In this innermost sanctum is the ancestral home of the aven, and is fiercely guarded. The outer sections of the Wurin forest are slightly more varied, with aven and elves alike. Numerous beasts make their homes within the Wurin forest, including the terrifying, always hungry wurms. In the past half century however the elves have become more withdrawn and aggressive, and so the outer edges of the forest have become even more dangerous with both beast and elf hunting visitors.

    Two grasslands surround Wurin, one to the northeast called the Land of Dragons, and one to the south and west called Raalo. Raalo is mostly flat grasslands, with small forests interspersed throughout. Humans primarily call this area their home, though the rare elf, aven, or dwarf family can be found if one looks hard enough. The humans of this region live in various small villages and towns, the biggest (called Azel) lying on the literal edge of the Khedive Canyon. Multiple roads pass through Raalo, whether going between towns, north to Wurin or the Bacctoc Mountains, or south to Sashev. The regional in general is usually bubbling with activity as the main crossroads for most of the civilized world. In contrast, to the northeast of Wurin lies the Land of Dragons, a grassland that quickly develops into rolling hills and then the foothills of Bacctoc Mountains. This area is largely deserted, as not only is it out of the way of civilization, but also people still remember why it is called the Land of Dragons. While it is commonly accepted that dragons were wiped out during the great war, beforehand this region was the home of the oldest dragon of that time, a brute named Drazir. The two biggest draws of the region are the Bone Coast, where ancient bones and other treasure common washes ashore, and the Visho Pass, which leads all the way north through the mountains to what lies beyond. Here is where the only settlement in the Land of Dragons exists: the dwarven fort of Visho Bastion blocks any access to the pass from both the north and south, and is where the military might of the dwarves can easily be seen.

    The area north of the Bacctoc Mountains has been uninhabited since the great war. It is also by far the largest region on the mainland of Stawthese, rivaling the size of all the other regions below the Bacctoc Mountains combined. This area is called the Wastes, at least by those who still remember it exists. The dwarves of the mountains guard the area with extreme prejudice, and it is believed no one other than the dwarves have been there in centuries.  What it looks like, as well as what might be found there, has been lost to time.

    Beyond the mainland of Stawthese lies several islands. Far to the southwest lies the isle of Traxyln, were supposedly you could find strange creatures with human faces, lion bodies, and wings called sphinxes who trade with those who come but also guard the isle from any who wish to go further inland than the beaches. The Ontrican Archipelago lies just to the southeast of Sashev, and while it is a chaotic paradise for pirates and outlaws, the furthest and largest island in the archipelago (known as Ontrica) contains the largest collection of history and knowledge from before the war and also about the various strange artifacts that have appeared since then.

Directly south from Sashev is three desolate islands called the Three Widows, though no one alive knows why. Ships going from Traxyln and Ontrica take extra time and go north of the widows though, as south of the widows is a gigantic whirlpool known ominously as the Chimney. Though its exact size is unknown, it is estimated to be at least as big as the region of Raalo, and ships that go south of the widows run the risk of getting trapped in its grip long before even seeing it. Though legends tell of those who survived (and some must have some point, or else its existence would not be known) no one in this time who has left to explore the Chimney have ever returned. Though other islands exist around the mainland, they are either small, unknown, not named, or all three.

Races of Stawthese

    There exists five major races of Stawthese  (humans, dwarves, elves, aven, and goblins), as well as several other species scattered through the land.

Humans

    The humans of Stawthese originated from the islands of Ontrican Archipelago, and eventually spread throughout most of the mainland. Dark-skinned, lean built, and cunning brains describe the vast majority of the humans, who despite not having a natural home region on the mainland have made their presence known. They control the Ontrican Archipelago, hold the most power in Kel Tol, and are plentiful throughout Raalo. On the island of Ontrica, humans are almost the sole inhabitants, and if nothing else control the city of Morfe, where the histories of the world are stored and studied. They can also be found on the isle of Traxyln as devout servants to the mysterious Sphinxes, though once one enters into service, they may never leave.

    Like most worlds, humans can be found in all colors, though they can be found more commonly in one color or the other depending on location. For example, humans are more common in blue on Ontrica, white in Raalo, green in Sashev, and in both red and black on the archipelago. In general though, they do seem to be slighter more common in blue than any other color.

Dwarves

    The dwarves of the Bacctoc Mountains are a mysterious group with little known of their current status. Before the war, they were extremely militant, and were carving an empire both in the north and west of mainland Stawthese. They were most territorial over their home mountains though; it is thought that at that time the dwarves nearly killed off the goblins and perhaps did succeed in killing off the vishano, both of which shared the mountains with the dwarves.

    While most historians of Morfe agree that the dwarves were not the instigators of the great war (in fact, what can be found makes it seem like no race instigated the war, so how or why it started is still a significant mystery), it can definitely be stated they were one of losers. After the war, the dwarves retreated fully into the mountains, and to this day only small delegations leave to trade down in Kel Tol or live in self-described exile, usually far from the mountains in Raalo. Even those in exile will not speak of their home region, though. What is known beyond their military might is the stories of their teamwork, fellowship, and strong bonds together, both from bits of history found and what can be seen from dwarves living among the rest of the races. Dwarves living in communities outside of the mountains work hard to be useful and important members of their communities, and make faithful friends.

    The dwarves of Stawthese are primarily in white and red.

Elves

    The elves of Stawthese live a story of tragedy and corruption, for while the dwarves might be considered one of the losers of the great war, of all the surviving races the elves suffered the greatest loss. The elves’ home region is in what is now known as the Wastes, and all elves in the modern age are refugees. Some have taken residence in the Wurin Forest, while others now live far south in Sashev. The vast majority though moved underground, hidden below Khedive and Wurin, and stayed there for centuries until recently.

    All elves have dark skin, dark blond or light brown hair, and the characteristic elf ears. However, the elves underground have skin that is black as coal and true stark white hair. The most startlingly difference is their eyes; the eyes of the elves underground have slightly grown in size and become bright yellow. These elves actually have trouble seeing in bright sunlight.

    Within the past half century, the underground elves have become aggressive and are attacking goblin sites in northern Khedive. Within the past thirty or so years that strange violence and aggression spread to the elves within the Wurin Forest. In the modern age, the only place where you can reliably talk to elves and not expect violence is in Sashev, but many are beginning to wonder if it will be a when and not an if for whether or not they will also fall to the mysterious violent streak.

    While they were originally green, the elves of Stawthese, especially the more violent ones, are now in both green and black.

Aven

    There are actually two species of aven on Stawthese; more traditional ones by multiverse standards, and then the flightless ones, which some call by the derogatory title the “Clipped”. Both originated in the ancient and giant trees of the Wurin Forest, but at some point even before the great war the two species began to split.

    The traditional, hawk-like aven more closely resemble the aven of Alara over places like Tarkir and Amonkhet. The flightless aven however, have stunted wings that cannot support them in flight, and over time their bodies became larger, fat looking to someone new to the plane. They have slightly longer necks with narrow beaks as well as significantly stronger and larger legs, and so look down on the other races, in both a figurative and literal sense. Traditional aven value their intelligence and can be found the archipelago, Wurin Forest, and even a few tribes in the Khedive Canyon, while the Clipped have developed a strong affinity to nature and live predominantly in the Wurin Forest and Sashev. Unlike most aven in the multiverse, the Stawthese aven commonly eschew family structure in exchange for personal growth, only living in communities for necessities. How that personal growth is obtained depends on the species though; traditional aven believe they choose their fate while the Clipped believe that fate played games and screwed them, and they must grow with what they have.

     While the traditional aven can be found in blue, the Clipped are more common in green.

Goblins

    The youngest of the major races, goblins before the great war shared the Bacctoc Mountains with the dwarves, and were almost extinct by the time the war began.  In a sense, they could be considered the “winners” of the war. When the dwarves retreated from the western part of Stawthese, and the Khedive canyon was formed near the end of the war, the surviving goblins moved into Khedive and flourished. On top of this, some goblin clans began collecting relics and artifacts from the war, and a few were still active. Though their true purposes are still not known and most of them have vanished over time, what is known is that they began to change the goblin clans holding them. Nowadays, the goblin clans of Khedive are firmly established as a major race, and while not geniuses the goblin clans who once gathered artifacts, especially the Quickhands clan, are intelligent and curious where they fit in the greater world.

    While there used to be eight goblin clans, sudden and devastating attacks from the underground elves within the last half century completely killed off a large population of goblins before the rest united against the elves. There are five surviving goblin clans.

The Rockcrush Clan live in the far north of Khedive and regularly raid into the Bacctoc Mountains against the dwarves. They are firmly red. 

The largest clan, the Hilldust Clan, lives in north and central Khedive and leads an offense against the elves. They are firmly red. 

The Cliffjumper Clan inhabits the sheer cliff faces of Stawthese’s southwest coast. These goblins have developed fascinating ways to hunt and fish the ocean, and are both red and blue.

The Quickhands Clan used to live in northern Khedive, but elvish attacks nearly destroyed the clan and now the remnants live near the border of Sashev. The most intelligent of the clans, the majority are thieves, but are also currently the representatives of goblins to the rest of the modern world. They are both blue and red.

The final clan, the Blindgut Clan is a small clan of all blind goblins in northern Khedive. Why they are all blind, and how they survive is unknown. They are in red.

Other Races

    Several other races exist on Stawthese, though nowhere near as common as the major races.

    On the distant isle of Traxyn, sphinxes have been found. However, they refuse entry onto the isle, allowing visitors only onto the coast. Because of this, and the fact their servants never leave the island, nothing else is known about them.

    Though necromancy does exist, it is very rare and commonly hunted down once discovered. While it is rare to find a zombie, it is not impossible, particularly on some of the more obscure islands in the Ontrican Archipelago.

    Historians report that there used to be other races before the great war. In particular, there appeared to be Minotaurs who lived north of the mountains as well as Vishano, which the Visho Pass is supposedly named for. Both are assumed extinct.

    Dragons also existed before the war. While reports vary on exactly how they looked, all agree on the ability which made them supremely unique: they could shapeshift, from their dragon form to the form of either human or elf depending on type of dragon. While some were selfish and wild, like the legendary dragon Drazir, but others were considered to be champions and protectors of the smaller races. They fought with the dwarves during the great war, but then vanished near the end. It is assumed they were killed and are extinct, though with their abilities it cannot be confirmed.

Notable People of Stawthese

Titus Soie

    The human Titus Soie is in name the governor of Kel Tol, but in practice is the de facto leader of Sashev. Titus was a pirate for almost 30 years, and a captain for nearly 20 of those years, so he is no stranger to leadership. However, he is getting older and has given up the chaotic nature of the sea, both in the literal and figurative sense. He has seen the chaos of the Ontrican Archipelago,  and vows to not let it infect Sashev. Titus has actually been the driving force of establishing actual communication between races in recent years.

     Titus, like the walls of his city, protects and shelters his people as much as he can. He is white/green.

Maya Patel

    Titus employs a guard to help protect Kel Tol and its citizens, one of which is the elf Maya Patel. While not a magic user, Maya is a skilled fighter, utilizing dual custom-made hand crossbows in order to mow down enemies. While Maya is an elf, she has lived her entire life in Sashev and is fiercely loyal to Titus and Kel Tol. However, that loyalty only extends to those two and people she considers friends; those against her or even just those who don’t fit into those categories will find no help or mercy. She is acutely aware of people's opinions of elves, but unable to convince them they are wrong, she has chosen to hate the racists in return.

    While she used to just be a simple guardswoman, she has recently uncovered two secrets that  could propel her into the spotlight:  dragons still live, and there is other worlds than Stawthese. She is green/black.

Winu Roluc

    There is no leader of the aven, but there is an aven in charge of keeping the ancient and giant trees of Wurin alive. Winu Roluc is a traditional aven who has spent time with both the elves and others of her kind in order to learn how to harness the power of nature to keep the inner forest of Wurin safe from wurms and other creatures. Winu understands just how important the ancient trees are to the ecosystem as a whole and works tirelessly to keep the proper spells intact to protect them. While she is an expert on the trees, she is less than perfect handling actual people, and unless they can hold an intelligent conversation, she generally will just fly away.

    Winu focuses on drawing strength from nature in order to create massive spells. She is blue/green.

Libs Quickhands

    Even though he is still young, the goblin pyromancer Libs Quickhands is widely considered by goblins as the only reason reason the Quickhands clan still exists today, as he used his pyromancy abilities to kill an invading elvish army. He has gone on to become the first ever official goblin representative invited to Kel Tol. Libs is intelligent yet impulsive, eager to learn yet mostly naive to the dealings beyond Khedive. Unlike the majority of his tribe, Libs is a terrible, terrible thief. 

    While pyromancy is Libs’s primarily ability, he also has learned some basic mind spells, namely how to counter other’s mind magics from affecting him. He is red/blue.

Steric the 5th

    The current Lord of the Dwarves goes by the title Steric the 5th. He has never left the Bacctoc Mountains, so no non-dwarf has ever met him, but much can be told just from his actions. Steric has been the Lord of the Dwarves for 134 years, and during that time has increased trade with the rest of the world by nearly triple what it was before his rule. He has also established communication and representation with the rest of the modern world, namely through sending a representative to annual summits hosted at Kel Tol in order to keep peace between the races. At the same time however exiles from the mountains have nearly doubled, and Steric has reinforced the Visho Bastion to the point of it being a massive, supposedly impenetrable fort. What his plans are for the dwarves are unknown. He is white/red.

Kiaantho, the White Scale

    There is only one known living dragon in the world, and even then only a handful know of her existence. Kiaantho has no intentions of revealing her presence to the public and typically stays in her human form and by the name Kia. Even then however, Kia stands out; she is albino, and as she is only 300 years old, she appears as an albino human teenager in her human form (whether that is due to her age or under her own control is unknown). She is an accomplished actress in order to protect her identity, and in reality she is a passionate friend and ally who often sees the long term benefits that others cannot.

