#but i'm probably gonna live with my parents after i graduate and have to convince them abt this

[starswallowingsea]

honestly wrt that last post about being 22. i was talking to one of my coworkers at the museum last week about how i wasnt sure i wanted to stay in the museum field anymore or if i wanted to enter right away because i enjoyed my job at a&w and was still guaranteed a job there if i wanted it when i came back and was making $14/hr and probably going to be slowly getting raises past that the longer i stayed (and probably getting more training on other things like food orders and scheduling) and honestly? i actually really like being in the restaurant industry. i've been in it in one form or another since i was 16 and its something that makes me feel good. as much as i complain about it i dont actually mind it that much and it makes me feel like i'm doing something important, even if thats just making fast food meals yknow.

[bari-the-witch]

Steddie Fic rec PART I

Some of my personal favorites I could read over and over again. You can all find them on AO3:

The shire is NOT on fire by kissesforcas (50k+ words, Rating E)

The kids convince Steve to take them all to a Renaissance Faire and LARP event. Steve has more fun than he admits. And then Steve has a LOT more fun than he admits.

Comment: One of the first Steddie fics I read, love it!

Wouldn't it be nice (if we could wake up) by kissesfarcas (100k+ words, Rating E)

Steve finds his pulse. He carries Eddie out of the Upside Down, he keeps his heart beating until they get to the hospital. And then the government intervenes, that shady part of the government? With Sullivan? And he and Eddie wind up locked up, together, in a cell. There's one bed, and glass walls, and it turns out that he and Eddie? Might need each other more than either of them thought they might.

Comment: It's Kas Eddie, what more can I say?

this is what fallin in love feels like by plutoelegies (50k+ words, Rating M)

“For the sleeping thing- I get it. I really do. So you’re gonna get in my car and you’re gonna sleep in my guest room until you look more like a person and less like a Night of the Living Dead character.” Steve said, a tone of finality in his voice.

“Steve, man, I couldn’t ask you to do that.” Eddie said.

“Good thing you’re not asking. This is what we do, we take care of each other. Because if we don’t, nobody else will.” Steve said.

Or: Eddie has nightmares, Steve has a sexuality crisis, and while they’re busy co-parenting some freshman kids, their unlikely friendship begins to turn into something more.

Comment: Season 4 Fix-it with nightmares and a good old-fashioned sexuality crisis

The Adventures of Eddie Munson, Cheerleader by bookworm1805 (20k+, Rating E)

The moment the basketball players walked into the gym, all hell broke loose. 

Curses were spat. Teenagers whispered in scandalized tones as their nikes squeaked over the polished wood floor. Prayers were chanted. Somewhere across town, a baby probably cried.

Eddie Munson grinned. 

or

Eddie borrows Chrissy Cunningham’s spare cheerleading uniform as a prank. The ensuing chaos tips his entire world on its head, for the better.

Comment: This is so funny (and hot!)

Steve Harrington's Guide to Planning a Party (Without Blowing Up) by Anonymous (80k+ words, Rating T)

In a way, Steve was kind of grateful for the swift intervention. He knew now, after all, that most people in the world didn't have the ability to pick out people's emotions, and in a town like Hawkins he wouldn't have lasted long if he commented on every feeling he encountered. It was the reason why despite everything, he had turned out normal, despite all of life's attempts to turn him into something other than a popular somewhat dim-witted jock.

Comment: I'm a sucker for Steve has Powers! It's so so good and well-written.

Must Have/Can't Stand Checklist by deludez3 (60k+ words, Rating E)

Steve decides to move to Chicago for a fresh start after everything is settled with Vecna. Three years later, he returns to Hawkins for the kids’ graduation and rekindles some feelings he discovered years earlier for Eddie.

When Eddie offers his apartment for Steve to crash at to stay longer in Hawkins, Steve can’t say no. Sure he was supposed to drive home on Sunday, and sure he was supposed to work that week, but how could he say no to those chocolate button eyes?

Comment: Eddie and Steve become temporary roomates - hot shenanigans ensue.

someone else's favorite song by fastcardotmp3 (100k+ words, Rating E)

“Not sick, not sick,” he slurs, and Eddie wants to see his face, wants to hold it in his hands, wants to look him in the eye when he says, “just sad. Sad. Fuck… fuck, sad.”

“Why are you sad, big guy?” Eddie asks.

