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justkending · 3 years

Text

Moral of the Story. Chapter Five.

Summary: Marrying too young out of highschool leads to a naive and failed marriage. Now 10 years later, word comes that the divorce was never actually completed. Bucky and Y/N have to come back together after all these years to settle what wasn’t all those years back. Passive attitudes, miscommunicated endings, and reminiscing of old loves and lives all comes back for the two.

Pairing: Bucky x Y/N

Word Count: 3200+

Chapter Five:

Once the meeting was done and over, Bucky and Y/N both left at the same time. Bucky was kind enough to hold the door open for her as they made their way back to the street, but Y/N’s goal was to get back to her car as quick as possible. So she gave him a curt thank you and moved quickly to leave.

“Y/N!” Bucky shouted just as she was less than 10 feet away. She paused with a cringe on her face before turning back to him. He was walking hesitantly to catch up with her. “Listen, I know it’s been a few years.”

“A few is an understatement,” she mumbled and he heard, but decided to move on.

“I just- I,” he stuttered. What the hell was he doing? “Would you want to get coffee? Catch up some? I-,” Before he could finish, she cut him off.

“Listen, as great as that sounds,” she tried to say nicely, but he could see the nerves in her face. “I actually have plans right after this.” He deflated some in his spot. She noticed and though she thought she wouldn’t care if she hurt him after all these years, something deep down proved that thought was wrong. “I-I just haven’t seen my family in a while, and the little time I have left here this weekend, I wanted to spend time with them where I could.”

“Right, right,” Bucky tried to brush off unbothered, but failed. “I’m sure your dad misses you, and you him.”

“Yeah, it’s been a few years. That and I haven’t been back in the city in 10 years, so I have a lot to catch up on,” she nodded.

“Wait, you haven’t been back here in 10 years?” he asked shocked. He thought she had a least been in town throughout the years. Even if he hadn’t seen her.

“Um, yeah. I kinda…” she hesitated, but figured where would the truth hurt? “Guess I wasn’t ever really ready to get back here.” Bucky knew what she meant even if she wasn’t saying it verbatim, and it hurt his heart knowing he was the cause. Well, I guess both of them were, not just him. “That plus starting up Horizon, it was hard the first few years. But the family still sees each other for the holidays.”

“That’s right. Colorado,” Bucky nodded.

Y/N had kept forgetting for some reason that Bucky and her father were with each other at least once a week most of the time. Always hanging out and doing guy things, or really, father and son types of things. Meaning he knew of, if not actually knew, Sherri, Denise, John, and Chloe too. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t know about the yearly Colorado trip.

“Right,” Y/N nodded with pursed lips, putting it all together and Bucky realized.

“Oh, God sorry. I promise I’m not stalking you, it’s just your dad and I-” he started to defend his knowledge.

“It’s fine James, really,” she said with a wave of her hand and a slight chuckle. One he never expected coming from her. And the name… He wasn’t sure the last time he heard her say Bucky. As soon as they decided to bring an end to their relationship, that nickname never passed her lips again. “I know you and my dad are close.”

“You’re not upset at that?” he asked, slightly confused.

“I’m not evil. No matter how much you may think,” she mumbled the last part. “I-I… I know the relationship you two share. You’ve had it since the beginning of time practically. I wouldn’t dream to take that from either of you.”

Bucky didn’t respond. Because all he could do was look at her with a longing look. God, he missed her. Sure he held some anger from where they ended things, but he had moved on for the most part. Now he just missed his best friend. The girl he grew up loving. From best friends to girlfriend, to eventually fiance and wife. He missed her. Just who she was as a person when resent wasn’t a feeling she had toward you.

Sure, it was a lot to think back on in just the thought that she still cared for him enough not to banish her father from him, but it spoke volumes for who she was as an individual and he missed that.

“I mean not that I really have a say in other people’s life, but if I did, I wouldn’t do such a thing,” she looked down, fidgeting in her spot seeing him staring at her like earlier all over again.

“I know you wouldn’t,” he responded, quickly noticing his stare and looking down at his own shuffling feet. “Well, in that case, I’ll let you go. Thomas has been excited beyond measures to have you home. I won’t keep you from him.”

She nodded as they made eye contact again and started to turn back to her car. But before she could get too far, knowing this may be the last time he sees her again for a while, if not ever, he had to say it.

“Y/N?” She turned at her name and sent him a questioning look. “I’m glad you’re doing ok. You seem to really be taking the world by storm like you always were going to,” he smiled softly and she blushed some before returning the smile.

“Thank you, James. You too. You seem like you’re doing some pretty amazing things yourself,” she nodded once.

They didn’t speak more than that, but instead walked back to their cars. Not without a second glance here and there.

___________________

“So? How did it go?” Thomas asked as soon as Y/N walked in through the garage door. Him and Sherri sitting at the breakfast nook with cups of coffee in hand and wide eyes ready for all the details.

“It went,” she responded, throwing her purse on the island bar stool and going to make a mug for herself.

“Wow, such a colorful description. Anything more and she’d be over doing it,” Thomas exaggerated, getting a giggle from Sherri who stood up and joined Y/N’s side grabbing the creamer and sugar for her.

“Come on now, sis. Good? Bad? Magical?” she added the last word with flare.

“Anything besides magical,” she sent a playful glare to the woman. “I will say this though.” She walked over and sat with a huff in the nook across from her father, practically deflating in her seat. “I am still technically Mrs. Barnes.”

“What?!” they both gasped.

“How?” Thomas pushed on.

“Well I guess the meeting today was just to update the papers and nothing else. I mean, yeah. A few signatures here and there, but it’s not finalized.”

“So it was just an revision meeting? When’s the final cut?” Sherri asked, leaning on the back of Thomas' chair. The two watching their daughter with intrigued eyes.

“A few days?” she said more in a question. “Matthew, our new lawyer, said him and his partner are going to update them within the next day or so, and then send us the final write up to sign. After we send those back in, it’ll all be settled.”

“You still going to have John overlook everything for extra measures?”

“Never hurts. I really would rather NOT go through all this mess again. Getting divorced once sucks, but twice? Yeah, I’d rather not have to do it a third time. And all with the same man,” Y/N sighed heavily before taking a long chug of her coffee.

The couple ahead of her sending each other a silent message to the other. Y/N hadn’t noticed as she closed her eyes at the upcoming headache, and even if she had, she wouldn’t have time to question it as her phone started going off.

Looking down, she saw the office calling her. On a Saturday?

“I have to take this. I’ll be back in one second,” she groaned, taking her coffee mug with the buzzing phone to the back patio. “Hello?”

“Y/N! Hey, I have a quick update,” Melody’s voice came through the other line.

“Why are you at the office on a Saturday?” Y/N said a little sternly, but good intentions were behind it.

“I got an email from our recycle plant we had scheduled for that Monday meeting and it couldn’t wait until Monday,” she was quick to explain. “But listen. They had to reschedule. The main guy and his wife, the bosses of the vendure who was coming to discuss the offers, had a family emergency come up and asked if they could postpone it a week.”

“Um, yeah sure. That’s fine,” Y/N shook her head trying to run the schedule through her mind. “Did you contact Bee’s Knees and let them know about the postponement?”

“Yes, and they said they were fine with it as well.”

“Ok, good,” Y/N nodded. “So I have a clear schedule besides background work Monday. Is that all?”

“Well…” Melody drug out.

“Why does that sound like a Natasha kind of ‘well’,” Y/N questioned with a quirked eyebrow. This wasn’t receptionist or assistant talk about to happen.

“Speaking of Nat, we thought because that was your only big meeting for the week and everything else is normal for the rest of the week, you should extend your stay in Brooklyn,” she replied.

“What?”

“Come on. We both agree you haven’t seen your family in far too long, and a weekend trip isn’t going to cut it. That plus, Nat made a good point that you have tons of old friends you haven't seen in way too many years either,” she went on. “Why rush catching up with everyone, if all the work you need to do can be done on your laptop from Brooklyn? That and for once, your schedule isn’t overstacked with meeting after meeting. That happens once every few months. Plus, you’re already in New York!”

“Ok, ok. Calm down there, Sparky,” Y/N chuckled at her friend being out of breath. “I mean I guess, you’re not wrong…”

“She can’t be. I’m the one who came up with all this,” Nat’s voice broke in.

“Oh, yeah. I may or may not be hanging out with Nat and Yelena,” Melody giggled bashfully. “Or be partially tipsy.”

Y/N rolled her eyes at the three, but couldn’t stop the laugh from coming out of her own mouth.

“You sneaky little bitches,” Y/N chuckled.

“What can I say? We’re Romanoff’s,” Nat smirked through the phone.

“Well, I’m a Hill, but Romanoff by descent,” Melody added in.

Again, another joking eye roll.

“Now I have to change my flights and everything,” Y/N sighed.

“Oh, woes me,” Nat mocked. “What a challenge it must be to log into your computer and change a flight to another week…”

“Hey, smartass,-”

“Lucky for you, you have me. I state once again,” Nat laughed. “I already checked into your flights to see if we can get a cheap reschedule.”

“How’d you know my login information?” Y/N asked, confused.

“I have my ways, now don’t interrupt,” she scolded before continuing. “I was able to find you a flight around the same time, plenty of time to get to your rescheduled meeting, and it won’t cost you a hair off that pretty head of yours.”

“How’d you manage that?” Y/N asked with a smirk of her own now and a pop of her hip.

“I’ll say it again since apparently you’re deaf. I have. My ways,” the red head replied.

“You sure you weren’t a spy in another life or something? Because sometimes you and Yelena have some strange tricks up your sleeves that I’ve only seen done in movies.”

“I would like the answer to that as well. Like how they coroerced me into a girls night while I was hiding in my apartment trying to take a relaxing night to read,” Melody spoke up.

“Drink your juice, babygirl,” Yelena’s voice came quietly in the back.

“With all that being said, we are gonna to let you go. We’re going to get all the details of last night out of this little one and go to a few clubs,” Nat explained.

“Oh, I’d love to hear the details when you have them,” Y/N laughed.

“I’ll have a nice 5 page paper ready for you tomorrow morning,” Yelena yelled from a distance.

“I’ll be expecting it. Now you girls go have a good time and please show Melody what she’s missing out on!”

“Can do, boss lady! Love you! See you next week!”

With that, the phone call ended and Y/N looked at the empty lock screen.

“I guess we’re staying a little longer.”

________________

“So, how’d it go?” Steve asked coming home from his early half shift.

Bucky was sprawled across the couch with a pillow over his face, a sports playback running in the background and a beer that looked like he had been nursing all afternoon on the coffee table.

“She looks great,” he mumbled into the cushion, but Steve couldn’t syfer the words.

“You’re going to have to say that again without a throw pillow over your face,” he chuckled, kicking off his shoes and throwing his keys by the door before heading to the nearby kitchen.

“I said, she looks great!” Bucky all but grunted as he sat up. Frustration and annoyance clear in his answer.

“And why do you sound like that’s a horrible thing?” Steve laughed again from the distance.

Bucky groaned as he stood up and walked into the other room with Steve. He was parading through the fridge for an afternoon snack, or by the looks of the clock on the oven, lunch.

It was 12:30 already?

“Because Steve, it makes it hurt all the more,” he pouted, crossing his arms as he leaned against the island in the middle of the space.

“Her looking good, hurts you?” Steve asked, standing up with a tupperware bowl of leftovers in his hand.

“I don’t know!” Bucky sneered at him, angry that his best friend wasn’t catching on to his feelings that even he didn’t understand. “I guess deep down, I was hoping she didn’t age well so that walking away would be easier. But there she was, walking in like fine wine. All mature and curvy, and… Perfect…” he mumbled the last part. “She did smack me though,” he added, thinking back with a dazed face.

“Smack you?” Steve chuckled, popping the cold food in the microwave.

“Our lawyer is blind. I asked a simple question of out of all the states to live in, why New York in that kind of condition?” Bucky said, hating how it sounded. “I realize now, after processing it, that was stupid and rude.”

“Hence why she smacked you,” Steve laughed, copying the brunette's stance on the opposite counter. “You’re an occupational therapist, Buck. Out of all the things to understand, it’s people adapting to their handicaps and disabilities.” He couldn’t help the laugh at his friend who seemed oblivious to the irony.

“I was nervous, ok?!” Bucky defended, throwing his arms up and going to pace the room now. “Y/N and I had been sitting in awkward silence for the most part of the meeting so far, and that was the first piece of conversation that came to mind.”

“I’m hoping for your sake, he wasn’t a dick about it.”

“He wasn’t. He actually said he gets asked that a lot. Apparently, he hasn’t been blind all his life and said he’s lived here all that time. Helps when you grow up in the environment you live in.”

“Very true,” Steve agreed, grabbing his food and stirring it around before taking a bite and talking again. “Besides her looking ‘perfect’, did the process go well? You know, besides her reprimanding you like a mom?”

“Ha ha. You’re so funny,” Bucky deadpanned. “But yes. We signed our things and updated it all. Hey, did you know she’s a co-founder of Nat’s woman’s home? I guess not a co-founder, but investor?”

Steve finished his bite and shook his head. “Can’t say I did. It must be recent if that’s the case because neither Nat or Y/N told me about that.”

“I think it is, but damn…”

“Damn what?” Steve asked.

“Well, at first she had me dropping my jaw at the fact that she did everything and more that she had hoped to do. She’s become an environmentalist like her grandmother and has started a whole business based on it.”

“I mean she was an environmentalist as soon as her GG had her walking. Remember how she would always take our straws at restaurants and have the waitress take them back so we didn’t ‘kill the turtles’? And that was before that was a like a worldwide trend,” Steve remenised, moving to the living room to eat at the couch. Bucky following.

“God, yes. She started carrying like 10 reusable straws with her as soon as they came out with them. That and remember the amount of reusable bags she had in her backseat any given time of the week?” Bucky laughed, joining him in thinking back to the dated memories.

“So many she would hand them out to people in parking lots at grocery stores to use themselves,” Steve added. “God, she really loves this planet. I admire her passion though. We need everyone to have a heart for our home like that.”

“She made it everyone's mission around her to know just how important it was,” Bucky smiled at the thought as he looked off in the distance, wrapped in the memories he loved. But that wasn’t the point. The point was he would never be close with her like that again. What they had was done and over… Or would be. “Funny thing actually…” Bucky chuckled awkwardly.

“What’s that?” Steve asked, looking at the TV in front of him.

“We may or may not still be married…”

There was a pause as Steve stopped mid-chew and slowly turned his gaze from the baseball reruns on the screen to Bucky with a tight smile.

“Excuse me?”

“I guess that wasn’t the endgame for today’s meeting…”

“What was?”

“Getting things updated and signed so that the papers were actually ready for our divorce,” Bucky answered.

“So she’s still Y/N Barnes?”

“Yes, but I wouldn’t say that to her face. She looks like she wants to physically throw up when you call her that,” Bucky slouched in his chair. His hand coming up to cover his face as he rubbed his temples with his thumb and middle finger.

“So still married?”

“Still married.”

“How long?” Steve sighed, putting his food on the counter and leaning back in his own seat.

“As long as it takes to make up the new divorce settlements and get them signed and sent back in. Until then… I’m a married man.”

If you would like to be tagged in this series, please send an ask! It keeps things more organized for me. If you comment, I most likely will not add because I loose them:)

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Moral of the Story Taglist:

@taylormobley @ximaginx @vicmc624 @leyannrae @lonerlovescompany @jessyballet @angstysebfan @tita127 @semistablecentenarian @im-a-light-child @alyssahowden @studiesinspanish @natyvwe @rebekahdawkins @fanfictionjunkie1112 @millennial-teenybopper @scotlandasshole @aquariusbarnes @shinykoalacat

Marvel Tags:

@thejourneyneverendsx @death-unbecomes-you @heyiamthatbitch @lizzymacy555 @srrymydood @xa-dia @redhairedfeistynerd @morganclaire4 @connie326 @captain-asguard @mollygetssherlockcoffee @teenagedreams-bucky @shower-me-with-roses @pham-tastical @livstilinski

My Lovelies forever:

@natura1phenomenon @lauravicente @kakakatey @traceyaudette @notyourtypicalrose @laneygthememequeen @awesome-badass-cafeteria-sauce @sandlee44 @thorne93 @thefaithfulwriter @essie1876 @greyeyedsmile14 @capsiclehan @xostephanie @averyrogers83 @awesomenursingstudent @gh0stgurl @cs-please @carls1022 @jjlevin @rainbowkisses31 @anise-d-castle6 @deannotmoose @their-bibliophile @kitkatd7 @willowbleedsonpaper @mariaenchanted @snffbeebee @couldabeenamermaid @rebekahdawkins @alyispunk @princess-annna

Bucky Barnes Tags:

@chloe-skywalker @charmedbysarge @jbarness @bellamy-barnes @katiaw2 @aikeia @stopjustlovethemcu

#bucky barnes highschool sweetheart #bucky barnes highschool au #bucky barnes college au #bucky barnes x reader au #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x y/n #justkending #moral of the story #marvel au #marvel #marvel series #marvel fanfic #bucky barnes fanfic #bucky barnes fanfiction #au series

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lampmeeting · 3 years

Note

D for Charles/Magnus, I for Magnus/Toki, L for Charles/Pickles, and F for Melm/JT.

eeehEHEHEHE DILF *rubs my little hands together* don't mind if i do~

D for Drunken Love Confession - Charles/Magnus

pre-klok. :') magnus has been chipping away at charles' resolve. there's just something about the bookish, put-together little chuck offdensen that makes magnus wanna break through all his defenses and see him come undone. he always did like a challenge. they have heated, passionate debates about the direction of the band. they get in each other's faces. magnus even kissed him once, but charles pushed him away, furious and blushing, and demanded he leave his office.

after six months of this weirdly charged back-and-forth they have, the band invites charles to come drinking with them to celebrate pickles' birthday. charles declines, concerned they're just inviting him to come because they want someone else to play designated driver. but magnus intervenes like "nah i'm driving tonight, promise. so go nuts." and charles seems to think it over... and eventually agrees.

so they all go out! at first charles seems to be pacing himself, but pickles gets shots, and it's all downhill from there. magnus, staying dutifully sober, watches the rest of the band + charles get sloppy and silly, not minding in the slightest the way charles leans against him a little in the booth and touches him when he laughs. he starts to regret not getting drunk himself, but he'd promised charles. it's enough just to see charles' mask slip, albeit not quite in the way magnus wanted. but he'll take it for now.

at the end of the night, magnus drops the band off at the apartment and then continues on to charles' place. he pulls up, and charles tries to get out of the car, but stumbles and falls. he's a lot more fucked up than magnus suspected. magnus helps him to the door, but charles seriously looks like he's about to black out, so he takes him inside, cleans him up a little, and puts him to bed (on his side, in the recovery position, he knows the drill). before he leaves, he can't help himself... he runs fingers through charles' sweaty hair and strokes his jaw. charles opens his eyes, seeming surprised that magnus is still there, and then... he smiles at him. a genuine smile. and as his eyes close again, he whispers something that freezes magnus in place.

"...mmfm...mmlove you..."

"...what?"

but charles is under again, and magnus leaves in a panic. charles doesn't, can't, have feeling for him. that's too much. magnus just wanted some fun, right? maybe get charles worked up enough for an angry fuck. but...love?

magnus can't sleep. the next time magnus sees charles, charles pulls him aside. "i apologize that you had to babysit me like that the other night. i can't exactly recall everything that happened, so if i said or did anything, ah...embarrassing, i'm very sorry."

so charles doesn't remember what he said. or he does and he's just trying to save face. magnus should be relieved about this, but for some reason his heart feels suddenly sore...

"oh, yeah, no...you were out like a light. don't worry about it."

I for "Idiots in Love" - Toki/Magnus

post-post-galaktikon. weirdly enough i'd probably write this from like nathan's pov or something. he's having everyone over to the house for some reason, maybe a holiday or his daughter's first birthday or something (her cool uncles wouldn't dream of missing it). this means..... rrugghhgh magnus is coming over. it's the first time he's interacted with magnus since pickles and charles' wedding, so maybe a good couple years, and he's not looking forward to it.

everyone arrives. toki and magnus are the last to show up, and nathan has to do a double-take because this is SO not magnus. half his hair is back in a ponytail, he's let his beard grow in some, and he's wearing a sweater?? and he's smiling? he genuinely seems happy to see nathan, gives him a hug, says a warm hello to abby.

over the course of the afternoon nathan has to keep looking at him and reminding himself that's magnus fucking hammersmith because he's just so... animated? friendly? he's sitting next to toki and they're holding hands, and when others are talking the two of them are making eyes at each other and cuddling and laughing at little things they seem to be sharing between themselves. they're being a couple of absolute goofballs together, and honestly it's a bit sickening to watch. is magnus just faking this?

at some point nathan excuses himself to the kitchen for something, and while he's in there he's joined by magnus, considerably more subdued.

"sorry, man, i just...i thought maybe we could talk for a sec."

so they talk. they catch up a little. nathan learns magnus has been hitting the therapy especially hard over the past year, making some meaningful strides. it's not an act, he's genuinely happier now. or at least trying to be.

"i mean, you know how it is, nate, right? doesn't abby make you wanna be better just because she exists and she loves you?"

okay, nathan can understand that. he still doesn't understand... them. but it really seems like magnus has turned a corner, which... good for him, he supposes. as long as he's treating toki well.

when they return to the party, nathan watches magnus sit back down with toki and give him a kiss like he'd been gone all month, and they giggle to themselves again. this time, it seems...all right.

L for "Love at First Sight" - Charles/Pickles

i'm gonna flip the script here!! i've already done the whole "charles sees pickles on stage and goes gaga for him" twice now... so i'd pull away from the 80s and do a fic where they actually did meet for the first time in the mid-90s when pickles was in dethklok.

so they've got their shitty original manager (the one from doomstar) still, and he's just not pulling his weight. he's managing a few other bands and his heart isn't in dethklok the way it used to be. pickles is worried they're stagnating, and when he learns that it's been magnus lately making sure they get booked, that's the last straw. they all come together, and they tell the dude to fuck off. but then this leaves them without a manager. magnus offers, but pickles has already been wary about how possessive magnus seems about the band recently, so when pickles says no the rest of them vote the same.

pickles blows through his old contacts looking to dig up some manager from his past who can either wants to manage dethklok or has connections to someone else. no dice. skwisgaar comes up with no one. magnus is still trying to campaign for himself. shit gets dire when somehow seth finds out dethklok is lacking management and leaves pickles a voicemail offering his "valuable fuckin' services". pickles blows his fucking top, swearing and screaming. "HOW HARD IS IT TO FIND ONE GUY CAPABLE OF MANAGING A FUCKIN' BAND??"

the doorbell rings, and pickles, still raging, throws it open.

"WHAT??"

"ahh!"

it's just... a dude. like a normal-ass dude. glasses. a nice dress shirt and slacks. nice hair. handsome. he's nervous as shit, but that almost makes him more handsome.

"i, ah...i-i was told that van on the street belongs to, ah...to someone here? i clipped the, ah, the bumper. just a little. but it's noticeable."

anger forgotten, pickles just... stares at him. are his eyes green or brown? and that jawline...

the man shifts his weight just a bit, peeking into the apartment with wide, curious eyes. "sorry, that, ah... that's quite the drum kit."

"huh?" pickles looks back at it and steps inside, and the man follows as if he's simply meant to be there. "oh, yeah, thanks. you play?"

"hardly. a small jazz kit in college for a friend's music project but it, ah, obviously didn't go anywhere." the man glances around and seems to realize that he's just waltzed inside. "right, ah, so about the van--" he pulls out his card. charles f. offdensen of finch & associates. an honest-to-god lawyer. huh. so he's a smart guy. good-looking to boot. knows a bit about music, apparently. and he's looking to make things right about hitting the van...

pickles smiles, hearts in his eyes. "ya like metal, charlie?"

F for "Fake Dating" - Melmord/Twinkletits

aaahahah... okay. so, this would be when melm is living with john as part of his continued therapy. a few months pass, and they've actually become good friends, melm thinks, not just therapist and patient. it's nice living there with john.

and then, john gets a call from his ex-wife, joy. she's in town, and she wants to come over for dinner one night before she leaves. the only thing is, she's got her new fiance in tow. she and john ended on pretty mutual terms, so there's really no bitterness there, but even so, john knows it's going to be an unpleasant evening. and then there's the question of what to do about melmord.

"you can just stuff me in a back room and pretend i don't exist. i'll be real quiet."

"absolutely not, you've been watching too many sitcoms."

"excuse you, that's jane eyre."

john just doesn't exactly know how to approach explaining melmord's presence in the house. because he knows joy, and joy will ask.

"tell her i'm a friend who needed a place to crash?"

"joy knows i don't do friends anymore."

ouch go melm's feelings.

"well, uh... you could just tell her the truth? that i'm your patient and i live with you?"

john pulls a face. "absolutely not."

in a flash of sitcom inspiration, melm snaps his fingers. "i got it! i'm your boyfriend! we'll pretend to date!"

"pretend to--?? mel, honey, no. okay? i understand you're trying to help, but--"

"but what? what's your brilliant idea, doc?"

cut to john introducing melmord to his ex-wife.