    The question has arisen that if she was born 300 years ago, then there must be other dragons. However, Kia rarely talks about her past other than to state her age, and never the circumstances of her birth. Whether or not she is as clueless about her race as the rest of her world remains to be seen.

    All Kia wants is to be treated as an equal and (other than her friends) be left alone, but if her secret gets out that she is not only the last dragon, but also one of the most powerful creatures on the plane, she may never get that wish. Kia is red/white.

Planeswalkers of Stawthese

    There is no known planeswalker originally from Stawthese, however there are two non-native walkers that currently reside here.

Finnegan Olleg

    Finnegan Olleg, more commonly known as just Finn, is an elf from the world formerly known as Mirrodin. Finn lived through the fall of Mirrodin to the Phyrexians, and only sparked at the end of the war. His first walk actually took him to Stawthese, deep into the Bacctoc Mountains where he almost froze to death. Since then, Finn has created a home on Stawthese, living in the Sashev region right beside its border to Khedive. The fall of Mirrodin laid heavy on Finn for a long time, and only recently has he begun to move on. He has developed a friendship with the goblin Libs Quickhands, and is slowly willing to interact with the world at large.

    While Finn is a somewhat decent hand to hand or one-handed weapon fighter from his experiences on Mirrodin, he truly shines in his magic. Finn’s power set is almost entirely defensive, and he is most proficient at redirection and hexproof magics. Finn is green/blue/red.

Faults

    Little to nothing is known of the planeswalker called Faults. Faults is an oldwalker, from before the mending, whose magical speciality is controlling others. It can physically control others like a puppet, mind control others, or even just completely rewrite the person’s mind and soul as devoutly loyal to Faults. It uses this ability to create its self proclaimed “experiments”; one such experiment (admitted by Faults) being the quickening of the Great Aurora through controlling and manipulating Oona and almost every fairy under her mere days before the Mending.

    The Mending caused Faults to search for a way to prolong its “godhood”, leading it to Stawthese for unknown reasons. What no one else knows is that Faults was present for and most likely participated in the ancient great war, and so its return is likely connected. In addition, it has spent the majority of its time since the Mending corrupting and transforming first the underground elves and then the Wurin Forest elves into believing Faults to be their literal god and following its every command. Its next move is unknown.

@actualborossoldier, @baldore-of-the-boros, @foilmountain, @confused-phyrexian, @gigaguessmtg, @the-foxwolf, @nantukohunk, @erybia, @triumviratethree, @ anyone I forgot. If you want added or removed from the list let me know!

With this out of the way, the next short story is in my sights. It may be a direct continuation of Stand in the Rain, or simply the next in the “series”. Regardless, I promise to start working on some answers. If certain things are really causing you to scratch your head, let me know and I will see if , story/plot  permitting, I can reveal them sooner rather than later. Good night!

[miramei]

Strawberry for 7 Galleons

When Evan Rosier dramatically throws open the heavy drapes around Regulus’s bed, Regulus decides that he’s on the market: for a new best friend.

“Evan,” he says, opening one eye with great difficulty to squint at the dappled light filtering into the room through the lake-water, “what the fuck.”

“Desdemona Bane,” says Evan, like they’re in some surreal universe where that is an acceptable thing to say at arse-o’clock in the morning. No, good mornin’ Reg! No, sorry for the wake up, Reg! No, instead Regulus gets Desdemona Bane!

“Sod off,” Regulus says with feeling as he buries his face into his pillow, drawing a theatrical gasp from the other boy. They stay like that for several long moments: Regulus prone on the bed slowly suffocating himself with his pillow, Evan still holding the bed-curtains wide while looking 2 parts faux-offended and 3 parts expectant. Finally, Regulus lifts his head up to breathe. “What about Desdemona Bane?”

Evan takes that as his cue, flinging the curtains back and inviting himself onto Regulus’s bed. Regulus moves to prop himself up on his elbows as Evan wriggles into position next to him. “Heard you snogged her,” he says with a conspiratory grin, “in the alcove on the west wing, third floor.”

Regulus lets out an unimpressed huff. “Can’t keep anything from your hooligans,” he sniffs. “And of course it was in an alcove. I’m not going to kiss a girl in the middle of the hall. I have class.” He shoves the other boy with his shoulder when Evan snorts, just hard enough to put the threat of shoving him right off the bed out there.

“And how was it?” Evan asks, looking deeply invested in someone else’s date. “Must’ve been nice, yeah? Bane’s got really plump lips.”

Regulus stares blankly at his supposed best friend. “Did I just hear what I think I heard come out of your mouth,” he says flatly. “Plump lips. Who the fuck even says that.” But even as he says that and Evan spreads his hands wide in a what-can-you-do gesture, he has to admit that yeah, Desdemona Bane certainly did have very plump lips. Very plump, very soft lips, which were perfectly suitable for pouting, which she did a lot to great effect.

He mirrors Evan’s movement. “Was nice,” he offers. “Quite soft. Strawberry flavored lip balm.” Evan shoots up with a victorious crow, and Regulus watches with a bemused look as he wrenches open the curtains (again).

“AVERY!” he shouts, to an answering what the FUCK Rosier!? from two beds down, “cough it up; it was strawberry!” Regulus is putting the pieces together now, and his theory is only confirmed when Marcellus Avery explodes out of his bed, hair disheveled, looking outraged, and roaring that Black obviously can’t tell his goddamn fruits apart!

“I have an excellent sense of taste, in both the literal and figurative manner,” Regulus says coolly, while Evan parades triumphantly around the room, dancing just out of Avery’s twitching fingers. “It was strawberry. There was a lot of it.” Avery’s face turns an alarming shade of purple, but he passes the gold over to Evan anyway, who then gleefully goes around to the other beds demanding similar payment.

Evan collects a tidy sum of 7 galleons from the lip balm debacle, and is still preening when they go down to breakfast. Avery has since returned to a normal color, although he turns a brilliant shade of red when Regulus says, evenly, that he should really feel free to see if he could convince Desdemona Bane to show off any other flavors of lip balm she could own.

“Not up for a second date?” Evan asks as he butters up a piece of toast.

“Depends on what you're betting on,” Regulus replies evenly, even as he knows that there's no second date with Desdemona Bane. Evan laughs, loud and unattractive but bright.

Sirius Black strides into the Great Hall with his arm slung around James Potter’s shoulder. Three spots down, Snape’s expression turns mutinous at the sight, prompting a laugh from Mulciber and a warning that the milk was going to curdle. Snape, dependable as always, looks even more sullen. Down the table, Aria Reier tries to charm bubbles to float out of her pumpkin juice, expression concerned and wand movements wavering.

Evan contemplates an apple before taking a vicious bite out of the fruit. He looks thoughtful. “Heard Desdemona Bane also has excellent thighs,” he says, a little slyly. Avery snorts into his bacon.

“Ramona Spring. 10 galleons.”

Evan grins like Avery hadn't just dropped a large sum of money on some stupid bet with a girl none of them have a chance with. “Aight. Reg, confirm it for us.”

Regulus lazily flips him off. “Confirm it yourself. I will not have all my relationships be opportunities for you to make money.” Evan cries betrayal, which Regulus studiously ignores, just like he ignores Sirius’s steadfast glare on the back of his head.

Ten minutes later, he wishes he hadn't ignored the older Black when all the drinks up and down the Slytherin table erupt out of their containers, turning into menacing watery animals and wrecking havoc among the eggs. Aria yelps as a pumpkin juice dog eats her hard-charmed bubbles, and squeaks when Regulus shoves her into Esther Flint with a well-aimed pushing charm to avoid the rampaging juice. It hits a passing Ravenclaw, soaking their textbooks, and then, well… juice wasn't the only thing flying.

“I'm surrounded by menaces,” he sighs as he deflects a fleet of toast planes from the Hufflepuff table towards Mulciber, watching in mild disgust as the older boy grabs one out of the air and takes a vindictive bite out of the tail.

Evan laughs and launches grapes high into the sky to send them to the Gryffindors. “They can't give us all detention!” he says cheerily as the grapes find their target. And true to his word, when McGonagall thunders in (just in time to stop the kippers from forming into a giant fishy monstrosity) she can't prove that anyone in particular started this whole mess. She’s forced to dock 200 points from each house, looking deeply unsatisfied, and slaps the first four people whose faces twitch into grins with a week’s worth of detention. Potter, unfortunately, is not among them. Neither is Sirius Black.

“Go to class,” she says snippily, and suitably cowed, everyone goes.

[filmista]

Jackie

Jacqueline (Jackie) Kennedy, It’s a famous name belonging to a famous and iconic woman. But what do we really know about the woman behind the name, who was she?

We know she was a woman of elegance, of grace of poise, the sort of poise you can tell under which shimmers great strength of character.

When we think of Jackie Kennedy, we almost immediately think of her husband John. F. Kennedy, there is a universal collective image of Jackie, beside her husband smiling and greeting, ready for both the camera and the people.

She looked as if she was ready for the world at all times. But that was a defense system of sorts too, an impenetrable, public persona because It’s in her mind what’s expected of the first lady, and partly by choice.

Which once again brings me to the question, who was the woman beneath the elegant dresses and Chanel suits? The word that comes to my mind is once again is impenetrable, inaccessible.

She has in a way remained as mysterious as her husband’s murder or the smile of the Mona Lisa, neither ever solved. And that’s exactly what Pablo Larraín tries to answer, who was Jackie Kennedy?

And in a way he succeeds, but in a way, she still remains a mystery. But at the same time we get peeks inside her mind, and yet it feels almost as if we’re intruding as if we’re watching from somewhere we shouldn’t be watching.

We discover that Jackie was a woman who values her privacy greatly, and who despite her public persona wasn’t always happy being the first lady, not always glad to be in the public’s eye.

A woman who loved her children, and her husband, but with whom she didn’t have a perfect, flawless relationship. They weren’t always the eternally happy, smiling couple from the photos and historic footage.

But she loved him. And that was the only thing shown to the outside world, any insecurities and annoyances were bottled up, stored inside herself.

And that there was a strain at times we know, both Kennedy brothers famously had an affair with Marilyn Monroe, the very wrong, quite heated, “Happy Birthday Mr. President”, is still as inappropriate and filled with erotic undertones as it was in its day.

One room in the film is referred to as the Monroe room, and unless the US had a president called something Monroe that I’ve somehow not heard of, I assumed it referred to Miss Monroe.

That bubbling up of emotions is something that keeps recurring, she looks strong as iron, but at the same time so fragile, that she seems like a glass that only by lightly ticking your finger against it, you could shatter.

Her face seems unreadable, yet she seems like the public facade can drop at any minute and that she could explode with all the stored emotions at any minute.

There is a constant internal struggle, between her public persona, the face Americans were allowed to see on tv, and how she really felt.

In that way, the film reminds me of another performance of hers, Black Swan. That is also a fight between ego, vanity, personal dignity and sanity. And a performance toward the outside world.

Not surprising, at least for me is that Darren Aronofsky helped produce Jackie. And while Jackie doesn’t have those same horror elements, there are times when it has that almost shrining restlessness and tension, and that same gory unsettling intimacy.

There is something terrifying, horrible, about seeing Jackie step out of her suit as if she is shedding her skin, allowing herself to be vulnerable, as the next minute she breaks down in the shower, with her husband’s blood sliding off her back, after the assassination in Dallas.

And she has no hurry to get the blood off, It’s almost as if she enjoys that something of her husband is still on her, not the same of course as when for instance a man is inside a woman during sex, and the woman wants him inside of her as long as possible, even after sex.

But it has that sort of intimacy to it, it feels like they’re one, one last time like she was really saying goodbye to him…  It’s horrifying and heartbreaking at the same time.

And you feel almost perverted watching it because she in that moment ought to be alone. And in these moments the line between reality and fiction is blurred for the audience, Natalie Portman is Mrs. Kennedy in those moments.

The assassination is something that has been featured in cinema aplenty, but never in such explicit and gory detail as here, here you see that Jackie got her husband’s blood and his brain literally splattered across her lap.

You really see the barbaric carnage a fire weapon can cause, and that she even desperately tried to hold his head together, after It’s literally been blown apart to seconds later feel him go limp, his vital signs fade while she was holding him in her lap. It is truly unspeakable...

This sort of sequence fits into the most disturbing and disgusting of horror films, but it really happened to her. What does such a thing do to someone? What effect does losing someone in such a horrible, haunting way have on someone? How do you not break down after that, go crazy or suppress the urge, to scream or break something?

Normally when people face such a tragedy, they have a right to mourn. Jackie had a struggle with herself, on one side she feels that she owed her husband a good, unforgettable funeral, she wants to do that for him.

But she weakens herself, by not allowing herself time to process because she felt she had to be a symbol of strength, something that would calm the American people.

But the sometimes lack of comprehension and compassion from people around her in the White House conflicts with her own vanity. She wants the best for her husband, while it seems the others want to swipe it under the carpet and resume things as quickly as possible, which is normal for a nation, the show must go on of course.

But she absolutely needed more emotional support, which she only gets from a bouffanted Greta Gerwig, and her children who yet couldn’t offer the support an adult could offer…

Thus what you see is a stoic, or forcedly stoic woman, alone, utterly alone, (while at the same time being adored by a nation) lost and drowning in the sea, or perhaps ocean of her grief and rage, with no one where or no one to go for relief.

And the times when she allows herself to drown are the eeriest. There’s a scene that gave me goosebumps: Jackie at one point drinks herself drunk almost to the point of oblivion. Puts on a record of the musical Camelot which her husband loved, then she wanders around the white house almost like a ghost, aimlessly, restlessly.

Her husband’s love for Camelot created the famous Camelot legend or myth surrounding the White House. Jackie said there would be other great presidents, but there would never be another Camelot. Maybe meaning that America would perhaps never thrive in such a joyous, beloved presidency and state again.

The film is framed around an interview that Jackie held a week after the funeral, with “the journalist” (Billy Crudup) - based on a conversation that Jackie had, in reality, with Theodore White, without being even mentioned by name. In it, she looks back on the successful tour that she gave for television on Valentine’s Day 1962 and the attempted assassination of JFK on November 22, 1963.