Steve laughs again, but it’s sharper this time, it doesn’t last as long, because as soon as the words slip out of his mouth— “My mom’s dead—”

—it walks that treacherous line between the two sounds and morphs straight to a broken sort of sobbing that reaches directly into Eddie’s chest and drags out his heart.

- A friends-with-benefits relationship goes complicated when who Steve and Eddie are to one another shifts with the coming of a new sort of tragedy.

Comment: This is the best piece of Steddie fanfic I've read out there, I swear. MUST READ

Sanctuary by SpicedSage (40k+ words, Rating E)

After Steve Harrington goes missing, Eddie Munson gets exposed to the secret dangers of Hawkins, Indiana in 1985 instead of 1986.

Will a different first meeting lead to a change in his fate?

Comment: Eddie helps Steve after he got captured by the Russians post Season 3, the characterization is so so good in this one.

More will follow :)

[emoticonheart]

What would happen if the normal burpers like Rick “IckyRicky”, Ashley Fox, Princess Addison Bloomington, Sierra Watson, Conner Eve, Carmen Lopez, Zoe Papadopoulos, King Ian, King Rupert, King Hunter, and The Faren twins, and the hyper belchers like Robin O’Connery, Arrach, Thalia Orog, Nareg Orog, Darion Orog, Princess Adalaide, and Abigail Longfoot switched how powerful their belches would be with one another?

ooh this is an interesting question!! however, for everyone's sake, i'm only gonna talk about some of these characters. but if i skipped someone and you REALLY would like to know what my answer is, feel free to send in another ask!!

first the hyperbelchers:

robin: that would mean she was never cursed, so she would live a normal life (well, still not PERFECTLY normal, but more normal). and i don't think she would ever truly love burping like she does now. in fact, she'd be pretty polite about them, always muffling them so that no one can hear them. she wouldn't judge others for burping around her, since she knows that's something our bodies have to do sometimes, but she wouldn't let loose like that herself. so yeah her personality would be fairly different

thalia: similar to robin, her personality would be different, but unlike robin, her personality would be COMPLETELY different. i mean, think about it: thalia burps are not only powerful, but CONSTANT. she can't go five seconds without burping at least once. so she had to isolate herself for everyone's safety. but if she was never a danger she would've been SO different because she'd be allowed to socialize and such. she'd be captain of just about every sport her schools had to offer, and she'd be the kind of athlete that everyone aspires to be. like you can't convince me she wouldn't be well on her way to the olympics if it weren't for her condition. not only that, but her attitude towards her burps would be so different. like a stereotypical tomboy-ish athlete, she'd be proud of her burps, constantly getting into contests with the other girls (and even boys) on her team. even if she wasn't the best, she'd just be having a good time letting loose. man, in an alternate universe, thalia is a TOTALLY different person. who knew burps could change someone so much?

princess adalaide: super small things would change here and there (like the fact that she can't really use her burps to shut misogynistic men up), but other than that, she would be exactly the same. after all, hyperbelch or not, she only burps when she wants to.

abigail: well she would've saved herself a LOT of embarrassment at that frat party, i'll tell you that much. but other than that... i'm not sure yet. i'm still trying to figure out how her burps work. maybe i'll come back to thjs ask when i have a better idea!!

now the normal belchers:

princess addison: that castle would never know peace. her parents would do everything in her power to make her stop, but she'd just be having too much fun causing chaos. those poor servants...

ashley: poor ashley :(((. if her family hates her now, imagine how much they'd hate her if she could burp powerfully enough to cause earthquakes and shatter glass EVERY TIME. in fact, they'd probably kick her out before she turned 18. and if that were the case, being homeless before graduating high school, would she even meet lily? and fff? man i don't even wanna think about it. let's just say that her self hatred would run so much deeper than it does now.

sierra: now, as much as sierra loves burping, she's not a COMPLETE menace. if her burps could cause actual destruction, she'd make sure not to do so in public. however, her ultimate life goal is to make chris' life hell, so all bets would be off as soon as she gets home. and if she had hyperbelches, chris' torture would know no end. sierra would use her powers to break chris' favorite things, keep him up all night, make him spill whatever he's eating/drinking all over himself by shaking the ground underneath him, etc. sierra would find new and creative ways to make chris' life hell, and no matter what he or her mom would try to do to make her stop, they'd ultimately be powerless, because how can they fight against something like that?

conner: MY POOR BABY CONNER. for starters, he would simply have to kiss his opera dreams goodbye, because one slip up onstage could be catastrophic. but also, he would never be able to go out in public without feeling a massive amount of anxiety. after all, one burp from sierra, and he could knock over an entire shelf of food at the grocery store or cause a car crash as he's walking down the street. he'd avoid being outside as much as possible just to make sure he keeps everyone safe. he's so caring <3

carmen: she'd simply die. she'd never leave her room. unless it was one of her insanely loud burps, you'd never hear from her again.

zoe: well she can only burp when carmen's feeling burpy, but she personally would LOVE being able to hyperbelch. she'd never tell carmen that though.

