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bewarethewolfarmy · 3 years ago

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Cinnamon, Old Books, Chamomile

(Look I got a new obsession XD

Edit: Now with a sequel Sunlit Songs and Masterlist

Here have a fanfiction)

The bookstore was nothing special outside of the fact that it was the only place in a fifty mile radius that a) stocked 15th century literature in acceptable conditions for his needs, and b) was open at 5 in the morning. In actuality based on how many times Spencer Reid had gone there, at all hours of the day, only to find its door unlocked and business open, he was not entirely sure it was ever closed but he did not plan on complaining. He liked being able to get a book at a seconds notice and the owner never seemed to much mind obliging.

That night, morning, time he very much felt the need for a book, though this was sort of just an excuse. He wanted something else but he was trying to convince himself to make use of the soothing aspects of reading instead. The case had been difficult and draining, physically, emotionally; rest honestly might have been a better choice but he found himself instead drawn towards the little store tucked away in the silent, lonely depths of the city, his hand pushing open the door, a tiny ringing signaling his arrival.

The place always smelled of cinnamon and old pages, the soft dim lighting giving it a warm atmosphere that normally felt welcoming. He took a deep breath and glanced about, at stacks of old books, shelves filled with the same, a counter covered in paper and a old fashion register. This too set it apart from other places he supposed; most gave into the need for more advanced equipment. In this place though at least, the world was still simple and smelled of the pleasant scent of old books. It reminded him of good things and bad too but he didn't mind right in the moment.

"Welcome to...oh its you Doctor Reid." The voice was familiar and soft, causing his head to turn towards where a staircase lead to a second floor. A woman walked down it, long black hair tied back in a messy braid, glasses slightly askew; he had decided long enough that she was the type who worked hard and didn't bother much to care for her appearance, often getting ink on her clothes and face when doing book restorations upstairs. He suspected she also baked up there, hence the cinnamon scent, and normally there were muffins or something set on the counter. A normal person would have worried about having food near so many old and valuable books but he got the sense she was not the type to tolerate anyone who might damage the books anyway so they were in no danger. Spencer had tried not to profile her, not the first time he accidentally found the place, nor the seventh time he'd visited and he'd ended up helping her deal with a belligerent customer. He'd lost count of how many times he'd gone there by now but still he resisted the urge to let his mind start to look too much into her; give him one pure thing at least.

He forced a smile and waved in his awkward wave, watching her reach the bottom of the stairs. "Hey Tsuki, sorry I'm in so late, I just figured..."

"No worries, you know my door is always open," she said waving off his apology; he noted she was holding a book under one arm that she set on the counter before tucking back some of her own hair behind her ear, "Though I must say it certainly is later than normal for you. Long day at work I suppose?"

"Yeah you could say that." The unsub had been difficult, hard to track, hard to capture, and when they did get them, the unsub had been one of the most irritating he'd ever seen. The whole team had been happy to see it over with and get back home to Quantico. Admittedly he wasn't home, he was there, in a bookstore, in the early hours of the morning...

He didn't realize that both of them had fallen quiet but the sound of rain starting to fall outside caught his attention and he turned to look; despite making it all the way there, despite everything else, this movement seemed too much and Spencer lost his balance, stumbling. He started to caught himself but felt his arm be grabbed at the same time and his body pulled back and back to equilibrium. The man blinked then looked over at where Tsuki stood, still holding onto him. She looked concern; he couldn't really be certain why.

"Are you alright?" She asked him.

"Y-yeah," he said and forced another smile, pulling himself free of her; he ran his hand over his bag, absentedly smoothing it down, "I'm fine, just a bit tired I suppose."

"You should get some rest then. As much as I like to see you, its more important that you get rest when you can," she said, furrowing her brow.

He supposed she was right but as far as he was concerned getting rest wasn't an option. If he left without a book he would just be walking into a situation where his self control would be in danger and he was trying not to give into the things a part of him did indeed want.

"No, no I'll be...I'll be fine. Don't worry about me, I came to see if you might have anything in stock of interest; have you gotten in any new stock?"

She raised an eyebrow, not saying anything at first. He didn't think she'd throw him out, he had worked relatively hard to build a good rapport with her and be a good customer; based on what he noticed, she was the type who appreciated considerate customers and didn't tolerate bad ones. Thus Spencer always did his best to treat the books with kindness and respect, talk to her about what he liked and what she liked. It had been interesting to find out they shared many interests and he honestly liked it there; it was calming and comforting and nice and warm. There wasn't murderers there or victims or fear or the pressure to do something. It was just...there and he didn't honestly want to leave.

He wobbled and again she seemed to realize this quickly and kept him from falling. The concern in her face grew but getting so close he noticed she too smelled of old pages and cinnamon, and something else; it too was strangely comforting to him and he dared to close his eyes for a second.

"Doctor Reid?" She said his name with some confusion, "Doctor Reid, are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine " he said and it was strange how heavy he felt now, "I just...want to stay here a bit."

"Alright then," Tsuki answered and he smiled, even just to himself.

He felt appreciative but he knew he'd need to actually look for a book. After all it was a bookstore, they sold books, he needed to buy a book if he was gonna be there. Spencer opened his eyes and tried to prepare himself to do more but she took him by surprise; before he could, she had grabbed his hand in hers, pulling him towards the stairs. He did not expect this, he didn't know what to do or what to make of it. And his hesitation gave her enough leeway to drag him up to an area he'd never been before.

For a while he'd suspected she lived above the store; it was the only way the store being open like it was was possible. The living space upstairs though looked very similar to the store below, full of books and shelves but with a few additions. A couch and coffee table against one wall, a open air kitchen filled with all the necessary things to cook, a door that he highly suspected either led to her bedroom or her workroom for restorations. Or maybe both. But this place felt much like the area he already knew and he was too busy trying not to take in everything so as not to profile the bookstore owner. She led him to the couch and forced him down; his bag landed beside him and he stared up at her.

"I'm going to go make you a cup of chamomile; you set your bag down and relax." She brokered no response, she turned to walk away and Spencer sat there, confused, uncertain, but didn't immediately get up.

"Chamomile, the apigenin chemicals in it have been found to induce sleepiness as well as act as a herbal anti-anxiety medication similar to benzodiazepines," he muttered, more to himself than anything else.

"Exactly," she answered him anyway and after putting a teapot to boil, passed by him again, "Put your bag on the floor, I'm gonna go get you a blanket and pillow."

"I don't understand what you're trying to do." She never struck him as the dangerous type and as a profiler he was pretty good at noticing dangerous people. But at the same time this was odd; outside the rain was coming down hard, pounding against the window behind him.

"You're tired, you need to rest, you don't want to leave so I'm letting you take a nap on my couch," she told him and went through the door from before: bedroom then.

"I," he started but she wasn't wrong. He was tired, he did need rest, he did say he didn't want to leave immediately. Still how that led to him sitting on her couch while she made him tea still felt a bit...confusing.

He ended up profiling her anyway. The room showed her to be a quiet individual, large family who lived elsewhere, one pet which was obviously the large chocolate Maine Coon that entered the room, looked at him and gave a meow before trotting off. She seemed to seriously love books, and there was a large variation in genres; he noted a first edition of the first book of Paradise Lost on the table before him and picked it up, looking it over better; it obviously had been restored, expertly at that, and the book was being well cared for now. A small bookmark, a pressed flower, was stuck between pages and he turned to there, starting to read.

He was engrossed and thus didn't notice the teapot whistle nor Tsuki setting the blanket and pillow down beside him and going to pour the tea. He barely noted her returning and setting the tea down before chuckling, only then drawing his attention. "That one is one of my favorites as well."

"This is from the first editions of the poem, before the reorganization and revisions," he stated looking at her, "Not many read that version."

She shrugged. "Not many have access to a complete, minimally damaged copy."

"You restored this I presume? It matches your work on the Dante and Dunbar I recently received from you."

"Restoration work is a must I think for any person who deals in antique books."

"It's good, very well done."

She smiled and gestured to the tea. "Come on now, if we start on talking about books neither of us will sleep. Here."

Spencer was hesitant, because he still didn't understand this situation, because he very much wanted to talk about books. But he picked up the cup anyway, taking a sip. It was warm and filled him from head to toe in it's gentle taste. He did not so much feel sleepy as he did relaxed; he took another sip and his wandering eye caught her sipping from her own cup. Maybe she too needed sleep; he was reminded again it was 5 in the morning and if she was already up he wondered if that meant she hadn't slept at all yet. Her hours seemed even stranger than his honestly.

"Thank you," he said finally, finishing his cup and handing it to her.

Tsuki took it with a smile, "No worries. Now again, set your bag down and try and get some rest."

"You don't often have strangers sleep on your couch," he said, making the mistake of making that a statement and not a question. He already knew though, he could tell by her room, her demeanor, the markers that told him what kind of person she was. Kind maybe but introverted, did socializing well on the outside but didn't really interact with others outside of work; she was someone who loved books and didn't feel comfortable around strangers.

She chuckled and headed to the kitchen. "You're not a stranger, Doctor Reid, you're one of my best customers."

"You don't treat all customers like this."

"Not all my customers come into my store, looking ready to collapse under their own body weight, with eyes pleading to be given sanctuary." Spencer did not know how to respond to that. She could be a capable profiler if she tried.

He took off his bag and set on the ground by the couch; pulling the blanket over him, he tried to maneuver his body to be comfortable on the couch as he laid down. It wasn't all that hard, the couch was strangely comfy. He set his head on the pillow and closed his eyes, trying to let himself sleep. The lights went out, he was sure that was her, but that didn't startle him. Nor did it startle him hearing footsteps and feeling long thin fingers brush hair out of his face. There again was that scent, that strange calming thing that he knew was coming from her. He knew deep down he should be on alert but he just felt calm. Cinnamon, old books, chamomile, something else.

He drifted off before he knew it and the rain continued to fall outside.

#criminal minds #spencer reid #spencer reid x oc #not quite though #their relationship is only starting #but also #the queen #because it's tsuki of course #fanfiction #fanfic #cross posted between here ao3 and ffnet

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cg29 · 3 years ago

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Fanfiction 21 Q&A Tag Game.

Answer the 21 questions then tag anyone who’s fics you’d like to know more about.

1. What fandoms have you written for?

Apart from 1 fic all of mine are Thunderbirds.

2. How many works do you have on AO3 &/or FFNet?

I’ve 21 on A03 & 22 on FFNet. The extra fic that’s not currently on A03 is a short I wrote many years ago set in the OZ universe. Plus - 47+ mini fics in my Pic & Mix collection.

3. What are your top 3 fics by kudos on A03 &/or Favs on FFNet?

A03 Kudos:

93 - Virgil Drabbles.

79 - Pick & Mix.

70 - Gone.

FFNet Favs:

50 - Gone.

22 - Virgil Drabbles.

21 - Pick & Mix.

4. Which 3 fics have the least kudos & Favs?

A03:

6 Kudos - Birthday Wish.

7 Kudos- Moving on. Episode TAG Flame Out.

8 Kudos- Scayo. Episode TAG HyperSpeed / Bring on the Fluff

FFNet: only including TAG fics.

1 Fav - Bring on the Fluff.

2 Fav- The Games.

3 Fav - The retribution of Scott Tracy.

5. Which Fic has the most comments and which has the least?

A03 Comment Threads:

Gone, 72.

Scayo Episode TAG for Hyperspeed, 0 comments.

FFNet: Only inc TAG.

Gone, 347.

Scayo Episode TAG for Hyperspeed, 2.

6. Which complete fic do you wish had gotten more attention?

Moving on, episode TAG Flame Out. A fic explanation for Grandma Tracy’s 8 episode absence until her hysterical return in Flame Out.

7. Have you written any crossovers?

I’ve started 1 (only put 1 chapter up so far) a cross between Thunderbirds and Hunger Games.

8. What is the craziest fic you’ve written?

The retribution of Scott Tracy. I wrote the short crack fic while high on pain meds, and it shows! 😂

9. What’s the fic you’ve written with the saddest ending?

Definitely White Light: I was actually in a fairly good mood when it popped in to my head, but it was one of those that demanded I write it down. Finished it in one day, and personally (even though I cry whenever I read it) I think it’s one of the better shorts I’ve written.

10. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Considering how much angst it contains probably Gone.

11. What is your smuttiest fic?

The night of Anderbad, it’s set after the original series episode of the perils of Penelope and features some Virgil/Penny hotness.

12. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Yes, all were anonymously sent and are usually deleted and forgotten about. The two that have stuck in my mind were for The Tracy Family - apparently saying that I accepted prompts for future chapters meant I was stealing other peoples ideas and I was a rubbish writer who couldn’t come up with my own content. The other was for Bad Day, and they sent a homophobic rant because I wrote Virgil and Brains in a relationship.

13. What is the nicest comment you’ve received?

I love all my comments. I did receive a private message once on FFNet (which I kept until FFNet decided to delete it) saying that I was their favourite writer and they had read Gone multiple times. ☺️ I can’t remember who it was but the message helped me through so many ‘I’m crap at this’ moments and inspired me to write many more TAG fics.

14. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I’m aware.

15. How many fics do you have marked as incomplete?

I have 8 in total, also around 10 WIPS that I’ve only shared bits of on here. 😅

16. Which of the WIPS will most likely be finished first?

It will most likely be Reflections as I have the final 2 chapters planned out and a some in 1st draft stage.

17. Which WIP are you looking forward to finishing?

Avalanche. I’ve really enjoyed the challenge for this fic and personally think it’s one of my better multi-chapter stories. No idea when it will be complete. I was a little bit stumped with the next few chapters. I do know how it ends though.

18. Is there a WIP that you’re considering abandoning?

All the posted WIPS that I’ve put up should hopefully get completed at some point. I’m currently expecting The Games and Virgil Drabbles to be the last ones to be marked complete. However, there are a couple of fics I’ve only shared early chapters/snippets for on Tumblr which may unfortunately go no further - if I decide to leave them, then I might post as they are in my Pick & Mix collection or on their own.

19. Which complete fic would you consider rewriting?

I won’t rewrite it but I had considered Tracy Family. There are some bits I’ve cringed at when reading again, foreshadowing ideas I had after posting . I also had an idea for a part 2 but it would only work if I rewrote parts of it.

20. Which complete fic is your favourite?

Bad Day. This was a self-indulgent fic which included one of my favourite tropes, (repeating days) contained a heap of Virgil suffering lows and highs and although I’m no longer into the OBannon/John pairing some of my other favourite pairings are included.

21. What’s your total published word count?

According to A03 it’s 246722 😮

Tagging: @burningcowboyhoagietaco @gumnut-logic @janetm74 @psychoseal @womble1 and anyone else who’d like to join in.

#21 questions #Fanfiction tag game #thunderbirds fanfiction #cg29 fics #thunderbirds are go

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asksythe · 3 years ago

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Please be good to me 2022.

So I'm still not dead yet. 3 years of pandemic, sickness, death in the family, being plagiarized and a career almost stolen, and I am still kicking. I still love writing, for all that I have increasingly less time to write things for myself rather than things that pay the bills. I'm sure there will be people who won't be happy to hear that 🙂. Well guess what? I am here to give you even more things to be upset over.

Anyhow, 2022. Man...how time flies huh? I'm 33 going 34 now and I've written fanfic (and other professional works 😬) for... 15 years now. Can hardly believe its been that long. But recently some friendly conversations make me look back at what I have written, both the things I write for fun and the things I write to pay bills. Its been a long road, and it will be longer probably.

Anyhow, this year, hoping there's no more nasty surprises like the last 2 years (crossing my fingers), I have plans i want to do. Yes, this is a new year goal post 😅.

1/ get back into writing things I love (I.e. fanfic) on a more regular basis. Hello, the person who told me to 'see you next year' on my fe3h chapter, I understand your frustration but it really hurt you know 😔😑😢. I'm trying. Its like that meme about trying my best yeah? But I'm an adult now and I have people depending on me. Also professional writing is a jealous wife, but she's the one who pays my bills so I need to set my priorities yeah? 😞😐🙂😓

2/ slowly move my published ff from ffnet to ao3. I guess they are on the road to joining geocities and livejournal now. Yes, I'm old 😒😬😡, and I'm a technology dinosaur 🦕 😑. Have you seen many tech whiz classical writers? We tend to spend most of our time lost in our own head, so we are slow with changes. I blink and suddenly I'm behind on technology now. It happens, yeah.

3/ work on the new stories I have got going.

4/ work on and publish that genderfluid cetra cloud (from ff7) story idea i have in my head.

5/ finish the production of the 2 books and 2 games I'm contracted for this year. That's important cause it pays. Money is important! 😔😌😑🤯

6/ find free time to play more games other than fate grand order!

7/ find the time to develop, write, and publish those Alaya Lily Gudako story ideas I have! Also Oberon and a dark epic romantic saga with a bittersweet ending!! 😆😆😆😆😆😆😆. I don't want my fanfic idea notes to just stay in the chay log between me and @erimies forever! I'm sure you would like to see me write those stories too, Meri!

8/ get rich and buy an onsen

9/ spawn a baby!

Hi! If you are still following this sleepy blog of mine from years ago, send me a hello, won't you please?

#ask sythe #this year i want to...

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bywayofmemory · 3 years ago

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AO3 tag meme!

Tagged by @therealstartraveller776, thank you! I was contemplating doing this one over on DW but might as well post it here instead.

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

173. Many of those are drabbles or 3-sentence fic, which I write quite a lot of. I do a lot of my best work in short form.

2. What is your total Ao3 word count?

309,664. See the note about working best in short form above.

3. How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

So, so many, since it’s easy to do when you’re only writing 3 sentences of it. The major ones with actual fics in it are: Firefly, Chronicles of Narnia, Shadow & Bone/The Grishaverse Trilogy, ASoIaF/Game of Thrones, The Almighty Johnsons, The Secret Garden, Greek Mythology, Downton Abbey, and MCU (mostly The Avengers). Along with loads of others were I’ve written one or two things. There are 66 fandoms in total on my list, though some are duplicates (MCU and The Avengers (2012) etc). Probably around 60 in reality.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Maybe it Will All Come Back to Me (A Song of Ice and Fire)

Drunk on the Dying Light (Grishaverse Trilogy)

Hold My Heart in Two (A Song of Ice and Fire)

The World That’s on the Other Side (Firefly)

To Cover What We Can’t Erase (MCU/The Avengers)

At least one of those does not belong on that list and is only there cause it’s a megafandom, lol.

5. Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

I always make an attempt to! There are a couple times I haven’t cause I forgot about them and when I remembered it felt awkwardly too late, or because I wasn’t in a great headspace. But I love talking to readers and sharing little headcanons and stuff that didn’t make it into the fics.

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

I didn’t think I had a lot of angsty endings, but in thinking it through, I really...kind of do?

Probably The Endless in Between, a Narnia Susan/Ed fic in which they get displaced in time and realize they’re most likely about to die at the end. They don’t particularly mind it, but still, it’s a heavy ending.

7. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve ever written?

OH BOY, do I. It’s mostly the fault of @thatgirlnevershutsup these days, with her Susan Pevensie/Jon Snow love encouraging me. The craziest one though is doubtless a 3-sentence fic I wrote crossing over LotR and Where’s Waldo?, The Striped Wanderer.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Not lately, despite shipping almost exclusively ‘problematic’ ships, because I’m enough of a nobody to stay under the radar. I used to get some back in the day when I was posting Mal/River Firefly fic on ffnet, telling me that they actually had a parent/child relationship and I was wrong and bad. Whatevs.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

From time to time, yes (more frequently lately). It’s generally pretty tame for smut - even the kinks I’m into are not that kinky. I do write a lot of dubcon and hatesex, though.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of, but I don’t go searching for it.

11. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, though there’s often a lot of back and forth in the 3-sentence ficathon with playing off what other people have written. That’s always an excellent time.

12. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Is there anyone who answers this with just one ship?? Mal/River (Firefly) is a forever ship for me; obviously being a fan of any of Joss’s properties has soured over time, but I know I could watch Serenity again and be right back in it with those two. I’m known for spreading the gospel of Susan/Edmund (Narnia), so I have to include that one. Lately Darklina (Shadow&Bone/Grishaverse) is my all-consuming obsession.

13. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Technically, poetry for LotR. Realistically, Firefly.

14. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

The World That’s on the Other Side. It was a story that came all at once; I was really in the flow with that one. And it has so many things I love - time travel, angst, pining, (semi)unrequited love, forbidden relationships, love that spans the bounds of reality, one partner making incredible sacrifices for the other. Other people seem to agree it’s the best of my Firefly fics, as it’s the most kudosed and bookmarked of all of them.

Tagging: I don’t usually tag people, but I’d be interested to see @thatgirlnevershutsup, @wingedflight, and @klaineharmony do this one, along with anyone else who wants!

#writing #meme #about me

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tryalittlejoytomorrow · 3 years ago

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20 questions, writer’s edition:

I was tagged by my favorite child @flythesail ! ;) Thank you!! ❤️

How many works do you have on AO3?

39 stories. That’s...a lot. Especially as I used to have around 20 other fics on ffnet that I never crossposted. Maybe I need to sleep more.

What’s your total AO3 word count?

528,088 words.I KNOW. I’m talkative, okay??? It’s crazy to think about the fact that almost a half of this word count is my kevison fic tho. 👀 👀

How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

SO MANY FANDOMS

The 100 / Bellarke

The Hunger Games / Everlark

Star Wars / Rebelcaptain + Han/Leia

Marvel / Clintasha

Still Star-Crossed / Rosvolio

Arrow / Olicity

Marvel’s Runaways / Gertchase

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries / Phryne x Jack

Shades of magic / Kell x Lila

Six of Crows / Kanej

This is us / Kevison

NCIS:LA / Densi (so many moons ago, all deleted)

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Friends (I’ve watched us as we changed) / Bellarke modern-AU / The 100

it’s not easy for me to belong here (I’m learning) / Kanej / SoC

Girl, ya can’t conceal it / Bellarke

no remedy for love (but to love more) / Rosvolio / Still Star-Crossed

Things just don’t grow (if you don’t bless them with your patience) / Bellarke

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

Yes! Feedback from readers is so important, so I do my best to reply to all meaningful, encouraging feedback. It shows both my appreciation, but also starts nice, interesting conversations sometimes. :)

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

I think that would definitely be a Bellarke fic, I have been known to be mean in that fandom... 😛 I’d say, if we go with angstiest ending, I’ll have to pick I came here to get some peace. I have another story that’s far angstier as a whole, but the ending was more hopeful.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Mmh, I think I’ll go with Rosvolio on that one, and the series starting with no remedy for love and ending with for love is such a daily good thing. The sequel, epilogue of sorts, was almost as long as the original fic itself, and it was all about giving these two the agency they deserve in their finding each other and growing into love.

Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you’ve written?

I did once, but never completed the fic. It was a Dark Matter/The 100 crossover. Though was it really one? I don’t think so. I used the main characters from the 100 in the context of Dark Matter? Anyway. As evidenced by the fact that I never did finish the thing past the first chapter - no, I don’t write crossovers.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Are there really writers who don’t? Bless your hearts. I’ve been active in writing for various fandoms since 2011 and I’ve had the usual cocktail of anon hate, death threats, insults, etc.

Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Yep. Sex is a conversation, and writing dialogue is one of my favorite things, and they’re basically the same. Sex is a form of communication like any other - be it awkward, passionate, peaceful and quiet, a routine, a habit, a bad habit you can’t kick, sorta meh, or bad. So I guess I write all kinds of smut? Smut with feels is obviously a favorite, but it’s nice to write smut that is just about two people who can’t be apart from each other, passionate and hungry for one another.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yup - and not subtly at all. But at the time ffnet did nothing about it, and neither did the fandom. Even though people knew that this person had stolen my story and only changed the characters’ names to fit another ship, people still read it and commented it. Insert #lesigh.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

No. I was asked, once, but I said no. This just feels weird to me.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nope. My head and my writing process are messy enough as they are, they don’t need the intrusion.

What’s your all time favorite ship?

It’s like asking someone to pick a favorite child. Which everyone could do, really, we all know it. Still, it’s not proper to ask. But I’ll go with my childhood and ultimate otp, Piper and Leo from Charmed. They taught me what love was.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

Mmmh, I don’t think I have one atm? I gave up on some wips back when I was writing for The 100, but I know I’ll never pick them up. My only current wip is for Kevison, and I do intend to see this through.

What are your writing strengths?

Clearly my style? I’ve been told it’s kinda poetic, and I do like my prose and my flow - a stream of consciousness, a line that’ll go straight to your heart, long sentences of uninterrupted thoughts, a window into the character’s soul. I also have a very good grasp on the characters I choose to write about - I only write when I feel like I know them like the back of my hand, so characterization and being true to who they are is my number one priority.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I have no discipline. I’ll write for days on end, get one, two, three chapters ready...and sometimes a month passes by and I have nothing, my brain is completely empty, and I feel all squeezed out. I could never wait until I’ve completed a work before posting it, for instance - and I mean, I’ve been working on my Kevison fic for 17 months now, so, in a way, lucky thing I didn’t wait, right?

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

If it fits the character and the context, why not.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Harry Potter! It was a lifetime ago, I was 12 and I wrote what I expected the fifth book to be before it came out. Needless to say, it was bad.

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

Once again, asking someone to pick a favorite child isn’t proper. I have a sort of very unique love for something always brings me back to you, one of my rebelcaptain fics. First of all, it’s the only work who’s ever gotten a fan edit made about (thanks again to the lovely person who did!). I also think the writing is solid, the dialogue and the chemistry between Jyn and Cassian on point. And I loved working on that AU of their first meeting(s) through the galaxy.

Tagging: @queenofchildren , @lullabiesandgoodbyes , @alienor-woods and whoever else wants to do it!

#writers tag #Angèle babbles #thanks bb!

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frostmarris · 4 years ago

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Day 5: Thieves & Outlaws | Shapeshifters

Pairing: Deidara/Sakura Haruno/Hidan, Deidara/Hidan

Rating: Teen & Up

Content Warning: a couple of foul mouthed bois

Additional Tags: Modern Magic (magic is secret), Supernatural Creatures, Urban (but actually Rural) Fantasy, Bakery AU, Established Relationship, country roads take me home

Summary: Deidara returns home for the first time in nearly a decade and finds everything just as he remembers it - except for that bakery. Hidan is convinced the pink-haired owner isn't human and they're determined to find out what she's hiding.

Notes: fic #3 and my final entry for the @naruto-fantasy-week ! the thieves and outlaws part applies more to the fic as a whole than this first chapter tho

Slightly different format for this one since tumblr refuses to allow my posts to show up in tags. Links to ffnet and ao3 will be in a reblog!

Enjoy!

whitewoods - chapter one

“So, what - were you, like, a total ‘Children of the Corn’ or some shit growin’ up?”

“First of all, it’s totally the wrong climate for corn here, yeah. Secondly, it was more like tin foil hats and aliens than blood sacrifices.”

At Hidan’s dry look, Deidara laughs and leans back in the driver’s seat, one hand on the steering wheel of the old hatchback and his free arm hanging out the window.

“I’m still reelin’ from finding out that you’re a fucking country bumpkin, Dei. You told me you were from,” Hidan raises his hands, shaking them and hunching his shoulders as he shoots the blond a sarcastic look, “The big city and all that jazz.”

“I was living in a city before we met, hm,” Deidara answers, swapping hands on the wheel and reaching over to smack Hidan’s jazz-handing hands when they drift closer to his face, “I just happened to live in a small town in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere before that.”

He slows down as the winding road running along the side of the mountain - (“We’re not that high up, Hidan, you coward.”) - splits into two at a fork. There had been mountain on both sides of the road for the past hour, a nearly vertical rock wall to their left and a sloped but steep drop to their right, with a river winding through the bottom of the crevice some hundred feet below before the ground climbs back up to form another mountain ridge.

Hidan hadn’t been too excited about being on the side with the drop, but Deidara’s reassurance that at least he’d be unlikely to get crushed immediately by falling rocks had done little to comfort him.

The fork came at an plateau where the mountain seemed to finally back off and give more room for a level, forested area, with the left path heading into the woods. The right path, however, curved outwards and lead downward slightly before feeding onto an old bridge that crossed the shortest gap between the two mountain ridges, a still-considerable drop down to the river running under it. They could see the bridge below from their vantage point, even with a few trees standing in the way - just barely wide enough for two cars at a time and at least four cars long.

“You’re fucking joking ,” Hidan hisses as Deidara heads right, fully turning towards him in his seat. The blond laughs and nearly gets his hand bit when he reaches over to pat Hidan's head.

“Relax , Evel Knievel. The bridge has been around since before I was even born, yeah.”

“That’s not fuckin’ reassuring,” He mutters in response, sitting back in his seat - spine straight, shoulders stiff, and magenta eyes on the rocky road. The path down winds only a little before it levels out and curves outward even more to approach the bridge, cliffsides and sheer drops momentarily replaced by trees and bushes.

Hidan only realizes they’re on the bridge when the sound of gravel and rocks under the hatchback’s tires gradually gives way to the softer rumble and groans of wooden planks and metal supports. They break through the trees to suddenly reveal the open air of the bridged gap between ridges and Hidan’s hand jumps up to the ceiling handle above his door, knuckles white as he grips it like it’ll save his life.

His gaze drifts to his right even as his head stays completely forward - until Deidara cackles and his glare darts to the blond, still sitting all relaxed with an arm out the window and one hand on the wheel.

“Hand off the Jesus Handle, yeah. I’m not gonna drive us off the side and hurtling down to our deaths.” Deidara grins and nods to the stretch of bridge ahead. “There’s railings and I’m barely pushing 15, hm. An eager turtle could beat us to the other side.”

“I’ll fuckin’ let go when you put both of your damn hands on the shittin’ wheel, dickhead.”

Hidan’s grumble earns him another laugh but Deidara relents and pulls his arm out of the window, both hands on the steering wheel as they cross the bridge. The relief on Hidan’s face is clear as day when they make it to the other side and he slumps back with a sigh, side-eyeing the blond when he cackles again.

“If I’d known you were afraid of heights, I wouldn’t have asked you to come with me, yeah.”

“I’m not afraid of heights,” He huffs, grabbing the pack of cigarettes in the glovebox. “I just don’t trust infrastructure built by fuckin' country bumpkins."

Deidara rolls his eyes but leans over as he offers him one, both hands still on the wheel and the cigarette between his lips as Hidan digs his lighter out of his pocket. Taking a drag once it’s lit, Deidara returns to his relaxed position again and follows the road as it winds through the woods and gradually begins to slope downwards.

The scenic peace of the mountain forest is rather ruined by the metal music blaring out the open windows of the beat-up car - which adds to the cacophony with its own grinds and grunts - and the pair make idle conversation as they travel, Hidan eventually opening up his fifth soda of the day. He unbuckles long enough to turn in his seat, get his knees under him, and dig around in the back to grab the rest stop sandwiches they’d bought before they entered truly bum-fuck nowhere that morning.

He opens the plastic wrap around Deidara’s enough for the blond to get to the bread and chicken salad before passing it over and starting on his own mini Italian sub.

"So, why do you have to be the one to get your old man's shit in order?" Hidan asks around ciabatta and salami, flicking a crumb out his window. "Aren't there fuckin' people for that?"

Deidara grimaces and takes a long sip from his energy drink before he answers. "Apparently he left everything to me in his will, hm."

Eyebrows raised, Hidan turns and gestures at him with his sandwich.

"Wasn't it, like, a decade since you had last spoken to the old fuck?"

A shrug and a nod and the car takes a left turn onto a road that Hidan hadn't even spotted through the brush. The trees thin out and the road curves and the ground starts to gradually disappear to their left side and rise on their right until they're traveling along a cliffside again, but mirrored to earlier. This road seems even more rocky and rough than the other but, fortunately, it doesn't last long until Hidan can see the opening to a tunnel ahead.

He sends Deidara one last skeptical look, inwardly hoping they weren't lost, before they enter the tunnel and begin to cut through part of the mountain rather than travel along it. Deidara turns down the music a bit as it echoes almost jarringly through the passage, soon flicking on the high-beams and taking another bite of his sandwich. The road isn't perfectly straight so it's a while before they can see the light at the other end. While Hidan isn't sure exactly how much ground they'd covered through the tunnel, since the road seemed to serpentine a lot, he's still surprised when they break out into the open air again and, once again, there's a rock wall on Deidara’s side and a drop on his own.

He feels like they're right back where they'd started before the bridge, but his snarky comment is cut short when he looks out his window and sees the valley below.

Some of the trees are still bare from the winter - it's not quite spring yet, so cold but not cold cold - and most of the ones that have leaves make canopies that are mostly yellow, dappled here and there with bright green and light brown. White peeks out from under the treetops in spots and Hidan would have thought it was snow if he hadn't known any better. The valley stretches out into the distance before the edges of the mountain ranges begin to creep upwards once more around it, a few gently sloping hills transforming into steeper inclines but backing off before the mountain can fully enclose the forest. There's an odd 'bald spot' on the other side - not the exact opposite point from the tunnel's exit, but a fairly long stretch of forest between the spot and their current position - where the trees thin slightly before disappearing entirely.

It climbs up the hills a ways, carving out a noticeable patch, and, if Hidan looks really hard, he's pretty sure he can see tiny buildings in the far far distance.

The road leading out of the tunnel begins to almost immediately slope downwards. Not too steeply, but definitely noticeable. It runs along the mountainside in a long, winding serpentine, doubling back on itself several times to make the climb from the tunnel to the valley less of a sheer drop.

Hidan doesn't realize he'd been practically hanging out the window to get a look at the valley until the hatchback takes one of the turns and he finds himself facing the other way. He nearly climbs across Deidara to look out his side and the blond laughs, shoving him back into his seat.

"I thought you didn't want the drop on your side, yeah?"

Snorting, Hidan sits back and takes a large bite out of his sub. "Shut that damn smug mouth of yours and drive."

Deidara’s amusement drifts out the open windows of the car until he returns his attention to his sandwich and turns the music back up, sending a few startled birds into the air.

: :

They finally make it down into the valley proper and Hidan nearly shoves his face against the windshield as the view of an ocean of yellow leaves dotted with green, brown, and the occasional white suddenly changes to pillars of bright white and black spots. The white extends deep, deep into the forest, with a sea of green from the grass and underbrush below, a canopy of yellow above, and splotches of leaves from lower branches appearing here and there in the middle.

A dirt and gravel road cuts through the forest, managing a straight path for a while before it eventually begins to wind like all the other roads. The trees are thin and gangly but tall and sturdy and Hidan eventually sends Deidara an admittedly curious look, ignoring the blond's amused grin.

"What kinda trees are these anyways?" He asks before quickly adding a overly-disinterested, "They look fucking weird."

"Birch, hm."

"What is that? The new betch ? I was just asking a fucking question, you asshat-"

"No!" Deidara laughs, cutting him off. "Birch ! They're birch trees!"

Hidan's eyes narrow at him before he looks out his window again, regarding the white trees skeptically. The further into the forest they drove, the more densely packed the trees grew, making it hard to see anything other than the white and black of their trunks and the green of the forest floor - the scene only broken by the brown of the road ahead.

"They're one of the only good things about my hometown, yeah," Deidara says after a stretch of silence, downing the last of his energy drink. "Not the best for climbing, but they look cool as shit."

"They look like they're covered in eyes," Hidan says watching the trees as they pass by. The knots and bumps along the trunks are accented by the black markings, some curved and spotted just right that they look like eyes, gazing at them as they travel through the woods.

"Fuckin' creepy," Hidan adds, despite the amused smile on his face.

Deidara nods in agreement and they drive in silence for a while, the road taking them over a few hills and back down before, eventually, taller and hardier trees begin to intermingle in the sea of birch. The trees are still densely packed and make it difficult to see what lays ahead but, finally, they open up to reveal the town.

The treeline circles around the town, following the dips and curves of its edges, and climbing up the start of the mountain a ways before the birch trees are fully replaced with more stereotypical woods - spruce, oak, balsam, pine. There's several levels to the town as it rises and falls with the hills and Hidan wouldn't be surprised if there were houses higher on the mountainside, looking out over the valley. While there only seems to be one main road - which has finally become paved and easier riding - leading into the town, it soon begins branching off to spiderweb out, winding out of sight as buildings block the view.

Deidara stays on the main road for a while before he finally turns onto one of the side paths, back onto a gravel road that leads into a residential area. Each time Hidan thinks they're about to arrive at his childhood home, Deidara keeps on driving, passing homes and trees until there's more of the latter than the former.

The road heads upwards and Hidan sends the blond a raised eyebrow as they rise into the hills around the valley, green and brown trees cutting off their view again. There's a few dirt roads that branch off from their current one, heading deeper into mountainside woods, and most of which are barred by gates connected to rustic fences, overgrown by brush.

Finally, Deidara turns onto one of the dirt paths and they climb a little higher still before the ground levels out, the trees still dense until it finally opens up again after an almost ten minute drive. There's a rather rundown fence running the perimeter of the main yard and the house looks like a cross between a cabin from a slasher movie about a summer camp in the mountains and something out of a '50s show about moonshiners.

There's other, more in-shape fencing stemming from the yard making enclosures for a few various farm animals with smaller sheds of their own and what looks like a path leading behind the house to a more open area, likely with a garden and crops. The gate to the front yard is open and Deidara drives right through, parking the hatchback in a spot to the left where the grass is worn down and bare from constant use.

The pair exit the car and Deidara stretches while Hidan turns to stare out over the property, eventually turning to look at his companion.

"Holy shit," He says, earning him a raised eyebrow from Deidara. "You are a damned country bumpkin!"

Deidara shoots him a glare and moves to open the back of the car.

"Bullshit, yeah. Like hell I am."

Hidan points an accusatory finger at him, shouting loud enough to startle some chickens in a nearby coop.

"Fucking mountain hick farm boy! "

"You shut your damn mouth, hm. "

He gestures to the damning evidence behind them, arms spread out wide while Deidara grabs their bags from the trunk.

"Look at all these animals! This is a fuckin' farm !"

The blond throws a duffel bag at Hidan's face and crosses his arms, looking unamused.

"Like hell it is, yeah. There's just some goats and chickens and a couple sheep and... some pigs out back... and a few ducks…" Deidara’s assured tone starts to waver as he looks away, expression growing slightly strained and concerned. "And I did have a pair of rabbits when I was ten, and the cow…"

Hidan makes a slightly strangled, horrified sound and Deidara quickly tries to recover.

"But the old man sold it years ago, yeah! That's it! Mostly just goats and chickens, hm! Not a farm."

As if on cue, there's a honk from the right side of the yard and the two look to see a large white bird in the chicken corral, walking the edge of the fence.

"Is that a fucking goose. "

"L-listen, hm-"

"Only ponds in shitty public parks and farms have gooses!"

"Geese."

"Farm boy! " Hidan shouts, hurling the duffel bag back at him and throwing his arms into the air as he turns away.

"I've been living with a total Ma and Pa , overalls and fuckin' straw hat, "Princess Bride" bullshit farm boy !" He laments, slapping a hand on the roof of the car and sending the blond a betrayed look. "I thought you were cool. "

Deidara rolls his eyes and hefts the second bag onto his shoulder before closing the hatchback.

"Hey, the "Princess Bride" dude ends up becoming a pirate, yeah."

"His name is Westley, you uncultured swine."

Hidan gets a duffel bag to the face again and then the second bag shoved into his arms while Deidara heads towards the front porch.

"Just quit your whining and help me take the shit inside, hm!"

Hidan snickers under his breath but follows after him, both bags resting on his shoulder as he watches Deidara lift pots of mostly dead and dying plants distributed here and there on the porch.

"Which one was it..?" He mutters to himself before finally letting out a victorious shout as he finds the spare key under the barely-surviving coleus. The squeak and groan of the door is grating as it swings open and the pair enter rather cautiously, expecting to be met with cobwebs and inches of dust.

But the interior of the house is fairly clean and Hidan flicks the lights on - surprised they actually work - before moving to drop the bags on an old-looking couch while Deidara heads left into the kitchen, checking to see if the water was still running.