By the broken structure and fairly long flashbacks (and flashbacks within flashbacks) director, Pablo Larraín knows how to project her fragmented and scattered mind and mental state. Whether it really all happened is a guess.

Obviously, It’s drama and not a documentary and the Chilean filmmaker and his crew were free to interpret the events at their discretion and freedom. Most scenes are consistent with the facts of history and the memories of those around her. Her manipulative side, for instance, is most evident in the verbal sparring match with a very aggressively interviewing Crudup.

In this way, we see both snippets of her during her time in the White House and after her husband’s death. Yet I have to return to the question who was the woman? The answer to that is I still don’t know.

Clearly a very strong, resilient, kind, charismatic, elegant, proud and fiercely intelligent woman. who in truth maybe was quite the loner and didn’t want to be in the spotlight all the time, maybe only wanted a normal, ordinary family life, as she says “I never wanted fame, I just became a Kennedy.”

But I like that the film didn’t give us a definitive answer, but rather allowed us peeks into her psyche, it is for me more believable that way because no one is that easily defined, if you want cold hard facts, you might as well watch a documentary.

Jackie watches almost like a dream. The shots bathed in warm, romantic colors, framed with the hypnotic strings of Mica Levi’s music. But it’s a dream shrouded in a fog of grief, paralyzed by its downside. The film is set in the moments and days after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The preparations for the funeral, the transfer of power. But those are just the events. It is not truly what Jackie is about.

Historian Ernst Kantorowicz distinguished once between the two bodies of the king: the natural, mortal body and the political body which transcends the earthly. In many of Shakespeare’s King pieces, both are visible and especially the conflict that arises between them. 

And in Jackie we see it, the emphasis Pablo Larraín puts for example on clothing. It begins with that familiar suit, that candy pink Chanel suit with gold buttons and black lining. When Jackie smiling and waving steps off the plane in Dallas, Texas she is a walking icon.

But that same suit becomes smeared with blood for all the world to see, and when she is alone she pulls it off, something Larraín films with an emphasis that makes it almost ritualistic. Here the natural body separates from the political body. The next shot is Jackie in the shower, her back turned to us.

Larraín frames the scenes about the immediate aftermath of the assassination of scenes in which Jackie will be interviewed by an in the film not named, but based on Theodore H. White journalist. 

This way Larraín introduces the citizens in the story. And they are (and by extension our) desire to gain access to Jackie Kennedy, to her emotions, her sadness. It is the mechanism of collective mourning, something the public sphere attracts and has a morbid fascination with but that is is actually so very private.

Jackie is filled with close-ups of the face of Natalie Portman. Front and centered on the screen. We can not avoid it. Larraín thereby gives the public what it wants: the sadness of the elusive Jackie Kennedy. But that sadness is as inevitable as it is screen filling, and becomes overwhelming, uncomfortable to watch. 

When Jackie tells the reporter how she was in the car with the head of her husband in her lap - the blood, the brains - we feel resistance. It shows the paradox that we want to enter the private sphere, leaving only the space for our imagination. And the reality is that that space does not exist. The grief, the trauma, all are pressed outward into our face. 

In one of the few other scenes where Jackie is alone clothes again play an important role. She puts on an LP of Camelot, the famous musical with Richard Burton and Julie Andrews of which hubby was a fan, and desperately tries on all kinds of dresses.

Desperately seeking that political body, which would allow to separate her from the all-consuming pain. It is a balancing act that is required of her. Between what remains private and what is public. Something that has always been something she was good at. But the murder has put a gigantic, dividing, unbearable weight between the two and she doesn’t know which persona to present at which times. 

The title role is with phenomenal acting taken on by Natalie Portman, she has everything down to perfection, Jackie’s elegance comes to life through her and above all, she knows how to imitate her voice without strikingly resembling her.

The entire film revolves around her, her experience, Portman is in every scene, carries the film, while she knows with an astonishing manner to capture the entire spectrum of emotions - and the different stages of grief. In addition, she shows us another side Jackie at each moment.

This along with the narrative style makes it somewhat difficult as a viewer to really sympathize deeply, as it feels as if you’re observing from afar. Portman, however, knows how to find the right balance and a deserved Oscar nomination was rightly hers, a true tour de force!

On how Portman imitates the voice of the former First Lady, there has been quite a lot of debate. That it can induce irritation in some people, is not that difficult to imagine, but if you listen to original recordings of the White House Tour from 62, you will learn that Jackie’s voice is approached almost to perfection.

In important supporting roles, we see an almost unrecognizable Greta Gerwig as her assistant Nancy Tuckerman, Peter Sarsgaard as an unrecognizable Robert Bobby Kennedy (and not in a good way) and John Hurt as the priest that Jackie holds a frank conversation about life and death and the nature of her marriage with.

Sarsgaard is the only frustratingly discordant note in an otherwise masterful film. With his acting work in itself, there is not even that much wrong and that he barely resembles the younger brother of the president (and also Minister of Justice), is still forgivable. But he also does not attempt to access Bobby’s voice and attitude.

Moreover, there is hardly any reference to the fact that he as a cause of his brother's death also fell into an emotional black hole and is going through a grieving process as well, he seems insensitive, untouched and I don’t find that realistic.

Of course, there are scenes in which he gloomily stares out at nothing in particular, but his version of Bobby Kennedy never really comes to life for the viewer. 

John Hurt shines with his sonorous voice in one of his last film roles before his death in early 2017 as a priest who has no answers to the questions of life which Jackie wrestles with but knows how to touch the deeper layer and offer her sympathy and consolation, just by really listening to her.

In other roles we John Carroll Lynch as a crass Lyndon B. Johnson, JFK’s successor and Richard E. Grant as designer Bill Walton. Phillipson, a Danish actor who has been chosen because of his likeness to the president was awarded little screen time and the only dialogue that he has, is unmistakably the voice of Kennedy himself.

Larraín knows how to with beautifully filmed, wordless scenes catch Jackie’s inner state of mind, supported by the unprecedented and ominous, unsettling almost horror like music Of Mica Levi. Central is also the “Camelot” closing song from the musical, a popular Broadway hit of that time, which was the basis for the myth of the Kennedy fairy tale in the White House.

Jackie is a fascinating character study that breaks the mold of the customary biographical fact cross list and sheds a new light on one of the most famous and at the same time most unfathomable women of the 20th century in her strong and weak moments.

Jackie: The truth? Well I’ve grown accustomed to a great divide between what people believe and what I know to be real. Journalist: Fine, I will settle for a story that’s believable. Jackie: That’s more like it. You know I used to be a reporter myself once. I know what you’re looking for. Journalist: I’m sorry? Jackie: A moment-by-moment account. That’s what you came here for, isn’t it? You want me to describe the sound the bullet made when it collided with my husband’s skull.

“I've read a great deal. More than people realize. The more I read, the more I wonder: When something is written down, does that make it true?”

[xstarsinthedarknessx]

Kimber

Chapter 2; I know that this needs a lot of work - it’s literally first base first draft. Rip it apart all you like. Please be nice, though. This is a shifter/fantasy/romance novel. (YC)

In ten minutes, Nikolay would begin his two-a.m. round. On the dot. They had one round in the night, as most maids were awake not long before and the rest were to be awake not long after. Nik was particularly ruthless and intolerant of bad behavior. If you weren’t in your bed when he came into your room, there was hell to pay.

Kimber reached the doorknob, desperate to flee before the next day began. Her delicate hand rested against the doorknob. She had one ally in this place and Kimber would have to leave her behind. She pulled the door gently, ensuring it didn’t make a noise and made her way down the darkened hallway. 3 doors down, she grabbed another handle and entered the room.

Gliding across the room, she leaned down and placed her lips gently against her friend’s forehead. Her eyes closed briefly, a tear rolling down her cheek. “I promise, with all my heart, I will come back for you.”

Kimber left the room as fast as possible. Eight minutes, forty-six seconds before she was discovered. If another guard didn’t find her first. She made her way down the hallway in the opposite direction and paused at the top of the stairs, listening for the sounds of guards breathing, picking their fingernails, anything that could give them away.

When she couldn’t hear anything, she made her way down the elegant staircase and across the landing. She leaned towards the second-floor French doors and gently pulled them open, making as little noise a possible. She wasn’t the only creature with heightened senses. A thrill shot through Kimber as she tiptoed out through the door onto the balcony.

Five minutes and two seconds until room check.

Reaching for the rail that enclosed the marble balcony, she gripped the ledge and pulled herself to straddle it. Kicking her foot over the edge she used all her strength to hold onto the outside of the balcony. She wrapped her thighs around one of the columns that held the balcony, ready to slide down. It would be a fast decent, the heavy rain making the marble slick.

As she reached the ground, Kimber drew a breath and rushed into the cool wind and heavy rain that battered against the ground. She darted left into a line of bushes and stayed under their cover as she made her way into the trees surrounding the compound.

The goal was simple. Escape or die trying.

Kimber still nursed wounds from a recent beating for fighting against a guard who wanted to use her body. She wrapped her arms around her cracked ribs, hoping to ease the pain if only a little. Her legs throbbed from her decent and her feet could still feel the vibrations of landing against the hardened floor. Tears, mixed with rain, poured down her face from the searing pain.

Two minutes and thirty-seven seconds remained.

Time to get moving. Through the darkness, she maneuvered around thick tree trunks and over raised roots. Lightning crackled and fingered through the dark sky.  Frustration bubbled within Kimber. She couldn’t change into her true form and it was slowing her down. If she could change, she would be so much faster, see so much clearer and it would be easier to ignore the pain. She wasn’t a runner in this form. Especially with her reduced diet over the last few years.

She gulped a deep breath; listened for shouts, boots slapping against wet ground, any sound of being hunted.

Her heart hammered with terrified beats. She had to calm down.

Kimber’s ears pricked at a howl in the distance. There were no natural wolves in England. They had found her empty bed. Jumping up, she lunged into the blackness, running hard, fighting the panic exploding in her chest. Every survival instinct she had screamed at her to tear through the wood like a madwoman. But hitting a tree might knock her out or daze her. Instant capture. Thick underbrush clawed at her arms. Pain from the cuts burning her skin demanded attention.

She pushed harder.

Sheets of rain blasted through breaks in the trees. Thunder boomed overhead. A jagged branched snagged the edge of her thin shorts and ripped a searing gash across her thigh. An adrenaline spike masked the pain, but her lungs begged for oxygen.

Distant barking and howls broke through the deluge. Wolves were expert trackers. They were on her trail.

 Kimber burst through a break in the trees and slowed while her eyes adjusted, but moved forward steadily. The ground fell away and she stumbled down a short drop into a ditch, landing on her knees. She lay on the cold ground and stared up at the stars. Mother nature kissed her skin as her breath became a cloud in the sky.

The bays of wolves pierced the night. They were closing in.

There was a dim glow against the horizon, enough for Kimber to raise her head. There were flat stretches of tarmac and a small building across the clearing.

Pushing her arms into the ground, Kimber raised herself to her knees, and then her feet before stumbling in that direction. Her adrenaline was seeping away, leaving her bones aching and shaking. Her thigh throbbed, her ribs burned and her head felt foggy. She /had/ to make it. Forcing her heart to pump harder only made her wounds bleed more but she pushed herself into a jog.

The bright glow ahead kept her going. It appeared to be some sort of hangar, the tail of a plane peeking out the end.

She softened her steps as she neared the hangar then crept to the edge of the building. There was a plane sat in the building, the door open with boxes upon boxes of who-know-what cargo but that didn’t matter. Kimber couldn’t outrun Nikolay and the house on her feet. No matter where this plane was going, she had to go with it.

When she couldn’t sense anyone else near the plane, she dashed across the concrete floor and jumped through the door, landing harshly on her hands and knees.

Kimber crawled across the plane floor and hid in a crook between boxes. It was right near the wall she could only assume was behind the cockpit. It was the most hidden she could be in such a small space. She just hoped the pilot didn’t need to re-check his cargo before he took off.

She made herself as small as she possibly could. There was an overpowering smell coming from the cargo on this plane. Kimber was sure some of the crates must contain animals, or animal produce, or some pungent vegetation. She hoped it would cover her scent.

When the doors were shut and the plane began to move towards its runway, Kimber let her eyes close and she fell into a heavy sleep.

 #

 How was she going to get out of this plane without the pilot or someone else realizing she had been there? She could feel the plane moving across the tarmac, she assumed to its hangar in this airport. The touchdown had been rather gentle in comparison to what she though a touchdown would feel like.

The plane came to a halt and she could hear the pilot making his way out of the plane and across the area they were in. The cargo door was opened and Kimber had to squint to protect her eyes from the bright sunlight. It had been so dark in the plane that even with heightened senses, Kimber could hardly see. This sunlight felt truly blinding, burning against her irises.

Kimber closed her eye briefly, the strongest sense of relief passing through her as who she could only assume was the pilot, had opened the door and then left the plane, perhaps to get someone else to collect the cargo. She darted out and away from the plane, her muscles protesting but her mind screaming for her to move while she had the chance.

She darted across the tarmac and behind a small building. New-Mexico airfield was written on a nearby road sign. Kimber gasped as she realized she was in America. She was so far from home and the auction house but she didn’t want to take any chances.

Following the closest road, Kimber walked for hours. All she needed now, was somewhere she could change into her true form, her Lioness. She would travel much farther, much quicker if she could change.

 After walking for nearly the whole day, Kimber started seeing signs for Gila National Forest. She changed her direction and continued walking long into the night, finally reaching the edges of the forest as the sun began to rise. The golden light speared through the trees and warmed against Kimber’s face.

Once Kimber felt she was far enough into the forest, she near collapsed to the ground. She needed to hunt and then she needed to sleep. The day was almost over. She could feel her joints crack and twist as her bones moved beneath her skin, changing shape to fit her new feline form. Some bones elongated while others shrank, creating a _highness_ throughout her whole body. Her shoulders scrunched into her neck, she fell to her knees and her back arched. She stretched her fingers and toes outward as they became more feline in shape and claws began to protrude.