"and this is my... well, he's uh, my boyfriend actually. my boyfriend melmord."

melm is all smiles as he leans in and takes joy's hand. "please, just call me mel."

and then of course at the end of a long night, joy and her fiance leave, and john and melm pat each other on the back for a job well done. they really gave it their all, put on a convincing performance full of long embraces and doting glances and romantic touches. neither of them really want to talk about how easily it came to them, and how unwilling they both are to bring it to an end.

"well, uhh... good night, then." john chuckles. "darling."

"yeah, haha, sleep good, uh... sugarbear."

they laugh. they're standing in the hall laughing. they should really move apart from each other and go to their respective rooms if they're going to sleep, but they're not moving. and they're still laughing. and now melmord is touching john's shirt, fingering a button, and john has a hand on melm's hip...

"maybe," melm says quietly, "we can just pretend for, like... a little longer?"

#thank you jean!!!!#these are turning out so long omg hahaha #my writing #okay NOW i sleep fdgdgd

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wormstacheangel · 4 years

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Almost: Ch8

Final chapter is finally here! The bonus one will be posted hopefully soon but this the ending. Think of it as 15x19 and the next chapter is 15x20 except it doesn’t make you feel stupid. Or I don’t know how you’ll feel about this actually lol

Summary: Dean and Cas finally use their words. And sometimes it's too late. Sometimes it's just the relief of just knowing that makes someone truly happy.

Read on AO3 link (maybe leave a nice little comment?)

Word Count: 2978 More Under The Cut

“Oh,” Sam quickly stands up and nudges Charlie to stand up with him. “Mick! You should come see Charlie’s café!”

Charlie was quick to pick up Sam’s plan - an obvious one - as they both stumbled over each other to push Cas inside the room and pull Mick away. Sam wrapped an arm around Mick’s shoulders, towering over him, while Charlie tugged at his arm.

“Um, I think I’ll just stay with Castiel.” Mick tried to pull away from them but Sam had already pushed him away from the office door.

“Don’t be silly! I have like thee best pies in town!”

Their voices slowly started to get further and further away. Mick trying to politely decline while Sam and Charlie talked his ear off. It would have been funny if Cas wasn’t standing right in front of him practically shaking like a damn leaf. His jaw was clenched as he kept his hands balled up in the dumb ugly trench coat again. He looked cute though. With nice fitting black jeans and a half-tucked in forest green sweater. Matching the fall weather perfectly.

Dean swallowed hard before taking a step towards him. “Are you okay?”

“No.” He answered quickly and firmly. Cas’s eyes were looking at him now. Ice piercing through him and chilling him through his bones. Making him stop where he was standing. Still a few steps away from Cas.

“I’m sorry.” Dean’s voice was low, shaky. “I’m sorry, Cas. I’ll behave!” Dean took another small step towards him. “I’ll do better just don’t-”

Cas looked away from him, shoulder’s stiff as he poked his tongue at his cheek. “I just came to let you know that we’re leaving tonight. We’re going to the airport after this.”

Dean’s breath caught in his throat. This was goodbye. This was another damn goodbye and it felt so familiar, heartbreak and all.

“Don’t.” Dean walked towards Cas but stopped just an arm’s reach away. He hasn’t had enough time with him. And he knows - he fucking knows - that if Cas leaves that he would never see him again. Cas didn’t need money when Mick was perfectly well off. He would live comfortably with his dumb British fiance so there was no need for him to even come back. To come back to Dean.

No. Cas was saying goodbye for the last time.

Cas turned to look him over and his face scrunched up but that stubborn asshole won’t admit to his tears. Instead, he kept looking at Dean with a serious glare.

“I thought I’ll get more time to...to maybe-” Dean continued as his hand reached out to take Cas’s arm but Cas pulled away. And shit. That. That fucking hurt. Dean nodded in understanding as he sucked on his lower lip.

Don’t touch. Got it.

“Mick wants to go home early. He um, he doesn’t like it here.” Cas looks away again, looking down at their feet as his lips scrunched up. Nose wiggling as he let out a sniffle. “So it doesn’t look like we’ll ever come back to visit.”

“Is it,” Dean stuffed his hands in his pocket as he cleared his throat. “Is it cause of me? Did you get in trouble?”

Cas let out a loud hollow laugh and when he looked back at Dean he was smiling. It was so sad and broken before he wiped his tears away. “Of course it’s because of you! You fucking dumbass.”

“Okay, got it.” Dean nodded as he scratched at the back of his head. Should he reach for him again? He wanted to just pull him in for a hug but Cas doesn’t want that. “Maybe I can try to talk to Mick! Tell him that - no?”

Cas was shaking his head as he let out a shaky breath. His shoulders shook and finally, the stiffness was gone. “He doesn’t particularly like you anymore, Dean.”

“Yeah, I don’t really like myself right now either.” Dean shrugged before smiling at Cas. Cas’s shoulders fell as he let a soft chuckle before his face crumbled and he jumped into Dean’s arms.

Cas hugged - no he was gripping him - Dean for dear life. His face tucked into the crook of Dean’s neck as his whole body shook with a soft sob. Dean’s eyes shut as he wrapped his arms around Cas.

It was obvious now that Cas didn’t choose him. He was leaving with Mick and they’re never going to see each other again. Dean can’t even keep him in his life because he lacks basic self-control. All he wants is to hold Cas. To lean into Cas. To take his hand and walk down the sidewalk with him. To kiss him. To love him.

“Stay?” His brittle voice was barely a whisper but he knew Cas heard him as he nuzzled his face deeper into Dean’s skin. The only response was another shaky cry so Dean kept his hold on Cas, fingers gripping at the back of his coat with a hold that started to burn.

“I’ll do better. I promise I’ll do better.” He sounded like he was pleading with him now and Cas pulled away just enough to take Dean’s face in his hands. His thumbs wiped away tears as he looked at him with knitted eyebrows.

“It’s not you, Dean.” Cas reassures him. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said...I promise it’s not you.”

“Then why-?”

“I want to kiss you right now.” Cas smiles, such a sad depressing excuse of a smile. “I want to kiss you more than I have ever wanted to kiss anyone.” Then he shrugs as his thumb traced over Dean’s lower lip. “But I can’t.”

“Why not?” Dean kissed his thumb.

Cas let out a shaky laugh while he rolled his eyes. “You know why.”

“Mick.” Of course. He didn’t even know why he asked such a dumb question when he already-

“No. Well, yes. Him too.”

“What else is there, Cas?”

Cas tilted his head at him and narrowed his eyes at him with that damn look. The one that was asking are-you-really-that-stupid-or-are-you-fucking-with-me? Dean just raised his eyebrows in response. Waiting for Cas to answer.

“Do you really think I’m so fucking stupid, Dean?” Cas pushed away from him and crossed his arms over his chest. His fist digging into his side. “Just because you don’t introduce me to them doesn’t mean I don’t know!”

“Them? What the hell are you talking about, man?”

“I know you’re married, Dean!” Cas ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “God! I feel so gross!” He started to pace the small office as he rambled on in frustration. “I thought because you were married that I could...that we could be friends! But I was dead wrong. Oh fuck I was so fucking wrong!”

Married? Married! Cas thought...Mick has said...shit! Dean can only watch him as he tried to connect wires in his head.

Cas stopped and pointed a finger at him. “You know how guilty I’ve been feeling since I fucking kissed you again? I knew you were married but you were just...fuck I missed you so much! And you were right in front of me again.” He took a deep breath as he shakingly glared harder at Dean. “I love my fiance! I do but fuck - Mick is right, Dean.” He was pacing again, wiping tears as he went. “Mick is so right. We need to leave now before me and you end up fucking up our lives just because we still love each other.”

Those words made Dean blink back at him. He sucked in an audible breath as the realization hit him.

Cas then stopped in front of him with a dramatic eye roll and tilt of the head. “Dean? Are you really just gonna stand there and not say - oof!”

Dean took Cas’s face in his hands and finally kissed him again. He chokes down a cry as he kisses Cas slowly and softly. Feeling Cas melt against him and grip at his sleeves while his breath tickled Dean’s lips.

When he pulled away Cas’s eyes fluttered open as his eyes started to round up and fill with tears.

“You love me?” Dean asked as he pulled Cas close and nuzzled their noses together. Cas nods a few times quickly before chasing after Dean’s lips.

Their lips brushed, delicate, smoothly, as their salty tears mixed in between them. Cas’s finger shakingly pressed against the base of Dean’s jaw to hold him. They kissed once. Twice. Three times. Until they were both left dizzy and breathless while they leaned against each other.

“Say it.” Dean’s voice was small but Cas smiled as he nuzzled their noses together.

“I love you, Dean.” Dean’s heart leaped in his chest and he couldn’t stop to think when he picked Cas up in his arms to sit him down on the open space in the desk. Cas laughed as he wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him back down for another kiss.

“Your turn,” Cas tells him as he starts to pepper small kisses on the side of Dean’s face. Starting with the small tear on Dean’s lower lip and on his bruised up cheek.

Dean laughs as he nuzzles his face into Cas’s throat, the giggle that Cas let out should be fucking illegal for how cute it fucking was. Kissing him and feeling so damn weightless and happy. He was just given a stupid amount of money but this - Cas in his arms - was the happiest he has felt in so long. He loves him! He loves me!

“I love you, Cas.” Dean pulls back so he can look at him while he says it. “Fuck, I love you so much.”

Cas sucks in a shaky breath as he looks at him and fuck he looked so happy. So damn bright like Dean was handing him the whole fucking moon. Cas leaned forward again but they both froze with lips barely brushing as they heard Cas’s name being called from the garage.

“Shit! Mick.” Cas pushed Dean off as he jumped off the desk and started to straighten up his clothes and smooth down his hair. Dean didn’t even realize he pulled at Cas’s arm until Cas tugged at it, eyes wide and worried. “Dean, please, I gotta go.”

“Don’t. Don’t go, Cas.”

Cas sighed. “Please don’t make this harder than it already is. We both already have-”

“I’m not married, Cas!” That made Cas stop. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out so Dean continued. Pulling Cas close to him again. Gently cradling his face as he looks back at those wide confused eyes. “I’m not married. I don’t know where you even got that shit from but I’ve never been married. Shit, Cas, I haven’t even had a damn date in a fucking year.”

Cas’s eyes kept flickering on him as if trying to read him. “But I-I...I came back.”

“You what?”

“I came back, Dean.” Cas repeats himself as he puts a hand over Dean’s. “A few months after I left. I couldn’t handle your rejection…But one day I just missed you. I needed to hear your voice so I went through my old phone to listen to your voicemails. I went through your text and then your emails.” Cas leaned forward to press his forehead against Dean’s. “Fuck, I’m so sorry I left you like that. It was a few months after your Mom died and I knew how you would get so I saved up money to come back. To see you. To take care… but I was too late.”

Those few months were all a big blur and Dean pulled back to look at Cas’s tearful expression. “You came back?”

Cas nodded with a broken laugh mixed in with a sob. “Yeah. Dropped out of my first year and everything. Gabriel was pissed.” Cas wiped his tears with his sleeve. “But you were already with someone. I-I saw you with a baby and figured…”

“Dude, that’s not my kid. Lisa and I only dated for a while after Mom died. She was just...she was just there.”

“But Dad said you guys were planning your wedding.” He looked past Dean again, with the faraway look in his eyes. “I had to go back to him because I didn’t have enough money to go home and he told me all about you two. That you were happier than anyone has ever seen you.” Cas then blinked at him again. Focusing on Dean once more as his shoulders stiffened. He poked Dean’s shoulders as he glared at him. “He told me that you said I was dead to you. That you fucking hated me.”

Dean slapped his hand away. “Dude, stop poking me.”

“He said you hated me and wanted me dead, Dean!” Cas’s eyes were shaking now as he glared at him. “Do you hate me?”

“No! Shit, Cas! Course I don’t!” He grabbed Cas’s shoulders. “Is that what you thought this whole time?”

“Dad said-” His voice was low.

“You’re Dad hated your guts, Cas!” He watched Cas’s lost eyes slowly start to click things together. “Why would you believe him?”

“I was surprised when you said you missed me when we saw each other again.” Cas laughed, it was a little manic. “Fuck and then you said you loved me! And - And it was all too much.” Cas meets his eyes again.

“I wasn’t sure if you were messing with me. And I… And I-I-I couldn’t let you have so much control of my heart again. I just couldn’t, Dean.” Cas reaches over and cradles Dean’s face in his hands again. “Losing you - saying goodbye to you - was the hardest thing I ever had to do.”

Dean leans into the touch. “Then stop saying goodbye, Cas.”

“Then what am I supposed to do? I said yes to Mick already, Dean. I’m supposed to get married to him soon.”

“Do you love him?”

Cas nods slowly, a painful smile across his lips before he pressed their foreheads together. “But I love you more. I love you, Dean. It’s so fucking stupid how much I fucking love you.”

Dean took those words in. He swallowed them and tried to understand them before he did something he’ll regret. Cas loved him. He knows that now and he was so damn close. He was in his grasp and Dean knew that if he tilted his head forward and kissed him, that Cas would kiss him back. He knew. But it wasn’t enough.

Dean grabbed Cas’s hand as he pulled them off of him, kissing his palms, before letting them drop and taking a step back.

“I’m sorry, Cas, but I think it’s time for you to choose.” Cas reached for him but then dropped his arms to his side. “I love you and I wanna kiss you but I won’t. Not if you’re already spoken for and I’m just fucking things up for you.”

Cas nodded as he started to nervously play with his engagement ring.

Dean gave Cas his back. Not wanting to see him make the decision. Not wanting to see him walk away.

This is it. Isn't it? After this, he’ll have no choice but to move on. They will finally have closure to their story. It was just the wrong timing. It was just too messy and filled with too much miscommunication to move on from.

Cas already had a life. Had a home. Had someone he loved and loved him back. It was just Dean that couldn’t move on. Couldn’t stop thinking, what if? What if he never agreed on his date with Lisa? What if Dean caught Cas on time the first time he left? What if he pulls Cas into a kiss right now?

Then Dean flinched as he heard the door open.

And there was his answer.

Cas was gone. Once again picking Mick while Dean was left behind. Not good enough to love. To stay for.

He let his head fall into his hands as he took a deep shaky breath. No. He won’t cry. He won’t cry. Fuck. He won’t-

“Dean?”

Dean quickly spun around to face him.

“Um, I had to give the ring back.” Cas motioned as he closed the office door again. “We should probably stay here for a while. Mick is not taking the news so well.”

Dean was in front of him in a few long strides and held Cas from the back of the neck. Looking at him in disbelief. “You didn’t leave.”

Cas smiled back at him as he reached to wipe away tears from Dean’s face. “I didn’t leave.”

“Does that mean-?”

“It was an easy choice.” Cas wrapped his arms around Dean’s middle and kissed the corner of his mouth. “I pick you, Dean. Every time. I mean I do feel bad for leaving Mick like that when he just paid for the plane tickets but may-”

Cas didn’t finish his sentence as he sunk against Dean’s lips. A small gasp let Dean finally deepen the kiss between them and he felt like he finally knew what it was like to love someone. What all those cheesy rom-com movies talk about when you kiss the right person. When the right person loves you back.

“I love you.” Dean says as he starts to pepper kisses around Cas’s jaw. Going down his throat until he can nuzzle his nose into the crook of his neck. “Fuck, Cas. I love you so much and I promise. I promise. I’ll make you happy.”

“You already do.” Cas sighed as he held him, his hands going up and down Dean’s back. To reassure him. To tell him that he was right there. Finally staying. Finally choosing him. “I love you.”

And finally loving him.

Tag List 1: (Ask to be added or removed! I’m chill about it I promise.)

@galaxycastiel @superduckbatrebel @slipper007 @ar-bi-trary @winchestcas

@imlivingliferightnow @bi-bi-marie @nguyenxtrang @dancerdovegirl

@chocolatecakecas @trasherasswood @celestialcastiel @castiel-is-a-cat

@readeroftheimmortalbooks @marichankitty @confusedisaster

@castiels-bitch @destiel-bitches @tearsofgrace @wigglebox

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idhrenniel · 4 years

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BLINDED BY THE GLOW.

➴ Summary: feelings last, even when the hollywood sign blinds you.

➴ Pairing: JP Cappelletty (Rook) / fem!reader (3rd POV).

➴ Warnings: Angst, 18+: sex.

➴ Wordcount: 1.8K

➴ Tagged: Homie as usual @angelaiswriting

➴ Author Note: Hi! I’ve opened up a Ko-Fi page. If you like my content and would like to support me, you will find the link to it in my bio. You can also search my name (renmartell) up on the Ko-Fi page. Thank you!

(Y/N) doesn’t know where she is. In some loud club in downtown LA that is giving her a headache. She can see Joan somewhere in the crowd, dancing with strangers… Martha is long gone. She sits in the bar and waits for the night to be over so she can return to the hotel and sleep what’s left of the trip.

It’s not that she’s ungrateful, she’s just… tired. When Joan told her she had planned a weekend in LA before the wedding, (Y/N) had thought it meant sunbathing and shopping at rich people’s stores, not a tour through all of the clubs this shithole of a town has to offer. It’s been a long time since (Y/N) gave up this kind of life for a more tranquil, domestic one, and not once has she regretted her decision. Not as much as Joan has in her behalf, at least.

A weekend isn’t much: that’s what she tells herself as she turns around to order a drink. She can do it. If she lets go a little bit, she might even like it. What’s the worst that can happen, right?

“(Y/N)?” An old, forgotten voice calls from behind her.

Oh, the voice in her mind exclaims right before it starts to panic. (Y/N) freezes on her spot, drink on mid-air as she blinks in confusion. “What’s the worst that can happen?” she repeats, mocking herself and cursing whatever is up there that has chosen her to be tonight’s Sims game.

“(Y/N)!” He calls again, closer to her ear this time. Close enough that she can smells him.

She turns around, feigning confusion. As if she has not recognised his voice… which, after so long she shouldn’t have (but that’s not something she’s going to think about tonight). She gives it a couple of seconds, one good look at him and then…

… the act begins. “JP? JP Cappelletty?” She exclaims, laughing as she tries to ignore how the side of his mouth curves downwards for a split of second at her words. Not what he had expected, for sure, but all she has to offer after so many years and a lot more than what he deserves.

He’s quick to recover, laughing and opening his arms. “That’s me!” He engulfs her.

She wants to die. She wants her life to end in this exact moment. Because then, she won’t have to let go of him again.

As he pulls back she finds herself missing the contact. She almost grabs him to pull him back against her… but when she lifts her hand the ring glows under the club’s lights and he is quick to catch on it.

JP smiles through a tornado of emotions. “Congratulations.” All happiness is gone from his voice. She nods, lowering her hand and accommodating it in her back pocket.

“Thanks.”

There’s nothing that can make this conversation return to normal (or as normal as it was), but sure as hell he’s going to put through the discomfort and keep it going. “Who is he? Do I know him?”

“No. How could you?”

Her words were innocent… right? Yes! No… she isn’t sure. It’s the truth: she met him in college and the last time she and JP saw each other was in high school. So, how did the truth sound so mean?

JP sighs, dropping his facade and sitting in the stool next to hers. “Ouch…” he laughs. “I guess I did deserve that one, huh?” She nods again. “I waited for a call… it never came.”

“Oh, was I the one supposed to call? I thought being the one still in school and with a decent schedule I was supposed to wait until the rockstar was free to be worth of some words. My bad, I guess.”

(Y/N) shrugs her shoulders and takes a sip from the now watered-down drink she forgot she had. If he is going to drop his facade and talk the real talk she’s going to do the same, and he ain’t gonna like it.

Not one bit. “And since we’re at it. I did call, but I never got a response. I even went to a concert back in Cleveland.”

He frowns, his pose becomes more rigid and he grabs the stool until his knuckles turn white. “What?”

“Yes,” she turns her head back to the crowd, looking for Joan to get her out of here. “Saw a couple of girls headed towards the bus and one of them threw herself at you. You said: “I’ve been waiting for you baby.” And got into the bus with her.”

(Y/N) lets the drink in the bar, sighing. She has turned herself towards him and is now looking right into his eyes. She had forgotten how pretty they were (and she curses herself for thinking so and for the way her cheeks redden at the sight). She rises a brow, waiting for a response. Coming from him, it wouldn’t be a surprise if she never got one.

JP swallows, looking regretful. He tries to speak a couple of times, but when nothing comes out he gives up and orders two new drinks. “I was young and stupid.” It’s his excuse.

Young and stupid doesn’t mean heartless or cruel, no matter what people might think. He was old enough to go around touring with a famous rapper… he was old enough to cut things and not let her hanging from a string of hope like an idiot.

“I was seventeen and pregnant, Johnny.” And you left me alone throughout the process, she wants to add, biting her tongue to avoid doing so. No point in remembering a painful past when she has a future waiting for her at home. Right?

“We decided on not having it.”

“We also decided on not leaving me alone at the abortion clinic.”

Their drinks arrive. JP empties his in less than a second. (Y/N) takes her a small sip of hers and puts it down, not losing sight of it. You never know… people aren’t good. She has to be cautious.

With each passing second, JP becomes more and more nervous.

Whatever he’s holding inside him is asking─no, begging─to be let out. It also looks as if he wants to throw up (which she can’t blame him for, giving how much and how fast he’s drinking).

(Y/N) tries to change the conversation to a lighter one. It doesn’t work. He keeps going back to their past and his mistakes and her fiance. She’s not sure she wants to know what’s going on in his mind.

At last, he rubs his face and then faces her. “I fucked up. But not a second has gone by that I haven’t thought about you and the life we could have together. And believe it or not, I still want that (Y/N).”

In all seriousness, this is the most serious she’s ever seen him. Even when he drums he likes to fuck around and not give it importance… but now, now the truth is out there and he’s laid his cards.

Hers? You want the truth? Well, here it goes: the truth is that she wants to beat him up as much as she wants him to take her to the bathroom and fuck her until she forgets her own name.

He’s a lot stronger than she is… so she scratches the first option and grabs his hand, leading him away from the bar and into the back of the club. She opens the door to the bathroom, making sure no one is in there, then closes it and pushes him against the door.

His lips feel familiar and their bodies move in flow. As if nothing had changed. Just the two of them rushing to become one. JP turns them around so that now she’s the one against the door. He unclasps his belt and then presses himself against her. Her dress going up by the second.

“Wait─I don’t have a condom with me.”

“You clean?” He nods. “Me too. Now shut up.”

He doesn’t need to be told twice.

(Y/N)’s hands find the hem of his trousers and the pushes them down alongside his boxers. His, at the same time, are pushing her dress up to her waist and discarding her panties somewhere in the floor. Not that she’s going to need them (or retrieve them, to be honest. Her dress is long enough to cover). JP grabs her waist with one hand while the other grabs her face and he forces her to look at him as he enters her. (Y/N) tries to bite down her moans but it’s impossible, as her walls stretch to accommodate him, she pleas and curses and wraps her legs around his waist so he can reach deeper inside her. She can’t feel but pleasure, the guilt that tried to make her reason is now gone, not even buried, just gone. Right now it’s him and how he’s moving to pleasure her. How he feels as if he belongs where he is. She moves her hips in sync, kissing his lips as he murmurs words she can’t or wants to understand. Faster, harder, deeper, the sounds emanating from her throat echo in the bad-lighted bathroom. Johnny lets himself grunt, sometimes a moan escapes his lips as well and she clenches at the sweet sound. He trembles, her legs lose strength. It’s not long until he finishes inside her, making her back arch as she herself lets go and feels the wave of pleasure take over her, cumming all over his cock.

He remains inside her for a couple more minutes, until he softens and she’s able to maintain herself on place without falling. His semen now runs down her legs, but she makes no deal out of it.

(Y/N) lowers her dress and brushes her fingers through her hair. She tries to fix her makeup to no avail and then turns around to face Johnny. He’s got his trousers up now and is ready to leave. She had expected him to be gone… but he is waiting for her.

“I’m getting married next Friday.” She walks up to him and gives him a kiss. There’s something in her that’s begging her to not let go. She doesn’t listen to it. “It was nice seeing you. Goodbye, JP.”

As she leaves the bathroom, she notices a pain in her stomach that she can’t ignore. She walks, walks and keeps walking. She doesn’t even stop to tell Joan. If she stops, if she looks back, there’s no way in hell she’s leaving without Johnny. No matter the tears that fall, the weird looks, or the way she can’t hold back her cries, she can’t look back…

… or can she?

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teacup-crow · 4 years

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The Diplomats, Part One

Part 3 of my Carena-in-the-future series is out now! This is the first of two chapters because it got too long. Check out the rest of the series here: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2019146

Carena is sent on a mission with sworn Fort Canton enemy, Joe. ZRS4 spoilers, very minor S5-6 spoilers. CW childhood trauma, explosions

“Wye aye! It’s “Just Caz”! Or should I say, Princess Carena Skeet herself?”

Joe Garron, Fort Canton’s Runner Thirty-Seven, was clearly equipped for a long expedition. There was no mistaking his stupid freckled face or grating accent, and she’d unashamedly attempted to kick those big gerbil-like teeth in before in a scrum that had got so bad Janine had banned inter-settlement rugby for the foreseeable future. Ever since their first meeting, there had been a mutual distrust, and they’d spent every training exercise since trying to one-up each other, usually egged on by his crowd of leering mates.

