#dear god i would bend over backwards for her... wow

[wistcrias]

I’m making EVERYONE stare at her 

[neverendingparable]

The Alien and the Fireplace  (Part 2)

~

It seemed like they were dragged around for minutes. Too many twists and turns around the hallways for Leonard to remember which way they were taken, in case he and Spencer found a way to escape. If the vines weren't curled so tightly around his arms he might've been able to reach down and grab the hidden dagger strapped to his leg, but no such luck.

Spencer was flailing around, shouting curses at their unseen foes. Leonard could see the big grin on his face nonetheless. He was enjoying it, probably excited for a showdown or perhaps a misadventure leading in a harrowing escape from whatever vile creature was going to question them. If they bothered questioning at all.

Leonard wasn't very concerned about torture, he considered himself having a high pain tolerance and even if it did get serious, his protections would keep them from killing him. However, despite the restart system and Spencer's masochism, he didn't want things to get messy.

The vines suddenly came to a halt and opened, dropping their prey onto the ground ungracefully. A moment later, Leonard's cane was released as well and he grabbed it, grateful to have an immediate weapon at hand should something run at them.

He struggled to his feet and glanced around. They were in the Lounge...he suspected. There were couches sitting around, but the room was off, unfamiliar. Instead of blue wallpaper, every inch was covered in plants - a mossy base, vines snaking in between ferns and dandelions. It smelled like wet mud and the humidity of the room, coupled with the warmth of the lit fireplace in the corner was barely tolerable.

They weren't alone either. Perched on the couch was a Jonathan Von Sales, his eyes fixed on the handful of dirt he was lovingly cradling. He didn’t react to their entrance, instead he seemed to whisper to it, coaxing a little green seedling to emerge and grow from the soil until a cluster of weeds stretched proudly towards the overhead lights.

Spencer had gotten to his feet as well by now and was making a big show of dusting himself off.

"Wow, that was certainly something!" He said a little louder than necessary and slapped Leonard's shoulder. "Nothing like a little kidnapping to really get you going, huh? So, what are we dealing with?"

His eyes fell on the Jon and Leonard could see his excitement literally tumble to the ground.

"Oh, no. No, why a Jon. It's always a Jon, isn’t it? Their plans are always so boring and usually it's a Maelle lurking behind them. And I'm sick of both of them, why can't it ever be someone cool?"

"Spencer," Leonard muttered warningly. "Be quiet."

"But if I'm going to be kidnapped, couldn't it be from someone who actually has an ounce of creativity?"

"Spencer, I don't think that is a Jonathan."

Grimley glanced at the figure still petting the weeds, making their roots grow larger, aggressively winding around the Jon's(?) legs and digging into the carpet as if it were nothing but pliable earth.

"He could be a drugged Jonathan," He suggested.

"No." Jonathans always had weak signals. Even the strongest of them, EJ, whom Leonard also encountered once before, was nothing but a flimsy resistance against his protections. Maelles were only slightly better, though they usually didn't bother attacking random humans unless they were truly bored.

This...'Jon', this being pretending to be someone harmless was setting off alarm signals with all of Leonard's protections. Just standing right next to them felt like visiting a radiation site. Grimley was slowly realizing it too, as he stayed on his spot behind Leonard and didn't attempt to heckle any further.

The being was ignoring them yet and Leonard felt he had to ease the situation before anything happened.

He cleared his throat and took off his hat, bowing slightly towards the being. He had dealt with monsters and gods before and the best way to talk to them was always in the most respectful, but fearless way. It did no good to appear submissive.

"Excuse me," He started.

No response.

"We seemed to have found ourselves in your domain. We mean no harm and will be back on our way without disturbing anything. If you brought us here for a reason, we are willing to hear you out."

He shot a look towards Spencer, silently asking him to shut up and let him talk. Surprisingly, the other didn't protest.

'Jon' stayed silent too, but his attention was drawn on them now. His eyes didn't seem quite right either. Looking into them, Leonard felt like he was staring into the open sky, a bright blue abyss waiting to swallow him whole.

"S-so, if you would please let us know why we are here-"

Ahh, what a nice little speech. A voice sang out from nowhere.

'Jon' still hadn't moved and Leonard doubted he was the one talking. His face was frozen like that of a wax statue's.

I suppose you had a lot of practice talking to beings bigger than you havent you, Leonard?

"I would like to know who I am talking to," Leonard responded, firmly.

The voice laughed quietly, amused at his demand. It seemed to be taking form now. He looked towards the fireplace and realized there was something - no, someone inside it.

It should've been obvious right then what he had stumbled into, but the human mind would bend itself over backwards to ignore danger for the sake of comfort.

Oh, that's right. We have never officially met. Well then...

The fire bent and snapped, sparks flying out onto the carpet. They landed and erupted into a pillar of flames, scorching the ceiling and the couches nearby. Leonard felt Grimley grip the edges of his coat. 'Jon' did nothing.

The flames died down and in place stood a tall woman with long hair, the color of grain. She was beautiful in the way that suggested she tailored itself specifically for human tastes, fake and hiding an alien vileness beneath. She was a wildfire disguising herself as a candle. She didn't do a good job at it either and that worried Leonard. If she didn't rely on her appearance fooling them, it meant she knew she could rely on her power instead. Whatever was going to happen will happen because she wanted it to, not because they had any say in the matter.

"Allow me to introduce myself....the mortals around here call me Demeter and I suppose you may as well. It's unfortunate you came too close to our little...hide out." Demeter glanced towards the being disguising itself as Jon, amused.

"Jannas and I were just taking a vacation, that's all."

Jon - Jannas - smiled.

There was something going on here, Leonard knew as much. These two were in the middle of a ploy they didn't want two curious humans to stumble upon. He had to act quick if he wanted them to be able to walk out unharmed.

"We're sorry for intruding. As I said, we were passing by and were roused with curiosity upon seeing a plant Office. But we were actually heading in a different direction, as I was going to show my young companion a few of the more interesting Offices."

Translation: We didn’t mean to see or hear anything, we're just two curious humans that saw plants and touched them. If you let us go we'll busy ourselves with much more interesting things and forget we ever saw you.

Demeter smiled warmly and for a moment, Leonard thought she was going to let them go after all.

"I'm afraid you might have to re-schedule your explorations, my dear."

"...we haven't seen anything. Please, just let us go-"

"Oh, I know. I am not keeping you here as a punishment. But you two might be useful for us."

Spencer tugged more insistently at his coat. Instinctively, Leonard squared his shoulders, as if cutting the view from his smaller companion could protect him from whatever their captors had in mind.

Demeter kept smiling. Jannas turned her head towards them, Jon's shining blue eyes replaced by a suffocating brown. She leaned forward, and began to speak.

[papa-rhys]

Animal (Jacob Seed X Reader)

Note: Postin’ a lil noncon because no one can fuckin’ stop me. :) I couldn’t decide whether to do it with Jacob or John, so I went with Jacob ‘cause I was in a Jacob mood today. Enjoy!

Taggin’ @obscure-fae and @thatbasicbiatch because I said I would!

Warnings: Super noncon! Don’t read this if it’ll make you feel bad! I don’t wanna make anyone feel that way! <3

Find more of my writing here!

You creep through the brush, carefully tip-toeing your way in between the trees, keeping your rifle raised, ready to shoot dead anyone who may jump out at you. You’re completely aware that you’re being tracked; you’d seen the figure further down the mountain and you’d caught glimpses of them following you ever since. You’re no hunter, but you’ve been in Hope County for a few weeks now, and if being here had taught you anything, it’s how to survive against the odds.

You purposely circle trees, walk back over your tracks; anything you can do to muddle your footprints up and confuse whoever is on your tail. Even if it buys you a few seconds, it’ll be worth it. Entering a particularly dense patch of trees, you risk a quick glance back, hoping to gauge the distance between you and them. You scan the forest, and the longer you struggle to locate the figure, the more concerned you get.

“Where are you, fucker?” You whisper to yourself, your eyes smoothly hovering from tree to tree. Then you hear it from behind you; the familiar creek of a wooden box being opened.

Only youuu-

“No!” You spin around on your heels, raising your rifle as you turn.

Jacob stands behind you, holding the tiny wooden box in one hand, with the other hand hidden behind his back. “I told you I’d get you,” he reminds you. “There’s no place on this Earth that you can go to hide from me.”

You drop your rifle to the floor and cover your ears, falling to your knees at Jacobs feet. He uses the opportunity to strip you of your belongings, tossing your weapons and your backpack to one side and then closing the music box.

You slowly remove your hands from your ears, hesitant at first, but satisfied once you see him drop the music box into the pocket of his jacket.

“Don’t worry; there’s no trainin’ today,” he says. “That’s not what I have planned for you. Just needed a distraction, so I could approach you without getting’ my head blown off. You got quite the itchy trigger-finger, even without my... guidance.”

He grabs you by the shoulder of your jacket and hauls you to your feet.

“What’s your plan then?” You ask, a sudden rush of confidence finding its way to the surface.

Jacob lifts your chin up with his thumb and wets his lips. “The plan is to teach you your place; where you stand, in the grand scheme o’things.”

He slowly pushes you backwards until your back hits a tree with a thud, knocking the air out of your lungs. Jacob looks down at you, staring menacingly into your eyes as he unbuckles his belt.

“Don’t you dare,” you warn, pointing a finger at him only to have it smacked away.

Jacob scoffs, now unzipping his jeans. You push him away and try to run, but he catches you in his arms and pins you back into place against the tree. You struggle against him as he watches you writhe around with a grin on his face.

“Get the fuck off me or I swear to God, Jacob, I’ll-“

“You’ll what?” He asks, reaching down and unbuttoning your jeans. “What’re you gonna do, sweetheart? Look at you – you don’t even have the strength to fight me off. You’re not in any kinda control, here, sunshine.”

With that, he yanks your jeans down to your thigh and turns you around, pressing you face-first into the tree trunk. You try to push yourself away from the tree, but he’s right – you don’t have the strength. He’s much stronger than you and he has the advantage of being behind you, now.

He kicks your ankles outwards, separating your legs. He holds your head against the tree with one hand and uses the other hand to hold onto your hip as he forces his way into you. He’s already hard and he doesn’t do you the kindness of taking it slow. Instead, he pushes deep and you take him all the way to the base, letting out a whimper. You reach up to the arm that holds your head in place and start clawing at it, trying desperately to get him to let go.

“Stop,” he growls, forcing your arm down and re-positioning himself, holding both of your arms behind your back. “You ain’t gettin’ free, so just quit it.”

He continues thrusting into you, roughly and steadily, shoving your body forward each time. He leans in and bites at the flesh on your neck, taking it between his teeth and clamping them down, hard, before letting it go. He moves up and presses his lips to your ear.

“You wanna give up, peaches?” he taunts. “It’s okay. I won’t think any less of you if you do.”

“Fuck you,” you spit, stomping your foot down onto his toes. Unfortunately for you, his combat boots are the real deal, and he barely feels it.

“Woah-ho-ho. You still got some fight in ya, huh?” he pants. He grabs a fistful of your hair and pulls your head backwards. “We’ll get that straightened out in no time,” he assures you before slamming your head into the tree.

The pain shoots through your temple and to the backs of your eyeballs as your vision begins to blur. You try shaking your head in hopes of clearing the fogginess. You try to fight the urge to close your eyes and sleep, but the knock to the head is proving to be a worthy opponent. You feel your body loosen as you give into the temptation of unconsciousness.

“Oh no you don’t,” Jacob breathes, wrapping his arms around you and supporting your body, stopping you from falling to the floor. “One bang to the head and you’re out? I ain’t done with you yet.” He shakes you, breathing a new life back into you. Your eyes look around the forest, wildly. “There ya go. Welcome back,” he says, pulling you further from the tree and bending you over a little more. He places his hands on your hips as his thrusts get faster and more violent. He’s nearing the end of the line, and you are, too. A sharp pang of guilt turns in your stomach as your orgasm builds and builds.

“No,” you whisper. “No, I can’t- Not for him.“

Your breathing quickens and your body involuntarily climaxes, accompanied by a breathy moan. Your fingernails drag over the bark of the tree, looking for a part of it to grab hold of as you orgasm. Your legs quiver underneath you and you struggle once more to stay standing.

Jacob chuckles, reaching down and squeezing the backs of your trembling thighs. “Wow,” he laughs. “I wasn’t expectin’ that to happen.”

He keeps going, determined to reach his own climax, and you don’t think you can handle any more.

“Stop,” you tell him, reaching behind you and putting your hand on his hip, pushing him away. “I can’t – I can’t take it. I’m too-“

“Too sensitive?” Jacob asks, not letting up at all. “Don’t I know it,” he mutters.

He suddenly slows down his pace, jolting back and forth sporadically. He lets out a grunt, followed by a chuckle as he finishes inside you. He stays there for a few moments, still deep inside you, with his arms wrapped tightly around your middle and his face buried in your hair. He moves down to your neck, taking a deep inhale and savouring the smell of your skin before he pulls out.

“Well then,” he says, zipping up his jeans as you stand there, your forehead pressed against the tree and your body still shaking. “I guess we both learned somethin’ about each other today, huh?” He sneers.

“You’re an animal,” you snap, clenching your jaw in disgust.

“Oh, don’t be like that, sweetheart,” he says. “You should be thankin’ me. I reckon that was the hardest you’ve came in a long time.”