Her Lioness raised its hackles as it stretched and settled into it’s form. She twisted her ears in every direction, listening intently for the sound of anything she could hunt. Hooves scraped against the ground nearby.

Kimber crouched against the ground, skimming her belly against the ground as she got closer to her target. She ensured she was hidden behind the thick underbrush and narrowed her eyes on her target. Some sort of sheep. She thanked the stars that it was a female and not a ram. She had enough wounds as it was.

She leaped forward, pouncing through the air and latching her extended claws into the sheep’s flank. It made a loud noise and tried to run but Kimber couldn’t afford to let this go. She reached her neck as far forward as she could and wrapped her teeth around the sheep’s jugular, pressing down hard until the sheep stopped moving.

Kimber hated hunting, having a love for every animal but sometimes it just couldn’t be helped. It was different when her mum collected meat with the groceries. She didn’t see the animal alive, with a life or a family. This sheep could have kids somewhere in this forest. She tried to not think about it.

The Lioness in her urged her to start eating her kill, never knowing when the next meal would be. Kimber ate through it at a record speed.

With her stomach full, Kimber lay against a particularly large tree and curled into herself. It would be easier to keep herself warm throughout the night in this form. It didn’t take very long for her body to give into her fatigue and fall into a slumber, although a part of her would always have to be on alert.

[wynneinrome]

The Three Musketeers

The First Part: https://wynneinrome.tumblr.com/post/160054874630/the-three-musketeers

Part 2: https://wynneinrome.tumblr.com/post/173369185045/the-three-musketeers

The Full compiled version so you don’t have to search my Tumblr Abyss each time for it: https://www.quotev.com/story/9467766/The-Three-Musketeers

If any of ya’ll know how to make links so I don’t have to copy and past these long-ass thing lemme know.

Tag List: If you want to be added/removed just message me and I will do so!

 @midtownsciencenerd @hollandstarks @cringyholland @takemespidey @harrison-osterfield-appreciation @osterfield @intheheartofpeterparker@intheheartoftomholland @gounderoos @softboyhollands

Chapter 3: Dreams, Ships, and OTP Wars Part 1 and Part 2

Whooooo so sorry for how long this took, as this chapter is hella long, I am going to divide it into parts. Not sure how many, hopefully just two.... But knowing me, it will be more. So the hashtag "littlelexithings", is an actual hashtag, so you can look it up on Instagram and find my muse. Hope you guys like part 1! ON WITH THE CHAPTER!

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

The next time I saw Tom and Harrison in the flesh, was about a year or so later…. Haha got you there didn’t I? It was actually only like 6 months later. Not too bad, but it felt like forever. I had wrapped filming on the recent season of Suits and was traveling around the world for a press tour for my novel. I had finally finished it and polished it to the point where not even I could come up with stuff. And I’m a pretty creative kid. But anyway, that is besides the point… I was making a stop in London to do a book signing and to talk more about my next book in progress. I was posting some photos on Instagram, showing the view outside my plane window. The sun was just rising over the clouds, piercing through the darkness and spraying the sky with orange and red hues. I snapped a photo and posted. “Mornings over London. #awesome #beautiful #littlelexithings #sunrise #Icanshowyoutheworld #dontletmemissathing”. I put my phone onto the tray table and sighed. I was practically bubbling over with excitement. I couldn’t wait to see London. Suddenly my phone buzzed. I flinched, the noise sounded twice as loud in the silence of the plane.

“Holy crap…..” I looked down. “Awww Harrison!”

Harrison: “Hey Lexi! Saw your post, glad you’re in London!”

Me: “Do you ever sleep?” Me: “Yeah, I’m doing a book signing here.”

Harrison: “You wrote a book?!” Harrison: “Can I read it?”

Me: “Oh my word… fiiiiiiine.”

Harrison: “Yay!”

Tom: “I don’t mind you two talking…. But in the group chat?! AT 2 IN THE MORNING!”

Me: “Shhhhh Tom. Nobody asked you…. And besides, you could just silence this conversation.” Me: “And besides, you know you love us.”

Tom: “Well since you’re in the area you should come hang!”

Me: “I’m only coming to see Tessa and Monty. You two are just second best.”

Harrison: “Ouch…. I feel  hurt.”

Tom: “My brothers can’t wait to meet the girl that caused the media to explode overnight.”

Harrison: “My sister wants to meet you as well.”

Me: “Well I’d be glad to meet them!”

I smiled to myself. Being on a private jet had its perks. Damian was sleeping across from me. He could sleep in literally any place, but then again so could I. Damian would lecture me for not actually getting a full 8 hours of sleep. But now that I had something to look forward to besides my book signing, I felt like I couldn’t sleep anymore. I had already been sleeping since we left DIA, which was about 4 hours of actual sleep. The flight was about 10 hours long, and I had been awake for too long. I snuggled down into my blankets and tried to get another hour of sleep. I was startled awake by Damian poking my cheek.

“Hey Kiddo, time to get ready.” Damian whispered with a grin. “We’re finally here. Time to get freshened up.”

“What? This “I just was on a plane for 10 hours” look isn’t the new craze?” I grinned, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

Damian rolled his eyes and pulled me up to the makeup kit. “It is time for you to be glammed up honey. No one will ever know you don’t always look like this.” He winked and began his process.

I pulled my hair up into a messy bun and sat down in front of Damian. I pulled out my iPhone and opened my Amazon Music app to pick some songs to play while I waited. I picked Sam Smith’s “Too Good at Goodbyes”.

“And every time you hurt me, the less that I cry. And every time you leave me, the quicker these tears dry. And every time you walk out, the less I love you. Baby, we don't stand a chance, it's sad but it's true.” I sang in a low voice.  I hated my singing voice, but when I was with friends I couldn’t care less what I sounded like.

“Girl, who are you thinking of?” Damian asked, raising a brow. “Actually I have a hunch of who is on your mind, and it ain’t those pretty British boys.”

I shrugged, “Does it really matter Damian? I mean, I’m always the single friend.” I rolled my shoulders and sat up straight. “Now come on, do what you must so I can talk.”

Damian just shook his head. “Honey, I thought you were over that boy a while ago… I mean he was unattainable then. Why now? Don’t glare at me, it makes creases in your makeup.” Damian lifted my chin. “Now it can’t be that boy you had a crush on in middle school, oh what was his name…. Oh yeah, Michael. Stop looking at me like that Lexi…..” He turned my face to the left. “Now we know it isn’t Sam…. you two are like best friends. Now just between two people.”

I pulled away. “Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Don’t say it.”

“Those two handsome fellows you worked with….. Oh right, James… and Dorian.” Damian smirked.

I groaned. Damian knew I hadn’t really gotten over James… He just teased me about Dorian, because most of my friends thought we were made for each other. But I could never see myself with anyone. No matter how many love songs I listened to. No matter how many times my friends said “Oh he likes you.”. I couldn’t believe a word they said. Call me a pessimist, but that’s how I made it on a day-to-day basis. I’m always crushing on someone, the length of the crush just varies each time. But there were two boys that caused my heart to stop and then beat twice as fast. First it was my friend Sam, I had a crush on him my senior year of high school. But once I knew he didn’t reciprocate my feelings, I made a point of just being friends. He was my other anchor in the world back home. Then there was James…. Oh boy, sometimes I wish our paths never crossed. I worked with him after I graduated and was trying to finish my book. He was literally my perfect man. We bantered like siblings whenever we were around each other. I had never fully recovered from this crush and my heart was always a little tender when he came up in conversation.

“Too soon?” Damian inquired.

“It will always be too soon.” I replied. “Always.”

Damian shook his head. “When will you get over him? You even told me you knew that relationship was never going to happen, because he was a manager and you were not.”

“I don’t know!” I threw my hands into the air. “Besides, I don’t want to talk about it. I’d rather talk about Tom and Haz. Or my book. Anything but this.”

Damian leaned back and shrugged. “What do you think you’re going to be doing with Tom and Haz? It’s been awhile since you two have talked. And both of you have been busy with auditions and other things in your life.”

It was my turn to shrug. I had no idea. Meanwhile, during Damian and I’s discussion. The plane had begun its descent and landed in London. Thankfully, Damian had finished his work on my face and hadn’t decided to give me a unibrow in sharpie. I grabbed my shoulder bag off my chair and stretched. It was time to get ready to be fabulous. I exited the plane and walked to the taxi, oh excuse me, cab waiting for me. I smiled at the cabbie and slid into the back seat. Damian flopped down beside me and grinned.

“Nothing like sitting in a cab after sitting for 10 hours.” I winked, trying to shove those memories Damian had brought back up to the bottom of my mind bucket.

“Oh yes, I can just feel the joy of my poor, poor legs.” Damian laughed.

I turned my face to the sight of London. It was raining and I was speechless. I love the rain and the way it accents the world around me. Rain seems to wash away the pain and the dirtiness the outside deposits. The drive wasn’t much longer than a half and hour. The hotel I was staying at was a simple place, I chose it because fancy wasn’t my jam. I liked Mom and Pop shops and little restaurants that no one really knows about. Also, the less fancy the joint, the less likely I was to be mobbed by paparazzi. Upon arriving, I unloaded my suitcases and wheeled them to my room. I flopped down on the bed and laid there for a few moments. I hated unpacking. My phone buzzed, so I lazily reached over and pulled it to me. It was a notification from Instagram. I had been tagged in a photo.

“What the….” I muttered, unlocking my phone.

The photo was a post on Tom’s Instagram. It was a picture of him with his dog Tessa with the caption “Can’t wait to see my friend @lexis_scanlan! Tess can’t wait to meet you. #Ihopeyoutookyourallergymeds #longtimenosee #goodtimesontheway”. I smiled and liked the photo. I commented, “SPARE I’m only here for the dog. Not you. Sorry boo.”

I set my phone down and began to pulled my clothes out of my suitcase. I wandering the room deciding where I wanted most of my clothes. It took me about an hour to unpack. I grabbed my bluetooth speaker and began playing my music. I picked Watercolors by Will Jay.

I pulled out my blue romper and began to sing along with the song.

“Darling you're in deep, your skin is covered, Loving me with all my watercolors, But I wash out easily.  All we have is this heat of the moment, Won't last on the high of our emotions, 'Cause I wash out easily. Soon I'll be gone, You don't belong with me.”

I’m the type of person who skips songs so I’d be halfway through a song before I’d pick a new one.

“All you have to do is stay a minute. Just take your time. The clock is ticking, so stay. All you have to do is wait a second. Your hands on mine. The clock is ticking, so stay.  All you have to do is... uh, All you have to do is stay…… Oh na na, just be careful, na na. Love ain't simple, na na. Promise me no promises. Oh na na, just be careful, na na. Love ain't simple, na na. Promise me no promises…...And I'm almost there, I'm almost there. People gonna come here from everywhere! And I'm almost there I'm almost there. There's been trials and tribulations, You know I've had my share. But I've climbed a mountain, I've crossed a river. And I'm almost there I'm almost there I'm almost there!.....Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase. Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze! It means no worries, For the rest of your days. It's our problem-free philosophy. Hakuna Matata!”

Suddenly there was knocking at my door. I stopped putting away my clothes and paused my music. I looked through the peep hole.

“Oh hey Damian…. Am I singing too loud?”

“Uh, kinda… But that’s okay. I was just stopping by to let you know that I’m headed out to meet with Cleo about all the makeup and fashion jazz. She agreed that you could explore. Just don’t get lost and be careful!” Damian said poking my cheek.

“Seriously?!” I took a step back. “That is AWESOME! I could go see Tom and Harrison!”

Damian laughed and shook his head. “Hey Lex don’t forget, you have a book signing tomorrow. And I need you back here way before then.”

“Yes sir!” I nodded, grinning ear to ear.

I turned back into my room and shot a quick text to the boys.

Me: “Hey, I’m free for a few hours. Wanna meet up?”

Tom: “Yas gurl yaaaaaaaaaaas!”

Haz: “What the hell Tom?!” Haz: “Where should we meet you?”

I sent them the address of my hotel and quickly got ready to meet them. I brushed out my now auburn hair and pulled on my jeans and Australia hoodie. I grabbed my dark green purse, grey sweater, room key, and walked out the door. I practically bounced down the stairs to meet them, I have an irrational fear of being in elevators alone. I made it to the entrance and was enveloped into a massive group hug.

“LEXI!!!!!!!” Harrison yelled.

“HARRISON?!!!!!” I shouted back, a bit disoriented and terrified.

“LEXI AND HAZ!!!!” Tom yelled.

“Dude why?” Harrison asked.

“I didn't want to be left out.” Tom replied with a shrug.

“Come on you two! Let's get out of here!” I interrupted them and pulled them out of the hotel lobby.

The sun was shining and there was a rainbow. I was practically beaming, I loved this type of weather. Tom and Harrison walked on either side of me. We walked in silence for a good couple blocks as I took in the sites.

“Wait hold up….. did you two walk here?” I asked.

“Nah…. we drove, but the parking is terrible.” Harrison answered.

“Ah….” I replied, nodding.

I fell back into silence as I gazed up at the London skyline. It was surreal for me. Tom and Harrison lead me to where their car was parked. They drove me out of the city into a more rural area, I was mesmerized by the English countryside. If I had a choice I'd live here.

“You ready to meet Tessa?” Tom asked looking at me in the rear view mirror.

“Uh yes. Why is this a question? You know I love doggos!” I exclaimed.

We arrived soon after. Tom's brother Paddy was outside playing with Tessa. I grinned at the sight of them. I loved people canon in life. Faking it was so painful to observe.

“Hey Tom!’ Paddy shouted, waving and pulling Tessa out of the way.

Tom and Harrison waved back. I shyly waved at Paddy and he smiled brightly my way. Tom parked the car and we all hopped out. Tessa bounded over to Tom and almost took him down.

“Whoa there Tess….” Tom laughed, petting Tessa. “Here girl meet Lexi. She’s a friend of mine.”