“Oh, fuck no,” Caz said, and turned on her heel. “This was not the deal.”

“This was absolutely the deal,” Dr Myers reminded her over comms. “You and a Fort Canton representative are going together to the conference and doing some reconnaissance on the way.”

She remembered the conversation, of course she did. Her foster father was in work boots and a duffle coat, mismatched with the nice tablecloth they’d got out for the King, hands held out to her, saying:

“I could have asked any of my kids. I’m askin’ you because you’re just like me, Caz.”

Years ago that might have pacified her, but now she was adamant. “You can’t expect me to go away for a whole month with people I don’t even know! I’ve got a life here!”

“Thought you always wanted to ‘get out of this dump’.”

“Yeah, well. I’m not a kid anymore. And it’s… it’s… Abel’s not so bad.”

She’d stood up to refill her mug of tea from the pot. He suddenly seemed quite small and old to her, although he couldn’t be more than forty. When had that happened?

“I can’t make you -” he’d broken off. “Well, technically I probably can make you, but I won’t do that. I’ll be honest, I don’t see how it’s any of your business, but it’s about the symbolism of the whole thing apparently. Princess and that. And you’ll get to see the country, make somethin’ of yourself.”

“If the job’s about talkin’ to people, you could send Naveen, or Lilly, or even Jade-”

“They’re not Runners. You’re the one with trainin’, and the most likely person that Fort Canton would approve being out with in the field. And again, it’s more about the… other mission, than the conference.”

“So you don’t want me to go because I’m most like you, then?”

“Caz,” Jamie had sounded tired. “I’ll say again: you don’t have to do this. I can ask Naveen, and Janine will send a Runner with him. But Christ, it would make our lives easier, and I think you’ll regret it if you don’t.”

In the present, Joe winked at her.

“I’m not going with him!” She hissed into the mic. “He’s a knob !”

“Joe is the Runner Fort Canton has chosen, and they clearly trust him, just like we trust you. There’s a huge amount of responsibility on your shoulders now, Carena. The King and Abel need you. Are you going to let us down?”

Carena growled, and stomped towards him. “If you can’t manage to call me Caz, Runner Ten will do.”

“Yes, yes, whatever you say, your royal highness,” he bowed. Carena’s first act of diplomacy was not punching him right then and there. “Should we get going? It’s only 10K to the first rest point.”

She immediately began to run, not checking to see if he was keeping in step. To her irritation, he saw that coming.

***

The diplomats were tasked with visiting several key settlements on the route to the conference in London, “meeting with young community representatives to work out their priorities in rebuilding Britain, yadda yadda yadda, blah blah blah”. Carena had accidentally zoned out during most of Janine’s brief.

Their other mission was to gather information on a new, particularly nasty fringe group who’d been undermining the uneasy truces Abel and Canton had formed, dragging up muck from years gone and causing chaos all over southern England. Most reports said the group members were young - younger than Carena, too young to even remember a life before zoms. “Oh, you’ve never heard of Lord of the Flies, have you? Well, imagine if Peter Pan and the Lost Boys were, ah, cannibalistic”, Janine had put it. Carena was definitely listening at that point.

On the upside, the mission was a chance to really see the country. On the downside, this involved a lot of walking. And talking, at least on Joe’s behalf. He never seemed to stop, telling her meandering stories about his fiance Emily and long pieces of Fort Canton gossip Carena couldn’t care less about, even as they wandered through the woods they’d been warned about the most.

“Keep it down, will you? And keep an eye out for traps. God knows what they’ve got.”

“I know what I’m doing! Unlike you lot, we actually train our Runners properly.”

Carena couldn’t help but laugh at that, incredulous. “Abel are the heroes of the apocalypse, your lot are just two-bit second-rate cowards.”

“Oooooh, feisty! But you’re not so heroic now, are you? The whole town bowing to everything your dad and his government says?”

The goading alongside the days of nonstop talking was too much, and Carena snapped, a particularly nasty snippet of hearsay coming to the forefront of her mind. It was rolling out of her mouth even as Dr Cohen scolded her for it in her head. Gossip is a sin for a reason.

“Well, what about your mum? Think you’re so much better than me and my dad, but where’s she?”

“Ten, I’d shut it if I were you.” All the laughter dropped from Joe’s face now, replaced with a seriousness she’d never seen from him before.

“Because I’ve heard all sorts of stuff about her. Fort Canton people all have big mouths. I heard she’s crazy . Lives with Kytan in the madhouse, don’t she?”

“Don’t you fucking talk about me mam!” Joe raised his fists and stepped towards her to the click of an IED.

The two of them paused for just a moment, the boy’s face paling before he screamed: “RUN!”

She didn’t need to be told twice. She sprinted, and he dived after her for a few seconds before the explosion threw them to the ground, ears ringing, shrapnel splintering through the air towards them.

***

Carena woke up. Her head sang out. Everything was fuzzy, slightly unreal, drifting in and out of reality. There was a heavy blanket on top of her. Oh. She must have the flu again, Dr Cohen piling on the duvets. Hopefully, someone would bring her a glass of water soon, because her mouth tasted dusty, bloody. Bloody?

She’d bit her tongue. Her headset whistled static - the explosion must have knocked the frequency. Explosion?

Suddenly, she was thrown into the present. Not a blanket on top of her, but big Joe bloody Garron. Joe bloody… lifesaving Garron. Joe, her only shield from the piercing rain of nuts and bolts and screws.

“Thirty-Seven? Thirty-Seven! Joe!”

To her relief, he groaned, and rolled to one side. She crawled out from underneath him.

His backpack had protected his head and neck somewhat, but his legs where he’d rolled up his walking trousers were peppered with wounds and shards of scrap metal. He whimpered as he breathed, conscious despite his best wishes.

“Joe, we have to move. If they can set one trap like that, this whole thing is a trap. We’re both in our uniforms. If they hate Abel and Fort Canton, who knows what they’ll do with us!”

“I know,” he hissed. “I just, I dunno how far I can get.” He began to unbuckle his rucksack. “Take my bag. At least they won’t get any supplies out of it.”

“I’m not leaving you!”

“You can’t.... you can’t carry me, I’m two stone heavier than you… and the mission - we need info on these little bastards…”

“ Fuck the mission, Runner Thirty-Seven! They’re cannibals! Get up. Now .”

“Got my gun. I’ll take a few of them out.”

“Come on, please!”

His tone and resolve barely wavered as the voices of approaching people began to echo through the woods. “Was an honour to serve with you.”

Carena grabbed his bag and held her hand out to pull him up. The voices were growing more distinct, and chilling. They were very childish, but the words were not.

“What are you gonna do with ‘em, boss?”

“Going to cut them into little pieces, see ‘ow they work.”

“Gonna cook ‘em!”

“Gonna do it slow, find out if they know anythin’ interesting, first.”

“Look, if you won’t get up for me, get up for Emily. She don’t deserve to lose you.”

Whether it’s this, or the savagery of the talk of the approaching kids, it was hard to know for sure, but Joe nodded, and through gritted teeth, got to his feet with a cry.

“Hold my hand. Don’t let go. Just put one foot in front of another. You can die when I’ve got us to safety.”

***

The campfire crackled and spat. Joe poked at it absently, the only evidence of Carena dabbing antiseptic on the last of his cuts the slight tightening of his jaw. Dr Cohen had been offering medical instructions over her headset from the minute they got to a secure building - Joe’s headset was unfortunately busted for good.

“Dr Cohen said to try and clean you up but not to take any of it out. We need to get you to a friendly settlement where they can do it properly. Abel’s identified one only eight miles or so off course. Barton Mound. They’re small, but they have a doctor, and maybe somethin’ stronger for the pain than two paracetamol and this shitty campfire tea.”

The boy smiled weakly. She started on the bandages.

“She must be important to you, this Emily.”

“Well, she’s the girl I’m gonna mar… oh no you don’t!” Joe stopped abruptly, dropping his stick and warming his hands over the flames.

“Oh no I don’t what ?”

“I’m savvy now, see.” Carena stared up at him. “Look, if you get me talking about me girl back home, ten minutes later I’ll wind up dead in your arms. It’s a tale as old as time, but I’m no redshirt.”

“Oh, you’re funny ,” she rolled her eyes, pretending she knew what a redshirt was.

“I do my best. But aye, my Emily’s a gem. She’s so smart. An engineer, you know. She designed this new way of harnessing solar power to heat - OW, TEN! What was that for?”

Carena had pulled the bandage a little too tight. “Talkin’ about your girl back home,” she said, mock-sweetly. “Let’s not tempt fate, shall we?”

“Maybe not,” he laughed, and rubbed at his mouth. “Least I’m too pathetic for you to punch me right now. Never forgot you have a mean right hook.”

“Well, I do a lot of fightin’.”

“You got a girl? Or, uh, guy?”

Carena snorted. “Nope. You tryin’ to get me killed now, Thirty-Seven?”

“Someday, Ten. Someday.”

“You’re not as funny as you think you are. Shut up and get some sleep. Tomorrow will be hard going.”

Half the time in Abel, she was desperately trying to find peace and quiet. Now, it was almost too silent. She tried to focus on the crackling of the fire, Joe shifting as he stoked the flames, and was almost relieved when he started chattering again.

“I’m sorry for takin’ the piss out of your title. I was thinkin’, how’s it even gonna work, anyway? Succession and all? With sixteen of you?”

“Lots of games of Rock, Paper, Scissors?” Carena sighed. “We don’t really know. People like havin’ a figurehead, but there’s no precedent for any of this. Hopefully Parliament will just abolish the monarchy or sommat.”

“Don’t fancy it?”

“You seen all Jamie’s had to put up with?”

“Fair point. You know, I’d quite fancy meself as a King. Think I’d suit a crown?”

“Your head’s too big to fit one.”

“Ouch, Ten! I’m wounded !”

“Yeah. Which is why you should be asleep.”

“You have a horrible bedside manner.”

“That’s why I’m a Runner, not a Medic,” she snarked back. “Funny, though. My Molly’s great in a crisis; she would be a much better help to you right now. Even little Sara’s probably picked up more about doctorin’ than I have.”

“Molly your girl?”

“No!”

“Huh. You said her name like she might be, ‘s all.”

“You’re about to feel my right hook again, injured or not. Shut up and go to sleep.”

“Shutting up, ma’am. Going to sleep now, ma’am.”

He did drift off shortly, sleeping in fits and starts when he woke from the pain. Carena sat with her back to him, a baseball bat in her hands, watching the night. Finally, she let herself cry.

***

The next morning, Joe looked paler. She made another cup of tea and crumbled more of their painkillers into it, hands and knees itching from her own grazes, her skin burning where the straps of her rucksack rubbed.

“Mornin’, Caz.” He managed a bit of his stupid grin. “Think we can justify eatin’ the jelly cubes yet?”

The nicest rations were tucked in the top of her pack. Without a word to the contrary, she pulled them out and unwrapped the foil, breaking off some strawberry jelly and handing it to him.

“The water don’t run in this house any more, unfortunately. We’ve got a couple litres left. Just got to hope this settlement is happy to see us.”

“Who wouldn’t be happy to be treated to the sight of us two?”

“People with eyes, brains and limited medical supplies of their own, prob’ly.”

His laugh was dry. “Ever the optimist, you.”

“Look, about yesterday. I’m sorry for what I said about your mum. My own big mouth got us into this.”

“‘S okay. It’s true. She is… she isn’t right in the head. Moonchild syndrome, a really bad case of it. Doesn’t remember me half the time. Not so great when she does.” He swallowed, and began to stamp out the last embers of the fire - they’d both slept with their shoes on, ready to go, and the pain of it seemed to be some distraction. “I was ten when she disappeared, and when she came back, she didn’t remember Dad, or baby Rosie either. They’d both died in the outbreak, it was always just us, and she was on the verge of madness for that but… that woman pushed her over the edge.”

“Joe…”

The boy continued, almost robotically, checking his gun without looking up at her.

“She was so confused, and it made her angry, and she used to take… well, I was right there, so... it’s not like anyone was paying much attention...” he trailed off, bit his lip in embarrassment. “Eventually she got convinced I’d gone grey too, tried to strangle me the same way she strangled Rosie. Skipping rope. God knows how she got hold of one, the sight of them always upset her... They wanted to kick her out of the town, let her fend for herself, but I… I begged them not to. So they locked her up instead, hid her from the Ministry till Kytan started helping people with Moonchild syndrome and they could palm her off on him.”

“Mate,” Carena said, buckling her pack, feeling her cheeks redden. “I dunno what to say.”

“C’mon, let’s move. You talk, for once. I need to think about something that’s not me legs.”

At least on the open road, traps were easier to spot. Carena racked her brain for a happy story, some way to brighten the mood.

“Okay, so… one time, me and my siblings tried to bake Dad a cake...”

They’d been really little, still living at the fire station. Archie was alive - she can remember the swish of the woman’s blonde hair against her cheek as she picked her up for a cuddle, how her voice sounded, all light and sing-song. “Now children, I am going upstairs for only ten minutes, just to have a shower. Be very good and we can go to the lake later! If you see zombies, ring the fire bell. ”

Jamie had gone mental at her later for even leaving them that long, but he was out picking up supplies from a military copter drop. In ten minutes, Naveen and Lilly had managed to coat themselves and half of the other children in flour. Jasper, somehow, had egg in his hair. Carena was sitting on the counter, decadently eating butter with a spoon and directing the scene. Archie had just laughed, and sprayed them all down with one of the hoses, and the cake-making fiasco turned into a giant water fight.

“Even the dog got involved!”

Joe grinned. “Sounds like a nice day.”

“It was,” Carena said, her voice a little softer than usual. “When I think back to that year, it’s all sunlight. Wasn’t perfect, ‘course. Archie died a few weeks after, and Jasper got turned. And… well, when Dad found out he was King he went to London for good.”

“That must’ve been hard. Him leaving like that, after you lost so many people.”

“He didn’t have much of a choice. But I didn’t always understand that, like.”

She’d been inconsolable for hours, and decided that night in her bunk that if she wasn’t good enough to make anyone stay, she would never trust them to.

“North-east, this settlement, aye?”

“Lead on.”

***

Barton Mound was a settlement of a few scraggly hilltop farmhouses, ten or eleven families surrounded on all sides by a barbed wire fence and only one gun turret. Joe and Carena both glanced at each other in distaste - it was hardly secure. Still, they had a medic and a well, and that wasn’t nothing.

Joe had got very quiet the last few miles, and Carena snuck worried looks at him as he slowed from an almost-jog to a walk to little more than a shuffle. If they were ambushed now by humans or zoms - which were unlikely but not impossible - they’d be in for it.

As they approached the makeshift gate, a woman holding a broom like a lance peered down at them.

“Who are you? What do you want?”

“You should have had word of us in advance? Caz, Abel Runner Ten. This is Canton Thirty-Seven.”

Joe waved, and slumped down against the gatepost.

“He’s been better. It’s his legs, they’re full of shrapnel, and-”

The woman tightened her grip on the broom, a mild note of panic in her voice. “Kids, was it?”

“Yeah…”

“You’d best get in, quickly. Can you walk a bit farther?”

Joe grimaced, and nodded, following after her.

“Dr Renwick should be able to help him. Then you’ll have to get out of here.”

“‘Scuse me?” Carena bristled.

“Listen, those kids… it sounds ridiculous, but they’re savage. They… they won’t be happy you got away from them. They don’t like to leave the woods, but they’ll look for you.”

“Did they take one of your people?”

The woman ignored Joe’s question, but added: “We’re just trying to live in peace with everyone, all right? We don’t want to draw them on us, and we don’t want to anger your leaders either ‘cause… well, if Abel Township wanted us dead, they’d stop at nothing to do it.”

“That’s not the sort of thing we do-“ Carena began, then realised the woman didn’t care, and wouldn’t believe them even if she did.

Dr Renwick was a tall, imposing person with a serious, strict demeanour. They sighed at the state of Carena’s attempt at field dressings, and shooed her out of the hospital (really, a converted downstairs bedroom of an old family home) with a wave of a bony hand. So the girl sat on the bottom of the staircase and rummaged through her pack, finding a few tins of rice pudding and fruit to offer in gratitude to the residents who watched her with interest and fear, surveying her like a curiosity. She scowled.

“I won’t be long,” she’d promised Molly in the kitchens, the day before she left. “A month, tops. I’ll be back well before Sara’s ninth.”

“That is long, ” her best friend had replied, hands tightening on the scrubbing brush. “How do those cooks manage to burn the stew onto every pan?”

“Stop changin’ the subject, Moll. I know you’re mad at me.”

“I’m not mad at you-”

“You are. You volunteered for kitchen duty to try and avoid my last night. And you’re actually not smilin’ at me for once.”

Molly snorted, and splashed her with soap suds. “Not like you to notice. Will you get on and dry these dishes? I’m running out of surface space.”

“I don’t want to go. Dad and Janine, they…”

“I don’t care, Caz. You have to do your duty, I get it. I just… I’m going to miss you. I know you know what it’s like, being left.”

“Yeah. Someone left me to starve in a town full of twisted soldiers.”

The younger girl swang round in a swirl of indignant blonde curls. “Carena, I was a child-“

“So was I. So was I, Molly!” The glasses clinked as she dried them too fiercely; she felt her breath get sharp and hot, like she was losing control of the conversation, losing control of the situation. She took another, and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry. I know there was nothing you could do. But I swear, I’ll be back before you know it. I’ll talk to you on comms whenever I can.”

All she wanted was to talk with her right now, to not be surrounded by suspicious faces, to be thinking about anything except the pain in Joe’s eyes.

***

The settlement couldn’t spare antibiotics, but they did have codeine, and that had already helped bring the cheer back to Joe’s face. “Just please keep the wounds clean,” the doctor grumbled. “I’d advise you to stick to the roads.”

“Are you sure you don’t want someone to pick you up, Thirty-Seven?” Joe’s operator was at the Abel comms desk, and Carena was relaying all of her messages through a bad impression of her accent.

“And miss out on all the fun? Not a chance! Give me that headset, Caz.” He snatched it. “Nadia, I am fine. Tell Emily I’m fine!”

“How much metal did you get out of his legs?” Carena asked out of curiosity as Joe regaled the operator with tales of his heroism.

“Let’s just say an airport scanner would have had a field day,” Renwick smirked, and then at the girl’s blank expression: “Twelve larger pieces. The rest are parts too miniscule to risk removing. He’s pocketed the shards as ‘souvenirs of the time he saved a Princess’. Which you didn’t tell us, by the way.”

“Oh does he ever stop,” Carena growled, and pulled her fellow Runner’s bag straps. “Come on, let’s go if we’re going.”

“Onward! Thanks for the assistance, Doc!”

“If you tell anyone else I’m a Princess I’m puttin’ all that shrapnel back ,” she threatened.

“Oooh, I’m quaking!”

It was only when they got outside the house that Carena realised the day was too quiet. The residents had stopped milling about, leaving various jobs around the farmstead half-abandoned. And there, clinging onto the gates-

Children. Filthy, hissing, angry children, armed with a nasty assortment of blades.

“Dr Renwick-“

The doctor had already slammed the door. She looked around desperately for the woman who’d brought them in, but she was nowhere to be seen.

“They’ve sold us out,” she cried. Joe swore.

“We’re surrounded, the way out is blocked. Any ideas, Nadia, Sam?”

One of the kids rattled the gates, lisp-singing through gap teeth. “Foxy-Loxy get out of den before I count to ten!”

“Not a bleeding chance,” Joe muttered. “Okay. Sam sees an exit on the other side of the settlement, but we’ll have to be quick. Nadia’s suggesting… oh, no way, I’m with Sam, I’m not throwing a grenade at the little shits, Nadi! Yes, I know they tried to kill me, but there’s a line!”

“Fort Canton, noble as ever,” Carena quipped.

“Shut up, you’d be the first to try and blow them up.”

She doesn’t bother denying it. “Okay. That exit.”

“He says it’s risky, but there’s a gap in their fence. Behind the toolshed. Run for it in three, two, one, NOW!”

For the second time in as many days, she ran for her life, the sound of childish war cries in her ears as Joe dragged her through the gap. Over the hill, rounding a corner, trying to find their way onto a trail.

“Barton Mound just cut their CCTV! Sam’s camera feed’s gone!”

“Check your four O’clock!”

He turned and fired, aiming to miss, to warn. “Behind you!” She did the same at her six.

“Ha-ha, you can’t get us, you can’t get us!”

“We’re going to get you!”

“That grenade is fast becomin’ a better option!” Carena yelled.

“An option neither of us will be able to live with! DUCK!”

A knife clipped her ear as it whizzed past. “Thirty-Seven, this is mental!”

“I’m on a lot of painkillers right now, Ten, and even I’m aware!”

“The two of us are the fastest Runners they got,” she reminded him as well as herself. “We can do this.”

They’d reached the bottom of the hill, and met a twisting country road with a few burnt-out cars. The pavement pushed back harder than the grass, giving her purchase, just like the track at home. Okay. She leant forward. Faster, faster, faster.

Then her lungs decided to freeze.

“Did we lose ‘em?” She asked, not daring to look behind her.

“Think we lost ‘em. There’s a back of a truck here where we can… Caz, your lips are blue. Caz?”

***

Someone pushed her inhaler into her mouth. She took a grateful puff of medicine.

“How many is it of the brown one, Dr Myers?” The boy said distantly. “Okay, got it.”

She found herself propped up in the back of a large truck, lit up by torchbeam. Above her, Joe’s moon-like face looked frightened. She’d never seen that expression on him before. Another puff.

“That’s it, Caz. Just keep breathing.” He gave a nervous chuckle. “Think you forgot how for a minute there.”

She reached out for his hand and squeezed his fingers, her own tinged with blue. Thank you.

“We’re only a few days out from London now, Dr Myers, it’s closer than home. We may as well finish the journey and head back in the convoy. Oh, Caz, she wants to know what you think. Can you talk?”

Carena nodded, taking a few more grateful gulps of air and finally grabbing her headset back.

“Dr Myers… Sam?”

“We’re both here,” Dr Myers replied, her tone flooded with relief. “How are you doing, Carena?”

“I’ve… been better. But Joe is right. We’ve visited… four out of the six settlements… and we know more about the militants now.”

“You’ve more than done enough,” Sam said gently. “Those children are better armed and more… persistent than we anticipated. We could send reinforcements-”

“It’s… faster for us to keep going... we’ll rest in London for a while. We can do it. We’re a good team, Joe and me. And two people can hide better.”

“If you’re sure. Joe’s injuries are susceptible to infection, and your asthma-”

“We can do this,” she said, determined not to wheeze. “We’re not going to let you down ‘cause of some kids.”

Sam sighed. “Cannibalistic kids! Sometimes, Maxie, I miss the zoms. Don’t you?”

“Can I... talk to Molly?” Carena asked over the sound of Dr Myers’ incredulous splutter.

“I’ll get her after school,” Sam promised. Carena closed her eyes. “She misses you.”

“I know.” The tight-closed truck, the pervading sweat and damp, the thought of the snarls on those faces. It’s all such a contrast to the homely atmosphere of Abel, fields and understanding and space to scream. A lump comes to her throat. “I miss her too.”

#zombies run #zr

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sugarbutterbroadway · 4 years

Text

Davey Mine

A/n This is the sequel to Paint The Sky and I hope you guys enjoy it! if you do, a reblog or a comment can go a long way :)

October 12th. October 12th, 2025. October 12th 2025 at 4pm. October 12th, 4pm at Oheka Castle on Long island. Jack could hardly breathe. He was getting married today. He was getting married today at 4pm. He was getting married today at a castle! A real life castle,where he was getting married. To Davey. His Davey. His Davey, who smiled too wide and kissed too rough and was currently kicking ass as a High School History teacher. His Davey who reserved those gentle eyes for him,Les and their puppy Luna. His Davey who still functioned entirely on coffee and got excited when they passed the home goods section in TJ Maxx. His Davey who had gotten down on one knee two years prior, and asked him to marry him.

His Davey who he said no to at first because he thought it was a joke, he still cringed at the memory. His Davey who he wasn’t allowed to see until the ceremony and it was driving him crazy. He had tried to run out of his room multiple times but was tackled to the ground each time by Spot,Race and even Katherine.

Then he was put on house arrest. He wasn’t allowed to leave this room until it was time to walk down the aisle.

And he was bored! He was bored and lonely because everyone was too busy to entertain him. Medda was checking the guest books,Race was probably off doing god knows what with Spot,Charlie was working on the floral arrangements,Katherine was making sure the catering was taken care of and Sarah was with Davey. Elmer,Finch,Albert and Romeo were driving up from the city while JoJo and Specs were flying from California. Buttons,Henry and Mush had flown in from Europe the night prior. Skittery only lived a town or two over so he’d be arriving with the other guests. So he wondered how he had a small army on the way and he still felt so lonely. Realistically he knew why, he only wanted to see his fiance and all that mushy shit, but it was getting ridiculous. He had a few hours to waste before he could see Davey, see him and kiss him and get to be Mr. Jack Kelly-Jacobs. He smiled, he couldn’t wait to call himself that. He could at least try to appreciate the place he was staying in, it was gorgeous.

Davey had really gone the extra mile--even though Jack had assured him he would be fine getting married in a horse stable as long as it meant marrying him--but Davey had just kissed his cheek and promised that it would be a dream come true. And it was, the bed in his room was absolutely gigantic, and he--though he was told several times not to--still had the urge to do somersaults on it.

The windows were huge and the curtains felt more expensive than anything he could afford, it still made his stomach turn to think about how much money went into this. It was expensive, but weddings only happened once so it was fine, it would be fine, he just needed to stop thinking about it. His favorite part had to be the crowns, Davey had got them matching crowns in gold and silver, and they were to die for. Jack never really had expensive taste, that was all Race, but if Davey kept spoiling him like this he just might turn. His suit hung near the window, a crimson red color embroidered with gold. This thankfully didn’t cost him a dime, Medda was more than happy to make it for him. He offered to pay multiple times but she said seeing him happy was more than enough. It was a beautiful suit, it looked professional. Sure back in her college days she worked on costumes in the theatre but this, she had truly outdone herself. It fit him like a glove and made him feel like a million bucks.

And the locket, how could he forget about the locket? It was a gold painted locket made by Sarah and he’d been wearing it for weeks. On both sides were pictures of them. One in first grade and the other at their engagement party. He fell in love with the locket immediately and made a secret promise to never keep it out of his sight. It made him a little teary eyed to think of how excited six year old Jack would have been to see all of this. How timid he would’ve been to touch anything lest he break it and get his hide torn up by one of the orphanage workers. Jack grimaced and out of spite ran his hands along everything in the room, he was done being afraid. After he had touched every little trinket in the room he flopped back on the bed with a groan. Someone needed to come entertain him soon before his mind started wandering and he had a breakdown.

He was left to his own devices for a little more than an hour before someone came--well multiple someone’s came, and they came in a pack. There was a knock and Jack had barely said ‘come in’ before the boys barged in.

“Hey!-”

“Congratulations, Jack!”the chorus rang, and soon enough he was being pulled on by a different set of arms trying to hug him. He didn’t want to be dramatic, but he was an affectionate man and it felt amazing to hug some of the friends he hadn’t seen in years. They all looked damn good too, wearing the matching robes that Katherine had insisted on. JoJo with always the widest grin pulled Jack into another hug.

“I always knew it would be Davey,”JoJo whispered, before pulling away. Next he was passed onto Buttons, and boy did Jack have a lot to say.

“Benjamin Buttons”He teased and was met with a shove to his shoulders. He laughed and against Button’s will pulled him in for a bear hug.

“Yeah yeah it’s good to see you too”Buttons said, muffled by Jack’s shirt.

“Oh stop gripin”He scoffed, “I ain’t seen you since we graduated”

“That ain’t my fault”Buttons said, “I see a scholarship, I take it”

Jack rolled his eyes, “Yeah, all the way in Scotland. So tell me, any pretty girls caught your eye?”

“Jack, I'm crushed,”Buttons said, but his eyes twinkled with mischief. “You know the only girl I got eyes for is JoJo”

“Hey, listen here you litt-”

The group quickly dissolved into high school level chaos and Jack felt at home. It reminded him of day’s in the living room at Medda’s taken for granted. Sure he was happy to be out of high school, but he couldn’t help but miss it. It’s like someone yelled ‘scatter!’ the second they graduated and they all split up across the globe. He knew it would happen--he was there for every single acceptance letter, but it hadn’t sunk in until it was only him,Davey,Spot and Race left right where they started.

JoJo had moved out to California to pursue acting,Specs had moved out there for UCLA. Elmer had gone to culinary school,Finch had moved for college,Albert was his roommate so he went too and Romeo got a job at one of Medda’s theaters. Buttons had moved to Scotland for school, while Henry and Mush had moved to London just for the adventure. And Skittery, he was moving up to Massachusetts for college too the following year. Jack was proud, it made his heart burst to think of how far some of them came--how far he had come himself. But he would always find himself thinking about when times were easier, when they were younger and vibrating with untapped potential. He had a hard time living in the moment, he was just always thinking. But he was trying, and he would try his hardest today because he didn’t want to look back and remember his wedding being a blur.

“Any of you smell smoke?”Race teased, and Jack blinked. Once, then twice, because when did Race get in here? And where has he been all morning?

“huh?”Jack asked.

“You were just thinkin so hard that...ah forget it, you missed the joke”Race waved dismissively. “The boys called me in cause you were lookin pale, you got cold feet? Cause I can sneak you out the wind-”

“No”He said, scrunching up his face. That was the last thing he wanted to do, he just wanted to see Davey.

“Then what is it?”Race asked, “You look really serious, it’s kind of concerning”

“I just...I was just thinking about how much I love all of you--not you,Race--but just all of you guys” He said, gesturing to the guests. He ignored Race’s squawk of indignation and continued. “Some of you I met freshman year,some of you I’ve known since the refuge and some of you I met in Juvie” Mush,Finch and Albert ducked their heads, but they were snickering. “I don’t know how to explain this but...we had adults tellin us we weren’t gonna do shit with our lives, and just look at us. We all got jobs,we’re all payin the bills and most of all we’re happy. I guess that’s just somethin to think about”

“Jack Kelly the sap”Mush said, though he was grinning.

“We love you too, Jack”Specs said, giving Mush the side eye. “Some of us are better at expressing that than others”

“We’re all really happy for you”Finch said, “I mean you and Davey were meant to be”

“Like some queer Disney movie”

“Yeah yeah! Exactly like some queer Disney movie!”

“Except more drama”

“Way more drama-”

“-and less magic-”

“-I mean depends on what we consider magic-”

“Alright”Jack groaned, rubbing his temples. “You guys couldn’t focus on one topic if you had a gun to your head”

“It’s really hard,”Albert said, nodding slowly. “I would know”

Jack blinked.“I...you worry me, Al”He said, “Race, collect your best friend before he gives me a heart attack”

“Why don’t you go ask your other brother?”Race scoffed, “The one who you obviously love”

Jack rolled his eyes. “First of all, you know I love you. Second of all, you’re my best man, so do what I say”

“Alright bridezilla”Race muttered, “C’mon, Albie. Let’s go”

“Goodbye!”Albert said, waving to everyone on the way out. Once he was gone Jack buried his head in his hands.

“God I love that kid, but how does he have a bio-engineering degree?”

“I don’t know”

“Beats me”

“I ask myself that everyday”

Jack had made a grave mistake. He started this day off begging for it to move faster but now that the anxiety set in, he just wanted everything to slow down. He spent about a little over an hour just chilling with the boys, before Katherine,Charlie,Medda and Sarah burst into the room saying it was time to get ready. Maybe time did fly when you were having fun because the clock that once read 1:15pm now read 2:45pm. He would be seeing Davey in less than two hours. His eyes widened. He would be seeing Davey in less than two hours. Oh god what if this was a mistake? What if the red suit was too much? He didn’t even know what color Davey was wearing. What if he stood out too much? Would Davey’s family like it? Would Davey like it? He squeezed Katherine’s hand as Medda combed and trimmed his hair. It was comforting to have his mom do this for him, but he was still absolutely shaking.

“Take deep breaths with me”Katherine said. He nodded and he tried but his diaphragm was spasming and he felt like he was going to have an anxiety attack. He’d been waiting two years for this day, what if it wasn’t perfect? What if he let Davey down somehow? Oh god. What if they got to the arbor and Davey realized it was a mistake? What if somebody objected? What if-

“Jack,”Katherine said calmly. “You’re not breathing.”

“I’m sorry”He whimpered. He wanted to cry, just a little bit to get it out of his system. But he had foundation on and he’d be damned if he had to sit there and get it applied again.

“Everything is going to plan”She said, rubbing his hand. “The cake is here,the flowers look great,seating charts are at the venue,everyone in both parties are accounted for and catering is on schedule.”

“How is Davey?”he asked, his voice was wobbly. Oh no, he was going to cry.

“Davey is doing just fine”She said, he let out a sigh of relief. “Sarah runs a tight ship”

“Wouldn’t you know, Mrs.Jacobs-Plumber?”He teased.

“Ah, shut up”She said with a smile. “It’s your turn to become a Jacobs now”

“Isn’t that crazy?”He said, “We both dated, and now we both married into the same family”

“I try not to think about it”She said, “And you shouldn’t either, keep your eyes on your Husband”

His husband. Today he got to officially call Davey his husband. God he missed Davey.

“Katherine”he said, sweetly. A little too sweetly.

“Yes?”She asked, with narrowed eyes.

“Can I please call Davey-”

“Nope”She said, shaking her head.

“Why!”He whined.

“Because it’s bad luck!”She exclaimed, Medda and Charlie hummed in agreement. Jack scoffed, what would Charlie know? He was only twenty-one, and single.

“It’s bad luck if I see him,”He stressed. “I just wanna talk to him”

“No”

“Please”

“No”

“Please”

“No”

“Ple-”

“No!”She snapped. “There is no talking to Davey until your ass is under that arch.”

“Mommy!”He whined, tilting his head to look up at Medda. She simply shrugged.

“I don’t know what to tell you, baby”Medda said, “You put Katherine in charge, not me”

“Grave mistake, Kelly”Charlie smirked, from the couch he was lounging on.

“You’re a little shit”He said. Medda thumped the back of his head and he winced.

“Don’t talk about my Charlie like that,”Medda warned.

“I’m mama’s favorite”Charlie taunted. She gave him a look and he immediately sunk back into the couch.

“I don’t have a favorite”She said, “I adopted you all for a reason. Jack, you’re done baby. Charlie, you’re up next”

Charlie shifted off the couch and limped over, not before receiving a smack to the back of his head from Jack. he went to strike back but Jack jumped out of the way.

“It’s my wedding day”He said, “you bruise me, it’s game over”

Charlie grumbled to himself and sat down in the styling chair. Jack discreetly tucked his phone into his pocket and announced he was going to the bathroom. Once he was safely inside he locked the door and sat in front of it for good measure before tapping Davey’s contact. With the phone pressed against his ear he waited. It rang for what felt like eternity before it went through.

“Hey, sweetheart”

Jack’s eyes fluttered closed and he let out a happy sigh. “Davey”

There was a laugh from the other end. “That bad, huh?”

“They’ve been treatin me like an animal”He whined. “I’ve been locked in this room since yesterday and i’m not allowed out until the ceremony”

“Aww my poor Jackie”Davey cooed, “I heard you tried to run, rookie mistake”

“Sarah is faster than she looks”He grumbled, “So is Charlie”

“Like that leg would stop him”Davey laughed, “He’s been dead weight since the day I met him”

“God, I remember he used to love when you came over”He grinned, leaning his head against the door. “Always wanted to know when Davey was coming to play”

“That seems just like yesterday”Davey said, “I remember those matching overalls Medda used to make you guys wear-”

“Don’t remind me”He groaned, “We’ll call that a lapse in judgement and a product of the early 2000’s.”

“Call it whatever you want, it was adorable.”Davey teased.

“Yeah yeah we was perfect cherubs”He said, “But listen, I don’t have much time. They think i’m just using the bathroom. I was feelin a little anxious and I just wanted to hear your voice, ya know? You ground me”

“And you ground me”Davey said, Jack could just tell he was grinning. “I gotta get back soon anyways, I'm in the garden. But I love you, Jackie and I can’t wait to marry you”

His breath hitched. “S-say it again, Davey”

“I love you”Davey said in a sing-song way, “I love you I love you I love you”

“I love you too, Davey mine”he whispered, a tear slid down his face. “And I-I can’t wait to be your husband”

“Don’t cry, Jackie”Davey said, “You’ll make me cry and then we’ll both be inconsolable messes”

He laughed just a little watery and nodded, “Yeah, we should cut this short before I burst into flames. I love you”

“I love you, see you soon”

With that the line went dead and Jack took a deep breath. How Davey managed to make him a blubbering mess anytime they talked was still unknown to this day. Being in Davey’s presence just made you want to bare your soul for him because he would see right through you anyways. His eyes were intense and his voice was more calming than any lullaby Jack had ever heard and the words he spoke felt like worship. Jack sighed and dapped at his face with a tissue. He was already a wreck and he hadn’t even stepped foot down the aisle.

In the far wing of the castle things were running smoothly, Davey and Sarah made certain of it. Call it twin telepathy or just amazing organization skills, but not a thing was out of place. They were running right on schedule. Sarah desperately wanted Davey to sit down and at least take a bit of a break but he was always a control freak, and it seemed that was never going to change. He wanted to know everything that was happening. Who was doing what,who was being seated at each table,what the playlist looked like,what alcohol would be served, it was the only thing keeping him from having a nervous breakdown.

And Sarah caved, promising to give him hourly updates on how things were going. Those things included Jack. He was more than annoyed that they left Jack all alone for so long, it didn’t sit well with him. He would have marched right over there himself if Sarah hadn’t been watching him like a hawk. She’d cave for everything else, but no seeing Jack before the wedding. Davey did the same thing for her wedding, so it felt like it was coming more from a place of revenge than a place of love.

Besides the minor slip, he was excited. He’d been waiting to say ‘I do’ from the minute Jack said yes. He loved Jack, he loved him more than he could ever imagine. That was his best friend,his soulmate, and he had been there for everything. He was there when Davey learned how to ride a bike, he was there for Davey’s piano recitals,his soccer matches,his debate meets, everything. He was the first one Davey had come out, not even Sarah had known at that point. He was there and he held Davey while he cried and they brainstormed a way to tell his family. He couldn’t remember a time in his life before that beautiful whirlwind known as Jack Kelly, he didn’t want to know a time after it.

He was good with his words so sometimes they come cheap but when he looked into Jack’s eyes and promised forever, he meant it. And he’ll mean it today and tomorrow and everyday to come, because he loved Jack. He could tell him all day long--he wanted to tell him all day long. He wanted to run right out of this room and tackle him to the floor in a flurry of kisses. He wanted to be at home,on their couch with Luna on his lap listening to Jack read to him. But he promised Jack fairytale and Jack was going to get fairytale if it killed him.

“You’re thinking hard, Davey”Sarah said softly, “What’s going on up there?”

“I…”He started, then chuckled despite himself. “I’m just thinking about how much I love him. When I think about him, it all sounds so good in my head and on paper, but then I look at him and I melt”

“That’s love if I've ever seen it”She said, fiddling with her hair in the mirror. “The kind that Mom and Dad have”

“That’s sweet, Saz”He smiled, “I don't know he...he just makes me speechless”

“Save it for your vows”She said playfully, “I’m not the one you have to pour your heart out to, he is”

“I get it, I talk a lot”He said rolling his eyes, “Sue me”

“Hey”She said, pointing a finger at him in the mirror. “Don’t push it, my wife’s a lawyer”

“I know I know”he said, “You only take every possible opportunity to remind me of it”

“It’s what I'm best at,”She said with a wink, “You need to start getting ready, like now. It’s already 3:30pm and guests are arriving at 4pm”

“Oh shit”He cursed, jumping up from his seat. “Out out out!”

“Alright!”She exclaimed, grabbing her brush off the vanity. “Come get me when you’re dressed, you’re not going out with your hair looking like that-”

“Yes, I know”He stressed, pushing her out the door. “But I gotta get dressed, immediately. Love you, bye!”

Davey shut the door behind him and ran a hand over his face. It would be fine, he had thirty minutes and getting dressed would take him no longer than ten. He reached for his suit folded over the vanity chair and sighed. He could do this, he’d be seeing Jack in an hour, then they’d get to go home and sleep in peace. He couldn’t wait to lock himself in the suite, and consummate the marriage til the cows came home.

He smirked a bit, if it meant that then he could definitely do this.

Jack leaned in to look at himself in the bathroom mirror. He wanted to get dressed in private, and Katherine granted him that luxury. He felt, he felt handsome. No, not just handsome. He felt beautiful, he’s not sure what he was worried about. The suit looked just as good as the day he tried it on and the gold shimmered in the bathroom lights, he paused, this was a really nice bathroom. He turned around inspecting the trousers and smirked, his ass looked fantastic if he did say so himself. He wiggled his hips a bit and shot himself a cheesy grin, he was starting to feel more like himself. He felt confident. He grabbed the crown that was sitting on the counter and gently placed it on his head. It had felt silly the first few times he tried it on, but now, it just felt right. He gently tucked his gold locket inside of his shirt, that was only for him to see and he wanted it as close to his heart as possible. He took one last look at himself before exiting the bathroom.

“The future prince has arrived”He announced as he stepped out onto the marble floor. All eyes were on him.. He walked out a bit further waiting for a reaction, but none came. His heart stuttered a bit, he knew it. He knew that they would hate it.

“Do...do you guys like it?”He asked quietly. In place of an answer Medda came forward and wrapped her arms around him. He was pulled flush against her chest and she just hugged him tight.

“You look stunning, Jack”She whispered, “Absolutely stunning”

“Thank you, mama”He said, with a shaky exhale. He felt a bit better, Medda didn’t lie. His knees weakened a bit and she held him tighter. The comments soon flooded after Medda’s approval.

“You look amazing, Jack!”Katherine squealed, “you look expensive!”

“I feel expensive,”He chuckled. He walked over to Charlie who had a dopey grin on his face,

“You clean up well, kid”He said, tousling the dirty blonde hair. Charlie groaned and pulled Jack down for a hug.

“You look good, Jack”Charlie grinned, patting his back.

“So do you”He said, “Try and let me have the spotlight for once”

“In your dreams, Kelly”Charlie said, thumping his temple. He laughed and pulled Katherine into a quick hug, kissing her cheek.

“If you told me this was the same Jack Kelly who took me on a date to Wendy’s in eighth grade I wouldn’t believe you!”She teased, squeezing him extra tight. “Just look at you! God, Medda did amazing work because this fits you perfectly”

“Thank you, Kathy,”He said, swaying them side to side. The last one for a hug was Race. He looked at Jack expectantly with open arms and tears brimming at the corner of his eyes. Once Jack was within arms length he pulled him in and the tears began to fall.

“Fuck”Race choked out, “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry but, this...this is real Jack. This is happening, you’re getting married”

“Aww, Racer”He soothed, rubbing his back. “I’m getting married but I ain’t goin nowhere, promise”

“Y-you promise you’re always going to be my big brother?”Race croaked.

“I promise”He said, “We’ve been brothers since the beginning, I ain’t goin nowhere”

“Good”Race sniffled, attempting to compose himself. “Oh fucking hell-”

“Language,”Medda said, pointing a finger. “You may be grown but i’m still your mother”

He had the nerve to look a bit bashful. “Sorry, ma. It’s just...it’s hard to think of you as someone other than my big brother, ya know? It’s weird that you have a life”

“Thanks”He said flatly.

“That’s not what I meant!”Race whined. “Just...you look spectacular,Davey’s gonna love it and i’m so happy for you”

“It means a lot, Racer”He said, “Honest.”

“Just you wait”Race said, wiping his eyes. “I got a whole best man speech prepared for the reception, it’s gonna be great”

“I have no doubts”He said, “But, we all gotta get a move on it. Guests are starting to arrive and Charlie and Ma are the only one’s dressed.”

Katherine sighed and grabbed her purse off his bed. “You better not try to escape, Kelly. We will find you”

“Yeah yeah, get out!”He said, ushering her and Racetrack out the door. The sooner they got dressed,the sooner they could get this party started. He turned to face Medda and let out a giddy laugh.

“We were so focused on me, but look at you!”He said, “You look beautiful Ma”

“Aw you don’t gotta butter me up Jack”She waved off, “I already adopted you.”

“I mean it!”He exclaimed with wide eyes, “Charlie, doesn’t Ma look beautiful?”

“Absolutely gorgeous!”Charlie said from the couch he was lounging on.

“See?”He said, cocking his hip. “Two against one”

She smiled and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Thank you, baby. I need to be on my way now too, your aunts are here”

“Auntie Esther and Estelle?”Charlie said. Medda nodded.

“I’m coming with you! They always have candy”

“Well come on!”She said, “you know they don’t like being kept waiting”

He pushed himself off the couch and Medda grabbed his crutch off the table handing it to him. He wasn’t too pleased about it, but he would be on his feet for the majority of the day.

“I just want them to hack this fucker off”Charlie grumbled, shoving the crutch under his armpit. Jack frowned a bit, and put an arm on Charlie’s shoulder. Medda took that as a sign to leave with a promise that she would be waiting outside the door.

“It’s only for the ceremony, we just want you to be comfortable”He said softly. “And one of these days it’ll happen, I know it will”

Charlie shot him a crooked smile and shook his head. “Optimism isn’t your venue, Jack. I’ll rant to Elmer later”

“Hey, it’s my job as big brother to at least try and sugarcoat the bullshit”He chuckled, “But seriously Charlie, tell me if you’re uncomfortable. You can sit-”

“No”Charlie said, “No, I wanna stand. It’s the least I can do for you, ya know. Since the minute I step out there everyone’s eyes will all be on me, gotta make it up somehow”

“Yeah, you’re a real peach”He said, rolling his eyes.

“A georgia one!”Charlie called over his shoulder as he left the room. Jack took this time to try and get the butterflies in his stomach under control. He was excited, so excited he might puke. He paused. Or did that mean he was nervous? He had no idea, he just knew that the minute Katherine entered this room, it would be time. That time came sooner than he thought because less than fifteen minutes later Katherine came bursting into the room wearing a champagne colored bridesmaid gown.

“It’s time, Jack!”She squealed. He nodded. It was time. His eyes widened.

Holy shit.

It was time.

“Are you ready to see your groom?”She asked, offering him her arm. With a shaky breath he nodded and looped his in hers.

“I’m ready”

The venue was perfect, picture perfect even. It was unseasonably warm for October. The sun was shining through the autumn leaves and the air was still and dry. Not a drop of rain in sight from the clear blue skies above. Jack could hardly believe their luck, it had been storming the week prior and he had been so nervous. He also felt a bit ridiculous, him and Medda were hidden behind a bush because she wanted his big reveal to be a surprise to everyone. He didn’t care about that, he wanted to see what was going on! And most of all he wanted to see Davey, their little phone call was only holding him over for so long. He grumbled quietly with only a stern look as warning to be patient. He was shocked out of his stupor when the music started.

It was almost time.

He peeked over the side as their many groomsman paired off together, sure he remembered from the many dress rehearsals--a theatre mom wants perfection--but seeing his friends dressed so smart made him want to laugh and cry all at once. They had all come here for him today, in the middle of October, just to see him getting married. He pouted a bit and placed a hand over his heart, it was touching. His smile only widened as he saw JoJo and Buttons walking hand in hand instead of arm and arm. Maybe Jack could do a little matchmaking of his own and get them to spill the truth. It took awhile for everyone to get down there, with over ten groomsmen of his own and not even counting some of Davey’s friends, it was a process. His heart stopped when he saw Katherine walking down the aisle with...was that Luna? He turned to Medda with wide eyes about to scream but she just laughed to herself and hushed him.

“Surprise”She whispered. He grinned, of course Davey couldn’t leave their baby out of this.

The wedding march soon drifted into the lantern song instrumental and Jack knew it was time. Without a word he gripped Medda’s arm and stepped out into the open. The applause were deafening but all he could focus on was Davey. There he was dressed in a purely white suit,silver crown on his head and his own silver locket hanging proudly on display. He looked regal, he looked like a prince. But his head was down, without thinking Jack whistled at him and snapped his finger, because hello, he was here now. Davey’s head snapped up and the minute his eyes caught Jacks, the dam exploded. His knees grew weak and he squatted down with tears blurring his eyes.

“O-oh my god”he stuttered, covering his mouth. Jack looked angelic, covered in red and gold from head to toe. This was the man he was about to marry, this was him. Sarah placed a hand under his arm and hoisted him up, letting him lean on her for comfort. How was expected to stand tall when Jack Kelly could bring anyone to their knees? He was blubbering like an absolute idiot but he didn’t care because now Jack was right in front of him. He quickly wiped his eyes and mumbled a quick apology because that was definitely not supposed to happen.

“I-you look-hi”He said.

“You look pretty hi yourself”Jack smirked. He blushed and shot their officiator--Jack’s friend Blink--a withering look. He seemed to snicker before lifting his hands to silence the guests chatter.

“Friends and Family”He started, then stopped when Jack outright laughed.

“Problem?”He said, raising a brow.

“ ‘m sorry, i’ve just never heard you sound so serious”Jack said, “i’m okay now though, please continue”

Blink rolled his eyes and mumbled something that sounded akin to cursing, He cleared his throat and started again. “Friends and family, we are gathered here today to celebrate the once in a lifetime bond known as Jack and David. And if you couldn’t tell, this will be anything but serious so if that’s what you were expecting, I’m sorry”

A few of the guests laughed and Davey felt much better. Sure he liked serious but he didn’t like stuffy.

“Now, Jack told me that he wanted me to talk as little as possible so I will try to do that”He continued, “But this man right here is like a brother to me, so I make no promises. Marriage is a beautiful thing, but only if both parties are willing. So Davey, please let me know that Jack didn’t bring you here against your will”

Davey let out a startled laugh and shook his head, “I’m the one who proposed, so no”

“I just needed to make sure, we all know he can be a bit pushy”he smirked, “But in all seriousness, marriage is beautiful, a everlasting blond between two people pledging themselves to each other for life.”He paused, “I can admit it is a little culty sounding but beautiful. And as beautiful as it is, it is a commitment. That means sticking by each other's side through the highs and lows and everything that comes in between. Understood?”

“Crystal clear”Davey said.

“Absolutely”Jack said, giving Davey the once over, eyes twinkling.

“This is usually the point where I would ask if anyone has any objections but I think I'll get speared like a shish kebob if I do, so we’ll be skipping that part.”He said, Jack hummed in agreement and reached down to grab Davey’s hand. He was practically vibrating in his skin with mirth, it was a moment Davey wanted to keep forever. “Now I heard from a little birdy, that Davey had a pretty lengthy speech written, so I think it’s best we get straight into the vows”

Right, his vows, that was something that he had to say at some point. He didn’t necessarily have stage fright, but something about all of his loved ones staring,waiting for him to pour out his heart made him feel jittery. He grabbed Jack’s other hand and squeezed it, he didn’t have to look at them. He could just look at Jack and pretend it was only them. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and tried to relax. He could do this.

“I just wanna start this off by saying, I love you. I can never say this enough and I will never get tired of saying it, so. I love you.”He said, running his thumb over Jack’s hand. “You snuck up on me, Jack Kelly. I never saw it coming, but now I can’t imagine my life without you. You always talk about how much i’ve been there for you, but now it’s time for me to talk about how much you’ve been there for me. You may not know this but, you were my rock. You were the one that kept me together, when classes and clubs became too much and I had to work and then go home and take care of Les. I constantly felt like I was falling apart, but just knowing I got to spend time with you made me smile.I was in a dark place for a while, I felt like I was failing everyone around me, like I wasn’t smart enough, like I wasn't good enough. And I hid it, because I was embarrassed that my own brain was even failing me.”

His eyes met his parents in the crowd and he faltered. He’d never told them that and now he couldn’t wait to have their distressed faces playing on a loop in his head for the rest of eternity.

“I um, I remember even before we were dating I was just so drained that I didn’t come into school, I just laid in bed staring at nothing. You didn’t call or shoot me a text, you showed up outside of my house and scaled the side of it when I didn’t answer the door. You tumbled in through the window,climbed into bed with me and just started listing every reason why you were proud of me, and I sobbed, ugly sobbed. That was the first time I wanted to say I love you”

He shuddered and tried to compose himself, he could do this. He promised himself he wouldn’t completely break down today.

“And I’ve never wanted to stop saying it since, it ran rampant through my mind until that day at the park where I just blurted it out. Lucky for us, Sarah got that moment on camera”

He gave a subtle nod to blink who pointed a remote at the projector in front of them. On a white screen behind them there they were younger but still so in love, August 14th of 2019. He pressed another button and the video started to play. Jack gasped and leaned in closer as the memory came to life.

“I love you”Jack whispered, bringing a hand up to cup Davey’s cheek. “I love you, Davey. I...this is hard for me, really fucking hard. Kids like me don’t get fairytale”

“No, they don’t”Davey chuckled, blinking away a tear. “But they deserve it, and you deserve it”

“You really are my prince”Jack grinned, “My prince Davey”

Davey brought his own hand up and tapped Jack’s ring finger. “And one day i’ll make you a Prince too. I’m in this for as long as you want me”

“What if I want you forever?”

“Then i’ll stay forever”

“Can you please, kiss already!’Katherine exclaimed, breaking through the veil of privacy. “I mean honestly, we’re all waiting for it!”

The video ended abruptly with an unflattering shot of Race and Spot crying in the canopy and Jack was in hysterics. The guests were practically shaking the ground from how loud they were stomping and clapping. But no one was laughing louder than Race himself.

“That’s what I used to look like!”Race cried out.

“You still look like that,”Jack snorted. Davey shook his head and continued.

“I know this is long already but I'm surprisingly not done”He said, ignoring the groan from practically everyone. “I’m hoping I made good on my promise”He grins, “Because you deserve all of this Jack, and you deserve the best version of myself I can be. I promise to stay by your side through calm seas or choppy waters, I promise to be as patient as I can when things get hard, and I promise to love you entirely for as long as I live. I know things are going to get rough and we are definitely going to fight, but looking at the amazing support we have from both sides. I’m not worried. In sickness and in health, til death do us part Jackie”

“Oh fuck you”Jack gasped, then quickly covered his mouth. “That was...I’m expected to compete with that?”

“Yes, now speak”Blink smirked. Jack resisted the urge to give him the finger and instead faced the guests.

“Don’t expect that same thing from me”He said looking towards the guests, “He minored in English.”He got a few laughs out of them and continued. “I guess this is less of a vow and more of a thank you. Thank you Davey, for seeing the best in me, when nobody else would. Now everyone who knows me knows I love my theatrics, blame my mother, she works for a theatre!”he said in a sing-song voice. “So, I have a little story. I was your typical class clown in school, I was always in the office,always gettin in trouble and always fighting. Those staff members didn’t care, they just wrote me off as some delinquent, and gave up on me. No one took the time of day to see what was actually going on, but Davey tried. And I wouldn’t let him in, I was so scared he would look at me differently, so I just kept it all in here”He said pointing to his chest.

“The final straw was when I went to juvie--oh don’t act surprised! Some of you were there with me!”he scolded. Albert and Mush put their heads down once again. “I was gone for two months, and he had no idea where I was, no one would tell him. The day I got out we got into the biggest fight in our lives. I’m talkin movie type fight, we was both screamin and throwing things. And I was just running my mouth, saying that he would never understand and I remember him just shouting--imagine Davey shouting--he shouted ‘I can’t understand if you don’t tell me you idiot!”

“Oh my god”Davey chuckled, running a hand over his face. Jack giggled and laced their hands together.

“That was like a lightbulb moment for me. We sat on the roof of my house and I told him everything there was to know about me, from beginning to end. And that made our bond even stronger.” He said. “I love him because he looked at me when I was at my worst and meanest and decided I was still worthy of being treated like a person. I love him because even when we fight it’s just because he wants what’s best for me, even when I'm being stubborn. Being loved by Davey has made me swallow a lot of humble pie in my life and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

He turned to face Davey, and wiped a stray tear off his cheek.

“Davey mine”He started, “I promise to take Luna on walks in the morning because you like to sleep in. I promise to be there for you however I can be and I promise to love you unconditionally because you do the same for me. Til death do us part, baby”

“Til death do us part”Davey repeated, starry eyed.

“Hey hey hey!”Blink scolded, waving his hands. “You’re doing my job for me, at least let me try to look professional!”

“Go on then”Jack said, waving him off.

“Do you, David Jacobs, take Jack Kelly to be your lawfully wedded husband?”Blink said.

“I do”Davey said.

“Do you, Jack Kelly, take David Jacobs to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“Hell yes”Jack said, staring at Davey’s lips. He was ready to go in for the kill.

“Then by the power invested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husbands, you may kis--hey!”

Davey had beat him to it. He surged forward with so much force they both went tumbling to the ground. Race squeaked and jumped out of the way ranting about how unbelievable they were, but Jack couldn’t care. Davey’s lips were warm and his body was warm and his hand was cupping his cheek and-

“Alright you two”Blink said, “you are so lucky there aren’t any children here, stand up and have some sort of decency”

“Nah, give me a minute”Jack mumbled, and went right back to kissing Davey. His husband. Oh he could get used to saying that. He only had a few more seconds before Davey was forcefully pulled off of him and pulled over to stand by Sarah. The best part was he was smirking the whole time, he never thought shameless would look so good on Davey, but it was a color he wore well.

“Since these two have no self control”Blink sighed, “I’m going to wrap this up. I now present to you Mr.Jack Kelly-Jacobs and Mr.David Jacobs-Kelly! Now get outta here you two!”

Without a second glance, Jack had surged forward, grabbed Davey and took off running. The hazel eyed man laughed and stumbled behind him but did his best to keep up. They’d be getting an earful from Katherin and Sarah for pulling a stunt like this, but Davey was still learning and spontaneity was his favorite lesson. They kept going until they were well into the gardens and stopped when the roar of the guests could no longer be heard. Jack panted and kneeled bringing Davey down with him.

“Hey Davey”

“Hey Jackie”Davey giggled.

“We’re fuckin married”

“I know!”Davey exclaimed, he quickly lost his balance and fell on his butt. Before he could get up he had a lap full of Jack Kelly-Jacobs.

“Hey Davey”He pressed his forehead to Davey’s and grinned.

“Yeah?”Davey whispered.

“Can I tell you something?”

“Anything, baby”

“We forgot the rings”

The ballroom used for the reception was beautiful. A shiny chandelier hanging from the ceiling,a sea of guest tables and a dance floor perfect for Jack to get drunk and absolutely obliterate. He couldn’t wait. But, it was his wedding and he needed to stay sober for the speeches at least. He was honestly starting to get a little tired, it had been a long day. Leaning his head on Davey’s shoulders he hoped to maybe catch ten minutes while the guests mingled. Davey pouted and brought a hand up to scratch at Jack’s scalp, just the way he liked. He was stupidly in love with this man.

“He’s asleep?”Katherine whispered as she passed by. Davey shook his head and awed internally as Jack groaned and buried his face in his shoulder.

“He just wanted to rest his eyes a bit, I'll keep him awake”He promised. She bit her lip and pointed to the guests who were now finding their seats.

“That would have have to be now”She winced, “We’re about to have the toast and then the speeches”

“I’ll get him up”He said, frowning a bit at Jack’s parted lips. He’d only been out for a few minutes, he must be exhausted.

“You’re a gem, Davey. I need to make sure nobody is doing anything stupid!”with that she clicked away in her heels,disappearing in the crowd. This was quite the turnout for sure, the room was packed wall to wall. With Davey’s extended family,Jack’s as well along with all of his friends and Spot's gigantic family, they could fill up a stadium. All these people here to see them and Jack was two seconds from slipping into a coma.

“Jack”He whispered, rubbing his cheek. “Jackie, wake up”

“Mmm?”Jack grumbled.

“It’s time for the speeches, ya know? People telling us just how awesome we are”He teased, running that same hand down his neck. Jack squirmed and begrudgingly lifted his head.

“There you are”He said, “And my my my aren’t you beautiful?”

“Go to hell”Jack said, stretching his arms above his hand.

“I’m already there”He sighed looking around again. Jack’s brows furrowed and he leaned in closer.

“Are you having fun here?”

Davey blinked, that’s not a question he was expecting. But it was sweet. He smiled and pressed a quick kiss to Jack’s lips.

“This is the moment of a lifetime, it’s just a lot to process”He explained. Jack nodded and mumbled a ‘same here’ before leaning back in his chair. Katherine stood at the front of a hall on a stage, with a glass in one hand and a knife in the other. She tapped the side repeatedly until everyone had muted their small talk and looked forward.

“Hello everyone!”she exclaimed, “I hope everyone is having a good time so far! Dinner will be served shortly but first we have some speeches prepared from the families of the grooms. Be prepared to laugh,cry and you’ll want to have your camera out because someone will definitely do something embarrassing! Firstly we have Racetrack Higgins, brother to Jack and his best man!”

The guests cheered and Race stood up from his seat and walked towards the stage, Spot in tow. He shot Jack a smile and grabbed the microphone that was left for him.

“I want to start this off by thanking everyone who showed up. This packed ass room is just a testimony to how loved these two really are.”He said, Jack grinned and leaned in closer. This had to be good.

“ Now i’ll spare you most of the sob story. The way I met Jack Kelly was a little place called the refuge. I got there when I was two, and I don’t remember this but i’m told that I would scream for hours at night unless I was sharing a bed with him. I don’t know, call it fate but he was the person I decided to cling to.”he said and chuckled, rubbing his eyes.

“I was so angry all the time that no one else wanted to be bothered with me but he...he dealt with me I guess. Soon enough I would never leave his side, I don’t have a memory there without him with me. Then Charlie came along”He shot a playful glare at Charlie, “and I was no longer the cute and small one, but it was fine because Jack always looked out for both of us. I’ll always say that Jack was my first parent and Medda was my second. It shouldn’t have been that way but..I-I...I’m sorry”he croaked.He turned his back to the guests and buried his face in the crook of Spots neck.

Jack’s heart dropped.

“Holy shit”Jack said with a shaky sigh, sure he knew he did a lot but he didn’t think it meant this much to him. Davey squeezed his hand and gave a tight smile, tears pooling in his eyes.

“Holy shit is right”

Race took a few minutes to collect himself and turned back around, tears still streaming down his face.

“I-I can’t think right now and it’s really annoying cause I practiced this for weeks but I just wanted to say that Jack is my brother and my best friend and i’m just so happy that he has Davey, because Davey you make him so fucking happy. Kids like us aren’t expected to go anywhere in life, but he has Medda, he has us and now he has you. I wish you guys the best and please make me an uncle soon okay bye thank you” with that he quickly left the stage and leapt into Jack’s arms sending them both flying backwards.

“Ow, Racer. What the he-”

“I’m so proud of you, Jack”He said quickly, “I-I know I haven’t been the best brother or the nicest to you but I need you to know that I love you”

“Okay okay!”Jack said, clutching his hip. “I love you too, punk. We can talk more about this later, but get off of me!”

“C’mon, Tony,”Spot sighed, picking up the mess of limbs. Once Race was on his feet, he bent over and helped Jack up. “Congratulations Jack, you’ve been a pain in my ass as long as i’ve known this kid, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Davey, you keep him out of prison”

“On my honor,”Davey said.

“Yeah, you too Conlon”Jack said, “Who knows, you might be next”

“Oh, Spotty! We should get married!”he gasped. Spot groaned and shook his head.

“You play dirty Kelly,”Spot said.

“It’s the only way to play”Jack smirked, “Go take him for some fresh air, I don’t want him to get antsy”

“Aye aye”Spot said, practically dragging Race out of the room by his suspenders.

Katherine emerged back to the stage and clapped raising her glass. “That is Jack Kelly down for the sixth time today and yes we’ve been keeping score! Next to the stage we have my lovely,intelligent,incredibly charasm-”

“This ain’t about you!”Jack exclaimed. Katherin gave him the finger and continued. “You know her,you love her, my wife Sarah Jacobs, brother to the groom Davey and his best woman! Come on up here, pumpkin!”

Sarah made her way to the stage, and placed a kiss to Katherine’s cheek. “Hello!”Sarah called out to the audience.

“Unlike the rest of these saps I'm going to try not to cry”She said, “For those who don’t know, Davey here is my twin, and honestly my built in best friend. We’ve been joined at the hip since we could walk,and I know him like the back of my hand. I couldn’t imagine a better fit for him than Jack. Davey was a shy kid, really serious too. Not many kids got along with him because he didn’t like running around or hand games or kickball, he liked sitting off to the side and reading. So he wasn’t really given a chance to show how amazing he was the first few years of school. That was until a little boy who called himself cowboy Jack basically bulldozed his walls and threw himself into Davey’s life.”

Jack laughed and threw his arm around Davey’s shoulder, “That’s true!”

Sarah laughed as well, and continued. “And let me tell you, Davey was pissed at first. He couldn’t understand why this boy wouldn’t leave him the hell alone because oh my god was Jack persistent! It was ridiculous! But little did he know that annoying little boy would become his best friend and later his husband.”

Davey smiled and pressed a hand over his heart.

“My brother is a little hard to read at times, he doesn’t like giving all his tells to just anybody. But what a lot of you don’t know is that he’s caring and kind and cried for hours when he ran over a rabbit--yes that is true. He wears his feelings right on his face, you just need to know how to read him. And Jack could read him just as well as I could which terrified him. He wasn’t used to anybody but me,our parents and eventually Les. He was terrified of getting hurt, he didn’t want to know what heartbreak felt like so he never even tried.”She said.

“But Jack brought out a different side of him, a side no one had ever seen. He became spontaneous, and more outgoing and actually alive! It freaked us all out at first because we didn’t know why he was changing, but little did we know this was just the beginning of a new Davey. It’s just weird to have known that shy little bookworm and see him become such a social butterfly. I can see people snoring so I’ll get off now, congrats you guys. I love you Davey”

The guests cheered and Sarah made her way off the stage. Jack was looking at him like he had three heads.

“What?”

“You Jacobs ain’t got any emotions or somethin?”He exclaimed, wiping his eyes. “None of your family is cryin, that was beautiful!”

“We cry on the inside, baby”Davey soothed, pulling Jack’s chair closer to his.

“That’s...that’s not good-”

“Alright, everyone!”Katherine said, “This is the last speech we have on schedule for today, so don’t panic. Next up to the stage we have Charlie Morris, baby brother to the groom Jack and one of his groomsmen!”

With a bit of help from Medda, Charlie made his way to the stage. He shot a thankful look at Katherine who brought up a chair, it had indeed been a long day. He grabbed the microphone and plopped down in the seat.

“Thank god”He sighed, a grin when the guests laughed. “Now, I’m going to try and keep this short for Jack’s sake, he looks like he’s about dead on his feet” Jack sighed, he knew this boy was a natural comedian, but if this speech was more than five minutes he would smother him in his sleep.

“Skip the commentary!”Jack called out, then winced when Davey flicked his neck.

“Would you let me say my speech? You’re lucky I wrote one”He said, “Now, just like Racer said, I can’t remember a time in my life without Jack being there. We fight a lot because I’ve still got that younger brother charm and he just can’t get over it--alright alright! I’ll be serious.”He chuckled after a wad of tissue was thrown at him.

“Davey was introduced into my life from a young age, once he finally accepted his doom, he began to come over a lot. And I loved playing with Davey, he would teach me how to make paper airplanes,origami and he would read to me, that was luxury treatment in this household, okay. But he would only come over a few times a week, which I understood because he did have a family and all that jazz.”He said, gesturing in the direction of the Jacobs family. Mayer stood up from his seat and waved.

“But as those two got older, he was there every single day. And then I started wondering, why is Davey always here? Until I got up one night to get coco puffs and saw them kissing on the couch-”He smirked as the hall erupted in ooo’s “-and my pea sized thirteen year old brain went ohhhhh and I screamed ‘ewww they’re kissing!’”

Davey groaned and buried his face in Jack’s shoulder, he wanted to forget that day ever happened.

“Which of course woke up the whole house, Jack did get in trouble and yes, I'm still paying him back for that to this day. This speech is not for Jack, no. I want to say thank you to Davey for taking the time to be so nice to me, unlike this man-”

“Get off the stage, Charlie!”Jack booed, putting his thumb down. Charlie blew a raspberry.

“In all seriousness, I'm really happy for you two. I’m not good with affection and stuff but Jack, you know I love you. And of course I'll thank you until the day I die for taking care of me. You’re one of the best big brothers I can ask for, i’m happy you’re getting married and please hold off on making me an uncle”

The applause were deafening, maybe it was Charlie’s humor or maybe they were excited for dinner, the world may never know. Jack was clapping the loudest, he was excited for dinner. Medda helped Charlie off the stage and gladly he went back to his seat. Jack let out of a sigh of relief, he was not ready to make that score seven, his back was killing him.

“Those were really sweet,”Davey commented. Jack rolled his eyes.

“Sweet but long, ‘m tired Davey”He whined.

“I know, sweetheart,”Davey said. “I know, but it’ll all be over soon”

“Promise me we don’t gotta get up tomorrow”He said.

“We can lay around all day,”Davey promised. “We can eat breakfast in bed and cuddle with Luna and sleep the day away”

“Oh my god, Luna”He perked up, “Where is my baby girl?”

“Our baby girl”Davey corrected, “She’s with Les upstairs”

“It got too loud for them, huh”

“Yeah, he texted me like an hour ago that he needed a break”Davey said.

“I sure as hell would like a break too”He grumbled.

“I know”Davey sighed, “are you still having fun?”

“I am”He said, “I am and I know how much work you put into today, I...i’m just reachin a limit, ya know?”

“I know”Davey nodded, “If it gets unbearable, let me know. I’ll tell Katherine to entertain everyone and we can take a break.”

Jack leaned in and pressed his forehead against Davey’s. “You’re so sweet with me”

“I’ll do anything for you,”Davey promised.

“Alright, let’s break up the romance!”Katherine said, taking a seat at their table.

“Where do you keep comin from?”Jack groaned.

“Hell”She said easily, “Dinner is on it’s way out and I haven’t seen you eat anything but a bagel today”

“He did what?”Davey said.

“It’s not important”She said quickly, “Look, I know he’s exhausted. Just get him through dinner and i’ll cover until it’s time for the dances which aren’t until-”She pulled out her phone and scrolled, “-10pm, it’s 8 now, just make sure he eats and then get him out of here”

“You’re a saint”

“I take my maid of honor duty very serious”She said with a wink, “My phone is on all night so just shoot me a text if anything happens”

“Noted”Davey said, “Now how about you take a little break, you’ve been on your feet all day”

“I would, but I gotta keep things running smoothly”She said.

“Everyone is fine”Davey said, “Have dinner with us, bring Sarah too. It’ll be just like high school”

“Yeah with fancy gowns and fancy food”

“It’ll be like high school cause it’s us”Davey said, rolling his eyes. “now go get her”

“You promise we won’t be intruding?”she asked, “You’ve barely been alone all day”

“I got the rest of my life to be alone with him”Jack said, “today’s about friends and family”

“You have our word, Kath”Davey said, “now go”

After a well earned nap, Jack soon became the life of the party. He slid his way to the dance floor,drink in hand and ready to get this party started. Davey for one couldn’t believe he had married a toddler. Naps did nothing for him, he always woke up feeling disoriented and gross. But almost any of Jack’s problems could be solved by a nap, it was scary sometimes. But he was relieved that Jack felt better, they were going to be here for a while. Guests were supposed to be leaving around 11:30pm, and they had to be out of the castle by 1:00am because another wedding was happening that day and the staff needed to clean up. Then they had the drive from here to home which was four hours so they wouldn’t be home until 5am. Davey sighed, he didn’t drink for personal reasons but he’d never been so tempted to take a shot in his life.

“What’s wrong?”Katherine asked, and dear god she did seem to just pop up everywhere.

“Hmm?”he hummed.

“You’ve got that vacant look in your eyes, it’s the same one Sarah gets when she’s stressed”She said.

“Oh boy am I stressed”He sighed, “Just thinking about how long it’s gonna be until we get home”

“Well”She grinned, “This was supposed to be a surprise but you look like you could use some cheering up”

“Please”He said, clinging to her shoulder.

“We hired a clean up crew!”she said, doing jazz hands.

“Oh my god I love you”He all but melted against her.

“Yup!”she smirked, “Which means all we have to do is pack our bags and high tail it home, shouldn’t take any longer than twenty minutes”

“Thank you so much, Kath”He said, “home is still...it’s just so far”

“I’ll drive you guys home”She said, “Sarah and I already talked about this. It’s been such a long day and I know you’re both exhausted, plus Jack is drinking like a monster”

“That’s...I don’t know what to say,”he said.

“You don’t have to say anything, Davey”She said, “We’re family, you two were such a big help at our wedding that it’s the least we could do”

“I like helping,”He said earnestly. “I’d do it again”

“Noted,”She said, eyes scanning over his shoulder. “If you wanna help, go get your husband. You know how he gets when he’s drunk and-”She paused, listening to the music “-Shakira is playing”

“Oh god”Davey groaned, “I-you know where to find me!”

The remainder of the reception went off without a hitch. The first dances were as sweet as expected, Jack did shed a few tears as he danced with Medda but mostly kept it together. The bouquet toss went well, Race caught the first one and Spot football tackled Skittery to catch the second. The cake was cut, and the guests were out at 11:30pm on the dot. Jack and Davey had practically sprinted up the stairs and packed up their belongings in record time. The day had been magical,they couldn’t wait to look back on the pictures, but it was time to go home. A little after midnight Davey found himself saying goodbye to Sarah and squeezing into the backseat of their car with Luna fast asleep. If you asked him what had happened in the last hour he honestly couldn’t tell you, he stopped processing it around 10pm. Jack wasn’t any better but for different reasons. A drunk Jack was a handsy Jack and maybe Davey should have taken the front seat.

“Let me love you!”Jack whined as he once again grabbed at Davey’s leg.

“You’re drunk”

“You’re hot”

“Thank you, baby”

“Keep it pg back there,”Katherine said, eyeing them in the rear view mirror.

“Tell that to him!”He said, placing Luna on Jack’s lap. “Here, take the puppy”

Jack squealed with delight and focused his attention on that. Katherine stifled a laugh and focused her eyes on the road. Davey sighed.

It was going to be a long four hours.

“Thank you, Kath”Davey yawned, stepping out of the car. “I really appreciate it”

“It’s no problem”She replied, stepping out to stretch. “Do you mind if I crash here?”

“Not at all”He said, “there’s a key under the mat, let yourself in. I need to get Jack and Lu”

“Got it,”She said.

Davey walked around to the opposite side of the car and opened the door.

“Be free”he said. Luna leapt out of Jack’s lap and happily trotted up the stairs. Jack was dead asleep, alcohol and exhaustion seemed to work better than any melatonin he’s ever taken. He leaned into the car and picked him up bridal style, closing the door with his hip. Katherine, ever the saint, had left the door open for them.

Once he was inside he quickly padded into the bedroom, dumping Jack on the bed. He knew he should probably be a good host and make sure Katherine was comfortable but he couldn’t stand being awake a minute longer. He closed the door and stripped down to his boxers. He was exactly one second away from jumping into bed before he realized that Jack was fully dressed.

Fuck.

He leaned over and shook Jack’s shoulders.

“Mm?”

“You gotta get naked”He said, then blinked. That’s not what he wanted to say but it got his point across.

“Do it for me”Jack mumbled and lifted his hips up.

Davey sighed and bent down to take off his shoes. “You’re so spoiled”

“Your fault”Jack mumbled. “You made me spoiled”

Next came the socks and pants. “Because I like spoiling you”

“Then stop complaining”

Davey snorted and pulled off his blazer. “I’m not complaining, i’m stating a fact”

“Gonna be so hungover”Jack groaned.

Davey started to unbutton his shirt. “Sounds like a you problem”

“You’re such an ass”

“Am not”Davey said, pulling his arms out. “No one told you to drink like the world was ending”

“I tol’ me to”

“Well you have terrible judgement” he pressed a kiss to Jack’s forehead, “You’re all done”

“Mmmthank you Davey”

Davey finally climbed into bed and relished in the mattress under his back. “No problem, now go to sleep”

Jack mumbled something in agreement and opened his arms, Davey tilted his head.

“ ‘m big spoon tonight, deal with it”He said and well Davey wasn’t going to argue, he was rarely ever the little spoon. He scooted back into Jack’s arms and god he was so warm. He felt a hand carding through his hair and he let out a low hum. This, this is what he had been waiting for all day. And it had been worth it. A full two years of planning,taking on extra projects,living on a tight budget and sheer hope had gotten him the day of a lifetime. And some funny twist of fate got him the man of a lifetime. He didn’t know who or what he had to thank for giving him Jack Kelly, but he found himself thanking the universe. It hadn’t been easy getting to this point, they had fought and argued and screamed and cried, but it was worth it. After all, every fairytale has to start somewhere, and it started the moment they said I do. And the end--well, that’s a long time away so let’s focus on the now. The present feels like a dream and the end is nowhere in sight, their fairytale was just beginning.

And Davey couldn’t wait to see where it took them.

27 notes · View notes

brittie-frog · 4 years

Text

Haunting of Bly Manor

Right.

I love horror and after spending sometimes days watching video essays on gay history, specifically in (horror) movies and film, I now kinda understand why so with the Haunting series and its gay rep and them not being the villain of the story, I loved it.

(Quick note I have only rewatched the show twice and can only take from my own experience of media)

My phone also knows me so will suggest news stories on things I've recently watched or current murder cases. So it suggested me this story today:

I went in open minded knowing that some people were angry about the ending falling into the 'kill the gays' trope (which I will come back to).

At first it was fine, talking about the ghost story/love story comment and how it relates to the show and has good analysis that I agree with. Then it goes on to basically summarise the show.

It keeps mentioning that all the gay subtext is implied:

why Dani broke up with her fiance

why Jaimie is reluctant to be vulnerable with Dani (before the monologue)

And that there needs to be a “lot of filling in between the lines” to understand their romance despite their practically constant flirting (Jaimie's 'Poppins' for Dani is the cutest nickname) and multiple kissing scenes. However, I digress, it can be sometimes hard to understand certain attitudes to each other at the beginning.

It also states that its like they want on the pat on the back for "making them queer, without making anything about them very queer". I don't know what this means, but I took two interpretations:

That not all queer people need to stereotypically look queer to be and that is a step forward for gay rep (I prefer)

That the creator wants to be celebrated for making gay rep without truely showing their queerness (which I think is pretty false)

Then it talks about the fireside chat and Jaimie's backstory, describing the monologue as "shoehorned" into the scene and "devoid of any mention of her sexuality". This is where the first part of my 10 minute research for context comes in. This is set in 1987 in a small town in England with an American. In charge of England at the time was the famously homophobic Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher that implemented Clause 28. No one in this setting and right mind - especially after being ridiculed for most of her life - would come out to any one, flirting or not, that they have known for at most a month or two. Also, this entire scene resolves around Jaimie's attitudes towards people, and why she's reluctant to get close to people, favouring taking care of her flowers over interacting with others.

Then it talks about Owen and Mrs. Grose having "more meaningful screen time and backstories that continue throughout multiple episodes".

First Hannah. We basically get Hannah's entire backstory in episode 5: how she met Owen, scenes of her working at the Manor (in non-chronological order) and how she died in the first episode. Then that continued into the final episode when she finally comes to terms with her death and her love for Owen to save everyone. We don't actually get much backstory in the way of her childhood or even how she met the family (from what I remember, correct me if I'm wrong).

Now Owen. His backstory is that he grew up in Bly, left to go to France and became a Sous Chef, only coming back because his mum got diagnosed with dementia and he needed to take care of her despite her constantly mistaking him for other people. That is also only explored through Hannah's memories of the interview and the bonfire-side chat.

Those are both sad backstories but you can't call them any more or less meaningful than Jaimie's of in depth about how her and her family were ridiculed and bullied throughout her life and even spent time in juvie. They all have points mentioned in their stories that I would love more indepth on: how Hannah met the family/met Sam, either Owen's childhood in Bly or his time in France and why Jaimie spent time in juvie. But I also realise this is a short series that has to make fleshed out characters and tell an entire story in 8 episodes.

The article then talks about how even the ghosts got an entire episode to themselves when they barely show up. If you look in the background of the majority of scenes you'll see them and personally I really enjoy getting their stories of how they died. However, that episode is about more than just finding out about the ghosts and Viola's life, it’s mainly about what led to her being the first ghost and causing other dead people to stay as ghosts and the origin of those specific words that give a ghost access to an alive person’s body, to help explain the majority of the show. If I showed my friend this show and removed that episode I would have more questions asked than when my mum finished it.

Now I don’t know what to say. I agree there is no law on art so it can be anything and I usually think that the haunting series are in a slightly different universe (it’s how sleep at night knowing that someone can’t be so stubborn they become a murdering ghost) but also yes, trans-roles should be given to trans people more often. However they are actors and their job is to play some they aren’t for entertainment so for the most part I agree with Scarlett about being able to play anything. Also yes the self-congratulatory approach after playing an LGBT+ character when you’re cishet is kinda bad unless you have the full support of the community telling you it was a good portrayal and accurate representation. It won’t be enough for minorities if our representation, that people outside the communities are calling great, are just surface level characters that are just there for tokenism but you can’t compare Bly Manor characters to those types of characters. All of them have so much development and are well done that the majority of the community that has watched the show have no problem with and love their representation.

Personally I love both Theo Crain and Jaimie and Dani because they represent different things. Theo Crain is on a basic level. as a lothario, a stereotypical butch lesbian, constantly hooking up and struggles to actually open up and love people. Dani and Jaimie are soft, domestic cottage core lesbians in a flower shop AU. This is not a bad thing and just because they have a “tepid romance” doesn’t mean it’s a step back. Also more context time:

As said before Thatcher was in charge and heavily homophobic, creating laws to stop people from teaching children about homosexuality since gay sex had been decriminalised recently

It was the middle of the AIDs epidemic. Dani was coming from a country that was doing nothing about the deaths of thousands and going to a country where hysteria about AIDs was rampant but they were doing more, like the ‘AIDs: don’t die of ignorance’ information leaflet despite it not being as huge with 46 deaths by 1984. (That assumes that the AIDs epidemic happened in this universe)

Dani clearly had some form of internalized homophobia before even coming to England because she spent so long with her fiance hoping to feel the way she’s supposed to (I think the ghost of him is her guilt and internalized issues personified as it constantly appears when she’s trying to move forward.)

Also in the final episode it shows that is probably at least some homophobia in America as they kiss in the shop then look outside and go to the back so no one can see. (This could be interpreted as seeing if anyone is planning on coming in so they can escape without having to stop early for customers but Jaimie had already changed the sign to closed.)

Now onto the ‘kill the gays’ trope. Yes this is a huge trope that is so damaging to the community that we’re constantly the ones killed off for views or when their tokenism is no longer important, that is fucked up! However this doesn’t mean that we should give every gay character plot armour, cause that’s also unrealistic, just to please the select few that will call it out as a damaging trope. There is huge difference between say, The 100 killing Lexa and Bly Manor killing Dani as one has plot relevance and brings the story to a close while the other enraged an entire generation so much they started a brand new convention to celebrate queer relationships/characters in media. It’s also not like she was the only one to die, it’s horror after all, Hannah, Rebecca and Peter, the parents and all those ghosts died or were already dead.

Like many of the comments on the article - If all you got from this show was it falls into kill the gays, you have completely missed the entire point of the show.

#bly manor netflix #haunting of bly manor #dani and jamie #just my thoughts #ramblings #this is a product of my frustration

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crmsfanfiction · 4 years

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Second Chances-Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Broken Promises

3 am and Willa was still awake. She’d cried twice more since her initial breakdown in her uncle’s arms. Both times had been cathartic for her. She had finally stopped crying and was instead trying to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes she saw him in bed with someone else. She knew he was probably wondering where she was. In fact she was sure he’d tried to call her and text her multiple times. She just couldn’t bring herself to check. She didn’t want to hear his voice. She didn’t want to hear his lies and the concern in his voice for her.

Realistically she knew they needed to sit down and talk, make a clean break of it, but the pain was still to close to the surface. It was too soon. She knew she would not handle it well. Tomorrow she would send him a message. She would tell him that she saw him and that she was done. They were done. She doesn’t need a man like him in her life. While everyone thought they were perfect for each other, everyone was wrong. She would not forget what he did. She might forgive him someday, but she would never trust him again. That was broken for good.

Thinking back to when she first met him in 2010 made her smile sadly. They had locked eyes across the cafe. Grey eyes and brown. He had walked over to her and introduced himself as Tony. They talked for hours that night. It was easy. It was simple. She fell hard for him. He asked her out on a proper date and that was it. They were inseparable. They moved into together 6 months later into a dinky apartment while she finished nursing school. 18 months later he asked her to marry him and they bought the house. They had built a life together. She as a nurse in the ICU and him trying to get published. He was working as a waiter in the mean time.

Anthony Malstrom was supposed to be her happily ever after. Her knight in shining armor, but turns out he was just a toad in tin foil. An impostor. They had carefully planned out their wedding. Everything was paid for and ready to go. In two months she should have become Mrs Malstrom, but now she was laying in bed heartbroken and numb. Closing her eyes Willa felt more tears slip down her face as thoughts played more memories.

She had finally fallen into a fitful sleep, when someone bounced on her bed waking her up with a giggle. Grinning tiredly Willa knew who was in her bed. It was Little man. Pretending to stretch she grabbed him and tickled his belly causing him to shriek in laughter. Opening her eyes she gathered him close and hugged him. This was a good way to wake up, even if she didn’t sleep much the night before. Sending him out of the room, Willa got up and headed for the bathroom. She stared at herself in the mirror and nearly didn’t recognize herself. Dull gray eyes, lank auburn hair. Dark circles under her eyes. Pain etched on her face, in the lines that weren’t there yesterday.

Willa used the bathroom quickly and washed her hands. She pulled her hair up into a low pony tail as she headed downstairs to the kitchen and the smell of coffee drifted into her nose. She sat down at the table as a cup of liquid bliss was set in front of her. Inhaling deeply, she smiled at Robert and nodded her thanks. She reached for the sugar and dropped two teaspoonfuls in and stirred quickly.

“Hey Willabee. How ya holding up?” asked Susan as she looked up from feeding Princess her breakfast. Willa shrugged as she sipped her coffee. Susan looked up at her husband and nodded her head when he raised his eyebrows.

“Ok Willa. Time to get into the shower. You’re coming to set today. No moping around the house. You got an hour before we have to leave. Scarlett is dying to see you again. I told her you were in town for a few days.” Robert said as he turned to her clapping his hands. Willa sighed and nodded as she headed upstairs to jump in the shower. It would be nice to see Scarlett again and maybe spend some time with her adorable little girl.

After her shower and some make-up to cover the dark circles Willa felt slightly more human again. Anyone could still see the absolute sadness in her eyes and the heartache she in her stance, but she looked better as she slid into Robert’s car with him. She had dressed in a pair of shorts and a tank top. Opting to throw her hair up in a ponytail and sliding on a pair of sunglasses. She had completed the look with a pair of black sneakers.

“Looking better Willabee. Ready to go? Today is going to be good. Everyone is going to be on set and I know several are looking forward to seeing you again.” Robert said as they drove towards the lot. He had given her the permanent pass to get onto the lot whenever she wanted too.

“What movie are you filming? Another Avengers?” Willa asked as they pulled into the lot.

“Actually a Captain America movie. This one is called Civil War.” Robert replied as they got out of the car and headed to his camp of trailers. Willa nodded, like she knew what he was talking about. She had avoided watching most of the Marvel movies. It was always weird to her to see people she knew in real life on screen. She had attempted to watch Iron Man 1 back in 2008, but it was so strange to see her Uncle Bob on screen, that she had to turn it off. So far the only movies of the MCU she’d been able to fully watch and enjoy was the first two Thor movies.

“I am heading to hair and make-up, feel free to pick a trailer and chill or wander around. You know how these sets work. Scarlett’s trailer is like five down on the left hand side. Buttercup might be there.” Robert said as he dropped a kiss on Willa’s forehead and walked away. Tossing her purse in Robert’s main trailer, Willa headed out in search of coffee. Finding the liquid gold she poured a cup and inhaled deeply. She had always loved the smell of coffee. It reminded her of someone she knew years ago. They had always smelled of coffee, cigarettes and mint.

Willa wasn’t paying much attention to where she was walking, when she ran into a brick wall. “Damn Evans what the hell are you lifting? You’re even bigger than the last time I saw you.” Willa said as she looked up into the blue-green eyes of Captain America himself Chris Evans. He grinned and hugged her.

“Hey Willa. Robert said you were in town. How you doing?” Chris asked as he gently pulled her with him as he resumed walking towards the set. He could tell something was going on with her. Robert hadn’t gotten into details about why she was in town, but he seemed concerned about her and asked Chris and Scarlett to watch out for her.

“Doing as well as can be expected. Found Tony in bed with someone else. Now it’s over. The wedding is off.”

Chris stopped short at her confession about Tony cheating on her. He had met Tony a couple years ago and he seemed to be a genuinely nice guy. He had been warm and kind. They had even hung out a few times since, when Chris wasn’t busy filming. Both seemed to be besotted with each other. He was supposed to be going to their wedding in a couple months. Wrapping his arms around Willa, Chris hugged her tightly. She melted into his hug. “I’m sorry. He is a fool.” He whispered against her hair. She nodded, not trusting her voice and she didn’t want to cry again.

“So what scene are you filming?” Willa asked as she pulled away from Chris and headed towards the set.

“Fight scene as always. Have you even watched the other movies?” Chris replied as he steered her towards two other men. Willa shook her head and then stopped short when a voice from the past said something. Willa touched Chris’ arm and smiled as she turned to head the other direction. She wasn’t ready to see him. It would bring back some memories that she didn’t want to think about yet.

“Hey I’m going to see if I can find Scarlett. See you later Evans.” Willa said as she turned on her heel and quickly headed back the way they had come from. Never noticing the steel blue eyes watching her leave. She found her way back to Uncle Bob’s camp and grabbed her phone out of her purse. Taking a deep breath she turned it back on and waited for it to stop buzzing from all the missed calls and text messages she had. 15 missed calls from Tony. 25 missed texts from various friends and family.

She deleted all the voicemails without listening to them and quickly texted back friends and family. She finally texted Tony telling him she was fine, but that she’d seen him with the other woman and that she didn’t want to see or hear from him until she was ready to talk face to face. She told him that she would contact him in a few days when she was ready. He sent one text to apologize and then nothing after that. He knew he’d messed up.

“Mina?” Willa stiffened at the voice. Only one person had ever called her that. Not many people knew her full first name was Wilamina. Even Uncle Bob always just used Willa when he was yelling at her.

“Baz.” Willa said as she turned to face him. She refused to look him in the eyes, knowing if she did the memories of their time together a decade ago would come back and she wasn’t ready to unpack that box yet. It had taken a year before she could even hear his name spoken without wanting to burst out crying. He was why she’d avoided watching to first two Captain America movies. She had avoided all his movies after The Covenant. Of course she avoided that movie now too. It brought up to many memories from on set and off.

“How are you Mina?” Sebastian asked softly as he stood looking at a shell of the woman he knew a decade ago. He was surprised to see her walking on set with Evans. He almost didn’t recognize her. Her hair was shorter and her eyes held none of the fire he was used to seeing in them. Evans had said she was in a bad way. Something about her fiance and cheating. He had tuned out as memories flooded back. Memories that he’d thought were locked away in the deepest recesses of his mind.

“If you don’t mind, I’d rather you left. I have nothing to say to you.” Willa said as she closed the door to the trailer she’d been using when he walked up to her and locked the door. Sliding down to the floor Willa bit back a sob as the memories flooded back. The memories of stolen kisses, long sleepless nights wrapped in each others arms. The smell of coffee, cigarettes, and mint. Him walking away and breaking her heart. Her not stopping him from leaving. Promises whispered in the dark. Promises broken in the light of day.

Sebastian walked away from the trailers head hung low. It was no more than he deserved, her ire. Her refusal to speak to him. He never should have let them convince him to walk away from her. It was his biggest regret. He had been weak. Easily convinced she didn’t love him as he did her. A memory came to him of a promise that he’d broken the day he walked away. A promise to never lie to her.

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Author’s Note: Sebastian isn’t her fiance, but he did break her heart. Who convinced him to leave her? Feedback appreciated. Constructive criticism encouraged. Flames will be used to keep plot bunnies warm this winter.

#sebastian stan #sebastianstanxofc #sebastian stan slow burn #sebastian stan angst #sebastian stan fluff #sebastian stan smut #robert downey jr #rdj #chris evans #tom holland #scarlett johansson

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journal-of-an-outlaw · 4 years

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Price to be Paid - Chapter 24

AO3 Link here!

That night the gang gathered to celebrate Jack making it home safe and sound after his ordeal with Angelo Bronte. Crates of beer and other liquors were brought out, the fires roared full and bright, and a weight seemed to be lifted from the shoulders of everyone as they settled into the surroundings of Shady Belle.

Except for you, who couldn't stop thinking about the letter you found from Mary.

All this time. They had been writing back and forth for however long and about god knows what. Maybe she just needed help or someone to vent to, their story was still classified as a mystery to you. But never once had Arthur mentioned her or made you think that she was still a part of his life.

Javier strummed the guitar and caught your eye. His eyebrows danced when he asked you to sing and you agreed quickly, needing a distraction from the way your thoughts were headed. This was a party after all, might as well have fun. The two of you spent almost an hour around the warm flames of the fire, dancing and singing to entertain the others. Jack loved the attention even if Abigail was unwilling to let him go. You understood; Jack was her whole world and he had only just gotten back after the terrifying ordeal.

You walked around after the music had ended and others wanted to sing admiring the love these people shared and the many ways it was communicated. Sean pulled Karen into his lap and whispered something, most likely dirty, in her ear causing the woman to be taken over by a fit of giggles. Hosea and Dutch stood as watchful figures from the porch. Lenny was tapping his foot from his spot on guard duty and humming along when he thought no one could see him.

“YN! Where’s that fiance of yours at?” Tilly called from her spot next to Mary Beth and you sat with them.

“That’s something I’d like to know. Saw him earlier, wonder where he got off to?”

Mary Beth looked at you with bright eyes. “Maybe he’s hiding, planning something big for you!”

Clearly she had a few drinks in her as she rocked back with laughter. You and Tilly shared a glance at her reaction and chuckled along, enjoying the carefree way her hair rolled around her shoulders.

You left them and wandered back inside, calling out for Arthur. It didn’t come as a surprise when you got no answer, standing alone in the big house that was falling apart around you.

A small cheer went up outside and you walked out to find Arthur hitching his horse up, waving off those greeting him and tipping his hat as he walked in, embarrassed at the extra attention from his drunken cohorts. Dutch slapped his shoulder with encouraging words and Arthur stopped for a moment before spotting you standing on the porch.

You tried to hold the memory of the letter in your mind as you stared him down, but the moment his face broke into a smile you knew you couldn't fight it. Arthur was many things; kind to those in need, fiercely loyal to the gang, loving and caring to you after all those months of hiding his feelings, and something inside of you said he would never cause you harm. Brushing the thought of Mary aside for the night you let him scoop you into a hug once he ran up the steps and held on tightly, inhaling his scent of tobacco leaves and leather.

“Sorry I ran off darlin’, Dutch needed something from town and I thought I would be back before now.”

“Wasn’t too long. Just enough time for me to worry about my fiance, but ain’t nothing new there.”

Arthur growled low in your ear and pushed the doors behind you open. After confirming that no one was around he laid you back against the wall and held himself against you. His hands swirled your hair between his fingers and he looked at you hungrily, eyes darting to your lips and breath coming in short. A warmth pooled in your belly at the glint in his eyes.

“Arthur, everyone is right outside they might -”

“They won’t.”

The slow smile that spread across your face broke him and in a heartbeat he pinned you to the wall in a kiss, one hand lazily roaming your hips while the other gently cupped your cheek. You grabbed each side of his leather jacket and swirled one finger against his chest in the hair that peeked out before pushing his shirt open a few buttons to fully explore. You found your way down and rubbed the bulging spot in his jeans, laughing lightly at his response. Arthur groaned against your mouth, bucking his hips in response to your touch.

“Why, Mr. Morgan, so quick to arouse! Whatever could that be for?”

He hung his head into the crook of your shoulder and sighed. “Got this woman that fills my head with thoughts that are pure torture and sin. Have to watch her walk around, knowing what she sounds she makes when it’s just me causing the noise. After all that, when I finally get to touch you? Sweetheart it’s hard to not...well, you know.”

A blush worked its way up his cheeks as he pulled away from you. You knew his mind would quickly turn to shame so you grabbed his hand and pulled him away; through the house and up the stairs to the room you shared together.

“I’m, I’m the same Arthur. I didn’t mean to tease you. Anytime I find myself dreaming of you...it’s not decent.” You laughed with your arms crossed and watched for his reaction. His eyebrows shot up at your words but he kept his gaze on your face as you spoke. “I’ve never felt like this Arthur, like at times I might burn up and die if you don’t touch me right that minute. It’s crazy and wild, but I hope it never goes away. Wouldn't trade you for anything in this world.”

Arthur’s blue eyes sparkled as you approached him and he hung his arms around your waist. “How’d an ugly old cowboy like me get so lucky with a woman like you? Maybe you hit your head harder than we thought leaving Blackwater.”

You chuckled. “I’ll happily spend the rest of my life convincing you you’re more than you see, Arthur Morgan. I hope you know I’m in for the long haul.”

“Well,” he grabbed your hand and kissed below your engagement ring. “I’m glad you know what I meant when I asked you to marry me.”

You threw your head back laughing, feeling happy and aglow inside. The conversation would have continued if a voice down below hadn’t started to yell for Arthur to come join the group, leaving you to sigh. “One day, we won’t be dictated by everyone around us.” Arthur agreed and followed you out.

Hosea greeted you both with a beer, smiling and starting some idle chatter. Arthur and he discussed his run into town, and you could have sworn once or twice Hosea’s eyes cut to you before speaking but it may have been the beer warping your thoughts and perception.

Sean was leading the group in an Irish song about being back home in Donegall and motioned for you to join, eager to have another voice in the mix. You smiled and raised your beer to decline his offer as you enjoyed resting against Arthur for the time being.

“You ever sing Arthur?”

He shook his head. “Nah, wouldn't subject anyone to that kind of torture.”

“Sure he does!” Grimshaw pipped up next to you. “Heard him humming along when he does chores or helps out, thinks no one is around though.”

You laugh as Arthur tipped his head down. Clearly it was something that he didn’t want to be pressed on any further.

The night continued on with a beautiful sparkle. Everyone was relaxed and happy as the music filled the air to cover the melody of crickets and frogs coming up from the swampy bayou. The drinks flowed freely and the sight of Abigail holding little Jack again was enough to put a smile on just about everyone’s face, even Charles who wandered over every so often on guard duty. Dutch had declined making a speech early on in the night and stuck to his resolve, Molly close by his side as they drank and talked. It felt like it had been ages since the two got along for more than a few minutes and you could see how young Molly looked as the scowls and crying stopped. You felt like a real and proper family for the first time in ages and it warmed you that things felt semi normal.

Javier approached you later on with a bottle in his hand. “YN! Have you seen Miss Tilly? I have a question but can’t seem to find her anywhere.”

You shook your head. “Last I saw her was with Mary Beth going on about something, Arthur may have but he’s over talking to Lenny and Sean.”

The two of you looked over at the sound of roaring laughter and Lenny nearly falling off of his chair. Sean was bent in half, laughing harder than you had ever seen him while Arthur wiped tears from his eyes in between speaking. He must have been telling some story to the younger men as there was a lull and he leaned in dramatically to tell the last line and off they went again. Javier muttered something under his breath and you laughed along, happy to see them all enjoying the evening. After a few moments of chatting Charles came up to tell Javier they were switching for guard duty, much to Javier’s pleasure. He nodded to you and headed off towards the perimeter of the camp.

“Seems to be a lively mood tonight.” Charles looked around the group as he spoke.

“Everyone is lighter, we got Jack back and it’s a good time, I think. Dutch hopefully has something up his sleeve and I’m so happy I could burst. Not to talk about it all the time.” Charles smiled at you as you continued to gush about camp and being happy with Arthur. He understood you meant it out of love and not to overshadow anything else going on.

“Just hope we can get out of here soon. Being in the swamps makes me anxious. I’ve seen gators out there as tall as me and twice as strong, I have no intention of going near that water anytime soon.”

You shuddered at the thought. The swamps had not called to you while staying at Shady Belle and you hoped to keep it that way. “Something about the way they move. Give me the creeps.”

“Speaking of creeps,” Charles muttered to you. Micah walked into camp and held his arms up like a king greeting his subjects. No one met him the way they did Arthur hours earlier and his face soured into a scowl. Dutch called out a greeting but it was only met with a wave before he made his way to the fire to sit down by Bill. The two of them scoured and slumped in the corner while the rest of the camp carried on lively.

“Hey! Bring me a drink.”

You looked at Micah as he called over to Charles. Standing frozen you began to worry how this would play out. Micah yelled again, this time including a slur which was met with protests from those sitting nearby. Charles tensed up and you laid a hand on his arm to try and keep him away but by then Arthur had sauntered over. His eyebrows narrowed at the sound of Micah’s voice.

“Just ignore him, Charles He’s trying to make himself feel powerful.”

Charles nodded but his hands balled into fists as Micah continued to yell. Finally he burst.

“Get your own damn beer, you coward!” Charles smashed his bottle on the ground and huffed his chest, breathing heavily. Micah stood and began to stalk over but not before Dutch stopped him in his tracks.

“Enough! Micah, take a walk. The rest of you relax, there’s not much that can bring down my mood like infighting.” He shook his head, looking around the group. “Really. Tonight is a celebration, let’s keep it that way.”

You let go of Charles and watched him stalk off to the other side of camp. Arthur sighed beside you. “Here’s hoping he gets lost in the swamps.”

Laughing, you dug your elbow into Arthur’s ribs as he raised his bottle. It was a good thought but you didn’t want anyone to hear his nasty thinking. It was one thing to know Micah was disliked by the group, but another to be the ones actively voicing that opinion.

The rest of the evening carried on in a much lighter mood. People continued to sing and dance even after Javier retired his guitar for the night. He wanted to spend some time out on the docks and enjoy the moon and the stars. John and Abigail got into it for a bit, biting remarks coming one after another until Jack told them to stop and they seemed to sober up. Up until that point their normal had been to disagree, but you hoped moving forward things would change. Hosea retired early, as well as Grimshaw and Uncle leaving most of the gang gathered in clumps around the house. At one point you thought you saw Mary Beth and Tilly run off together, but no one could find them by the time you went to bed. Kieran had just left for guard duty when Arthur tugged on your arm to head upstairs. Never before had you been so grateful to see your mattress, even if it was just too small for the both of you.

The sun crept through the broken blinds the next morning to greet you. Knowing you should get up but not wanting to, you rolled over and snuggled into Arthur’s side to block out the sun. His snores drowned out any thoughts you had of sleeping in for a while, but you eventually stood and stretched to start the day. The beauty of the sun shimmering through the leaves and broken bits of paint drew you outside into the morning light. You picked off a piece and held it in your hands, admiring the way the dew settled so gently on its edges. As you enjoyed the moment a sound caught your attention, and you could just see two figures pressed up against the wall of one of the small structures out behind the house. Stretching as far as you could over the railing, you caught a glimpse of Tilly’s yellow gown as she and the other person moved out of your sight. A giggle floated through the air and you froze, knowing what kind of sound that was. Tilly wasn’t alone, but she definitely wanted to keep up the illusion and not be found.

You smiled and made your way downstairs, pondering about who the lucky person could be. More than once you had caught Javier speaking in hushed tones to Tilly and thought they would be very suitable together, she seemed to bring a softer side out of the passionate man.

But that thought was dashed as Javier greeted you from the gazebo at the front of the property. He was cleaning his fishing pole after returning from a short trip with Hosea. A box of perfectly gutted fish sat next to him and he lightly sang until you approached. Javier was a perfectionist; making sure that each stroke of his blade was worth the effort he put in to move it.

“Morning, YN! Why the face? Something wrong?”

You shook your head, looking around the grounds. “Not wrong, I just thought I knew something but turns out I was wrong. I didn’t have anything figured out.”

“Ah, now I see. And what is it you thought you knew?”

Javier was a proud man and your friend, and you didn’t want to upset him by saying an assumption that was clearly so far from true. You leaned back against the railings of the structure and crossed your arms. “It’s silly. You’ll just laugh at me.”

“Nonsense!” he cried while dropping his fishing pole. He gave you his full attention. “How about I promise not to? Make you feel better?”

Just as you were about to confide in Javier, a soft giggle interrupted your thoughts. From around the back corner of the house Mary Beth walked alone with a flush in her cheeks and a smile across her face. You watched her as she seemed to float by, ignoring everyone who passed in favor of the thoughts moving around her head.

You tilted your head, thinking, when something seemed to settle in place.

“Oh!” You whirled around to face Javier who looked conflicted, eyes darting between you and Mary Beth off in the distance.

“YN, just let it go, don’t say anything you -”

“No, Javier don’t worry!” you smiled. “It’s not, I just saw Tilly out back and thought it was you with her! That’s why I didn’t say anything. But you knew, didn’t you?”

Conflict flashed across his face as he watched you. “I...yes, fine, I knew. Tilly came to me to confide and talk about it, she felt like it was wrong from what others have told her in the past. But...love isn’t wrong, it should be taken and cherished in any form it’s sent. And Tilly is one of the best women I’ve ever met, reminds me why I’m in this gang in the first place.”

“Javier, that was beautiful. And please know I would never say anything to her, the secret is safe with me.”

He sat back relieved and smiled. “Some people don’t get it. Glad you’re a good one.” You chatted for a few more minutes before your stomach gave you away for being starving, and you left Javier to sing again once more. Breakfast had just been served and you wanted to go wake Arthur.

The door pushed open slowly and you found Arthur kneeled down by the bed. He faced you with a smile that melted your heart and you sat next to him, gently squeezing his shoulder before greeting him for the day.

“What are you doing down there, cowboy?”

A smile tugged his mouth to one side at the nick name. “Need to head into the city for a few hours, trying to find something though, ain’t where I left it.”

“Is it by any chance a letter? Perhaps from Mary Linton?”

Arthur had a dark expression on his face for an instant. “You found it.”

“It was on the floor of our room, Arthur, but I thought you would talk about it with me instead of just running off. Is that who you’re going to see? Mary?” Your voice was quiet but steady as you spoke. The emotion coursing through your veins didn’t have a name yet, and you couldn't tell if the beating of your heart came from fear or something else.

“I...she wrote me for help, YN. That’s all.” Arthur avoided your gaze as he spoke. “Mary and I go back, way back, and I swear this is the first time she wrote me in years. I found her in Valentine when her younger brother got involved in something stupid, and now it sounds like her family is in trouble again. I don’t like being yanked every which way, but I owe her.”

“Is that all it is?”

Arthur drew in a sharp breath. “Of course! You think I’m running around behind your back?”

“No,” you looked down at your hands. “But from what she said it didn’t sound like it was the only time you had spoken of late. I get keeping people from your past, Arthur. I’m not mad. I just wanted to hear it from you.”

“I promise, YN, there ain’t anything to tell. Years ago, we were engaged but her daddy knew better than to let his only daughter run off with an outlaw and put his foot down. We tried to stay in touch, didn’t work well. Kept fighting and bringing up things neither of us wanted to discuss. So I told her that if she knew what was best for her to never write again. Turns out she married some old fool; we both moved on.” Arthur shuffled around while talking, clearly a sign of talking of uncomfortable subjects for too long. “Like I said, first time I heard from her in years was needing help back in Valentine. Her brother joined some group, she had me convince him to leave and go home. I’ve always been good at scaring people into doing things they don’t want to and she knew it. I’m not looking forward to going into town, but I don’t like to leave people in need.”

You snorted and thought to yourself before responding. On one hand, it made perfect sense that Arthur would help Mary. She was a single woman in the city with nowhere left to turn, and wasn’t in a position to make it publically known she was in need of assistance. Women who ran families did so at a detriment to themselves, for every move was over analyzed and ridiculed at the first sign of weakness. On the other hand you didn’t want Arthur spending time with someone he used to love and wanted to marry, even if that was years ago. It felt invasive and you made up your mind.

“Arthur I...I don’t think you should go.”

He looked at you surprised. “This ain’t really up for discussion here. She needs help and I’ll see her off.”

Your heart started to pound at the impending conflict. You had always had a small temper and you felt it rise as you spoke, unable to hide how much this choice had hurt you.

“But as your fiance, I thought we would talk about it. Look at it from my point of view; a woman who was engaged to you suddenly wants your help? Right after we get engaged?” Your voice kicked up in volume and you heard the heat in your words. “And what if this isn’t the end of her requests? Will you always just run off after her and leave me here?”

Arthur stood in front of you with a dark look in his eyes. It was times like these that you knew why Strauss sent him off to collect debts. His deep blue eyes had seen many things in their lives and knew how to bend the will of the person before him. It would be terrifying to face this man and hope to win.

As he spoke his shoulders rose in anger. “As my fiance you should trust me, and know I’m making the right call. This ain’t about you, sweetheart, you best leave it alone.”

The use of your favorite term of endearment felt like a slap across the face and you stood to match him. You were unsure of why you spiraled so quickly into anger about this but you felt your hands shake as you balled them into fists at your side.

“Don’t call me that. And answer the question; will you always be running away from me?”

“Only if you sound as shrill as you do right now!”

You took a step back. “What is wrong with you? That’s all you have to say?”

“I’m not...god dammit.” Arthur rubbed his eyes and turned away. “I didn’t mean that, I just, you two get in my head and it -”

“Don’t you dare lump me in with her, Arthur Morgan.”

Your voice was low and cold. The mood in the room shifted from quick, fast anger to something much more permanent and heavy. Arthur turned to face you and it was all you could do to hold his eyes and not burst into tears. This was your first fight over something real and tangible, not the silly squabbles that were fixed with a few words and a smile. At first this thing with Mary was nothing more than a question as to why the letter was hidden away like a secret. But now it felt like you were defending yourself as Arthur’s choice over Mary, which you knew was utterly ridiculous.

Wasn’t it?

He took a deep breath before continuing. “YN, I didn’t mean for this to go so wrong. All I wanted was to help out someone who needed it, and things got all messed up. Please know, darlin’, I would never run away from this, you are exactly who I need.”

It was sweet; a plea and a lifeline that should have ended things right then and there. You should have smiled and sat down to talk about the situation like adults and explained your point of view. But something about that route felt too easy, a way out, so you pushed it to the side and threw your caution to the wind.

“It sounds so nice, doesn’t it?” Your tone caught Arthur’s attention as something was clearly wrong. “That I’m exactly who you need. Wrapped up with a little bow. But there’s something missing, and it’s clear in the way that you want to help Mary. We cannot live together in your life, Arthur, you either have to bury the past and move on with me or ignore what we have for what used to be. I won’t fight you on going to see her today, I don’t like ultimatums. But know I won’t stay if I know your heart is divided.”

With his hands on his hips he walked the length of the room. He picked up a photo and stared, lost in the memory for a moment before setting the frame back down. For a few more minutes Arthur silently stalked the perimeter gathering his thoughts as he went. You felt like your heart was about to leap out of your chest from the way it kept time with his footsteps.

Finally, he broke his silence. “Did you misunderstand me the day I proposed?”

“What?” you sputtered, completely thrown off.

“I asked you, as a woman, to be joined to me, as a man, for better or for worse.” Arthur stridded over and stood before you. “There’s no division in my heart and I won’t stand here and be accused of loving another woman. Now, I’ve done some pretty bad things in this life, but breaking my oath? My word? I would never do that. You know loyalty’s all we got sometimes. As long as you’re going to act like a child, you’ll be treated like a child, so you’ll forgive me if i ignore the nonsense coming out of your mouth.”

You moved to block Arthur as he began to leave the room, but he continued without a glance back and ignored your protests.

“Once we’ve had some time to cool off we can discuss this, but I don’t trust myself not to say something I’ll regret later.” With a tip of his hat he left, the door swinging closed behind him and ended the argument.

In a fit of rage you picked up the nearest photograph and hurled it at the wall, rejoicing in the way the glass shattered into a thousand little pieces. It was satisfying to see something physical to represent how you felt inside, angry and still unwilling to let go of your side. Never had someone had such an affect on you, not your father or your mother or even poor sweet Henry. Arthur Morgan affected you so completely it was enough to make you scream. It made you feel powerless and fully in control at the same time, which when you thought about it too much made your head spin from the beating of your heart and the blood pulsing in your veins.

You stood still to calm yourself down and watched the sunlight pass through the leaves outside the window. They swooped and swayed in the breeze, and thinking of them brought you back to a normal level of thinking. You sighed looking at the damage from your outburst and began to clean up the tiny shards so no one would be hurt later. When you turned the picture over you let out one barking laugh, for you had serendipitously selected the photograph of the woman who brought you to this place; Mary Linton.

The door opened slowly after a soft knock. Abigail stuck her head in and saw you hunched on the ground looking at the broken picture.

“Oh, dear I’m sure we can fix it. Here, let me see the damage.”

“Oh,” you sighed, “it runs deeper than you can see.” You handed her the picture and watched her face intently. At first Abigail was surprised, then confused, and she finally settled on angry.

“Ah. I see she’s finally crawled back out of her hole and wormed her way into Arthur’s life again.” She brushed off the bits of glass and picked up the rest in her skirt, dumping the trash out of the window. “I wasn’t here last time, obviously, but John said she nearly broke him. What a vile woman coming after him now! He’s got you, he’s happier than I’ve ever seen him and she just wants to ruin that.”

Part of you agreed. The selfish, small part of you that wanted to hate this woman because she simply had poor timing. It was the same part that made you lash out at Arthur instead of talking about it, as he so fondly said, like a child. You told Abigail about everything that had happened from the letter to your fight and she listened intently, always paying attention to you.

“She ain’t evil, Abigail. She’s a woman in need. And honestly I should be grateful that I’m with someone who sees the good in the choice he made. Imagine if it was you or me asking, reaching out to someone we knew could get the job done no matter what, for help. Would you want to be turned down just because they’re with someone new?”

Abigail stood by the window, mouth opening and closing as she tried to formulate a response.

“I made a mess of things just because I got a little jealous. Do you think I should go after him?” You watched your friend smile.

“I want to say you should never chase a man after a fight. That it’s his job to come around to your side and see he was wrong, but we both know my experience lies with someone a little less brainy than Arthur.” She moved back to lean against the window frame. “You’re more adventurous than me, YN. You’re brave and smart, so I think we both know that you’re going to go after him and set things right. I’ve always admired your ability to put goodness first. I never got a chance to see that way of life, but I’m sure glad you did.”

You swept Abigail into a hug, laughing. How lucky had you been running into her? She had told you before she rarely befriended people, but something about you made her change her ways in Blackwater and you had found a true life friend. That was something you would always be grateful for.

“Alright then, it’s settled. I’ll head into Saint Denis and track Arthur down so I can apologize for being a total ass.”

Abigail laughed and squeezed your arm. “Well, you’re a lady so I’d say you only have to apologize for being half an ass. Never let them know when he’s seen the whole thing. Sets a standard."

An hour later you were riding off with Charles who had agreed to your plan. He had a need to go into the city anyways, despite hating the place, and thought he knew a good place for you to start your search. Arthur had taken the letter to Mary so no one knew exactly which hotel she was at but there were only a few which meant it would be easy to locate.

"A friend told me to head towards the old market, the one in that alleyway. Not sure why but said I would find it interesting. I'll take you to Arthur on the way."

You didn't reply beyond a nod at the strange request Charles had. The gang often found themselves running errands without knowing the full purpose. It was hot in Saint Denis and you regretted putting on the long dress you had chosen to impress Arthur. Although the colors were beautiful the multiple layers seemed to grow in weight the longer you sat on Eclipse's back, sticking to your skin with sweat.

Charles led you down a maze of streets and you found yourself lost again in the wonder of the city. You knew most of the group hated to be in the pit of civilization because it threatened their ideals and way of life, but you loved the pulsing vibrancy that radiated from people walking down the street and the bustling of change in the air. It felt like each building had a story, good or bad, and was only waiting to be listened to so its secrets could be told. It was exactly what the gang hated that drew you into the melting pot of Saint Denis.

“You say a friend of yours led you to the marketplace? And who might that be?”

As he dismounted, Charles grunted. “Just someone I met who I can trust. He lives in the city, travels around and gives information when he can.”

The two of you stood at the entrance of a street market. Behind you, the train yard was loud and busy with the metal screeching of brakes and shouts going to and fro. You took in the sights and the smell with a deep breath.

“You like it here, don’t you?” You nodded back at Charles. “I can’t stand it. Feel like I can’t watch my back, someone’s always there watching.”

“There’s so much life!”

In the market itself were about a dozen or so stalls, all decorated with bright colors of rugs and food being sold. People shouted their wares and you were tempted to stop and sample a few, but one look at Charles quieted that option. No matter how wonderful everything was around you, Charles Smith was unshaken in his resolve to be stoic and rocklike in appearance.

“I like the feeling of freedom, how it moves in the people. There’s art and education and all of the things I never had sitting right at their fingertips.” You were quiet for a moment as you contemplated the city again. “It’s not jealousy, if that’s what you are thinking. It’s the opportunity to make your own decisions here, to know that you would be allowed to fail and grow. It’s, well, it’s true freedom if you ask me.”

“Not everyone is free here, though, do you know that my child?”

You had made it through the market without anything catching Charles’ eye and as you reached the exit a voice called out to you. A monk in long black robes stood against the stone wall holding a bowl out to you with a few donations thrown in. He had a kind face with lines around his eyes and mouth that deepened when he smiled. While a full beard covered his jaw and neck, his head had been shaved and shone in the midday sun.

“I’m sorry?”

“Well, while you and I are able to walk around and enjoy this beautiful freedom, some are starving and will have to fight just to get by. Are you able to donate so that they won’t go hungry tonight?” The man gently extended the bowl towards you and without any hesitation you dropped in a handful of coins. The man’s smile widened and he put the donation tin down before extending his hand.

You introduced Charles and yourself. “Brother Dorkins, a pleasure to meet you.”

“How are you getting on out here, Brother? Enough food to last?” Charles’ gruff voice spoke behind you and at first you thought he was being sarcastic. But he had a soft look in his eye and you could tell he respected the Brother for using his life to help those less fortunate.

“These are a somewhat apathetic lot, I’m afraid.” Brother Dorkins peeked around the wall into the market as if he was checking on something. You shared a look with Charles before he spoke.

“Our uh, mentor says that America is designed to induce apathy in people.”

“That’s a wonderful insight!” The monk crossed back over and stood in front of you. “He must be a wise man, your mentor.”

“He’s probably the best of the lot of us.” You replied. Charles hid a smile behind his hand as you winked in his direction.

“That’s wonderful. The, the thing is I’m...well, poverty will always be with us, but slavery I-I thought we had banished that.” Standing on his toes Brother Dorkins looked over the stone wall back into the market. You started at his words and saw a flash of anger in Charle’s expression.

“Slavery?”

“Saint Denis is acting as a staging post for shipping slaves off to some of the islands.”

“Where are they coming from?”

“South, mostly Mexico. You should take a look for yourself, I’ve heard that the pawnbroker down the block around the corner, the one with the green door, well they say he sells more than forlorn trinkets.”

Like a bullet Charles took off, shoving through the crowd to get to the pawnbroker. You cast a sympathetic look back at Brother Dorkins and promised to return shortly after dealing with the supposed slavers. Part of you wouldn't believe what you had heard. Slavers? In this day and age? But from the way Charles was dead set on putting a stop to it you realized it must be a reality for people who didn’t look like what folks thought of as ‘American.’

Just as you rounded the corner Charles put an arm up, holding you back. Silently you looked on to see what slowed his war path when you saw him. Holding who you could only imagine was the pawn shop owner pinned to the wall, Arthur hissed a threat out between clenched teeth as a woman stood nearby, peeking around the corner onto the encounter.

“What’s he doing?” Charles shook his head as his eyebrows pulled together in confusion. A few moments went by and finally the shop owner pulled something from his pocket, slamming it into Arthur’s hand as a pass to be let go. Your fiance dropped the man and stalked off down the alley towards the woman as the owner ran back into the green door, slamming it behind him.

“Probably got roped into helping someone...retrieve something.”

“That’s putting it lightly,” you chuckled. The scene disturbed you but it was something you were going to have to deal with later. You walked behind Charles towards the store.

A small bell rang as you entered the cluttered shop. Only a few rooms wide, the shelves were packed to the ceiling and it was a wonder anyone found what they were looking for. Books were next to pictures and boxes of jewelry in odd arrangements and made no organizational sense. It got worse the further you walked, and around the corner you saw the man from the alley wiping his brow.

“Oh, customers. Well if you’re going to buy something, be quick about it and if not, get out.” You placed a hand on Charles’ arm at the man's words and walked up to the counter, leaning over and resting your head in your hand.

“I’m looking for something...special.” You began. The man was still flustered and not paying attention and for the distraction to work he needed to be watching you.

“This is a full shop you must be more specific,” he snapped before finally turning to face you. You batted your eyes and leaned in close to block the view of Charles snooping behind you.

“I was thinking of a necklace, something long and daring. Can you help me out? Want it to hang down to here…” the man’s eyes trailed down your bust as you dragged a finger south to keep his attention. “What do you think?”

“I, umm,” he fumbled with the handkerchief in one hand and his glasses in the other. “I think, hey! You, get away from there.”

As the owner moved around the counter towards Charles you stopped him with the sound of your pistol hammer clicking into a loaded position. He looked down at the cold metal being pressed into his midsection and jumped back, confused about your quick change of appearance. You shrugged, a small smile playing on your lips.

“What on earth is going on here? Is this a robbery?” You shook your head as a loud sound behind you made you watch Charles. He had found a secret doorway behind a bookshelf and dragged the structure away to reveal a set of stairs. He nodded at you then headed down. A sigh escaped from the shop owner before you hushed him, bringing your gun up a bit higher to level with his chest. He must know what was going on.

Not five minutes later Charles emerged with two other men speaking quick Spanish to each other. As the trio left the main room a thought occurred to you.

“Actually, we’re robbing more than your slaves,” you spit out. “Give me the cash in your register and know that if my friends and I hear of more trouble you’re causing that it will be your last. People aren’t objects, you sack of shit.” With the cash in your hand you finally left, feeling good about what you and Charles had accomplished together.

Your victory was short lived however as Charles grabbed you by the shoulder and practically dragged you back towards Brother Dorkins on the other side of the market.

“What the hell!” You hissed.

“Don’t look back, he’s here.”

You rolled your eyes. “We saw Arthur together, ain’t a bad thing to be out -”

“Not Arthur,” Charles looked around before pushing you and the freed slaves at the monk. “Your father.”

“He’s here?” You could feel the blood race through your veins as the adrenaline pumped faster through your body. Your heart kept time with the footsteps all around you and it was suddenly hard to focus.

“Brother Dorkins, you were right. We broke them out and took the cash. Here, please,” Charles handed over the wad of cash you had secured. “Not to cut this short but she has to get out of here.”

The monk nodded solemnly. “God works in mysterious ways, my friends. I see the trolly coming around the corner, perhaps that’s a good escape?”

You nodded. “Charles, go with Brother Dorkins, make sure he gets them out of here safe. I’ll meet you at the end of the line.” He nodded and patted your back, taking one last glance behind you before leaving down the street with the other men.

You anxiously walked towards the approaching street car and flagged it down, desperate to be hidden and out of sight. The driver slowed and waved you up. Just as you took a seat next to a young woman your father walked out to the street, looking around to where you had just been as two of his agents turned back to wade through the market. You ducked down to hide your face, apologizing as you pushed up against your poor neighbor to keep yourself safe. After the trolley moved down around the block you sighed and leaned back.

“I am so sorry, ma’am, please forgive my brutish behaviour. I was trying to escape someone I knew, my father actually.”

At first her dainty features were pulled together in annoyance. It was deserved, you had shoved yourself into her seat and hidden in her dress without saying a word. But after you apologized she softened and laughed lightly.

“I can tell you a thing or two about trying to outrun a father, must be some womanly rite of passage in this city. But all is forgotten.” She fanned her face gently as the afternoon heat hit its peak. “I actually just had a run in with my father myself, chased him all around town just to end up back where I started. What is it about men that they think they can outsmart us?”

You laughed, the tension quickly leaving your shoulders. “Must be something to do with the fact they sired us, like a paternal bond they will forever lord above us.”

“I agree! Although I’ve never heard someone talk about it so boldly as yourself. You sure you’re alright, miss?” You nodded. This woman was sharp and you instantly liked her. It probably had something to do with her not screaming as soon as you sat down and confessed you were outrunning your father.

“I’ll be fine. Truth be told this isn’t the first time I’ve had to hide from him.” You paused for a moment before speaking again. “I probably shouldn’t say that to a stranger.”

At that she held out her white gloved hand in an introduction. “If we’re going to continue to share secrets we can do away with the strangers part. You might as well know my name. I’m Mary. Mary Linton.”