And with that thought planted deep in your mind, he walks away, leaving you in silence. You slide down the tree until you’re on your knees in the dirt, holding onto the base of the trunk for dear life. Once you’re satisfied that Jacob is far enough way, you let out a cry of anguish; the tears finally allowed to roll freely down your cheeks after holding them in throughout the encounter.

After taking a long pause to gather yourself, you stand up. You pull up your jeans, straighten out your shirt, and head over to your backpack. You pick up your belongings – including your rifle – just as you notice a blurry figure trekking up the slope towards you. You squint to see them better, revealing it to be a hunter and her dog.

“Hey, there,” she says, waving to you. You wipe away your tears and approach her, still a little queasy from the head injury. “Are you okay, darlin?” she asks.

You nod. “I’m fine,” you reply.

[alanaswriting]

Convenient Store Dates

Carl Grimes x Reader

part two of “We’re Not Friends”

Request: Can you do a Carl imagine where Carl wants to take the reader on a real date so he begs Rick to let him take her driving. Rick finally gives in and he lets Carl take her out driving. Carl tries to help her learn how to drive (because it stressed Rick out too much) then maybe they find a little convenient store. Maybe they find pickles for Maggie because she was craving them (this is before 7x01). Omg maybe this could be the part two of "we're not friends"

Word Count: 3,800 ish

Warnings: swearing

A/N: wow this imagine has been r o u g h. writing it was easy breezy but I’ve had the worst troubles posting this! either way I really enjoyed this! thank you so much for requesting!

Requests are currently open!

Please don’t steal, plagiarize or repost my writing. I work really hard on my writing as I imagine all writers do and it would suck to find out someone else is trying to claim it as theirs.

ー

It’d taken a lot of begging. It’d taken so much pleading and extra chores, babysitting Judith, bending over backwards and doing Rick’s every word for him to even consider letting Carl take a car outside the walls of Alexandria. Carl had been doing everything right to try and prove that he was responsible enough, old enough, to do this. It’d taken Carl weeks to get Rick to get used to the idea, let alone agree to it so when Rick had given Carl the keys to a car parked by the walls of Alexandria early on a Sunday morning Carl was in disbelief.

Carl thought maybe it was because his father felt bad that he’d never get to experience a real date with you, like a arcade date or going to a carnival in town, or going to the movies when you both turned 16 and had finally gotten a car and some freedom, or maybe it was the fact Rick couldn’t stand teaching you how to drive himself. Whatever had changed Rick’s mind Carl didn’t care about, he was just ecstatic that Rick trusted him enough to do this.

Carl had been itching to take you somewhere since the two of you confessed your feelings to each other that night that seemed like forever ago but was barely a few weeks. The words ‘we’re not friends’ kept echoing in his head and he wanted to prove them to you, make them a reality for you, for the both of you.

Things had changed since that night definitely, you started to share slow kisses  before runs, longer hugs, things had even gotten heated a few times and you looked at Carl differently than you had before and he’d definitely started seeing you in a new light too but he wanted to make it official. A shitty car ride might not be the best idea of a date but it was all he had so he was going to make the best of it.

“Carl, oh my god. I’m gonna kill us. I’m horrible, Rick’s gonna kill me if I kill us.” You say in the drivers seat gripping the steering wheel for dear life.

Carl was sitting in the passenger seat calmly but you could tell his shoulders were a little stiff, he was nervous. With you as a driver he had a good reason to be. Maybe he wasn’t as nervous as you but he was still nonetheless nervous. You knew him too well for him to try and hide it from you. He had a calm exterior though and was doing well when it came to guiding you and telling you what to do. He wasn’t getting frustrated or angry. You were thankful for that.

“Just, just slow down. Loosen up, it’s fine. I’m right here.” Carl tries to reassure you so you’ll feel more comfortable behind the wheel.

Carl wasn’t exactly the best driver out there but he was better than you to say the least. You’d never driven before, you never had the opportunity. The end of the world began long before you could take drivers ed or get your license. Sure, you’d sat on your dad’s lap and steered before when you were younger in the middle of nowhere but that was when you were 6, you weren’t 6 anymore.

Nobody taught you how to drive because when Rick first tried to he’d gotten so frustrated he had to take over, he wasn’t as patient as normal when it came to teaching you how to drive and you didn’t blame him. You sucked. You knew you sucked. It was just something you weren’t good at.

“Can’t you just drive? I trust you more.” You whine a little taking your eyes off the road for a split second to glance over at the blue eyed boy sitting beside you.

“And I trust you, you’re doing fine. You have to learn eventually.” Carl says and moves one of his free hands to rest on your shoulder.

Your shoulders immediately loosen under his touch and you slouch in the drivers seat. The speed of the car slowly began to lessen in speed until you were at a steady 40 MPH and you felt a little better. You might not have believed or trusted yourself but Carl did, and even when you didn’t agree with him you trusted his judgement and his thoughts, he was usually right about most things. If he believed in you this much maybe you should believe in yourself too. After all, you hadn’t hit anything yet, which was a plus.

“There you go, see you’re doing fine. You’re just nervous.” Carl tells you as a small smile begins to form on his lips.

Carl was good at calming people down, he always had been but with you it was different, just his voice made things feel a little better. It was like magic.

Your grip on the steering wheel loosened and your knuckles were no longer white, your palms were still sweating though. Your hair was in your face a little and the air surrounding you and Carl was hot. Rick told you not to use to AC to save gas but the two of you were boiling in the summer heat. You had to do something.

You made a bold move and took one of your hands off the steering wheel to roll down both the front windows. You pressed the button on the door next to you watching the glass windows roll down easily. You couldn’t help but grin as the warm wind hit your skin blowing your hair around gently. You weren’t going that fast so the breeze passing through the car wasn’t strong enough to be a distraction but it was definitely enough to be fun.

“See, it’s fun.” Carl teases you as the breeze blows his hat back off his forehead.

“Maybe.” You respond with a smile on your lips.

You glance over at the boy you’d grown to love so much. You knew you probably shouldn’t be taking your eyes off the road but the sight beside you was one you never wanted to forget. Carl’s eyes were crinkled by the smile on his face and his cheeks were a rosy red. He looked genuinely happy, like he didn’t have a care in the world. You wished you could see him like this all the time but that wasn’t realistic, so for now you were just going to enjoy the happiness in the air while it lasted.

You watched Carl’s slender fingers move towards the radio turning it on and pressing the CD button as music blasts through the speakers, the song Come on Eileen by Dexy’s Midnight specifically. The sound was a little funny from the oldness of the car and the scratches on the CD but Carl didn’t care. He bobbed his head and mouthed the words laughing every now and then.

“You’re staring.” Carl comments after awhile and you instantly avert your gaze back toward the road in front of you.

“No I wasn’t.” You say defensively causing the older boy to chuckle.

He watched the way your eyes focus on the road as if you’re scared that you can’t control the vehicle you’re driving as much despite his reassurance. He notices the way you’re squinting and it reminds him of when you first had glasses in the beginning, but he accidentally broke them.

He felt horrible about it and he knew you were about half blind without them so he tried to find you pairs to help your eyesight but after awhile the two of you both forgot. Carl always had good eyesight from what you knew, you envied him for it.

He was about to say something before he stops before he can speak and squints his eyes staring at the road ahead. Your gaze follows his as you see a small building coming into sight. It wasn’t big, maybe the size of a house, it was a bit hidden due to the overgrown trees and plant life but Carl had spotted it still. It got clearer as you pulled up closer to it.

“Hey, wait, up there.” Carl catches your gaze removing his hand from your shoulder to point towards a empty convenient store to your left.

There were a few walkers in the parking lot of the building but you knew that you and Carl could take them so you sharply turned into the parking lot last minute causing Carl to dramatically grasp the console and the handle bar above his head. A shaky breath leaves his lips as you hit the brakes parking in the middle of the lot harshly.

“Yeah, we need to work on that.” He mumbles causing you to roll your eyes.

Like anyone’s gonna car about a few rough turns in a apocalypse, your thoughts echo through your head.

The walkers surrounding the old run down building begin to turn their attention to the beaten up car you and Carl were in as they began to crowd it quickly. It was only a few, three or four. The music wasn’t helping and Carl shut it off quickly. You weren’t worried though, you could take them easily. Especially since they were all piled on your side giving Carl the opportunity to slip out of the car with ease.

He left the car door open behind him and quickly stabbed the two closed to himin the head roughly before you stabbed the other two from the open drivers side window. You unbuckled your tight seatbelt shutting Carl’s open door before slipping out of your now open one. You shut it behind you gripping your knife tightly just in case you had some surprise attacks around the corner.

The air was thick with humidity which meant it was probably going to rain soon. The sky was covered in light grey clouds lingering over the previous bright blue sky and the atmosphere had a quiet silence filling it which was unusual but calming.

“I’ll go in first.” Carl informs you only for you to shake your head in disagreement.

“No, I’ll go in first, then you’ll cover me as we search it.” You tell him changing the plan so you were the one going first.

“No, that’s not the plan.” He says causing you to scoff.

“It’s tiny, let me do this.” You argue with him.

Carl always tried to pull the same thing every time you two would go out on a run together, he’d try and go first because he wanted to protect you but you were quicker so you thought it was better if you went first. Carl’s movements were quite but they had a lag in them, you preferred if you went first. Besides, you didn’t need protecting.

“We’ll go in side by side.” He settles and you stubbornly nod in agreement.

You still preferred if you just went first.

The two of you make your way against the blood covered concrete going up to the glass doors of the store. You were about to pull the handle but Carl shook his head grabbing your wrist to stop you and he put a finger to his lips signaling for you to stay quiet.

His grip on your wrist lingered a little longer than it probably should’ve before he brought his hand up towards the dirty glass and tapped on it a good three times loudly. The sound travelled through the air and you then realized he was waiting to see if there was any walkers in there and if so how many. The two of you waited for a couple minutes until you both decided the convenient store was completely empty.

With that, you both pulled each door open, your hand on your knife, Carl’s on his gun. You glanced around the messy isles and kept your shoulder touching Carl’s to make sure he was still there next to you. You always got nervous going on runs or searching places with Carl.

If anything ever happened to him, you couldn’t even think about that. Carl had been your right hand man for forever, you two were a team, you’d saved each others asses so much since the start. You couldn’t live without him, and you don’t mean that dramatically, you’d get yourself killed without him most likely. You needed him.

“Y/N.” His voice says as you stand next to him stuck in thought.

The voice breaks you from distraction and you turn your head towards where he’s looking only to find the candy isle and the food isle fully untouched. The luck and coincide of this was incredibly low but somehow here it was. Your eyes went a little wide and your grip on your knife loosened. This place looked like it’d never been looted before. You’d hit the gold mine for small convenient stores.

“Holy shit.” You whisper moving towards the isle slowly.

Carl kept his gun up high covering you just in case anything popped out that was a risk to you. The sight of everything was surprising and you didn’t think you’d ever seen gummy worms again in your life time. It was a sweet sight.

Your footsteps echoes in the building as you grab a pack of gum off the shelf before grinning. You turn around towards Carl since he was traveling closely behind you and hand the pack of bubblegum to him as he stares at you in confusion.

“Here, you need these.” You tease watching Carl’s protective exterior fall a little.

He rolls his baby blue eyes and the corner of his mouth turn into a smirk. He glances down at the packet of gum before grabbing it and pushing it into the back pocket of his jeans but not before taking out a piece and pushing it into his mouth. He moves his gun to his gun holster and secures it there now that he knew the two of you were safe and it was okay.

He reaches behind you grabbing a bag of M&Ms handing them to you with a amused expression. He clears his throat and you can already tell he’s going to make some snide comment but to your surprise he doesn’t.

“Here, sweet, like you.” He smiles and you feel your heart flutter in your chest.

“Thanks, loser.” You mumble grabbing the bag and shoving it into your pocket as well.

You can hear Carl’s chewing as you begin to shove multiple candies and foods, probably expired but better than nothing, into your heavy backpack. You made your way to what used to be the refrigerator isle and grab a few bottles of soda, water, and even alcohol, not for you of course.

Carl was doing the same as you but he was focusing more on a few canned foods he’d found filling the shelves instead of candy. He’d grabbed a duffle bag he’d found on the floor curiously and had it in his hand as he continued searching. The two of you were both distracted and silent until you found something on a shelf causing you to start smiling at the sight of it, what were the odds.

“Didn’t Maggie say she was craving pickles earlier?” You ask Carl as he continues to search another isle.

“I think so, that’s what Enid said anyways.” He says before he stops and stands up turning around.

You grab the last jar of pickles on the shelf and turn towards him waving it around in the air to get his attention. He looks surprised but still amused as he picks up his worn out backpack off the floor keeping it on his shoulders once again.

He walks around the shelves looking at the jar in your hands before leaning against metal beside the two of you. He was a little concerned about how old those pickles actually were but he didn’t want to ruin your mood so he kept the thought to himself.

“Maggie’s gonna love you.” He says causing your smile to grow to the point where your teeth were starting to show.

“I know.”

You shove the jar into your opened backpack carefully before setting it back on the ground as you. You sigh and glance around the building trying to see if there was anything else the two of you could grab that’d be useful.

There was candy and sodas but you’d already grabbed some and didn’t have room for more. You saw a few unnecessary things covering the shelves around you but there wasn’t much. Most of it was gone, things must’ve went downhill before this places new stock came in.

It sucked but at least you’d get to show Judith what a ring pop was and that’s all that mattered to you right now. That little girl deserved some candy, especially considering you don’t think she’d ever had any before, maybe a cookie or two but it wasn’t the same.