Tessa bounced around my legs. I bent down and rubbed her head.

“Well hello there beautiful.” I cooed. “Aren’t you just a sweetheart?”

“Come on Lexi. Sam and Harry want to meet you.” Tom said, pulling me away from Tessa.

“Uh excuse me. I like Tessa better.” I objected with a smirk.

“You haven’t even met them yet!” Tom replied.

“If they’re anything like you….” I mused.

“Oi!” Tom exclaimed swatting my arm.

I laughed and stepped away. “I can tell no lies.”

Before Tom could smack me again, his brothers came outside. Sam and Harry waved and walked over.

“Tom is this the friend you were telling us about?” Sam asked, looking me over.

“Yeah, Sam and Harry meet Lexi.” Tom replied, pointing at each of us in turn.

I grinned at them both, “It’s really nice to finally meet you.”

An awkward silence descended between us, as we had nothing to say. I fiddled with my purity ring nervously. Tessa looked at all of us expectantly, clearly she had no issues with the silence.

I, on the other hand, was internally screaming.

Spending time with Tom’s family wasn’t too awkward once we got to talking. His mom was super nice and asked to take some photos of me and Tom. I agreed, as long as she’d send them to me. They were pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself.

We had gone inside, and were all sprawled around the living room. Tessa was laying with her head on my lap. We were discussing my book and the new film opportunities we were getting. They were all excited about my book and I was equally excited to tell them about my fantasy world that kept me sane. Unfortunately, I got a call from Damian.

“Crap…. It’s Damian.” I sighed. “I need to head back to the hotel.”

When I answered the phone, while walking out with Tom and Harrison, I could hear classical music in the background.

“Damian, are you okay? You don’t usually listen to Mozart.”

“Cleo wants you back. She’s pissed that I let you leave.” Damian replied.

“But didn’t you say that-” I began.

“I freaking lied.” Damian snapped. “Do you really think she’d be nice after these last couple fiascos?!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey now!” I retorted. “Don’t you get all pissy with me son! I thought this was too good to be true! I would’ve just stayed in the hotel if you had told me too! Damian this is all on you!”

“Well sue me you little-”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence. Don’t you fucking dare.” I growled.

“Just get back.” Damian hung up with a dismissive click.

I exhaled and ran my hands through my hair in exasperation. I knew Cleo agreeing to let me be an average teen was too good to be true.

“Hey Tom?” I finally spoke, breaking the silence in the car. “Is there a faster way to the hotel? My manager has her panties in a twist, and I’d like her and my make-up artist not in a fist fight.”

“Yeah I think so.” Tom said. “I’ll do my best to get you there.”

“Thanks Tom.” I whispered.

I leaned back and sighed. Somethings would just never change and I would just have to get used to it. Right?

Wrong. Oh boy was I wrong.

After Tom and Harrison dropped me off at the hotel, I went in to face the beast. Cleo was standing in my room with her arms crossed, tapping her high-heeled foot. Damian was sitting on the bed looking at his hands.

“Cleo.” I said, looking her up and down. “What do you want?”

“Oh I dunno,” She growled. “You to actually take this job seriously!!!”

“Maybe you need to relax.” I hissed. “You seem to forget, that in this business, people are known for losing their shit. Hopefully, I will never have to show you my dark side.”

“Is that a threat?” Cleo gasped.

“No. It is a warning. A warning you should heed.” I shrugged. “Now is there something important you need to tell me? Or did you just want to try to belittle me? Because if it is the second one, get the hell out.”

Cleo huffed and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. I exhaled the breath I didn’t know I was holding. Damian hadn’t moved. I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to throw things and cry. I wanted him to hurt like I was. But I also knew that it wasn’t worth it. Just because I’m broken, I don’t need to break others too.

“D? You okay?” I asked softly, sitting beside him.

“I’m sorry.”

“I know. It’s fine. But are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Not what I asked.”

“Let it go. You’re just a kid, you don’t understand anything.” Damian snapped, standing and walking out.

The door slammed making me flinch.

“So much for a friendly talk.” I thought. “God, please let tomorrow go okay… I can’t bear much more drama.”

I fell back on my bed and screamed into a pillow. I clenched my fists and took a deep breath. I needed to prepare for my book signing tomorrow. I looked at my closet, this was one of the few times I was allowed to pick my garb. So I was gonna take it by the reigns and go with it.

After a few solid hours of going “Nope, nuh-uh, not gonna happen, and why did I pack this?!” I finally settled on an outfit. My blue romper, with my beige heels, and a grey sweater. It was simple, but also showed who I really was.

After laying out my clothes, I quickly changed into my pajamas and laid down. It was a restless night of sleep. I woke up feeling like I had been hit by a freight train. I slowly sat up and looked at my phone, it was still dark out.

“Crap. it’s 2 A.M. I don’t need to be awake for at least 5 more hours.” I ran my hands through my hair. “Well I’m wide awake, guess I’ll just make do then.”

I stood up slowly and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. I grabbed my earbuds and put them in and began playing “Rise Up” by Andra Day.

“You're broken down and tired of living life on a merry go round, and you can't find the fighter. But I see it in you so we gonna walk it out and move mountains. We gonna walk it out and move mountains. And I'll rise up. I'll rise like the day. I'll rise up. I'll rise unafraid. I'll rise up and I'll do it a thousand times again. And I'll rise up, high like the waves. I'll rise up, in spite of the ache. I'll rise up and I'll do it a thousands times again. For you. For you. For you. For you. When the silence isn't quiet and it feels like it's getting hard to breathe. And I know you feel like dying, but I promise we'll take the world to its feet and move mountains. We'll take it to its feet and move mountains. And I'll rise up. I'll rise like the day. I'll rise up. I'll rise unafraid. I'll rise up and I'll do it a thousand times again. For you. For you. For you. For you. All we need, all we need is hope. And for that we have each other. And for that we have each other. We will rise. We will rise. We'll rise, oh oh. We'll rise. I'll rise up. Rise like the day, I'll rise up. In spite of the ache, I will rise a thousands times again. And we'll rise up rise like the waves. We'll rise up in spite of the ache. We'll rise up. And we'll do it a thousands times again. For you oh oh oh oh oh.  For you oh oh oh oh oh. For you oh oh oh oh oh. For you.” I sang in a low voice.

I pulled on my hoodie and slipped into my knock-off UGG boots. I grabbed my room key and slipped out into the dimly light hallway. I exhaled and continued my trek to the stairs. I had a odd fear of elevators (and escalators but that isn’t the point).

It was raining outside. But I couldn’t care less, rain was my relaxation. I took out my earbuds to listen to the outside world. It was too early for most people to be driving, so it was almost silent. The rain fell steadily, like a woman crying at a funeral. And boy did it feel like a funeral. I let the rain wash over me. It was like a drug to my senses. I could feel my pain rolling off of me like the waves cleaning the beach.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and glanced at my screen. It was only 2:30 A.M. I had time to kill. And I wasn’t gonna lounge around my hotel room if I could go explore. So I began walking down the street. Street lights guided me to a small park. The lights in the park weren’t on and I wasn’t feeling like getting murdered by some vengeful spirit. (I think I may have watched too much Supernatural.) So upon opting out of being murdered, I sat down on a small bench, just outside of the park. “BUT LEXI THAT’S NOT ANY SAFER!!” Yes I can hear you scream that at me. I laughed at my odd internal narration. The rain had stopped and I was left alone with just the sound of my heart beat.

Ba-bum. Ba-bum. Ba-Bum. Ba-bum… Shhhhhh just breathe. Just breathe. You’ll be okay. It’s not over yet. Just breathe. Just breathe. Let me hold your hand. Don’t give in. Don’t forget who you are. Just breathe. Ba-bum. Ba-bum. Ba-bum.

I sat there until the sun began to creep up over the horizon. The bright hues of orange and purple sprayed across the sky. The stars fled to the other side of the world and I wished they’d take me with them. I didn’t want them to go just yet.

I began my silent walk back to the hotel. The world was beginning to come alive. The birds were chirping and hunting for grub. Upon arriving at the hotel, I jogged to my room and hopped into the shower. It was 5 A.M then, Damian and Cleo wouldn’t be up till at least 7.

“Two more hours of freedom.” I whispered, rinsing the shampoo out of my hair. “Remember Lexi, this is your book. Your baby. You’ve done good. People will, most likely, like your book.”

After my shower, I dried my hair and got dressed. It was 6 when I was finished. I sat down on my bed and turned on the tv. Not much was on at this time, which was fine with me. I used the news as background noise as I scrolled through Instagram. My siblings had posted a few things, mainly pictures of my nephews and nieces. My friends showed their activities. My costars posted about their families and movies they were in. I hadn’t posted since yesterday. It was a rare occurrence for me to post, I was like Tom in that way. But I also had less of a fan following than he did. I hadn’t even gotten close to a million followers, which didn’t matter to me… But Cleo on the other hand, well let’s just say it was the one of her main focuses.

Suddenly I heard my name on the tv, I grabbed the remote and turned up the volume.

“Alexis Scanlan, Lyncoln on the hit TV show Suits, has traveled to London, England as her first stop on her book tour.” The woman announced, looking at her cohost. “So what do you think?”

“Well, based off of the Instagram posts, she and Tom are going to hang out. And there are a few pictures circulating the web of them meeting at her hotel and leaving together.” The other female announcer replied. “Now Anna, both have stated, separately, that they are just friends. But the fans have seemed to not believe that much.”

“True Susanna, Tom’s fans are beginning to call the ships Osterland and Toxi.” Anna answered with a wide smile. “It’s beginning to be hashtagged across the internet. And photos are being circulated around fan blogs.”

I rolled my eyes. “Seriously? This is what they want to talk about?”

“Look how cute she is with those two!” Susanna exclaimed. “I mean, Lexi fits perfectly with both boys. Either way it would be perfect.”

“Oh my word, let the ship wars begin.” I thought.“Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?!?!?!”

“There was a poll put up online, made by Buzzfeed, and so far Toxi is winning the most fans!’ Anna added.

“GAAAH!” I groaned and muted the TV. “Nope, nope, not today.”

I heard a knock at my door, so I rolled off my bed and slid over to the door. Damian was standing holding his makeup kit. His eyes were bloodshot and his hair was messy.

“Whoa there Damian, are you okay?” I asked, taking a step back. “Did you even sleep last night?”

“Honestly, I barely slept. But I’ll be okay.” Damian replied, trying to smile. “Now let’s make you lookfaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaabulous!”

I laughed and nodded. I knew that Damian didn’t really want to tell me what was going on. So I let him keep that to himself and began to talk about other things.

“So, any new news?” I inquired.

“Oh honey….” Damian laughed.

“Spill the tea.” I demanded. “Spill it now.”

Damian’s eyes sparkled. “Well, I bet you’ve already heard about the polls about which British boy should be your bae.”

I rolled my eyes, laughed, and nodded, but gestured for him to continue talking.

“Well, I think that is adorable, but also a wee bit creepy.” Damian continued, pulling out his makeup brushes. “I think you’d look good with both…. But I like Harrison the best.”

“Oooooo, you like Osterland!” I laughed. “Cool, I think. That is a wee bit creepy. But that’s fine bro, you do you boo.”

Damian laughed and shrugged. I was glad that I had moderately distracted him from the drama of yesterday.

Damian finished up my makeup and we stood to leave.

“Hey D?” I began. “Remember, I love you and you are a great person and I will personally fight anyone who says otherwise.”

Damian smiled at me. “Thanks, Ally-bug.”

Now I have many nicknames, compliments of my name. So from Alexis, my friends have gotten: Alex, Ally, Ally-bug, Al(I have terrible memories with that one), Lexis, Lexington, Lexi, Lex, Alexa(Seriously ever since Amazon came out with that thing….), Lav(Don’t ask, only Maddy is allowed to use that one).

Damian always calls me Ally-bug when we have a brother-sister moment. I was glad to have him around even when we bickered and just were plain annoying.

We walked out the door and standing outside was Cleo. I inhaled sharply and took a step back. It’s not like I wasn’t expecting her to be there, I just forgot that she had a thing for lurking. I forced myself to smile at her. Cleo smiled back, however it looked like a grimace.

“Ready to go, Cleo?” I asked, crossing my arms.

“Let’s get this over with shall we?” She retorted.

I rolled my eyes and glided past her to the elevator. Damian was right on my heels and Cleo took up the rear. She looked as if she was herding cats and I felt like I was being tracked by a Doberman.

We entered the elevator and took the slow, awkward ride to the first floor. When the door opened we were bombarded by paparazzi and my security detail quickly made a large gap between me and the cameras. I smiled at one of the photographers and kept walking. Photography made me think of my two friend Joseph and Patrick. I had a lot of friends that I kept tabs on as I traveled.

We arrived at my entourages vehicles and quickly got in. Cameras were everywhere and the flashes were blinding. As soon as my butt hit the seat, I leaned back and exhaled. Cleo was sitting across from me with her legs crossed and her lips pursed.

“Alright kid, you know the drill.” Cleo hissed.

“Yep! Sign my books, speak a bit about my series, answer questions, and smile for photos.” I replied, giving Cleo a thumbs up.

She nodded, confirming my assessment of the day. Cleo stayed silent for the rest of the drive, looking at her phone. Damian was filing his nails, as he does when he is nervous. So I took it upon myself to gaze out the window like an emo child. The London sights passed by my window in a blur.

Soon we arrived at the bookstore I was featured in. I did a nervous shiver and put a smile on my face. Outside of the bookstore where screaming girls and boys alike. I laughed with surprise and happiness.

As soon as I got out of the car, the screams got louder. I waved at the fans and smiled. I was ushered inside by my security detail. I quickly sat down and picked up a pen.

“Alright ladies and gents! Let the hand cramping commence!” I cheered.

My security guards chuckled and opened the door. A whole flood of people swarmed into the building. I was a bit overwhelmed but I continued to smiled and looked up at the first person at my table. Between young girls and full grown men, my fanbase was actually quite large. After the last person came through the line and was ushered into the seating room, where I’d answer questions and all jazz, my hand was cramping hardcore.