[princeescaluswords]

I'm Season 1 Scott literally told Allison that he used to live with his dad in another city before moving to Beacon Hills with Melissa, and that his worst childhood memory was when his parents were divorcing. Which means that Rafael didn't actually disappear from Scott's life, and that he and Scott used to live together.

What type of silly gotcha game is this?

Neither of your points contradicts my meta in the slightest. If you don't think a parent can be neglectful and uninvolved in a child's life while they're living in the same house, your life experiences are sorely limited.

I never said that Scott didn't regret his father not being in his life, and neither did anyone else. The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. Scott can resent that his father wasn't there and still care about his father, which he aptly demonstrated. If his parents divorced when Scott was six or seven or eight, Scott is sixteen when the show starts. That could be half of Scott's life where his father wasn't present.

How long did Scott live with his father? We don't know. Scott doesn't actually give a duration in Pack Mentality (1x03). Considering the multiple other scenes where Rafael is described as neglectful, I don't think it was very long. Let's look at some other scenes.

Here's one from The Tell (1x05):

Harris: Sorry. Allow me to clarify. I mean the lack of a male authority figure.

Melissa: Oh. Well, trust me, we're much better off without him in the picture.

It seems that Melissa and Adrian Harris are convinced that Rafael is not in Scott's life.

Here's one from Restraint (2x08):

Melissa: Yeah. Is this about your father? It is, isn't it? Okay, you know what, um - We'll talk about this at home. I'm gonna go get the car.

I doubt that Melissa would have suspected that Scott's relationship with his father was at the root of his juvenile delinquency if they went to ball games every other weekend. Or the fact that Stiles announcement that Rafael is so important it's the last thing that Stiles says to Scott before they go under the ice in Alpha Pact (3x11):

Stiles: By the way, if I don't make it back and you do, you should probably know something. Your dad's in town.

But I'm sure that Scott's father being in town is no big deal. And let's look at the scenes where they actually talk about Rafael being neglectful. What about that time in Silverfinger (3x17) where Scott is surprised that Rafael still has a key to his house and accuses him of getting his hair color from Rafael and that's all he got. Or maybe you can actually listen to Scott in Insatiable (3x23):

Scott: So... See you at graduation. Or whenever you decide to show up again.

Do you still need more? Because there's more! I mean, how do you square your belief "Which means that Rafael didn't actually disappear from Scott's life" with what Melissa says in the Divine Move (3x12):

Melissa: Seriously? Raf, you say that you want a relationship with your son. You can't just bail after one fight.

Or maybe Rafael's own words during Season 4's Time of Death (4x08)?

Agent McCall: Unfortunately, I'm going to have to drive back to San Francisco tonight. I'll need to do a review at the field office. But I'll be back as soon as I can. I might have to miss the first game of the season.

Scott: It's no big deal.

Agent McCall: It is to me. I'm keeping my promises this time

It's obvious to even the most casual observer that neither Scott nor Melissa nor Rafael nor the writers believe that Rafael has fulfilled his duties as a father. It's a significant plot line. In fact, one of the few plot lines that gives us insight into Scott's character without the supernatural being involved.

So why is there such hostility in the fandom to the idea that Rafael McCall was a neglectful father who wasn't present in Scott's life the way he should have been?

That question was rhetorical. I've been in the fandom long enough to understand that the fandom can't afford to acknowledge anything that happens to Scott or any problems in his life because their primary weapon in the war to de-center him as the lead protagonist of his own show is by arguing that he comes by his heroics cheaply. That he's a pampered White Knight who looks down on Stiles and Derek and Peter and any fandom favorite because he can't really understand the tragedies that they exist under. It's why they think that the only thing that happened to Scott after being bit was he magically got good at lacrosse and his asthma disappeared, pretending the terror of being hunted, fear of turning into a murderous monster, horror as his own body transforms into something unrecognizable and constant mental violation didn't actually happen. They can't try to center poor traumatized secondary characters if they don't deny Scott's experiences, even if it comes down to a neglectful father.