“Hey, look at what I found.” Carl exclaims.

You turn your head to see him opening the duffle bag to reveal some old roller skates and a few elbow pads only to cause you to shake your head instantly. You couldn’t skate for shit, Carl knew this. He on the other hand was a little better than you, still horrible though. That’s how most of your skills worked, you were good but he was better.

You used to get jealous but it doesn’t bother you much anymore.

“Come on, maybe you’ll be better at rollerskating than you are at driving.” He says pulling you towards the exit as you grab your bag quickly to avoid leaving it behind.

“Carl, there’s no way-“ He interrupts you quickly shaking his head.

“You’re not getting out of this so might as well just put them on.” He says as you roll your eyes again.

The two of you exit the building and make your way to the curb of sidewalk outside the small convenient store. You sit down on the pavement as your hands scrap the concrete before grabbing the roller skates from Carl unhappily. He had a smile on his face as bright as the sun itself which made you a little less grumpy but still unhappy about it.

You both laced up your roller skates before Carl tried to stand up before you shakily. He was pretty wobbly and you stifled a few laughs. Carl was never the clumsy type but he wasn’t doing too well on the skates so far and all he was doing was standing there. It made you want to laugh but once again you held back.

“Shit, shit, shit.” Carl curses as he almost looses his balance causing you to stand up quickly just in case you need to grab him.

You stand up just as wobbly as he did but tough it out as you try to catch your balance so you won’t fall. You grab onto Carl’s shoulder for support only for Carl to turn his head towards you slightly surprised. You stood up to help him and now you were only making it worse.

“What, what are you doing? Stop it. Nuh uh.” Carl laughs loudly shaking your hand off his shoulder only for you to grab his arms instead.

“Come on, I suck, help me, I’m doing this for you.” You respond trying to get his support as he sighs grabbing your hands with his own.

They were rough but sweaty and still the action made your heart race. Carl still made you nervous, even after all these years. It was cute for awhile but now it was tiring. You didn’t get how people could complain about losing the spark. You two would never lose yours, and even if you did, it’d be okay.

He begins to inch away from the curb carefully trying to keep you steady as well as himself. It was difficult but he had it. You feel tense at first but after a few minutes of not falling you started to trust that maybe you had this, or at least maybe Carl did because he was the one helping you out the most.

“I got you, relax.” He grins starting to pick up the pace so you weren’t inching away so slowly anymore.

He starts out slow before letting go of one of your hands so the two of you were just holding one of each others hand. You were side by side now and the smile Carl had was worth the pain in your ankles and your shaky knees. It always was.

He was looking at you with such happiness, things felt good. It felt like you were normal teenagers, like this wasn’t the end of the world for once. If you closed your eyes you could probably pretend you were in a 50s themed roller rink with him with some new pop music playing through the stereos that was annoyingly catchy.

What you’d do to experience that with him.

“Thank you.” You tell him as he shrugs his shoulders.

“I’m only helping, you can do a lot of things without my help, Y/N. You just don’t realize it.” He admits causing you to think about his words more than he intended.

You knew you could do things without Carl, you two were separated for awhile after the prison so you knew you could survive without him, you were capable of it, you knew that much. You didn’t need him, you could survive without his help or him, you didn’t want to.

“I do.” You confess as the two of you stop skating so his attention is fully on you.

His face twists with confusion and you turn your body so you’re facing him before you lean forward towards him. You move yourself so you’re a little closer to him than before. He looks down at you trying to figure out what you’re thinking as you only smile.

“I just don’t want to.”

His lips offer a sad smile and he was about to say something before a few drops of water fall on your faces. The droplets cause you both to stare up towards the sky as the droplets suddenly turn into a drizzle. The two of you were both smiling ear to ear. You even had your tongue out a little trying to catch the raindrops.

You turn your gaze back to Carl after a second or two only to see that he was staring at you the whole time. You felt embarrassed and a blush rose to your cheeks but he hardly noticed.

“You won’t have to.” He assures you before moving his face towards yours.

His nose brushes against your own before he captures your lip in a slow kiss. The raindrops around you dampen your hair and clothes but it didn’t matter right now.

Today was good.

[kitgilmore]

SEVEN / CINNAMON'S WAKE

Delight danced across as Kit's face as they sat at the immaculate table, the duck they were having was particularly delicious. The conversation had turned from how was school' to Nazis and that when Kit stopped paying attention to the blue nail polish she'd only been wearing on the weekends. Chilton did have a strict dress code, even though she'd seen a few upperclassman bend those rules daily. Kit was still the new girl and she didn't want to cause any more unwanted attention between Paris and her minions, Tristan the village idiot and Rory's audition for America's most crazed student the school was feeling crowded.

"Oh wait - Rudolph Gottfried." Their grandmother said.

"Another cousin?"

"No, a Nazi that we knew. I'd forgotten. We stayed with him once in Munich. Nice old man. Interesting stories."

Taking a sip of lemonade to stop herself from chocking at her Grandmothers comment, she took another to stop herself from outright laughing as she noticed the glint in her eye.

"Mom you socialized with a Nazi? That's despicable! That's heinous!" "No, dear, that was a joke." She smirked causing the twins to chuckle.

Kit could hear Rory before she entered the kitchen messenger bag slung across her shoulder.

"All of the parents pitch in so this is really really important. You know that, right?" Rory screeched.

"Your sister isn't freaking out.." she said as Kit grabbed a cup of coffee. "Why aren't you freaking out sweetheart"

"Because you can't bake!" She said taking a seat next to her mother, wondering why her sister was playing Rancid this early in the morning.

"You see one of the perks of having a mother who runs an inn is that it comes with a brilliant chef who makes the best sugar cookies."

"Smart child..," she said to Kit before turning to Rory.

"I try"

"I have it covered! Get your stuff and hit the stereo - we're late."

"It's not me." He sister said crossing the kitten to her bedroom. Opening the Gilmore saw a small Korean dancing.

"Where does your mother think you are?" Lorelai asked as Kit grabbed her blue peacoat, thanking God it was Tuesday so she didn't need Cello as much as she loved it lugging it to and from on a bus was becoming challenging.

"Oh, on a park bench contemplating the reunification of the two Koreas." Lane said. Their small best friend had been working her way through the catalogue of rock since 6th grade when she heard Metallica for the first time. If it wasn't for Lane Kit never would have found her love for Blondie, she would have stuck with Bach or YoYo Ma.

"So not skanking to Rancid?" Kit smirked.

"Wouldn't be included."

"School!" Their mother called out.

Saying their goodbyes to Lane as she ran off towards Stars Hollow High, they themselves ran into their neighbours Babette and Morey walked by pushing their cat in a carriage which honestly wasn't the strangest thing she'd seen them do it should have been though she sure of it.

"Wow, Cinnamon, riding in style," Rory commented while Kit just whistled along.

"Yeah, Morey made it. Cinnamon's not walking well these days but she still likes her passeggiatas. That's Italian for 'a nice walk.'" She short woman said of her overtly tall husband.

"Passeggiata," Morey said rolling his tongue in an Italian accent.

"Oh God, he makes it sound so sexy." Rory and Kit shared a look the couple was truly adorable.

"Come on."

"What's that?" Their mother asked pointing to the enclosed space in the gold covered wagon.

"Oh, it's Cinnamon's private area." She told them as if it was obvious.

"Sometimes she likes to be alone. She's just like Morey in that sense." She said before turning to her husband and asking.

"Say passaggiata again."

"I can't do it on command, Babs." He says, shades on cool as anything.

"Oh, he's blushin'. God, I love a man that blushes!" She says before they walked away pulling their cat in a wagon behind them.

"I love them" Kit smiled before kissing her mother goodbye.

"Okay, our town is just weird," Rory commented.

"Thank God."

"Bye," the girls said.

"Bye"

"I'll see you later at school," Rory said her voice a touch higher in her worried state.

"For what?" Joked their mother acting as if she didn't know what her sister was talking about.

"Mom, the bake sale!" Rory yelled, her eyes wide, her forehead creased.

"Ha! I got the vein in the forehead. Whoo!"

"Sadist," Rory called after her. Readjusting her bag, Kit grabbed hold of her sister's shoulders, pulling her towards their destination.

"Come on you little worrier or we're going to miss the bus." Her sister turned her, frowning before saying

"That's not funny!"

It took the twins about 45 minutes to get to Hartford from Stars Hollow. Seating on the bench at the bus stop Rory was reading one of the 3 books she always carried with her while Kit was nearing the end of Crime and Punishment, the Russian edition was a lot easier to read that she'd thought once she got into it, she did have to stop herself from skimming some of the longer passages but Dostoyevsky was beautiful in its original language. When the bus arrived the twins got on usually Kit stood up in order to lean against her cello but today she sat next to her sister, lucky the bus wasn't too crowded.

"Hey."

"Yблюдок" Bastard. "Aah! Morning." The twins yelled at the boy behind them.

"Good book?" He asked

"Sure"

"I don't know yet," Rory told him, Kit smiled at her sister as she blushed a little.

"I saw you standing in line so I thought I'd say hello."

"Hello," Rory said sheepishly.

"Hi, I'm Kit," she said offering him her hand over her seat which he shook "This is my twin sister Rory, which I'm sure you knew."

Rory was holding her bag tightly, not looking at either her sister or the boy.

"Yeah."

The conversation paused as the bus started to move, Kit watched as Rory blushing reached her ears.

"So how do you know Rory..?" Kit asked turning to face him. "Wait what's, what's your name?"

"Dean." He answered looking back at Rory who had yet to move.

"Oh, she helped me get a job at the store. I mean it's not a career or anything but it's got me solvent."

"Solvent's good." Rory finally added.

"Your the new boy" Kit said, not quite meaning it to come out as an accusation.

"Yeah, uh, are you always this serious?" He asked Rory, Kit smiled as she returned to her book.

"No" "Yes" she muttered under her breath.

"So, uh, how long does it take you to get to school?" He asked.

"Um...forty minutes if the bus driver's focused but longer if he's trying to win something on the radio," Rory said.

"Hey, this bus is going to Hartford!" she yelled.

"Yeah, I know."

"But you go to school here. You have to get off the bus!" Rory began to panic before calling out to the driver "Hey, he has to get off the bus!"

"Wait. You're forgetting something." He said leaning closer to her.

"Buses make stops. Good-bye Lorelai Gilmore." And with the cute boy in the leather jacket got off the bus.

"Oh god." Kit said unable to contain her smile. "You like him."

"No, I don't," She told her twin, shaking her head with a smile that was about to reach her eyes.

"You do, you did before.. you were all... I don't wanna got to Chilton, who needs read books when I can stare his cute face all day" she impersonated, as poked and prodded her sister's sides.

"I did not," Rory told her sister firm, blushing a little more than Kit had ever seen as she smoothed out her school uniform.

"He cute.." Kit told her trying back to Dostoyevsky "...he obviously likes you." Which caused the sides of her sister's smile to increase.

The school day passed relatively fast and before they knew it was bake sale time. Kit was a little surprised when she found out a school like Chilton was going to have a bake sale. The courtyard was littered with tables with a variety of different selection of cakes on them.

"OK- we've got our French fantasies" Sookie started "American treats and our Italian taste sensations. Well, what do you think?"

"Amazing."

"Brilliant"

"Incredible." The Gilmore girls commented.

"It is good, isn't it? Well, final touch." She smiled pulling out a blow torch to light the swan-shaped dessert on fire.

"Oh, can I do that?" Rory asked

"Whoa, honey, this is a more delicate procedure than you might think, OK?" Sookie told her lighting the torch.

"Ok" she replied, while Kit went in search of something with peanut butter in it.

"It takes an expert hand." she heard Sookie say as she turned around, walking backward a voice behind her called.

"Is that your mother"

"Eh, the one pouring lemonade on the desserts.." she said looking towards her mother and Sookie.

"Yeah that my mom.."

"So are your parents here?" She asked the shorter girl.

"No.. my father is in London and my mum lives in Chicago," Hazel told her. Kit and Hazel had become friends over the last couple of weeks. They only had one class together but it was nice having a companion in the orchestra.

"So. Are home alone?" Kit asked her as they walked past tables filled with deserts that didn't quite look homemade.

"No my brothers with me." Kit paused.

"You have a brother." She asked looking around.

"No... he doesn't go here. He has been kicked out of a few too many schools to go here." She told her.

"Oh... is he your only brother?" Kit asked. Once they found a table with what seemed to be peanut butter brownies, Kit brought three and one for Hazel.

"Yes.. we have same parents but I have 4 half sisters and a step-sister."

"Wow." Kit said.

"Yeah, my parents are worse than Ross Geller when it comes to marriage."

"That's good... or not" Kit said handing her a brownie.

"My mum has a set of twins."

"Really."

"They're identical though... so they have this whole creepy shinning thing going on." The freckled girl told her, playing with the bracelets stacked on her wrist, her shirt sleeves pulled up the elbow.

"We've done that.. it was fun.. well not fun but we got to scare Kirk." She said as they laughed their way back to her sister, Sookie and her mother.

"Whose Kirk?"

"He's.. unexplainable."

Lying across her bed, listening to Beethoven's Cello Sonata no. 3 she was putting off her chemistry homework. The afternoon light dancing across her bedroom floor, when Rory burst through the door. Kit sat up rapidly and shot her she looked at her with confusion.

"I brought a lettuce."

"Rad"

Kit blinked twice and was about to asked her sister why she brought a head of lettuce with such urgency when they heard a siren coming up the drive. The twins shared a looked before they raced to the window, trying not to disturb the small plant she kept there, as they opened it to get a better look. Out the window, a van from the Stars Hollow veterinarian clinic pulls up next door.

"Go get mum she's at Luke's." Kit asked her.

Inside Babette's house, Cinnamon's body lay covered with a sheet while the vet examined her. She had just finished when Rory and Lorelai arrived Kit was sitting with Morey.

"Oh, Lorelai. Rory Come in, come in." The small blonde told her mother as she adhered them inside.

"She's gone. Cinnamon's gone."

"I'm so sorry."

"Is there anything we can do for you, Morey?" Kit asked trying to comfort the fellow musician as Rory sat next to her.

"This is life, Girls," he told them "It breaks your heart." The girls both hugged him while Babette told them what happened to Cinnamon.

"She looked like she was sleeping. I thought she was asleep so I nudged her and she didn't wake." She told them getting more and more upset.

"I gave her a push and she rolled off the couch and since I waxed the floor she went shootin' across the room and then she knocked over the lamp and she still didn't move. I knew it was over." When she cried "Oh, God, my baby." Lorelai hugged her to comfort her.

"Tell me it wasn't the -." He started before clamming up with grief.

"Oh, Morey, don't do this to yourself. He thinks it was the clams."

"She saw me eating them and she gave me that 'hey, man, what's up?' look and -."

"It wasn't the clams. Morey, in human years this cat was 260 years old." The vet told them.

"That's a good, long life." Their mother told them

"Listen, why don't you let me take her out to the van and then I'll get out of your way." The vet suggested.

"Oh, no, stay," she said before turning to the rest of them

"All of you, please stay. Cinnamon would want you here.

"We'll stay as long as you want," Rory said.

"I'll never eat clams again."

"Me either." The twins said.

A funeral for a cat may not seem that strange, if you are eight and have need to say goodbye to your first pet but its more often than not a private affair in the backyard next to the oak tree, however in a town such as Stars Hollow with a Cat like cinnamon a wake is required. The Gilmore twins were trying to keep themselves occupied while their mothers organise ed greeting the mourners, calling both Luke and Sookie and comforting Babette. Kit was trying very hard not to think about the chemistry homework she had put off in favour of relaxation. What a stupid teenage mistake because you never know when your neighbour's cat will die, and you'll have to put it off in favour of a wake for said cat. She wondered briefly if 'my neighbour's cat died" was on the same par as 'my dog ate my homework. How did that phrase even start, Kit wondered who was the first to start it, was it a movie or a book. She swore to look it up later as she's pulled out of her thoughts by Lane who said

"They said that they rolled her body into a lamp." as they walked through Babette barn style house, Kit pursed her lips as Rory nodded in answer.

"Did you laugh?" Kit had to concentrate on not laughing at this moment, it not that she thought it was funny, Its just tragedy plus time equals comedy and one day this will be funny, probably sooner rather than later. Her mother had a terrible track record with pets including two hamsters and a turtle. How she killed a turtle Kit will never know. Rory being far more polite than her sister just shook her head at her best friend.

"Did you want to?" Kit sniggered at her, her hand quickly finding her mouth as she composed herself, Rory gave her a sharp look only for it fall into a smile as she nodded yes.

"But it's sad," Rory told them, as they walked into the living room.

"Yeah, it's sad."

"So sad." Kit said.

She lost Rory in the crowd of people, after a short conversations in which miss Patty informed her that birthday kissed are a special kind of magic, and only after Kit promised to always remember that she left the dance teacher in search of her sister and a mug of hot chocolate, if she played her cards right she could have it spiked with peppermint, because it never too early for something festive.

"Do you know him?" she heard her mother ask, Rory's ears flushing in the way they seemed to when leather jacket boy was around. Kit found her mother looking in the direction of the kitchen where he was headed, a creates of soda bottles in his arms.

"No"

"No"

"Yes." Kit said joining the conversation, Lorelai looked between her daughters one blushing, one smirking.

"Well, he goes to my old school, so I see him there sometimes," Rory told them quickly.

"but I.. we go to Chilton now." Kit giggled at her sister's misfortune.

"Thanks for the update."

"You're welcome."

When their mother left the leather jacket boy suddenly returned, before Kit could save her sister from her flustered lack of conversational skills, their conversation was over, when he smiled sweetly and said

"Oh, sure, ill see you later."

As she watched her sister watch him leave she pulled on her shoulder and said.

"Okay, we need to make a plan, otherwise that boy is never going to know how many triple word score words you know...I'm thinking step 1. Talking." It wasn't untill she was ready to click her finger in her sister's face that she noticed just what she was staring at, like Rory all words seemed to fail her, as her mother returned. It was Rory who asked.

"Mom? Isn't that -"

"Oh, no."

"That's Mr. Medina." Kit said as she pointed to towards the dark haired man standing on their front porch.

"Tonight's Thursday!"

"You were expecting him." Kit asked looking towards her mother.

"Well, am I in trouble? is Kit. Did the school call or something?" Rory asked just as confused by the sudden appearance of their English teacher.

"No, no you're great. Both of you" Lorelai started. She paused trying to find the words. "I - um - let me just come back in just one second."

"Wait - what's going on?" Rory asked.

"Let me tell you in a minute."

"Tell us now." Kit all but demanded.

"Max is here -"

"Max?... You're calling him Max." Kit staggered.

"Max is here to pick me up."

"Pick you up.." Kit repeated.

"Pick you up for - oh."

"I'm gonna go talk to him real quick and I'm gonna be right back." Both the girls walked inside faces far more appropriate for the occasion.

"Are we alright with this?" Kit asked her sister, as she was being pulled through Babette house and out the other door into the garden, Kit giggled as Rory sat amongst the circle of red-hatted garden gnomes as if she was conducting a meeting of the UN.

"Are we," she answered, Kit let out the breath she was holding and thought about it. Unable to come up with a quick conclusion she too sat down and joined the meeting.

The conversation had been laps with neither teen quite sure how they felt about the possibility of their mother dating their teacher, but more importantly, their mother who shared everything, too much some would say didn't tell them until he was standing right in front of them. In fact. She hadn't told them anything at all. Kit couldn't help but think about all the ways in which this could go wrong, they were new at Chilton, she just wanted to keep her head down and get through this semester not be known as the girl who mother is dating her English teacher.

"Hey." A voice called behind them, Kit watched as Rory jumped, a little startled herself. As soon as she saw who it was, a smile appeared.

"Jeez, you scared me."

"You just keep popping up, don't you." Kit said, as she picked up one of the gnomes, wanting to give them some privacy but now ready to leave the circle just yet.

"Yeah, uh, look. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry."

"For what," Rory asked.

"Well, I've been kind of bugging you lately. Uh, I thought - I don't know." Kit attention was now on the pair of them not they noticed.

"I thought that maybe you liked me. But it's obvious that you're not interested so I just wanted to say that I get it and I'm not gonna bother you anymore."

Rory looked hurt as she glanced at her sister in desperation, Kit eyes widen as she silently told her to say something, anything as he started to walk away.

"Wait! I AM interested," she yelled as she jumped up. Maybe not that Kit thought.

"You are?"

"Yes. I gotta go." And with that Rory bolted towards the house leaving her sister, the boy in the leather jacket and her meeting of gnomes. Putting the gnome who looked like he was named Samson back in his position the tall teen stood up and said to the boy watching her sister leave with a smile on his face.

"She's better when she had the chance to write a second draft."

"Goodnight leather jacket boy."

"Oh! Finally. I've been looking everywhere for you." Lorelai said as she found the girls on the front porch.

"Well, you found us." Kit snipped.

"Listen, I have some explaining to do. OK. Okay." she started.

"So sit down in that tiny little bench and I'm gonna do it right now." the twins looked towards each other and silently agreed to listen to their mother. They squeezed together on the little bench and waited for an explanation.

"That man on the porch was your teacher." she started.

"Fully aware of who he is Mom, we have him for an hour of English, 5 days a week."

"So?" Rory added.

"So - um - he and I were going to sort of hang out together," she told them

"On a date," Rory asked.

"No, on a" Kit raised her eyebrows at her mother

"Something that could appear like a date to the untrained eye."

"You mean like your daughters or the guy at the bank, or to anyone. Really." Kit added, the brand of sarcasm she only reversed for her parents dating choices, their father only slightly worse than their mother when it comes to the length of time their relationships last.

"It was a date." she defeated.

"How long have you been dating him?" Rory asked, her eyebrows doing their 'trying to be as sassy as her sister' thing.

"I haven't. This was gonna be the first time."

"Right." Kit mumbled trying to wrap her head around this.

"And when were you planning on telling us about this - your wedding?" Rory asked.

"No - by the rehearsal dinner at least." Their mother joked. Neither twin was amused.

"He's our teacher." Kit said after a beat of silence.

"I know."

"He teaches us things every day in a very small classroom with a lot of other kids who probably won't be high-fiving us when they find this out," Rory said as she stood up, her hands letting go of the sleeve of her jean jacket.

"I know, sweetie, and I told him this was one of the things I was concerned about," she told them.

"And?" Kit asked.

"And he thought we could be discreet."

"You do realize we're in high school. You remember that it was that thing you meant to be doing when we were conceived" Kit snapped.

"Are you mad?"

"Should we not be."

"Yes," Rory added.

"Alright. Because I'm dating him?"

"A little. I think." Kit said standing up, as she leaned against the house, she waited for Rory to speak.

"Because you lied to us."

"I kept information from you." She said, unable to meet her eye.

"Information that we should have had." Kit told her, standing next to her sister, her arms folded.

"Information that would have come out eventually," she said her hands waving in front of her as she tried to dismiss this issue, in a true Gilmore fashion. "Like the Iran-Contra scandal."

"So you're Oliver North." Rory huffed.

"No, I'm Fawn Hall."

"Mom"

"Well, she was much prettier." she joked.

"I just can't believe that you didn't tell us about this." Kit said, sitting back down, trying to work out if she was okay with her mother dating her English teacher and whether in the end, it mattered.

"Why wouldn't you tell us?"

"'Cause I thought you were going to take it bad. Thank God I was wrong."

"Its pretty justified." Kit snipped.

"OK, OK. Listen, I'm sorry. I won't date him. I promise."

"I'm not saying that you can't date him. It's just.." Rory started.

"Weird... It's weird." Kit finished.

"Yeah, I mean - there's a million guys in this world and you end up with Mr. Medina," Rory said.

"You think I don't get the weirdness factor? Believe me, the last thing I intended to do was date your teacher."

"I believe you," Rory said while Kit kept quiet.

"I really like him, girls. I can't help it. And it's been a really long time since I've felt like this. You can't always control who you're attracted to, you know." Their mother told them unable to control the smile on her face.

"I think the whole Angelina Jolie/Billy Bob Thronton thing really proves that. And I know you don't understand this now but you will someday. You'll meet some great guy and he'll make your head all foggy and you won't know what to do with yourself."

"Oh, girls, I won't keep anything from either of you again. OK? I promise. From now on every aspect of my life is an open book to you both."

"That's alright." Kit mumbled.

"Really, I'm not even going to get dressed until I tell you what I'm thinking of wearing."

"Fair enough."

"OK, tomorrow I'm thinking the purple tiger top, the black leather skirt, the panda bear underwear."

"Please. Stop."

"But of course I'm totally open to suggestions."

"Here's one: get some help." Rory integrated.

Once the goodbyes where said the girls made their home, the phone started ringing as soon as they opened the door. Their mother reached for it, while Kit stripped off her mustard sweater, as she listened to her mothers conversation.

"Hello."

"Mom?"

"Hi."

"But someone hasn't."

"There we go."

"Well, there are no messages on the machine, Mom."

"At a wake."

Both Kit and Rory looked at their mother with annoyance, shaking their heads and all but waving their arms.

"A wake...a funeral."

"It was for the neighbours -"

"-cat." Kit smacked her hand against her head, her mother looked at her and mouthed 'What', to which the girls just shocked their heads.

"Mom?"

"I just wanted to be honest with you, Mom. Silly me."

"Yeah, a cat. It was a cat's funeral." she continued.

"Not my cousin, mom. My father's grandmother's sister's girl who I've never -" the girls left their mother to her own mother.

"French and then Chemistry." Kit told Rory when she asked what Homework she had.

"Plus English."

"Plus English, which ill leave for last I think. I should probably start with Chemistry." Kit moaned as she filled the coffee filter.

"Aaagh! She's working for a sedative manufacturer. Keeping that demand sky-high." Lorelai moaned in the same tone as Kit as she entered the kitchen.

"You shouldn't have told her," Rory said, pouring herself a glass of lemonade.

"Well, I don't know what to tell and what to hide."

"Yeah."

"So we never did quite settle the whole dating-your-teacher issue." their mother started. Looking between her two teenagers as they stood on either side of the room.

"You're a grown up. You can date whoever you like."Kit said before turning back to her coffee.

"It's whoever we like."

"Well I'm certainly not going to go out with him 'cause that would be really weird," Rory said.

"But I mean it. I won't see him if you don't want me to."

"Huh." Kit mumbled as she poured her coffee.

"You know, if there's anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, big or small, then he's out of there."

"Good to know," Rory stated.

"Because you know it's not like I'm desperate. I mean, there are plenty of other guys out there."

"Plenty."

"And it's not like I have to ask permission from my teenager daughters. I mean, this is a courtesy."

"Thanks." Kit said as she reached the stairs.

"OK, so I'm going to be up for a while if you want to get back to me on this," Lorelai yelled so both she and Rory behind her closed door could hear.

"Got it." Kit yelled down the stairs as she reached her bedroom, put the cup of coffee on her messy bedside table, and fell on to it only for a second before she reached for her school bag and pulled out her homework.

[elsa-writes]

avengers preference: your birthday

Avengers preference: what they do for your birthday

Steve: "Wake up, (y/n), I have a surprise for you!" On the morning of your birthday you opened your eyes to see Steve standing over your bed, holding a tray with breakfast on it. He knows how much you enjoy eating in bed. He gave up oh the tray, hopped in bed with you, and turned on the tv. You sat up, noticing the large bag at the end of the bed.

"Steve, this is so amazing!! But I just have to know, what's in the bag?" You begged him and wrapped your arms around his waist.

Steve smiled. "I can't tell you that. It's a birthday surprise."

"I mean. It's my birthday now. Can't I open it?" You used your best puppy dog eyes on him.

Steve clenched his jaw. Those puppy eyes were hard to resist. "You know you have to wait for the party tonight." Tony had planned a 'surprise' birthday party for you.

"Aw." You leaned back against your pillow and sighed. Only another 8 hours til you could find out what was in the mystery bag.

Steve turned to you. "I suppose..you can open it. He's probably not comfortable in there, anyways." What??

"what?? What do you mean he?!" You lunged for the bag just as the puppy stuck his head out of the top of the bag. Yup, Steve had gotten you an honest to god puppy for your birthday.

You picked up the puppy and held him to your chest, and the puppy licked your face.

"He's so cute!! I think I'll call you... Tony junior." You giggled. Tony junior squirmed around in your arms, too excited to sit down.

Steve laughed and pet the puppy. "There is no way in hell we are calling him Tony Junior."

"Bucky junior, then?" You suggested.

"(Y/n)! That's not even funny!"

Tony: Despite Tony's love for outrageous parties, for your birthday he planned a quiet night in. You two were sitting on the couch, Tony was telling one of his favorite Iron Man stories. He had already told you it many times over but he got so excited you let him go on.

You were halfway zoning out when something caught your attention.

Tony spoke, "And then the bad guy said, "Will you marry me, (y/n)?"

You turned your head around and looked at him curiously. Tony was already watching you with a small smirk on his face.

"Will you marry me, (y/n)?" Tony asked again. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. "Of course you can pick out a different ring if you want, I just thought you might like that one-"

"Tony Stark, are you asking me to marry you?" You raised your eyebrows at him. You hadn't been going out that long, this was ridiculous!

Tony couldn't hold his smile back any more. "Yes! Will you marry me? Please?" He added the please on as an afterthought.

"Tony..I mean, was this your idea of romantic? Restraining yourself from throwing me a big birthday party so we could sit on the couch and watch reruns of the Big Bang theory?" You shoved him over. What kind of a moron proposes like that, anyways?!

Tony fell over backwards on the couch. "Come on! I at least put some effort in it!" He rolled his eyes.

"I know you did not just roll your eyes at me! First you give me a crappy proposal and then you roll your eyes at me!" You picked up a throw pillow and hit him with it. You couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

"I honestly thought you would like it! It was subtle, it wasn't a big deal. You're always talking about how my parties are lame and how you'd rather be sitting on the couch watching tv!"

To be fair he had a point. "Tony. I will only marry you if you come up with a better proposal. Got it?"

Tony smirked again. "Okay (y/n), you make me the happiest man alive-"

"I'm being serious!!" You hit him with the throw pillow. "I'm talking flowers. Candles. Whole nine yards. That will be my birthday present."

Tony looked up at you from his position on the couch. "Don't worry, babe. I've got a few ideas." Uh oh. What had you gotten yourself into?

Bruce: For your birthday, your friend Natasha had planned a surprise party. Almost everyone knew, except for you and Bruce. No one told Bruce, because they knew he would accidentally tell you. Natasha probably should have thought her plan through.

As you and Bruce rounded the corner to the lab in Stark Towers, you both heard a chorus of "surprise!" Come from all around the room. You shrieked, which made Bruce scream, which made the big green guy come out of nowhere. "Bruce!" You yelled at the green behemoth that was standing where your boyfriend once stood. Everyone in the room was standing as still as possible, their mouths gaping at what they saw before them.

"No Bruce. Me Hulk," Hulk proclaimed. "And Hulk want cake!"

Hulk promptly stomped over to the table where the cake and your presents were laid out. Using one ginormous hand, he picked up the whole cake and shoved it in his mouth.

"Wow. Who planned this? Why didn't anyone tell Bruce?" You said, exasperated. You sat down on the ground. So much for a happy birthday. Now you had a hungry hulk to take care of. At least he wasn't angry.

"(Y/n) sad?" Hulk said, turning around to look at you sitting on the floor.

You didn't really know what to say to him. "Yeah, give me my boyfriend back, you big-" you started to speak but found yourself being lifted up in the air by a mighty Hulk hand.

"My (y/n)!" Hulk hollered and squeezed you gently to his chest. This type of thing had never happened before, but it didn't seem dangerous so you decided to go with it. You cautiously placed a hand on his chest.

"Good hulk," you intoned.

"Good hulk." He replied, staring at you with wonder.

"Hulk, can you put me down so I can celebrate my birthday party?" You asked. Wordlessly, the hulk set you down. He didn't seem to know what to do with himself.

"Um, guys, I know the cake is gone.. But maybe we can still try to get this party going?" You looked around the room to your friends. They all seemed pretty shocked that the hulk was calm.

"We can..we can try," Natasha stepped forward. "Tony, turn on some music!" And that was your birthday party, your boyfriend absent and a giant hulk sulking in the corner for the rest of the night.

Loki: Asgardians celebrate everything. So when Loki discovered that humans celebrate birthdays, he decided to take it one step further by celebrating your whole birth month!

The first day of the month you came home to find your entire apartment decorated with "happy birthday banners" and streamers everywhere. Loki was sitting on the couch, quite pleased with himself.

"Loki, what did you do to my apartment?! My birthday isn't even today!" You threw your hands up in the air. Loki gazed at you for a moment, then clapped his hands together.

"This is because I forgot the cake, isn't it?" He sighed and with a wave of his hand, your favorite type of cake appeared on your coffee table.

You scowled. "You're only supposed to celebrate on the actual birthday. Not for a month!" You sat down on the couch next to him, and picked up the cake. "Hey, can you get me a fork?"

A fork magically appeared in Loki's hand and he gave it to you. "I think the idea of only celebrating you once a year is ridiculous! You're my favorite person, you deserve much more than once a year. If I could I would celebrate your birthday all year long, but clearly, you would get mad at me."

You glanced up at Loki. He was being dead serious for a change. "Fine. I guess I'll accept your month long birthday celebration. You really are too sweet for your own good." You winked at him.

"I'm not sweet, I'm the god of mischief! That's it, birthday canceled!" Loki declared and began to wave his arm.

"Wait no!" You grabbed his wrist before he could magic away all the birthday decorations. "Please leave them. I really do like them, I was only joking." Loki grinned. "I knew you would come around!"

Pietro: "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear (y/n), happy birthday to you!" Pietro sang enthusiastically over the three tier cake he made you. All of your friends had gathered at you and Pietro's shared apartment to celebrate, eat cake, and watch a movie. The only issue was that your apartment was too small to squeeze everyone into.

"Pietro, this is wonder- oh my god!" You shrieked just as Pietro tripped over Wanda's leg, leading him to throw the cake- which landed all over your shirt. Wanda couldn't help herself but to burst out laughing, bending over and clutching her stomach.

Pietro fell on the floor face down. Ah yes, he loved to use his superpowers except for the time when you needed them the most.

After seeing the mess that had been created, all of you decided to abandon the apartment and go out for a birthday dinner at a restaurant instead.

Natasha: Natasha did not celebrate her own birthday, or anyone else's birthday, for that matter. It was just a habit from work. Someone knowing your birthdate can use it to track you down.

Wanting to break that habit, Natasha set out to give you an awesome birthday. She didn't know much besides balloons, streamers, and party games, so she decided to keep it simple.

It was only you and her celebrating the party, but neither of you minded because you could kiss each other freely without Tony yelling "PDA!".

"I really hope you like your gift," Natasha bit her lip as she handed you the small box. "I had it custom made."

You tore open the paper and ripped the lid off the box, excited to see what treasures were inside.

"Oh my god, Natasha..it's beautiful," you gasped. The present was a simple charm bracelet with a stunning collection of charms were attached- your favorite flower, your favorite animal, and even a small black widow spider charm dangled from it.

You didn't even bother to put it on before grabbing Natasha into a tight embrace. "This means so much to me!" You gushed in her ear. In return she kissed your cheek sweetly. "I know it does."

[clownfvcker]

joseph cult ending/level 18 text

went through the game files (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Dream Daddy\ddadds_Data\level18.file) and reformatted the text in the file to be more readable (its backwards for whatever reason)

i had to guess with some of the text regarding if it were narration or who was saying it. bold is anyone whos not the player character, italics are narration

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn. What time is it? Must have been asleep for ages.

I wonder what will happen now that Mary is gone? What about Joseph’s kids?

And how will Amanda feel about all this?

...Well, we all have each other. That’s what matters.

I guess time will tell, right? Better get up and greet the day.

Wait.

I- am I tied up?!

What the hell?!

How did I get here? What’s going on?!

Joseph?

Anybody?

Don’t panic. You’re probably just dreaming. Why would there be a...

...a dungeon.

An evil dungeon. Why would there be an evil dungeon here?

This can’t be real. Maybe I had too much Twilight Rouge.

I’m dreaming, or something.

Oh, I guarantee this is real.

I can see someone at the end of the hall. It’s just a shape; I can barely make out any features.

Who’s there? Can you untie me?

It’s a personal guarantee. A verbal handshake.

Trust, if that’s what you get off on.

Please, I- I don’t know how I got here. I think there’s been a mistake.

You trust me, right?

I mean, why wouldn’t you?

Joseph?! Jesus, what is this? Are you into this kind of thing? I wish you’d have warned me.

Into this kind of…?

Hah! Ha ha!

I always liked you, {$PlayerFirstName}. Goal oriented, anchored by family. The rock in a shallow sea.

And down to pound, if you catch my meaning. I had a whale of a time last night.

Get it? Whale? We talked extensively about whales last night? You don’t really like them?

…

You’re not in a joking mood. I get that.

His voice is different. This whole situation is different. The way he’s talking: it’s…

Dastardly? Sadistic? It can be both. Throw another one in there. Wrathful. That one’s good.

Wait, How did he…?

I’m very perceptive. A good listener. I heard all those impure thoughts, {$PlayerFirstName}, and about a married man, no less.

I’m pretty sure that’s a sin.

Who… are you?

I told you, I’m a cool youth minister. Have you seen my tattoos? Were you even watching me tear it up on the dance floor?

You used to be a lot more fun.

Well, hi. My name is Joseph. I have an alcoholic whore wife, whose life I destroyed.

Poor Mary. And their kids.

Joseph laughs.

My kids? Those aren’t my kids.

Well, they are my kids. In a way. Cosmically. I guess you could call them… vessels.

And in that case I guess that technically makes me not a Dad. Woops. Sorry to kill that little fantasy for you.

Joseph, this is insane. So the whole minister thing... that’s just a front for this weird sex dun-

Joseph starts laughing hysterically. He wipes a tear from his eye.

Oh, that’s so cute. You think this is a sex thing.

I mean, it’s kind of a sex thing.

The safe word is “Jimmy Buffett.”

{$PlayerFirstName}, there are powers at work so far beyond your understanding that the very idea that I would sink to some half-baked sex game is a little insulting.

All that religion mumbo-jumbo wasn’t entirely false. I am a man of the cloth, just not the cloth you’re thinking of.

I am the conduit for something beautiful, {$PlayerFirstName}. Something pure. And you have the honor of being part of it.

I know that sounds kinda hokey but stick with me. I promise ‘ll get back to being relatably cool in a second.

Where you really are is under the house. Or I guess, under the houses.

The houses…? Are we… under the cul-de-sac?

Hey, deductive reasoning! Points for {$PlayerFirstName}!

How did nobody notice a dungeon underneath the town? Somebody would have had to...

All dead. Everyone who figured it out, that is.

And it’s not a dungeon. Dungeons are for old castles and twelve year olds. This place is… how would I describe it?

Inhabiting many spaces. The betweens of the world. The gaps in mathematics. It’s quite simply beyond you, I’m afraid.

Just think of it as the real Margarita Zone.

This is too much… my head hurts…

{$PlayerFirstName}, ever wonder where all the wives and husbands in town went? Why everyone’s an eligible single father?

...I just thought it was a coincidence.

Nothing’s a coincidence, idiot. No town in America has such a concentration of eligible, willing Dads.

And do you want to know why?

I don’t know if I do, Joseph.

Because of me. Because of my work. Because of my loyalty.

Loyalty? You’re insane.

Profoundly.

How many couples have I pushed to divorce? How many wives and husbands have I hunted in the dark?

Wait… Amanda’s mom… it can’t be…

I unfortunately can’t take credit for that one. It seems entropy beat me to the punch.

I don’t know if that’s a relief or not.

But man, what if I had? The look on your face would’ve been priceless.

Maple Bay is a psychic beacon of unfathomable power, but it requires sacrifice. It needs to feed on those deep, unquenchable pangs of anguish.

And all to get these very good friends of ours here, in my town, and my father’s town, and his father before him. Hurting for human touch. Praying for the salvation of kindness.

I don’t understand.

Of course you don’t. You were out there gallivanting about, seducing all the hottest single Dads. Meddling in something you have no understanding of. A greatness you could not conceive.

Out there, in the dark of the sea, lies something that has been waiting to return for a hundred million years. It showed the path to Jonah, my ancient ancestor, as it has shown the path to me.

And I will fuck each Dad whose life I destroy until the shame and stink of their failures has returned our eternal king to life. The fuel of a hundred thousand rank darknesses of the soul.

Wow…

Do you have anything you’d like to say?

I’ll kill you if it’s the last thing I do.

What about Amanda?

Just kidding! You don’t get to choose. I know you’re used to being in control here.

But now it’s my turn.

And don’t worry yourself about Amanda.

If you touch her…

Please, {$PlayerFirstName}, give me some credit. Look at my pedigree.

If I do my job, I won’t even have to.

Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s some other business I need to attend to. Your dear friend Robert has been awfully worried about you…

I think it’s about time that miserable drunk gets one last visit from the Dover Ghost.

This is a nightmare.

A beautiful nightmare, wouldn’t you agree?

All along you’ve been living a dream, Daddy.

Now it’s time to wake up.

Oh man. This is bad. This is very bad.

How long was I out? When is he coming back? How do I get out of here?

A hand slips over my mouth.

Don’t say anything.

Hell, don’t even think anything.

It’s okay, {$PlayerFirstName}. It’s me.

I’m gonna get you out of here.

She kneels down and starts working on the ropes around my ankles.

I gotta be honest, I didn’t like you at first.

I guess I did try to break up your marr-

Shh! Shut up for once.

Look, truth is I feel sorry for you. I feel sorry for the both of us. I don’t think you’re a bad person, despite what you might think of me.

I don’t want it to end like this. Not again.

I raise my eyebrows at her.

Come on. Who do you think lived in that house before you?

Don’t think about it. Not right now.

He’s coming. Run, kid.

Mary finishes untying me and disappears.

I get out of the chair and run as fast as I can down the hallway outside of my... holding cell.

I have to get out of here.

Eventually I run out of breath. I can’t keep sprinting. Not with these Dad knees.

I check myself. All I have are the clothes on my back and... this thing in my pocket. The pocket knife that Robert gave me. If I have to defend myself, this is all I have.

Looking ahead of me, I can’t see the end of the hallway: it bends further up there. I look back and can’t even see where I started. I guess the only thing I can do is keep going and hope there’s a way out on the other end.

If there is an other end...

The hallway bends and twists. Sometimes it gets smaller, to the point where I have to crawl on my hands and knees to get through. Sometimes it expands into a great cavern where I can’t even see the ceiling. I see no way out other than to keep moving forward.

I don’t know how long I’ve been walking, but my body aches with soreness. I’m long past dehydration. My head is pounding. My vision is blurred. I lean up against the walls of the hallway for support.

I’m not sure how I’m still going.

And yet still here I am. I’ve been walking for what I think must be days. It could be weeks... months...

The exhaustion has sunk into my bones. I drift in and out of consciousness. I think I’ve slept, if you can call it sleep. My dreams are plagued with nightmares of being chased down this hallway. I see Joseph’s kids. They hide in the shadows. They’re coming to drag me back to Joseph.

Oh god, Joseph. I can see his face so clearly in those dreams.

I don’t know why I keep moving, why I keep placing one foot in front of the other. My clothes are tattered and my shoes have worn through.

My hell is inescapable.

Until...

It’s... a door.

A door at the dead end of the hallway.

I place my hand on the knob, seeing for the first time my gnarled fingernails and stretched, papery skin. I open the door and walk through.

...I’m in my house?! How did that...?

Amanda rushes into the room, wrapping her arms around me in a ferocious bear hug.

Where have you been?! Are you okay? I tried calling you like thirty times!

A...Amanda?

What happened? Did the boat break down or something?

Oh... I... um...

You know what? I’m just glad you’re home.

I look down and at myself and my clothes. They’re... there. My shoes are on. My fingernails aren’t gnarled.

I feel... fine.

I hug Amanda again. Nothing has ever felt as good in my entire life.

I have to choke back tears of relief.

Amanda... I’m... so glad to see you. You have no idea.

Wow, one night at sea.

You didn’t see a whale, did you? You poor thing.

No whale could keep me from my daughter.

You’re damn right.

You know what? You need breakfast. A very greasy breakfast.

That sounds amazing.

Amanda skips out of the room.

This is all so confusing... was it a dream?

By the way, is it okay if Emma P. comes over tonight?

Emma P.?

You know, my best friend?

Oh, sure.

Wait... I thought... isn’t Emma R. your best friend?

She has red hair? You do art together? You pooped in her bed during that sleepover one time?

Oh right, my mistake. Teenager brain, you know?

I sit down on the couch, suddenly very exhausted. All I want is to have a big plate of hashbrowns with my daughter by my side while I quietly work on my word jumbles.

I reach over to the coffee table and grab my trusty book of jumbles.

This is... this is a crossword puzzle.

I stare at it for too long.

Hey Amanda...

Amanda pops her head in from the kitchen.

Workin’ hard on these eggs, Dadtron. If you want the perfect over-medium I gotta be in the zone.

When’s your birthday?

Why, did you get me something?

No, seriously. When’s your birthday?

My birthday? Dad, really? Do I have to answer this?

I have seen a lot of weird stuff today, Amanda. Humor me.

My birthday is...

It’s...

Nothing gets past you, huh?

(NOTE: The file here says “AmandaDemon… neutral”)

You know, I almost had you going there for a sec. Was it the crossword puzzle that gave it away? You know, I try so hard to nail the details.

Like, cooking you breakfast? Over-medium eggs with hash browns? Come on. That’s so you.

And my Amanda impression? I really think I stuck the landing on her irreverent yet wholesome tone. The whole “manic pixie dream daughter” thing? I should’ve been on Broadway with these chops.

I feel like you’re not appreciating how much work I’ve put in here.

Amanda turns ash black, her clothes, hair and bracelets collapsing into concentric rings of pitch-dark smoke.

Cracks begin to form along the walls around me. I look down and see the floor collapsing in tiles. As the walls, crumble... I see where I truly am.

Almost got away, huh?

Dunno how you got out of those ropes. You’re a crafty one, aren’t you?

Mary...

Oh right! Mary! She’s rocking the tag team with you, isn’t she?

Funny, here I was thinking marriage was about trust.

You know I thought I was gonna take care of Robert, and then here you were trying to make your escape and honestly {$PlayerFirstName} you’re just killing my whole timeline here.

Wait... Robert.

As quick as I can, I pull his folding knife out of my pocket and lunge for Joseph, throwing all my force into him—

Joseph knocks the knife out of my hand. It skitters across the room.

Aw, man.

{$PlayerFirstName}, I thought we were cool.

I thought we had a thing here. What happened to Margarita Zone?

Welp, sorry bud, but I guess I’m gonna have to do ya dirty.

Doing you dirty means I have to kill you.

Joseph wraps his hands around my neck, smiling as he tightens his grip.

What’s wrong? You were so into this last night.

I have no strength left to fight him.

This is it. Isn’t it?

The world goes quiet around me.

All I can think about is Amanda... I miss her so much.

I’m sorry Amanda. I love you more than anything.

Please be good...

Joseph’s eyes go wide. He releases his grip on me and I gasp in air. He turns around.

It’s over, Joseph.

Honey, sweetie, you... stabbed me.

You stole so much of my life from me.

Joseph backs away from Mary, clutching the wound on his shoulder.

Sweetheart... we can work this out.

I’m done with you.

Father?

Chris peeks into the doorway behind Mary. He looks... different. Behind him are Christian, Christie, and Crish, who all creep into the room.

Father... we’re so hungry.

Won’t you feed us, Father?

Mary turns to me and holds out a hand.

Hey, sailor.

It’s time to go.

The children corner Joseph as I crawl to Mary, who pulls me into the hallway. I look back into the room at the horror I had escaped. I... it’s...

The more I look at it, the more it seems to break my mind. I turn away, my head pounding.

This body is but a conduit, Mary! I’ll see you in your nightmares!

What the hell?

My eyes open and I shoot up in bed, gasping for air.

Dad!

Amanda leaps off of the chair in my room and attacks me with a hug.

Amanda!

This is the best hug of my life.

I was so worried about you...

I’m so happy to see her again...

Amanda... what’s your birthday?

Dad, did you forget again?

It’s March 22nd. You got me a record player and we ate an ice cream cake at the beach? But then I dropped the ice cream cake and got sand all over it? Remember?

I... I remember that.

Panda I missed you so much. What... what happened?

You don’t remember?

The yacht sank. The rescue crews had to pull you out of the water. That was a few days ago.

Where’s Joseph?

They found something in the Yacht wreckage. Some documents that showed he was embezzling funds from the church. Nobody’s seen him since.

There’s a detective here who’s been waiting to talk to you. He’s nice but he’s drinking all of our coffee. Lemme go grab him.

Wait...

Yeah?

Amanda, I love you so much.

I love you too, Dad.

Amanda skips out of the room, and in a moment Mary enters with...

...the guy I saw in the hallway.

Rise and shine, bucko.

Mary... are you okay?

You know it was a real shame, what happened to Joseph. I had no idea he was doing what he was doing to the church. And I can’t believe he ran once the feds showed up, leaving me to take care of our four beautiful children on my own.

But don’t worry, they’re staying with my parents out in the midwest til this all blows over.

Mary stares at me, waiting for me to say something.

Good answer.

Glad to see you’ve both got your story straight.

I’m happy you’re okay. I was worried about you.

Thanks, Mary.

Mary cracks a smile before turning and leaving my room.

Take it sleazy, fellas.

Once the door closes, the man pulls up a chair and sits next to my bed.

You don’t know me, but I know a lot about you, {$PlayerFirstName}. Been keeping tabs on you for a while.

Who are you?

Graves. Detective Saul Graves.

There’s strange and mysterious forces at work here in Maple Bay.

What you saw down there... what we both saw down there... I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forget it. And I get the feeling that you won’t be able to, either.

But it’s my job to get to the bottom of this.

So what does this mean for me?

It means to live your life like none of this ever happened. Go be happy. Go raise your daughter. Go fall in love.

Be well, {$PlayerFirstName}.

Saul walks to the door of my bedroom, but stops. He turns to me.

And...

I know it’s hard to raise a kid as a single parent. Even I lost my wife under “mysterious circumstances.”

Little Barry and I have been on our own for a while now, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned through all of this, it’s that us Dads have to help each other out.

Get some rest. But if you’re not doing anything later... maybe you give me a call.

[brawling-bitch-blog]

A Song From The Heart | Angela/Chase/Elliott

@citruschase @flushedprose

Angela had texted her two favorite people and asked for them to meet her at Chase’s place. Sure, this whole thing would have been better at Elliott’s, er, her house. But. Maya was there. And it was taking everything in her power to not snap at her for no reason. She was saving the snap for an actual, legitimate one. But that was beside the point, it was Christmas, and she was sure her special people had other people to be with.

Mainly each other, but that was also beside the point. 

They’d find her sitting on a stool with a ukelele in hand. One hand went up immediately.

“Don’t say anything. Just. Shut up and listen, ok? This is going to sound dumb and. Sappy and. Gross. But-” Wow, she really wasn’t good at words. “You guys are... my best friends. I dunno where I’d be without you. And I didn’t have enough money to get you guys proper, nice presents, so you’re gonna have to deal with this. Ok? Ok. And don’t- don’t judge me for the song. It’s the only one I can remember how to play well enough that... fits... but it’s a good one. Promise.”

She took a deep breath, adjusted her fingers and sang.

Well, you done done me and you bet I felt it I tried to be chill, but you're so hot that I melted I fell right through the cracks Now I'm trying to get back

Before the cool done run out I'll be giving it my bestest And nothing's gonna stop me but divine intervention. I reckon, it's again my turn To win some or learn some.

But I won't hesitate No more, no more. It cannot wait, I'm yours.

Well, open up your mind and see like me, Open up your plans and damn you're free. Look into your heart and you'll find love, love, love, love. Listen to the music of the moment, people dance and sing, we're just one big family And it's our God-forsaken right to be loved, loved, loved, loved, loved

So I won't hesitate No more, no more. It cannot wait, I'm sure. There's no need to complicate. Our time is short. This is our fate, I'm yours.

Do you want to come on, scooch on over closer, dear And I will nibble your ear

I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer But my breath fogged up the glass And so I drew a new face and I laughed.

I guess what I'll be saying is there ain't no better reason To rid yourself of vanities and just go with the seasons. It's what we aim to do. Our name is our virtue.

But I won't hesitate No more, no more. It cannot wait, I'm yours.

Well, open up your mind and see like me, Open up your plans and damn you're free. Look into your heart and you'll find that the sky is yours. So please don't, please don't, please don't... There's no need to complicate. 'Cause our time is short. This oh, this oh, this is our fate. I'm yours.

Oh, I'm yours Oh, I'm yours Oh, oh, Baby, do you believe, I'm yours? You best believe, you best believe, I'm yours.

[stagesiren]

I have a headcanon in which Jessie helps James to overcome his PTSD about dancing, and he suddenly feels not only comfortable dancing with her but safe, and realizes it's something he doesn't have to be afraid of anymore, because he's with her.

Inspired by this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASWcIZWmXfk

And now of course every time I draw something that isn’t smut, my brain is all like “WRITE A STORY!!” So, there’s writing under the cut. 

HAPPY ROCKETSHIPPING DAY WEEK. <3

James fidgeted nervously as he waited for his partner. He had never been more anxious in his life.

It was Jessie’s birthday, and she’d made a rather specific and unusual request – she wanted to go dancing. She knew James didn’t care for it, but he’d complied all the same. It was her birthday wish, after all, and he’d be damned if he was going to let her down. Besides, even if he managed to screw it up, she couldn’t be angry with him for trying.

Still, it was all he could do to keep from losing it as he stood there in the dimly lit ballroom waiting for her. Thankfully, he was alone. He did think it a bit odd that no one else had shown up yet, but considering everything else he was feeling, he didn’t let it worry him too much. He looked down at his hands and willed them to stop shaking. No use.

Okay, breathe, he thought. You can do this.

Trying to concentrate on the music, he closed his eyes, and almost immediately regretted it.

“James, mah dear, wah haven’t you asked me to dance yet? That’s no way to treat a lady, let alone your future wahfe!” the southern lilt rang out in his head, clear and high as ever.

“N-no!! Stop! DON’T!! GET AWAY FROM ME!!” he cried as he turned tail and tried to run toward the exit, which was quickly blocked by his parents, who looked down at him disapprovingly.

“Come on now, boy. You have to learn to act like a gentleman, and part of that is courting your lady.” His father scolded.

“That’s right, dear. Now go on, dance with her.” His mother urged. James gulped and, having no choice, turned to face the horrific nightmare that was his fiancée. He broke into a cold sweat as he begrudgingly extended a hand to her.

“That’s better!” she squealed in delight, grabbing his hand and pulling him back into the middle of the room. “Naow, ah’ll teach you to dance like a gentleman!” James simply allowed himself to be flung across the floor and made the most minimal effort to keep up with her while he tried to think of something, anything else. He thought to call for Growlie, but knew that it would only result in further punishment later, once they had the Pokemon locked up again.

No more. I can’t take it anymore, he thought. I’m running away. Tonight.

James opened his eyes and practically fell backward. He was breathing hard, cold sweat running down his forehead.

“Okay, okay. Get it together.” He mumbled to himself. “They’re not here. She’s not here. It’s fine. It’ll be fine. We’ll be…”

“Ahem.”

He whirled around to face his partner, and was almost instantly calmed by the sight of her. She was a vision in midnight blue silk, accented with long black gloves and heels. Her hair was pulled back with a few soft curls framing her face. She smiled at him softly.

She was stunning.

“Jessie. Wow. Hi. I… happy birthday.” He said, returning her smile.

“Thanks.” She said, now standing before him. “Who, uh…. who were you talking to?”

James nervously rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “Oh, no. I wasn’t. I mean, I was just…… hey, look! No one else is here yet!” he said, gesturing to the empty room around them. “That’s weird, right?”

Jessie smiled and looked down to one side. “Well, no, it’s not.” She said “That’s the part I didn’t tell you about.”

James raised an eyebrow.

“I, um. I reserved the room just for us. I… wanted us to be alone.” She said, bringing her eyes back up to meet his. James blinked twice and felt a blush beginning to creep across his face.

“Well, that’s … why though?” he asked. Jessie’s brows drew together, as if the question upset her. “Not that I’m complaining.” He said quickly.  “I’m just asking – is there a specific reason?”

“Yeah.” she said. “Um. Well….” She reached forward and took hold of his hands. “I know that…. I know dancing isn’t your thing. I know you don’t like it. But I thought since you were willing to put in the effort for me, I should at least grant us privacy. I figured if we were going to do it, there’s no real reason for us to do it in front of people. And if…” she paused, looking crestfallen again “If you hate it so much that you …. have to make an emergency exit, no one else will know.”

James was taken aback. He hadn’t expected her to be this considerate of his feelings. It wasn’t the most considerate thing that she had asked him to do it at all, but at least she was being mindful about it. Furthermore, he certainly hadn’t expected the feeling that was now beginning to settle over him. A feeling of comfort, of ease, and of complete and utter trust.

“That’s…. very thoughtful of you, Jess.” He said, giving her hands a squeeze. “And very sweet. I appreciate it.”

Jessie smiled, and James could swear he saw her cheeks begin to turn pink.

“Well, um… shall we, then?” she asked. She took a step back, keeping one hand in his and bending her wrist upward toward him.

Does this mean? Oh Lord, it does…. James thought. She wanted him to kiss her hand. Okay, easy enough. It’s no big thing, it’s really… God, just do it. He quickly realized that he had to quit psyching himself out if he was ever going to make it through this. He bent down, closed his eyes, and pressed his lips to her hand. The smooth fabric of the glove greeted his lips. He fleetingly wondered what her skin would feel like against them, and just as soon realized that he could probably guess. Before he could stop it, a myriad of sounds and images began racing through his mind: Jessie slipping those gloves off. Whispering in his ear. Her hair brushing his face. Pressing against him. Kissing him.

“Um. James?” Jessie giggled lightly. “Are we dancing, or…?” He opened his eyes as reality came flooding back.

“Yes! Sorry, I… Sorry. Yes.” He cleared his throat, and stepped close to her again. “That is, Oui, Mademoiselle.”

He wrapped his other hand around her, and they began a simple two-step sway. He couldn’t help smiling at how easily they fell into it. How well they understood each other.

“You look amazing, by the way.” He said. She grinned back at him.

“You’re not so bad yourself.”

They spun around as they made their way across the floor. The music transitioned into a soft, lovely violin and cello waltz.  James had never heard it before, but something in it struck him on a deep emotional level. As he looked into her eyes, everything suddenly seemed perfect. Almost impossibly so. He realized then that he was no longer afraid. On the contrary, he had never felt so safe. Doing something that had once terrified and choked him with fear now made him feel free and unburdened, because he was doing it with the woman he loved. For the woman he loved.

His mouth fell open slightly as his brows furrowed, and he exhaled in a breathy laugh.

“What is it?” Jessie asked.

“I just… I never thought. It would feel like this.” He said.

“That it would feel like…what?”

“Good. Enjoyable. Exciting.”

“That’s how it’s always felt for me.” She said. “Ever since I was little. And I’m glad you feel that way now too, because….. that’s what I wanted. I wanted you to feel what I felt. And for you to want to do it…. with me.”

“Well, yes…. I do. I’m…. so happy right now.” James said. “I feel like…. I could dance with you forever.”

Jessie couldn’t fight the heat rising in her cheeks any longer, nor her desire to be closer to him. She drew him closer and rested her head on his shoulder.

“James….”

He interlaced their fingers as he leaned his head against hers, sighing with contentment. He was completely lost in her.

“Thanks for doing this…for me. I’m so happy it’s changed the way you feel.” She breathed against his neck. Her warm breath tickling him sent a pleasant shiver up his spine.

“I’d do anything for you, Jessie.” He replied.

“You….would?”

“Yes, because….” James swallowed hard. It was now or never.

Jessie closed her eyes, waiting.

“Because, what….?” she asked, her lips brushing against his neck. He closed his eyes, his mouth falling open in a silent gasp. He brought a hand to her cheek and pulled back slightly so that he could look at her again. Her face flushed and her breath quickened.

“Because I’m in love with you.”

Jessie’s mouth fell open and the corners turned up into a smile. For a moment, she was unable to speak and could only breathe as she stared at him. This beautiful man whom she’d spent over half her life with, now finally telling her what she’d been waiting to hear, seemingly forever.

“James…” she closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his. He returned the kiss, now holding her face with both hands. She wrapped her arms around him with a sigh, an intoxicating warmth filling her senses.

After a moment, they broke the kiss, looking at each other with heavily-lidded eyes. James’ breathing intensified as she wrapped her arms around his neck and moved in again, this time opening her mouth and letting his tongue brush against hers. He moaned softly into her mouth, reveling in her taste. She tightened her grip on him, not wanting to let go.

Several minutes later, they broke apart again. Staring at each other open-mouthed and slightly out-of-breath, they smiled.

“I…take it this means you feel the same.” James said, his voice husky. Jessie laughed.

“Yeah, you could say that.” She said. She leaned her forehead against his. “Yes, James. I love you too.”

Too overwhelmed to say anything more, he pulled her in for another kiss. Somewhere in the barrage of ecstatic emotions that were now surging through him, one more coherent thought emerged before he let himself get completely lost in her again.

We’ll have to go dancing more often.

[forthestarprinces]

Heacanon Idea. 💕

Hello! <3 So excited to see more SCM posts from you. I have a headcannon in mind, perhaps of one where the gods react to after watching MC play during a sport event? (Cheerleading, Soccer, Figure Skating, Etc)I think that this would be a very humorous and sweet headcannon to do. Thank you.😊

sure can! thanks so much for being interested and i hope i don’t disappoint! enjoy!! and the first ever blog posts goes to you!!! ;)

Leon: To say watching your ballet was enticing would be an understatement. You had asked him to come to your opening night at the theater, and he had agreed. He figured you would be a blushing mess on the stage, fumbling through the motions of the dances, like when you snuck into the ball in the heavens. How wrong he was; when he saw your face, expressive though not in the least bit nervous, he was shocked. You actually looked…what was the word you had used when describing seeing him at work? Ah, yes, cool. Your movements were graceful, and the way that your body bends and twists and leaps to the piece was shocking. For someone so clumsy, who knew you could manage to actually be limber?

“Wow! The ballerina in the swan costume is so beautiful, I’ve never seen anything like her before!” exclaimed one excited patron, causing Leon to zero in on you. He felt a surge of pride go through him at the compliment. That’s my goddess, you foolish goldfish. Of course she’s beautiful; she is my one and only love.

He continued to watch your play with adoring eyes, his gaze pinned to you. You never once faltered. His grip on the flowers he got for you tightened as the show drew to a close. During bows he watched as your eyes search the crowd, eventually meeting his. He smirks and claps for you, and you blush scarlet as flowers are thrown onto the stage and shouts of your name rise in the theater.

And well, if he tested your flexibility later, it was your own fault for not telling him sooner.

Scorpio: He sat on the bench as you glided across the ice, leaping and twirling backwards to face him and grin as you landed on one foot. He rolled his eyes but couldn’t deny how silly you looked with your eyes trained on him.

“Come on, Scorpio,” you call from the ice, skating across the ice towards him. You grab onto the wall and pout. “It’s boring to be here all alone. Come in and skate with me.”

“No.” Was his automatic reply.

“Please.”

“No.”

“Pretty please?”

“No means no, woman.”

“Pretty pretty please with an bunny-shaped apple on top?”

“Absolutely not.”

You sigh and shove yourself off the wall, turning around. You knew exactly how to get on his nerves. And so without looking back, you say, “You know, if only Ichthys was here. He’d definitely skate with me.”

Scorpio glared at you, seething. “Stupid fucking woman, always testing me and spewin’ bullshit,” he mutters as he takes off his shoes. He continues to grumble and keep an eye on you as he ties the skates on and makes his way to the entrance. He holds tightly on the wall and calls out to you. “Are you happy now? Is this what it takes for you to shut your trap?”

You whirl around, your eyes sparkling as you quickly make your way over to him. You grip on to his arm and pull him out.

“W-wait! You stupid woman!” he cries as he holds tightly onto your forearms as he almost falls over. You giggle and meet his gaze.

“Why, do my eyes deceive me?” you ask in a dramatic tone. “The great, renowned, truly inspiring Vice Minister of the Punishments Department, all-powerful god of the zodiac, ruler of Scorpio, doesn’t know how to skate? Is scared to fall?”

He glares at you and shoves off, only to quickly regret it as he falls on his face automatically. You howl with laughter, and skate off laughing, all the while mocking him.

“Tsk! You’ll pay for this, you damn idiot!” he roars as he tries to get up and fails, falling back onto the ice. You skate by and kick artificial ice onto his face.

Regardless of how graceful or cute you looked, he was going to kill you. As soon as he could get up and catch you.

Teorus: Teorus had to admit, horses were pretty cute. Cows were obviously cuter, but your little outfit made his heart race. He always thought of himself as the Knight in Shining Armor, and yet when you came out from the changing rooms in your tight riding pants and high boots, your hair pulled away from your face in french braids – why, he felt like he had died and gone to heaven.

“You’re gonna do so good! And you look so cute,” he coos over you. You laugh as he helps you put on your gloves. You turn to the mirror to give yourself a once-over, and he takes the opportunity to grab your ass. “Do we have time to do it before you have to leave?” You watch him pout through the mirror and shake your head.

“No, Teo, and we can’t anyways. We’re in public,” your face flushes. You open your mouth to continue when a trumpet sounds over the intercom, telling all riders to make their way to the stables. “I gotta go, and you should head back out to the stands.”

He catches your chin with his hand and turns your face up to his and presses a sensual kiss to your lips. “Alright,” he mumbles against your lips. “Don’t let anyone else see you look cute as you go get your horse, though!”

You roll your eyes and grab your hat, placing it on your head as you exit the room, Teorus following. My goddess should really wear pants more often, he muses as he watches you walk. She looks so sexy, and it’s unfair! I can’t have anyone else see that!

He eventually finds his place in the bleachers, and once the race begins, is practically leaning over the boundary of the track, his eyes focusing on your form, pressed against your horse. The announcer’s voice fades into the background and he can only see the carefree smile on your face, the look of pure childlike joy as your guide your horse around the track expertly. “Go (Y/n)!” he cries, bouncing as the race continues. You were neck and neck for first place, and oh, how Teorus wishes you never told him not to use his powers to help you – it was so obvious you should win!