I walked in, sat down on my stool, and smiled.

“Hey everyone!” I waved. “Glad you all made it and got here safely. So according to my schedule, I’m gonna tell you about how I came up with this book series…. That alright by you guys?”

The room erupted into cheers.

“Alright, I’ll take that as a solid yes.” I grinned. “When I was eight years old, I came up for the idea for ‘Drila, Land of the Exiled’. I was, and still am, a very imaginative child. I loved the thought of being able to transform into a dragon or any animal for that matter…. Well any animal except spiders, those things are freaking scary!”

Laughter peppered the air.

“Anyway, Drila initially began as a daydream I would have before I would fall asleep. I was Nickie, the sassy, snarky, badass little sister. The only girl in a herd of boys, which as much as I based this off of my family, my sister and I are combined as Nickie. And unlike, this loveable heroine, I only have four brothers not six.” I took a deep breath before continuing, “Anyway, I felt like a whole world of exiles destined to change the fate of their world and of earth’s was the best freaking idea I had ever had.”

I took a breath and smiled. “And so, I began to write in a little notebook. I didn’t have my own laptop, so I made do with what I could. Also, my brain moved faster than I could type way back then. So thus Drila, the Land of the Exiled began. I wrote as much as I could and when I ran out of ideas, I daydreamed, watched tv, and read to fill up my creative juices. When I finished my baby, I began to type it up. I would also explain my ideas to my friends and anyone who asked. Once, when I was 16, someone told me that I stole my ideas from “The Hunger Games”, to which I replied with a growl and a snap,  “Yeah, I was 8 when I came up for this, The friggin’ Hunger Games didn’t exist then.” Sassy then, sassy now. And that’s the hella short version of how I came up with this book series.”

The crowd laughed and cheered. I beamed and took a sip of my water.

“Next on the agenda, oh how I loathe agendas, is a little Q and A. So what questions do y’all have for me?” I inquired. “And if you wouldn’t mind, introduce yourself. I like meeting new people and I am crap with names.”

The group laughed and a wave of whispers sprayed across the room. Finally a young girl, black hair and hazel eyes, around the age of 12, stood and the microphone was passed to her.

“Hi… My name is Anne and I wanted to ask you about your inspiration for the character Reaper?” Anne quickly spoke into the mic.

“Ah, the infamous Reaper!” I grinned. “Awesome question Anne! So Reaper is like an extension of myself if I was an emo boy. Ha, but seriously, Reaper steams from those negative emotions I have and his quick temper is very similar to mine when I was younger. Reaper feels a lot and understands more than he lets on. Which is what I often did when I was the youngest in the group. Reaper is a major powerhouse and a force to be reckoned with, which again is what I became as I got older. Sorry for the long answer but Reaper, in essence, is me.”

Anne beamed and sat back down. The mic was passed down the line to my assistants in the rows.

More questions flooded in and I answered them all with my own sassy flair. Luckily, no one asked about Tom and Haz. Honestly, it was the farthest thing from my mind as I went to take photos with my fans.

After that event was over, I collapsed into the seat of my car. I was exhausted and felt like I had run thousands of miles. (And honey I don’t exercise.) I sighed contentedly and looked over at Damian and then at Cleo. Both seemed as exhausted as I was, which was fine with me. I opened up Instagram and posted a few photos from the event.“Awesome time with my fans! Love you all thanks for supporting me through this adventure! #littlelexithings #fansmakemyday #drilalandoftheexiled #cantwaittodothisagain”.

I put my phone in my lap and looked out the window. I thought of my friends and hoped they were doing good. I prayed softly for them, it had been awhile since I had heard from the majority of my companions. Most of them were in Europe, while some were in the States. We had met at a Bible school, it was one of the best years of my life.

My phone vibrated and I picked it up.

“OOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I squealed.

Damian and Cleo looked at me with a mix of shock and horror.

“Uh dude, what the hell?” Damian finally spoke, breaking out of his stupor.

“Nothing.” I replied. “Just friend of mine texted me. Sorry, just lemme be excited about this!”

Yeah, I wasn’t going to tell them about my Austrian friend. Damian would lord that over me for the rest of my life. It had been a solid 3 weeks since we had talked. We meet at the Bible school, I had attended in my home state. Now while Damian thought I had never gotten over James, which was sorta true, there were more boys then I let on. Now I was the perpetually single sibling, which sucked but as I probably have said before, I’m used to it. Now I developed a crush on Patrick, the Austrian. Yep, this was my friend who did photography, he also was a hella amazing chef. (You’ll understand soooo much more later) But that isn’t the point, Cleo and I had agreed that once I was done with my book tour, I would be allowed to come back to Europe and travel. During that time, Damian would be given time off and he was going to go visit his family. Cleo, of course, was going to keep tabs on my publicity. I would only have a few security guards with me during this time. So essentially I could visit my brother in Spain and Patrick in Austria and just travel in general. Of course, I would go and visit Tom and Harrison.

After my book tour was finished and I made my last stop. I went home to Colorado to see my family. Most of my siblings came home to see me. Specifically, my brothers and their wives and their kids. And my sister and her girlfriend. They interrogated me about my friendship with Tom and Harrison, which I gladly answered all the questions. We were all sitting in the living room, talking, laughing, and watching the children.

It was good to finally be home and be with the people who couldn’t care less that I was famous. They kept me grounded when no one else could. It was my mission for them.

Soon after, I was all packed and in a plane to Spain. I had my earbuds in and was drawing in my sketchbook. I was wearing my Manly Beach, Australia hoodie, blue jeans, and converse. Thankfully, I had a window seat. Next to me was a preteen girl and what appeared to be her older brother. The girl was reading my book and grinning. The boy had his headphones in and was watching the tv. I went back to my sketching and was switching out my colored pencils when we hit a patch of turbulence and my eraser went flying onto the girl’s book.

“Oh fadoodle cakes.” I hissed, glaring at my wayward eraser.

“Oh here you- Oh my gosh! You’re Alexis Scanlan! You wrote this book!” The girl squealed holding my eraser.

“Uh, yeah… Hi there…” I grinned. “That’s me! And you are?”

“Oh. I’m Piper!” Piper quickly replied, handing me my eraser.

“Nice to meet you.” I took my eraser back and grinned. “So, be honest, what do you think of the book?”

“Oh, I love it!” Piper exclaimed. “I really like the siblings! I mean, I like Connor and Max.”

“Oh awesome!!!! They’re a pretty good pair.” I grinned.

“But Reaper and Nickie are like my brother and me.” She continued.

“Oh awesome!” I nodded. “I let you get back to reading.”

She smiled and reopened her book. I went back to my sketch. The trip didn’t seem to last much longer after that. We landed in Madrid. Piper and her brother exited the plane, I grinned because when she opened to the front cover I had left her a note.

I quickly grabbed my luggage and hailed a cab. I was going to meet with my brother at the train station and I couldn’t wait to see them. When they had come home on furlough, I hadn’t been able to visit them. And I had promised my nieces and nephew that I would come and give them some gifts.

My phone buzzed with a text from Tom.

Tom: “Hey Lex!!!! Saw the photos from your book signing! It looked amazing!”

Me: “Aw, thanks Tom!!! It was really amazing and the fans were so supportive and fun.”

Tom: “So are you coming to London again?”

Me: “I have a few stops before I’ll be coming to visit you and Tessa.”

Tom: “Wait, where are you going?”

Me: “To see my oldest brother A.J. obviously! Well him, his wife, and their kiddos. I haven’t seen them in sooooooo long! So I’m in Spain, then I’m going to be traveling around Europe.”

Tom: “Oh epic! Tell them Spider-Man says hi!!!!”

Me: “Elijah would love that! He loves Spider-Man! Well Batman is first, but Spider-Man is pretty darn close.”

Tom: “Ew no! BATMAN! BATMAN BEAT ME?!?!?!”

Me: “Dude, hakuna your tatas, he’s like 6 dude.”

My stop finally arrived and I quickly exited the train. Most of my luggage, which actually wasn’t that much, was with my security in France. I had my purse, backpack, and a small suitcase with me. I looked just like any other tourist, which was fine with me. Most of the time the paparazzi couldn’t find me anyway.

“AUNT LEXI!” A small female voice shrieked.

I whipped around to locate the voice. Jumping up and down were my two nieces, Rachel and Lissie, and my nephew, Elijah.

“Minions!” I shouted back and quickly walked to them.

I was mobbed by the kids. I hugged my brother and his wife.

“Oh my goodness it is good to see you!” I exclaimed. “You have to tell me everything that you have been up too!”

“Yeah, but let’s get moving to the house and we can talk then.” A.J. said.

I nodded and we began walking. Rachel and Elijah began bombarding me with information on what they had been doing the last couple days. Mainly they had school, but they loved school. Lucky them, just wait till they get hit with Algebra.

We arrived at the house and the kiddos ran off to play with their toys. A.J., Kristin, and I sat in the living room.

“How was your flight?” Kristin asked.

“Actually, it was really good! I was sitting by a girl who loved my book!” I answered with a smile. “She was a sweetheart.”

“Oh that’s really cool Lex.” A.J. commented. “We heard about you and Tom Holland…”

“Oh good heavens, we are just friends A.J.!!” I groaned. “Come on dude, not you too!”

They laughed and A.J. just shrugged. The kids came barreling into the room in their superhero costumes. Elijah was Ironman. Rachel was Black Widow and Lissie was Hawkeye.

“Oh look at that! My favorite heroes!” I clapped. “Guess what Elijah?”

“What?” Elijah asked, looking up at me with his big, brown eyes.

“Spider-Man told me to say hi.”

“Really?!”

“Yep!”

“Cool! Tell him hi!” Elijah cheered.

“Of course dude!” I unlocked my phone to alert Tom to my nephew’s joy.

Me: “Yo Tommy boy! My nephew says hi to Spider-Man.”

Tom: “Awwww, I’m glad. How is it so far?”

Me: “Uh dude, it is freaking awesome! The kiddos are running around screaming and later we are going to go walk around an sightsee. I’m only here for a couple days so I have to spend as much time with them as possible.”

Tom: “Where is your next stop?”

Me: “Uh, France. Why?”

Tom: “Mind if I meet you there?”

Me: “Well of course not! That would be awesome!”

Tom: “Epic!”

The rest of my time with family was fun. But all good things must come to an end. Before I knew it I was back on a plane headed to France. I had hugged my brother and his family goodbye and entered the train station alone. I reflected on all of this on my plane ride to Paris. I knew Tom was gonna meet me there, but it made me worried about everyone else would say. Mainly the media was my concern, but that wasn’t too big of a deal. I could handle shitty press all the time. I leaned back in my seat, Cleo made me get first class seating for this flight. I felt weird being up with all those rich folks. I put my headphones in and began blasting Marianas Trench into my brain.

“And I thought you'd feel the same as me. It's time that I come clean, but, But for now can we just both pretend to sleep. Sometimes the one you want is not the one you need. What goes around don't come around. You should know me by now.” I whispered to myself.

The view from the plane window was breathtaking. The ocean was spreading towards the horizon. The sun was setting so the sky was turning orange and pink. I snapped a picture and posted. “Sunsets, when viewed from the window of a plane, is sooooo freaking amazing!!! As I once read, “When an artist dies, God lets them paint the sky to say goodbye.” #littlelexithings #amazing #stunning.”

I leaned back in my chair, once again, and closed my eyes. I knew I wasn’t going to get any sleep, but I couldn’t keep staring at my phone screen.

The plane descended down to the airport. I quickly grabbed my carry-on and sped walked out of the plane to the baggage claim. Upon retrieving my luggage, I made my way to the front of the airport, since I needed to meet my security detail.

“LEXIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“What in the name of - HOLY SWEET BABY JESUS!” I was glomped from behind and almost fell over.

“Helloooooo.” A voice, sounding like pre-teen boy, met my ears.

“Tom… Your American accent sucks.” I sighed.

“Wow, savage.” Tom commented, poking my side and letting me go.

“As always.” I winked and adjusted my shoulder bag. “You need to not glomp me though you dork, I almost punched you.”

“Oh please, as if.” Tom rolled his eyes.

We began to continue our trek to the front of the airport. People were pointing and whispering. I just pulled on my hoodie and kept my eyes toward the ground. I wasn’t about to be mass mobbed by screaming teenage girls who would murder me if there was an inkling of suspicion that I was with Tom. We made it to the doors and both of us went to our separate enturages.

“Hey Chet.” I said, sliding into the backseat.

“Hello Lexi, how was your flight?” Chet asked starting up the car.

“It was good, first class is weird for me though.” I answered, shrugging off my shoulder bag. “How are you?”

“I’m doing well, thanks for asking.” Chet smiled at me and began driving.

My phone buzzed and I groaned.

“You have got to be kidding me…. Oh. It’s Tom.”

Tom: “Lexi, I know we literally just said goodbye… But would you want to meet by the Eiffel Tower tomorrow at 7AM?”

Me: “7 in the morning? You are a barbarian. -_- Sure why not! I hadn’t made an itinerary yet.”

Tom: “Awesome! Don’t be late!”

Me: “You clearly have never met me…. I’m never late. I arrive precisely when I mean to.”

We arrived at my hotel and brought my things to my room. My entire entourage was chilling in the room moving stuff around.

“Hey boys! Miss me?” I asked, dramatically sliding into the room.

Chet chuckled behind me and set down my suitcase. There was a chorus of “Yeah”s and “Hey Lexi!”s. I hugged each one of the boys and began to pull my clothes out of the suitcases and hang them up. Later that day, I was sitting on my bed inhaling a croissant and minding my own business, when Chet barged into my room.

“HOLY CHEESE BISCUITS!” I yelped throwing my croissant at Chet.

“What in the world?!” Chet exclaimed, catching the flying pastry.

“Have you heard of, OH I DUNNO, KNOCKING?!?!?!” I shouted, throwing my pillow at him.