Especially in the light of Teen Wolf's theme that what is done to you doesn't give you the right to do things to others. I've watched fandom try to justify Peter's murder of Laura by saying she 'abandoned him' without even a single line spoken in the show, so it's necessary for them to insist that no one hurt Scott ever, because, by pursuing their own logic, Scott could have done much more.

It's tiresome.

[rogue-durin-16]

STICK TOGETHER

Summary: When Fred finds out Y/n is planning on leaving the Wizarding World, he canalizes his feelings in the worst way possible, which leads to a terrible outcome that seems unfixable.

Pairing: Fred Weasley x Slytherin!Reader

Genre: angst

Tags:

Fred Weasley: @whiskeyn-rain @lumos-solemn

Permanent taglist: @elia-the-bibliophile @randomparanoid @karlthecat15722 @thebutchersdaughtersblog @amourtentiaa @just-here-to-escape-from-reality

Warnings: swearing

A/N: @meph1stophelian is here putting pressure on me to post this already so I'm apologizing for the poorly written ending lmaoo enjoy <3

Rogue-durin-16 masterlist

"Fred, calm down." George begged me; he walked by my side, trying to talk some sense into me, but it was not the moment. "You gotta understand her— throwing a fit isn't going to help anyone—" I didn't even look in my twin's direction while he spoke. "Bloody hell, Fred—"

"Y/n!" I quickened my pace, leaving George behind after spotting her in one of the corridors, having a chat with a couple of Ravenclaws. "Can I have a word?"

"Sure— Oi!" I hadn't waited for her to reply before grabbing her hand and snatching her away to pull her into the nearest broom closet. "What was that about?"

"Tell me I heard Katie wrong and you're not actually leaving."

"I can't tell you that." She plainly responded, her voice steady.

A single, gobsmacked snide left my throat. "You're joking, right?" My heart ached as if it was being constricted when she shook her head no. "So you're fleeing?"

"What?"

"Things are getting ugly so you're running away."

Her eyes dug into mines as she stayed in a very uncomfortable silence before replying with. "So what if I am?" When I averted my eyes from hers, she called my name. Her eyes were somewhat softer now, with a gleam of plea in them. "For the last two years we had nothing but tragedy. Diggory died, You-Know-Who is back and recruiting, the ministry is full on going against a teenager, this pink colored nasty toad is physically abusing us, and on top of that, I have to put up with my housemates' bullshit for having muggle blood— I'm tired!" Her voice had raised a bit, enough for me to know she was struggling to keep it at bay, but still managed to. "If I can have a life out of this then—"

"You're a coward."

"Fred." there was a warning on her tone, but I couldn't listen.

"You're leaving... people behind," she attempted to reason; I didn't let her. "Dunno why I'm surprised, really. At the end of the day you're a Slytherin for a reason."

Her eyes started to well up, and I couldn't tell if it was with anguish or fury. I knew I was getting under her skin, but that was exactly what I intended to do; if I was going to leave that room scarred, so would she.

"Self-preservation, you call it." I scoffed, feeling my own rage building up faster each passing second. "Pure cowardy."

"Is that what you think?" Her tone wasn't steady anymore; she was holding back the poison of her words, for my sake.

"Yeah." I wasn't capable of doing the same thing for hers. "And I don't want your cheap excuses and emotional manipulation to convince me otherwise." My face was probably red due to the anger, my jaw and fists hurt from clenching them; I was off the rails, and the person who would usually stop me was standing in front of me. "Better leave now so you don't have the chance to sell us out when shit goes down."

Silence fell upon us, our gazes locked, equally watery and with the same amount of fury and sadness within them.

And finally she snapped. "Maybe I'm a coward, but you're a self-absorbed prat who's not able to see beyond your own ego!" The way she said it hurt me more than the sentence itself. "This is not gonna be a DADA class, Fred! I don't want to fucking die because I was too slow casting Protego."

"Good luck, Y/l/n." I curtly wished her before stalking out of the broom closet I have initially dragged her into.

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

We avoided each other for a week. The following Monday, when I entered the Great Hall, I found George and Katie quite depressed.

"What's gotten into you?"

They shared a look before my brother turned to me, deciding to break the news himself.

"Y/n left last night." He gave me an apologetic look. "Thought she'd wait until the graduation—"

"But she's had enough." Katie finished, toying with her breakfast. "Honestly, I wish I had a life in the muggle world too."