"Right, yeah," Deidara mutters again after he turns the faucet off and opens the window behind the sink. "It's only been a couple weeks."

"Not much in the fridge," Hidan calls behind him, not even daring to sniff the carton of milk. "How long do you plan on staying again?"

"Just long enough to go through shit, figure out what to keep and what to toss, cancel the utilities, and find a buyer for the animals, hm." He answers, checking the cabinets with a frown. "I'll deal with getting into selling the property some other time."

Hidan leans against the doorframe to the kitchen, arms crossed and eyebrow quirked. "Sounds like at least a week."

Deidara groans and nods, moving past him to plop down on the couch. Hidan soon joins him, making a face at how the couch springs give a high squeak but leaning back as he stretches.

"Couch is only gonna fit one of us," He says with a grunt, laying his arms along the back before craning his neck to look deeper into the house. "I'm sure as fuck not sleepin' on your old man's bed. Where's your room?"

Deidara leans back as well with a sigh and rests his head on Hidan's forearm. "Down the hall, last door on the right. Doubt he kept all my stuff though, yeah. My old mattress is only a twin if it's still around."

They sit there for a little while longer, the door to the quiet house still open to let the fresh air in and the distant sound of the animals outside making a strange but peaceful white noise. The pair eventually get up and search the house, finding that Deidara’s old room had been converted into an office plus home gym of sorts - a desk and chair with an old as balls computer, a few bookshelves, and a stationary bike facing the singular window.

"There's a camping and hiking store in town, hm," Deidara suggests, thumbing through a few of the books on the shelves. "They should have sleeping bags or somethin'."

Hidan nods and hops onto the exercise bike, testing it out before he glances back. "Gonna need food and a fuckton of trash bags too."

They meander around the house for another ten minutes, checking rooms and struggling to get the door to the attic open before deciding they'll have to wedge it open later with something. Eventually, the pair head back out to the car, Deidara locking the house up and pocketing the spare key before they journey back down into the town. Windows up and their music a little quieter now - it's just past 3 PM and they don't want to piss off the locals just yet - they drive around the town until Deidara remembers where the camping store (and Main Street as a whole) is.

The two of them look entirely out of place in their ripped and worn jeans, leather and bomber jackets, and old band shirts and they earn themselves a few odd looks. But they don't seem too bothered and head into the rustic store, Hidan beelining for the taxidermy bear rising above the racks of insulated clothing.

The other shop patrons send the young men curious stares before the shopkeep, and older, burly man behind the counter, greets them.

"Afternoon, boys. Here to do some, ah... hiking?" He watches Hidan poke and prod the stuffed bear's nose before turning his attention to Deidara as the blond heads towards the counter.

"Nah," Blue eyes scan the walls, looking for a sign for bedding. "Just need to grab a couple sleeping bags, hm."

The shopkeep directs him to the back right corner of the store and Deidara searches through the small selection of sleeping bags while Hidan drifts over to the display of fishing poles.

Deidara’s weighing his options between two of the most comfortable looking styles before his gaze moves to the nearby shelves and his face lights up in a grin. He quickly returns the sleeping bags to the racks and snatches a fairly large box off the shelf, rushing off to grab Hidan, who quickly nods his exuberant approval at Deidara’s find.

They leave the shop with a couple clean blankets and the air mattress tucked under Hidan's arm, depositing everything in the car before heading down the street to the grocery store. They get mostly essentials but end up messing around in the snack aisle long enough to get more chips than they certainly need before finally heading back, one of the bags of trail mix open and in Hidan’s hands before Deidara can even start the car.

He gets a pretzel thrown into his mouth with frightening precision when he starts to complain and Hidan laughs, offering a rye chip in apology some moments later.

They make it most of the way down Main Street before Deidara is suddenly slamming on the breaks and sending the bag of trail mix flying out of Hidan’s hand and spilling onto the dash.

"What the hell, man! " Hidan shouts, brushing mini breadsticks off his lap while Deidara stares out the windshield. "What was that fo-?!"

"What the fuck, " The blond interrupts, pointing an accusatory finger at the building sat on the corner of the block, right next to the post office, "Is that?! "

Hidan sends him a bewildered look and follows his point to squint quizzically at the small building.

"It... looks like a bakery or some shit?" He looks to Deidara again, incredibly confused. "What the fuck, Dei. You okay?"

Indeed, the building on the corner looked to be a bakery. Clean glass windows out front showcase an array of sweets and breads, mostly whole loaves and a few jarred goods. Outside on the sidewalk are a few bistro tables and chairs, most occupied by townsfolk enjoying sweet treats and steaming cups of what was either coffee or tea. The building stood out from the rest of the rustic Main Street, painted in mismatched colors with shrubs just under the windows blooming with early, pale purple flowers. A white wooden sign hangs out over the street, connected by chains to the awning over the shop's front and swinging slightly in the breeze.

Hidan has to squint, but he's pretty sure it says Flour Hour.

"That used to be the arcade..." Deidara says quietly, making Hidan glance over in surprise. He looks devastated but also vaguely pissed, but he's pulled from his thoughts when a car behind them honks and the pair jump in surprise, quickly moving forward.

"It was, like, the only fun thing to do in town, hm!" He laments, eyes flickering over to the colorful building. "I can't believe some jackass went and turned it into a bakery! "

"Let's pull in and check it out," Hidan suggests as they start to pass the parking spots in front of the bakery, reaching over to nudge Deidara’s shoulder. "Maybe it's a weird combo bakery and arcade. Like those fuckin' KFC-Taco Bell-gas stations."

Lips pursed, Deidara seems to think it over for a few moments before nodding and quickly pulling into one of the open spaces, glaring through the windshield. "Muffins and Mortal Kombat. Right, yeah. I could deal with that."

Hidan grins and the pair hop out. The sweet scent of the flowers out front punches them in the face moments before the smell of coffee and various baked goods greets them, nearly making them reel back in surprise. It's an overwhelming but wonderful smell and they exchange glances before heading inside.

A bell rings over the door as it opens and it's quickly apparent that the Flour Hour isn't a combination bakery-and-arcade.

There's several more tables and chairs set up inside and along the right side of the shop is a long L-shaped display case, heading into the back corner before turning to connect to the marble counter at the rear of the bakery. It's filled with cakes and bread and sweets and numerous delicious-looking goods - some rustic, some delicate, and some intricate enough to belong in a more upscale patisserie. Behind the back counter is a rather vintage looking coffee maker and a more modern espresso machine, as well as shelves of bags of beans, various tins of tea, a few random mugs, and all the makings of a decent batista setup. Along the right wall are two tall bookshelves filled with rows of jarred jams and honey and tins of spices and herbs, standing on either side of a bay window nook that looks out at the small park at the end of Main Street.

The front end of the shop is rather small, only a little under half of the building’s total as surely the rest is reserved for the bakery itself in the back. It's busy and bustling despite the time of day and all of the small tables are filled with people enjoying their goodies and beverages. A pair of young women are behind the counter, one grabbing muffins from a display case and the other making a cappuccino.

"Oh! Welcome in!" Says a voice suddenly to their right. Hidan and Deidara simultaneously look over to see a woman they hadn't noticed through the window outside, a long paper bag in hand as she grabs one of the loaves of bread in the window.

"Never seen you two before - passing through?" She asks, straightening up and offering them both a smile. "Well, we'll still be open for a bit longer so feel free to have a look at what we have left - the girls behind the counter will help you when you're ready!"

She turns to head towards the back of the shop, offering the bread loaf to a woman at the checkout counter, and Deidara and Hidan stare.

She's beautiful, they both happen to be thinking - bright green eyes, freckles dusted across her soft face, a little shorter than Deidara but a build that suggests she could probably suplex either of them, and long, long soft pink hair pulled back in a braid that swings behind her as she walks. The lovely young woman is dressed in overalls that are splattered in paint at the knees and a long-sleeved striped shirt, green and white. Her apron is dusted with either flour or powdered sugar in the front and they can see colorful socks peeking under the rolled cuffs of her overalls, her shoes also covered in flour.

Deidara blinks, tilts his head slightly, then smiles, nudging Hidan’s arm with his elbow.

"No Pac Man, but I can't bring myself to complain. This place is much better than an arcade, yeah?" He looks up at Hidan when he doesn't reply, an eyebrow raised before his expression turns confused at the intensity behind Hidan’s stare.

Magenta eyes pinned to the pink-haired woman, Hidan's own silver brows are furrowed, a small frown on his face as he seems to be trying to decipher something, never pulling his gaze away even as Deidara prods his cheek with a finger. The blond watches him for a moment before eventually shrugging and moving to head to the cases.

"Well, I'm gonna see what kind of cupcakes they've got, hm."

Hidan’s eyebrows furrow even more before his eyes go wide and bewildered and then alarmed and his hand shoots out to snatch the back collar of Deidara’s jacket, yanking him backwards and quickly dragging him out of the bakery.

His startled, choked shout earns the pair a few curious looks but Deidara soon finds himself being shoved into the passenger seat of the car after Hidan grabs the key out of his pocket, slamming the door and sliding over the hood to quickly hop behind the wheel. Ignoring Deidara’s confused sputters, Hidan quickly backs out of the parking space and heads back to the main road, recalling the way back to the house and driving a little faster than he probably should be.

"What the fuck was that, man?!" Deidara shouts, managing to right himself in his seat.

"That chick," Hidan starts, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as he stares ahead with a hard look. "She-"

"She was gorgeous, yeah, but just cause you got cold feet doesn't mean you can just drag me out by the scruff and choke the shit outta me!" Grumbling, he reaches up to straighten his collar, shooting the other man a glare. "Dibs by the way. And I really did want one of those cupcakes, hm."

"You don't fuckin' get it ," Hidan hisses under his breath, finally tearing his gaze away from the road to look at Deidara, his expression rather frazzled.

His own expression turning confused and slightly concerned, Deidara sits back and lets him continue.

"I don't know what the fuck is going on in this Mountain Man bullshit town of yours," He says, reaching up to run a hand through his silver hair. "But that chick back there.."

Hidan turns to look at him again, his gaze hard and his expression dead serious.

"She was not human."

#deisaku #hidasaku #hidadei #deisakuhida #naruto fantasy week #thirrinwrites #thirrinfic #deidara and hidan are himbos with a mystery on their hands #and sakura is very petty and maybe isnt totally human

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chierafied · 4 years ago

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Challenge Accepted! (SKW2020D7)

For SessKag Week 2020 Day 7, I tried my luck with the SessKag Trope Generator and got "Sesshoumaru mistakes Kagome's Sass for Flirting" & "Sesshoumaru's mobile day care". This bit of silliness ensued.

Also posted on AO3, Dokuga & FFnet!

When, in the final year of high school, Kagome had needed to fill out forms for career counselling and to start seriously planning her future… This hadn’t made the list.

For one, she had not been sure back then if she ever could return back to the Feudal era.

But even when she had been considering that unlikely (or so she had thought) scenario, she had pictured it all very differently.

She’d had daydreams of her and Inuyasha. Of a peaceful life in the village together with Miroku and Sango. Or maybe one of adventure, back on the road and roaming across the Sengoku era Japan.

Being covered in someone else’s bodily fluids and wrangling a hanyou toddler gearing himself up to a full-blown temper tantrum hadn’t featured into her expectations.

Not even in those rosy imaginations of her and Inuyasha’s possible future children.

She really hadn’t had a clue back then, huh?

To begin with, the well had reopened, and Kagome had abandoned all the plans she had made for the future in a split-second decision to return to the past.

Secondly, she and Inuyasha, well… It turned out they were the best of friends, but any romantic notions Kagome had once harboured had died a fairly quick death when expectations and reality did not quite manage to meet.

And finally, somehow, she had ended up running an unofficial orphanage in Edo.

It had probably begun because Kagome had been giving lessons to Shippou and Rin, as well as Miroku’s and Sango’s children.

She’d wanted to fill her days with something productive, but it turned out that growing up in the 20th century didn’t really give you all the skills and knowledge needed to fit into the life in the 16th century.

But the one thing that she did have that most people around her in the village lacked, was comprehensive education.

In hindsight, deciding to put her knowledge into a good use might have been a mistake, Kagome reflected, struggling to tie the obi around the screaming toddler.

Another young hanyou, twin sister of the charming boy currently preoccupied with throwing his tantrum, tottered in on unsteady feet, then latched onto Kagome’s leg.

Literally.

Kagome winced.

“Momo-chan, sweetheart, please remember to be mindful of your claws,” she told the hanyou girl clinging to her leg.

The girl solemnly looked at where her tiny hands were resting on Kagome’s bare shin, and then carefully eased her hold.

Kagome let out a breath, and as little Mr Cranky Pants was all changed up, set the snarling and shrieking child down.

He kicked his tiny clawed feet against the floor in utter fury, and Kagome had a snapshot of understanding what Inuyasha might have been like as a child.

She'd probably dodged a bullet there. Imagine her and Inuyasha's offspring, inheriting their temper from both parents!

Not a rosy picture at all, that.

In fact, it suddenly made Shinji-kun seem a veritable little angel.

Or perhaps that title should go to Momo-chan, Kagome amended, as the girl knelt down by her brother and stroked his hair.

Awwww!

Moments like these, Kagome thought, warmth swelling in her chest, were what made it all worthwhile.

But first things first, she really needed to change into a clean kosode herself and wash the baby puke out of her hair.

“Rin?” she called out, hoping the young woman would be free to look after the twins while Kagome made herself presentable again.

All right, so she might have exaggerated a little, earlier. It wasn’t really an unofficial orphanage, and Kagome wasn’t quite running it either.

They had six orphans altogether, and although Kaede, Rin and Kagome were the main caretakers for the children, the whole village pitched in to help where they could.

Even Shippou, who was always a very sought-after playmate whenever he came back to Edo.

Most of the children were human, only the young twins were hanyou.

The three oldest children, each old enough to look after themselves, for the most part, lived with Kaede and Rin. The arrangement suited all of them, actually, because Kaede was not getting any younger, and the additional help around the house was a huge weight off of her and Rin’s shoulders.

Kagome, meanwhile, had had the dubious honour of looking after the hanyou twins.

The logic there had been that, as a miko, she was the best suited for the task, as most villagers would not be a match for a pair of half-demons, toddlers or not. And unlike Kaede, she was young enough to keep up with the pair.

Kagome, technically, was also taking care of the youngest child, hence the baby puke in her hair.

In practice, though, the infant boy spent a lot of time over at Sango’s and Miroku’s, as Sango had very kindly volunteered to be the little baby boy’s wet nurse.

Rin still had not showed up, but all of a sudden, Shinji-kun’s temper tantrum ended, and the snarling and shrieking stopped.

Ahh, blessed silence, was all that Kagome had time to think before a flare of youki from the edge of the village raised her hackles.

Oh no.

He was back.

And he only ever did that stupid flare thing when he wanted her attention.

And he only ever wanted her attention when…

“Oh god, not another one!” Kagome groaned out lout, exasperation seeping into her very bones.

It was all the miko’s fault.

Sesshoumaru did not know how, but it was the only logical conclusion he could draw.

For years, decades, well over a century, he had wandered far and wide, in perfect solitude. (Jaken didn’t count.)

But somehow, right after his paths had first crossed with the miko, he had met Rin.

Eventually, they’d been joined by Kohaku.

After their victory over Naraku, he had parted ways with the both of them and resumed his peaceful lone existence.

And alone he had remained (Jaken still didn’t count), for a blissful three years.

Then the miko had returned.

And once again, inexplicably, he had come across a human child who had insisted on following him.

Then there had been two others, banded together until they stumbled on Sesshoumaru.

Then a pair of young neglected hanyou.

Then he had come across a raided village and had heard the wail of a human infant from among the ruins, tucked away into a safe corner, probably by its now-deceased mother.

Since it was all miko’s fault, Sesshoumaru had decided the children should be her responsibility, not his.

It was a stroke of genius, even if he said it himself.

Like killing two birds with one claw.

From the very start, the miko had been a complete mystery to him.

Not the least because of the mixed signals she was always sending.

It had always been obvious there was some sort of… involvement between the miko and his younger half-brother. Sesshoumaru hadn’t known or hadn’t cared to know the exact nature of it.

Yet, throughout their very loose acquaintance, the miko had been challenging him.

Even upon their first meeting, when she had watched from the side lines while he and Inuyasha had battled over the mastery of Tessaiga in their father’s tomb, the miko had still managed to stand up to him, by yelling advice to Inuyasha.

Then, adding insult to injury, she had been the one to pull their father’s fang out.

At every turn, she had defied him and stood her ground, talked back to him, demanded explanations of him, called him names, never shown fear... Always ready to pitch her will against his.

The miko had shattered his armour with her arrow early on in their acquaintance, and if that hadn’t been a challenge, Sesshoumaru didn’t know what was! Especially when she had promptly fired another arrow at him afterwards!

So now, at last – and once it had become clear whatever there was between Inuyasha and the miko did not exceed the bounds of friendship – Sesshoumaru had started to challenge her back.

Currently, his preferred method of doing so was depositing the orphans he collected at her doorstep.

And to the miko’s credit, she had risen to the challenge marvellously.

Speaking of…

Sesshoumaru slanted a glance over his shoulder, and at the human boy following after him beside Jaken.

“We are almost there,” he informed them, his voice even.

Soon enough, they could see Edo in the distance.

A small smile rose to Sesshoumaru’s lips.

He was looking forward to the next encounter, eager to see how the miko would respond this time.

Sesshoumaru gathered his youki around himself and then let it flare up, sending a signal to his miko.

He was coming to give her her next challenge.

After finally getting Rin to look after the twins, Kagome marched to the edge of the village, where she immediately assumed a confrontational pose – hands on her hips, blue eyes glaring at Sesshoumaru.

Her gaze flicked to the young boy nervously fidgeting next to Jaken. He was human and looked to be around ten years old.

Kagome swallowed a sigh and turned to the boy.

“Hello, sweetheart. Welcome to Edo, my name is Kagome. I’ll talk to you a little later; for now you’d probably like something to eat, right? Jaken, please take him to Kaede’s.”

The kappa sputtered, but despite the grumbling under his breath, obeyed, telling the boy to follow along as he tottered away.

As soon as the two had left, Kagome whirled back to Sesshoumaru.

“How does this keep happening?” she demanded to know. “Where do you find these children? Why do you keep on bringing them here? I can’t do this anymore Sesshoumaru, I swear! This has gone on long enough!”

She was pushing into his personal space now, all but wagging her finger at his face in righteous fury.

“I agree,” Sesshoumaru intoned smoothly.

“I’m telling you,” Kagome growled. “...Wait, what?”

“You are correct, miko, that is time to bring this charade to an end. Entertaining though it has been, I suggest it is beyond time for us to formalise our relationship.”

And just like that, Kagome’s anger was gone. Vanished, together with any sense she’d previously had of this entire conversation.

What was the infuriating daiyoukai on about?

“What relationship?” Kagome asked, suddenly apprehensive.

“Do not act coy with me, miko,” Sesshoumaru said, his eyes hooded. “We have been going around these circles for years now.”

“What circles?” Kagome was growing both more alarmed and confused by the second.

“I have presented you with multiple challenges,” Sesshoumaru told her patiently, nodding towards Kaede’s hut. “You have risen to each one and proven yourself brilliantly.”

“Challenges?” Kagome glanced at Kaede’s hut, then her own, then at Sesshoumaru. “You’ve been bringing me children because you’ve wanted to challenge me? What the hell?!”

“In part. Mostly I brought them because of the inconvenience. Nevertheless, I figured you would not be averse to a challenge, now that you and Inuyasha are no longer… involved.”

Flabbergasted. That was the word. That was what Kagome was feeling. Her mind simply wasn’t keeping up with the complete lack of logic of Sesshoumaru’s conversation.

“What does Inuyasha have to do with this?”

“You have been challenging me since the beginning of our acquaintance,” Sesshoumaru began.

I have? Kagome wondered, trying to think back to see what on Earth Sesshoumaru could be referring to.

Maybe the time she’d had an arrow ready and aimed at him and had shouted the next one would be for his heart?

She grimaced.

“But for the longest time I was not certain if I should respond in kind, especially as Inuyasha had a prior claim,” he continued.

What claim? No. Kagome shook her head. No matter how much the daiyoukai tried to explain, none of this was making any sense.

“However I have now responded to you in kind. And you have proven yourself to me, and I assume likewise my performance whenever you have challenged me has met your approval as well. Thus, I think it is time to stop playing these games and make it official.”

“Make what official, Sesshoumaru?” Kagome snapped losing patience.

Feeling stupid also didn’t help her temper.

Sesshoumaru blinked, slowly.

“Our mating, of course.”

Kagome’s mouth fell open. No words came out.

She was pretty sure that hell had just frozen over.

Unless…! Maybe?

She pinched herself and hissed in pain.

Nope, still in the middle of this absurd conversation.

She probably should say something.

Ask Sesshoumaru if he had completely lost his damn mind, maybe.

Be firm.

“M-mating?” Kagome squeaked.

Way uncool, Kagome, she chided herself.

Her mind was furiously trying backtrack. Trying to find a previous save point from a time when the world had still made sense.

“Yes,” Sesshoumaru said, unhelpfully, plunging Kagome further into chaos.

“So what you mean by challenging is…?” Kagome asked, in a vain attempt to recover some sanity.

“A typical behaviour of a suitor. How do you know if the object of your interest is truly worthy of your affections if you do not challenge them to prove themselves to you?” Sesshoumaru said, finally sounding unsure of himself

Oh.

The light bulb finally clicked on.

Oh no.

Was Sesshoumaru telling her… That basically the entire time they had known one another… he had thought she’d been flirting with him?

Kagome stared at him in mute horror.

He’d been bringing her orphan children in some convoluted and misguided effort to flirt back?!

Oh god.

“I sense some reluctance from you.” Sesshoumaru frowned.

No shit!

Kagome tried to gather her brain from the floor and scramble it for some sort of sensible words she might offer to Sesshoumaru, but before she could find any, he continued.

“Perhaps I have not proven myself to you yet? Do you wish to issue one last challenge?”

“I… Umm…” were all that Kagome’s poor brain had left to offer.

Sesshoumaru nodded gravely. “Very well. I accept.”

With three quick steps, Sesshoumaru had closed their distance.

All of a sudden, Kagome had to crane her neck in order to meet his eyes.

There was a look there, glimmering in those golden depths, that unnerved her more than this entire disaster of an encounter had.

As he leaned forward, Kagome’s eyes widened, her heart jumped, her stomach plummeted, her breath caught.

And then he was kissing her and… wow.

Wow.

Okay, maybe this crazy notion of his did have some merit if this was what he had to offer.

His hand had come up to cradle her head. His fingers tangled in her hair, his claws lightly scraped against her scalp.

Whoo, talk about toe-curling.

One eternity later, Sesshoumaru pulled away.

Kagome drew in a quivering breath, her heart beating a mad, giddy rhythm.

Had he proven himself?

You bet.

Still dazed, she looked into his eyes, the slow beginning of a smile blooming on her lips.

And then Sesshoumaru spoke.

“Are you aware that someone appears to have vomited milk in your hair?”

Ahh, yes.

That.

That they would probably still need to work on.

“Yes, I am,” Kagome retorted. “That tends to happen around babies.”

“Noted,” Sesshoumaru replied, deadpan. “So, have I proven myself sufficiently?”

Kagome bit her lip and took a moment to consider.

“You have proven yourself,” she said slowly. “But I am not ready yet to make our mating official. I think it would be fair if we tried some human courting, first.”

Sesshoumaru tilted his head.

“I suppose that your customs should require equal opportunity,” he admitted, his voice considering. “I must confess, however, that I am woefully ignorant of the ways of human courting practices.”

Kagome gave him a rueful smile.

Just as ignorant as she’d been about youkai flirting, she’d bet. But still, going forward, it would be best to avoid any further confusion and miscommunication.

“Don’t worry,” Kagome told him, reaching to take his hand in hers. “I’ll tell you all about it.”

#sesskag #sesskag fic #sesskagweek2020 #skw2020 #skw2020d7 #Pure silliness #chie writes #fic: sk

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nekoannie-chan · 1 year ago

Text

Secrets Chapter 14: Meeting the others

Pairing: Steve Rogers X OFC, Brock Rumlow X OFC.

Word count: 1419 words.

Summary: Sometimes keeping secrets can be dangerous or a heavy burden, which is what Kathleen has been doing for years. She will also be in charge of guiding Steve Rogers into this century; meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. will be looking for a way to kick-start the Avengers Initiative by integrating her as one of the superheroes, but that won't be the only danger they face.

Warnings: None.

A/N: After long time working on this longfic, I finally post it. If you wanna be added to the taglist, let me know.

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.

I don’t give any kind of permission that my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other's people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

Add yourself to my taglist here.

My other media where I publish: Ao3, Wattpad, ffnet, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter.

If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.

You can read it on Wattpad and Ao3 too.

Secrets masterlist.

Previous chapter.

Next chapter.

Very early, but on time, Coulson was waiting for them, and upon seeing him, Kathleen smiled. Of course, he was not going to pass up the opportunity to meet his idol.

While on the ship, she watched the scenery. She felt that despite everything, they were taking things very calmly. Did Nick trust the plan he had told her so much about? She didn't understand how he was so confident that it was going to work.

Although what had always intrigued him was how Fury had gotten Pym's authorization to go through with his wife's proposal.

After a few moments, the bleak thought struck: what would it all be like if Saori, Wanda, and Pietro were alive? Surely the four of them would make a special team.

Sometimes she wished things were different. A thousand times she had been tempted to take the deal with...

That didn't matter anymore; they had to take heed of the mission they now had.

After they entered the ship, Steve was fascinated with what he saw, he had never even been in the laboratories of his time in which he had been, there was nothing like it, again he had that feeling where he was mixed between surprise and confusion, at some point would he know how to use all those devices?

"If it's not too much trouble... " Coulson began to speak when he saw Steve standing next to him.

"No, not at all," Steve interrupted as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"It's a classic collection; it took me years to put it all together; it has some small details," the agent said proudly. That collection was his treasure.

"Captain, it's your turn," the Director said. "Have Agent Anzai escort the captain to put on his uniform," Nick ordered, and Steve and Kathleen nodded.

Kathleen led Steve to the room where the uniform with his nameplate was; she could sense all the thoughts of insecurity that were going through the soldier's head at that moment.

"You can do it; I'll wait for you outside to change." She turned around, ready to leave when he stopped her.

"Aren't you going to put on your uniform?" He thought it was strange not to see one with her name on it.

"I'm already wearing it," she pointed to the jacket with the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo on it and left to give him room.

Natasha, Steve, and Kathleen climbed into the ship, and the mutant stood in the pilot's seat, ready to go to where they had located the Asgardian when she felt Nat's hand on her shoulder.

"Are you sure you know how to fly this thing?" the redhead questioned.

"Commander Rumlow taught me, so yes, and you'd better take your place so we can leave and not waste any more time," answered the girl while the other two sat down.

During the ride, Steve told them the plan: the most important thing was to capture Loki and, if it was possible, also to recover Barton. He also questioned them about why Stark had not appeared so far; neither of them knew the reasons. Although Kath really didn't care what Tony did or didn't do, she knew exactly what he had done in the past. She wasn't sure she had forgiven him yet, but they had work to do and no way to choose. She felt her cell phone vibrate, she guessed it was Brock, she didn't have time at the moment to explain herself, they probably had little time.

"Sometimes I doubt that they think with their brains," commented Romanoff.

"I don't understand why they always want to solve things with blows," answered the other girl, and they both laughed.

" Do you think Clint... betrayed me? "Nat was worried.

"Not by choice, rather Loki must have manipulated him, so now we have to get him back without him suffering any damage preferably, I think that's what you'd like," Natasha nodded.

"Are you dating Rogers or Rumlow?" Natasha asked, and Kathleen grimaced. She hated that she was always looking for a partner.

"Neither; they're both just my friends, and I'm not interested in dating anyone," she answered quickly.

"Are you still not over Johnny?" Nat looked at her.

"That happened a long time ago... By the way, how do you know about him? She felt the rage growing inside her; in fact, she had dated Johnny a long time before she joined S.H.I.E.L.D., so there was no chance she knew about him, and she didn't think she had read his old diaries either, so there was no chance she could understand them.

"I heard Rumlow say a long time ago that if I found him, I would kill him for the damage he did to you," the spy replied as if she had read the other's mind. Kathleen laughed low. It really would be something Brock would say; in fact, he said it when he found out.

"That was a long time ago; surely some girl must have killed him by now or something." Kath felt uncomfortable with the conversation. Likewise, she knew that something strange had happened to the Fantastic 4, but she had never had an interest to find out exactly what had happened to them.

"You spend a lot of time with the Captain; it is obvious that there is something between you, and also the way he sees you," the other agent said suddenly.

"You're hallucinating, try to teach almost seventy years to someone who lived in the forties and you'll see that it takes too long," they both laughed, "I think it's about time I went after them, lest they think of destroying the country or something," she said as she opened a portal, and Natasha nodded as she took the pilot's place.

Kath needed to get away from Natasha quickly; despite everything, she always made her feel uncomfortable. It seemed as if she wanted to force some friendship, but they really had nothing in common, and it was not so nice what she saw inside the spy's mind—a lot of information that sometimes she would like not to know, not to mention that no one would ever take Wanda's or Saori's place.

Despite having been trained in recent months, Steve was already starting to feel tired in battle; it is worth mentioning that it was the first one he had since he had woken up, but after so long without fighting, it was obvious that he was going to feel that way. Although there was another thing that worried him, and that was that he didn't know where Kathleen was.

Steve was somewhat confused, but in the end, she was the one who had been helping him adapt, although he was sure that she would know how to protect herself and defend herself in battle. However, the Chitauri seemed endless, and Steve began to doubt if they could defeat everyone.

"Steve, are you okay?" Kath asked.

"Yes, of course, it's just that..."

"Some missions are more exhausting than others; I understand you... She managed to catch the shield before he hit her since one of the enemies had taken it from Steve. "I think this is yours," she said, handing him the shield. For a few brief moments, their hands touched.

"Huh... this one, do you have any clue as to how this will end?" Steve questioned.

"We’ll win, but we must make an effort," Kath replied while smiling.

Kathleen appeared on a somewhat devastated stage. She watched as Thor subdued Loki, while Steve and Tony were on the lookout in case he wanted to escape.

"Are they done playing?" The director is expecting us, and we've already wasted a lot of time." Everyone was startled, as they didn't expect the girl to show up; in fact, they weren't even sure how to get him to the helicopter.

"Loki will have to face trial in Asgard," Thor said authoritatively.

"He also needed to tell us a few things of utmost importance and he compromised one of the best agents we have," replied the girl, she narrowed her eyes as she listened to the thoughts of the Asgardian who seemed that he would not give in, she stared at him and began to enter more into his mind to manipulate him, she knew that Fury's patience was not infinite and they had to be back in the Helicarrier as soon as possible. She smiled in satisfaction as she noticed that it had worked.

Ꭲꭺꮐꮮꮖꮪꭲ:

@saiyanprincessswanie @sinceimetyou @unnuevosoltransformalarealidad

@navybrat817 @angrythingstarlight @shield-agent78 @charmed-asylum @pandaxnienke @real-fbi @smokeandnailz @white-wolf1940 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @xoxonotme @bluemusickid @leyannrae @harrysthiccthighss @marvelatthisone @caplanbuckybarnes @sapphire-rogers @lizzieolseniskinda @notyourtypicalrose @hallecarey1 @nana1000night @talia-rumlow @mylifeispainandiloveit @writingshae @alexxavicry @azulatodoryuga @daemonslittlebitch @sweater-daddiesdumbdork @jtargaryen18 @chaoticcollectivenightmare @endlesstwanted @chemtrails-club @marigoldreamer @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @here4thefanfics @theestorm @patzammit

#Secrets #Steve Rogers x OFC #steve rogers x oc #brock rumlow x ofc #brock rumlow x oc

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cg29 · 3 years ago

Note

For your WIP asks. Could you please give us a small bit or a fact from each work in progress?

I’m sorry Nonny, I seemed to miss this one. Hope my detailed answers make up for the wait ☺️

Tagging those who usually like updates or asked for them on some of the WIPS mentioned. @drileyf @janetm74 @katblu42 @misstb2 @weirdburketeer @alexthefly Sorry if I’ve accidentally tagged you - and please let me know if you would like updates. Meanwhile, my fics can be found on Ao3 & FFNet: CreativeGirl29 or on my side blog @cg29fics

Posted Fics:

1. Bring on the Fluff originates from this LIST I created and is open for anyone to use. I’ve posted 2 of the prompts so far and currently have 11 prompts in various stages, 3 of which are nearing completion. Here’s a snippet from one of them:

Hugs in the hangers, hugs on the beach, hugs while flying back home. He will often pop Thunderbird Three on auto pilot just for one of his quick cuddles.

2. Avalanche: I’ve recently spoken about my progress with this fic HERE Because I’m replanning this fic I don’t have much to share but I will give you this little bit that was jotted down. High possibility it will be used for this fic but if not it will definitely be placed in a different TAG story in the future.

Warm sunny days. Starlit nights. Wrapped in her arms, naming the constellations. His mother had been beautiful. A ray of light on a dark day, a smile ready to lift his spirits, and a warm hug that made everything okay.

3. Virgil Drabbles: Here’s a little bit from the next chapter.

Unfortunately, she would not stop. Her true personality: murky, twisted was now revealed, and kept hunting for answers he would not give.

4. Lucille: I’m still fleshing out the plot but I can share a teeny bit of dialogue with you.

There’s no way you’re turning it down, you love your job, and this is a dream of yours.”

“Well, I’ve already been to space once… And besides, I love you more.”

“And I love you, which is why if it is offered to you, I won’t let you turn it down”

5. Bad Things Happen Bingo. Sorry don’t have much to share as I still need to go through some basic ideas I’ve written down. You can find the prompts HERE

6. The Games: Fact for you - I have had the basic idea for this story in my head since 2017! It wasn’t until 2019 I actually wrote and posted the 1st chapter - I was inspired by a whumptober prompt. I’m still fleshing out my plot before writing and posting more but here’s a bit from my notes.

Scott saw the woman up ahead, she looked familiar, but he couldn’t place her… She stepped closer to him, quietly and cautiously… “Hey Scott…” That’s when it clicked who she was… “Kayo.” She had been in his school. The year below him, they had seen each other a lot, always crossing paths… A look would always pass between them… But no moves were made, and then she was gone… Had been called up three years previously and she had somehow survived… Although it wasn’t really any surprise considering the way she fought. She was an unstoppable force.

WIPS Not Posted - All are working titles.

1. Coffee Shot: Written 2 chapters in 2019 which were inspired by Whumptober prompts. I know I shared them on here (can’t find them to link) but for some reason didn’t archive on Ao3 or FFNet. I don’t plan to now until I’ve got a bit more done. The following bit is from C2.

“I’m calling from Oak Vale hospital, Victoria. I’m afraid your brothers been admitted…” Scott’s mind immediately raced through each of their locations. They were all on some much-needed downtime. Gordon was at Penelope’s, John still on five, Alan was playing his latest virtual game and Virg was… A sickly numbness that he hadn’t felt in a number of years, one he’d desperately wished to never feel again rippled through him… “Virgil?”

2. Jeff. Most likely a one-shot. Set after his return.

Naturally being the first mission that they had been on since his return the worries he had previously resurfaced. Thankfully, once again detecting his distress, his mother had led him into to the lounge where the comms feed was patched through so he could rest comfortably while listening to the action unfold

3. Love and Heartbreak: I’ve talked briefly about this fic HERE

It had started so innocently. A relationship neither had expected. She had been doing a morning workout on the beach along with a dip in the ocean afterwards to cool down. He had been out for his usual morning run. when he had seen her coming out of the water, he had naturally slowed down, pausing to pass her the towel that she had left folded up on top of her bag. She had smiled, excepted it, and then they had sat down to cool down and they had chatted. And not like they normally did. No, this was deeper, more intense, feelings expressed, thoughts for the future…

4. Ransom: Another written for 2019’s whumptober. Just 1 chapter that I posted here but didn’t archive. Written a 2nd bit and fleshing out the plot for the rest. Here’s a bit from part 1.

For a year now he’d been preparing, had studied the family intensely, and out of the five boys had made the decision to take the second eldest child. He was 10. Still small for his age and looked like their late mother which would hopefully work in his favour when making his demands. However, the eldest brother had unexpectedly been there and got in the way. Not wanting to give in on this one chance he had taken the risk to grab both.

5. Virgil’s Really Awful Day: A gift fic. Not saying who for… Been writing on and off for a while now and it contains several prompts from various challenges throughout that time. I have shared snippets on here before but can’t find links - Snippet below.

Virgil stepped up to the coffee machine, placed his favourite mug beneath the nozzle, and pressed the button… A smile slipping onto his face at the thought of the sweet dark nectar that he would receive… He pressed the button… Wait, hadn’t he already done that? A quick check… Water and coffee beans were filled; everything should be working… A small frown, and he pressed the button again, but still nothing.

6. Virgil Whump: Originally started as a one-off mini ficlet that I wrote on my phone. Posted that bit on here but forgot to archive. Glad I didn’t because I’ve now got a basic plan which just needs a little bit of fleshing out. Sharing a little bit from the original phone written part below…

The crunch of rubble, the squelch of mud, glass crunching. These noises churned inside him, grating on the headache that was cutting through him. Yet… After being trapped in a collapsed cellar with a wooden beam lying on his back and heavy debris pinning his legs. After losing communication with five and knowing that each of his brothers were currently busy at other rescues. After making his throat bone dry from desperate screams for help which had been followed with a deafening silence… The nauseating noise was welcomed, because it meant someone was nearby…

7. Shattered Hope: This is going to be a big multi-chapter fic. Needs a lot of planning and I’ve answered some questions and revealed little snippets HERE And here are two of the original concepts for the fic from my notes…

Revenge is a dish best served cold!

International Rescue are not responding to any calls… Where are they? Why are they not responding? And if something’s happened to the boys, who would save them in their time of need?

#cg29fics #thunderbirds #ask me random questions #thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds fanfiction #wip ask game

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dying-suffering-french-stalkers · 5 years ago

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wendy’s great big pirates of the caribbean fic rec list

Hello, friends! I’ve been meaning to make a Pirates fic rec list for years and the day has finally come. This list is obviously in no way exhaustive and is very much indicative of my personal biases (*cough* lots of Norrington *cough*), but I can heartily recommend every fic that made this list and I hope you all enjoy it. Making this was a labor of love and I would be thrilled to hear your thoughts on any you choose to read (though you should leave a kind comment for the author first)!

Other notes: I collected the bulk of these years ago, so there are a lot on FFnet and I have tried my best to screen them for various content warnings. I believe only two fics on this list are explicit and are marked as such. There is precious little slash on this list since that’s just not what I tended to read at the height of my Pirates phase; my apologies.

Under a cut to spare your dashes from this monster of a post.

“Mutiny on the Dauntless” by Marnie - Governor Swann and Lieutenant Norrington narrowly skirt disaster at the hands of a ruthless captain and dangerous crew on the crossing from England. [19k words. No ships. Warnings: seasickness, battle violence, minor character death, semi-graphic naval discipline.]

THE HONORAT COLLECTION in (hopefully) chronological order. This author is my uncontested favorite Pirates of the Caribbean fic writer and I’m forever grateful to them. Here’s to you, @honorat!

“Here’s Luck To You” - A collection of drabbles about Jack and Bootstrap Bill’s friendship, written in late 2005. [6k. Mind any posted warnings.]

“Homecoming” - Author’s summary: The young Captain Norrington has a rare moment alone with his beloved ship. [1k. No ships but the sailing kind. No warnings.]

“Daring Rescue, Daring Escape” - A narration of Elizabeth's rescue following her tumble off the battlement and of Jack's attempted escape afterward. [7k. Can be read as Sparrabeth. No warnings.]

“Worthy of His Steel” - Picks up where DR,DE left off, then flashes back to Will’s apprenticeship with Mr. Brown. [44k. Light Willabeth. Mind any warnings: I remember minor character death, alcoholism, and general angst.]