“Alright, alright, I get it. Breathe Alex, breathe.” Chet chuckled, handing me my pastry and sitting down on the lounge chair. “You need to rest up, which you seem to be doing just fine. And then you’ll have to tell me your plans so we can keep tabs on you.”

“I’m meeting Tom Holland at the Eiffel Tower tomorrow.” I replied, laying down. “That’s all I have planned for now.”

“You sure that is a good idea with all the press?” Chet asked, raising his brow.

“It will be fine!” I exclaimed. “Gooooosssshhhhhhh.”

“Oh don’t you groan at me shortstop.” Chet replied. “I get paid to keep your skinny ass safe.”

“I’m black, nothing on me is skinny.” I snorted.

Chet rolled his eyes and stood up. “Rest up Alex. I’ll check in on you in a bit.”

As soon as he walked out the door, I fell back and closed my eyes. Napping would’ve been great, but for some reason my body decided that it was not time for a nap. Oh no, that would have been nice, but instead I sat up and turned on the celebrity news station instead. They were mainly talking about the French actors and actresses. Now that was refreshing. It hadn’t been very long since the gossip sections blew up with pictures of Tom and me. I fell back and scrolled through my instagram page. Not much had changed, except all the comments on my photo. My small fan following always brought a smile to my face. As I made my way through the comments and replied to them, I got a notification that I was tagged in a post.

“Who would have posted a photo of me….?” I muttered. “Harrison?”

The photo wasn’t recent, because last time I hung out with them both was at least 2 months ago. The photo was one of the many that Tom’s mom Nicki had taken when I was there. However, it brought a smile to my face. I liked the post and stared at it for a couple minutes. It was the three of us sitting on a fence. I was between the boys, we were all laughing our heads off. I was holding a small bunch of flowers with a few scattered in my hair. Tom was pointing at Harrison and Harrison was shrugging. Nicki had told us to just interact like we normally would. And so we did. The photo blew up with likes and comments.

Sassy but Classy “Oh she is so lucky!”

Marzipan “Attention whore! Get lost no one likes you @lexis_scanlan.”

Key “Hey Marzipan leave her alone! She is amazing!”

@osterlandrules “OH YAS OSTERLAND 4 LIFE!!!!”

@lilacsandrainbows “No! Toxi for life! She is waaaaaaaaaaaay to good for Harrison!”

@dreams2befollowed “Ew, who does she think she is? Like girl go get a life. You ugly hoe.”

Marisol “YEAH GO HOME @lexis_scanlan YOU ARE SO UGLY!”

@tearsofangels “Such a stupid bitch. Doesn’t she realized that we’d all be better off if she was gone?”

I put down my phone and rolled my eyes. The hate was hard to read. But the ship wars were getting to be a bit much. I was never going to date Tom, at least I wasn’t planning on it. Relationships and I just didn’t mix. There were too many bad memories from failed crushes and that one relationship that I never wanted to talk about.

I layed down and closed my eyes. I would have sunk into a well of sorrow if it wasn’t for the fact exhaustion took over and I fell into a dreamless slumber. I was out until my alarm went off for the next day, at 6AM. I hit my phone and sat up.

“Good lord….” I rubbed my eyes. “Why Tom, why have I agreed to this? Tell me whyyyyyy.”

I sat up and walked over to my closet. I grabbed my red plaid, sleeveless dress and my red converse and put them on. I clasped on my camera necklace and grabbed my camera themed backpack, phone case and cameras. Today was a themed day and I had no regrets. I grabbed my roomkey and was out the door. As the elevator doors closed behind me, I sent Chet a text informing him that I was leaving for the Eiffel Tower. I stepped out of the elevator and beelined it to the exit. As soon as I was outside the cool air smacked into me.

“Aaaaahhhh yaaaaaaaaaaaaas.” I thought, “Can you feel the love tonight? Oh good lord Lexi this is why you are single.”

I pulled out my phone and put in my earbuds. I turned on “I like me better” by Lauv and began walking towards the Eiffel tower. I bobbed my head along with my music and practically skipped most of the way there. My phone buzzed, which caused me to slow down a bit. (Don’t text and walk kids! You could walk into a pole.)

Tom: “Hey Lexi! I’m almost to the tower, where are you?”

Me: “Well to be honest, I dunno, I just know I can see the tower and it is getting bigger.”

Tom: “Ah yes, because that makes it so much easier to find you.”

Me: “Shut up!”

Me: “Lemme send you a pin of my location at the moment.”

Tom: “Got it.”

Tom: “You are slow.”

Me: “Child I will end you.”

Tom: “Nah, you love me.”

Me: “Debatable.”

I continued walking and got to a crosswalk. Tom called me literally .2 seconds later.

“Duuuude whaaaaaaaaaat?!” I groaned.

“I can see you hold up.” Tom replied.

I didn’t see him, but that wasn’t uncommon for me to not see what was right in front of me. I turned to the right briefly, and regretted it. Freaking Tom grabbed my sides and scared the crap out of me.

“HOLY SNICKERDOODLES IN HELL!” I shouted, removing myself from his grasp.

“Seriously?” Tom asked, laughing at me.

“Child you wanna die?” I snapped, flipping my hair out of my eyes.

Tom held up his hands in surrender and grinned. I rolled my eyes and turned away and started to walk away.

“Aw hey! Lexi don’t be like that.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me to a full stop. “I’m sorry. Don’t leave me here alone.”

“Eh whatever.” I pulled my arm away and laughed. “Don’t ever scare me like that again!”

Tom snickered and pulled me across the street. “Come on Lexi! We’re almost there!”

I stumbled behind him and almost took out a random French woman.

“Sorry!” I called back. “Tom, slow down! As Baymax once said, ‘I am not fast’.”

Tom winced and slowed down. I caught up and grinned at him. We walked in a comfortable silence and I gazed at the sights. After a little while, Tom pulled me to a stop and turned my head. We had arrived. It was as breathtaking as I imagined it to be.

“Holy…..” I exhaled.

“Pretty amazing huh?” Tom asked looking at me with a grin.

“Amazing?! It’s freaking fantastic! I just-  WOW!” I turned to him, bouncing on my toes and began to take picures.

Tom grinned and poked my cheek. I slapped away his hand and rolled my eyes. We stood looking up at the Tower looming above us. I exhaled slowly and turned to Tom.

“Alright, I guess staring at this architectural wonder is great, but now I’m hungry.” I said, my stomach growling to punctuate my point.

“Whoa there.” Tom laughed, tapping my stomach. “There is this really cool French cafe you’d love! I’ll buy!”

“What’s it called?” I asked “Wait no Tom don’t pay!”

“It’s called Bistrot de la tour Eiffel!” Tom replied. “No it’s my treat! I made you get up this early, it is the least I can do!”

“Toooooooommmmmm.” I groaned. “Not cool dude.”

“You’re my friend! And I made you get up and hang out with me.” Tom grinned, pulling me into a steady walking pace.

I rolled my eyes and kept walking. Tom slipped his hand into mine when we walked into a large group of people. He gave me a small grin and I smiled back. I held hands with my friends all the time, mainly so I wouldn’t lose them in a crowd or something. We made it to the little cafe and got seated. The staff seemed to recognize Tom right off the bat. I was just another face in the crowd at the moment, which honestly was one of the reasons I could walk out of my hotel room without having a security detail. Anyway, Tom and I ordered off the menu. I struggled with the French and continued to apologise for messing all the words up. The waiter didn’t seem to mind, just smiled, and told me that he was glad that I tried. As soon as the waiter left, I pulled out my phone to take a selfie.

“Tom lean over. It’s selfie time.” I chirped.

Tom squinted at me and smiled. I took a quick picture and nodded. It was a good one. Tom pulled out his phone, but I paid no mind until he started talking.

“Hey guys! Just chilling in France with one of my favorite humans! Say hi Lexi!” Tom said, looking at me.

“Oh come on Tom! I’m not even wearing makeup! Or even look that good.” I groaned, covering my face.

“Come on! I know you’re not shy!” Tom pleaded.

“Fiiiiiiiiine.” I shrugged, lowering my hands. “Hey everyone!”

“She’s tired. Because we got up at 6 to see the sunrise! So, I’m getting her breakfast, like the awesome friend I am.” Tom said, winking at the camera.

He put his phone down and looked me.

“What?” I asked, cocking my head to the side.

“You look concerned.” Tom replied. “My fans love you!”

“Most of them Tom…. Some of them would rather have my head on a pike and me being burned.” I replied, running my hands through my hair. “Tom, have you even read the comments on your posts with me in them?! Or even Harrison’s?”

Tom looked me dead in the eye and placed his hand over mine. “Yeah, I have. But that doesn’t change the fact that we are friends! Heck people bullied Jacob all the time, but that changes nothing.”

“But-” I began to object.

“Shhhhh no. No buts.” Tom interrupted me. “Oh look! Food’s coming.”

I turned expectantly toward the waiter and grinned. My stomach rumbled in anticipation. Tom laughed at me, as the waiter set down my food.

“Merci!” I chirped.

The waiter smiled at me as he walked away. Tom picked up his phone and quickly took a picture of us with our plates. As soon as Tom put his phone down, we dug into our food. We sat eating in silence, just listening to the tourists and the locals chatting around us. It was nice to just relax and not think about the real world.

We finally began to talk after making it halfway through out meals. We were laughing and talking about basic things. Tom told me all about how his family was doing and gushed about Tessa. I gushed about my nieces and nephews and my family. We discussed future acting jobs and I explained my book tour. Tom told me I should audition for this movie he was trying for. To that, I almost laughed. Me? In a movie with Tom? That was a dream that wasn’t going to happen. But I agreed that I would look into it.

Tom paid our bill. We exited the building and began walking down the street. My phone dinged, so naturally I looked at it.

“Sweet baby Jesus….” I muttered. “Tom, check this out.”

Tom took my phone and snorted. “Wow, they are fast.”

Covering my phone screen was an array of photos of Tom and me. Us at the Eiffel Tower. Us walking hand in hand to the cafe. Us eating our meal laughing.

I was impressed and slightly horrified. With all true honesty, I had never gotten used to the attention I received from the paparazzi. You could’ve been eating a baguette in a bikini on the Caribbean and they would it it up. Y’all think I’m joking. Yeah nope, I’m not.

Anywaaaaaay, Tom and I continued on our way. I took pictures of the flowers and the skyline. Tom was doing a live video next to me, chatting away with his fans.

“Lexi! Rachel Santiago says ‘Hello!!!!!’ to you!” Tom said, turning the phone towards me.

“Oh hello Rachel! Hope you are having a great day!” I smiled at the camera and waved.

Tom beamed at me and continued talking. And I continued to take all the photos. We didn’t need to talk much, because of the livestream. And honestly, walking in silence was okay with me. We walked, the long way, back to the tower.

“Hey Lexi?”

“Yeah Tom?”

“This was fun. We need to do this more often.”

I ran my hands through my hair and grinned. “I would love that!”

We stopped at the bottom of the tower.

“Wanna go up?” Tom asked.

“Oh heeeelllllll no.” I said quickly.

“What? Why?”

“Afraid of heights.” I replied, shrugging. “I thought I told you that already.”

Tom shrugged. “Maybe, I’ll hold your hand if you want….”

“I would rather die….” I muttered.

“If you don’t want to we don’t have to.” Tom replied.

“Well since I’m here, I should…..” I mused. “Alright, let’s do it. Just let me hold onto you for reassurance.”

“Of course, there’s an elevator.” Tom said, guiding me towards the tower. “I wouldn’t make you walk up stairs.”

“Good, cuz that was never going to happen.” I grinned, twisting my ring around my finger.

“Just remember, I’ve got you.” Tom said, looking into my eyes and grabbing my hands.

I grinned at him weakly. I was nowhere near being ready for this moment. But I took a deep breath and began forcing my legs to take me to the elevator. We stepped inside, with a large amount of tourists. Most of them were to busy talking to each other to even notice the fact that to celebrities were pressed up against them, which I was fine with. I grabbed Tom’s hand and squeezed it tight, as I could feel my anxiety kicking in. Tom smiled down at me and squeezed my hand back. We arrived at the top and exited the elevator.

My heart practically stopped beating when the wind met me. I froze and turned to Tom.

“I-I can’t.” I whispered.

I lifted my hands in defeat, every part of my body just froze. Tom seemed to understand my discomfort.

“Alright, we’ll get you down, just let’s get out of the way first.” Tom said gently.  

I nodded, took a deep breath, and moved forward. As much as my body wanted to turn the fuck around and get out, I forced it to move. I inched forward with Tom right beside me. As soon as the people were out of the way, we entered the elevator and began the ride back down. I looked down at my hands in shame. Oh, how I wished I could have just kept it together for a little bit longer. Why did I have to shut down all the time?

The intrusive thoughts took over and I felt the tears brimming in my eyes. Stupid, stupid, stupid….

The door opened and I stumbled out, quickly brushing the tears off my cheeks.

“Lexi? Are you okay?” Tom asked, touching my shoulder.

“Yeah, I’m all good.” I replied quickly, giving him a thumbs up.

Tom cocked his head at me and didn’t reply. I could tell he didn’t believe me. But that wasn’t really what I was concerned about at that moment. What caught my attention was the small mob of paparazzi that seemed to have materialized out of freaking nowhere.

“Oh shit.” Tom exhaled looking the same direction I was frowning at. “They are fucking fast.”

“Yeah, that ain’t right.” I nodded. “Welp, I’m done here.”

I turned around and grabbed Tom’s hand. I pulled him into the crowd, weaving through the tourists. I wasn’t sure if I had gotten us out of the site of the mob of cameras. But, I didn’t really care too much. It was already too late to keep ourselves hidden completely. I shook my head and crossed my arms turning to look at Tom. He stopped and smiled at me.

“You are fast! You liar.” Tom exclaimed laughing.

“Nooooo….” I muttered, running my hands through my hair. “I was just motivated to get the fuck out.”

Tom just shook his head and we kept walking. But all good things have to come to an end, my phone buzzed with the alert that it was time for me to head back to the hotel. I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to have to go face the reality otherwise known as “Dealing with Cleo”.

