#dani is probably also enrolled in a school

[gothamgothic]

I love both ideas so much. If you go this way - how is Jack recruited? Is it another college buddy that is out of commission for a while and realized that he just so happens to know that Jack has the EXACT degree requirements to fill his shoes? Imagine this professor saying "Jack Fenton knows this exact material - heck, the guy pioneered XYZ techniques in his home lab." and the Gotham U board is hesitant until that professor points out that the guy comes from a background working with local vigilantes (according to the resume they convinced Jack to send in) The board is just "Yes. This one. Perfect. One less person to have to worry about scaring the bats." Only for them to find out that his "working with vigilantes" wasn't "helping in investigations in a controlled lab setting" (like forensic science sort of chemistry) - it was chasing Phantom into the fray with blasters and a homemade tank.

Mr. Fenton is a competent teacher. Almost too competent.

If Mr. Daniel Fenton had any more than a BS (with a minor in education), Tim would’ve flagged his profile as a potential Rogue. That’s the way of most charismatic academics, at least in Gotham. (Got a PhD? Instant watchlist.) Instead, he’s Gotham Academy’s newest celebrity, as a young, passionate, out-of-towner substitute while the chemistry teacher’s on maternity leave.

Tim gets the hype. Fenton seems to genuinely love teaching, and is invested in the welfare of the student body. He hands out bananas during exam week, hosts a “study habits seminar” each month to coach effective learning strategies, and the third time Tim falls asleep in his class, he even pulls Tim aside to ask if he’s doing okay. With all the late work he accepts and the protein bars he sneaks Tim, he’s every teen vigilante’s dream teacher. He could’ve been Tim’s favorite.

In fact, Mr. Fenton was Tim’s favorite. Up until Tim walks into Mr. Fenton’s chemistry classroom for a forgotten textbook, an hour after the final bell.

On the board where tallied scores for today’s review game had been kept, “THE CHEMISTRY BEHIND DR. CRANE’S FEAR GAS: ANXIOGENICS, NERI’S, & YOU,” is now scrawled. A detailed diagram of the human endocrine system projects in front of a small crowd of adoring and attentive students.

Fenton is wrist-deep in the skull cavity of an anatomical model. A short tug, and out pops the brain.

It’s plastic. It’s fake.

Tim identifies the nearest emergency exit.

Fenton turns to the door, and in the dark classroom with the projector illuminating half his face, his eyes almost seem to flash red. “What’s up, Tim?” he asks. His friendly grin is too big for his face. “I didn’t know you wanted to join the Just Science League!”

[OR: Danny’s a science teacher at Tim’s school. Gotham’s a pretty wild place, even for someone who grew up a superhero in a ghost-infested town, so he takes it upon himself to start a club teaching kids how to manage themselves in the event of a crisis. These Gothamites are pretty hardy, but a little extra training never hurt anybody! And he suspects one of his students might be a teen vigilante, like he’d been, back in the day. As a senior super, it's Danny’s duty look out for him! Surely, this is the subtlest and most appropriate way to give the kid pointers.]

[Tim immediately assumes supervillain.]

[backtohawkins]

WELCOME BACK TO HAWKINS, BOB NEWBY (jake johnson fc)

good luck and have a bitchin’ summer!

[jake johnson, cis male, he/him/his]who’s that? oh it’s [bob newby]. i hear they’re [forty-four] and are known as [the brain] around [radioshack]. they’re known to be [kind & selfless] and [gullible & frail]. some people say they remind them of [homecooked meals, tv static, bear hugs, the cheers theme song & your dad’s cologne]. they [do not] believe they died. [it’s dani, 23, she/her/hers, incest, rape/non-con, est.]

the only child of two overprotective parents was almost like setting him up for disaster. bob was a frail kid and ended up hospitalized for pneumonia when he was only six. since then, his parents coddled him a lot, which probably explains why he is how he is.

bob grew up in hawkins, but because of that early illness, his parents were wary to enroll him in sports. so, he dedicated himself to school and learning, something he was quite good at. he even founded hawkins middle av club (with the help of his best friend scott).

being intelligent and unathletic meant bob was picked on a lot at school for being ‘different’ than the other little boys, but he always did his best not to let it bother him too much (sometimes with more success than others).

after graduation, bob’s parents moved to maine to take care of his mother’s ailing parents and, without a real solid plan in mind (and not much holding him to hawkins after his only good friend went away to college), bob followed. he got a job at radioshack and eventually moved up the ranks to become manager there.

he moved back to hawkins in 1982 partly for a change of scenery and mostly because he’d ended a long-term relationship (or…it’d be ended for him) and he needed space.

here, he reconnected with old friends and classmates. bob spent many evenings watching star trek reruns on scott’s couch and occasionally had a drink with jim hopper. he got a job at their radioshack branch and that was where bob first meant joyce. the rest is history.

bob’s father was always a bright spot in a not-so-bright childhood. he always showed interest in his son’s hobbies and was there for him when the bullying got too bad. so, bob embraced joyce’s son’s as if they were his own. he’d talk music with jonathan and art with will. he even went to a concert with jonathan once and had plans to take will to art museums in chicago before…well, before.

the last thing bob remembers is opening the doors of hawkins lab for everyone. everything after that is a blur. as far as he can tell, though, he’d escaped the lab with his life -even if only barely- but was traumatized enough by what he’d seen there to skip town and join some kind of…forest commune? he was an eagle scout, so surviving in the woods isn’t the problem. he just feels extremely guilty for essentially abandoning joyce and the boys. it just…doesn’t feel like something he’d do.

bob didn’t exit the woods to hawkins. he must have gotten separated from the rest of the group, because he’s been in chicago for the last several weeks, staying with a cousin and trying to piece together what happened to him. but when he heard about scott clarke? he jumped right in the car to return to hawkins and face his past head on…and also to mourn the best friend he’d ever had with the rest of the community.

[blasphoeme]

I Love You More Than Ice Cream

It’s A Date

Chap 5/?

Chapter Summary:

Jon takes Dany on their very first date. A dinner for two under the starry sky, talks of childhood shenanigans and a relatively large revelation about Jon comes to light. How will things go? Will they have a good time? Will the night end with a sweet goodnight in a meeting of lips for the very first time? Read on my dear readers XD.

Can be read on Ao3 too. Along with the previous chaps 1, 2, 3, 4. :)

A small smile edged its way onto her lips, inch by inch, growing and growing into a huge grin as she took in the view before her. An inexplicable sense of surprise settled in her belly and blossomed into wonder. Nestled behind the bright towering neon letters displaying the word ‘diner’ was a rooftop garden.

Though the area wasn’t very spacious, pots and planters housing various flowers and herbs galore were lined up neatly in two rows starting from the metal gate and along the perimeter of the space. Spindly leafy appendages bobbed in time with the cool evening breeze. The earthy scent of dirt, picked up by the circulating air currents harmonized wonderfully with the sweet exotic aroma of plants. Creeper vines twisted their nimble bodies around the steel skeleton of the neon sign, inching all the way up the pillars, across the wooden beams of the pergola overhead. Intermingled with the leaves were fairy lights, posing as wannabe stars that twinkled faintly against the backdrop of the setting sun. In the middle of the garden sat a table, decked out for two.

Ambling slowly behind Dany with his hands tucked into his jeans pockets, Jon’s eyes tracked her every move as she navigated her way through the garden. He could barely contain his joy, so thrilled to see the wide-eyed look of fascination on her face. He thanked his lucky stars for having such a supportive family who were more than ecstatic when he told them he was bringing his crush on a date. His uncle immediately pushed for them to have it at this very diner. To be more original, Arya then suggested that they modify the venue a little. Instead of eating in the diner, crammed into a booth during dinner rush, having to shout to hear each other over the crowd, why not make it a little more romantic? They’d spend the past week preparing for this moment. From the menu, to the decorations and the flower bouquet he gifted to her. Gaping at the splendour around her, at the flora with hues of every shade of the rainbow, taking it all in, Dany was in awe. Along the little path between the plants she went, she also spotted several pots of daisies sitting in a corner. Jon must have picked each flower one by one to form the bouquet for her. All around her, every plant in the garden looked healthy and strong, making her wonder just how much labour and love was poured into tending to this magical little sanctuary, hidden away from the eyes of the people on the street. 

As she neared the clearing where the table was, a flash of colour at her periphery caught her eye. Huddled amongst the miscellaneous flora was an unusual rose bush. Stopping before it, she got onto her haunches to get a closer look. Never had she seen roses of that colour nor had she smelt a scent so sweet. The blossoms, just beginning to bloom wore a hue of the bluest, clearest sky on a sunny cloudless day. Under her thumb the unmarred azure petals were of the smoothest of velvet. “You’ve never been here before now have you?” Glancing up at her date for the night, who had came to a stop by her side, Dany stated dryly: “If I did, I would’ve been trespassing on private property.” Just then, the puppy in her arms that she had almost forgotten was there, started to wiggle, whining to be let down. “You want to go explore too little guy? Okay.” Dany placed Ghost onto the concrete ground. As soon as he landed, he darted forwards in a run before turning the corner and disappearing behind the back wall like he was accustomed with the place already. Strange. “You’re here! Finally!“ Following the voice, Dany was pleasantly surprised to find a petite young woman standing by a small door that looked to be a dumbwaiter sitting in the wall. “Welcome to Lone Wolf Diner where the pack serves fries, free with every main course you order!” The girl continued, reciting the well-versed motto of her family’s diner. With a gasp and a happy heart, quick steps brought her over to the girl. Pulling her in for a big hug, Dany squealed. “Arya! It’s so good to see you again. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” “Hi! And yes it has been too long. We’ve missed hanging out with you so much.” Arya hugged her back, tightly. She liked Dany very much. Memories of nights staying up late with her siblings way pass their bed time, cuddled into Dany’s sides on the couch, gorging on snacks whilst a Disney movie played on the television were the catalysts for the fondness she held for her favourite babysitter. Plus, the woman, then teenager made really yummy treats. She’d always had a knack for it. Arya drew back from their hug, still clutching Dany’s hands in hers. Her large grey eyes were sparkling with hopeful glee. “Now that you’re dating Jon.... Maybe you’d be around more often.”

“Wait... you guys know each other?” 

“I should have told you earlier but we didn’t gotten the chance to. We’re family and Arya’s my cousin.” Moving over to the table, Jon pulled out a chair for Dany before turning to look at her expectantly with a touch of hesitance and sheepishness. He hoped she didn’t feel miffed about his identity. His family was her competition after all.

Wordlessly applauding Jon’s gallantry, Arya tugged a gawping Dany by the arm over to the table and shepherded her into her seat. “Thank you.” Dany muttered absently over her shoulder to Jon as he pushed her chair in like the gentleman he was. Once Jon was seated opposite her, Dany looked between him and Arya in complete bafflement. “Mister Stark’s your uncle? Mister Benjen has a child?” “Oh no, Jon is Auntie Lyanna’s son.” Arya commented. “Lyanna? I never knew Mister Stark had a sister.” “My mum left to explore the world when she turned twenty one with nothing but a suit case and a thirst for adventure. Long story short, she met my dad who was on vacation in Greece, fell in love and had me. She hasn’t been back here in ages because she says she has so much more to see of this world and she would only return when she’s done. They’re currently in New Zealand now.” “Auntie Lyanna is such a badass! Sometimes, we get to talk with her on the phone or even video call and she’s always in a different country every time! She’s my inspiration.” Arya gushed with complete admiration for her globe-trotting aunt. Looking to Jon, she added as forethought, “Your dad is a total badass too of course. Can’t forget him.” “Thanks.” Jon smiled, fiddling with the fork laid out for him on the table. His parents were definitely not the most conventional kind. The years of his childhood up till the age of fifteen, just before his grandparents enrolled him into the boarding school his father had attended as a child in England, were spent in foreign countries. The things he learnt about the people, the culture, all that knowledge that comes from traveling had shaped him into the man he was today. “That’s amazing. Your parents are such courageous people and you must have had such a fun childhood!” Dany couldn’t help feeling a tad bit envious. Traveling the world, visiting distant lands, soaking up all that the world had to offer? That would be the perfect life. An ambitious dream that she’d had since forever. “I hope to tick that off my bucket list one day. To leave my footprints all around the world and see everything.” “Oh.... Why don’t you guys go together? Start off with New Zealand to visit Auntie Lyanna, meet the parents and all that.” Voicing her suggestion, Arya waggled her dark brows at Dany while clapping a hand repeatedly on Jon’s shoulder. Teasing Jon alone was hardly this entertaining! The two adults before her were growing as red as the beetroots that her mother cultivated in summer. She could nearly feel the heat radiating off the two of them. I could even fry eggs on the apples of their cheeks, she thought. “All right, okay I’ll stop messing with you two now. You guys are just so adorable. Sheesh!” Arya scampered back to the dumbwaiter. “My main mission for coming up here was to inform you that your food would come straight up from the kitchen downstairs in this contraption.” Patting the shiny metal door she elaborated, “When you’re done with each course, just send the dishes back down with this button and the next course will be sent up for you.” Jon and Dany nodded at her instructions mutely, each looking down at their feet and fingers respectively, their faces aflame. Maybe just one more time wouldn’t hurt? Never one to miss a chance at letting her trickster side out, Arya didn’t even bother putting a stopper on her next ploy. “Before I go, you want to know something stinkingly cute, Dany?” “Hmm?” At the mention of her name, Dany’s head shot up to Arya from staring at her twiddling fingers lying on her lap. “This guy here?” Locking an arm around her cousin’s neck, Arya revealed to Dany something Jon probably would never for the life of him, want her to find out about. “He spent the whole morning looking at his reflection giving himself a stern pep talk on what to say, what to do and to not freak out when he goes to pick you up.” Arya was bouncing with excitement. She’d been waiting a whole week for this moment to do this. Some would say it was mean but she liked to think it was what family did, practical jokes, endless teasing and tasteful pranks of course. His embarrassment from before hadn’t even faded and now this? Jon’s jaw fell in mortification. Glancing at Dany out of the corner of his eye, the mirthful surprise dancing within her pretty purple eyes and the daintily arched brow had a further gush of heat rushing straight up to his head like the mercury line of a thermometer, forcing his face to heat up even more. Reaching around Arya, his arms flailed as he tried to stop her blabbing. He had to curb to spill of words from her mouth. His grumbles of ‘Shut up, Arya!’ did nothing to stop her, cackling ecstatically to herself, Arya’s slender fingers wound themselves tightly around Jon’s wrists. With a strong grip, developed from years of rough housing with her three brothers, she held Jon’s hands effortlessly away from her face. She was on a roll and she wasn’t going to let him stop her. “I could go on all day about how panicky he’d been since he came home from meeting you last week. This was the first time we’ve ever seen broody Jon this uncharacteristically... un-broody. Beaming like a loon while staring into space thinking about you. He couldn’t even go two sentences without mentioning your name!” “I don’t do that.... surely?” Jon uttered indignantly to himself, struggling to free his hands from Arya’s claws. “Oh yes. You sure do!” Noticing Dany’s hands clamped over her mouth and the tremor in her shoulders, filled Arya with a smug sense of accomplishment. “If you didn’t know before, this man is downright smitten with you!” The plaintive groans from the man behind her only spurred her on even more. “Naturally, we couldn’t let this chance pass him by! We all pitched in to set up this date for the both you!” The five siblings minus their eldest brother, Robb, who was busy with his job and a baby on the way, had spent the day hanging up the fairy lights, rearranging the pots and cleaning up the rooftop, making it presentable for their guest. Abruptly, she let go of Jon’s wrists causing him to fall back down into his seat, landing on his bum with an ‘oof!’.

Swapping out playfulness with sincerity, Arya took a step closer to where Dany sat. “He really, really likes you, Dany. We hope you feel the same for him too.” Taking the young girl’s hands in hers and squeezing them, Dany couldn’t deny that Arya’s revelation, knowing that he was just as anxious and happy about their date as her only made Jon all the more favourable in her eyes. Meeting the eyes of the blushing, endearing man across the table, she informed the two of them and herself out loud for the first time, “It just so happens, I like him a lot too.” There was a swooping in his tummy like a rollercoaster, free falling to the pull of gravity before shooting back up again. Jon grinned, his brown eyes squinting intensely from the push of his smile. They were trained on the dark wood of the table. Nowhere near the stunning woman he knew was watching him with her twinkling eyes. She likes him! “Aww you guys are so sweet!” Arya cheered. The man that was her favourite cousin, technically only cousin but it still counted, wore the dopiest grin she’d ever seen strung across his lips. Her favourite babysitter looked so demure, giving the man on the other side of the table bashful glances from beneath her lashes, accompanied by a red tinge on her face. Their happiness seemed to light them up from the inside out. Arya’s own smile softened into relieved one. It was evident that these two silly lovebirds were made for each other. Deciding it was time to stop bugging them, Arya coughed just loud enough to draw Jon and Dany’s mooneyes away from each other, she bid them farewell. “I’ll leave you guys alone now. Enjoy your dinner! I’ll see you around, Dany!” “It’s been great seeing you again!” Dany said, watching as the brunette girl tossed a quick wave in her direction before going around the wall that Ghost had disappeared behind. Leaning forward, she caught a glimpse of a glass sliding door slide shut, followed by the closing of a retractable folding door with wooden shutters. With Arya gone the rooftop became so quiet, save for the two people seated giggling at each other, suddenly shy again. Dany’s admission of her feelings for her date came rolling back, slamming into them both like a torrent of untameable waves. Idly tracing a line against the grain of the wooden table with his finger, Jon voiced that singular, blaring thought that had been whirling through his mind for the past few minutes: “So.... you... like me?” He looked like a young boy kicking at stones with his feet as he waited for his crush to push him away, waiting for her to decide that she didn’t want to play with him anymore because he wasn’t cool like the big kids.

Dany nodded resolutely. It was too late to turn back now, might as well take it all with her chin held high. “Yes.” She could hardly believe that she had said it right in front of his face without any hesitation at all! All this while she never told a soul save for Missandei. She hadn’t even dared to declare those feelings to herself yet! Where did that courage come from, she wondered. Heart hammering hard behind the curve of her ribs, Dany pondered at how miraculous the human body was. How was it that seeing Jon smile at her could have her feeling so peculiarly wonderful, all fuzzy and effervescent on the inside? “They say first impressions are everything. First dates even more so I think. I hadn’t come clean about my family to you before today and you had to hear all about my awkward self just now thanks to my pesky relative. You still like me?” Those wide chocolate orbs looking back at her were teeming with an open vulnerability that sent her heart lurching. He was so beautiful, how could she not adore him? “Oh, Jon. I’m very happy that you’re related to the Starks. They watched me grow up and your uncle has helped me so much with my business, I owe them a lot. Don’t be sorry for not telling me sooner. As you mentioned, we’ve haven’t had the time.” Threading her fingers with his, Dany marvelled at how perfectly their digits slid into place, hers within the gaps of his and his within hers. “And if you must know, I meant what I said. I like you and your awkward self very, very much.” “Well.... I’m immensely pleased to hear that.” Jon gave the slender fingers linked with his a light squeeze. Tenderly, his thumb began to move. “I just so happen to like you a lot too. You and your perfect self.” And he truly did. This was a long time coming confession since the moment his heart was struck down by the sight of her smile. Transfixed, Dany watched the path of Jon’s thumb as it outlined the curve between her index finger and thumb. His feather light touch stirred up a flurry of goose bumps all over her body and a need for something, something more. Subconsciously, she wriggled in her seat, crossing and uncrossing her legs.Expelling a tremor-laden chuckle, Dany professed, “Believe me when I say I’m not perfect. You haven’t see the side of me that’s not on a date with a handsome man yet.” “Oh. I hope you don’t mind if I stick around to find out then?” His voice adopted that hopeful lilt once more. She called him handsome. His stomach did a summersault. “I’d like that, yes. Very much actually.” She wondered if they would get to the point where they could be comfortably unglamorous around each other. The two of them lounged in front of the television, gorging on greasy pizzas or mornings where the first thing they saw of each other was messy bed head. She prayed they’d get there one day. Just then the mechanism within the little food elevator came on, producing a whirring noise, leading up to a cheery ‘ding’. The little button beside the door lit up too. Their dinner was served. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reluctantly letting go of her hand, Jon went over to the dumbwaiter. Pushing the doors apart, two steaming bowls of par green soup were revealed, served on a wooden tray. A folded piece of cream-colored paper sat word side down like an erected tent in between the bowls. Lifting the tray from the metal box, Jon brought it over to their table. Careful not to spill any of the soup, he served a bowl to his eagerly awaiting date first and then himself. The tantalizing fragrance of something rich and earthy hit Dany’s nose as it wafted up into the air with the steam. “Oh... I can’t wait to try this. Looks and smells like asparagus or could it be peas? What does that note say?” Picking up the folded note, Jon’s eyes gave it a skim. “Hello young lovers...” Relishing in Dany’s tinkle of a giggle, lips twitching upwards in response, he continued, “To start off your evening, I have prepared a cream based soup that features the freshest of spring ingredients - asparagus, peas and fennel. Spring is a time for new beginnings and new relationships alike. I hope you’ll have a splendid date and may your budding romance flourish like a blossom coming to bloom under the nurturing hand of nature. Love, Ned, your chef and hopefully family in due time.” Family! Nibbling on her lower lip, a new wave of heat simmered under her skin at Ned’s pointedly written words directed at her. It was all too soon. Dare she hope to be a part of Jon’s family? Tucking an errant tendril of hair behind her ear, she begged her heart to stop pounding just enough for her to get through this dinner. Resting the paper on the table, Jon gulped, shoving the torrent of flustered nerves back into the depths of his belly. His uncle really was too much sometimes. He’d been so preoccupied with trying to make her notice him that the idea of having Dany in his life forever never even had the chance to cross his mind yet. Having her successfully look his way was a miracle in itself! One day in the future, perchance she’d have him entirely, for a long, long time. Only then, he’d consider himself, truly, the luckiest man on earth. “Umm... So... Shall we?”

“Yes. Let’s eat! Bon appétit.” 

Dunking her spoon it into her bowl, Dany swirled the dollop of cream around until it blended in with the milky, pale green, piping hot liquid goodness. The little cubes of toasted bread floated like isles in a sea of green.

Desperately needing something to calm the fluttering in her middle, she brought the spoon back up and towards her lips before taking a sip. The moan that flew out of her lips, still attached to the spoon would have made her blush if she wasn’t already ladling another spoonful of the wonderful warm soup into her mouth. It could easily be the best thing she’d ever tasted. The earthy sweet flavourful medley of asparagus, peas and fennel was strong upon her tongue, yet it left a light, refreshing aftertaste, making her want more. If tea was a hug in a mug, this soup was like consuming liquid sunshine. Before she knew it, she had reached the bottom of her bowl. Sitting across from her, Jon slurped up his soup just as speedily, just noticing how famished he was having not eaten much all day, too anxious to ingest anything but a few bites of toast that morning. Sitting back in his seat feeling satisfied, Jon smacked his lips, savouring any remnant taste of the soup in his mouth. Having eaten his food every day, he could really attest that his uncle truly was a very capable chef. Judging from Dany’s gleaming bowl, he could tell that she would thoroughly agree with him.

“Shall I send our dishes back done and move on to the main course?” “Yes please!” Already moving to place her empty bowl and used spoon back onto the tray that it came from, Dany replied, her enthusiasm palpable. Down the dishes went and up came more. This time, it was two serves of warm lasagna and a bottle of red to go with them. “Oh! I haven’t had this in ages!” The familiar fragrance of tomato, onions, garlic, minced beef and Italian herbs filled the air. “You know I used to come to the diner after school every day just to have Mister Stark’s lasagna?” “I think my uncle must have known that.” Lifting up the note that came with their food, Jon flipped it the right side up before taking in the scrawl of letters. “Ah! Yes. He said so right here.” This note was much shorter than the last, lacking in more teasing quips, thank the gods. “‘For your main course, a classic from this very diner and a favourite of a certain little lady with the purple eyes. The bottle of Merlot goes really well with the red sauce.’” The layers of pasta, meat sauce and cheese caved under the pressure of her fork like butter under the blade of a hot knife. Lifting the fork towards her mouth, pulling a string of gooey melted cheese along with it, Dany blew on the forkful hastily before popping it into her mouth. The taste was just as she remembered, transporting her instantly back to the days of her youth when she’d run over to the diner instead of going home for lunch. “My mum could never make it quite as good as his. Don’t ever tell her I said that. She’s great with numbers but she isn’t that much of a cook.” Pouring some wine into a wine glass for Dany and then tipping some into his own, Jon smiled a wistful smile. An image of the cutest little girl with silver curls and lavender eyes like a doll formed in his mind. What would it have been like to grow up with her? Would they have been good friends? Would they have found themselves in their current state much sooner? “What I wouldn’t give to meet little you. I bet you were just as wonderful as you are now.” “Mm.” Shaking her head with her mouth stuffed, Dany chewed quickly and swallowed. “Wonderful? I wouldn’t go that far. I’ll have you know that I was quite naughty as a child. Detention was my best friend in high school.” Taking a sip of his wine, Jon couldn’t help but disagree. “I find that hard to believe.” “It’s true! You see I had a bad boy jock boyfriend at the time. I used to get up to lots of silly, sometimes not so nice antics just to get myself into detention so I could be with him a little more.” A ruefully half smirk tugged at her lips from behind her wine glass. “When he dumped me after two years, a veil had lifted and I could finally see that in my strive to keep him with me the people around me got hurt.” Thumbtacks scattered upon a teacher’s chair, gum in their hair, all the notorious things that she never would have done if she were given another chance to relive her childhood. Her parents were so disappointed in her. “I did get over him eventually and the pain didn’t last for long. After that, I knew I had to change. So, I apologized to everyone I hurt and I worked hard in school. I got into college and all the rest was history. Time heals even the deepest of wounds I suppose.” ”I need to put it out there. That jackass was an idiot for leaving you.” How could anyone do that to someone like her? He would never, ever have left her. “And for what it’s worth, you were just a child then. I think we’ve all done things we aren’t too proud of as kids. Whether it was to fit in or earn the affection of someone we liked.” Giving Jon’s arm a gentle squeeze, Dany gave him a grateful smile, passing along a silent ‘thank you’. He understood her.  The chance of finding someone who you could relate to was so slim. Someone like him was rare in the world. For that, she counted herself extremely blessed.

“What I am most intrigued about now is… What, may I ask, did you do as a boy that was so shameful?“ “All I’m going to say is that it involved drunkenness, a bottle of the headmaster’s whiskey and a dare.” Dany’s eyebrow rose up high. She could venture a guess as to the outcome from all the clues he dropped and it sounded like an entertaining tale. “What happened?” “Not telling.” Batting her eyelashes coquettishly, putting on her best puppy dog eyes, Dany pleaded with him. “Tell me... please...?” This woman would be the death of him. He was sure of it. How was he to deny her anything when she looked like that? Groaning under effect of those large doe like eyes of hers, his resolve crumbled like a house of cards.“Fine. I will tell you on one condition that this stays between us and only us. No one else can know about this.” Index finger drawing a cross over her heart, Dany gave him a solemn nod in promise. “I won’t tell anyone.” Resting her forearms on the table, interlocking her fingers on the table, Dany leant forward, ready to listen to whatever sordid tale Jon had to tell. Taking a gulp of his wine, shifting to mimic Dany’s posture, Jon commenced his tale. He regaled her of a drunken night of partying, which lead to a classic game of truth or dare. Bolstered by the copious amounts of beer and spiked punch, young Jon chose to participate in a dare which required him to steal the bottle of Jameson stored in the bottom left drawer of his headmaster’s desk. Simple enough, right? How naïve he was. Just sneak in quick, pick the lock and get out. Unfortunately for him, there was a catch. He had to run from the dorms to the other side of the campus.