“A Bargain At Any Price” - Elizabeth reflects on James’ interrupted marriage proposal. [968 words. Unrequited Norribeth. No warnings.]

“Marooned” - A movie novelization of the time Jack and Elizabeth spent on Rumrunner’s Isle. (If you haven’t seen the deleted scenes from CotBP, they’re now required viewing: Part 1, Part 2.) [28k. Can be read as Sparrabeth. Warnings: alcohol; discussion of past injuries including burns, a brand, and a gunshot; discussion of death, murder, and suicide (latter related only to marooning and not seriously entertained or acted upon); mind any others.]

“Aboard the Dauntless” - Takes place directly after Marooned. More movie/deleted scene novelization. [20k. Can be read as Sparrabeth and/or (unrequited) Norribeth. Mind any warnings.]

“No Mercy” - Set aboard the Dauntless just after the battle at Isla de Muerta. Have you ever been unreasonably hecked up by the sailor who rang the bell when he spotted zombie pirates? I have because I’m Like That but now you can be too! [1k. No ships. Warnings: blood, minor character death, funeral, survivor’s guilt, mention of execution by hanging.]

“For Remembrance” - Elizabeth visits Jack in prison the day before his pending execution. [2k. Can be read as Sparrabeth. Warnings: brief mention of unsanitary prison conditions; death tokens; discussion of death, murder, and execution by hanging.]

“Balance of Justice” - The same night, Norrington struggles with the idea of Jack’s pending execution. [990 words. No ships. Warnings: mentioned minor character death, survivor’s guilt, discussion of execution by hanging.]

“Crossing the Bar” - My all-time favorite PotC fanfic. After the events of CotBP, Norrington thinks he has Jack cornered, but the pirate has other ideas. A story of truly literary proportions ensues. [156k. Canon divergent: written pre-DMC. Light Jack/Anamaria. Warnings: battle injuries, period-accurate first aid, minor character death. Other warnings posted in fic.]

“Just Between Us Dying Gods” - Jack’s POV, takes place on the island of the Pelegostos just prior to Will's arrival. [1k. No ships. Warnings: cannibalism, canon-typical ethnocentrism.]

“Bits of Shine” - A collection of drabbles (in the classic 100-word sense) spanning Pirates 1-3. [14k. Assorted canon ships. Mind any posted warnings.]

“Christmas Reunion” - Author’s description: A Christmas reunion of several beloved characters set post-AWE. Jack's POV. Entirely fluffy. [2k. Willabeth. No warnings.]

SCRUFFINGTON ANGST - Me, aged 15: but sir that’s my emotional support Good-ish Man Brought Low By Hubris (who am I kidding, that hasn’t changed a bit). As you would expect, general warnings for this section might include minor character death, survivor’s guilt, self-hatred, alcohol abuse, unsanitary conditions, etc. If you love Tortuga-related angst, this section is for you! If you don’t go for whump and other unpleasant things, scroll on.

“Seven Deadly Sins: James Norrington” by Edoraslass - Classic drabble format, exactly what it says on the bottle. Follows James’ DMC arc beginning in Tortuga. [711 words. No ships. See tags on AO3.]

“Three Days” by geekmama - Several scene narrations following James from the pig sty to Isla Cruces. Smelly bastard man. [1k. Several unrequited ships. Warnings: unsanitary, alcohol abuse.]

“Interregnum: Icarus” by ConcertiGrossi - Follows James all the way from the hurricane to Tortuga, with an epilogue just after delivering the Heart to Beckett. I dislike headcanons about Norrington ever employing sex workers - it seems very out-of-character to me - but other than that I stand by this fic. Angst alert. [16k. Canon-divergent only if you read Sins of the Father. Referenced unrequited Norribeth. Warnings: near-drowning, vomit, mass minor character death, implied (but ultimately untrue) medium character death, funerals, survivor’s guilt, self-hatred, unsanitary, coughing, nightmares, pregnancy mention, parental death, under-eating, alcohol abuse, referenced suicide, suicidal ideation.]

“Birthday Wishes” by YouCantGetThereFromHere - A one-shot AU in which James has a twin brother and they celebrate their thirtieth birthdays, one in England, the other in Tortuga. [4k. Referenced OCxOC ship in the first half. Warnings: alcohol abuse, self-hatred.]

“Eye of the Storm” by Edoraslass - Tortuga barmaid Kate is intrigued by the island’s newest barfly and strikes up a sort of friendship with Norrington until he moves on. [4k. No ships. See tags on AO3.]

“Oil and Wine” by Argyle - Norrington’s descent during his time on Tortuga. Everything comes with a price and a familiar face dogs his steps. [500 words. Norribeth. See tags on AO3.]

“Absence and Memory” by Meddow - Post-CotBP, Elizabeth reflects on her relationship with Norrington over the years. [3.7k. Norribeth. No warnings.]

“Penance More Will Do” by Meddow - Set directly after the hurricane. While a wounded James is adrift at sea, he is visited by Hector Barbossa, who gives him a choice on behalf of Calypso. [5.7k. No ships. Warnings: blood, vomit.]

“A Song for the Wretched and the Wrecked” by jadeddiva - Post-CotBP AU in which Will runs off to sea and Elizabeth consents to marry James after all. They have a lot of growing to do, but it ends well. [6.5k. Norribeth. No warnings.]

“Jack Sparrow’s Black Pearl” by Zath_Chauvert - A filk song in which Elizabeth and Will discuss Jack to the tune of “Tango: Maureen”. [468 words. Willabeth, J/W/E if you’re not a coward. No warnings.]

“Of How a Lieutenant died at Sea” by YouCantGetThereFromHere - Foregoing the ending he's given in OST, Lt. Theodore Groves instead dies in the wreckage of the Endeavour in AWE and briefly greets Will in the afterlife. [703 words. No ships. Warnings: implied major character death.]

THE ERINYA COLLECTION (I forgot that I saved a ton from this author as well! Not arranged in any particular order.)

“Curiosity” - Elizabeth reflects on her growing feelings for Jack during DMC. [828 words. Sparrabeth. Warnings: alcohol.]

“Sacrifice” - More Sparrabeth UST, Elizabeth’s POV. [527 words. Sparrabeth. No warnings.]

“One Shot” - A collection of PotC drabbles, all written pre-AWE. [6k. Various pairings. Warnings posted in fic.]

“The Game” - Jack and Tia Dalma play cards. [600 words. Can be read as Jack/Tia Dalma. No warnings.]

“Frayed” - Will and Elizabeth, post-DMC, semi-compliant with AWE, but angstier. I’m afraid this one isn’t very kind to Will but it sets up this author’s character dynamics/reasons for Sparrabeth. [1k. Willabeth, implied Sparrabeth. Warnings: very poor communication.]

“Something Rich and Strange” - A Will/Tia Dalma one-shot, of all things. A touch of destiny, indeed. Written pre-AWE based on fan speculation. [2k. Canon-divergent. Will/Tia Dalma, background Sparrabeth. PG-13.]

“Ocean Heart” - Post-AWE, Elizabeth is visited by Calypso on that lonely beach. [1k. Implied Willabeth. No warnings.]

“The Pirate’s Progress” - Post-DMC, Jack takes a jaunt through the afterlife, featuring all sorts of fun mythology/folklore. [10k. I’m gonna be real with y’all, I don’t remember if there’s anything shippy or triggery but I don’t think so? Implied major character death I guess but he got better]

“Worlds Enough, And Time” - Futuristic AU in which Jack and Elizabeth both partook of the Fountain of Youth. Our beloved pirates...IN SPAAAAACE. Angst with a happier ending. [3k. Sparrabeth, implied Willabeth. Canon-divergent in multiple ways. Warnings: alcohol, discussions of death, suicidal ideation, referenced minor character death.]

“Janus and the Prodigal” - A conversation between Jack and Teague, a few years post-AWE. [1k. Can be read as Sparrabeth. No warnings.]

“At Peace” by Rising Waters - Author’s summary: Elizabeth has been faithful for the allotted ten years, so Will is free of the Dutchman—but he is still plagued by thoughts of a man whose death he feels responsible for: James Norrington. [1k. Willabeth, unrequited Norribeth. Warnings: referenced character death.]

“Second Chances” by geekmama - AU in which James was only wounded by Bootstrap, not killed, and Will drops him off at Shipwreck Cove to be with Jack and Elizabeth for the next ten years. Fluff all around. [1k. Willabeth, can be read as Sparrington if you’re not a coward. No warnings.]

“For Honour A Heart’s Demise” by Meddow - Another AU in which James is only wounded aboard the Flying Dutchman, only this time he gets to partake in the rest of AWE and becomes captain of the Dutchman instead of Will. A goddess is defied and everything makes sense. [10k. Willabeth, unrequited Norribeth. Warnings: brief suicidal ideation, survivor’s guilt, grievous bodily harm, major character death (but he gets better).]

“Between Wind and Water” by rexluscus - Author’s description: “England and Spain are at war, and Norrington needs a quick solution to the Jack Sparrow problem. Meanwhile, Jack discovers that the Caribbean he once knew is gone. The deal they make could solve both their troubles, or it might be the worst mistake of their lives. This story is AU after the first film (sequels never happened). It's an experiment in dropping POTC characters into an actual historical event: the Battle of Cartagena de Indias in 1741.” [90.3k. Sparrington. See tags on AO3.]

“betwixt the devil and the deep sea” by notbecauseofvictories - A character study of Jack Sparrow in an AU with angels and demons. [2k. No ships. See tags on AO3.]

“coda” by notbecauseofvictories - Elizabeth during her time as the Pirate King. [1k. Willabeth, Sparrabeth. See tags on AO3.]

FICS I HAVE NOT YET FINISHED but would nevertheless like to recommend:

The “Rash Actions” series by @blanketed-in-stars - I’ve been meaning to finish this for 7000 years but I thoroughly enjoyed the early chapters! Nicole is a wonderful writer and is doing the Lord’s work in writing quality Turrington content. [147k. James/Will. See tags on AO3.]

“In Service to the King” by sleepylotus/@apirateslifeforme123 - An AU in which Elizabeth finds James in Tortuga after she becomes the Pirate King. I loved the first few chapters! [31.7k. Norribeth, Sparrabeth. Explicit. WIP. See tags on AO3.]

OTHER LINKS SINCE I HAVE YOU HERE

Curse of the Black Pearl early screenplay (first draft)

Dead Man’s Chest screenplay (final production draft)

At World’s End early screenplay (leaked draft)

Deleted scenes: (CotBP above in Marooned) DMC, AWE

#pirates of the caribbean #potc #fanfiction #fic #fic recs #willabeth #sparrabeth #norribeth #jack/anamaria #sparrington #turrington #tortuga #holy god this is long #i hope this posts #masterpost #long post

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zertzertzhang · 4 years ago

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Stand and Deliver: My Life Turned Upside Down CH.3

A/N: This is my first time writing on Tumblr, so please bear with me! I am usually active on FFNet and AO3, but since this fandom is basically nonexistent except for here, I thought maybe I could post my works for this movie here. The story is a fanfic based on the 1988 movie ‘Stand and Deliver’ starring Edward James Olmos, taking a deeper look into the lives of the impoverished students in East LA.

Eventual Angel/OC, and warnings of racial slurs with some physical violence.

Chapter Three: Living Skills

By the time she rolled into the second week of Garfield High, Vianne was sure she saw the school at its worst. Had she been honest with herself, she would’ve thought she was beginning to get used to the rioting students. It was a surprise that she became somewhat good at blocking the excess noise from them.

Hateful stares and whispered insults about her ethnicity waned as the week dragged on. The initial weariness she felt from the people around her dropped as she kept to herself. Call it paranoia or what, she could sense the heavy atmosphere boring onto her back as she passed the lockers. It was hard imagining a whole year of silence.

Vianne never saw herself as a quiet wallflower, but the situation at hand forced her mouth shut for far too long. The need to talk to someone had been building up since the day she arrived. If this was going to stretch out any longer, she could see herself talking to random objects within her peripheral vision. As if the students needed another excuse to deepen the ostracization. In her own way, Vianne was in solitary confinement.

Wait why do I need them?!

She shook her head, angry at her own slip up. There was no need for her to make any contact with people like that. Loneliness must've been a powerful force for her, for she now wanted communication from the very people set out to destroy her life. And it tore her dignity to shreds.

Biting the fleshy pulp of her lips, Vianne exhaled. There were still two more periods before she could jump into her car and drive home. Living Skills was next on her schedule, so she had to trudge across campus to her destination. The signs pointing to her class became clear as she neared the hallway.

With five minutes before the second bell, Vianne discovered the almost empty room. It was custom for things like that to happen. Usually, people were either late or scrambling in at the last second. To her, that was a blessing. Any area could be taken for her choosing.

She spotted Ana by the side near the windows. The bespectacled young woman turned her head to look at her when she arrived at the scene. A shy smile crossed Ana’s face, and she waved. Vianne quirked her lips in an awkward attempt to smile back.

Ana was friendly, not just to her. A pang of guilt vibrated along Vianne’s chest. She felt a bit extreme in condemning everyone in the school; at least Ana made an effort to make her feel welcomed. It was because of that Vianne didn’t pull out her hair during Math 1A, so she owed it to her.

“Hey.” A soft greeting slipped from Vianne as she approached the desk.

Ana shuffled some books to the side, creating space for her. “Hi! How was your lunch?”

Vianne sighed. “I’ve had better. The heat melted my sandwich.” She left out the part where she sat by herself for two whole weeks, not wanting to sound like some loser.

Her metaphor made Ana giggle lightly. It reminded her of the bells twinkling on the front door back in Napa; Vianne thought it to be rather calming. A breath of fresh air away from the screaming students was a surprising luxury around here.

“I know a place where there's an air conditioner,” Ana said. “You can come eat with me if you’d like.”

The invitation caught Vianne off guard, prompting her to nearly drop her pencil. Ana still held her hopeful smile, like a lost puppy. That and the desperation to find cold air sold the deal.

Vianne grinned. “That'd be great. I’ll catch you after math tomorrow.” A satisfied hum left her as she leaned against the chair. It was nice to have a lunch buddy.

It didn’t take long for the starting bell to ring. Mrs. Flores entered the class with a large trunk, followed by a hoard of people behind her. Everyone fought for a seat, breaking the calm atmosphere in seconds. Both Vianne and Ana resisted the urge to roll their eyes.

Mrs. Flores was a cheery plump woman in her sixties. Her floral dress was matched with a mint green camisole, making Vianne think of daisies and dandelions in a summer field. A pair of reading glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, giving her a jolly appearance of a librarian. Viane would reckon she’d keep a hidden stash of toffee under a desk somewhere for the children.

“Settle down, settle down!” The teacher’s chirpy voice broke through the crowd. “I have an announcement to make!”

An exasperated glance was thrown at them as Mrs. Flores shuffled to the front podium. Her arms came up, hands clasping together in enthusiastic excitement.

“I’m happy to introduce you all to our project of the semester,” she began. “There will be two parts, with each section worth fifty points. This will be a partnered assignment, so I expect you all to be friendly with one another.”

Mrs. Flores gave them another knowing look, as if to warn them against their funny business. A few students avoided her gaze, fidgeting sheepishly on the chairs. To the side, Vianne looked at Ana, motioning back and forth between them. Ana caught the drift and nodded; it would be best if they could choose who they wanted to work with.

It was still too early into the school year for Vianne to be comfortable with anyone on the premises, but Ana had been the only one to show acceptance. She’d take that over anything.

“Each pair will receive a doll.”

The next instruction baffled the class. Vianne stared on with wide eyes as Mrs. Flores took out a raggedy dummy from the trunk. It was a dress-up doll, with the color of its skin ashened by years of dust coupled with torn bits of its dress.

Mrs. Flores sighed with strange contentment as she continued. “This year, the health department wants us to learn how to be responsible adults. As we are nearing senior year, the closer you are all to adulthood. And one of the graduation requirements is to pass Living Skills.”

Vianne didn’t need to hear the rest of it. Playing make-believe house was one of the projects required in Sex Ed class back in Napa, only it was to be taken during senior year. It would appear that it was happening sooner for her. Praying to whatever deity that came to mind, she hoped that she was allowed to choose partners. There was no way she was going to be stuck with a haughty, nose-picking man-child.

“The fuck ma’am?!” Another shout rang from behind. “Who needs this?!”

A wave of murmurs agreed to his outcry, with some joining in. Mrs. Flores huffed, using her index finger to push up her glasses before glaring at the mass.

“If you want me to teach sex, then the right thing for me to do is to teach you the aftermath of it, too.” A light smile danced around her lips, a brow raised along with it. The boys’ cheeks flushed bright red at the comment, while the girls took a sudden interest in their books.

Vianne felt the same sentiment, her ears tingling with warm embarrassment. Mrs. Flores was a lot of things, and bluntness was one of them.

“Can we pick partners?” one of the girls asked.

Mrs. Flores shook her head. “I’ve already made my decision last night about the pairs.”

Vianne’s stomach twisted at the revelation; she was already having a shitty time adjusting to the new school, and now she had to deal with a hotheaded student who probably hated her guts. Dred pooled down her back, soaking her in fearful anticipation.

Before them, Mrs. Flores took out a sheet of paper. Her mouth moved to speak, but was interrupted when an ear-splitting crash came from the door. It sounded like a dense mass falling onto the lockers. All eyes turned to the source of the sound, Vianne included. Another bang followed the crash, before all was silent. She sucked in a breath.

With a crack, the door flew open, revealing none other than the very boy who made fun of her days before in Math 1A. It would appear that barging into class midway was his style of rolling.His eyes drooped in lazy discontent, and there was dust all over his bomber jacket. Upon closer inspection, Vianne could make out the beginnings of a bruise forming on the corners of his left eye.

Great. She shared another class with him, too. Oh goodie. Vianne was starting to believe that she was cursed before she stepped foot in LA. Or maybe she fucked up really bad in her past life. Because no one could have this much bad luck in one month. Mrs. Flores, on the other hand, seemed way too surprised at his grandiose entrance.

“Well, well, Mr. Angel Guzman,” she tutted. “It’s a pleasure to finally see you grace my class with your presence.” Sarcasm dripped from her voice as she stared him down, not bothering with formalities.

Angel rolled his eyes with a click of his tongue. Sauntering to the nearest desk, he slumped into the seat, angling his legs wide open. Without context, one might believe him to be a gangster boss overlooking his new crew. The relaxed stance in his posture gave away nothing about his mood, but the dark look in his eyes spoke for him.

If Mrs. Flores was miffed by his disposition, she didn’t show it. “Since you’ve expressed so much excitement for this assignment, I’ll give you the honor of knowing your partner first.”

Scanning the paper, her eyes landed on the very bottom of the list, and she spoke again. “You’ll be with Miss Yang over here for the project. Now, Adeline, you’re with Thomas. Ana, you’re with Daniel, Clarise-”

Vianne didn’t take in anything else other than the first sentence. Her ears rang, and she could see her soul departing her body for the heavens. This was the final nail on the coffin, pushing her over the edge of sanity. Her worst prediction had come true; she had the most deadbeat partner she could ever find in this school.

Her instincts had her look over in his direction. Angel’s gaze caught hers as she did so, however his face still held their impassive stare. Breaking contact, he moved to pull down his beanie again, shielding his eyes; he was preparing for a nap. Vianne groaned into her hands, earning a pity glance from Ana. It was the I’m-sorry-but-you’re-kinda-screwed look.

Mrs. Flores was still speaking, thus rattling Vianne back to reality. “-come up and grab your supplies! Please make a line and wait your turn.”

Half of the class rose and made a beeline for the trunk. Ana had already gathered hers and was now sitting by Daniel, leaving her alone. Angel was leaning against the chair like he was by the beach with his hands behind his head, and that told her more than she needed to hear. Vianne pursed her lips, hoisting her body from the desk.

The teacher smiled too brightly when she came up to collect her doll. “Congratulations! It’s a girl for you!”

Handing Vianne a bottle of cleaning solution and a hair brush, Mrs. Flores patted her with a good-natured smile. It made Vianne’s soul twist in its grave. She turned around with robotic stiffness, and headed back to Angel’s seat. The young man took no notice of her arrival, continuing to stew in his state of trance. A toothpick hung out from his mouth, giving more into the lazy fashion.