“I hate to do this, but I have to go back and face the wrath of Cleo.” I turned to face him with a frown. “I get to discuss my schedule for my book tour and then some different auditions I might want to check out, ya know.”

“Yeah, that makes sense…” Tom replied, nodding. “I understand completely. I’ll walk you back.”

And thus, that was the end of my day with Tom. Tom didn’t say anything as we walked past the tourists and over the bridges. I kept my hands at my sides and looked at the ground. Cleo was gonna rip into me, that was for certain. Damian told me that I had a lot of clothing fittings and style choices for the evening. Media was screaming at me to date/get my shit together. Tom looked at me with a small smile and squeezed my hand. We arrived at the hotel. I said a quick goodbye to Tom. As I turned to go into the hotel, Tom grabbed my hand and pulled me back. The kiss to my temple was fast, as if it never happened. I stumbled into the hotel. My mind was on a thousand things at once. My dreams. Those ships. And the OTP wars.

[strawberry-lemonade]

dont read this im just seeing if it works, its unedited and currently shit

"Excuse me, but I happen to think Mávri gáta is hilarious. Those puns are spot on."

Aria opened her mouth and paused, before closing it again.

"Zào Fortuna has got spots right?."

"Wait were you trying to aim a pun at her, but then forgot if she had spots?

"Uh, maybe..."

"Dude, you're an idiot in every sense of the word."

Aria hung her head.

"...I know."

"That's nice."

Aria threw a pillow at her before exploding in a fit of giggles.

"Mooncaaaake! You're supposed to give me a hug and say sorry!"

Marinette sighed and blew her nails before turning to look at Aria.

"We both know how that goes down."

Aria sighed and stood up.

"Have you heard from Adrien in the past few days?"

"You know what? I haven't."

"Last time I talked to him, he told me he got a boyfriend."

"He did? Why didn't I know about that?"

"Babe, weren't you on the other line?"

"Uh... I think I fell asleep."

"Wow. You really need to stop staying up all night on commissions."

"Speaking of, any news about that stuff?"

"Well, from what I've heard, my little sister from another mister is traveling to Gotham because her fashion business has taken off. 'The mysterious designer MDC has bypassed Gabriel Agreste in the polls!' 

"Well, what you heard is true-'

"I also heard that you get to stay in Wayne Manor and bring a friend. Maybe Sabine?"

"What? And risk her finding out that I parade around the city in spots every night? No thanks."

"Hm. Chloe?"

"The invitation would be wasted. She's already going to Gotham with her mom."

"What about Alya?"

"Since 2 heroes will be out of commission, Rena is going to be needed here."

"I don't know."

Aria collapsed on the bed with a groan before sitting up and smirking.

"Lila."

"Okay. Your guessing privileges have been revoked."

"Noooooo! How else will I find out who you're going to take?!"

"By asking. Like a normal person."

"How dare you assume that I'm normal."

"Now I'm beginning to wonder if I should actually tell you."

"Okay, okay! I'll shut up! Just please tell me who, so I don't have to stay up till 3, guessing."

"I wanted to ask you."

"Uh, I will give you an entire list of reasons why I shouldn't come. Plus, I don't really think they'd let me bring the cat."

"I'm asking right now, and if they say no, then I'll politely decline the invitation."

"I don't want you to miss ou-"

"They replied!"

"What? Let me see!"

Aria scrambled off the chaise and scurried over to Marinette, tripping in the process. 

"Wait! Let me get up!"

Aria jumped up and stumbled into the desk.

Marinette clicked the email and recited it aloud.

"Dear MDC, your friend's cat will be allowed. If you need to arrange anything to bring your cat on the plane, please do not hesitate to ask.

 Aria squealed and hugged Marinette.

"Ok. If we can start packing now, I'll come with you." 

"Why do we have to pack now? The trip isn't until Saturday and it's only Wednesday! Can't we just enjoy the first sleepover we've had in a month?"

"Babe, please? I hate procrastinating."

"What are you talking about? You love procrastinating!"

"I don't love it, It just happens to be my default."

"Same difference!"

"Um, no, not the same difference."

"Nyah."

-------

"Dante. I am begging you. Don't turn off the computer yet."

"Aria. it's almost 1 A.M and we both have class tomorrow."

"I knoooow! But I put my fucking heart into this, and if you turn it off right now, it will delete and I have no way of saving it."

"Aria. Go to bed now."

"Nooooo! I have to finish it!"

"Fine. But as soon as the clock gets to 1. I'm turning everything off. Just because you're my favorite doesn't mean I'll let you get away with anything."

"Boi! I let you get away with so many illegal things! Can I not just stay up for another hour to finish a damn design?!"

"Aria?"

"Hi, Minette."

"Are you gonna stay up again while binge-ing on coffee?"

"Maybe..."

"Marinette. Please tell my idiot sister that she needs sleep too."

"Aria-"

"Noooo! My favorites are teaming up to defeat me!"

"Aria. Go. To. Bed."

"No!"

Aria jumped up, seized the computer, shot into the bathroom.

"Ha! Now you can't stop me from finishing this!"

"Okay. I give up. Marinette, she's yours now."

Dante slowly backed out of the kitchen with his arms raised.

"Aria. Come out. Please. It's not a sleepover if it's only one person. Plus I need someone to binge-watch movies with!"

"...What kind of movies?"

"Um, MIB International, Charlie's Angels, Hanna, Atomic Blonde, La Femme Nikita-"

"I'm in. Just give me a second."

The sound of shuffling around could be heard in the unusually silent house. The bathroom door opened to show a dark room a few seconds later, and Aria emerged holding a closed laptop.

"I thought it wasn't going to save?"

"Yeah uh, I lied. I just wanted to keep working."

"Geez. I bet you'll be the only person in Gotham like this."

"Well, I do try to be unique!"

"Okay, we need to finish packing."

"But what about the movies?!"

"We'll watch them while we pack."

"Yay!"

-------

Five movies and two panic attacks later:

"Mooncake! Do you know where my-"

"Beanie? Downstairs in the tardis."

"Oh my gosh, thank you! I need to take a shower, are you almost finished packing?"

"Yeah, two more outfits and I'll be done."

"Kay. My phone is charging next to the window, the password is 314159, the flashy purple app turns on the TV."

With that, Aria walked out of the room and shut the door. Not even 2 minutes later, the sound of running water could be heard, along with the song 'Consideration' was blasting through the house. Marinette shook her head and laughed.

"Geez Ember. Too loud."

Marinette folded the last outfit and placed it in her suitcase. Walking over to the window, she was attacked by Kiro.

“Ack! Get off!”

Marinette started to try and shake the cat off and Kiro released her leg. She jumped onto the bed and yanked her legs up to avoid any further scratches. The door slammed open to reveal a soaking wet Aria in a towel. She still had soap bubbles in her hair and it had stuck to her face while she was running.

“I heard a screech! Is everything okay?”

Marinette stared for a second longer before laughing so hard she fell off the bed.

“OH MY GOSH! Did you just- holy crap! The cat just jumped on me!”

“...are you freaking kidding me? I literally jumped out of the shower to see what in the world was going on. I thought you were being abducted.”

“I’m so sorry! I just-” Marinette collapsed into another fit of giggles.

“Okay, since you’re obviously fine, I’m gonna go finish my shower. Next time, don’t screech unless it’s an emergency. Now my clothes are wet because of my idiocy. Goodbye, Little Missy Macaron.”

Aria walked out of the room, leaving Marinette to try and clean up the water mess. She just threw a towel over the puddle.

Aria walked into the bathroom while shaking her head slowly. She picked up her phone and pressed shuffle on her playlist. Once again, a song started blasting through the house.

————

Marinette grabbed Aria’s phone and unlocked it. She pressed the purple icon that Aria had told her about and clicked the red power button at the top. Nothing happened.

Right. The TV is downstairs.

Marinette sighed and checked under the bed before leaving the safety of the mattress. She picked up her two suitcases and took them downstairs. 5 minutes later, the sound of gunshots and suspenseful music coming from the living room rivaled the pop music coming from the upstairs bathroom.

—————-

Dante, Evita, and Armando came home to three girls shouting and running around, with another standing off to the side and filming. Chloe and Alya had come over to help after Aria had gotten out of the shower. Though it quickly turned into Chloe chasing Aria around and trying to get her to put on some clothes that weren’t covered in paint, and Alya filming Marinette freaking out about losing her deodorant.

“Dante! I stole your Pikachu boxers because they were in my drawers!” Aria ran past him, a disgruntled Chloe in hot pursuit.

“Why do I care?”

“Just thought you should know in case you start looking for them while I’m gone!”

“Speaking of being gone, shouldn’t you guys get going? Your flight leaves in 4 hours.”

“Crap! Evita! Do you have work soon? Can you drive us to the airport?”

“Can’t you guys just bike?”

Aria stopped and stared at Evita incredulously. Chloe didn't slow down quick enough and slammed both girls into the ground.

“Okay, are you stupid? Because we have like, 4 bags each, and the airport is like 45 miles away. ”

“Okay. I’ll take you, but I do have to work soon so we have to go now.”

“Okay. Akiv! Stop! Do you have your bags?”

“Yes, Ember.”

“Mousinette! Are you ready?”

“I NEED DEODORANT.”

“We can get some at the airport.”

“GAH! Okay, fine. Let’s go.”

The three girls ran to give Alya a hug before they left.

“Bye Als! Love you!”

“Adios, Vixen! Te Quiero!”

“Salut Alya!”

——————-

ONE EXCRUCIATINGLY LONG CAR RIDE LATER:,

Marinette, Aria, and Chloe stepped out of the Envoy and took their bags out of the trunk.

“Zai Jian, Evita! Te Quiero mucho!”

“Adios Mija! Je t’aime!”

Aria gave Evita a hug before slinging her book bag and purse over her shoulder and pulling her suitcase over to the entrance. The girls watched the car drive off before turning and walking into the airport.

“Ay Dios Mio…”

“What?”

“Look at the lines!” Aria gestured over to about fifty people standing in front of a counter.

“Oh, mon Dieu.” 

“Um, no. Look at your tickets. We have first-class. Which is the line over there.” Choe pointed over to a short line with only a few people.

“Oh, thank goodness.” Marinette sighed as she scanned over her plane ticket.

“Wait, really?” Aria scrambled for the small slip of paper in her wallet, accidentally dropping it.

A young male, probably around 15, picked it up. He smiled and held it out to her.

“Here you go, m’lady”

“Thanks, bro,” Aria grunted.

The boy froze for only a second, but it was long enough for her to pluck the leather contraption out of his hand and walk away with the other girls. When they were out of earshot, they all burst out laughing.

“Oh my gosh! Did you see his face when you called him ‘bro’?!”

“That was hilarious,” Aria wiped tears from her eyes.

“Welp, now we know how she keeps guys away.” 

“Who knew it was so simple?”

“No. It’s simple for me. I am the Goddess of repellent. You two are mere mortals.”

“She’s right! Oh, Great One! We are unworthy of your presence, but we beg to learn your ways!” Marinette got down on one knee, with one hand over her heart and the other being held out to Aria.

“Oh, get up Mooncake. They’re looking at us crazy again.” Chloe pulled the smaller girl onto her feet and ruffled her hair.

Marinette giggled, then bowed and took Aria’s hand. 

“I am forever indebted to you for teaching me.” She kissed the brunette’s hand before standing up straight again.

“Mooncake, I love you, but that was the weirdest thing you’ve ever done.”

“Thanks, Abelle.”

“No problem babe.”

Aria rolled her eyes. 

“Next!”

The girls looked up to see it was their turn in line.

“Please place your bags in the designated area.” The lady behind the desk gestured to a wire container.

Marinette looked to the side and placed her suitcase into the basket. The other girls quickly followed suit.

“Names?”

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

“Aria Couture.”

“Chloe Bourgeois.”

The lady typed their names into the computer before waving them away. Marinette saw the dull look in her eyes and pulled out 3 macarons before whispering something and smiling.

“Excuse me, Madame? Here are a few macarons. I hope you have a nice day!” 

Marinette picked up her bags and walked away with her friends. She didn’t miss the small smile that appeared on the woman’s face.

“So, what’d you do to the cookies?”

“Let’s just say the rest of her week will be much better.”

“Minette, I have absolutely no idea what you're implying, and at this point, I'm too scared to ask.”

————

“This is why I hate flying. I’m already exhausted and we haven’t even been at the airport for 2 hours.” Marinette groaned.

“We’re done with all the security stuff, and our suitcases are already boarding the plane, which basically means we can currently do whatever we want. And don’t you still need deodorant?”

“Ugh. You’re right. Let’s go.”

Aria grinned and walked towards a sandwich restaurant.

“Aria, where are you going? The toiletries place is over there.” Marinette pointed to a little kiosk next to the bathrooms.

“Come on. You didn’t really think we would get deodorant before we got food, did you?”

“...I am kind of hungry…”

“Let’s go then!”

Aria grabbed Marinette’s right hand and Chloe’s left hand and yanked them over to the restaurant.

——————

“Flight Number 763, First class, Now boarding.”

Aria jolted awake at the sound of the announcement. She looked over at Chloe and Marinette sleeping peacefully and contemplated waking them up. She'd rather not lose an eye, or two.

Chloe woke up as the brunette picked up a small pink bookbag.

“Good morning Chlo,” Aria yawned.

“...hi Ari.”

Grabbing all of their backpacks, she took the tickets and passports out and walked over to the admittance booth.

“Tickets please."

“Here,” Aria handed him all three tickets and passports.

 Aria looked up at the man in the booth.

“Can we go in or do you need sleeping beauty over here to confirm something,” Aria pointed at Marinette.

“Um. You can go in…”

“Thanks, have a nice day!”

The girls walked to the plane and found their seats quickly. Chloe helped Aria set Marinette down and put the carry-on bags in the capsules above them. Both girls fell back asleep about 10 minutes after they buckled up.

——————

GOTHAM: