#but like. why. oh my god. bites and chews on this ending reveal forever. guess we'll have to wait until 2.2. goodnight

[aromanticasterisms]

............huh.

[goddamnitkastle]

Tell Me Where Your Heart Is

Hello Brooke! (@the-restless-brook)! Yes, I am your Kastle Secret Santa. Ta da! 

You prompted me with “anything cozy, domestic, or angsty (as long as there’s a happy ending).” 

So full disclosure I really had no idea what I was gonna come up with for your gift. I thought about doing some sort of AU for you (because you really are the the Queen of the Kastle AUs) but that ended up being a red herring cause Season 2 of Virgin River came out and OH BOY did I get inspired lol

And so I ultimately decided to go full on angst, which I hope you will like. There is a happy ending, I promise. And there’s also a couple Marvel/Netflix Universe nuggets I threw in, I hope you’ll catch them :)

But to keep it simple, here’s a post The Punisher Season 2 fic in which Frank and Karen meet up at Josie’s. Will they make their way back to each other? (well, yeah, duh but it will be an angsty ride).

Enjoy! And Happy Holidays, Kastle Fam! <3

Josie’s on a Monday is pretty dead, even in December. Honestly a graveyard is more lively on this weekday than the bar in Hell’s Kitchen, despite the homely effort of the Christmas decorations put up by Josie herself. So when Karen comes strolling in, just dodging the light rain, and takes a seat, she’s not surprised by the look on the bar owner’s face.

“Wow. Must’ve been a hell of a day. Starting early for the week, huh?”

“I guess you can say that. Can I get a bourbon?” Karen asks as she places a twenty down on the bar top.

“You got it.”

Josie turns around and grabs the Four Roses bottle off the shelf. Karen takes a quick survey of the scene, clocks everyone here. Rob and Mira Donohue are having drinks at the table by the pinball machine and Tom Belkin is at the pool table with a friend.

“Here ya go, love.” Josie places the glass in front of her and takes the twenty. Karen takes a sizeable sip, tries to focus on the burn going down her throat rather than her rattling nerves. She doesn’t miss Josie’s eyes go wide though when she gives her her change. 

“Hey should I be worried tonight, Page? This isn’t your usual night and look, I don’t mind... usually…”

“It’s fine, Josie. I’m just... meeting someone. And I need this place to be quiet. I think they need... quiet.”

Josie shakes her head, walks over to the end of the bar. She pulls back a small curtain, revealing a safe hidden under the register. She turns the combination lock, opens it, and pulls out a 9mm.

“Josie come on, that’s not…”

“It’s a precaution. I do trust you... usually... but I got an establishment to protect.” Josie says as she ejects and checks the mag.

She clips it back in and clicks the safety off when the bell rings by the entrance door. Karen resists turning around, even though she is dying to see him.

God how long has it been since the hospital she thinks.

She goes for another sip of bourbon, tries to feign casualness even though his very presence has changed the mood of this dull Monday night. The Donohues have stopped talking and Tom and his friend have stopped playing. Heavy boots pad their way to the bar. Out of the corner of her eye, Frank Castle comes into her line of sight. He’s in all black, sporting a full beard, and scowling, but it doesn’t feel lethal to her. Josie though is gripping her gun like a lifeline.

“What can I do for you... scary hipster?” Josie asks.

Karen has to choke down her laughter. She covers her mouth with her hand and squeezes her eyes shut.

“I’ll just take a beer.”

Frank sits down a seat away from Karen and the tension lifts once Josie clicks the safety back on. The bar patrons resume their activities as she quickly serves Frank a beer, gun still in hand. Josie walks toward the end of the bar toward the safe but not before giving Karen a quick I will never let you in here again if there’s trouble tonight look. She just shrugs in response.

Neither of them say anything for a good while. Karen just focuses on her bourbon. Frank was the one who called her, he can start this. Not like she has anywhere to be...

Although drinking at Josie’s on a Monday night isn’t exactly at the top of her list.

“Hell of a place you picked.”

“Didn’t know what I was getting into. Knew it wouldn’t be crowded here... and I needed a drink.”

“What about your place? Don’t tell me you had to move again…” Frank cracks as he takes a swig of his beer.

“Nope, I’m still there.”

Frank takes a step closer to her. Karen can’t help it, she turns to face him and take him in. No bruises and his hair is growing out again. He looks the way he did when he first came back into her life, just without a blanket and not asking for change.

“Wasn’t sure you were gonna say yes to meeting me.”

“I wasn’t either. Still debating on leaving, actually…”

“Do you want to?”

“Honestly? Yes.”

“Okay. You can go.”

“Right.”

Karen starts to get up and she wishes she missed Frank’s face. Looking like a puppy who got kicked for chewing on someone’s flip flop.

“Hey.” Frank says intensely as he grips her arm. “Come on. Don’t…”

“Don’t what, Frank?”

“Don’t... go.”

“You literally told me I could go. Look, what do you want Frank? Can you just tell me why you called…”

“I will when you stop this.”

“Stop what?”

“Being pissed at me.”

“Being pissed... oh boy.”

She bites down on her bottom lip; a suppression to not straight up scream at him.

“I want to talk, Karen. But if you need to say something to me just say it. Just get it out in the open so that we can move forward.”

His eyes bore into hers. Karen hopes Frank isn’t looking into her soul, he doesn’t get to do that anymore. She knows she needs to break this, needs to move on. He chose the war. He chose to continue being The Punisher. The people that care about him, the peace he could have found... he pushed it all away. And he can’t just decide to want it now after almost a year of silence.

“Fine. I do have some things to say. But first, you’re gonna buy me a drink. Okay?”

“Okay.”

She walks back over to the bar and sets her bag and coat down again on the chair. Frank follows. Josie saunters over.

“Another bourbon, Page?”

“No I’d like two shots of whiskey please. He’s buying.”

Karen jerks her head toward Frank who immediately pulls out a wad of cash from his coat pocket.

“You got it.”

Josie walks away to get the shots. Karen takes a seat and Frank takes the one next to her.

“Didn’t take you for a hard liquor kind of girl.”

Karen opens her mouth, then closes it. How exactly is she supposed to respond to that? People have been making assumptions about her all her life and she’s in no mood to tell Frank that he’s wrong.

“But I guess I don’t know that much about you, do I? You always... surprise me.”

The genuineness throws Karen off. She wonders if she should cut him some slack. It’s not like they owe each other anything. The connection that Madani had told her they had will probably always be there but as it stands she doesn’t fit into his life and vice versa. What’s the point in trying to make it work?

“No. You don’t know anything about me.” She says after a prolonged pause.

Josie comes back with the shots and makes herself scarce again. Karen takes the shot and gestures to other one.

“Come on.”

“Jesus…” Frank mutters.

“Not into hard liquor like me? Wait. Let me guess. You actually love wine.”

“I do actually.”

He stares at the shot glass then back at her. He sighs and downs it. The grimace he makes is brief, but then he turns back to her and she knows what has to come next.

“It’s been a year since the hospital Frank. ” Karen starts as she rotates her empty shot glass with her fingertips.

“I think. I’m honestly not sure… anyway. I thought we were done. I thought you were finally out of my life and then those pot of white roses landed on my desk last week and… I really don’t understand what you want for me at this point. If it’s to get information I am not going to do that for you. If you are looking to reconnect I don’t want that either. Not while you continue to wage this war of yours that you chose. Over life. Over love. Over… me.”

She places the shot glass down, the clink on the wooden bar top being the loudest noise in her ears.

“I’m sorry. About that day. And I’m sorry I never called you after that. But I thought you understood.”

“Understood?”

“Why I am doing this. Why I couldn’t accept what you were offering me that day in the hospital. I lost my entire family, Karen. I had to watch them die and then bury them. You can’t even begin to imagine…”

“I’ve buried people that I loved. I absolutely know what you are going through. I know hurt. I know guilt. I know how it feels to want to drive a knife into this world just to feel like I had some kind of control over it. So don’t you dare try to tell me how I feel. I just…”

Karen huffs as she runs her fingers through her hair. Frank scratches at his beard, clearly processing.

“Do you think I like feeling like this? I am never going to see Maria again. I am never going to hold Lisa or Frankie Jr. in my arms. They are gone, Karen. And it is my fault that they are gone. If I let myself love you…”

“Frank…”

“It’s just a risk I can’t take. If anything happened to you… I wouldn’t be able to survive it.”

Frank’s trigger finger taps away on the bar top.

“So is that it? Is that why you called me? To tell me that you will forever be stuck in this black hole of a life? Stuck in a war that can never be won and you think it’s what you deserve?”

“It is what I deserve.”

“No it’s not Frank. The loss of your family… that is something that you will carry with you with the rest of your life. And the grief will always come straight at you, unexpectedly. But you deserve an after…”

“Karen, no…”

“You do. I know you can’t see it but you will come to a day where you’ll be able to think about them but still go on with your life. And that won’t feel like a betrayal...”

“I can’t do this. I’m sorry. I should’ve never called you.”

He practically bounds out of the bar stool and heads for the door.

“Frank!” Karen shouts.

The door swings and he’s gone.

This is a crossroads moment. Karen can feel it. She could let him go, never see him again. Maybe at last find peace with this pain. Find someone else to build a life with.

“You love him don’t you?”

Karen turns around to find Josie looking at her. She’s cleared their shot glasses away and is washing them in the sink.

“Josie…”

“Don’t try to deny it. And he loves you too.”

“Yeah, sure he does.” Karen replies sarcastically.

“He does. I remember that news story a while about that crazy asshole who shot up that hotel trying to kill ya and that senator or whatever. I read that he took a few bullets for you. That’s love.”

“How did you... nevermind. Yes, that is true, but then when I offered the option to love someone else, he said he didn’t want to.”

‘Yeah but then he asked to see you again. Timing is a bitch, that much I know. Come on, at least go out there and give the man a hug. Man looks like he could use one.”

Karen turns back to the front door. Before she can process it she is heading out the door, barely catching Josie‘s laugh.

The sharp, winter air hits her and the light rain Is back. Karen looks down both sides of the street, knowing that he is probably long gone by now. The man knows how to disappear, and will only be found if he wants to.

She goes to her left to head home. As she turns the corner, he’s there. Against the wall of Josie‘s, barely standing.

“Frank?”

She walks toward him but he doesn’t acknowledge her. He looks so broken, looking up at the sky.

“You belong with someone else, Karen. Not with me.”

“Don’t.”

“You do.”

“Well I don’t want someone else, Frank. I want you.”

He turns away from the sky and stares at her, wide eyed.

“Yeah. It’s still on the table. But if you’re not even going to open yourself up to the possibility of an after… And I’m not saying an after with me. I mean for yourself. If you won’t even allow yourself to try to find it then it’s not going to work. I need hope, Frank. I need to believe that there is a better world to make and to be had. Even if that means I am not going to be around for it. I am still going to try to leave it better than I found it.”

“Who was it?” Frank asks after a few moments.

“What?”

“Who did you bury?”

“My mom. My brother, Kevin.”

“Tell me about them?”

“Okay. Walk me to my car?”

She thought it would be a lot harder to tell him about what happened to her mom and Kevin, about who she was before she came to New York City. But it fell out of her, everything. He doesn’t interject nor interrupt her. They’re still a block away when she’s done talking.

They reach her car as Karen fishes for her keys. They are stuck at the bottom of her bag and she groans in frustration. She had almost forgotten that Frank is still with her but then she feels a hand lightly touch her shoulder.

“Karen.”

She looks up. He is looking better but there is still that same lingering, soul crushing sadness in his eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

The sincerity of his apology stuns Karen. Then it comes back. The memory of when she told Matt about what happened to Kevin.

“Jesus Karen.”

Matt was wrapped up in trying to take down Fisk at the time. Karen was trying to pull Matt back, she knew it wasn’t the right time to tell him. She knows he would’ve probably have had a different reaction under different circumstances. Karen knows this. But Karen would be lying if his response didn’t haunt her dreams every now and then.

“Well I should get home. If you ever wanna talk… well I’m sure you’ll reach me somehow. I’ll keep an eye out for another pot of roses.”

She gets her car door open and climbs into the seat. She turns the key in the ignition but the engine stalls.

“Come on.”

Karen keeps turning the key but the engine continues to stall.

Frank knocks on her windshield window.

“Hey, let me check. I can probably jumpstart your car.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Jesus Karen.”

“I don’t want you here, Karen.”

Karen smacks the steering wheel repeatedly and then screams. And screams. And screams.

“Karen! Karen!”

Frank’s voice is muffled and Karen barely registers that he’s opened her door and is pulling her out of the car.

“Karen it’s okay. It’s okay. I’m here.”

The screams turn into sobs and Karen stops trying to pull away from Frank.

She doesn’t know how long they stand there in the light rain while he holds her. Her crying does subside in time and all Karen feels is his heartbeat and his hand running up and down her back.

“I know. I know.” He keeps repeating into her ear.

Frank asks if Karen wants a ride home. Karen just simply nods, now realizing that her legs are numb.

“Okay. Let me make a quick phone call.”

Frank gets on the phone and says hi to Micro. Karen manages a small smile. Good to know that he’s not dead.

“Okay so Micro is calling in some favors. Your car is gonna get towed to a lot nearby. I will take care of it tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Frank.”

“Let’s get you home.”

Frank holds his hand out and Karen takes it. 

...

It takes an hour but they arrive in Karen’s neighborhood. Frank has to park ten minutes away from her apartment, which has him apologizing and cursing alternate side parking in one breath.

Karen feels simultaneously exhausted and wired. Frank hasn’t taken her hand in his since they got out of his van but they keep drifting and bumping into each other as they walk.

“Thanks for driving me back.”

“You’re welcome. You okay?”

“Yeah I just… I told Matt. About Kevin. And it... wasn’t the best timing and I had never told anyone before that moment and…”

“Yeah well I don’t think altar boy has the best bedside manner. Even on a good day.”

Karen can’t help but laugh. They walk up the front steps of her apartment building.

“Don’t worry about your car. It’ll be safe. I’ll pick it up tomorrow and take it to the shop. It’s probably the alternator.”

They reach her door.

“Okay so I have your car keys but you probably need these back.”

He hands her the rest of her key ring. He turns to go down the steps, their fingers interlocking around each other.

“So hold onto it. You have everything. Use two hands and never let go.”

Never let go.

Never let...

She grips on his fingers and he turns around. She doesn’t say or do anything but hold on to the key ring and his fingers. They just stare at each other but something changes, something shifts.

He walks back up the two steps, and they’re now face to face.

Karen can’t explain it but she’s filled with such a longing that she thought she had buried a long time ago.

They are still holding on to her key ring, the metal becoming warm from the heat of their hands. She inches closer and closer to his face, eventually ghosting her lips over his.

Karen places a small kiss on his mouth. He doesn’t react, which isn’t surprising, so she tries again. She can feel how taken aback he is but he starts to reciprocate soon enough. He angles his mouth as she pushes her tongue past his teeth, his hands cup her face as she wraps her arms around his neck.

The flurry and fury of their movements push them up the stairs. Karen has never been more grateful for her one floor walk up. He gets the door open as she gets to work on getting his jacket off. He helps her out of hers with ease, his mouth never leaving hers.

Karen is trying to take it all in but it’s too much. The ridges of the scars on his skin that have stories and how she wants to know all of them. How strong he is, taking her shirt off with a gentle force she has never felt. How soft his hair is, how his beard feels so fucking good on her neck.

They fall into her bed, still partially clothed but Karen doesn’t mind, she’s content to just kiss him and hold him close to her.

His mouth leaves hers and Karen tries to reach for it but stops. It’s that stare of his again. But it’s different this time. She’s seen him vulnerable but never this vulnerable. He honestly looks terrified.

“Frank what is it? We can stop…”

“No. I want to. I want this... I just... when we’re not together... when I don’t see you... it scares me. And I tried to hide from that feeling all year. Karen don’t…”

She runs her hands through his hair and he frames her head with his.

“It’s okay. It’s okay Frank.”

Instinctually, her hand slides down to his chest. Over his fast beating heart.

“It’s safe. You’re safe.”

She reaches for his face, her finger tips brushing against his lips. He kisses her palm and she pulls him back in.

...

Frank is warm. A comfortable warm, not the searing kind that comes from his nightmares. Hands are wrapped around his head and his face is pressed against soft skin. Karen’s skin. This stillness, after all that transpired last night between them, is strangely comforting. As is her slow, deep breathing. And when she wakes up, a smile forming at the sight of him, he still wonders if this is all a dream. 

“Morning.”

“Morning.”

“How do you feel?” Karen asks as she pushes away a strand of hair from his forehead.

“Happy.” Franks answers honestly. 

“That’s good.”

“And safe.” Frank admits quietly.

“That’s exactly how I want you to feel.”

“I do. With you.”

“So do I.”

He reaches for her face, brushes the pad of his thumb on her cheek. For a brief, sudden moment he sees smoke and a bloody cut on Karen’s forehead. How close he came to losing her that day…

“I will come for you.”

Frank shakes away the memory and tries to focus on this one. He wants these kind of memories with Karen, not the ones filled with violence and open ended goodbyes.

“Is everything okay, Frank?”

“Look Karen… I want to be honest. I don’t want to lie to you anymore and… you should know why I called you.”

Frank pulls away from her and sits up against her headboard. Karen follows suit, pulling her comforter up.

“Okay.” 

“I... want to be done. The Punisher… I want it to be over.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I won’t, uh, bore you with the details but… I was near death. About a month ago. I really don’t remember much but I wasn’t… planning to come back from this job. But I guess Curtis and Madani weren’t on board. They got me out and… I just remember cracks of light. From the car windows. And each time, I saw you. I honestly thought you had come with them. I kept wanting to let go though, finally be with… but you were there. Telling me to hold on. Cause there was another side to this. An… after. And I did. When I finally came to, I asked where you were. And yeah, I found out you weren’t really there but… it was real. And it got me through. And that was why I called. I want you there. But then you were ruthless... stomped on my heart... which I deserved... and I got scared. I’m still scared, Karen. But I don’t want to live without you anymore. And I don’t expect…”

Karen takes his hand, puts it in her lap. Whatever he was going to say next dies on his tongue.

“This is real, Frank. You know that, right?”

“I do.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

He leans in to kiss her and it is the sweetest touch he can muster. He hopes it is enough.

It was a hell of a journey for them to get to this point. And they still have a long way to go. But her heart is safe with him. And now his heart can be safe with her.

[katsukikitten]

Rouge 3

A/N MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING FOR DEPRESSION AND SUICIDAL THOUGHTS

×××××××××××××××××××××

"April 20th, I know that's Bakugou's birthday but...but he said...." You swallow thickly your body raging with emotions not sure which you would finally land on. As if it were a wheel of fortune spun, hinting heavily that it would land on either mind numbing despair or burning hot wrath.

Why would he *lie* to you?

And why did you care?

The room flashes in vibrant color and in boring tones of grey. Kirishima's ruby hair and eyes are suddenly too bright before they dull just to blind you again. The red reminds you of something.

Of someone.

Of skin decaying away like caked mud to reveal crimson beneath.

Of scarlet eyes pleading for you to move. To run and far away from what the two of you faced.

Despite him being trapped.

A scene that has since played in your dreams for the past few months.

The world spirals with dizzying color that attempt to swatch into gray.

"Y/N?" Kirishima calls softly, strong hands cupping onto your shoulders as his face leans towards yours. Alchohol wafts into your nose, burning as everything else does.

You clench your eyes shut. Forcing the episode into its place, before letting your face meld into a small smile.

"I guess I really need this drink then." You force a laugh and Kirishima cannot tell otherwise, "Thanks for setting me straight Kiri."

He smiles softly, pressing a kiss to your hair line before whispering in your ear.

"He's been worried about you."

With that he leans over and pours extra liquor into your cup. When he leaves the kitchen you swallow down the whole bottle in a few swigs. A dangerous game to play considering there could be two outcomes when you're fucked up.

One you're giddy, overly happy and laughing your ass off.

Two, the world is so oppressive that everything is tainted in an awful sickly black.

Slolwy the world blooms in distorted color as a smile creeps onto your face.

The music shakes the house with heavy bass as lyrics filter through the massive speakers.

*"I'm only alive when I'm with yoooouuu."*

You sway to the music allowing yourself to be lost in the blinding swirling colors as more and more heroes offer you drinks. Smiling faces as they laugh with you and your stories. Coming alive thanks to booze and the occasional slipped pill. Your head is heavy, yet light as you float across the living room turned dance floor as the bass rings out hard enough it seems to shake the sweat from your skin.

You're not sure who ends up grinding on you first, or who kisses who first but you know you enjoy it. Love laughing, teasing and touching with anyone who's down. With anyone that helps you forget. Further encouraging your high, the colors blinding and so vibrant you can see them even when your eyes are closed, especially so when they're pressed against a soft set of lips.

Mina breaks the kiss first giggling as she does.

"Okay Denki now you've got to take the three shots!" The crowd erupts in a cheer as he does watching him down those three double shots causes you to stare into your empty solo cup.

Reminding you that you need another drink.

But the longer you stare at the blinding bright red, the more it seems the plastic melts in your hand.

Turning sticky, thick and much darker.

"Fuck." You hiss to yourself as everything floods your senses at once.

Your quirk finally kicking in to sober you after the ungodly amounts of painkillers and alcohol you've consumed.

Suddenly it is as if you've touched a live wire, hearing beyond the ear shattering cheers all the way into the walls of the house where the mice chew on the wood.

As if their teeth are gnawing directly on your eardrums.

The sound competing with the crowd's seemingly collective heart beat with their red cups raised high. The plastic catches in the lowlight shimmering with the sweat of condensation before everything snaps.

Feeling everything so intensely it's numbing.

The room plunges into deep black but no one bats an eye, especially not as you snatch a pack of smokes and a lighter from an unsuspecting bystander right out of his black denim jacket.

You climb the steps, eyes guiding you in the dark, pushing past a kissing couple that you think is Todoroki and Momo but your mind is too warped to tell.

After three tries you finally find a room empty of slapping bodies and drunken moans. You slide open the window, snaking out before climbing onto the upper roof.

Back nestled against cooled shingles beneath the light of the stars. Filter to your lips you flick the lighter and watch the black flame dance before you inhale enough for the tabbacco catch.

The bass vibrates the ceiling below you as smoke escapes your lips and nostrils in a slow hiss.

"I feel like Bakugou would fucking hate this type of party." Is all you can think to say to the pale moon hanging high in the sky.

Silence stretches between you two as you stare into the ancient face of a long forgotten deity.

"Did I miss telling him happy birthday?" You ask the moon and still no answer comes.

Typical for you to ask all the wrong things.

At the wrong time.

And to the wrong celestial being.

Tears prick your eyes as that endless weight settles in your chest, slow blinking hoping that one day your lids will never reopen.

"You're right. I do fucking hate this party." Fear hardly clutches your stomach before the vice is quickly released, spying flecked red eyes.

Your fingers twitch before you light another smoke, half wondering if he is real or just something your ever adaptive mind is giving you to ease the pain.

The heavy loneliness.

Still you sit up and tilt the pack towards the possible mirage despite his sitting more than ten feet away.

He sucks his teeth, using precision to obliterate the offered pack with out burning your fingers.

"That's new..."

"Those are fucking bad for you." He snarls, you manage enough energy to roll your eyes before meeting his again.

Wholly noticing how his irises pale in the soft light, looking more like two blood moons forever suspended over a perpetual snarl.

It makes you laugh how something so breath taking could be paired with such displeasure.

Well that and the fact that he thinks a little smoke is gonna hurt you.

"Uh did you forget my quirk?" You tease, slowly you manage to force some life back into your face.

It's his fucking birthday after all.

Embers burn hot into your skin until shame settles over you once more.

You sigh out gripping the shingles of the roof, trying your damnedest not to break them. Thoughts swirling in your head with every passing second.

Continuously landing on a few.

Like how could you really forget his birthday?

Or more like how could you really think almost a whole year passed since your last failure?

Or how could you even count the days when all you could see was the red of his cheeks as his arms snapped backward?

Of the way his sunkissed skin fell as if it were chipped away by dirty nails?

Of the color beneath the flaking skin solidified before threatening to turn that precious fucking red into soul shattering grey.

The tile shingle snaps coming up to slice your palm causing red to ooze out onto all the shades of black.

The quiet between you becomes suffocating as time ticks by, furthering your spiral.

All the while memories from high school until now flood into the forefront of your mind as you feel nothing but a heated gaze raking across your skin.

Had he always been watching?

He sure did show up at odd times in your life.

At times you were moments away from the edge, even pulling you back majority of the time.

All the while acting as if you were the biggest nuisance to walk the Earth.

But looking back you can see it, subtle yet obvious when it clouded those blood red moons.

Worry and fear paired with a tight grip and even harsher words.

An instigated fight, an encouraged argument until slowly the emotions changed from that worry.

From the fear you hadn't thought the arrogant hot head capable of to something else entirely.

Relief.

That's what flooded his eyes each time he safely brought you back to the dorms or the agency. It feels as if he's been the only one to ever truly worry.

The only one to look hard enough, to see past the fogged glass.

Words claw up your throat, fighting one another as they do.

Phrases and cries for help all the same as all you want to do is reach out for those strong arms to wrap around you.

To openly cry as you pulled on the fabric of his shirt until it took the form of your fist, even when you released it.

You swallow thickly finally deciding on what to say.

"Happy Birthday Bakugou-chan!" You sing song, forcing every ounce of what little happiness you have into the well wish. Hoping beyond hope it makes up for everything you should've said.

His heart hammers in his chest as he watches your lips curve upwards and over your teeth, as your cheeks scrunch up your face, lids closing over such a stunning fucking color.

He would have thought it real if he hadn't known better.

If he hadn't watched you climb from the window with that God damn zombie look plastered on your face.

"Don't." He bites, causing your heart to free fall into your stomach, "I can't watch you fucking lie any more."

His jaw ticks while your nails bite into your fresh wound, keeping it open to keep you seated.

"I..." He growls audibly before going on, "You can show me you know. I can handle it. I can fucking try to help."

You open your mouth to say something but a gust of wind blows through you before a hand is wrapped tightly around your neck.

Half of a lanky grey body justs out from a swirling portal in the sky.

"You think we'd let you get away with that golden quirk? The things we could do with you..." Manic joy oozes out in the form of a grotesque smile. Chapped lips wide enough to be seen from beneath a large hand.

"Let. Go." His tone is primal as he speaks, coming to his feet as you're yanked to your own.

"Oh I didn't realize you had company golden goose." For once fear stays with you as it curls into your muscles, your bones. The grip on your throat tightens as your heart hammers in your chest.

This is it, this would be the last time you ever saw him. Your last opportunity to ever say all the things you needed to fucking say after being so ignorantly oblivious to his actions.

To his heart.

Things begin to go in slow motion, watching him obliterate the roof beneath his feet, fingers outstretched for you as that damn emotion plasters openly on his face.

Fear twits into rage on his features.

But all you can do is smile, wholeheartedly smile as you look at him.

Tears of mixed feelings blur your vision as you say the one thing you so desperately needed to say to him.

"Thank you, Katsuki-kun. Thank you."

Just as he is within arms reach the portal swallows you whole closing as quickly as it opened.

Leaving Bakugou Katsuki to fall onto his hands and knees, slamming popping firsts into shingles that turn into sharp confetti all the while fat droplets fall from angry cheeks.

[kazbrkker]

Chapter 9: A Witness and Witless

Chapter summary: A realisation for Alexis, kindly dished by Captain Price. Meanwhile, danger is the gift that keeps on giving. (3284 words).

Warnings: N/A. 

29 October 2019, 0500 "Alexis" and "Alex" | Codename Aces CIA with SAS and Urzik militia Sakhra, Urzikstan

   Having her forehead split open had its benefit. Okay, maybe that was arguable, but Alexis was mildly grateful that the unbearable stings stirred her awake. It saved from her reliving a gauche situation: sleeping limbs entangled with her best friend, who she almost kissed, again.

They were practically squashed together, her head pillowed against his firm chest. Seeing how paranoid and sharp to his surroundings Alex was, his iron grips were challenging to snake out of it, good thing she had practice.

Here, at 5 am, while others were desperately chasing some sleep, Alexis was too engrossed in her own thoughts. The past 24 hours happened like a flash, and the Wolf was her highlight, making her fidget uncomfortably just at the thought.

You should have fought harder, been stronger, not falter at his baseless threats. Alexis had no one but herself to blame for allowing the Wolf to escape. The guilt her mistake carried fuelled the fire inside her, with revenge as additional gasoline to the mix.

The Chinese had a saying: "for what you do upon me, I'd unleash it ten times worse." Omar Sulaman would regret ever threatening her.

Seeking refuge under a dying tree at the residence's courtyard, she brooded in reflection. At least she figured out an end goal for the Wolf, but the friendship between Alex and her was shaky, at best. Alexis released an exhale of pent-up frustration, fingers weaving her chocolate locks into a braid. So immersed with overthinking, she almost failed to catch Price's approaching footsteps.

"No rest for the wicked, eh?" He arched a concerned brow at her stitches.

Alexis cracked a smile, "'Course." Patting beside her, she gestured for Price to take a seat with her on the patch of dried grass. "Please, don't be a nanny. Just sit down."

"Fantastic. I'm in no mood for that either," Price replied. His face briefly caught silvers of golden rays, accentuating the eye bags and fine lines that revealed just how much Price had aged since their last encounter. Even without the combat vest, his broad shoulders remained permanently slouched.

Alexis smelled smoke before the wisps floated past her. Witnessing how it relaxed Price, she shuts her mouth. "Something wrong?" she guessed, feeling the passing smoke layer her tongue with a woody fragrance, suddenly feeling the need to spit.

"The Butcher... Bastard didn't even spare a kid." Price took another deep inhale.

Alexis sighed, "We'll make him pay."

"Damn right." The price of war was a hefty one. And Alexis idolised John Price for his unwavering tenacity. By far, he was the most unbreakable person she'd ever met.

"So..." Alexis steered the topic, "What cover story did you tell Maddox and Forbes this time?"

Price scoffed lightly, a light-hearted undertone in his words, "Ah, I didn't bother. Bloody bitch about it, is all they do." Though Price, Maddox and Forbes all knew each other, Alexis always questioned what kind of Doomsday loomed over the world for a SAS Captain, Task Force Black's commander and a CIA handler to cross paths. Candidly, it made her excited to know why.

"Something going on between you and Alex?" Price questioned abruptly.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She confidently lied, ignoring the tingling sensation on her lips.

"For your sake, I hope you lie better when you're on the job," he mocked. Did she develop a tell? How did Price always know?

"Ah, it's just a bunch of gossips, don't feed into it."

"It's a reliable source," that piqued her curiosity.

"Kyle," she deadpanned, twisting her body towards Price. "Call MacTavish, I'm gonna skin Kyle alive."

Price hummed, giving her an amused look, "That'd be a waste of talent. So it's true, you two dating?"

She didn't even know the answer herself, so she replied with something safe, "We're friends, always have been." Her gaze averted to the small wildflowers blossoming under the base of the tree she leaned on. Chrysanthemums, its deep red petals swaying gently against the wind currents, almost like a greeting wave. Alexis scratched her head at the timely symbolism.

"Don't get stupid, you know better than most that nothing lasts forever," Price chided with a distant look in his eyes. "That boy looks at you like there isn't a war waging on."

Alexis sighed, twirling the stalks of red chrysanthemum hesitantly, "That's the problem. Wars are happening, it's selfish."

The Captain huffed almost disappointedly, "There's always a war. You see something you want, you best hold onto it before something blows it up."

"Shouldn't you advise me against fraternisation, Captain?" She smiled.

Staggered smokes escaped when Price let out a short laugh, "Whoever tries to boss you around is an idiot. Do I look like one?"

"No, no you're not," she chuckled, always finding wisdom in Price's words. So when he told her the way Alex looked at her wasn't platonic, she believed him. Not like it was unbelievable or anything. The way he tirelessly searched for her in a crowd every few moments—then smile when their gaze meets. With ample practices over the years, she'd successfully ignored how much he burned her insides with a simple look.

Now, maybe she didn't need to.

Alexis was always more of a spy than a soldier—at least, that was what Maddox always said about her. A natural God instinct to read the room, practically able to smell the changes like a bloodhound. Yet she was slow to pick up on the change in their friendship.

Slow, and a little reluctant. Now that she opened the floodgates that she guarded for so long, every possible feeling punched their way to her heart.

She was still in love with Alex. A chilling sensation ran over her spine when she inwardly admitted that. It puzzled her if it was relief or nerves? Either way, it jolted a new kind of excitement in her. Every exhale felt lighter.

"And what about you and Laswell?" Alexis retorted smugly, enjoying the rare stunned expression that slipped onto her mentor's face. "C'mon, give me some credit. The most impressive agent you've ever come across, right? I read your debrief about me from the Caucasus mission."

At his threatening frown, she held up surrendering hands, "Alright, alright! I'm done here."

Price ignored her teases, stubbing out his cigar at the base of the tree. "The Caucasus... That's what, 7 years ago? You just made JSOC back then."

Alexis cackled at the memory, "Back then you didn't have this glorious moustache. Remember when I pulled a knife on Mactavish?"

"Scared the lad shitless. Didn't show it, but sure as well saw it," Price continued, a smirk present on his face.

"I sure as hell felt it. Mactavish's pulse was jumping." Then she paused, realising Price purposely dodged her questions. So she tried again, "Don't avoid my questions, I'm a great matchmaker!"

He shot her a look, "Says the oblivious fool."

"Touche. But still-"

Luckily, Hadir spotted them, sliding open the residence's glass door and jogged up to them. "Oh, Hadir! Thank goodness you're here, Price was about to murder me."

Hadir squinted in confusion. "Ignore her," Price got to his feet and dusted the grass off his camo pants, sending the gleeful agent a hard glare. "Lass hit her head too hard, she's spewing rubbish. Careful, Hadir." He patted Hadir's back and started to head back to the house.

"C'mon mate!" Alexis yelled after him with a butchered English accent. "I said I'm sorry!" She laughed at Price's slightly gapped mouth.

"Did I mention?" His hands steadied against the sliding door, "You're benched!"

With that, Price slid the glass door closed, wearing an amused expression as she yelled pleads after him with no avail. "Petty old fellow."

Hadir sat on Price's previous spot, gracing her with a chocolate bar. Unlike commercial ones, military chocolate hardly tasted edible—for somebody who hated chocolates, it was a torture to sink her teeth into the hard cocoa blocks. "Hadir, you couldn't find anything else?"

"It's chocolate!"

"You think."

His enthusiasm didn't die down as he chowed down his own energy bar, but after a few chews, Hadir promptly stuck out his tongue in disgust, earning a burst of hearty laughter from Alexis, "People eat this?"

"Dumb soldiers do. But the smart ones..." Alexis pulled out a packet of biscuits from the side pocket of her pants, wiggling in front of Hadir. She snatched the cup of hot water from him and dunked the biscuits in, much to his protests. Seconds later, the biscuit softened to a texture that resembled a sponge cake. Alexis urged the wide-eyed Hadir to take a bite.

Hadir was sceptical until he tried it, pleasantly surprised. He praised, "Finally, some food fit for humans!"

"Genius, right?" He nodded in agreement, passing her the cup to share. "And I can see that look in your eyes that you want to ask if I'm okay, so answer your question: I'm fine, although I'm sick of people asking me that. Thinking about tattooing the answer across my forehead, wanna help?"

"Horrible idea... Count me in. But no, not your injuries, here," he pointed at his heart. "You feel bad for letting the Wolf go, I know. It's not your fault, Alena– Alexis," he corrected. "Your names are confusing."

The smirk on her face faltered slightly. Though it quickly returned, Hadir already saw the cracks in her smile. Then she decided not to bother with the facade. "I should have fought harder. I imagine there are people who should be alive right now if not for me."

"Like I said, not your fault. In all my years, you got my sister and me closer than we've ever been to end this war... We've lost many brothers and sisters to get to this point. Between Barkov and the Wolf, I'm not sure which of these dogs are worse." His words had a certain edge in them, reminding her how much this war changed Hadir. "But they are not careless men. Why did the Wolf keep you alive?"

"Said he wanted to watch me suffer," Alexis answered honestly, hesitantly taking another bite of her dessert. "Jokes on him. I'm gonna crush him. We're gonna fucking crush them."

Hadir pulled his legs closer to his chest, returning a small smile when she rested a comforting hand on his knees, "With a big enough stone, right?"

"Damn right."

━━━━━━

Even with the miraculous arrival of a second chance, it doesn't mean Alexis made it easy. Now was the perfect example for his argument.

"Maybe you did hit your head too hard—look in the mirror and tell me if you see a large cut across your forehead, because I might be seeing things." He pinched his nose bridge in distress. Price had tasked the very injured Alexis to sweep houses with Bravo Team, take it easy and all.

Alexis wore a polite smile and calmly said, "Fuck you."

"How eager," he retorted, knowing just the way to irk her.

She threw up her trusty middle finger, "Hard pass."

Really? She thought, playing hard to get is so 2002, Alexis.

"Really?" He moved closer, and except for a hardened face, Alexis did nothing to stop him. Trapped between Alex and a table, she breathily observed the blue flecks in his irises, avoiding his alluring pink lips that was definitely calling to her. "Trouble breathing?"

Alexis swallowed her nerves, "The only trouble I'm having is my lack of personal space."

"Ouch..." His head fell defeatedly on her shoulder, chuckling. "Lexi, honey..." he gilded, eyes boring into her own. She kept still and bit her tongue at the pet name, watching his gaze travel down her face, maybe her lips.

Alex pressed more of his weight against her, "Be a good girl for me. Consider I said please."

Her heart quickened, sparing a quick glance at the wide-open door full of Marines who stood oblivious to their actions, but if they continued standing in this position, it was just a matter of time. "You're adding to the rumours..."

"So everybody thinks we're dating, big deal." He slammed the door shut to prove a point.

Are we? What is this between us?

She tasted the words on the tip of her tongue. Alex's flirting had become painfully obvious that she wasn't the sole player of this game anymore. And instead of addressing it, her wickedness took over—lightly chewing down her lips just to confirm her suspicions again.

A knowing smile slowly builds when he took the bait.

Alex blinked rapidly, retreating instantly. His attempt to clear his throat was pathetic, voice throaty as he said, "You're going with Bravo, no arguments."

"Like hell. The medic cleared me!"

Alex paused thoughtfully, rolling up his sleeves up his forearm. If this was his sly attempt to distract her, it worked. Reasons beyond her, his tattooed arms were incredibly attractive. "Was that before or after you threaten him?"

He didn't... Alexis recalled the easily convinced medic. Sue her for having a way with words. She smiled sweetly, refocusing on packing her combat bag, "You have no proof."

"Tell that to your face," he rolled his eyes. "Babe, come on, there's not enough time for me to tie you to a bed."

She'd admit to almost choking at his unexpected comment. Like a good spy, she hung a scowl at his charming smirk—refusing to play into his trap. Then, she internalised his appearance, styled hair, in the middle of a war. Still so vain. Probably trying to impress her, cute.

"Number one, you're god damn shameless–"

"I call it honesty," he shrugged.

"Outrageous, not to mention scandalous-" she corrected.

Alex huffed, throwing his head back briefly.

"Number two, I'm pretty sure Wade outside there, who was shot in the thigh is still on the mission. Talk about a double standard."

Usually, this danger zone was when Alex would back off. But today, she was convinced he had an intensified case of a stick up his ass. Still, he brazenly took the loaded magazines off her hands. "I'm trying to not treat you any differently from the boys, if that's what you're implying. I just don't want anything else to happen to you, Alexis."

"But I am different, Alex! I'm not the boys," the menace in her voice was hard to miss, a stark juxtaposition to the playfulness, "I don't want to be one of the boys. Read my damn resume, you really think this injury will be the one to do me in?" Her neck craned upwards to meet him, "I'm still standing. I can do this."

Alex finally uncrossed his arms and nodded, "Okay."

She cast a suspicious sideways glance, "That's it?"

Alex hummed– actually hummed this time. Her eyebrows shot heavenward, which amused him. "You expected a few more rounds, didn't you?" At her nod, "I trust you, that's all."

"Huh... Usually, you'd try harder. Say something melodramatic like: No, Alexis! You'll quite possibly die, bleed out to death–"

"Defamatory, I do not sound like that," he insisted upon her dramatic pause and casual dismissal of hands.

Alexis poked accusingly into his chest, "Something's wrong with you." He smirked like he knew something she didn't, and ironically, she did. You're not that slick, Romeo. Two can play this game.

"Funny. Here I thought a master profiler like yourself had better skills."

Part of her questioned if it was a double meaning, but shook it off. Grabbing her stolen magazines from his grasp, "Come on, we have a war to fight."

She wondered if Alex's blood had always run so hot when she reached over to grab his arm, surely she wasn't the only one who felt that. But Alex remained silent and allowed her to push him towards the door. They were about to step out until her satellite phone sounded. The two shared looks of caution at the odd notion, her phone hardly rang. Alex was the designated communication channel, and with Price's arrival, he carried that responsibility.

Unless it was an emergency... She quickly accepted the call. "This is a secured line, identify yourself and how you got this number."

"I have my ways. Good to hear you're still breathing."

Her shoulders relaxed, "Ruddiger. Why wouldn't I– Did something happen?"

"Saint, listen carefully, I don't have much time."  She mumbled a quick apology before kicking him out the room.

"Okay, I'm ready."

"After you left, we got a tip about Valhalla's safe house. It was a scam to draw our attention away from Boucher." Her stomach clenched at the ominous feeling. "He's dead. Someone got to him."

"In the Hostel? That's not possible." The whole point of a Blacksite was that it didn't exist.

"It's true, Saint. I saw his body with my own eyes. We found a tracker—plastic polymer, explains why it didn't show up when we wanded him." He continued when Alexis didn't reply, "This shit gets worse. They got a list... Of everybody who's on the op."

Her heart stopped right then, "No fucking way. Where are you now? And wait, this is high-level intel, how do you-"

"I'm officially CIA, thanks to your glowing recommendation. So technically, I'm also here to say I owe you one. The welcoming committee sucks, they're putting us in safe houses. All except you."

Then Alex burst through the doors, signalling it was time to move, but paused at her ghastly face. She held up a shaky hand, "Well, fuck, mon sauveur, huh? Thanks for the intel, but you do know you just broke protocol?"

From the anxious rubs on her face, Alex knew something was really wrong.

Ruddiger laughed on the other line, "Consider it my gratitude for your olive branch. I gotta go. Stay safe, Saint. You'll never know how far Valhalla can reach."

"I'm in the middle of a war. He'll never find me here," she braved through the unsteadiness in her voice. When the call ended, she remained on the chair, still profoundly dumbstruck. She didn't know which was worse: that someone managed to infiltrate a Level 10 CIA blacksite, spooking Valhalla, or that her name was sitting somewhere on a hit list.

Another question bagged her, was it her real name? A thousand worries crashed down onto her. Why haven't Forbes or Maddox called?

"Hey," Alexis jumped at the touch, instilling more fret in Alex, who kneeled before her chair. "You're shaking. You okay?"

Alexis knew Alex wouldn't stop until he got an answer. Yet she couldn't give it to him, she'd put him in danger.

"Always," she mustered the biggest smile she could. And because of that, Alex saw right through her. But there wasn't time to dig further, they had a war to fight. Besides, for all she knew, she was safe, for now.

If Forbes or Maddox haven't called, it meant she was still safe. She'd focus on that.

When she wordlessly slung her rifle and holstered her guns, there was a heavier feeling bubbling inside her. Alexis didn't have a good omen, but she couldn't pinpoint if her gut was referring to today's war, or the brewing one.

Ah fuck, is there a difference? War is war.

War is war, was her final thought as she got ready to start a day full of tragedies.

Alexis should have listened to her gut.

‧͙⁺˚*·༓

a/n: taking a minute to say thank you to all of you!! i never thought Killer Instinct would receive so much love, but here we are, thank you lovers!!

taglist: @flyboidameron @wanderlustgiant @captain-pikas-world​ (wanna be tagged? lmk!)

[aacnaz]

Goodbye

Dick looked at his wrist and checked the time.

11:57.

Three more minutes until Raven arrived.

A small smile grew at that thought.

God, he missed her.  She was, no, is his best friend.  Sure, they might’ve drifted apart and haven’t spoken in three years, but that didn’t take away the bond they cultivated from childhood to his college graduation.

When she called out of the blue and asked to meet for lunch mentioning a cute café that opened near his precinct, he immediately cleared his whole schedule.

Babs would understand.

He looked at his watch again.

11:59.

One minute.

Just enough time to make sure he was right.

He smoothed out the wrinkles in his white, police sanction button down.  He wished he coulda wore something nicer for their reunion, but he was still on duty.  He made sure that the top button was secure and that his black tie was knocked tight yet comfortable.  He raised the collar up just a little before finally deeming his shirt presentable and his soulmark covered.

He raked his hands through his black hair, making sure not a lock was out of place.

As he brought his hands down, the gold band on his left ring finger caught his attention.  He stared at it, hesitated for a bit before he slid it off.  Even with this place being close to his station, he figured he would be safe for now.  Under where the ring once rested, a small, cursive, black tattoo of the letter ‘R’ came to sight, bringing with it the memories of his first love.

His true forever partner.

The door chime rang through the reasonably busy café, and Dick closed the band in his right hand before looking up.

His breath hitched.

There she was.

She was different.  Her once back length ebony hair was now a short bob that swooped from its side part, the waves at the end enhancing her heart-shaped face. Even with her heeled ankle boots, he could tell she was taller than he last remembered.  And she was curvier.

God, she was curvier.

Her buttoned double-breasted black trench coat with its belt tied tightly around her waist intensified her growth.

And even with all these changes, she was just as beautiful as ever.

She looked around the café for him, stopping when they made eye contact and gave him a smile.

His heart thumped.  Slipping his ring in his pocket, he rose from his seat, and made his way to her, eager to greet her.

Eager for her.

Eager to see…

He chanced a glance at her covered neck before quickly looking into her eyes.

Her beautiful, deep, almost violet, blue eye.

The eyes he always got lost in.

“Dick Grayson, or do you go by Richard now, Officer?”

The smirk she sent him had almost had him tripping over his words.

Almost.

“Dick is fine, but you know you can call me whatever you want.”

The blush that prettily danced across her face as she looked away had him cheering on the inside.

“Still a charmer, I see.  Have you ordered yet?”

“Not yet, but I’m ready if you are.”

She took this as her cue and began walking to the register and he was right behind her, watching the sway of her walk that he’s always loved.

He caught up to her as she stared up at the menu.  He turned toward it but kept his eyes on her face.

Some things didn’t change.

She still chewed her lip when she was making a decision.

If they were still in high school, he would have pulled her lip out.

If they were still in college, he would kiss her.

“What are you getting?”  She turned to him as she asked that and he quickly darted his eyes to the board.

"I was thinking about the BLT. You can't go wrong with a classic." That and he knew she would get it too. Growing up, Raven could never resist the tempting call of the crunchy and flavorful delicacy that is bacon.

She nodded. "That sounded good. I was curious about their mayo. Says they make it in house."

"And they get their bacon, lettuce, and tomato from local farmers. Can't get better than that."  She smiled and he smiled back, loving this. "If you want, we can split one like we use to."

Back in college. 

Her smile grew fonder and he felt his heart flutter. 

"That's okay. I was thinking about getting the tofu scramble."

His brain somewhat stopped and he couldn't keep the confusion from his face. 

"Did I hear right? The tofu scramble? I thought you hated meat alternatives."

He knew this as a fact.

There was a kid they knew back in high school. What was his name? Chester? Logan? Garfield! Garfield Logan. Animal rights activist. Fun guy until lunch. Complained the whole time about the meat options the school offered every. Single. Day. Until Raven finally snapped. "We respect your desire to not eat meat. Please respect our desire to eat it."

With him being in a different grade and lunch schedule, he missed her glorious speech. He wished he could've been there to see it, but he was able to get the next best thing: Raven personally telling him the story as he drove her home after school. She was so passionate and animated as she told him that that moment and its story replays itself in his mind whenever he thought of her. And it affirmed a defining characteristic about her: Raven doesn't like meat alternatives. 

Yet here she was, getting the tofu scramble.

"I've been trying new things. Broadening my horizon."

"Yea, but...tofu? I vividly recall you calling it, and I quote, a 'bland wet sponge of nothingness.'"

She laughed at that. "That I did. Back in high school, right? Can't believe you remember that."

He remembered everything about her. 

"I did use to think that, but one day a friend made tofu scramble for me. Said that wherever I tried tofu the first time didn't know what they were doing and it lacked flavor because of that. I was skeptical but I was willing to keep an open mind and I'm glad I did. So now when I go to a restaurant, if they have it, I get the tofu scramble. If they can't even get that right, I'm hesitant to try anything else."

Well, that's new. 

But he guessed that could happen.  It would happen. It's been three years since he's last seen her.  It would be weirder if she hadn’t changed.

It was logic.

But logic didn’t save the plunge his stomach took.

That’s okay.  He was gonna fix that.

They ordered their food and he directed her to the table he’d procured, wishing he could place his hand on her waist like before.

He wanted to pull out her chair and to help her out of her coat, but he hesitated.

They weren’t on a date.  They were just catching up.  And as much as he wished they were still in college when they were at the height of their relationship, he had to remind himself that they were just friends.

But, maybe he could for manners!  And with how many years manners were reprimanded into him, he could just hear Alfred’s disappointed tsk.

But...but he also knew that if he was too close to her, that if he was able to graze his fingers along her arms again, to be a hair's width away from her…

By the time he’d made his decision, she was already in her seat, her trench coat resting on the back of her chair.  As he sat in his chair, he wasn’t sure if he should be happy or disappointed. He dipped his vision to her outfit, hoping to get a quick glance of her neck, then immediately shot it back up.

That was a plunge.

Truthfully, it wasn’t that bad.  He’s seen outfits with even deeper plunges.  Heck, he’s seen more revealing outfits!

But this was Raven.

And he saw a hint of a black bra.

A black lace bra.

He could feel his face heating up.

“So,” he embarrassingly squeaked.  He subtly cleared his throat and continued, “it’s been a while since we’ve last seen each other.”

She nodded.  “Three years is a long time.  I’m glad you were free to meet, Officer Dick.”

He chuckled, loving when she called him that.  “Sorry I’ve been AWOL.  After college, I got so busy and-”

“I understand.  Life can happen.  I’m hoping we can pick up where we left off.”

And that was exactly what they did.

He recounted to her his life after graduating, moving to Bludhaven, studying and passing the police exam and his last few major cases that had the mayor personally thank him.  He left out a few things...one thing…

But he didn’t want to tell her that.

Instead, he turned the conversation to her, hoping to hear any and everything about her.  Sometime in her telling of a ridiculous college prank that one of her friends pulled, their food came.  They ate, telling more stories and laughing between bites.  Just like old times.

He never wanted this to end.

“I know you’re gonna miss that place when you graduate.  I still do!  Speaking of, when do you graduate?  I wouldn’t want to miss that.”

She gave him a disconcerting look that made him feel like he said something wrong.

“Dick, I graduated last year.”

“...really?”

She chuckled.  “I think I would know when I graduated.”

“But why didn’t you invite me?”

She gave him a different look now.  “I did.”

"I never received an invitation."

"That doesn't mean I didn't send it. In fact, I sent you two. I wasn't sure I had your address right, so I asked Bruce to send the second one. He said he called you as well."

That can't be right. When his adoptive father said he'd do something, he was always prompt to get it done. And he would stay on it until he got an answer. 

Almost obsessively so.

So if Bruce said he'd called, he did…. But for the life of Dick, he couldn't recall anything. 

He racked through his brain.

"When was this?"

She sighed and pushed her nearly finished plate away. "Let's see. I graduated early, and that was in January, so I sent out my invitations end November and beginning of December. "

December! 

Oh. He knew what happened. 

...fuck.

But he couldn't blame himself. Winter of last year was hectic with the constant phone calls and the decision making and the winter wedding.

And Bruce, Babs, and Commissioner Gordan CONSTANTLY on him about responsibility and following the law.

He could vaguely remember Bruce mentioning something about Raven during that time, but it was smashed somewhere between, "We have another meeting for potential caterers" and "Are you trying to break the law?"

Winter was a stressful season.

"I'm sorry, Rae. That time last year was pretty crazy, what with moving to a new city and finding a new job."

And the wedding. 

"I'll be honest, there were some days I didn't want to get out of bed. It was all happening so fast and," he reached out, doing what he's been thinking about since he first got close to her and took her right hand in both of his, reveling in its softness and familiarity, " I forgot to reach out to my friends. To you. From here on out, I'll be a better friend."

And maybe more…

"Anything you need, anytime."

Any time.

"You're my best friend and I'll do everything in my power to show you how much you mean to me."

Glitter of pure happiness twinkled in her eyes after his speech. 

His chest swelled with pride. 

"I'm glad you said that." She took her hand from his and leaned down to reach into her trench coat's pocket. 

His hand lingered for a second, longing to grab onto her warmth again, before he pulled his hands back to his side. 

As she sat up, she sat an envelope on the table.  Her hair tumbled out of place, falling beautifully against one side of her face while she made herself comfortable again. As she ran her free hand through her silkily soft hair, his eyes followed it’s descent to her neck and his body seized up as the ice water of reality drenched him.

Was that…

Does she…

“Did you get your soulmark?”  He could barely get that out over the lump in his throat.

She paused, taking in what he said before smiling and flipping her hair over.  There, sitting on the junction between her shoulder and neck, sat the name of her forever partner.

And it wasn’t his.

He studied it closer.

Is that...

Does that say…

“Garfield Logan?”

He’s her forever partner, and not...

She nodded, letting her hair fall back in place.

He could still see it.

“It showed up six months ago.  Sometimes I still forget it’s there.”

She chuckled but he couldn’t see the joke.  None of this was making sense.

“But...you don’t like him!”

She raised an eyebrow at his insistence.

“That was back in high school, Dick.”

“No,” he shook his head. “You didn’t like him in college either.”

“Sure, in freshman year.  But Dick, people change and sometimes...it’s good.”

A small, fond smile flittered onto her face as she said that and he knew.

He knew it wasn’t for him.

“Do you love him?”

She furrowed her brow, an unsure look taking over her face.

Maybe he still had a chance.

“Raven, run away with me.”

“Dick, what-”

She came to a complete stop, looking as if he’d lost his mind.

He just might’ve.

This was his only shot.

“Runaway with me!  Let’s get away from all this.  Get away from the rules that are keeping us apart.  From the laws telling us we’re wrong!”

She shook her head and lowered her voice.  “Richard, stop.”

“I can’t!  Raven, I,” she shushed him, looking around to make sure nobody was eavesdropping.

He didn’t care anymore. He reached for her free hand.

“Raven, I love you.”  Her eyes widened, fear etching on her face.

He kept going.

“I’ve loved you since we first met all those years ago. I was on cloud 9 when you finally agreed to go on a date with me, and I cried for three days when we broke up.”

She frantically shook her head as she snatched her hand from his.

“Stop it, Richard.”

She scooted her chair back, about to get up.  About to leave.  He quickly shoved his left hand to her face and she stopped when her eyes landed on his tattoo.

The tattoo that he got for her.

“Do you remember when I got this?”

She didn’t reply.

“It was at the middle of our relationship.  I wanted to prove to you that I love you.  That no matter what name showed up as my soulmark, you would always be the one for me.  You are my true love, my real forever partner!”

He could feel his excitement radiating from him as he finally confessed to her.

When they were younger, she wouldn’t listen to his proclamations, saying they shouldn’t try to get over on fate, but now…

Now she had to see.

She had to understand.

He loved her.

As tears built in her beautifully blue eyes, he didn't expect for his world to come crashing down when she finally responded.

“You are incredibly...selfish.”

No.

“You know for a fact that is impossible.  And you know better than anybody that the penalty for breaking the Soulmark Laws is death, Officer Grayson.”

He didn’t like how angry she sounded as she spat his name.

Her tears fell fast, so heavy with emotions that they splattered onto the table. 

"You want me to risk my life just because you're not happy in your marriage."

"You know I'm married?!"

"Yes!" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Just because you decided to cut ties with me, doesn't mean everybody else did. Bruce even invited me!"

She was...Did she-?

"I declined. Told him that if the invite wasn't from you, then you didn't want me there and I shouldn't come out of respect." 

No.  Nononono.

This wasn’t what was supposed to happen.

“Raven, please don’t do this.  You have to understand.  I didn’t want to marry her!  I-.”

The glare she directed at him sent an unpleasant feeling of regret down his spine.

“Put your ring back on, Dick.  Your tan line is showing.”

As he pulled his hand back, she wiped away her tears, trying to stop their descent.

Their flow continued.

“To answer your question, no, I don’t love him, but I like him.  God, I like him so much, and I’m not gonna have you try to ruin it.”

He pulled back as if she hit him, and to his heart, she did.

“I…” she sighed and deflated a bit, “I didn’t come here to fight you.  I didn’t want to bring up how you were the one who broke up with me, without giving me a reason, I might add.”

He flinched at that, wishing he could forget that.

“If you would’ve just told me that you got your soulmark, I would have understood.  Instead, you broke up with me and avoided me.  You wouldn’t speak to me at your graduation.  You didn’t even invite me to your wedding!”

He felt sick.  He knew it was his fault that they were as disconnected as they were, but he just couldn’t face it.

“I wanted to forget everything you did to me.  I wanted to start anew.  I thought that maybe we could be friends again...but I see that I was wrong.”

She picked up the envelope that she retrieved earlier and handed it to him.

That was when he noticed it.

He noticed it before, many times: when they first greeted each other, in line, as she ate, but chose to ignore it.

He chose to ignore the ring that was now glaring at him as it sat so innocently on her finger.

“He proposed?”

She rolled her eyes, frustrated with the conversation.  “Of course he did.  It’s the law.  He proposed a week after our marks showed up, well within the month deadline.”

When he took the envelope from her, she slowly brought her hand to her face and admired the bejeweled band.

“It was his mother’s ring.  When our marks came, he told me that while he wasn’t sure if they were right, he would give it a try.  He left for that week and when he came back, he proposed.”  She paused for a second before a smile finally returned to her face.  “This ring is the only jewelry that he had from his late mother and he gave it to me as a promise.  That he would always keep me happy and...and I believe him.”

He loved and hated how happy she looked.

When she turned back to him, all of her fondness evaporated.

“That’s an invitation to our wedding.   I was hoping you would help me plan it, be my best man, and maybe I would even get the chance to meet your wife but…"

She paused, trying to find her words as she stood from her seat. She put on her trench coat, not even bothering with the buttons, instead only tying the belt. 

"I think it would be best if we let this friendship die out. I hope you come to the wedding, but if you don't, I understand."

Then she turned and walked away.  He had a feeling deep in his heart that this would be the last time he would see her.

And she didn't even say goodbye.

[firegrilled]

Mommas’ Boys - Part 7

@erejeanweek2k19​ Prompt: Roommates

Summary: Celine Kirschtein knew of Eren’s tendencies to be bold in his decisions once he made up his mind, but she never expected to be ont eh receiving end of it when he decides he wants to marry Jean. Thankfully Carla is there to help guide her son in the right direction :D

Part 1 | Part 8 End

“So tell me, what are your plans once you graduate?” Celine dared to ask, causing Jean and Eren to pale. She poked her fork around the remnants of her salad in a vain attempt to scrape up another mouthful. “You graduate from Sina University in a semester, surely either of you have something lined up. You can’t stay in that terrible apartment together forever.”

“Uh… I’m still applying to potential jobs but I kind of want to take a break to spread my wings before I get chained down,” Jean answered, earning a frown from his mom.

“That’s all well and good but it’s important to get a few practice interviews in there,” Carla advised. “I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t say I did something similar before I married Eren’s father.”

Eren paused briefly before shoving a large piece of steak into his mouth.

Jean gave him a deadpan stare.

“Seriously? What part of don’t bite off more than you can chew don’t you get? I know it’s all you’ve ever done but get a grip,” Jean chastised Eren in front of their mothers.

Eren growled back while he chewed his food.

“Thank you, Jean. I’m glad you’ve been trying to be such a good influence on him,” Carla smiled fondly. “Also thank you treating us to such a nice dinner.”

Blushing at the compliment, Jean scratched the back of his head. “It’s the least we could do for our two biggest supporters.”

“Oh hush,” Celine giggled, waving her hand in front of her. “We’re your mothers, it’s what we do.”

“Even if we never expected you two to make it four years as a couple,” Carla shrugged.

“Mom!” Eren whined, his cheeks reddening.

“What? When you two always fought as kids I just never would’ve guessed-”

“Please stop,” Eren practically begged his mom, earning another chuckle from Celine.

Before he could be embarrassed, Jean stood up.

“If you would excuse me, I’m going to the bathroom. Be right back,” Jean stated as he pushed his chair in. He leaned over Eren and tousled his hair quickly before running off, just as Eren tried to grab his arm.

“What did I say about touching my head?” Eren called after him in a huff, crossing his arms when he got a playful smirk from his boyfriend.

“You two are adorable,” Celine commented, laughing at the display with Carla.

“Yeah, I’m gonna marry him,” Eren declared, grinning.

Carla and Celine both stopped, dropping their cutlery. They blinked a few times until Eren noticed their change in demeanor.

“Excuse me?” Celine asked, a bit flabbergasted by the sudden statement.

Carla pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head.

“Eren, honey, did you just now decide this?” Carla wondered, a bit more versed in her son’s habits.

“Yeah, why?” Eren faced his mom wearing a puzzled expression.

“Then please don’t ask him when he returns.”

Furrowing his brow, an offended look made its way onto Eren’s face. “Why?”

“For starters you need a ring, but also because you should make the proposal special. Oh and you need to ask Celine for permission first, you are trying to wed her son after all,” Carla advised, counting with her fingers as she stated each fact.

Eren turned to face Celine, his face suddenly serious.

“Ms. Kirschtein, can I please marry your son?” Eren asked.

“No, not like that!” Carla sighed. “Don’t ask like you wanna go on a date with him. Tell her why!”

Celine bit back a smile at Carla’s commentary. She knew of Eren’s rather straightforward yet blunt way of speaking but Celine never anticipated being on the receiving end of it.

“Jean has made me so happy over the last few years and I know I want to spend the rest of my life with him. I’d like to have your approval,” Eren tried again, leaning forward over the table to get loser to Celine.

Fighting back some tears, Celine nodded. In a quiet voice she replied, “Yes, you definitely have my permission.”

Celine fanned herself with her hands while Eren fell back into his chair and cheered.

“Hell yeah!” Eren all but shouted in the restaurant, drawing the attention of everyone around them.

When they noticed all eyes on them, Celine and Eren tried to regain their composure in time for Jean to return. He quirked an eyebrow as he sat down, wary of all the eyes on them.

“Why is everyone staring at us?”

---

“Thank you and have a wonderful day,” Celine replied in her best saccharine sweet tone as the camera on her laptop turned off. She quickly hung up the phone before sinking into her leather chair and letting out a deep breath. “God I hate Monday meetings. Carla, how many do I have left?!”

A familiar head poked into her office, wearing a tiny smile. “Another three hours, Ms. Kirschtein.”

“I’m getting too old for this,” Celine said, tilting her head back in exasperation. She winced when her ringtone suddenly went off. Almost chucking her phone into the nearby trashcan, she paused when she recognized the caller id. “Erwin?”

“Hey Celine, it’s time. Can you and Carla hurry to my office?” Erwin asked.

Celine’s eyes widened as a mixture of nervousness and joy shot through her body. She looked at her calendar and confirmed the date. “Yes! Of course, we’re on our way. Carla, cancel the rest of my meetings. It’s time!”

Carla’s eyes widened before an emotional smile spread over her face. “Sure, I’ll do it on the way.”

The two woman practically sprinted out of the bank towards Celine’s newer BMW. Carla started calling a flurry of customers while Celine sped along an old but not forgotten route. Her car arrived at Trost Prep but she parked it under a tree in the back away from prying eyes. The two mothers smiled upon seeing Celine’s old Honda parked near the entrance.

“Yo, this way,” Levi called out to the women, already waiting for them by the entrance.

“Thank you, Levi,” Carla greeted him.

Levi led them down the nostalgic corridors, though this time for a much different purpose. They passed familiar faces and teachers that waved to them. The two women returned the gestures but kept quiet on the journey to the principal’s office. They barely made it two steps in before Hanji looked and them with the biggest grin.

“Congratulations you two!”

“Not yet, Hanji. And save it for the real stars of the show today,” Celine dismissed but shared the receptionist’s enthusiasm.

Levi ushered them into Erwin’s office. Inside the principal was missing but there were already a small crowd gathered. Against one wall stood several younger adults that Celine recognized from stories that Jean told of college but she didn’t recall their names. She did recognize Marco and Armin standing next to each other holding hands, as well as Mikasa and Annie across the room from them. Both couples already wore rings.

“Alright that covers everyone. Children on the wall and moms to their station. Oh and give your best angry mom expression,” Levi advised, a tiny smile crossing his face.

Celine and Carla walked towards the desk and turned to face the door. They leaned against the desk, Celine crossing her arms while Carla rested her hands on her hips. Their eyes fell to the lone tiny blue chair in the room. A hard plastic chair meant for a first grader sat facing the desk with a tiny velvet box on it. Carla felt goosebumps crawl down her neck at the memory of this chair, or at least one like it. How many years had it been since these two mothers were first called into this office to reprimand their sons for fighting?

The fond memories faded as the sound of a ruckus and the faint roar of Erwin’s deep voice echoed outside the door.

“…coming back to this old school for what? Do you even know what the crime for trespassing is?” Erwin’s deep voice came could be heard.

“We’re sorry, we were just having a trip down memory lane! No need to call the cops, Erwin!” Jean’s pleading could be heard, earning a snort from some of his friends.

“That’s Principal Ackerman to you. Oh don’t worry, I already contacted something much worse,” Erwin warned as the knob turned.

Celine and Carla put on their best angry but also disappointed expressions as the door opened to reveal a rather flustered Jean, a disapproving Erwin, and a stoic yet defiant Eren.

Jean’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped upon seeing the two parents. “Maman? Ms. Jaeger?”

“Jean Alexandre Kirschtein, really? Breaking into your old school? I thought I raised you better!” Celine narrowed her eyes, clicking her tongue.

Jean paled at her chastisement, shrinking visibly at her words.

“Eren Jaeger, I know I raised you better,” Carla feigned anger, almost cracking a smile at her son who merely smirked at her words.

It took Jean a moment to notice the others hugging the side of the room before his head snapped from side to side to take everyone in.

“Wait, what the hell?” Jean spoke, confusion in his tone.

Eren took a few steps forward before bending down and picking up the tiny box and sitting down in the comically small chair.

“This all seemed rather fitting considering its where spent the most time together in school,” Eren briefly stated. “Jean, we’ve fought more than anyone I know yet became the best of friends and more. Every day with you has been such a fun experience and it’s not something I want to give up when we graduate. In fact, I want to experience this for the rest of my days with you if you’ll have me.”

Eren cracked open the velvet box to reveal a shiny silver band with a band of tiny blue gems inlaid around half the ring.

Taking a step back, Jean covered his mouth with both of his hands. His eyes widened as his blood ran cold, the gravity of the situation falling on his shoulders. The room stayed silent while he trembled. His hands slowly fell to show a fragile smile on his face. If any water tried to form at the edges of his eyes Jean restrained them.

“Yes, you magnificent asshole, a thousand times yes,” Jean managed to squeak a reply before dropping to his knees to embrace his new fiancé.

Their friends let out a small cheer while their mothers exchanged hugs.

Celine sniffed as she witnessed one of the happiest moments of both her’s and Jean’s life unfold.

Levi walked behind Erwin’s desk while everyone celebrated, bending down to rummage through his drawers. When he found what he was looking for he cleared his throat.

“Oi, for the new love birds,” Levi caught everyone’s attention as he slammed a bottle of Chardonnay on the desk.

Even though most of the kids exchanged confused glances, Celine and Carla were doubling over from laughter. A story to tell their sons at a later date.

To Be Continued in the Final Part

[echoes-of-realities]

be my fire in the cold (and I'll be waiting by the mistletoe) - 23/25

* * *

[From the Start] // [Fanfiction] // [ao3]

[Previous Chapter] // [Next Chapter]

Chapter Summary: Brittany has a very important question; Santana starts to find a little bit of resolution.

Notes: Thanks for the patience yesterday! I think my assignment and my exam finally sent cause they haven’t bounced back yet? So I think I’m officially DONE the semester thank god lmao

Chapter 23: old excitement makes people happy

///

Brittany is the very first person to show up to the rehearsal, an hour before they’re going to start, which is weird because Brittany’s not scheduled for any rehearsals today.

The surprising sight of Brittany this early in the morning is far from unwelcome though, and Santana’s entire body starts buzzing just from her mere presence, still on high alert from how close Brittany’s lips were to hers. It seems every time they try to kiss they inch a little closer before being interrupted; if Santana were a more superstitious person than she is, she would be a little worried that the universe was trying to sabotage them. As it is, that’s only a thought she entertains when she wakes up with a start at three in the morning, and she tries harder to be the optimist she never was and instead keep her mind on the fact that third time’s the charm.

“Hey,” Santana greets with a wide smile, shuffling her papers all together on the top of the baby grand piano, trying to gather her heart as it leaps towards Brittany, “What are you doing here so early?”

“Well,” Brittany drawls as she steps fully through the door and crosses the rehearsal room, singsong the word all the way until she reaches the opposite side of the piano too, “I have a question.”

Santana smiles and makes a soft acknowledging sound. Brittany’s cheeks are splotched in pink and she’s chewing on her lip, blue eyes looking everywhere but straight at Santana, and can’t imagine what would even make Brittany so nervous.

Brittany runs her hand along the shallow inner curve of the piano edge for a long moment, collecting her thoughts, and Santana just patiently lets her. “I was wondering,” she starts and then trails off. There’s a beat of silence but then Brittany takes a deep breath and Santana can actually see that thread of steel that fills Brittany’s body like liquid courage as she finally meets Santana’s eyes; the playful and adoring sparkle in them takes Santana’s breath away just like it always does. “I was wondering if you had any plans for Christmas Eve tomorrow or maybe even possibly Christmas Day?”

Santana bites down on her smile so she doesn’t overwhelm Brittany by fainting or something, but it does nothing to stop the surge of love and adoration that shoots through her body. “You know I don’t,” Santana teases, because she can’t help making Brittany fluster just a tiny bit more.

“Well in that case,” Brittany says, and then takes another deep breath, “I was thinking that since I don’t have plans and you don’t have plans then maybe we could, like, have no plans together. Possibly at my apartment?” she adds like a question, and Santana’s speechless for a couple moments while she’s trying to convince her heart not to run away to Brittany; at this point she’s pretty sure it’d be too late anyways because Brittany seems to be the keeper of that particular organ.

“I’d love to,” Santana says with a soft smile, feeling everything that’s bright and warm and happy well up inside her body.

“Yeah?” Brittany breathes, bouncing on her toes a little bit, waiting until Santana nods to let her smile grow until her eyes are scrunched up by her cheeks. Santana can see the exact moment that Brittany gives up on keeping her happiness contained and instead rounds the piano to reach Santana and pull her into her arms, tucking her head against Santana’s neck and nuzzling her nose there.

Santana thinks about everything she could say, love declarations or a cool façade, a million promises or the only one that matters, but instead she just settles on the simplest words she knows, mumbling her Yeah against Brittany’s shoulder and she supposes it’s enough because she can feel Brittany’s smile against her neck and it’s kind of the best feeling in the world.

They remain caught up in each other until a knock on the door smooths reluctantly draws them apart, Brittany’s hands trailing down Santana’s arms until they can tangle their fingers together, her smile still wide and uninhibited.

“It’s probably Brad,” Santana finally says, “I should go let him in.”

Neither of them make try to move though, until the third knock and finally prompts Santana to reluctantly release Brittany’s hands and go to the door.

///

Just like when Santana was getting ready to go have supper with the Pierces, she’s a little nervous about spending Christmas with Brittany; not because of Brittany or anything, and it’s not even a bad nervous, it’s just about what it all means. She’s in love with Brittany, and she’s like ninety-nine percent sure that Brittany returns her feelings, but still, Santana worries about everything just by nature, especially the big important things.

And just like before, Mike, Tina, Quinn, and Mike all refuse to stop teasing her as soon as they find out, Mike and Tina unable to hide the fact that they’re secretly over the moon for Santana. She really couldn’t care less about any of their knowing looks or suggestive comments because joke’s on them, she gets to spend Christmas with the most amazing girl in the world and none of them are invited.

Her and Brittany eat supper together and then get recruited into being Mercedes’ Christmas elves by helping her wrap all her presents for her nieces and nephews; Brittany doesn’t mind wrapping even if she’s not very good, but Santana is meticulous and stubborn and, though she takes forever, her folds are perfect. When they’re nearing the end of the presents, Mercedes’ phone ringing startles all of them and she quickly steps out into the hallway, and all it takes is Brittany smacking Santana on the ass with a wrapping paper roll before they’re in an all out war.

Brittany has the height advantage over her, but Santana is nothing if not stubborn, and she just keeps going at Brittany without minding how much she gets beat on with the wrapping paper roll, both of them giggling too hard to smack each other with any amount of finesse.

Mercedes comes back to Brittany trapped in a corner of the dressing room and trying to ward of Santana’s blows, Brittany’s wrapping paper roll uncoiling and bent in half and Santana’s looking more limp noodle than not. At Mercedes’ teasing chiding, it takes little more than a look before Brittany and Santana turn and gang up on her, beating her back to the couch until they all collapse there, laughing and relaxed and Santana doesn’t feel lonely at all, just incredibly loved. For a moment everything is quiet and comfortable before Brittany loudly announces that she’s going to the bathroom and disappears before Mercedes and Santana can even acknowledge it.

Mercedes instantly turns to Santana and gives her a tiny smile. “Listen, about the other day when I went all protective best friend, I just wanted to say sorry for expecting the worst.”

“It’s fine,” Santana smiles little and shrugs off Mercedes’ apology, “I totally get why you want to protect her but I— I don’t think I could ever hurt her without hurting myself more.”

Mercedes smiles and quickly pulls Santana into a tight hug. “You know,” she says into Santana’s ear, “You’re not at all who I pictured Brittany would fall in love with, but somehow you’re everything I pictured for her too.”

“Love?” Santana whispers, trying to keep her her hope under control, but it flutters around in her stomach in the form of hundreds of bright butterflies.

Mercedes pulls back and grins, her hands warm and comforting on Santana’s shoulders. “What are you blind? That girl is so in love with you,” Mercedes promises, “I’ve been teasing her about how dreamy and blushy she gets whenever I even just mention you for weeks. I’d know, I am the protective best friend after all.”

Santana laughs and relaxes a little bit; Mercedes has basically just confirmed everything she suspected and it’s comforting to hear it from Brittany’s best friend, but she doesn’t think she’ll be able to completely believe it until she hears it from the source herself. Santana grins and shrugs a little. “I have protective best friends too,” she teases, “Mike’s given the third degree to every single girl I went on more than one date with.”

Mercedes grins, delighted. “I never would have guessed, but I can also totally see that. He plays the brother role so well.” She nudges Santana with her elbow. “How many girls has he scared off on you?”

Santana smirks and shrugs. “Oh he does a lot of questioning but he’s not who Brittany has to worry about. Tina’s so much more intimidating than him.”

Their laughter draws Brittany’s attention as she steps out of the bathroom, and when she softens as she looks at Santana every single doubt she has drains out of her from the adoration brimming in those blue eyes.

“See?” Mercedes whispers softly beside her, “I told you so.”

“Oh shut up you,” Santana says but there’s no bite to her tone. She has all the fierceness of a kitten revealing their soft underbelly and begging for scratches, and Mercedes can’t help smiling a little as Brittany and Santana make eyes at each other.

She was right all those weeks ago, they’re absolutely smitten with each other.

///

Mercedes disappears after they’re done, Sam showing up to help her haul the presents back to her car, their arms equally overflowing with presents. They still have a bunch of time left of their supper break, so Brittany and Santana end up sitting on the floor in front of the couch like aways, cuddling close together in comfortable silence or quiet teasing each other with an ease born of absolute adoration and friendship.

“You know,” Brittany says casually, rolling her head to look the side to look at Santana fully, her fingers trailing over Santana’s bicep where her arm is wrapped around Santana’s shoulders. “We’re not really friends,” she drawls teasingly, “You haven’t accepted my friend request from ages ago.”

Santana shoves at Brittany’s shoulder and giggles. “You goof, you only sent it when your mom was teasing you about the fact that me and her were Facebook friends but the two of us weren’t. I watched you do it.”

“And yet you still haven’t accepted it,” Brittany pouts, “You big meanie.”

Santana giggles again and rolls her eyes as she digs her phone out of her pocket. “Fine,” she teases, “I’ll do it right now.” She opens her Facebook app to a horrendous amount of notifications that she quickly opens for like the first time in ever, getting rid of the red from everywhere before she opens the friend request tab. Brittany grabs her own phone off the coffee table while Santana’s app loads, waiting for to watch her friend request to be accepted.

Brittany’s request is the second request at the top of the screen, right under her sister’s, but its the name that’s below Brittany’s that freezes every cell in Santana’s body as she stares blankly at the name, reading and rereading it over and over in an attempt to understand what it means and why it was sent and whether it’s real or not.

Brittany shifts beside her and leans over to look at Santana’s phone, wondering what the hold up is. “Who’s Alma Lopez?” she asks quietly, obviously realizing what’s caught Santana’s attention.

Santana clears her throat and shakes her head wordlessly for a moment. “My abuela,” she finally manages to mumble, and there’s a split second of confusion before Brittany’s face floods in sympathetic understanding.

“Oh, honey,” she whispers, tightening the arm she has around Santana and tugging her as close as she can, dragging Santana onto her lap.

Santana just shakes her head wordlessly again, disbelief warring with bitterness warring with dangerous hope in her chest as every old ache she’s ever had flares up and overwhelms her. She lets herself be held and soothed by Brittany’s arms around hers, warm and strong and safe. “I don’t— I don’t understand,” she mutters, and anger starts to win out over all the other emotions, “Why’d she send this? Why now? It’s been a fucking decade! Why didn’t she just fucking pick up a phone and call me? A Facebook friend request is the best she could do?”

Brittany’s quiet for a long while, letting Santana rant and release her anger but not loosening her hold on her. When she speaks, it’s only after Santana’s tired herself out with her tirade and slumped back into Brittany’s arms. “Maybe,” she starts hesitantly, “Maybe she didn’t know how to reach out.”

“Well she has a brain, surely she could have figured out something,” Santana mutters, less angry and more bitter now. “She might be in her eighties but she’s not stupid.”

Brittany hums in acknowledgement and the sound buzzes through Santana’s chest and calms her a little. “Maybe she couldn’t—”

“How hard is it to pick up a fucking phone?” Santana interrupts.

“Sorry,” Brittany says after a moment, “I meant, like, maybe she couldn’t find you.” Santana considers that for a moment, turning the over in her head before she gives a tiny shrug, and Brittany takes that as her cue to continue. “She’s your dad’s mom right?” Santana nods against Brittany’s chest, the move nuzzling her closer. “And I’m sure your dad doesn’t have your number.” Santana considers this and nods again, curling her hand around Brittany’s hip and drawing comfort from her warmth. “So maybe once she was ready to reach out to you again she just had no way of finding you. I mean, you said you got rid of your mom’s landline when she died, and that was probably the only number she had.”

Santana wonders, for a moment, if any of her family back in Ohio even know that her mom died; they were all her dad’s family, and once Santana and her moved to New York they never once tried to reach out again. She wonders if abuela knows that her mom died, if that’s when abuela pulled her head out of her ass and tried to reach out, if abuela is hurting as much as Santana is from the estrangement.

“I hate when you’re being all logical and genius-like,” Santana finally mutters.

Brittany presses a long kiss to the top of Santana’s head and she can feel the smile against her hair. “I could be wrong, and if I am I’m so sorry to get your hopes up. But I don’t want you to be sad at Christmas, not when we both just got happy again.”

“I can’t be sad around you, Britt,” Santana mumbles, hiding her blush in Brittany’s neck, “You make me too happy for the sad thoughts to stay around too long.”

“You make me so happy too. But I’m the happiest when I’m making you happy,” Brittany admits, her voice tight and watery, “And I’d really like to continue making you happy.”

Santana smiles and purses her lips to kiss the skin against her mouth, soft and lingering. “Then just be here,” she says, “That makes me happy. When you’re here with me.”

Brittany sighs and they sink further into the couch, Santana drawing comfort from Brittany before she works up the courage to open her phone and look at her abuela’s Facebook page. She’s more than a little shocked to find that the first picture on the page is a picture of her, young and surrounded by Christmas wrapping paper, beaming up at the camera with an easy bake oven her abuela had gotten her so she could bake just like abuela. There’s no caption, but it abuela shared it just a couple days ago, and it makes Santana’s heart ache to know that her abuela might not hate her anymore. A little further down there’s a shared link about George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and the new production stage manager they suddenly hired, and then there’s another picture of a young Santana posted on her birthday, and a couple more from random days; what really catches Santana’s attention is the fact that her abuela never captions any of them, but Santana can feel the regret radiating off of them anyways.

It’s enough to bring tears to her eyes and she quickly turns away and buries her face into Brittany’s chest, blinking back tears and willing herself to breathe deeply.

“What do you want to do?” Brittany asks softly.

Santana thinks for a long moment, weighing her options and letting Brittany’s fingers trailing over her arms comfort her. “I think,” she starts slowly, “That I’m going to wait until after Christmas to make a decision.”

“Yeah?” Brittany murmurs against her hair.

“Yeah,” Santana confirms, and then she cuddles back into Brittany’s arms, dropping her phone on the floor beside Brittany’s hip, “I just want to spend the next couple days with you.”

Brittany’s breath catches and jerks Santana against her chest a little, Santana nuzzling closer until she can find Brittany’s heartbeat, everything about Brittany softening and comforting her until all of her anxiety and anger regarding her abuela is a distant thought compared to how right it feels to be wrapped up in Brittany’s arms.

“I’d like that too,” Brittany whispers, and Santana just hums and snuggles closer.

[sushigirlali]

If You Don’t Love Me, Lie To My Face - Epilogue (Reylo Fanfic)

Part I | Part II | Part III | Epilogue

Summary: Grifter!Rey helps U.S. Senator Leia Organa’s son, Ben Solo, out of a jam when a couple of muggers invade her turf. Afterward, she debates robbing the rich American herself, but can she protect her heart while stealing his?

Pairing: Rey + Ben Solo | Finn + Poe Dameron

Rating: E

Continuity: Modern AU

A/N: Last but not least, here's the epilogue! I would have been in CA this week for SWCA, so I'm missing my Reylo friends extra hard! Hopefully things will start looking up next year for conventions because cosplay and meetups are life for me! Enjoy :)

Master list –> AO3 | ff.net | Tumblr

——————

If You Don’t Love Me, Lie To My Face - Epilogue

By: sushigirlali

——————

Kennington, London Three months later

——————

Rey curled her legs underneath her as the news report she'd been waiting for finally started. At the same moment, Finn's door opened and he passed through the living room to the kitchen.

"Since when do you watch the news?" he asked, opening the fridge to grab a snack.

"Shh!" she waved a hand at him, trying to listen to the report.

"Senator Organa has won reelection in a landslide, despite a hiccup in her campaign when J.J. Snoke, former head of multinational corporation The First Order, was arrested by the FBI and charged with a slew of crimes ranging from embezzlement to the attempted murder of her son, Ben Solo. Solo is expected to remain at his mother's side for the foreseeable future as Chief of—"

"Hey!" Rey yelped as Finn grabbed the remote and switched the TV off. "What the hell?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he frowned, taking a bite out of a bright red apple. "Have you actually talked to Ben or are you getting all your information from the telly?"

"We've talked," she said evasively.

"When was the last time?"

"Last week," she muttered. "He's very busy right now."

"And what did he say?" Finn inquired.

"He said he was coming back soon," she hunched her shoulders, "but the news for the past few days has been saying that Ben's going to stay in America and work for his mom and there's speculation he's dating that tiny blonde woman from the fancy café and—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," her brother cautioned as she worked herself up. "If Ben said he's coming back, then he is. I don't think the bloke has it in him to lie to you. And he's definitely not cheating on you, Rey."

"How do you know?" she cried. "You and Poe talk fifty times a day and are so in love it makes me sick!"

"Okay, let's put a pin in my love life," Finn said, "and get back to the real issue. If you're having doubts about him, then you need to talk to him!"

"I guess I could call him," she sniffed. "It's late there, though. He might be asleep."

"Why not give it a try just in case?" he urged.

She blew a raspberry at him. "Fine."

Finn looked at her expectantly, continuing to much on his piece of fruit.

"Are you just going to stand there or can I get some privacy?" she glared.

"I'm just going to stand here," he confirmed with a grin.

Swearing under her breath, Rey was about to dial Ben up when her phone rang. "Oh, no."

"What? Is it him?"

"No," she gulped, recognizing one of the contacts she'd copied from Ben's cell all those months ago, "it's his mother."

"Well, answer it!" he said, rushing to sit beside her.

Rey held the phone so that Finn could hear too. "H—hello? Mrs. Solo?"

"Organa, but Leia is fine," she replied briskly. "Rey, have you heard from my son? He's supposed to be in town for another—"

"Finn!" Rey gasped as he took the phone from her hand and ended the call. "What are you doing?!"

"Dammit, this isn't going right at all," he bemoaned. "Ben is going to kill me!"

"What?"

Sighing, Finn scrolled through her favorites and called Ben before pressing the device to her ear. "Here."

Rey started to argue, but the sound of another phone ringing diverted her attention to the front door. "What the fuck?"

"Surprise!" Finn said weakly.

Her mouth dropped open as the door suddenly swung wide, revealing a casually dressed Ben Solo with cell in hand.

"Hey, Rey," he smiled, speaking into the receiver.

The sound of his husky voice was magnified by their close proximity, making her quiver. "Ben?" she breathed.

"I'm back, sweetheart," he held his free arm open, "aren't you glad to see me?"

Unable to respond, to think, she just stared at him in shock. "This can't be real. Am I dreaming?"

"Rey?" he frowned, hanging up the phone and slipping it into his back pocket. "You are happy to see me, right?" He hovered half inside the doorway, looking like he intended to bolt if she said "no."

Shaken by his vulnerability, Rey tossed her phone over her shoulder and bounded across the room and into his arms. "Ben? Ben!" she cried, realizing he was real and firm and here. "Oh, my god!"

"Does that mean you missed me?" he teased, sounding relieved.

She squeezed him tight, burrowing her face into his black Henley. "Yes!" she said, words slightly muffled against his firm chest.

"Good," he responded, hugging her tightly. "I was worried for a second there."

Looking up at him, she drank in his handsome features. "Don't be silly." Then, a little anxiously, "Did you miss me too?"

"Every minute, baby, every minute," he said huskily.

"Are—are you staying long?"

He tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean? I'm back."

"Yes, but back for how long?" she chewed her lip.

"Have you been watching the news, Rey Niima?" he chuckled.

"Shut up," she flushed.

He leaned down to kiss her. "I'm going to work out of the embassy for my mother during her last term, then I'm free to do whatever I want."

"And what is that?" she sighed against his mouth.

"Be with you," he said simply, looping an arm under her legs and pulling her into a bridal carry. "How does that sound?"

"I think I can work you in between classes," she ribbed, curling her arms around the strong column of his neck. "I'm starting in January. If I take summer classes as well, I should be done within three years."

"I can live with that," he murmured, taking her mouth again. "I can live with that forever."

——————

"Nice to see you, too," Finn laughed quietly as Ben walked into Rey's room and kicked the door shut behind them. Stooping to pick up Rey's discarded phone when it started ringing again, he answered, "Hey, Senator."

"Uh… hello?" Leia replied. "Who is this?"

"Finn."

"Oh, the brother!"

"Yes, the brother," he laughed again. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for my son," she paused, "and now Rey too, I suppose. Do you know where they are?"

Finn snorted as Rey's bed started squeaking against the wall. "I have an idea," he said irreverently.

Something in his voice must have given the situation away, because she said, "Oh… I see... Ben's already in London then. Can you ask them to give me a call, um, tomorrow? There are a few things we should discuss about Ben's move… and other future important events."

"Sure, I can do that," he said brightly. "Rey, you've got your hands full with this one. Good luck planning your own wedding."

"Thank you. Goodnight, Finn."

"Goodnight, Senator." Disconnecting the call, he placed the device on the coffee table with a sigh. "Well, my duty is done for the night, I should probably—"

"Done managing our friend's lives?" A man rumbled from the still open doorway.

"Poe!" Finn exclaimed, flipping around. "You're here too!"

"Surprise!" he smiled, holding out a hand. "Wanna go out for dinner?"

Sparing a glance toward Rey's bedroom as the scandalous sounds from within became even louder, he tossed the apple core into the trash, grabbed his jacket and wallet, and joined Poe at the door. "Hell yes," he agreed, taking his hand, "it's a date."

——————

Washington, D.C. Three years later

——————

Rey Solo tried to focus on what her husband was whispering into her ear, but found the task impossible as his hips slammed hard against hers. With her thighs pushed wide to accommodate his width and a plush pillow propping up her hips, Ben had worked his thick cock so deep inside her body that she could practically feel him in her throat.

Not that she was complaining, per se, but it was rather annoying to be stuck housesitting for Ben's mother, the esteemed Senator Leia Organa, instead of enjoying the long awaited honeymoon in Hawaii they had painstakingly planned over the last year. Having already postponed their vacation until after Rey finished engineering school, they were both itching for a break.

Since getting together with Ben, Rey had met Leia exactly three times. Once at her engagement party, then again at her wedding, and finally only hours ago in the very room Ben was fucking her brains out in now. She was a kind woman, if a bit stern, and loved her son to distraction. Which was fortunate, since Rey was pretty sure they didn't have anything else in common.

Still, she wanted to be a good wife and daughter-in-law, so she'd sucked up her disappointment when Leia had asked them to babysit her pets and water her plants for two weeks instead of going on her dream vacation while Leia jetted off to lord knows where to bail her erstwhile husband out of a jam.

Having never met the man, he'd be conspicuously absent from their wedding, Rey's only opinion on the elder Solo was that he was lucky to have a family that cared about him so much. Having grown up in the foster care system, she knew never to take such things for granted.

In fact, now that she had a family of her own, every day was more special than the last. When not working for his mother, Ben was helping Finn and Poe grow their independent racing team. And with Leia retiring next year, he would be free to pursue his new passion with his friends. For her part, she couldn't wait to get involved in designing cars for Finn; he was quickly becoming a star on the British circuit. It was funny how things worked out sometimes...

"Rey?" Ben's hoarse whine broke into her thoughts. "Rey, I'm gonna lose it!" His long fingers slipped between them, zeroing in on her pulsating core. He deftly manipulated her slick nub, dragging her to the brink as well. "Do you want me to pull out, or…?"

Sometimes life threw in-law sized curveballs at you, but on the plus side, making furious love to her husband in the middle of the day on his mother's favorite sofa was a pretty good alternative to a Hawaiian vacation. Being married to the love of her life was turning out to be quite the adventure after all.

"No!" Rey locked her ankles around his waist and tightened her inner muscles around him. Ben swore in response, his careful rhythm becoming sloppy as they careened toward climax. "This sofa costs fifteen thousand dollars, don't you dare ruin it!"

"How the hell do you know that?" he grunted, but she could tell he was pleased. While she enjoyed when he made a bit of a mess during sex, Ben had always preferred coming inside her.

"Your mother," she gasped, arching into his next stroke. "When we toured the house earlier she—she—ah! Ben!"

"Guess I'll just have to come in you then," he panted, playing her body like a fiddle. "You've been off the pill for a month. Do you think you're ready for me? For my come? Are you ready to have my baby?"

"Oh, Ben!" she moaned, heart racing madly at the mention of having his child. Whoever said procreation wasn't sexy hadn't met her husband. They'd barely started trying, but he'd already reconfigured his home office into the perfect nursery. "Yes! Come inside me, please! Fill me up! I want your baby, Ben!"

"Fuck! Rey!" He pounded into her harder, angling his hips in just the way she liked, giving her everything he had to give. "Right there?" he huffed, hooking one of her legs over the crook of his arm. "Is this what you want?"

"Yes!" she cried, nails digging into the soft suede sofa. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Stars suddenly exploded behind her hazel eyes, making her blind to everything except the man holding her. "I love you," he whispered over and over again, trailing kisses across her face as her cunt milked his shaft for long moments. "I love you so much, Rey."

She curved her arms around his neck, returning his affectionate embrace. "I love you too, Ben."

"I'm only sorry I couldn't give you the honeymoon you deserve," he sighed absently.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I think we're off to a great start." She kissed his prominent nose. "Besides, we have traveler's insurance, so we can just go away next month instead."

"Thank god for that," he chuckled. Ben slowly sat up with her in his lap, careful not to dislodge his softening member. "So, about this sofa..."

"Yeah?"

"I think you may want to trim your nails before we start round two."

"Oh? Why's that?" she said bemusedly.

Ben turned her cheek to see two sets of crescent indentations cut into the arm of the couch. Apparently her grip was stronger than the fine fabric. "Shite."

"This is why we can't have nice things," he said with mock seriousness. "Mother will be so disappointed."

She giggled and pushed his unruly hair away from his face. "Then I guess it doesn't matter what else we do on this sofa, now does it?"

"Nope," he grinned at the possibilities. "Though we should probably keep our play fighting in the ballroom; less things to ruin in there."

"Mm… good point," she groaned, unable to resist lifting up and down on his rapidly hardening member. "But before I kick your butt again, I'm going to thoroughly ruin you—and maybe this sofa—first!"

Ben kissed her heatedly, letting her take what she wanted. "I wouldn't want it any other way, sweetheart."

-FIN-

——————

A/N: Hope y'all enjoyed this little fic! I really love action romance with an HEA! Please check out my other fics and leave reviews! Validation is wonderful lol Be well!

[rhina988]

Indecent Proposal - Chapter 4

Read from the beginning

Read Chapter 3

I took a quick shower after I came back from the hospital, so that I wouldn’t be late for my lunch with Jared. As I was taking a shower, a billion different thoughts raced through my mind. All this felt so wrong, and so surreal that I had an urge to pinch myself every 5 minutes. How did this become my reality? How did I end up living probably my worst nightmare, with my best friend barely being alive and me getting married in such an unnatural way? Why was this my life? Why should this be anybody’s destiny? I guess the time will tell.

After I was done with the shower I quickly blew dried my hair, and put it in a loose casual bun. I didn’t have time for much stylizing, so this had to do the job. Adding a little bit of make-up and a touch of perfume was all I was going with, since I had no intention on impressing him. As for the outfit, a blush silk blouse with ¾ sleeves, black pants and nude pumps were just the right combination. Not too casual, but not too serious either. I put on my earrings, a watch, took the bag, and headed out of the apartment.

When I came to the restaurant a bunch of paparazzi was already invading the driveway and almost the entire entrance. They must’ve already found out Jared was here, which was strange, considering he’s late to every meeting most of the time. Having in mind this was nothing else but a business meeting I figured I’d be here before him. Little did I know he was really eager to make quite an arrangement with our marriage.

As I walked inside I took of my sunglasses and looked over the tables, and finally saw Jared sitting at the one next to the window that had the view straight to the street. He was scrolling through his phone. Was he going to make the show for the paparazzi or something? This man was always so unpredictable, that I literally didn’t know what to expect. With Jared, you always had to be prepared for the impossible.

While I was approaching the table Jared looked up at me and I couldn’t fail to notice that he almost smiled. Still, it seemed as if he was refraining from showing any decent emotions towards me. He just put his phone down, licked his lips and waited for me to come to the table.

“Well, isn’t this my future spouse”, Jared said and supported his head with clasped hands under his chin, putting that ridiculous smile on his face. Sometimes I really thought he enjoyed tormenting me.

“Hello to you too, Jared” I was clearly frustrated, so I just sat there determined to make this lunch as short as possible.

“Wow, that’s a hell of an outfit, Melody” he tried to compliment me, I guess, but I couldn’t care less.

“Nothing I don’t usually wear to a business meeting; since this is exactly that - business - it would be best if we both acted accordingly,” I said with a slightly shaken voice. He kinda made me nervous, and my shy nature only added to a whole anxiety. I thought I’d be able to put on a brave persona, as I did this morning, but my true self was resurfacing, revealing my fragile nature.

“So, are we supposed to sign some kind of a contract then?” Jared tried to tease me obviously. I just rolled my eyes and ignored his remark. The waiter suddenly came, so we ordered our lunch. I took a salad so I could eat it fast and get away from Jared as soon as possible.

“OK, let’s get to business” I said “How is this thing between us supposed to work?”

“Well, we’re gonna get married the next weekend, and we can announce the engagement tomorrow night,” Jared said and took a sip of water.

“We should get married in 10 days? How on earth are we supposed to plan everything and set the date with the minister?” I asked in shock. 

Wow, this would come sooner than I’d imagine. Jamie wouldn’t be able to recover as fast and I needed to be by his side. Plus, how was I supposed to keep this huge predicament in my life from him, until he is fully recovered. Things were becoming more complicated by the minute.

“Nothing to worry about darling,” Jared said and put his hand over mine that was resting by the glass.

I immediately flinched and pulled it back, when I noticed the paparazzi approaching the window. Jared raised his eyebrow, trying to tell me the show for the public should start right here, right now. A deep breath and took my hand back on the table, letting him touch it. He used the opportunity to intertwine our fingers together, smile and wink at me. I drank some water, trying to resist my natural repulse towards this man. Even though his hand was warm, and his touch actually tender, it still didn’t feel much comfortable doing this. I put down the glass and exhaled trying to make the conversation, to take my mind of the fact that Jared and I were holding hands.

“And how are we supposed to announce the engagement? Are we going to some event?”

“No, we can put it on social media, and the news will spread in a blink of an eye,” Jared said and snapped a photo of us holding hands.

“They’ve noticed already,” I pointed to the paparazzi with my eyes. They couldn’t approach too close, but they could take a picture of the two of us having lunch. This was more than enough for the the rumors to start.

The waiter finally brought our food, so I was able to get my hand back. Just when I thought we’re just gonna continue to talk, Jared took a bit of his lunch with the fork and pointed it to me, so I could have a bite. At first, I frowned, since this is the last thing I expected to happen. He just tilted his head, smiled and waited for me to take a bite. I realized I had to cooperate, if this was gonna alert the paparazzi even more, so I took the bite, and puckered my lips at him as I started to chew, so it would look like I was blowing him a kiss.

With the corner of my eye, I could see the paparazzi feeling more than satisfied with our little lunch. I could already picture the headlines online and in print. Jared and His Lady Friend Indulging a Delicious meal. Who’s the Mystery Girl Jared Took Out This Afternoon? And God knows what more they’d have up their sleeve. But that’s what we were aiming for, so we better get ready.

Jared was a bit surprised with my reaction, but I could tell he was also pleased. Finally, the paparazzi were pulling back, and we could continue to have lunch in peace.

“At last,” I sighed “I thought they’d stand there forever,” I said and finished my salad.

“Would you like a dessert,” Jared asked me nicely. That was weird.

“Um.. No thank you, I’m full,” I answered slightly confused and took a sip of water.

“Fine. Oh, one more thing about our… arrangement”, Jared said and finished his meal “You should probably move in before the wedding.”

I almost chocked on the water, starting to cough because the liquid went down the wrong pipe

“Whoa, don’t suffocate now,” Jared said and started laughing.

“What do you… why should I….” I couldn’t finish the sentence, he just interrupted me arrogantly,

“If we’re gonna be engaged for the week, we should start living together before the marriage, don’t you think? Plus, we should probably say we were engaged for some time, but we decided to announce it just before the wedding. This way, things won’t look suspicious,” Jared said and waited for my response.

“Well…” I said and cupped my face with my hands trying to figure out what to say, “I guess that’s fine.”

“Perfect, you can bring a couple of things tonight, and we’ll move you in completely by the end of the weekend,” he said and wiggled his eyebrows in content.

“Tonight?” I was shocked. This was moving too damn fast.

“Yeah, trust me. Tomorrow morning my driveway will be packed with reporters, and we want them to spot you bright and early at the house.”

But Jamie’s surgery is tomorrow morning. I have to be out of the house before anyone wakes up, I don’t want them to know about him until he’s perfectly healthy. How was I supposed to manage all this?

“Can’t I just come by tomorrow night, and have all that set up the day after tomorrow?” I tried to ask nicely.

“Why? The sooner the better,” Jared was persistent.

“I know, but I’m gonna need some time to process all this. I mean you just put all this thing on my plate this morning, and I’m supposed to move in with you tonight. This is way too fast for me,” I became a bit more nervous, which caught Jared’s eye, so he agreed.

“Fine, come tomorrow night then, and don’t even try to make some excuse not to show up,” he pointed his index finger at me signalizing he was dead serious.

“Understood, ” I nodded, faked a smile and drank some water. Jared then called the waiter to take care of the check and we were finally gonna leave the restaurant.

“Ready to go?” Jared asked me as he was taking his credit card from the waiter.

“Yeah,” I answered and took my bag standing up to leave.

As I started to walk in front of him he suddenly said, “Wait.”

I turned to him, and he stood next to me, offering me his hand to hold. I looked at it, and then at him, shaking my head to let him know I had no idea what he wanted.

“We’re a couple, Melody. And couples hold hands when they’re together,” Jared said and still held his hand in front of me.

“Right…” I sighed and rolled my eyes. We were moving towards the exit and Jared was in front of me. 

As he walked, the intoxicating cologne he was wearing started to spread all over the place. Wow, never before have I noticed it was such a powerful scent. It alerted all my senses giving me goosebumps. I’ve always loved a strong, masculine male cologne, and this one was by far the one that made me a bit dizzy. There was absolutely nothing sexier than a hot guy that smelled divine. But this was sleazy Jared, I couldn’t be dazzled by his scent. I quickly snapped out of my own roller-coaster of feelings, and payed attention to the flashes in front of the restaurant.

I quickly put on my sunglasses and saw Jared did the same. He looked at me, smiling to what I just did, and we were out. The photographers went crazy Hey Jared, who is this? Honey what’s your name? Are you two an item? New lady friend Jared? Did you have a nice lunch? I couldn’t even catch on all the questions they were asking, but somehow we both managed to stay quiet and quickly enter Jared’s car and drive off.

Read Chapter 5

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