#price to be paid #rdr2 #fanfic #red dead redemption 2 #arthur morgan #i'm so dumb and I literally forgot to post the text #smh #female reader

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luci-in-trenchcoats · 6 years

Text

Second Chances

Summary (request): Hello, could you write an imagine, reader and Jensen were together and were co-actors in Devour(or Dark angel, your choice) but broke up. Years later they meet on set of Supernatural and Jensen wants get back together bc he didn't want to leave reader in first place?

Pairing: Jensen x reader

Word Count: 1,800ish

Warnings: language, implied smut, smitten Jensen

“This is where your trailer will be,” said the PA showing you around that morning. “If you want to change and then head over to hair and makeup I’ll get you onto set.”

“Sure thing,” you said. You headed up the steps and grabbed your costume from the closet, doing a quick change and dumping your bag. You took a deep breath as you headed out, bracing yourself for what was to come.

Somehow you’d made it through the entire day before you saw that flash of hair and broad shoulders, a bit broader and more muscular than you remembered.

“Y/N?” said Jensen, stopped dead in his tracks from where he was walking onto set.

“Hey,” you said, giving him a smile. He stared, shaking his head after a moment, searching for words. “Want to rehearse before we have to film?”

“Sure,” he said. Practicing was easy. Working with Jensen had always been easy and now that he was the lead of the show, you saw how much he cared about the guest stars and ensuring they were comfortable working there. Your mini-rehearsal slipped easily into filming, everyone calling it an early night when you finished. You were only slated to be back the next day, your character in limbo after that but you wouldn’t be opposed to a more secure job or a call back.

Even if it was with your ex-boyfriend.

After excusing yourself from set, you headed back to your trailer and changed, nearly down your front steps when Jensen came around a corner.

“Hey,” he said, almost out of breath it seemed.

“Hey. Again,” you said with a smile.

“You uh...it has been a long time, kiddo,” he said.

“Yeah, it has,” you said, stepping onto the pavement. “You did well for yourself.”

“No, I got lucky,” he said.

“You did good, Jensen. I always knew you would,” you said. He shrugged, biting his bottom lip. “Yeah?”

“How long you been back in the states?” he asked.

“Technically not back in the states,” you said. “But I was only in London for two years before I went back to LA. I bounce around to wherever work takes me.”

“Not like when we were a pair of kids fumbling our way through it all,” he teased. “I forgot how easy it always was to work with you.”

“Well I’m still around tomorrow,” you said.

“We just going to avoid that elephant in the room?” he asked.

“We dated a long time ago, Jensen,” you said. “I’m cool with it.”

“It doesn’t mean I don’t remember why we broke up in the first place. We didn’t have problems, Y/N. You were going to London for who knew how long and you didn’t want me to be stuck tied to you,” he said.

“Long distance is hard, Jens,” you said, fixing your backpack. “Even worse back then. I don’t know if we would have survived it.”

“So we killed it instead of taking the risk,” he said. You closed your eyes, rubbing your head. “I agreed. I’m not blaming you. I never blamed you. I’ve had other girlfriends since. It’s just...never been the same.”

“What’s never been the same?” you asked, dropping your hand away.

“You haven’t looked me in the eye once outside of a scene tonight,” he said.

“I’m not the eighteen year old girl that gets swept off her feet by the cute Texas boy anymore, Jens,” you said, finally looking at him.

He was so much older but somehow those eyes looked the same as those last happy days together.

“You still love me, don’t you,” you said.

“We didn’t break up because we broke or stopped loving each other, Y/N. I thought I was over it, I really was and then you walked onto set two hours ago and changed all that on me,” he said. “I’m pretty sure you’re not over it either from the look on your face.”

“We don’t know each other anymore, Jensen,” you said. “We can’t...you have a crush again is all. I haven’t seen you in over a decade.”

“You’re right,” he said, suddenly backing off. “I’m sorry. Hell you probably have a boyfriend or a fiance or-”

“I’m single,” you said.

“I’m just going to head home,” he said, mumbling to himself. “I’m sorry. It’s too late, isn’t it.”

“Hey!” you barked, Jensen pausing as he walked away. “I didn’t...you asshole. You always won every disagreement.”

“I won the disagreements I was right about. Most of the time I just liked to see you riled up. Your nose gets all cute…” he trailed off.

“Shut up. Let’s...we could get a drink and catch up? Friends?” you asked. You barely had the words out of your mouth before he was grabbing your hand.

“Fuck,” you said, laying back in bed. You turned your head, Jensen looking over at you, getting his breath back. “Who gave you permission to get better at that?”

“Don’t complain about good sex,” he said between breaths, throwing his arm over his face, moving it away, almost as if he were trying to hide.

“Are you blushing, Jensen?” you asked, a smile spreading on your lips.

“Screw you. I haven’t been nervous about sex in years,” he said, closing his eyes.

“You always cared too much about what I thought,” you said.

“Back then I thought I was too scrawny. Now I-”

“You’re perfect,” you said, tilting your head as you rolled over and tucked yourself against him. “Jensen.”

“Stay in town a little while,” he said, moving his arm over top of your head, playing with a few strands of your hair. “Hell you can crash here in the guest room if you don’t want to rush. I want to get to know you again is all.”

“You said that four hours ago and look what happened,” you said, lifting up the sheets.

“Seems like we still like each other,” he teased. You closed your eyes and burrowed your head in the crook of his neck. “Y/N.”

“Maybe I stay the weekend. I have an audition in LA on Tuesday,” you said.

“Okay. I can settle for that for now.”

“Y/N?” asked Jensen. He was dropping you off at the airport but you weren’t getting out of the car, stuck there as you stared out the window. “Y/N, you’ll miss your flight if you don’t head out.”

“Facetime me tonight?” you asked, turning your body towards him. He smiled, nodding slowly.

“Can we try this time?” he asked.

“Yeah,” you said. “I think I screwed up back then.”

“Nobody’s perfect,” he said with a smirk.

“I’ll talk to you tonight, dork,” you said.

“Alright, dork. Maybe if you don’t have plans this weekend, I can come visit you,” he said.

“Jensen, you don’t have to-”

“I lost a decade already. I’m taking every second I can get,” he said. You leaned over in your seat and kissed him, Jensen smiling into it. “Fly safe.”

“I’ll talk to you soon, Jensen,” you said, opening the door when his hand caught your wrist.

“I will see you this weekend,” he said. “Right?”

“I’m not making the same mistake, twice. I’ll talk to you tonight, Jens.”

“Hi,” said Jensen, stepping into your LA apartment around midnight on Friday night. “This is cozy.”

“I loathe it with a burning passion,” you said, locking up behind him.

“I figured as much,” he said, plucking off his baseball cap and plopping it on your head, pulling the brim down. “You’re adorable.”

“Shut up,” you said with smile, fixing the hat and plopping it on your front table. “Come to bed, honey.”

“I can get used to that.”

“So,” said Jensen, slurping down some cereal the next morning. “You never told me how your audition went.”

“I heard back yesterday. I got the job. Half-season gig. I talked to a producer of a different show I did recently and there’s an opportunity for a full season next year depending on character reception,” you said.

“What kind of show?” he asked, taking another bite. “Another drama?”

“Sort of. You uh, you still want to…even if I get jobs far away...” you trailed off.

“Yeah. You’re my girl. I don’t care how far away you are. We’re in this together,” he said.

“Good. I was thinking of getting a roommate for this new show,” you said.

“Roommate?” he asked.

“Yeah. I got someone in mind,” you said.

“Do I know them?”

“Probably better than anyone,” you said.

“Well as long as they don’t mind me showing up every weekend,” he said.

“You still haven’t gotten it yet, have you?” you teased, hopping up on the counter. “I’m hoping you’d be my roommate.”

“But I’m in Vancouver,” he said. You raised an eyebrow, a smile quickly spreading on his face. “You’re so sleeping in my room.”

“I don’t think I’ll have a problem with that,” you said, scooting closer to him. “Want to take any guesses on the show?”

“I’m not that lucky,” he said.

“Not this season, no. But I’ll be around and maybe next year that other show will pan out,” you said with a smirk. “If that’s okay with you of course. I know we dove headfirst into this thing again.”

“I’m okay with that,” said Jensen. “It’s a little funny though.”

“What is?”

“I guess I don’t regret what happened as much as I thought I did. I really like this person you’ve become, even more than the old you,” he said.

“You’re still a sweet talker,” you said. He smiled, reaching up and pulling you down into his lap, your arms wrapping around his neck. “Hey, you didn’t drop me this time like the first time you did that. Good for you. That’s another improvement right there.”

“Shut up,” he teased, nuzzling your cheek. “Never going to let me live that down, are you?”

“There was also the time-“

“Sh,” he said, cutting you off with a kiss. You smiled into it, slowly peeling away when you started to slide off his lap. His hands hiked underneath you though and pulled you back, Jensen chuckling to himself. “Just where do you think you’re going? You think I’m letting you go again?”

“I hope not,” you said.

“No. Not letting you slip away this time. I promise.”

#supernatural #spn #jensen x reader #rpf #au #jensen ackles #spn fanfiction #supernatural fanfiction #spn reader insert #supernatural reader insert #one shot #jensen one shot

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whatshockey · 5 years

Text

there’s a reason why - b.b.

A BROCK BOESER IMAGINE.

in which summer returns and so does the exact boy a girl managed to avoid for the past year

song: “there’s a reason why (i never returned your calls)” by blossoms

word count: 3,742

warnings: mentions of alcohol, nudity (skinny dipping), and past sexual encounters. and the cliche edgy girl who’s super angsty and just wants to run away.

a/n: i’m from the midwest and i got carried away thinking of a summer with my favorite midwestern prince instead of writing my final paper for my anthro class lol whoops

Many would say that Minnesota was the most useless state there was. And frankly, there was little support to argue against the claim. Although the seasons changed, nothing much else did. Routine was set into play, and the residents grew comfortable in it. Not to mention that the state was dry in every aspect - the weather, the humor, and above all, the lack in things to do. Teens graduated high school with the same kids they joined kindergarten with. Mountains of snow granted forts in violent snowball fights, and the town’s single bowling alley proved a better atmosphere than any major city nightclub could. But finally, after what felt like decades of the worst winter yet, the sun rolled out in near defeat, panting but managing to stay up for just a few more hours than the last day, leaving Minnesota’s inhabitants continuously begging for a chance at adventure. Just one juicy pear to bite into, with sweet nectar dripping out of the corners of their mouth and pooling down their chests on a hot, humid summer day. Instead, they were forced to dodge potholes on back roads framed by cornfields that seemed to take them nowhere, the occasional messy hook-up after shotgunning a few beers, and a bundle of fireworks to set off in their backyards when they were simply bored. But she was foolish to think this summer would be any different than the rest.

Perhaps this is what eventually drove her away. After moving as far as she could for college, she’d avoided the general midwestern region as if it was the plague itself, only returning once a year for a swift appearance during the holiday season and an equally prompt return back to the urban and chaotic coastal southern California. She cringed at the mere mention of her home state’s borders that appeared closer every time she blinked, and groaned as she once again found herself trudging through the airport only six months later, now a recent college graduate and wishing she’d been moving into her downtown apartment instead of staring out of the passenger window of her mother’s SUV.

She’d known she always stuck out amongst her family, or at least in terms of hobbies and interests. They all had the unfortunate blessing of a rather large nose in comparison of their otherwise petite foreheads. But as she peered down at her appearance, sitting with legs crossed and thumbs dancing along her phone screen, she noticed her difference now more than ever. It was as if their judgmental glares replaced her own, and she realized how much of an influence the mere switch of light wash jeans to tight black ones and a pair of oversized sunglasses could make. Or rather how chopping off her long, now highlighted, locks to rest on her shoulders could transform her entire face, skin stretching to fit over her sharp cheekbones and painted lips.

Her cousin was the first to comment on her appearance, with an arm drunkenly thrown around her shoulder and an obnoxious laugh in her ear. She’d watched her wave her third finger around the remainder of her relatives, squeezed and wrapped by a golden band and small diamonds placed in an intricate design. The wedding hadn’t come as a shock to anyone, and a bitter taste arrived in her mouth as she dwelled on what hideous and unflattering bridesmaid gown her cousin was set on forcing her into. Her cousin had known her fiance for years, claiming they were soulmates after meeting as camp counselors their sophomore year of high school, and began dating only a year after that. The rest of her family constantly praised their relationship as they dragged each other along to every event, and she’d bite back a response that brought unnecessary attention to the fact that he’d cheated on her twice during their freshman year of college. But ignoring the terrible had become normal, and it proved almost too convenient for her to feel comfortable.

One event, however, that never failed to disappoint anyone with actual standards was the annual state fair, where she’d found herself refraining from yelling at her niece who insisted on winning a stuffed animal that sat far too out of reach for her short frame and outstretched chubby hands. She’d changed into an old crewneck she found stuffed away in the back of her childhood bedroom with walls still covered in pictures of her old friends and arguable lover. Rolling the sleeves and moving to tie her hair up as the air grew thicker in humidity, her legs coated in sweat as they rubbed together under her denim shorts, otherwise recognized as the unofficial uniform of the general region. It had been her sole attempt to blend in, hands moving to swat mosquitoes away that decided to awaken and join the ruckus on the cool evening.

She’d just brought out her phone, foot bouncing impatiently as her niece attempted once again to win the toy after refusing the help she’d been offered five minutes ago, only to hear a high pitched gasp come from beside her. She achingly tore her eyes away from the screen, eyebrows raised only to tense as she immediately recognized the dane her niece had been excitedly pointing at, giddy and beginning to take off in the same direction with her little feet stumbling into the same arms that also held her nights before.

His biceps flexed as he kneeled to catch her, effortlessly lifting her so her legs dangled and a squeal left her lips. A handsome smile adorned his lips, and a deep laugh pierced through the air as he rubbed her back with a “Hey, kiddo!” and sat her gently in between his legs again, leaning down with elbows resting on his knees, large and dominant, and nearly blocking her frame from view.

Her niece hesitated to let go of her tight lock around his shoulders, giggling an enthusiastic “I missed you!” as she kept jumping up and down, to which he responded with a much more smooth and charming “I missed you too!”

The sky bled orange and pink hues, yet all she saw was red. How did he have the nerve to just stand there, without a flaw in sight? With eyes so blue, and so kind, that she imagined they must be made out of glass, she was convinced that he must be made out of glass, carved as a masterpiece specially made for a pretentious art museum exhibit. While other times, he resembled a lion, with a beautifully groomed mane and ready to attack his prey.

She wondered if he had even seen her yet, or if all of that camera time made him as good of an actor as he was a hockey player. Perhaps she could make a run for it, knowing that he’d get her niece back to her family safely by the time she makes it onto the next departing flight out. Yet her feet remained cemented into the grass beneath them as his gaze briefly met her, allowing himself to get dragged by a soft, adolescent grip that he could easily break out of. And whether he was amusing her niece or himself, she didn’t know. Her stomach clenched, a brick dropped onto her chest, and she struggled, but couldn’t find a way to breathe. She watched his eyes trail along her frame taking her in, first to her ankles that stayed trembling under his harsh stare, to her thighs that he once gripped so hard with his face buried in between them that they had bruised, to her eyes that he’d looked into countless times before, with a calloused hand at the back of her neck and another wrapped around her waist.

For the first time, his expression was unreadable, and a brief flash of what could only be registered as shock crossed over. And just as fast, so quick that there was no way she could even make sure it had truly happened, he managed to replace it with the same smile he wore just seconds before. Except this time it appeared far more pained and forced, the edges of his eyes crinkling as the two approached her.

His mouth moved to greet her, but she didn’t hear anything as her niece demanded attention once again, showing him the prize she’d been attempting to win for the past twenty minutes or so. He chuckled, and she caught his eyes moving briefly to her own face, possibly knowing that had she attempted the easy carnival game, they’d surely have won. Nonetheless, he offered his hand, squeezing past her so that their arms just barely brushed against each other, leaving her buzzing and taking a shot of his own. And of course immediately winning her niece the trophy prize. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and instead opted to fidget with the fraying edges of the sweatshirt he had seen her in, and taken her out of so many times before. But his eyes hadn’t gone unnoticed. His burning stare left her skin itching, and she suddenly felt even warmer while others around them began putting on their light jackets. And she so badly wanted to slap him away, push him and pretend that none of that awkward interaction had even occurred. And instead, allowed him to find and greet the remainder of her family, with her niece gripping his fingers in one hand and her new toy in the other.

The little girl had taken off once her family came into view, excitedly showing off the toy and praising Brock’s godlike athletic abilities as if she owed her own life to him. And to make matters worse, everyone’s ears perked upon the mention of his name, standing to embrace him in warmer hugs than she had received earlier that day. However, this hadn’t been all too surprising. Brock had been the best thing that could’ve ever happened to her, and had been seen as her greatest accomplished, even after she’d gotten accepted into a top university. The small town’s celebrity had been liked by everyone, even by those who didn’t support the Canucks in the slightest. And she didn’t blame them. He made everything seem effortless, and it took her the most effort not to thread her fingers through his hair and bury her face into his neck, refusing to let go.

The conversation had gone unheard for the most part. With all circling around him to ask questions about the big NHL life, she’d known his generic, but attractive, answers would captivate even the most strict and unapproachable beings in existence. He was just that damn good, and always has been. But somehow the conversation dragged on into the sunset, darkness closing in on the bunch, and the vendors began packing away, signaling that it was indeed time for everyone to go. And before she knew it, she’d been coerced to climb into an all too familiar Jeep, one she’d spent hours making out with its owner in the backseat before. Her dad had invited him back to their home, promising him a beer just as he’d walk through the door. And left little room to argue.

Fortunately, the car ride hadn’t been as awkward as she had prepared for, with her niece constantly talking about her dramatic social life in the first grade and Brock glancing back in the rearview mirror, witty and playful responses at the ready. He held a loose grip on the steering wheel, confidently reclined to fit his entire bulky frame into the car, and his right arm thrown over the back of the passenger seat she’d sat in, arms crossed and eyes trained on the road in front of them. She allowed her mind to wander back to the days where this had been normal, her niece only three at the time it had first occurred, where the three of them would sing songs and play I Spy as they filled their time with long road trips into the city. The summers had been easy, and felt like summer. But she quickly shook the feeling as they’d pulled up to her home, him helping her niece onto the ground and her moving swiftly inside, grabbing a beer of her own.

Everyone had moved into her backyard, sitting around a bonfire that her brother had managed to light up with his little experience in boy scouts. In fact, he’d gotten on really well with Brock, playing hockey with him in their free time as little boys until he sought after a career in college baseball, giving the two a strong bond that gave her a run for her money.

As if the universe had been out to get her, the only seats available were the small bench that barely fit the two of them, and she almost opted to sit on the ground. While the rest continued sharing jokes and catching up, her eyes remained trained on the lake that frame her backyard, a light breeze coming in as more blankets had been brought out, which happened to be the same ones they’d used when he took her to surprise dates to the town’s drive-in. Her mind drifted back to the hours she’d spent on water with him, racing in jet skis or skinny dipping in the dead of night, jumping off of his family’s boat as his dogs looked on at the couple as if they were crazy. And they were, or at least about each other. But still, no matter how clear those days were and how bright the sky had been, the water was still not as blue as his eyes as they crinkled up in amusement, laughing as he splashed her with water.

As the moon rose higher and its reflection could be seen shining brightly in the water, the adults had finally bid their goodnights, with the children doing so long before. She hadn’t noticed at first, and wished she had followed suit as she began to realize she had been the only one left out there with him, although it had not been the first time. And she stayed frozen, not daring to speak first, and not knowing what to say if she had been forced to.

“You look good.”

It had been the first words he had directly said to her that night, and the first ever exchanged in about a year, not including the numerous voicemails that lessened as the weeks dragged on. She met his eyes and gave him a small smile. It had been a while, but he still managed to make her flustered, and he’d clearly known his affect on her as he did a smile of his own behind his beer bottle.

“Thank you,” it came out as a whisper, but she didn’t know if her voice could even go louder as it began wavering at the mere sight of him. “You too.”

The two fell into a silence once again, and she could see him looking at her with more heat than the actual fire before them held. She turned to look at him, expecting him to continue, but instead his jaw clenched and he moved his eyes back to the pit, allowing her to take note of his features as his face was illuminated in the dark. Stubble lined his jaw, eyes trained and his lips pursed, and she cursed herself as she realized he had grown even more handsome than the last time she saw him.

“Why didn’t you call?”

His voice was hard, and sounded almost angry, even if he wasn’t one to yell.

No matter how hard he wanted to, she knew he’d never tell her that she’d at least owed him that much. She so desperately wanted to tell him how had she heard his voice muffled behind the call, she would’ve ran to kiss him over and over for every word that slipped past. Or how it hadn’t been as easy as she made it seem, with every ring her phone echoed, to let go of everything that she ever found comfort in, and to run away from it all. He’d been the last thing she wanted to say goodbye to, but he had already let Minnesota go. He had let her go.

“Just one text is all I asked for. You just had to tell me you weren’t interested anymore, and I would’ve moved on somehow.”

It had almost been an insult, with the way he casually moved his hand that rested around her head to push back a few stray strands of hair that fell into her vision, delicately tracing the curving of her face, to her lips and down her arm. She was well aware that there wasn’t much to move on from, and it was only a matter of time when he’d realize it too.

“But that doesn’t mean I have.”

The way her voice rang in his ears was almost dangerous, one so broken, fearful, and vulnerable that had once been full of so much life. And it left him scared, and almost angry with himself. And begging to hold her even closer to him.

“What are you saying?”

His voice quivered, and the man who normally was so sure and certain of his surroundings was left confused.

“I just can’t keep going back to this every summer and then pretending that it never happened.”

She sighed, pulling out of his grip to then pull at her hair, looking at him with pleading eyes that read “Please, let me go.”

“I can’t keep changing my feelings when the seasons do, Brock.”

Their romance never was never heavy or burdening. It was always so simple and easy, and perhaps that had been the reason it had been so easy to jump back into it every year and last so long, stretching from their senior year of high school and far into his career in college and the league. Yet despite how much the both of them had changed in these years, they’re feelings towards each other didn’t. And they both knew this loud and clear, even if neither dared to voice it.

“You would know that wasn’t the case for me if you listened.”

He’d pulled her back to him, this time closer so she stayed against him, pulling her legs to rest over his knees, and he was so close she could smell his musk, wishing to just drown herself in the scent.

“You’re only acting like this so you have someone to sleep with over the summer.”

It might’ve not been the case, but as she voiced her concern, it was clear that this was how it was coming across. He could have any woman he wanted, and already had the city of Vancouver kissing the floor he walked on. And she had moved to remind him of this, but it was almost as if he read her mind, cutting her off before she could continue with a squeeze at her hand.

“But I always come back to you?” he questioned, turning to lean his body over her’s, causing her to strain her head as they kept eye contact. “And I only want to come back to you.”

He waited for a response of any sort, feeling how heavy his words felt in the thick air. He had always made every move so calculated and precise, with confidence emerging from every inch of his body. And yet he had said that with no hesitation or fear for what may follow, prepared that she may run like she always did.

So he had been extremely surprised when he felt her press her lips against his, pulling him into her by his shirt collar. She’d pressed her lips so hard against his that her lips hurt, breaking for air as he pulled her fully into his lap, legs wrapped on either side of his waist and his arms around her’s, hands moving up her back to feel every part of her he missed.

The two felt like teenagers again, sitting in her backyard in the midst of an act of desperation. Except this time they were kissing out in the open instead of in the dark edge of the sidewalk, knowing very well that her parents could walk out any second and catch them. And she couldn’t find any reason to care, as she felt him holding her so close to him, moving as she did and kissing her with such a fierceness that she wondered if he, too, was pleading for this moment to never end.

“I won’t come this weekend if it makes you uncomfortable,” he murmured into her neck, her chest rising and falling sporadically against his throat.

She closed her eyes and shook her head as his arms flexed while he tried to continue, always wanting to be the good guy in every situation. However, she had been unfair to him before, and destruction had seemed to be what she’d known best. Of course he’d been invited to the wedding, and probably hadn’t expected to see her there anyways, knowing how much she loathed her extended family.

Nonetheless, she moved to squeeze his hand, rubbing a thumb over his knuckles as she raised her gaze into his own, preparing to regret her next words as soon as they left her lips. But the feeling never came.

“Be my date?”

It had only been 48 hours later, and the two stood swaying to the beat of yet another love song that echoed through the speakers, and his heartbeat pulsing against her ear as she laid her head against his chest. The rest of the guests remained inside, congratulating the couple and mingling amongst their own. The two, however, were quick to move outside, sneaking away as if they were sixteen and ditching math class to spend just a few extra minutes with each other.

She gave it her all to change and leave behind her life in Minnesota, the routine of balancing on branches and dancing around traps bored her to infinity. Yet for the first time, she indulged in this tradition the couple had going on. And didn’t worry about what would happen in a few months when they left yet once again.

All that mattered was the man holding her, promising her that he wouldn’t let her go again.

And she believed him.

#brock boeser imagine #brock boeser #vancouver canucks #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #nhl writing #nhl smut #stanley cup playoffs #nhl #hockey #hockey writing #hockey imagine #stanley cup 2019 #stanley cup finals #hockey players

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