Shit. I’m going to carry us both. The grim thought crossed her mind, and she winced.

“Uh, we need to fill out the form.” Vianne pointed to the paper left by the teacher, snapping her fingers to get his attention. It was a fake birth certificate for the doll; Mrs. Flores was going above and beyond for the final project. Had it been under pleasant circumstances, Vianne would’ve given her kudos for her creativity.

Angel canted his view upwards, staring at her with mild curiosity. It was only then she noticed the deep set of eyes, with equally thick brows to match. His hands refused to leave his head, but his lips parted ever so slightly. Nothing came out of them.

Right. The guy never brings pencils. Realization hit her and she slumped onto the chair next to his. This is gonna be so fun.

As she tapped her pencil onto the paper, Vianne ignored the bouncing of his legs to the side. It was taking her attention away from thinking of a name for the doll. After another few minutes of awkward silence passed, she noticed they were the only pair that had almost zero progress on the first section.

Open your mouth and get him to talk, damn it!

Scowling, Vianne turned to the young delinquent, who was actually on the urge of falling asleep this time. Vexation burned her mind, and she shoved the paper to his side.

“Come up with a name,” she said. The sudden movement jerked him from his slumber, causing him to blink several times before his eyes settled back to hers with a glare. Vianne was not about to back down from a glance alone, so she crossed her arms, huffing at the dramatic display of resistance.

“I know you understand me.” The memory from last week was still fresh in her brain cache. “So come up with a name.”

At that, Angel smirked. “You’re the smart one. What ya need me for?”

Oh the little shithead.

Vianne returned the remark with a scowl of her own. “Believe me, I’d love to work by myself given the situation. But I’m not gonna carry you across the semester.” If the brat thought he was going to get an easy A because of her, then he had another thing coming.

Her hissy fit seemed to have gotten to him; his eyes narrowed while he bit down on the toothpick. “Puta, you’re so fucking annoying.”

“What did you just call me?!”

“Figure it out, smart one.” A lopsided grin appeared on his face, though it was miles away from friendly. His eyes flashed, almost like a warning. But like that would deter her.

She was about ready to slap the paper into his face when she remembered the way Escalante would handle him when he got up all over his ass. A slight smirk painted her lips as she thought of an idea; if he was going to be an ass, then she was going to be an ass back.

“Are you simply trying to hide your illiteracy?” Vianne asked, her voice filled with over-saturated innocence.

Angel nearly swallowed his toothpick. “What?” The stare he sent her screamed a thousand red flags, but she held a hand against her legs to keep them from shivering.

“Oh, y’know…” she began. “I thought coming up with names wouldn’t be too difficult. Seems like it is for you, though.”

The muscles of his jaws clenched, darkening his guise. Angel’s nostrils flared as he looked at the piece of paper before him. Vianne could practically see the gears turn in his head. They were in a classroom, so there was nothing extreme he could do even if he was pissed. The thought of trapping him between a rock and a hard place made her feel a little better after the previous taunts.

Just when she moved to retrieve the materials back, his hands slammed on the paper. She flinched at the action, but kept her eyes glued to the desk, not raising to meet his.

“Camilla.” His raspy hum sounded quietly in the background. Had Vianne been further away, she wouldn’t have caught it.

“What?” She peered up at him, opening her mouth to ask more, but he was already looking away.

“The name,” Angel said. “It’s Camilla.” He made it sound like he was talking to a five-year-old.

Vianne breathed a sigh of relief and took the pencil. She began to fill in the required information about their ‘daughter’. He still refused to write out his part, so she relented for now.

“Camilla Guzman it is then,” she spoke to herself.

Now it was Angel’s turn to be perplexed. “Camilla Guzman?” He stopped chewing the wooden stick in his mouth for a moment.

His partner scoffed from her seat. “Well, you’re the dad, Angel. Unless you want me to have full custody.” Vianne rolled her eyes at the thought of having a daughter at her age. Ms. Lin would have a heart attack and be driven to an early grave.

When she didn’t hear anything else from him, she feared her jokes flew over his head. Vianne raised her head just in time to catch a light smirk tugging at his face. Sensing no real threat, she went back to writing.

A clap from Mrs. Flores turned both their attentions to the front podium. The teacher had gathered everyone’s eyeballs towards herself, and she cleared her throat.

“Since class is coming to an end, I’d like to make sure everyone understands their part of the assignment.” She paused for a second, before taking out another batch of files. “One ‘parent’ takes care of the doll for a week, alternating with their partners over the course of the semester. By the end of each month, I’d like a report summarizing the difficulties of parenthood. The rubric is simple; if the doll ends up in tatters, or if it becomes lost, then you will be automatically given an ‘F’. Keeping your ‘children’ in pristine condition and well-clothed is the primary goal. That’s all for today. Now figure out who’s taking custody first.”

Vianne looked to Angel, and then back to their ‘daughter’. This was a tough cookie, and she wasn’t sure she trusted him with not losing the doll within the first few days.

“Rock papers,” Angel offered.

She wanted to guffaw at the suggestion, but logic told her it was a fair method. “Sure. Loser takes the kid.”

It turned out to be a horrible move on her part. No matter what kind of tricks she threw at him during the sparring, he either met her with the same level, or defeated her. If she used rock, he met her with paper. When she went for paper, he countered with scissors. At last, on the third try, she pulled a rock again, only to be faced with another rock from him.

Two loses and a tie; it was a no brainer who the kid went with for the first week. Angel sizzled with smug pride as he counted the points against her, his wicked grin broadening.

“Guess you’re not so smart after all.”

Oh fuck you. Vianne knew nothing good ever came out of that smirk. There was no guarantee he was going to show up after her week was up. For all she knew, Angel could easily ditch her for the rest of the year with the doll on her own. It wasn’t like he cared about his perfect track record. Her heart sank at the thought.

“You are coming back next week, right?” Skepticism laced her words as she eyed him.

Angel clicked his tongue, raising a brow. “Who knows?” It was the closest to an answer she would get from him. And it was not reassuring at all.

Vianne glared, hoping that by her looks alone, he would get the message. But her efforts were in vain. Angel soon reverted back to napping for the rest of the class, not wasting a second longer on her.

A/N: As per usual, shoutout to @classic80sand90smovieloves2 for encouraging and helping me get over writers block and whatnot ;)

And thank you to all my followers who happened upon this piece in the sea of posts here on tumblr :p I love y’all and hope I didn’t disappoint!

#stand and deliver #angel guzman #angel guzman imagine #fanfiction #fanfic #lou diamond phillips #edward james olmos #jaime escalante #stand and deliver headcanon #80s movie imagines #80s movies

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mayquita · 5 years ago

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Damn You For Making Me Love You (3/15) - Because The Night (The Performance)

Thank you so so much, for your likes, reblogs, kudos and comments. It means the world to me.

Beta-Reader: Thank you so much, @ultraluckycatnd I couldn’t have asked for a better beta. Thank you for all your effort, your suggestions, your advice and for always being there when I needed you.

Special mention to @saraswans and @onceuponaprincessworld, thank you so much for your perpetual support and for believing in me and in the story. Thank you again to the moderators of the event, @captainswanbigbang for giving us this opportunity and making this possible. You all are the best :)

Summary: Emma Swan and Killian Jones are close friends and co-workers. And both are in love with each other. The problem? They keep their feelings secret not only to the other but also to the rest of their friends. When Elsa, Emma’s best friend and Liam, Killian’s brother and Emma’s boss find out, they decide to form an alliance and work as a team with a clear goal, to get Emma and Killian to take the next step in their relationship and confess their love for each other.

Rating: M

Word count: ~ 7100 (98k total in 15 chapters)

Also:

Tumblr: Prologue // Chapter 1

From the beginning Ao3 / FFnet — Current chapter: Ao3 / FFnet

About this chapter: We’ll have Elsa’s POV and also Killian’s POV in the last section. Thanks to the flashback, we’ll witness the first meeting between Elsa and Liam. In the present, we’ll observe the performance through Elsa’s eyes ;) I hope you like it :)

Chapter 2: Because The Night (The Performance)

Elsa - Three and a half years ago

A breath of fresh air welcomed Elsa the moment she entered The Kraken. It was a hot Saturday evening in early June in Boston, so she hurried to close the door behind her as she let herself be enveloped by the cold coming from the air conditioning.

This was the first time Elsa had visited her friend at the bar, even though Emma had been working there for six months. It was not that Elsa or her sister had not had opportunities to come, or that they had refused to do so. Rather, it was Emma’s fault, who insisted on separating her work life from her personal one for some strange reason. That self-imposed rule had been broken when she had let the Jones brothers into her life, though, causing the dividing line between those two parcels of her life to weaken until it had all but disappeared.

It was still early, which meant that the bar wasn’t crowded, so Elsa had the opportunity to appreciate the place without feeling overwhelmed by the rest of the people. She already knew that it had a naval-style decoration, in accordance with the name of the bar. But what she hadn’t imagined was that the representation was so impressive.

The bar area emulated the deck of a ship, with a helm included, while the large windows were adorned with a kind of sail-curtains. The stage at the bottom also seemed to emulate a deck, with a mast standing on one of the sides. Numerous motifs related to the marine world completed the decor. Elsa would have expected the waiters to be dressed as pirates or sailors, but Emma had already informed her that this wasn’t the case.

Just then Elsa spotted her friend near the bar, engaged in a conversation with Killian while he was serving drinks. She had already met him two months ago, when Emma introduced him one day when they had run into him on the street. Since then, they had met on a couple more occasions. Elsa had liked Killian from the start. He had a special charm, despite his constant innuendos, and above all, he seemed to understand Emma even better than Elsa herself.

Elsa was enthralled for a while watching while they chatted. They had an interesting dynamic; Killian smiling continuously towards Emma while doing his job while she leaned slightly forward on the counter to be heard above the crowd.

They were so engaged in their conversation that neither of them noticed her at first. Just as Elsa was going to get close and get their attention, Emma grabbed the camera and started taking pictures of Killian with customers who were ordering.

At one point he even started posing in front of the camera, first making faces and then as if he were a celebrity, putting his hand on his face to avoid being photographed. Even in the distance, she could hear Emma’s carefree laugh.

Elsa was glad that Emma had met someone whom she could empathize so well with. No doubt she needed more people to lean on, and Killian seemed willing to be one of them. The connection between them was so obvious that Elsa had asked her on occasion if she had begun to harbor feelings beyond friendship for him. Emma had flatly denied it so Elsa had no choice but to believe her, especially since from what she was observing, it was clear that their relationship was that of close friends.

They still didn’t notice her although she had decided to sit on a nearby stool. Again, before she could get their attention, someone interrupted her.

“They spend all day like this.” Her head snapped around at the voice coming from behind the bar. “Elsa, I presume?”

Elsa narrowed her eyes as she tilted her head, studying the guy who had addressed her. He was smiling as if he had met her before, although she was sure they had never seen each other in person. Elsa had no doubts about his identity, though, since she had seen several of his photos posted on the bar accounts on social media. She wasn’t sure how he had found out her identity, though. As if reading her thoughts, he offered a quick answer to her question.

“You appear in many photos on Emma’s Instagram account. Besides, she had already anticipated that you would visit us today,” he explained as his smile widened.

“And I guess you are Liam, the older brother,” Elsa said as she tilted her head slightly in Killian’s direction, her lips drawing a soft smile.

“Aye, also known as the Captain of this ship. Welcome to The Kraken, lass. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” He offered her a hand in greeting and to her surprise, when he took hers, instead of squeezing it, he brought it to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles.

Her lips parted slightly in surprise as she felt her cheeks begin to burn. “Nice to meet you, too,” she managed to mumble as he released her hand. Unable to hold his gaze, Elsa glanced at Emma and Killian, who kept talking to each other. “So you were saying that they always act like this?” she asked then, ignoring the tingling she still felt on the back of her hand.

Before Liam could answer, Killian turned his head, his eyes finally meeting hers. His face lit up in recognition as he offered her a warm smile before addressing Emma again.

Emma also turned her head in her direction, giving her a wide smile as she approached her. “Elsa! You’re early. Much better, so you can live The Kraken experience from the beginning,” she said while giving her a brief hug as a greeting.

Killian also approached her. “Good evening Elsa. It’s good to see you here. I see that Emma has finally decided to invite you to our humble place.” He greeted her with a slight bow of his head. “What would you like to drink, lass?”

“It’s on the house, of course, ” Liam hastened to add. “Our VIP client deserves special treatment.“

Elsa felt her cheeks blush again, a shy smile pulling at her lips. “Thank you.”

Liam smiled in return, but at that moment someone called him from the other side of the bar, so he excused himself with a brief bow of his head. “I’ll see you later, love. Enjoy the visit.”

“Two shots of tequila, Jones. We’re celebrating today,” Emma ordered for her before turning, looking for her gaze. “So, well? What do you think?” she asked, gesturing with her hand to encompass the entire place. Elsa detected a glimpse of nervousness in her voice, as if she was expectant of what she might say.

Elsa didn’t have time to answer, though, since she was interrupted by Killian. “Wait a minute, what are we supposed to be celebrating? I haven’t missed any birthdays or anniversaries, have I?”

“Who talked about you, Jones? I meant her and me.” Emma smirked at him and grabbed both glasses, not bothering to explain herself further.

“Come on love,” Killian insisted, “do I have to congratulate you on something?”

Emma let out an exaggerated sigh while rolling her eyes before answering. “I’m celebrating that I’ve been putting up with you for six months and I haven’t killed you yet. Happy?”

Killian’s features twisted in a wince, while he put his hands to his heart in a melodramatic gesture. “You wound me, love,” he whined, his lips drawing into a pout. He then turned to Elsa. “Do you see what I have to go through every night?”

In response, Elsa raised her glass as a toast. “For another six months of suffering, then.”

After letting out a heavy sigh he filled a glass for himself while commenting in fake resignation, “That’s a cross that I’m willing to bear.” He winked at Elsa before raising the glass to join the toast. “I like her, by the way. Can we keep her, Swan?” he asked while the glasses clinked together. The three of them looked at each other and, before ingesting the liquid, they burst out laughing.

Once the laughter subsided they toasted again. The moment Elsa felt the liquor sliding down her throat, she also felt a warm sensation spreading through her veins. She glanced around once more, creating a memory of herself in this cozy place while wondering if all her upcoming visits to The Kraken would result in such a pleasant experience as the first one. She couldn’t wait to find out.

Elsa - November 2019

Elsa still couldn’t believe this was about to happen. When Emma had told her she was going to sing with Killian on Saturday night, Elsa had thought at first that her friend was joking. When she had also learned the song they’d sing she had been about to laugh, because seriously? What was Emma thinking?

“Who will sing ‘ the way I feel under your command ’?” Elsa had asked her as she hummed the song, getting a murderous look from her friend and a firm refusal to talk about it. It wasn’t her fault that the first thing that came to mind was the meaning of the lyrics, especially considering the feelings Emma tried to hide. “It’s just for business,” was all she had gotten from her.

Two months had passed since Emma’s confession, and Elsa, sadly, saw no advance in moving the relationship forward from Emma’s side. At least the knowledge of her feelings towards Killian had allowed Elsa to observe them more closely, proving that the connection between them was undeniable. How could all this have gone unnoticed before?

Elsa had to admit that, although she had been suspicious at first, given Emma’s attitude towards Killian since the beginning, that suspicion had been diluted over time; first because of Emma’s denial and then because she had managed to disguise all those affectionate gestures behind the mask of friendship. Now that she knew Emma’s true feelings though, everything seemed so much more obvious.

So here she was, sitting on a stool at The Kraken, not willing to miss a great performance under any circumstances.

While she waited, she glanced around. The bar had its usual appearance, with its naval-style decoration. Even though the room was of considerable size, she always found it cozy, and that was to Liam’s merit, who, as Emma had told her, had taken care of every detail of the decor. At this time of year, moreover, they had included some Christmas motifs, which made the bar even more welcoming.

Her eyes continued their scrutiny across the place to land on Emma. She, as usual, was busy, camera in hand, taking pictures of the crowd. Her friend had chosen a very appropriate outfit for the night. She wore dark blue skinny jeans and knee-high black boots. Her tank top, with an image of one of Bruce’s album covers printed on it, was wound up to her waist. The pants rode just low enough to glimpse the band of her underwear.

Killian, instead, was behind the bar serving drinks. His performance would begin shortly, but, in his own words, keeping his mind occupied in other activities helped him relax before taking the stage. His attire was also the usual, flannel shirt in different shades of blue over a white t-shirt with v-shaped collar and dark blue jeans.

She had a privileged view from her corner of the bar, being able to observe both Emma and Killian as they performed their usual duties. That was how Elsa realized that, while he served drink after drink, his eyes followed every one of Emma’s movements through the room. Elsa tilted her head slightly as she narrowed her eyes, trying to watch Killian’s expression more closely. Maybe…

“Have you already ordered anything to drink, lass?”

Elsa winced in her seat at the sound of Liam’s voice. She had been so intent on watching Killian that she hadn’t even noticed his arrival. She quickly composed herself and gave him a smile as she replied, “Tequila for me, thank you.”

Liam made a gesture of appreciation and set out to pour the drink. “To what do we owe the honor of your presence tonight? I guess you have come to witness the great performance.” He waved his hands in the air as if he were showing a neon sign.

“Of course, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Elsa cocked her head slightly, giving him a questioning look. "By the way, what did you do to convince Emma?”

“Do you doubt my powers of persuasion, lass?” Liam replied as he winked at her. Elsa felt a soft blush warming her cheeks as she averted her gaze to the glass on the counter.

Killian was the master in flirtation, but his brother followed closely. Over the years, she had learned that this flirting was part of their personal charm. It was just an attitude, a kind of harmless game. Even so, she couldn’t prevent her natural shyness from emerging in these situations.

She had a much closer relationship with Killian, due to her friendship with Emma, since he used to visit their apartment quite often. She had always felt more comfortable with the older brother, though, probably because they were both the older siblings who had to take care of the younger ones too soon.

“You should have seen the rehearsals. They sound amazing together.” Her lips curled into a timid smile and then turned her gaze back to Emma. “Speaking of which, it’s time for the great presentation. I’ll be right back.” Liam gave her a warm smile before leaving to search for Killian and Emma.

Elsa grabbed her glass and turned on her stool for a better look. Liam waved at Emma to catch her attention. Then the three of them headed to one side of the stage, Killian already prepared with his guitar. Liam gave him a cheerful pat on his back before taking the stage to present the performance.

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen, a new performance of Saturdays in Concert is about to start, and tonight we’ll have a great surprise at the end! But in the meantime, I ask you all to give a big ovation to my talented brother, a great musician and an even better person. I present to all of you, Killian Jones!”

The crowd broke into applause and cheers to welcome Killian on stage. Elsa didn’t overlook that before he got on, Killian melted into a tight embrace with Emma. Once on stage, Liam placed the microphone in the holder and raised his thumbs before leaving. Emma, meanwhile, stood right in front of the stage, the most appropriate place to take the best photos.

And so the show began, Killian’s melodious voice and the strumming of his guitar wrapping around the whole room. Since he regularly played hits of the 80’s and 90’s, the crowd already knew most of the songs, so they chanted them to the beat of the music.

Elsa also joined the rest and, although she didn’t leave her place next to the bar, she did send out shouts of encouragement and hummed some of the songs. Killian was good, very good; she never got tired of listening to him.

Evidently, Emma thought the same, since she didn’t stop taking photos from below the stage. Elsa also noticed that Killian was constantly looking for her, smiling every time she directed her camera toward him. It was as if he were singing just for her. Could it be possible…

“Enjoying the show, love?”

Elsa gave a start at the unexpected voice of Liam for the second time that night. She turned her head to answer him. “Of course, I’m one of his fans,” she said, raising her voice to make herself heard above the music.

“Another drink? It’s on the house today since you’re a VIP client.”

She couldn’t help but smile while the memory of the first time they met came to her mind. It had been more than three years since that day and Elsa had not yet paid for a single drink, at least if it depended on Liam, who always reminded her of her special status. Elsa, in turn, always feigned her surprise, as if it were the first time.