Naked as the day he was born. “No.... You didn’t!” “You can bet all the money in the world that I did.” There he went in the dark of night, butt naked, streaking across the campus grounds. His gaggle of drunken friends followed behind him, giggling like schoolgirls. Up the stairs they went, stopping just outside their destination. To their utmost joy, the office door was unlocked! In Jon crept, his friends waiting outside the corridor for him to emerge victorious. “There I stood without a stitch on me, clumsily fumbling with the handle of the drawer, trying so hard to pull it open. Until, it came to me that I didn’t know how to pick a lock. To make matters worse, the headmaster chose that very moment to traipse back into his office.” “Oh dear...” Dany cringed. She had an inkling of what was coming. His fellow dorm mates and friends had bailed on him once they caught sight of Mr Montgomery’s shiny baldhead. In the end, their pajama-clad headmaster caught a very exposed, totally hammered, teenage Jon standing by his desk trying to break into his finest whiskey. Shrugging as nonchalantly as he could Jon casually picked up his wine glass and swirled the maroon liquid around. “I spent two weeks on kitchen duty after and none of the boys would let me forget that night. I was pretty much a legend.” “A shameless one at that!” A bark of laughter erupted from Dany’s mouth. She was so glad that she wasn’t drinking her wine. Otherwise, it would have gone up her nose and projected everywhere. “I’m glad my plight amuses you.” Jon said appreciating how charming Dany looked succumbed to the call of full belly chortles. Her laughter filled him with veneration and pride knowing that he brought it to light. Everyone knows a good meal cannot end without dessert. For such a special occasion, Ned had created something new for them - a s’more pie. Sitting on two plates were two generously large slices. A base of crushed Graham crackers, a filling of decedent dark chocolate mousse topped with pieces of toasted marshmallows. Just as the last two courses, this final one was enjoyed and disappeared in the blink of an eye betwixt a volley of banter and a chorus of laughter. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Dad! Leave the two of them alone.” Sansa laughed. Her father had his hands cupped around his eyes straining to peek through the wooden shutters at the two little lovebirds dining outside. Looking over the railing from his position a top the spiral staircase leading to the roof, Ned asked his brood: “Aren’t you curious about how things are going? My only baby sister’s son is on a date! The last time he was here he was just a wee boy of four! I was never there to see him grow up and I’ve definitely never had the chance to see him bring a girl home before.” His arms waving about animatedly and his eyes exaggeratedly wide as he sprinted back up the steps.“Oh.... I need to document every second of this fine moment for your aunt. Do they like my food?” Arya and Rickon were practically rolling on the carpet laughing at their dramatic daddy. Rolling her eyes, Sansa shook her head once more before turning back to her laptop. Rickon gave his brother, Bran’s leg a shake only to get a grunt in return. Frowning at his brother’s engrossment in his book. The fool is missing out with his nose always stuck in a book! Looking up at his father’s back, he pointed out a very obvious problem. “You’re not doing it right, daddy! The wood is blocking your eyes! You need to open the window to see.” Ned pried away one of the loose pieces of wood from the shutters with a triumphant ‘hah!’. Pressing his ear to the strip of glass revealed all he heard was muffled laughter and conversation. With his eyes cupped to erase any trace of a reflection, he could see their silhouettes in the dark pretty well thanks to the fairy lights they’d strung up. Jon and Dany seemed to be having a good time, animatedly chatting over their dessert with smiles plastered on their faces. Replacing the wooden plank in its rightful place, Ned knew Lyanna would be happy to know that her quiet son had found himself a nice girl. “Or... we could sneak a camera out there to watch them! That way you could document their interactions properly too. Why didn’t I think of this sooner! From the way they were mooning all over each other even with me standing right there, this has got to be good!” Bolting up from her sprawled position within her nest of pillows on the floor that she was sharing with Rickon, Arya’s eyes glowed with excitement. Her new prototype could finally be taken out for a trial run! “I’ll go and get it for you. I have just the thing!” “Hold on a minute, kiddo.” Ned caught his pesky daughter around her shoulders and reeled her in to him. Peering up at her father, she asked in her most innocent voice: “When did you come back down from there, daddy? You’re very quick.” Ruffling her head of raven curls that matched his own minus the odd strands of grey, Ned’s heart swelled with love. They said a parent should never have a favourite child, but he couldn’t help it. Even though he loved all his children, all five of them very much, Arya was his baby girl. “I think filming them might be a bit too intrusive. Your sister is right. Let’s give them their space to be better acquainted.” “Aww man! My miniature camera goes untested once again!” Hugging her father around his waist, she nuzzled her face into his chest and whined. Patting her hair, Ned smiled. No matter how big she got, she was still his headstrong, spirited, incredibly bright baby girl. Now, he had to make an international call to New Zealand. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With sated bellies, minds a buzz from the wine, the two budding lovers meandered along the vacant streets, hands finding each other’s in the dark. Reaching the street that would take them to Dany’s home, she huddled closer into Jon’s side, not out of fear for what loitered in the night but for the reassurance that he was truly real and to prove that the lovely evening they’d spent together truly did happen. Each step they took, dawdled a little more the closer they got to their destination. Taking pauses every few seconds to just bask in each other’s presence for a little while longer. Neither of them wanted the night to end that soon. “I’ve loved every second of this evening, Jon. Please give my compliments to the chef and I think he’d be happy to know that I may have gotten some inspiration from this wonderful meal for my next range of ice cream flavours.” “What do you have in mind?” 

Trying hard not to stumble in the dark as they made their way up the steps to her little ice cream haven, Jon couldn’t stop his eyes from drifting back to Dany. Watching every move she made, gracefully moving between the shadows of the night. The beams of moonlight painted her in an ethereal glow. Like an elven nymph dancing before him, leading him along by the hand to wherever her heart desired to go. The small hand tightly tucked within his, the warmth of her palm pressed against his was a homing beacon for all his senses to congregate to. He felt light and tingly all over. Boy, was he far gone. Not letting go of his hand, Dany stepped up onto her porch and spun around to face him. Jon now stood a step below her, gazing up at her with his deep chocolate eyes that shone with unwavering adoration under the silver light of the moon.

An adoration for her.

It was hard to fathom this happening so quickly considering they’d only just met only recently. Who was she to deny the affections of someone so genuinely sweet? Someone who was captivated by her, not just for her looks but she was inclined to believe that it was for all of her, inside and out. If Jon wanted to discover it all, discover every single thing about her? She would personally hold the door open and invite him in.  “Mmm.... I’m afraid you’ll have to swing by tomorrow and find out for yourself.” 

Any excuse, any chance to see this darling man again, she would come up with and take them all. After all, he wasn’t the only one who was paddling in the deep end of affection. He wanted to be with her and she too wanted him close, so very much. She hadn’t smiled or laughed like she had with a member of the opposite sex in so long. Every moment spent with Jon brought her to life. She wanted to learn all that she could about this man who was so quickly becoming a fixture that she wanted to create a permanent home for in her world. “Are you asking me out on a date, my lady?” “You gave me such a marvellous one tonight. Turn about is only fair. What do you say to hanging out in my kitchen and do some experiments on ice cream with me?” “I say.... experimentation with food may not be as great as a three course meal but I suppose it’d be nice.” He couldn’t help it. He had to know how this perfect woman would react should he push her buttons a little. “Hey! Are you underestimating my abilities to provide a good time? At least give a girl a chance! Ice cream making is an art that requires precision and wit, which I assume you’ve never experienced before. Here I thought it would be something fun for us to do together.” Releasing a harrumph, Dany swatted him lightly on the arm with her free hand before making a move to shake off his hand that was still clasped around hers. Chuckling, Jon tightened his hold on her hand and drew his very cute pouty-lipped date towards him. A sharp gasp escaped from her as her body collided with his. Perhaps it was the alcohol giving him a boost in confidence, his arm shot out to snake around Dany’s waist. Whether it was to keep her from falling or to usher her in closer to him, Jon really couldn’t say. The urge to have her as close to him as humanly possible was all too compelling. 

“I was merely playing with you.” The instant their bodies aligned, the air around them crackled with a certain tension that had both their hearts leaping into their mouths. “You’re coming tomorrow? This date might not to be a very romantic one nor does it go according to the list of cliché activities of what couples usually go for.” Her hands grabbed at Jon’s shoulders in seek of some semblance of balance while her heart went haywire, beating out of tempo like an un-tuned metronome. Their sudden closeness threw her, bringing forth dizziness. Jon’s broad chest rose and fell against hers, each inhale and exhale of his, pressed him to her even more. A callused thumb coasting down the curve of her cheek had a tremor zinging through her body. It felt so good that her knees could have buckled under her. A tiny whimper lodged its way up her throat.  Their lips parted without much coaxing. Just an inch closer and they would touch. Curiosity lanced with desire coiled deep within their beings. Did they dare to venture a taste? Was it all too soon to cross that boundary, to take a step in the direction of physical intimacy? Could they throw everything to the wind and give in to that temptation? “My answer to your request is, yes, I would love nothing more than to come over.” Under the spell of that irresistible magnetic pull between them, Jon inched even closer to his ladylove. No one knew what supplied him with the courage to do what he did next, but nonetheless, he brushed the tip of his nose alongside hers before running it up and down along the length of her nose, keeping his touch to a graze. “As long as we’re together, anything would be fine. What we do wouldn’t matter if I got to spend time with you. I’m sure we could find a way to amp up the romance somehow anyway.” His ticklish caresses and those affectionate, heartfelt words articulated in that husky voice of his had jolts of electricity bolting straight towards the point between her legs, at the apex where her thighs met. Dany’s toes curled within her sneakers. Oh god, what was happening to her? “I’ll be here tomorrow. How about around the time your shop closes?” Jon whispered. There was no need to speak much louder than that with her so near. So near, he could count the freckles fanning out across her cheeks.

Their lips were now a mere hair’s breadth apart. So close, that each exhalation from their lungs mingled between them. Dany’s eyes grew enthralled by the movement of Jon’s lips and his pink tongue that darted out to moisten his lips.

Just a little closer.

Embroiled in the magic of the moment, her words eluded her. All she could manage was a nod and a hum of acquiescence. That mouth of his was so pretty, unfairly pretty for a man. She had a sudden craving to know how they felt moving against hers. Would those enticing lips be smooth or would they be rough? Whether his tongue would set her body on fire, trailing down her neck or up the inside of her thighs to kiss her there? What was this man kindling in her?

Looking back on that very night, neither of them could pin point with confidence which one out of the two of them made the first move. Dany would deny vehemently that it was her and Jon would do the same when she brought it up. Back in the present, the miniscule gap keeping them apart vanished in an ever so gentle collision of lips, like the timid flutter of a butterfly’s wings. The tentative press of their closed lips lingered and their hearts lurched to a halt. Sucking in a sharp breath through their noses, their beating organs came to, riding upon the backs of a horde of stampeding rhinoceroses that rattled them both to the core. Just a sweet, delicate touch was enough to send their senses into a tizzy, lighting up every nerve ending in their bodies like the insides of a pinball machine.

Kissing each other was everything they had expected and so much more. For Jon, Dany’s lips under his were like the insides of a rosebud, soft and sweet, bringing forth a sense of possessiveness from his core. For Dany, Jon’s plaint lips were a little dry and yet still very pleasant. Combined with the steady enclosure of his arms around her holding her upright and his lips moving in what she could only describe as lovingly upon hers made her shiver. It was a shame that their physiological demand for air forced them to drag their lips unwittingly away from their lip lock. A euphoric sort of bubble held them both hostage and neither of them was eager to depart from it. So, they stood together just breathing as one, taking in some much needed air. Meeting each other’s eyes, they saw disbelief, stunned surprise and something else swimming in there. Their gazes held for moments as they watched the desire within each other’s pupils flare up and expand, pushing their irises outwards until there was just a small ring left.

He (She) had to have more, no, needed more.

They plunged headfirst, back in for more. This time, their parted lips fused seamlessly, both of them hungry for the sweetness they knew would be found within. Hesitantly still, yet fuelled by a newfound passion, their tongues met in a timid flick, kicking up a languid rhythm, relishing in the taste of the person in their arms. Their dance soon became frenzied and moans floated unbridled to the sky with each tilt of their heads. Without conscious thought, their hands began to wander, searching for an anchor at whatever they could reach. Jon’s fingers fisted at the silky locks that hung loose down Dany’s back while hers burrowed their way into the curls at the nape of his neck. Their daydreams and fantasies paled in comparison to how delicious reality was. Each slant of their mouths, each touch of their lips, stroke of their tongues brought about a hint of wine and an intoxicating flavour that was uniquely their own.

And as they broke apart, heads spinning and hearts reverberating like jackhammers within their chest cavities, Jon tipped his forehead to Dany’s. Letting out a quiet laugh under his breath, his mind fought to catch up with the rest of his body. “For a first kiss, that was...” “Fantastic? Brilliant? Magnificent?” Fingers flexing around the silky midnight curls still grasped in her hand, Dany laughed too. Her starving lungs just refused to hold air. 

Arms dropping to frame her waist, he tucked the woman he was head over heels, so very madly enamoured with securely to him. “Hands down, all of the above.” 

The night could not have been more perfect.

[tapersforall]

// Hey familia, it’s Corbs & Finn’s mun bringing a little OC flavor into my mix. I’ll attach a little rundown on Dani (faced by Shan.n.on Bev.e.ridge) as well as some wanted plots to this under the cut and I am also open to creating something brand new, but as per usual give this post a like and I’ll come to you for plotting. 

 So, Danielle “Dani” Thompson is a 27-year-old hair stylist for WWE. She can do it all from trims, cuts, colors, special styles for events, and she’s even skilled with a pair of clippers, so all of you boys out there that need your clean fades can come to Dani and she’ll take care of you. She mainly works for talent on the RAW & SDL brands, but also does stuff for NXT when needed. She’s there for all events and most shows, her being one of the main hair people for the company.  

Dani is a same-sex oriented Orlando native with big heart and a sarcastic sense of humor. She has her GED due to the fact that she dropped out of high school before her senior year. This was because she’d developed an addiction to cocaine and prescription pills. By the age of 19 she’d gotten her act together by checking into rehab and choosing a new path for her life. She got her GED and enrolled in cosmetology school where she put her charming personality and newfound determination to work. Three years later she met Blake (one of the company’s seamstresses) when she was looking for a new roommate. A mutual friend hooked them up and they’ve been best friends ever since. Blake helped her get her foot in the door with WWE and she’s now been working for them for the past two years. 

 Here are some plots I think would be good for Dani, see what you’d like: 

-big brother type (m)-This guy and Dani have become very close since she started cutting his hair for the company. They trust each other with any information and are always joking around with each other. They might be protective of her and she is absolutely protective of them. 

-roomie (f or m)-This is open to brainstorming but I would like them to be at least decent friends. They work together and they live together so arguments may happen but for most of the time they are good friends that can shoot the shit and joke with each other. 

-past mistake (f)-A coworker that Dani hooked up with and went awry. This is also open to discussing but they could be uncomfortable/awkward around each other because things didn’t work out (maybe she was straight and Dani decided it wasn’t worth it after all? The person could’ve been in a relationship at the time? We can discuss it together) 

-favorite client (f or m)-This person sits in Dani’s chair and spills all the tea, cracks all the jokes, just all-around is a good time when she’s working on their hair. They’re casual friends but always look forward to seeing each other because of their chemistry. 

-wine nights crew (f or m?)-This could be 3-5 coworkers (probably women) that come to Dani’s once every other week or so to drink wine and hang out. Gossip is shared, jokes are cracked, stories are told. This opens up possible bonding plots between multiple muses!

[mutable-manifestation]

#principal doesn't call CPS but only because this is a public school in Gotham#the student body just assumes whoever Danny's bio mom is out of the bunch really gets around#dp x dc#accidental child acquisition

"Polycule got pregnant and didn't dna test that's all their baby ig" - the principle, probably

tbh it wouldn't be too surprising that it works out.

Like.

It's Gotham, like you said.

And it's a small army of parental figures that clearly care about him at least enough to care a lot about his education.

So they call CPS and he, what, gets tossed into the system probably with a foster that cares way less unless he somehow gets lucky? As much as they joke, Gotham is a big city and Bruce Wayne can't adopt every kid even if he does narrow the criteria via eye and hair colors.

Then Dani shows up. Just barely old enough looking to reasonably be put in high school and she has the knowledge (ala Danny memories + self-study, not that the school people know that).

And, okay, sure. A second kid out of nowhere.

But she looks just like Danny. Two kids for the polycule? They can accept that.

(Dani was the easiest to adjust the summoning circle for. She's startled when she first arrives, but when she gets the story from Danny? She can stick around for a little while.

Except the cult is...great. They aren't fruitloopy. They don't do evil stuff. They just... act kinda like the Far Frozen. Except human. And with more merch.

And Dani...kinda likes it. Slumming it in a warehouse is familiar - she couldn't always find an empty hotel room to crash in while traveling, after all. And while they care, they aren't suffocating about it. They don't demand she be present at certain hours or nag about where she's been. They just. Ask if she had fun, offer her leftovers if she didn't make the usual mealtime, lend a listening ear... They're just. Kind.

Dani still intends to explore, but.... She's a fast flier. She have both. She decides to live with them.)

Then, months later, the polycule rocks up to enroll a senior.

A redhead named Jazz.

While she shares similar facial features to the Danni (latin plural pronunciation), she looks different enough that...while she could take after a different parent...it's just... none of the polycule are redheads.

The school doesn't call CPS.

But.

Some of them are concerned about the possible kidnapping situation.

As it happens, the secretary ends up running into (getting rescued by) a bat not long after.

She decides, fuck it, and lets them know that, hey, possible kidnapping group, possibly just a polycule with a weird thing about having legal ID's. Maybe check it out, but she's done her civic duty and now it's time to go get a bucket of ice cream to help repress the memory of almost getting mugged.

Again, thank you so much Gotham you shining beacon of all things peace and safety

She moves on with her life.

Ofc the bats check into it.

And. That is. Definitely the cult that got therapized by their summonee.

Now, did they all start behaving better and improving all of their lives after that? Yeah absolutely. It was great and the batfam was happy for them.

But do people sometimes relapse? Also yes.

Now there could be totally innocent, benevolent reasons the cult (kind of? Is it just a support group with a theme at this point???) has these kids.

But it could also be kidnapping. They gotta check.

How protective of their Reasonable, Attentive, and Caring adults are the Danni and Jazz? And precisely how hard do they troll the bats once they realize what's going on?

You know the drill.

Cultists want to summon the Ghost King, the League pull up to stop them, failed summoning successfully and got Ghost Prince Danny.

With a twist.

The head cultist tells Danny what they want, but it's so pitiful that Danny just sits them down, each and every one of the cultists and explains that maybe it isn't the best idea to give your soul to an otherworldly entity just for that.

Then it somehow turns into therapy because Jesus Christ these people have been living some pretty shit lives, then Danny decides to pull some favors with Frostbite and the Yetis to get some of the cultists family members medical treatment for their Mother/Father/Siblings that they're too poor to pay for.

Other times he just kinda tries to get a few others to get more confidence after being drawn in by a few bad people against their will and try and give them ways to get out of said situation.

The entire time the Justice League was just, there, watching all of this go down and questioning a lot of things. Simultaneously Batman is thinking of starting up a program to not make this a repeat, wherein people think they have no other options than to give up their literal soul to an otherworldly entity in hopes to turn their life around.

[bffhhoneymoon]

Entry 25

 I felt as if my eyes were bulging out of my head.  The pink-skinned beings around us had no sense of modesty.  Some of them wore clothing with more holes than material.  Many of the outfits with abundant material were also transparent.  Barely an hour on this planet and I was equally appalled by its occupants and impressed by its beauty.

 Displays of affection were not only frequent, they were grandiose.  Kissing seemed as common as a greeting to these people.  Lewd dancing to music groups sang was frequent.  What I felt and heard going on just out of sight was entirely inappropriate.

 When Aaliyah warned us that we might have a sense of culture shock due to this being a pleasure planet, I expected the drinking, gambling, drugs, music, and numerous forms of entertainment.  The crowds weren't surprising, not even with the singing.  I knew Dani's people had a love of music.  The complete lack of even a sense of decency was appalling.  James had to agree.  He frequently covered Dani's eyes.

 “Watch this.” stated Aaliyah shortly into our trip towards the school, grabbing my hand with a grip that made me feel fragile.  Then she started to sing.

 The song spread out from her, with every native to the planet joining her in singing it.  Even my daughter was singing almost instantly.  Spells formed all over, creating a complicated harmony to match the melody.  Magical light shows flickered in time, and even offworlders quickly joined in the dancing.

 Walking through the streets was no longer possible.  Anyone who didn't dance their way onward would be an unforgivable eyesore in this spontaneous musical.  The choreography was easy enough to learn, so James, Dani, Aaliyah, and I twirled, dipped, and bopped our way closer to the school.

 Much later when the song came to an end, I expected silence or confusion.  Instead, the enormous musical broke off into song-filled debauchery again.  This time I saw a connection between many of the activities.  Melodies, rhythms, and harmonies from the musical found their way into various other themes.  Dance moves were borrowed for other entertainment.  The people here never really broke from their unity.

 “Still finding it vulgar?” asked Aaliyah with “vulgar” being the sole English word.

 Come to think of it, I didn't know an equivalent word in Dani's tongue.

 “What's… vulgar?” inquired Dani, looking between the rest of us.

 “A word in a language we'll teach you someday.” explained James.

 “What's it mean?” asked Dani, her curiosity not sated.

 “You'll find as you learn languages that there are numerous words which won't translate easily.  My daddy enjoyed teaching them to me.  He works as a translator, so he knows many languages.” explained Aaliyah.

 For once, I was quite thankful when her explanation continued to an absurd length.  By the time Aaliyah had finished, Dani had completely forgotten what she had been asking.  Fortunately we had also arrived at the school.

 I couldn't find fault in the architecture of Dani's people.  The school was somehow even more beautiful to me than the numerous other buildings we had passed throughout our walk.  The soaring ivory towers with their silver accents and shimmering windows wove around one another in intricate, delicate-looking patterns which could trick the eye into believing the towers stretched past the clouds.

 How could a people so dedicated to frivolity design such a wonder?  

 “You'll never find a species more dedicated to the arts.  There are some equally dedicated, but even they can't compare in passion.” claimed Aaliyah with a grin.  She then took the lead, guiding us between the towers and into a garden at the center.

 A partially transparent illusion of a woman appeared when we stepped onto a fancifully engraved platform at the garden’s center.  The illusion smiled and said, “Thank you for visiting Zyanasha’s School for Girls.  The headmistress will see you shortly.  The energy field is for your protection as we ascend to higher learning.”

 As the illusion spoke, a dome was generated over us.  The platform then ascended at the end of the illusion’s speech, just as promised

 I felt numerous people above and around us, most of whom were obviously young.  By the time we arrived, I had a fair understanding of the layout for the lower towers.  Three of the towers were for education.  One seemed to be recreational.  The fifth was obviously dormitories.

 “James, Alma, and Dani, correct?” asked a tall woman with magenta skin, lilac hair, and a nervous smile.  She seemed uncomfortable in her modest dress, fidgeting slightly as she pulled it one direction and then another.

 I wondered if she chose her apparel for our sake.  She didn't really seem to know where to look between us, and was quite obviously not wanting to look at James.  Despite the pleasantly cool air and her species’ natural aptitude from magic, she was sweating.

 When James nodded and held out his hand, she quickly grasped it while saying, “I am Headmistress Miriandra.  We are most excited to see Dani into our care.  I'll be giving you the tour at your convenience.  Your maid has already prepared Dani's room, and the royal family sent welcoming gifts for her as well as a few tokens to take with you.  His majesty wanted me to inform you that he is most saddened that you aren't able to join the royal family for dinner on this trip.  The palace is always open to you.”

 Ah.  I could see why she was nervous now.  With this world's monarchy anxious to accommodate us, everyone would be attempting to do the same.  Why had Aaliyah said we were busy?  Was she keeping something from us, saving us, or plotting something again?

 “All of the above, of course.” she replied with a smile, having frozen time.  “We'll be frequenting this planet to visit Dani, and you would be most shocked by a royal welcome here at the moment.  Best save such things for when you are a bit older.  By the way, Miriandra is just as worried about upsetting you.  Would you believe there are rumors about how incredibly protective you are with regard to James?  Given that monogamy is unheard of here, she's not entirely certain what would offend you.”

 Before I could respond, things jumped back into motion.  The headmistress, realizing she had been shaking my husband's hand for an excessive period, released him and risked a glance at me.

 “I would be delighted for that tour if we may proceed.” I stated.

 The headmistress was quick to guide us onward, showing us where Dani’s classrooms would be and introducing the teachers as we stopped at each.  I found the uniforms to be scandalous and noted my husband averted his eyes from everyone present in the halls and classrooms alike.  The course descriptions here made Earth classes sound like a joke.  Mastering calculus, basic physics, and offworld languages was primary school material.

 By secondary school, students were expected to be on a technological level that would make Jarod geek out.  High schoolers here were also expected to have a firm grasp on intergalactic politics, trade, and law.  Then there were classes such as Spell Theory, Recreational Engineering, and The Art of Stillness ― a class dedicated to teaching emotional restraint.

 Given how obvious the effect of my husband was on the students and faculty here, I meant to insist Dani enrolled in that Art of Stillness class the moment she reached that level.  There were also a number of classes I intended to forbid, finding them entirely inappropriate.  James was probably unaware of them, given that they were thankfully not mentioned on the tour.  I simply wasn't capable of ignoring what was happening behind certain doors.

 I had mixed feelings about leaving Dani anywhere on this planet, but most of the curriculum was better than I expected, considering Dani wasn't of my blood.  The school was active year-round, save for holidays.  We would also have the option to visit Dani on weekends occasionally.

 The tour ended with Dani's bedroom, a multi-roomed suite that was obviously larger than normal.

 “These quarters are typically reserved for the royal family.  Given their current lack of daughters, his majesty insisted that we make the rooms available for Dani.” explained the headmistress.

 “But… I'm not a princess.” stated Dani with wide eyes.  She had been relatively composed throughout the tour, but a smile had grown on her lips till she heard this news.

 “You are to me.” replied James with a grin.

 Dani's eyes went even wider.

 I bent down and hugged her, careful to be gentle.  By my standards, she was fragile.  I couldn't let myself hug her as hard as I would like.  I didn't really want to let her go at all.  The month living together had only made this more difficult.  I forced myself to release her, smiling when I saw that she was clinging to me.

 “We need to do this.” stated James.  Time was frozen again, and he was staring into my eyes.

 “Are you really so certain?” I asked, surprised by his confidence.

 “I'm sure you noticed the energy on this planet.  Yes, I find much of their behavior shocking, but that emotional energy is overwhelming.  The difference between how the different ages reacted when we visited the rooms was incredible.”

 “Some of the girls looked ready to jump out of their seats.  Others had been quickly restrained by spells.” I admitted.

 “There was that, but we could practically see the excitement growing, passing between them.”

 Smiling, I told him “And here I thought you were doing so well at not watching anything.”

 “Unfortunately, I lost much of my talent for ignoring things when my senses were vastly heightened.” he replied with the most lovely frown.

 I nodded and time resumed its normal pace.  I gently brush my fingers through Dani's hair.

 She looked up at me and asked “Are you leaving?”

 “Do you want to go to school here?” I questioned.

 She hesitated, looking from me to James and back.  “Will I get to see you soon?”

 “You can chat with us whenever you're free, and we'll visit often.” promised James.

 “If you ever have a problem, just let us know.” I told her.  I was amused by how the headmistress tensed up at my words.  Dani would be treated well.

 “I'll be with you as well.” promised Mila.  “Alma would be disappointed if we didn't continue some of your extra studies.”

 “I'll also check in each month when I deposit the tuition.” stated Aaliyah.

 “There's no need to deliver tuition in person.  Fund transfers are the norm.” insisted the headmistress, looking shocked.

 “James and Alma won't always have time to make an appearance for tuition, but I'll be perfectly punctual.  As secretary to James Michael Somerset III, keeping tabs on Dani's progress while handling accounting is my privilege.” replied Aaliyah with a grin.

 The headmistress nodded.  “Very well.  I'll be sure to make time.”

 James knelt and hugged our daughter after seeing the rest of the rooms, so I hugged her again after him.  We were parting, but we didn't have to be apart for long.  Perhaps we would visit in a week.  James and I could easily sneak in extra times with Aaliyah's help if she were willing.  After collecting the gifts from the royal family, we headed back to the streets, and I found myself staring back at the tower that housed my daughter.