My lungs were refusing to take the air inside; I felt as if I would choke if I stayed there, so I stormed out, jogging to reach the countryard.

I needed to breathe.

Even after the wind hit my face, that vital task felt like the most difficult thing in the world to accomplish.

I hate her I hate her I hate her I hate her.

A sob escaped my chest, realising the harsh words I had spat at her were probably the last ones she would ever hear from me.

I love her.

A Year And A Half Later

READER'S P. O. V.

I managed to apparate somewhere in the cornfield —the only place around the Burrow I remembered clearly.

I should have landed with a broom, but apparently, Mad-Eye didn't inform Lupin that I would serve as an extra escort for Harry if they were ambushed, so my broom was now smashed somewhere down the muggle road we had flown over.

Mentally cursing the damn moment in which I spoke to Shacklebolt in hopes of being useful in this war, I looked for the entrance of the Weasley home, which took me quite a while.

Funnily enough, it was Lupin who stepped out, wielding his wand and casting yet another hex at me that I somehow managed to block.

With a swift wave of my hand, he was propelled back into the house. "YOU!" A long-haired redhead I recognized as the eldest Weasley helped my old Professor up as I stalked to them with my wand up. "YOU HEXED MY BLOODY BROOM! I'M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE!"

"Y/n, calm down—" Shacklebolt was now besides me with his hands up. "He didn't know you were coming— he was trying to protect George from further harm."

My brain was slow to process his words, but as soon as it did, I started to down my arm. "What happened?"

"Snape hit him with the sectumsempra." My eyes widened at Lupin's heavy words.

"Did everyone else make it?" The three of them remained silent, the ginger shaking his head no.

My breath caught up in my throat, but before I could ask if Fred was alright, another tall ginger flashed the corner of my eye, and my head snapped to the living room's door.

FRED'S P. O. V.

Everyone was scattered around the house. Ginny took Hermione and Fleur to her room; Ron and Harry made its way up too; Tonks went out —she needed a moment alone to mourn Mad-Eye—, and, while my parents and I stayed with George, Lupin, Shacklebolt and Bill went to guard the entrance.

I was still kneeling by George's side, holding his hand while our mother healed his wound the best she could, when we heard a yell followed by a strong blow in the kitchen.

I looked at my mum and dad, my eyes flickering to my twin while I reached for my wand.

As I got up, more yells were heard, this time clearer; the voice was familiar— I knew that voice all too well.

There she stood, at the entrance of my home.

Her eyes met mines as soon as she caught a glimpse of me, and my head started to spin. I knew I had no right to do what I was about to do, but after that night's events, in which the war became very much real, I couldn't help but rush to her and engulf her in a tight hug.

Surprisingly enough, I couldn't take more than two steps forward, since she did what I intended to do first.

"You're alright." She mumbled against my shoulder. My eyes shut, trying to block the tears that threatened to fall. "How's he?" She inquired whilst pulling away with a concerned frown.

Not trusting my voice, I nodded in the living room's direction. A quiet sough escaped my lips as she passed by, her hands lingering on my arms for a brief instant before she entered the room and took careful steps towards the settee.

I barely caught a couple of words from George and Y/n's exchange, my mind still buzzing due to the shock.

"What do you say, Freddie?" I frowned at my twin, regretting not listening to the conversation. "She can take my bed, right? I'm not gonna get far anyway."

"Right." I agreed, struggling for my voice to come out steady. It was Y/n we were talking about; I had known her since our fourth year, I had been friends and more with her, seeing her shouldn't be that nerve-wracking.

A couple of minutes later, we were all heading to our respective rooms, and as I closed my room's door behind me and Y/n, it dawned on me that I had underestimated the anxiety that could cause me being left alone with her.

Get it together, Fred.

"If you want, you can grab a shirt from the drawer." I finally managed to speak, motioning at the chest besides the window. She nodded and turned to it to look for one she could sleep in.

Now that I had the opportunity, I carefully observed her, and soon realized how much she had changed in the time we were apart. Not only when it came to her physical appearance; she stood a bit straighter, talked a little calmer; the joy with which she used to sparkle was dim now, eclipsed by a severe, worried attitude— a sign of us no longer being the kids who messed around at Hogwarts.

"I missed you" I knew right away that wasn't the best start for the conversation.

"It sure didn't seem like it." The bitterness in her tone stung my heart harsher than I expected.

"You're still mad?" The way I was conducting the conversation was making me want to bang my head against the wall.

She sighed, turning around now that she had the shirt on to meet my gaze. "A year and a half, Fred. You didn't contact me for a year and a half. I thought we were friends."

"You left me behind!" I talked back, partly because I panicked, but also because I, to my surprise, was still mad too. "What did you even expect?"

"A letter?" She questioned, throwing herself down on the bed. "I mean— I didn't really expect anything, but a letter would have been a good way to let me know you didn't fucking hate me." My eyes, now fixed on my lap, went wide when Y/n's voice broke at her last three words.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled, quite ashamed of having to apologise while also being scared of saying anything that could harm her further. "I'm sorry about not writing and- uh... I'm sorry about what I said to you. I know it's not an excuse but I was really mad and..." I cleared my throat and felt the blush creeping up my neck even before I finished the sentence. "... and hurt 'cause you- I thought that maybe I wasn't important enough to you and- yeah, I'm sorry about what I said." I tried meeting her eyes but they were fixed on the wall before her.

"It's fine." She shrugged, "I guess you were right anyway."

"I wasn't right-"

"You were." She hugged her knees to her chest and hid her face there. "Wanna know why I'm back?" She didn't need my response. "They're hunting down my family." My heart stopped beating for a second due to the shockingly deadpanning tone. "A friend gave me a tip-off— they were tracking them down. I got to them just in time." I refrained myself from asking about them —the less I knew, the better. "So yeah, you're right, I was a coward and left people behind."

My body shot up and my legs carried me to George's bed; without me being fully aware of what I was doing or which consequences it could have, I sat down and pulled Y/n into my arms.

Though she was shocked at first, her body soon relaxed into the familiarity of my arms, and she let out a relieved sigh. "You're not alone on this." I whispered, pecking her crown. "I'm here, okay?"

"So you don't hate me?" She murmured against my chest.

Maybe it was the fragility of her voice, or the warmth of her embrace I missed so much; maybe it was this past year and a half of regret, or the night's events, but I couldn't hold back my words.

"I love you."

And even though she went stiff, even if I had just blurted them out almost in accident, I didn't regret saying them, because I, in fact, loved her.

She pulled away to look into my eyes. "You mean it?"

"Yeah." I replied, calmer than I had been in a while. "And I'm really sorry about everything, if I could turn back time—" words and air were cut off by her lips crashing against mines.

We had kissed before, but it was on a bet's behalf or to prank someone; this was different, this was her pouring her 'I love you' into actions, and I embrace it gladly.

"No more running away." I commanded when she pulled back. "From now on, we stick together." She nodded, her forehead resting against mine and her palms on my chest.

[choosingmylife]

Catching a First (Maxwell x MC)

Been working on this for like...over a week and finally got it done. Sometimes, I know a story I want to begin, but have no clue how to end it so it takes me a while.

Anyway. Enjoy lovely people.

"Maxwell, hurry! We're gonna miss it!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," her husband yells from across the house, followed by a laugh. "Never thought I'd say that outside of our bedroom."

Daisy rolls her eyes as he enters the room. "And you won't ever say it again if you miss this."

"I'm not gonna miss anything. Look, she's not even standing up anymore!"

Daisy turns to look at their daughter, just barely a year old, playing with a toy on the carpet. Her attention is completely devoted to the toy and it seems as if she has no intention of moving anytime soon.

Daisy groans, "Ugh, I've been trying to get her to do it for weeks! And every time I think she's gonna start walking and I get the camera ready, she doesn't do it. I swear, it's like a game to her and I never win."

Maxwell settles onto the couch beside his wife, watching over their daughter. "I don't think we're ever supposed to win. Pretty sure that's what being a parent means."

"Yeah, well it sucks."

"Dadada," Charlotte babbles as she finally realizes her favorite person is in the room.

Maxwell grins at the little girl, "Hey, sweetpea. That's right. Da da. I'm your da da," he talks back to her and she smiles in return. She moves her body to go towards him, but the toy she'd been playing with makes a noise, distracting her again, and she stops.

His wife frowns at the exchange. "When is she ever going to say mama? I mean...I'm here, too, ya know. It's a little unfair."

Maxwell shrugs and turns his head to look at her. "Maybe I'm just the cooler parent and she just had to say dada first or it'd ruin her street cred."

"She doesn't have any street cred, Maxwell."

"Not yet, but she will. Might as well rack up all the points she can get," Maxwell informs her and Daisy only shakes her head, not wanting to open the argument of who was the cooler parent again.

They continue to talk about little things and watch their daughter as she plays for a few more minutes. They're stopped when Chance prances into the room and hops onto the couch between them.

Daisy pets him on the top of his head. "Hey there, boy. I haven't seen you all day. Where've you been?"

Of course, he doesn't answer, and instead nuzzles himself closer to Daisy. Maxwell reaches out to pet him, but Chance gives him a look.

Maxwell slowly retracts his hand. "At least you've got Chance. I've shared like a hundred ice cream cones with him and he still barely tolerates me."

Daisy pauses her petting, "Ice cream cones? You've given him ice cream?"

"Well yeah, it's not gonna hurt him. I mean, it shouldn't. Right?"

"Usually no, not for any other dog but Chance is lactose intolerant! No wonder he's been stinking up the place," she complains.

"Doh! Doh!" their daughter exclaims from the floor, her eyes wide.

Both parents turn to look at their daughter as she reaches for the animal, fingers flexing in and out. Chance perks up at her voice, his tail wagging excitedly back and forth. The little girl clumsily stands up from the floor and her parents' eyes widen.

"That's right, Char. Dog. Come see your dog, baby girl," Daisy coos.

Charlotte's right leg begins to shake as she tries to lift it. Her heel leaves the floor but immediately goes back down.

"Come on, baby. You can do it. Come get Chance. Come on," Daisy urges as Maxwell sits in awe.

Their daughter tries once more to move her legs, picking up one foot with a shaky motion. Daisy gasps and slaps Maxwell on the arm. When he looks at her, she gestures to the camera and he takes the cue.

Charlotte takes a step and Daisy claps her hands, "That's it, baby. Come here. Come see Chance. You're so close!"

Their daughter takes another step, stumbling for a second and getting off balance. She quickly recovers, however, and takes another step, this time more carefully and steadier than before. With each step, she grows more confident and, with both parents cheering her on, she makes it to the couch, roughly falling into it as she reaches for Chance.

"Doh!" she exclaims and Daisy laughs.

"Yes! Yes, dog! Good job, Charlotte! You walked! You did so good," Daisy tells her, proudly, and wipes a tear off of her cheek as it trails down.

Charlotte continues to chant about the dog and Daisy looks at her husband, whose own wide smile matches hers.

"I can't believe she finally did it! You know its going to be crazy here now that she can cruise around on her own," Daisy says and Maxwell nods.

"I know, but at least we won't have to carry her everywhere anymore. She's starting to get heavy," he replies.

Daisy sighs, "Yeah, I'm a little sad about that. It seems like just the other day I was in the hospital having a brand new baby wrapped in a pink blanket put in my arms. And now she's walking! Next it'll be the first day of school, then graduation....and she's gonna get married! Have kids of her own! It's going to fly by..."

Both of their smiles falter as they take in this thought, imagining all of the ways their little girl is going to grow and change.

Daisy sighs again, "Well, at least we have it on video to look back on it whenever we want to. Can I watch it again?"

Maxwell lifts up the camera and starts fiddling with the buttons. "Sure, I have it riiiiight....oh, no."

Daisy frowns, "'Oh no?' What does that mean? What's 'oh no'?"

Maxwell looks up at her, sheepishly. "Um. Well. Don't be mad at me. It was an honest mistake, it could have happened to anyone."

"Max..." Daisy warns.

"Ok, ok. So...I may have...not actually recorded it?"

"What!?" Daisy exclaims, "How could you not have recorded it?"

Maxwell lifts the camera up, almost as if just looking at the object can fully explain the mishap.

"Well, see, the record button is right next to the off button and, you know, in the excitement of it all, I possibly, maybe, definitely hit that one on accident."

Daisy's face falls at the realization that a pivotal moment in their child's life will not be forever immortalized through video. "But...she walked. She's only ever going to walk for the first time once and we missed it. We're never gonna have that again," she mutters, on the verge of tears.

"Oh come on now," Maxwell says, moving closer to his wife, ignoring the warning glance of their dog, and puts an arm around her shoulders. Using his hand, he gently guides her head to lay on him as he soothingly pats her hair up and down. "It's just a silly video, Daisy. We're going to remember it up here," he stops patting her to lightly poke her temple, "and that's where it counts. So there's no need to get all sniffily over it."

Daisy looks up at him, eyes red and brimmed with unshed tears of disappointment, "But...her first steps, Max."