She had to admit that she liked to share this little tradition with him because that always allowed them to take their game a little further.

“So a VIP client, huh?” She raised an eyebrow suggestively. “I’m not complaining at all if that means I get free drinks.” She accepted the offer, holding up her glass. Liam obliged, of course, grinning at her as he poured her drink. She then turned her gaze back to the stage area.

The idea that had begun to form before being interrupted by Liam flashed back in her head as she checked once more on Killian’s attitude toward Emma.

“I didn’t realize it until now. Does Killian always act like that? As if there was no one else in the room except Emma?” The words came out of her mouth just as Liam set the glass in front of her.

Liam’s smile faltered slightly, giving way to a reserved expression, but she also detected a special gleam in his eyes. What was happening here? When it seemed that he was going to ignore her question, Liam surprised her with an unexpected counterattack. “Just as whenever Killian performs, there’s like a million photos of him.”

Elsa narrowed her eyes, looking suspiciously at Liam. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

“Of course not, lass, I’m just stating something obvious, just like you.”

Her mouth opened, but she thought better of it and decided not to reply, rummaging instead through his words. Was it possible he wanted to say what she suspected? He had practically confirmed her first impression. Before she could think of anything appropriate to say, Liam continued.

“Is there something I should know about my brother?” Liam leaned toward her, invading her personal space, his arms on the counter, as he stared at her. Although his tone was not very high, she could hear his words perfectly, such was his closeness.

“Is there something I should know about my best friend?” she countered, holding his gaze in a challenging way.

Liam cocked his head slightly, keeping the scrutiny on her, the tip of his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth. After a few more seconds, he nodded almost subtly and asked again, changing the wording. “Does Emma have feelings for Killian?”

“Sure, they’re close friends,” Elsa answered tentatively, not sure where this conversation was going.

“You know what I mean.”

All the pieces fit in her head at that moment. She widened her eyes as she looked around. “Wait a minute, that’s why you’ve arranged all this?” Her hand waved to the stage. “To make them sing together?”

“I had to get them out of their comfort zone somehow,” he admitted through a tight smile.

Elsa gasped with excitement. “So it’s true, your brother has feelings for Emma!”

“I guess from your expression that Emma feels the same towards my brother.” His previous reticence disappeared at the moment their secrets were exposed. It was as if he had removed a mask of caution, sporting instead a broad smile as the glow in his eyes grew more pronounced with something similar to hope.

Elsa lifted her glass as a toast and took a sip of her drink. After the brief moment of euphoria, however, she felt as if that initial emotion was dragged down by the liquid as it passed through her throat, and reality began to prevail again. Regardless of Killian’s feelings, Emma was determined not to risk her friendship with him. Her fear of losing him was almost paralyzing.

“You know it’s not going to be enough for them to sing together tonight, right?”

Liam let out a heavy sigh as he ran his hand through his hair. “I am aware of it. They are both so stubborn and their hearts have been broken so badly that I don’t think they’re able to advance the strange relationship they have.”

He paused for a moment as he poured himself a shot of rum. He raised the glass, inviting Elsa to toast with him. After taking the shot, he continued. “But it seems that they’re affected in a certain way when they’re in a different scenario than they’re used to.”

Elsa remembered the night two months ago, when Emma confessed her feelings. “Oh, I’m aware of that. Remember when you gave them the weekend off? That was when Emma confessed.”

Liam’s eyes widened in surprise. "That was when Killian confessed as well.”

“Really?”

“Something happened that night!” they both shouted in unison.

“Really?” Elsa repeated, the corners of her lips drawing up into a wide smile. The night was taking an unexpected turn and she couldn’t be more grateful for it.

Liam arched an eyebrow in appreciation. “It seems that you and I are in sync, lass. We should take advantage of that and do something productive about it.”

Elsa’s cheeks flushed slightly at his words but she ignored any possible hidden meaning and focused instead on Killian and Emma.

“Yeah, I agree with you. We should work as a team. The night they met when they didn’t expect it created tension between them.”

“We could generate more situations like that; put them in scenarios that they don’t expect, push them out of their comfort zones without forcing too much,” Liam continued with her train of thought. His voice sounded excited. Clearly, he was as interested as she was in uniting those two idiots.

Her brain started working immediately, drawing up those possible scenarios. An idea began to emerge, but just as she was about to suggest it to Liam, Emma suddenly appeared.

“Hey, guys, say cheese.” Without further warning, Emma took a few photographs. Then she looked at the camera screen and smiled, clearly satisfied by the result.

“Oh, God, Emma! I hate it when you do that. I always look awful in those improvised pictures,” Elsa grumbled, her lips forming a pout.

"No, you don’t. You two make a nice couple on the screen. Anyway, you have the opportunity to do the same now.” Emma slid the camera strap over her head and handed the device to Elsa. “You’re in charge of taking the pictures of our performance.”

“Is it your turn now? Go up there and show everyone your talent.” Elsa took the camera and hugged her friend while whispering in her ear, “Don’t get nervous, everything will be fine. Let yourself go and enjoy this moment with him.”

Emma gave her a shy smile as she walked away and turned her gaze to Liam. "You’ll reward me for this, you know, right?”

“Of course, lass. Good luck.”

Emma took a deep breath, gave them one last look and then headed toward the stage with determined steps.

Elsa, for her part, hung the camera strap around her neck, preparing for the task entrusted to her. Before walking to the stage, she gave Liam a warm smile, receiving the same in response.

Killian was singing the last chorus of his song as Elsa walked through the crowd. Despite the fact that she had tried to infuse Emma with encouragement, as the moment approached, she was getting more and more nervous. Elsa didn’t doubt that everything would flow smoothly, but after all, this was a new situation for her friend.

When the music ended, everyone around her broke into applause. It seemed like people were enjoying themselves a lot with the performance.

“Thank you very much to everyone!” Killian began to speak. “As my brother announced, tonight we have a surprise as a closing. She is the soul of The Kraken, the person who makes this bar shine, and who brings a bit of sanity to the two Jones brothers. I ask you all for a great round of applause to welcome the talented, beautiful, and lovely Emma Swan!”

The audience began to cheer, accompanying her friend on her way to the stage. She was welcomed by Killian, who gave her a brief hug before offering her one of the microphones and putting himself in place.

Elsa’s heart began to pound in her chest in anticipation of what was about to happen. She grabbed the camera and started taking pictures of everything that happened on the stage, not willing to miss a single detail between them.

As the first notes sounded, the enraptured audience applauded even more, to Elsa’s delight.

Here it comes …

Emma stood in the center of the stage, with Killian on her right. When the time came, she began to sing, her voice clear and tuned, without a hint of nervousness.

Take me now baby here as I am

pull me close, try and understand

desire is hunger is the fire I breathe

love is a banquet on which we feed.

When their two voices joined, magic appeared. They were creating something special, sharing not only lyrics but also their gazes and their smiles. The chemistry between them was evident and increased as the song progressed.

Elsa was impressed by Emma’s capacity to act. She was totally into her role. Killian for his part, despite being totally focused on her, didn’t lose his ability to sing and play his guitar, showing once again his undeniable talent.

She couldn’t stop shooting, the performance passing before her eyes through the viewfinder of the camera as she tried to immortalize those magic moments forever.

At one point in the song, Emma moved even closer to Killian and placed her free hand on his arm, squeezing it gently. They both stared at each other as they sang the last verses. Elsa could almost feel the electricity emanating between them.

With love, we sleep

with doubt the vicious circle

turn and burns

without you I cannot live

forgive, the yearning burning

I believe it’s time, too real to feel

so touch me now, touch me now, touch me now.

After the last strumming of the guitar, the song ended, but they remained in the same position for a few seconds as the audience applauded and shouted around her. They were so close that their foreheads were almost in contact. After a brief moment lost in each other’s eyes, they smiled and melted into a tight embrace, to the enjoyment of the public, who began to applaud with even more enthusiasm.

Finally, they moved away from each other a little, directing their attention to the crowd. They bowed while holding their hands and then raised their arms in gratitude. Their smiles didn’t disappear from their faces. Elsa herself was infected by the enthusiasm around her and raised her fist as she screamed “Bravo!”

“Whoa, this has exceeded my expectations. It’s been amazing.” For the third time that night, Liam’s voice made her jump in surprise. Somehow, he had managed to position himself right behind her and was speaking very closely to make himself heard through the crowd.

Elsa felt an involuntary shiver as she noticed his presence was perhaps too close. But she didn’t have time to appreciate what was happening because at that moment the two singers came down from the stage and approached them.

Despite having finished their performance, Killian was still holding his guitar in one hand while his other hand was intertwined with Emma’s as they walked to meet them. Elsa wasn’t surprised that Killian’s first words came in the form of praise to his partner, his voice dripping with pride. “You were bloody brilliant, love. You’re a natural on stage.”

Elsa and Liam glanced at each other, the expression on his face a mirror of her own, lips pressed together suppressing a grin while remaining silent witnesses of both displays of affection.

Emma blushed slightly at his words, giving him a shy smile while she returned the compliment. “I had a great partner up there.”

When Liam cleared his throat, the spell faded a little. Both realized they were being watched, so their hands parted, although they still kept a special glitter in their eyes. It was then Elsa and Liam’s turn to share hugs, compliments, and congratulations with them.

“I’m gonna put away the guitar.” Before leaving, Killian addressed Emma again, offering his hand to her. “My throat is dry, and I’m bloody thirsty. Come on, love, let’s have some well-deserved drinks.” Emma took his hand, of course, and they both walked away, leaving Liam and Elsa alone again.

Liam took the moment to guide Elsa to a corner of the bar away from his brother and Emma. “That was amazing,” he said, repeating his earlier words.

Elsa glanced behind the bar, where the other two were sharing a few beers. Yes, it had been amazing. It was a shame they didn’t realize the huge potential as a couple they had at all levels. Well, actually Elsa suspected they were aware, but they were too terrified to go one step further in their relationship.

Maybe they need a little push.

“We need a plan.” Elsa turned to look at Liam. “I know Emma. Although today’s been impressive, I know she’s not going to do anything about it, so maybe we should work for them in that regard.”

“Aye, as I said before, we should create similar scenarios to the one experienced today. Obviously, the idea has been a success,” Liam said with barely concealed pride. “So, what do you think could be the next step?”

Her brow furrowed in thought, her brain trying to work out the next step in her plan. “A date.”

“A date,” Liam echoed her words with some reticence.

“I mean, they wouldn’t know it would be a date, of course. We could go to dinner together, but you and I would look for an excuse to disappear at some point.” As the idea began to take shape, Elsa felt more enthusiastic.

“We have dinner together all the time. Besides, don’t you think they would be suspicious?”

“Not if we do it well. It wouldn’t be a normal dinner; we could choose a romantic place using any credible excuse.” Elsa put in her voice all the enthusiasm she felt for the idea. It could work, although Emma would kill her if she found out. But it was worth taking the risk.

Liam crossed his arms over his chest, valuing her idea. After a few seconds, he nodded. “Okay, we have a plan.” He offered his hand and she shook it without hesitation, her lips curling into a warm smile. “But if these two find out, I’ll blame you.”

“Uhm, maybe we should use a code name for our mission. What do you think of Operation HE?”

“HE?” Liam repeated in confusion.

“Operation Happy Ending.”

“It’s a bit cheesy for my liking, but it might work.” The corners of his lips lifted, drawing a grin as he raised an eyebrow. That air of a mischievous boy suited him, definitely, in contrast to his usual responsible adult expression. And had his eyes always been so blue?

Realizing that she was staring, Elsa shook her head to get out of her trance, noticing how her cheeks blushed. Still, she couldn’t help but cast one last sideways glance at Liam. His cheeks were also colored with a soft pink tinge and, unlike her, he kept watching her with his head slightly tilted.

“Great, I’ll arrange everything,” she assured, trusting that her voice wouldn’t shake. Why was she suddenly so nervous? It was Liam, for God’s sake. It wasn’t the first time she had talked to him.

But it’s the first time you have had a private and intimate conversation with him, her inner voice reminded her. She shook those thoughts away and focused on what was truly important, helping her friends.

It was a reality, Operation Happy Ending was underway. She glanced once more at Emma and Killian who still remained in their own bubble. These two didn’t know what was waiting for them, and she couldn’t wait to start carrying it out.

Killian - November 2019

Killian was euphoric. The adrenaline that still ran through his veins caused his entire body to vibrate with excitement as his heart hammered in his chest. His fingers tingled as if they craved to touch the guitar strings again. Instead, he grabbed a beer bottle and offered Emma another one.

“You were bloody brilliant up there, Swan.” He repeated his previous compliment while he couldn’t help looking at her in awe. She instead brought the bottle to her lips, although that didn’t stop Killian from catching the hint of a smile.

He couldn’t delude himself. His level of euphoria was not only due to his performance but to the fact of having shared it with Emma. He also couldn’t deny that what his fingers really craved to touch was her hair, or her face, or really any patch of her creamy skin.

A sudden surge of heat seized him as he forced himself to look away from Emma in order to curb those inappropriate thoughts. His willpower lasted only a few seconds though, his eyes returning inevitably to her.

He was distracted for a moment in the suggestive movement of the muscles in her throat as she drank the liquid, while he wondered how the skin of her neck would taste. His gaze traveled up, meeting her pink lips, a perpetual invitation to be kissed. A temptation. A pleasure he wasn’t allowed to savor. For now.

Although he would never admit it out loud, the truth was that his brother’s makeshift plan had allowed him not only to enjoy Emma’s presence at his side but also to reinforce his feelings towards her. And to reaffirm that he had no plans to give up. There was a mutual feeling dancing around them, he could feel it in all the fibers of his being. He just needed to be patient, prove to Emma that he wasn’t going anywhere and trust that at some point she decided to open her heart again.

He was aware that the adrenaline that was still running through his veins was the one speaking for him, but for once, he allowed himself to act a little bolder. So, without thinking twice, he took a step forward as he reached out and tangled his fingers in a loose strand of her hair before he tucked it behind her ear.

He delighted himself for a few seconds in the silky touch as he watched Emma’s reaction intently. He detected how her breath hitched as she stared at him, her lips slightly parted. Maybe it was only a few seconds, maybe several minutes, he wasn’t sure. What he was sure of was that in the depth of her emerald gaze there was something hidden, a feeling that struggled to emerge. He just had to wait.

He also felt a sense of deja-vu, something that had happened to him on previous occasions whenever he shared some more intimate moments with Emma. But as much as he squeezed his brain, he wasn’t able to identify if that sensation was simply an unreal thought created by his brain or the flash of some forgotten memory trying to emerge.

Sadly, the spell was broken when Emma blinked and looked away, taking a small step back. He heard as she cleared her throat a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. At least she hadn’t run away. That was an advance, wasn’t it?

Something must have caught her attention then as Killian detected how her eyes narrowed, looking somewhere to his left, her head slightly tilted.

“What?” he asked, turning his head to follow the direction of her gaze.

“Aren’t these two a bit too close?” she answered with another question, while her chin pointed somewhere near the bar. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion as he watched more closely until he realized what Emma was talking about; Liam and Elsa were chatting at the other end of the bar.

The truth was that his brother and Elsa were engaged in what seemed like a deep conversation, Liam bent over the counter to be closer to her while Elsa didn’t take her eyes off him.

“They’re just talking, Swan,” he commented as he shrugged, directing his gaze back to her.

Emma differed, of course. “It seems like a conversation that’s too intimate for ‘just talking’. Look at Elsa, she is smiling a little too much for her standards, isn’t she?”

He raised an eyebrow as he gave her a skeptical look before looking back towards the other two to observe them. From his angle, he could barely see Liam’s expression, but he had to admit that his body language was a bit different than usual. It wasn’t the first time that Elsa and Liam talked, obviously, but until now he hadn’t ever witnessed a private conversation between them. He wasn’t even sure that their relationship was close enough to constitute having that type of conversation.

His head turned back to Emma as he studied her features. There was a mixture of confusion, awe and maybe hope in her expression as she continued to stare at the couple.

“I can hear you think, Swan. What are you up to now?”

Her eyes finally turned away from them, looking for his. “When was the last time Liam dated someone? I don’t even remember it.”

He hummed while trying to remember. “He dated that lass a couple of years ago. Tink was her name? What about Elsa?”

Her nose wrinkled in disdain as she let out a scoff. “Don’t you remember Hans? She dated him a year ago. He was an asshole. Luckily, they were together only for a couple of months.”

“Okay, Swan. After this run through the brief sentimental life of our friend and my brother, would you mind telling me exactly what your point is?” He suspected her point, but there was something quite amusing in her expression, so he preferred to keep entertaining himself at her expense; but not before making another statement. “Quite depressing this group of ours and our almost non-existent sentimental life, I must add.”

She rolled her eyes, letting out a snort. “That’s exactly my point. Maybe we can cross out two members of that list. Now that I see them together like that, they may work as a couple, right?”

That possibility had never crossed his mind, but Emma was right. They were quite alike, that was undeniable, both the older and responsible siblings, both with somewhat more reserved personalities, but with huge hearts, willing to sacrifice whatever was in order to protect their loved ones. No doubt his brother deserved everything good that happened to him in life. Elsa could be something remarkably good for him.

Before he could reply, Emma’s eyes widened as her lips moved upward in a conspiratorial smile. “This cannot be the product of a simple casual moment. Something has been forging between these two for a while.” She paused for a moment, her eyes flicking back and forth between the couple and him. “What if… Can you imagine if they’re dating in secret or something?”

“Really Swan?” he scoffed. “Why would they do something like that? Besides, when would they be dating? Liam practically lives at the bar and we’re with him almost all the time.”

Killian pressed his lips together holding back a smirk. Although unexpected, it was quite fun to see her plotting that way. He kept wondering what would have caused that sudden romantic side to emerge in Emma.

“I don’t know, maybe they’d like to be sure of their feelings before confessing.” At that moment her eyes widened even more, as if he had realized something. “Wait a minute! Do you remember two months ago, when Liam gave us the weekend off? What if that was nothing more than an excuse to arrange a secret date?”

She seemed so excited that he almost felt sorry for her, but it was obvious that she was wrong, so he had no choice but to correct her mistake. “Slow down, love. Remember that she went out with you that day and I met Liam at the bar.”

“Oh shit! It’s true! How could I have forgotten?” The disappointment was written all over her face, her lips drawing an adorable pout. Even so, she didn’t seem to give up. “Anyway, they may not be dating. Yet. But I still think they would make a great couple. They may need some help to realize that, though.”

“How?”

She grinned at him, a mischievous spark in her gaze. “Making sure they spend as much time as possible together, of course.”

“Let me see if I understood it correctly. Are you telling me that now we’re going to act as matchmakers, Swan?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, Jones.” She stepped forward, her tongue darting out to lick her lips in a movement too tempting. “So, what do you say? Are you in?” she asked, holding up the bottle of beer.

Killian was tempted to offer some reticence for a little more time, in an attempt to continue delighting with that unexpected game of seduction initiated by Emma.

His brain wasn’t working properly, though. She was so close that he could almost smell her perfume and the way she was looking at him from underneath her lashes was too distracting. Not to mention that she was playfully biting her lower lip, causing a sensation of heat to travel through his veins, his fingers craving to reach for her. She was a siren, one who had come to this world to torture him in the most delicious of ways.

If only she knew that he would accept any plan of hers, as crazy as it might seem… He shook his head, forcing himself to divert his gaze from her lips to her eyes. “Of course I’m in, Swan.” He offered her a wide smile as he raised his bottle, clinking with hers.

The bright smile she gave him before bringing the bottle to her mouth almost made him get rid of any precaution and pull her towards him to finally taste her lips. Instead, he forced himself to take a sip of his beer to suppress his impulses.

He decided to distract himself with the plan he had just agreed to. Maybe his own romantic life was a disaster, but suddenly, the idea of pushing these two together seemed quite a challenge. Not only because that could imply a boost in Liam’s happiness, but because that would also mean that he and Emma were now allies and had a mission to carry out. Together.

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think :)

Next Chapter: We return to Emma’s point of view. Elsa and Liam begin to carry out their plan. We will see if it brings the desired consequences.

#cs ff #csrt #captain swan #damn you for making me love you #cs au #captain swan rewrite a thon #my cs writings #mayquita writes #cs au ff

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alexannah · 5 years ago

Text

Just Keep Digging PART THREE

Chapter One | Chapter Two | FFnet | AO3

Summary: Lila makes a big mistake when showing off one day to the class. But her mistake may turn out to be not such a bad thing for Marinette and Adrien. From a prompt by @countingdowndays

Author Notes: Okay since this is no longer a one-shot, I discovered (thanks, Keyseeker) that I need to clarify where this fic stands canonically. Most of my fics I actually ignore season three, but obviously I can’t do that entirely here since we’re post-Chameleon.

So … This fic takes place shortly after Chameleon, and obviously we’re now AU because of the reveal, but it takes into account season three up until and including Startrain. (Whether I’ll get as far as events in those episodes actually occurring, I have no idea.) However Kwami Buster onwards is NOT taken into account. So no worries about our heroes having to give up their Miraculouses, or future Hawk Moth, or any Cat Blanc stuff. None of that exists here!

And for the record, I’m a fan of Gabriel and Nathalie and a supporter of the redemption arc. Whether this fic will go there or not, I don’t know. Still improvising here!

Just Keep Digging

By Alexannah

Chapter Three: Just Keep Intimidating

“Do you have any idea how lonely Adrien gets, Mr Agreste?” Marinette blurted out.

Gabriel Agreste blinked at the abrupt change of subject. “I’m sorry?”

“You’d better be. He spends most of his time shut up in this house, not allowed to leave except for school and classes. I get that you want to protect him, but all too often you cross the line between keeping him safe and keeping him a prisoner. He hardly ever complains because he’s used to it, it’s his norm; but that doesn’t mean it’s right or best for him. People need social interaction, sir. He hates being so isolated; you may not mean to, but you hurt him so much by doing that to him.”

“He told you this?”

“He doesn’t have to. We can all see it a mile off. Which makes me wonder why you can’t.” Marinette paused. “No, actually I know why you can’t. Because while you keep him physically close, you keep him emotionally distant. You don’t give him any quality time, or make him feel like he can approach you. I understand that you’re a busy man, but surely you can spare some time to spend with him, instead of always palming him off on your staff. It would make him feel so much better to at least know you’re trying. Instead there’s this massive wall between you and it’s growing bigger every day. And wrapping him in cotton wool isn’t the answer. You know what happens to people when they’re wrapped in too much cotton wool, Mr Agreste? They suffocate.”

There was a long, long silence once she finally stopped talking, wondering if she had completely blown it. Mr Agreste was still staring at her, no recognisable reaction on his face except extreme surprise.

Finally he broke eye contact, removing his glasses and polishing them. “I see you care deeply for my son,” he finally said, quite quietly.

“Yes, I do.”

“Hmm. Most of his fans desire him because he’s handsome and famous.” He replaced his glasses and looked back at Marinette. “But not you.”

“I’d love him just as much if no-one had heard of him and he had a face like a gorilla’s butt.”

Mr Agreste’s mouth twitched. “So I assume your intentions towards him are of the … more long-term variety.”

“The forever kind of long-term,” she agreed. “The ‘till death do us part’ kind of long-term.” For a moment she thought something weird flickered in Mr Agreste’s eyes at the ‘death do us part’ bit, but a second later she was sure she had imagined it. “The ‘married with three kids and a hamster’ kind of long term.”

“I see. And what do you imagine Adrien would be doing, other than helping you look after three kids and a hamster?”

“Whatever makes him happy. Whether that’s modelling, or his music, or tap dancing in the street.” Marinette tried not to giggle as she remembered him actually doing that as Cat Noir. “I’m sure you have your own grand ideas about what Adrien should do with his life, sir, but he’s his own person who deserves to make his own decisions. Even if you think they’re the wrong ones. Maybe I don’t meet your high standards; maybe none of his friends do. But we all love Adrien and want what’s best for him.”

Silence fell for a long moment as he gazed at her thoughtfully. “Tell me, does Adrien share your very specific vision of your future?”

“Well, I don’t know if he wants the same number of kids and a hamster, but I know he wants to spent the future with me. We should probably work out the details after we’ve been a couple for more than a few hours.”

Again, Mr Agreste’s mouth twitched, and Marinette dared wonder if he was actually amused by her words. Whether or not that was a good thing, however, remained to be seen.

“I will allow your relationship with Adrien,” he said finally. “But I have conditions.”

“So do I,” Marinette said before she knew what she was saying.

His eyes widened. “I beg your pardon?”

“I already told you, Mr Agreste, that there are areas of your relationship with Adrien—well, the whole thing, really—that you need to work on.” Marinette folded her arms decisively. “So if you really want him to be happy, then I expect you to be willing to do so.”

She received a speechless gape in return.

“I expect you to choose presents for Adrien yourself and put thought and care into them. I expect you to make it up to him whenever your work gets in the way of spending time with him. I expect you to find time to actually tell him you love him, because to my knowledge he’s never heard that from you. I expect you to consider Adrien’s feelings and consult with him when making decisions for his protection or whatever, and if necessary reach a compromise you’re both happy with. I expect you to be more open to suggestions from other people who care about him on what’s best for him and what he needs to be emotionally healthy. I expect you to try, Mr Agreste. I expect you to want to be a better parent and be willing to learn.”

It was impossible to work out what he was thinking, but for some reason she couldn’t explain, she thought her words might actually be getting through to him.

“And this isn’t just about Adrien,” Marinette continued boldly. “Assuming that our future progresses as we both hope it does, then one day I guess I’ll be your daughter-in-law.” The expression on his face was suddenly beyond laughable. “And I may as well make this clear now so there are no surprises in the future, so you can’t possibly have any reason to withdraw your approval of us later on.”

“I’m listening.”

“I expect you to learn not to be such a control freak, so that when he’s an adult, you don’t make him feel like he has to do everything you want him to rather than what he wants, in order to keep you happy; because that’s not healthy—it’s not healthy now—and you can’t regulate his life decisions forever. I expect by the time he and I are married for you to have let go and let him have his own life. Assuming you take on board everything I’ve said, I’m hopeful the two of you will have a much better relationship by then than you have now; and if, as I think, you really do love him, then I can’t see any reason why you wouldn’t want that.”

“I do love him,” Mr Agreste said quietly.

“Good. So we’re in agreement.”

He still looked a bit stunned, but didn’t disagree.

“I haven’t finished,” Marinette continued. “Our future children.” He raised his eyebrows. “I don’t expect you to be perfect, but I expect you to make an effort. I expect you to actually have a relationship with them, not be this distant figure they hardly ever see and barely know. You will respect that Adrien and I are their parents, and therefore our decisions are the ones that go; and while we’ll be open to advice, at the end of the day we’ll be the ones making the decisions we feel are best for them. You will do your very best to be present at every single special occasion; and I won’t accept any excuses, only the most valid, out-of-your-control reasons. Every Christmas and birthday, every school play and concert, every fencing meet or whatever interests they end up pursuing, regardless of whether they meet your approval or not. You have been absent from the important things in Adrien’s life for way too long and I won’t stand for you treating your grandchildren the same way. I want them to have a grandfather they can actually have a good relationship with, someone they will love and look forward to spending time with. And I know Adrien would want that too.”

Once again, the room was dead silent once she had finished.

“So what were your conditions, Mr Agreste?” Marinette asked, almost sweetly.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Er …”

~*~

In the next room, Adrien was trying desperately to resist the temptation to listen at the door. His father and Marinette’s voices were muffled, so he couldn’t work out what they were saying, but they sounded quite heated.

If he were alone, he probably would have listened, but Nathalie was there. While he wasn’t entirely sure she would stop him, he didn’t want her to mention to Gabriel later that he had overheard whatever was going on in there.

“Thanks for letting me tell him myself,” he said finally to break the awkward silence.

Nathalie nodded. “Do you love her, Adrien?”

“Completely and utterly,” he said with no hesitation. He thought about adding “I’d die for her,” but stopped himself just in time, thinking that might not have the right effect.

Her expression softened. “I very much hope she can win your father over.”

“So do I. She’s so wonderful; and if anyone can, she can; but … Father’s so stubborn.”

“He is,” Nathalie agreed. “And overprotective. But he does have a heart, Adrien.”

“He has a funny way of showing it sometimes,” Adrien muttered.

Nathalie sighed. “I know.”

There was an awkward pause.

“So … how did the two of you …?”

Adrien hesitated, quickly sorting through the memories and censoring the superhero identity stuff in favour of a simpler version of the story. Marinette coming to comfort him after what Lila had said, and him realising she felt the same way about him than he did her … yes, that would do.

“Well, it started with us all talking about our favourite movies …”

~*~

Marinette opened the door, and saw Adrien sitting talking with Nathalie, who looked quite angry for some reason. She quickly schooled her expression to be more neutral as she saw her, and stood up. “How did it go?”

“Er … well, he’s happy for us to date.”

Adrien beamed. “He is? Yes! I knew you could win him over, Marinette!”

“You sound quite relieved nevertheless,” she teased, drawing up to him.

“Well … maybe I was a bit worried,” Adrien admitted. “That’s not a reflection on you at all, though.”

“I know. Anyway, it’s all okay. Though he has set some conditions.”

Adrien frowned. “Conditions?”

“Nothing bad. Just, you know, sticking to curfew, bodyguard, stuff like that.”

“That was an awfully long conversation for just going over ground rules,” Nathalie said, in a tone which made Marinette sure she suspected a lot more had been discussed.

“Other subjects may have come up,” she said vaguely.

“Oh? Like what?” Adrien asked.

“Well … er … your dad’s lousy parenting …”

“What?” he gasped, and Nathalie choked.

“You’re the one who told me to be honest!” Marinette said to her.

“Sheesh, Marinette, what did you say to him?”

“Basically, everything I and the rest of your friends have wanted to say to him for the last few months.”

Adrien groaned. “I can hardly believe you’re still breathing! Let alone that he actually approved us dating?”

“Apparently I proved to him that I’m not after you because you’re a famous model.” She kissed his cheek, and he blushed. Aw, she would never get used to that. “And on a completely unrelated note, he’s made a resolution to have dinner with you at least four times a week, let you attend at least one social thing a week (three in the holidays), and he’s coming to see you in the school talent show next Friday.”

And when you turn fifteen, you’re getting a surprise birthday party, she silently added.

Nathalie raised her eyebrows. “Goodness,” she said, sounding very impressed.

“Wow,” Adrien said, sounding just as much so. “Marinette, you do realise that apart from my mom, you and Nathalie are the only two people who have ever been able to get my father to change his mind about something like that?”

“Um … no, I didn’t.” Marinette looked at Nathalie. “Thanks for the tip.”

“You’re welcome. Oh, Adrien, here’s your phone back.” She handed him his phone, then looked between them. “Is Marinette staying for a while, or do you two have other plans?”

“Er, I think it might be a good idea to give Mr Agreste some space from me for the rest of the day.”

“And we do have other plans,” Adrien agreed, taking her hand. “I promised her ice cream at Andre’s.”

“Ice cream?” Nathalie glanced out of the window. “Are you sure? It looks like it’s going to start storming again soon.”

“Oh,” Adrien said, sounding disappointed.

“We could go to my house instead,” Marinette suggested. “Only fair you get to meet my parents now.”

“They’re not going to interrogate me, are they?”

“Not like that. My dad is a very different kind of intimidating.”

Adrien raised his eyebrows. “Er, what kind of intimidating?”

“You’ll see.”

Someone cleared their throat in the doorway, and they all looked over to see Mr Agreste had appeared. “Nathalie, could I have a word?”

Marinette gulped, wondering if this was about Adrien’s birthday present.

“I wonder what that’s about,” Adrien said, frowning slightly after Nathalie had followed her boss from the room.

“Er …” She cast her mind around quickly for a change of subject. “Yeah, um … there’s someone else we need to talk to. Master Fu,” she said in a low voice.

Adrien paused. “Oh. Right. We know our secret identities now … Do you think he’ll be upset?”

“I don’t know, but whatever his reaction, we shouldn’t put it off.” Marinette took out her phone and selected the turtle icon in her contacts.

~*~

“I hear congratulations are in order,” Nathalie said after closing the door behind her.

“They’re dating, not engaged,” Gabriel said quickly, though he couldn’t help silently adding yet. He shook himself and remembered what he had actually intended to talk to her about.

“I think you made the right decision, sir. Marinette seems a sweet girl. And Adrien is clearly absolutely smitten with her.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear it goes both ways. She was very …” Gabriel paused, searching for the right word. “… specific about her feelings for him.”

“Really?”

He knew from her tone that it was not actually a surprise, and wondered what she had said to Marinette before the meeting. “Yes. Very bluntly honest.”

That was putting it mildly. Marinette Dupain-Cheng had let him have it with both barrels. Gabriel thought the last time he had been that intimidated by a teenager, he had been the same age himself. Fortunately he didn’t think he had let it show.

“I see. Good for her.”

“Yes.” He paused. “The thing is, she did bring up something which I should ask you about.”

“Oh?”

“I understand that the present she intended to give to Adrien for his birthday, was somehow mistaken for being from me.” He arched an eyebrow at Nathalie, whose eyes widened.

“Oh. Er … d-did she tell Adrien?”

“No. And she stated she has no plans to do so. Apparently he was delighted to think it was from me, and she doesn’t want to disappoint him.” Gabriel fixed his assistant with a sharp frown. “I don’t suppose you could shed any light on how this misunderstanding occurred, Nathalie?”

She sighed. “On Adrien’s birthday, Marinette dropped off a gift for him, shortly before you … asked if I had got him a present from you. I … didn’t remember you having asked me to before, and … I panicked.”

“You told Adrien that Marinette’s scarf was from me.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Why did you not simply go out and get him something?”

Nathalie fixed Gabriel with a surprisingly hard look. “Because that would have required leaving Adrien to eat lunch alone on his birthday, Mr Agreste. Which I didn’t want to do. Nor did I want to have to tell him that his father had either not got him a present, or asked me to and that I had forgotten. I knew any of the above would hurt him.” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “And as it happened, because of the Bubbler, he had lunch alone on his birthday anyway.”

The accusation was impossible to miss, and a long, very tense silence fell between them.

“I … will not akumatize anyone on Adrien’s birthday again,” Gabriel finally relented.

“Especially not friends of his who only wanted to do something kind for him,” Nathalie added.

“Er … yes. I mean … no, I won’t.”

Her expression softened slightly. “Marinette really got through to you, didn’t she?”

“You put her up to that, didn’t you?”

“All I did was advise her to be honest. The rest was all her.”

“Well, it worked,” Gabriel admitted. “There are some … changes I need to make.”

Nathalie nodded slowly, frowning again. “Talking of honesty … did you by any chance sense any negative emotions from Lila Rossi earlier today?”

Gabriel blinked, completely taken aback. “Yes, actually. She’s been very emotional for most of the day, but you know I’ve been tied up with work I couldn’t delegate. It’s been quite frustrating having to wait; I was planning to seize the opportunity once Marinette had left. How did you know?”

“Adrien told me about something that happened this morning between the two of them. And … well, you’re not going to like it …”

~*~

Lila checked her text again.

We need to talk.

She didn’t know why she had come to the meeting place Adrien had specified. What more did he want to say? Adrien was the forgiving type, but she was certain this was beyond even him.

One little miscalculation, and everything had been ruined. Usually Lila planned her stories with care, but from time to time had simply grabbed an opportunity. And now she’d had the horrible misfortune of picking the wrong person to lie about.

How the hell was I supposed to know she was his mom???

If she transferred to a new school (Lila was already formulating an argument to present to her mother why it was necessary), then she would be more careful. At the very least do an internet search before opening her mouth.

She turned as she heard the car pull up behind her. The back window rolled down, and her eyes widened in surprise as it revealed not Adrien, but his father.

“Get in, Miss Rossi,” Gabriel Agreste said shortly.

She did, hesitating as she realised he was alone in the back. “Where’s Adrien?”

“He did not send you that text. You are not the only one with the ability to deceive.”

A cold chill went down her spine as the car pulled off, and Lila was suddenly very aware of the fact that no-one knew where she was.

“S-sir? What do you want?”

He didn’t look at her, face set in grim determination as he stared straight ahead. “Adrien told Nathalie what you said about his mother.”

Lila had guessed he’d found out, but still felt the blood drain from her face. “Sir, I swear, I never meant—I had no idea he was talking about his mom!”

“That is not the point. Your story could have severely hurt him, and the only reason it didn’t was because he believes something tragic happened to her.” He suddenly fixed Lila with a glare so fierce, she wished he was still looking straight ahead. “I wanted to tell you personally that if you ever do or say anything that could hurt Adrien again, regardless of whether or not you meant it to, you will severely regret it.”

Lila waited for the car to stop, but it didn’t. She glanced at the driver. It wasn’t Adrien’s bodyguard as usual; it was the aforementioned secretary. For some reason this felt foreboding.

“Um … wh-where are we going?”

He did not answer her question. “Miss Rossi, your relationship, in any sense, with my son is over. You are not to go near him again. You are not to talk about him or to him, and the same goes for his friends, because when they are hurt so is he. You are toxic and I will not have your poison harming my family.”

“I understand, Mr Agreste.”

“I’m not sure you do. You have been akumatized … how many times?”

“Er …” Lila said, taken aback at the question.

“Four, as I understand it. And you have a deep hatred of Ladybug which has made you valuable to Hawk Moth.”

“I’m not sure I understand—Wait, how do you know?”

“I am very well informed, Miss Rossi. Especially about the people around my son. I want to make one thing absolutely clear. Should you be akumatized again, no matter what Hawk Moth wants of you, Adrien and his friends are off limits. You cannot use that as an excuse with me.” His eyes sent icy daggers of fear through her. “You will find I can be a much more dangerous enemy than Hawk Moth.”

Before she could register the movement, his hand had crept around her throat and started to squeeze.

Lila choked, struggling to draw breath, and grasped weakly at his strong fingers, trying to pull them off. They were immovable. He wasn’t blocking her airways, but it hurt. She saw Nathalie glance in the mirror but merely look away, showing no sign of mercy.

Mr Agreste finally let go. “Is that absolutely clear?”

“Y-yes, s-sir,” Lila gasped, massaging her throat.

“Now you are going to get out, and you are going to tell your parents about every single lie you have told. If I find you have missed any out, I will tell them myself.”

They stopped, and Lila saw they were outside her home. She had never been so relieved to be able to get out of a car. She would take being grounded for the rest of her life over spending one more second in that man’s company.

“This is your only warning,” Gabriel Agreste said darkly, before closing the door again. The car pulled away.

Lila braced herself, and approached her front door.

~*~

“Don’t dawdle on the way home,” Gabriel said to Nathalie, settling back in his seat, satisfied and in anticipation. “I will not miss this opportunity.”

“Of course, Mr Agreste.”

He could already feel Lila’s anger and frustration, but once her parents found out everything, it was bound to increase. Her next akumatization would be her most powerful form yet.

“Do you think she’s afraid enough to leave Adrien alone?” Nathalie asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. “She might have thought you were bluffing.”

“She didn’t. I can tell.” Gabriel looked back at his assistant. “Do you think it was too big a risk?”

“As long as you left no visible mark on her—”

“I didn’t.” He had been very careful not to.

“—and she’s convinced that you really would hurt her if she hurt Adrien again—”

“Which I will. And she is.”

“—then no. Even if she tries to tell someone you attacked her, no-one is going to believe her now.”

Gabriel nodded. That had been the plan. His Miraculous glowed as Lila’s emotions suddenly spiked. “Faster, Nathalie. I mean … Catalyst.”

To Be Continued …

Author’s Note: Thanks to phantombullets240 for your idea; it’s what turned this into a multi-chapter fic.

I initially drafted the penultimate scene with Gabriel ending his deal with Lila, then remembered it hadn’t happened yet in canon. Which is a shame because it would have been so much more tense. But I’m happy with the rewrite.

Part of the scene between Marinette and Gabriel was inspired by a conversation from Monster In Law, but it’s been years since I’ve seen the film so I’m not sure how close it is to the original.

I have a plan for the next chapter, but action isn’t my strong point, so it might take a little longer than the others to write!

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