He pulls her head back down and kisses the top of it, "I know, honey, I know. We'll always remember it though and that's gotta count for something, right?"

Daisy sighs and nods her head, "No, you're right. We won't ever forget it. It'll be okay."

"That's right but we are gonna forget my colossal mess up...right?" He asks.

She lifts her head again and gives him a stern look, "I absolutely won't forget that," she tells him and he grimaces.

"Are we atleast gonna look back on it years from now and have a good little laugh?"

"Many, many, many years from now, but sure. We probably will," she replies and he smiles.

"See? It's all good." He detaches himself from his wife and slaps both hands on his thighs. "Now, to celebrate this totally amazing moment, who wants ice cream?"

Their daughter immediately gets excited at the mention of her favorite dessert and Chance's ears perk up at the suggestion.

"None for you, Chancey boy. Ever again," Daisy tells him and his ears fall back down, his head going with them. "Ugh, fine. You can have one scoop and that's it, you hear me? Just one, Chance."

Chance sits up, excitedly, and jumps off of the couch. Giggling, the little girl chases after him, on two chubby, and still a little unsteady, legs as they make their way to the kitchen, Maxwell not far behind.

When he gets to the door, Maxwell turns back to Daisy and raises an eyebrow. "You coming?" he asks.

Daisy looks forlornly at the camera for a moment before turning her attention to her husband. "I am. I'll be there in a minute. Save me some chocolate will you?"

Maxwell grins, "Only if you don't take too long. Choczilla in there might eat it all if you don't hurry. You know I can't say no to that face."

Daisy rolls her eyes, "Yeah I know, but try anyway. Okay?"

"You got it," he promises with a wink and he leaves.

Daisy again looks at the camera and frowns, sad that such a huge moment in their daughter's life was missed. It had taken so long to have her that Daisy wanted any and everything memorilized for the rest of time. They'd even taken photos of her first poopy diaper. Daisy, in amazement that such a tiny thing could contain so much, was convinced at the time that it was the greatest thing to ever happen in the baby's short life, so they'd taken several photos much to Uncle Drake's horrified objections. Missing something like her first steps really broke Daisy's heart.

She thinks back on what her husband said and has to agree that, sure, it wasn't on video, but neither one of them would ever forget this day. Their little girl was growing up and bound to have many more things that deserved to be recorded just as much, so, maybe, in the grand scheme of things, missing one wasn't so bad. They'd always have a video in their own minds, snapshots of her furrowed brows as she tried to get her footing and the nearly toothless grin on her face as she tumbled into the couch. That could never be lost, not as long as they were living, Daisy was sure of it.

Sighing, she stands to go and join her family, their laughs echoing down the hallway and filtering into the room, Chance's happy yips accompanying it. Crossing the room, she glances back at the couch, rewinding the recording in her mind and playing it again, and smiles, faintly.

Yes, they'd never forget this, even if they hadn't managed to get it on camera.

Except...maybe next time something happens, she'll be in charge of the camera. Just in case.

[wertdifferenz]

I'm bored and don't have a computer to write on since I'm at my parents place right now, so I'm just gonna post a shitty idea for a shitty klance fic with a bad big brother Shiro:

Keith breaks up with his boyfriend. Shiro is devastated since he got Keith and his ex-boyfriend together and always thought they were happy. He didn't see or ignored the fact that it was a pretty unhealthy relationship. Shiro wants to convince Keith to give his ex another chance, but Keith declines.

After a year or so Keith and Lance tell their friends that they're dating, and the group is shocked because they can't see them together. They subtly try to interfere with the realtionship, thinking that since it's still fresh the two boys are easy to seperate.

What they don't know: Keith and Lance have been secretly dating for almost a year now, have a stable and healthy realtionship and couldn't be happier. Okay, wait. They could be happier, if their friends didn't try to seperate them. They're kinda sad that their friends won't approve of them, and get insecure about themselves.

Than comes the big drama and angst, but of course with a happy ending, because I hate sad endings.

Maybe the group is in college and when they graduate, Keith and Lance dissociate themselves from the drama with their friends. They spend some time with Lance's family (the McClains adore Keith) and maybe even move to another city, away from their friends.

They live happy together and forget about the bad stuff that happened in college. Maybe the group comes around after some time because they see that Keith and Lance are good for each other, maybe they stay stubborn and don't talk to them anymore (Coran would probably talk to them in secret).

I don't know, I'm totally fixed on the hurt and angst part right now, because I love to see my boys miserable. Call me crazy...