And the finish line was only 500 feet away from you and your competitor. It was as if you stopped breathing and could only focus on the clomp-clomp-clomp of your horse’s feet on the dirt track. You turn around, seeing a flash of the stands and your competitor, when you see a flash of golden hair. And you knew it was Teorus. It was the final push you needed before you cry, “Come on, boy,” and give your horse one final push in order to cross the finish line first. The whole crowd cries in approval and shock, as this was your first year as a jockey. You were the underdog, and yet you had just won a national horse racing competition. You couldn’t believe your eyes.

And Teorus screams along the crowd. He knew you could do it, because you were the one who taught him to love. You were his goddess, and you could do anything you set your mind to. He watches as tears stream down your face and thinks about how lucky he was to have met you.

Dui: The excitement of the entire crowd was tangible as he enters the softball field. He could see you practicing with your catcher, each one of your throws easily going 70 miles per hour. He takes his place in the stands, watching the umpire blow the whistle, signaling the start of the game. As you walk back to your dugout you see Dui and wave at him. He enthusiastically waves back, a warm feeling entering his body. The two teams shake hands and then the coin is thrown to see who bats first.

It ended up in the other team’s favor, yet Dui was not worried about your abilities. He knew you, and knew you wouldn’t give up. You take your place on the mound, and breathe deeply before winding up. The batter, bulky and arrogant, had taken her place and was taunting you. Dui could see your eyes narrow from where he was, and hid a smirk.

That’s my girl, Shadow Dui laughs maniacally from within. Dui shushes him, and the two somehow remain in union throughout the game, both focused on you.

It was the final inning and your team was back at the field. This pitch could mean you win. You kiss the ball and pray, gaining a few chuckles from the crowd.  Dui was mesmerized at how charismatic you were without even realizing, how you had an affect on everyone around you.

Of course she does, Shadow Dui answers smugly. That’s what makes her ours. The very fact no one can touch her except us. She’s ours.

The final pitch was made, and it was as Teorus had slowed down time. The ball clocked 92 miles, and the crowd was amazed as the best batter on the rival team missed, the ball going straight into the catcher’s hand.

Screams erupted, and the whole team rushed the field, picking you up. The crowd applauded, Dui laughing at your expression from being held midair.

He knew you were the only one for him. And watching you play a sport you clearly loved, and sharing the experience with him, made him happier than he’s ever been. He would always support you, and was always shocked when he found out new talents of yours every day. He could feel himself falling for you all over again.

And later, when you’re packing up, he kisses the black warrior streaks placed under your eyes. You lean into him, wrapping your arms around him.

Your voice was muffled through his shirt. “I really need to take a shower.”

The two of you burst out laughing, walking back to your apartment.

Huedhaut: “Oh, dear,” the god of Aquarius sighs as he watches your team struggling to catch up with the three other teams. As of now, your team was in last place out of four. He knew you would win, yet he was wondering if his predictions were wrong for the first time. He watched as you shouted encouragements to your teammate as she tosses the button through the air. Your other three competitors had already taken off, and you fumble as you catch the button. The whole crowd goes wild.

“There is no way that girl is going to win,” he hears one man say to another. “Did you see the way she caught it? Like how the hell does she run if she can’t even catch a fucking stick.” The two men guffaw and shake their heads. Huehaut shoots the two of them a glare, turning his eyes back to the race. You can do this, (Y/n).

You take off running.The look of pure concentration and determination of your face was admirable. The other three runners were taller – as tall as Hue himself, actually – and had longer limbs. Yet to see your cute little face get scrunched up was amusing to say the least. He felt a smile tug at his lips as he watched you speed up.

Your arms swing and your feet slam against the track. You zero in on the track in front of you, pushing yourself to the limit as you lean forward a little and test your body. You continued, and caught a glimpse of a passing rival from your peripheral. Come on, (Y/n), you got this! Don’t let your team or Hue down!

And you pass another rival. Shouts of surprise rise from the crowd, and you could vaguely recognize your teammates’ voices alongside your coach. That was all the encouragement you needed as you race beside your last rival for first place. And finally, the finish line banner was only 10 feet in front of the two of you. You grit your teeth and lengthen your stride, and throw up both hands as your midsection made contact with the ribbon a millisecond before your opponent.  

You slow down to a finish, and raise your hands in the air, screaming as you race to meet with your team. Your coach grabs you and swings you around as the award comes out. You felt tears stream down your cheeks. Months of hard work finally paid off. You felt immortal in that moment.

Huehaut claps for you, and slowly turns back to the two men who dared to challenge you. They were speechless and weren’t clapping, simply staring at the track in shock. He taps the closest one on the shoulder and they both slowly turn to him.

“Yes, I believe you two are the gentlemen who said my girlfriend wouldn’t come close to winning before, right? Tell me, how does it feel to know how wrong you were?” Hue snorts and crosses his arms. “You two goldfish have a lot of nerve to go against her like that. She may look weak but she never loses. And it’s a good thing I’m in such a forgiving mood. I could’ve just ruined the two of you beforehand, but it looks like I didn’t have to do that. Because she did that all by herself. Next time, watch who you’re speaking of before you open your imprudent, clueless, moronic mouths.”

And he leaves to go congratulate you, leaving the two idiots behind.

He had never been prouder.

Ichthys: Your teams were tied, and you dribble the soccer ball between your feet. You were the only team member free, and you race along the side. A girl from the other team rushes up and tries to kick the ball out of the boundaries, but you simply give the ball a high kick and make it to the other side of her in time to catch the ball with a chest bump. You refocus the ball on the ground and race away.

The crowd screams in excitement at this site of skill, the other girl left behind in shock. You race towards the goal, dodging the ball and giving it one long kick outside of the opponent’s radius. You chase after it, zeroing in on the ball.

“HELL YEAH! THAT’S MY GIRLFRIEND!” you hear Ichthys scream from the sidelines. “GO GET THEM BABE!”

An official walks up to him, and the god of Pisces doesn’t look away from the game. “Sir, we’re going to have to ask you to calm down.”

“I WILL NOT CALM DOWN! THAT’S MY GIRLFRIEND!” he cries in excitement, pointing at your form. The goal could be yours with one kick, and you could get your team ahead. He pushes past the guard and jumps up and down, yelling and pumping his fists, when suddenly his demeanor changes in a second. His hands fall to his side and he closes his mouth, scowling as he watches the undesirable scene in front of him.

The goalie had decided to tackle slide you – and everything slowed down as you saw her legs kicking out threateningly at you. Ichthys quickly snapped his fingers discreetly, and the goalie ended up falling in the mud, her back hitting the ground first. You watch in shock at the pure stroke of luck that had happened before your very eyes. You quickly kick the ball, the ball rocketing off the webbed lining and falling inside. The scoreboard lets out a noise, as it did with every score, but was quickly drowned out by your own screaming and the crowd’s.

Ichthys laughs and turns around to head back to the actual stands, when he sees a little boy with an ice cream cone. He meets eyes with the kid, who looks at the god with horrified interest. His ice cream cone falls to the ground in shock, though the little boy doesn’t care. He just continues to watch Ichthys like he just witnessed a murder.

Ichthys swears under his breathe and looks around before refocusing on the child. He grins at the kid, trying to mask his concern for being caught. “Hey there, kiddo, dropped your cone.”

“You just…!” the kid sputters, face flushing as he points at Ichthys’s hand. “You just cheated!”

Ichthys furrows his eyebrows. “Did not.”

“Did too!”

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

“Did too!” Ichthys says, changing his approach.

“Did not!” the kid screams in anger and frustration, and then realizes his mistake of playing right into the God of Pisces plan. He slaps his hands over his mouth. “Wait! I didn’t mean that, I meant-”

“No taksie-backsies!” Ichthys sing-songs, grinning at his win. He checks if the coast is clear and then squats in front of the kid. “Tell you what,” he hums, snapping his fingers. Two taiyaki appear, one in the kid’s hand and one in Ichthys’ hand. “I’ll give ya this if you promise not to tell anyone about what you saw.”

The kid swallows, weighing his options very seriously despite being six years old. He finally meets the god’s eyes after a moment of pondering. “Make it two and I won’t tell anyone.” Ichthys sighs but snaps his fingers, another taiyaki appearing in the kid’s unoccupied hand.

“You run a hard bargain,” he grins. “I like that. Now scram.”

The kid runs. And Ichthys whistles as he makes his way back to the stands, satisfied with his negotiating. As long as she doesn’t know, there’s no harm. I mean, it’s not like I couldn’t do anything! Imagine her sad face if she lost, or worse – if she got hurt! These human women are scary!

And he is content watching the rest of the game play out without helping again. He knew if you found out you wouldn’t forgive him ever. He giggles to himself at the thought of you angry face. She’s so cute when she gets frustrated and yells at me.

But later, he decides as he watches your team rush the field, he likes you smiling after winning much better.

[mirkwoodshewolf]

A lost stray; Dog! Bucky x teen reader

Okay I give you all the last series of my Bucky masterlist, once the 2 parts are up my MASTERLIST WILL FINALLY BE UPDATED YAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!! Now I have seen a lot of fic involving Bucky with dogs (which are AMAZING BTW) but it got me thinking, what is Bucky BECAME a dog by a certain God of Mischief, and this request that I was given to by some dear friends of mine on wattpad gave me the idea for this, now bare in mind the reader is given a specific name cause that’s what they wanted so if you don’t like it then just replace the name with your own. Also I had a poll to see which bred of dog would best represent Bucky and the winner was....well you’ll find out here shortly. Now BEWARE OF SWEARING, SEXUAL INNUENDOS, MENTIONS OF CHILD ABUSE, DRUGS, all the bad stuff pretty much *so sorry* but I hope you all enjoy :)

Taglist:

@evyiione

______________________________________________________

Okay I have no idea what I did to deserve this fate? I was simply writing in my journal about old memories minding my own business when all of a sudden my journal falls to the ground as does the pencil and when I look down I notice instead of hands, I had paws. I ran towards the nearest mirror to see that I've been turned into a dog, and to be more specific a German shepherd.

I screamed which came out as a yelp of fright as I looked at myself. Even my metal arm had turned onto a dog's leg and I heard soft chuckling behind me. When I turned around I saw Loki standing there.

I growled and ran towards him and cried out his name in anger as I leaped for him but he disappeared into a poof of green mist. I snarled down at the ground thinking I had gotten him but I paused when I saw no one beneath me.

'Grrr Loki! What the hell is this about?! Why the hell did you turn me into a fucking dog! You—you sick low life son of a—' but all that anyone else would hear is mad barking.

"If you want to know why I did what I did, go out and see for yourself. You're not the only Midgardian who has suffered if not more than you have". I turned to see Loki perched up along the windowsill as a black cat which gave me a terrific idea.

'You know for some high and mighty God you sure are clueless'.

"And what is that supposed to mean soldier of Winter?"

'Well here on Earth, the animal kingdom has many animals that are arch rivals, and the biggest of them all is dogs vs. cats'. Loki looked at me like he knew he had been caught. I lunged for him and he took off running.

I chased after him knocking over tables and expensive vases that Tony had. Barking as he yowled at me trying to escape when Tony and Bruce came in and I heard Tony say.

"WHAT THE HELL!?!"

"How did a dog get into the tower?" Bruce said in confusion.

"I don't care about that just look at all my stuff! That does it, come here you mutt!" I was then grabbed on by the neck by a rope. I barked at Tony to let me go telling him that I wasn't a dog, I was Bucky. But sadly he couldn't understand me and soon I was thrown out of the tower and locked out.

I barked as I scratched on the door begging to be back in but when no one answered whimpers came out of my throat and I decided to just walk down the streets of New York, as a freakin dog.

As I walked along the streets, people looked at me like I was still a freak especially since they stared at my metal dog arm. When I got hungry and tried to do the dog face and beg, people just turned me aside and kicked dirt or threw whatever they could at me to get me running. My stomach growled hungrily and I decided to just rest. I managed to find an alleyway with an old rotten box big enough for me to lay in. I got in and laid down on my stomach and sighed.

Who knew that even as a dog I'd be labeled a freak? No one shows sympathy for dogs like me, with handicaps and out on the street. I was a lost dog and I felt sad about it as I felt my ears bend backwards showing my sadness.

It wasn't until my sensitive ears picked up something. I raised my head up and I stood up to hear what almost sounded like someone being beaten up. I carefully followed my ears and I soon came along a corner seeing a group of teenage boys picking on two young twins a boy and a girl.

"What's the matter runts? Are you gonna cry for Mommy?"

"Hey Jared they ain't got no mommy! All they got is that bitch leader of theirs".

"Now listen up you twerps, you better tell your ring leader that if we see another one of you punks on our turf again, people are gonna get hurt, understand?" The taller boy I assumed to be the leader said as he picked up the little girl by the throat then just tossed her towards the wall.

"Amy!" The little boy cried out. Something inside of me snapped. I don't care if you're bigger than your opponent but you do not, I repeat do NOT harm CHILDREN! I came out snarled at the group of boys who turned towards me in shock.

My fangs baring, ears pointed backward and fur ruffled on end. I lunged at them just as one of the boys drew out a small handgun but I successfully threw it out of his hands and got him down on the ground. I then turned to the leader and glared at him with hatred and soon the boys ran away like cowards as they ran home to their momma's.

Once the thugs were gone, I turned to see the boy trying to wake up his sister and when I slowly got up to him, he gasped and tried to get himself and his sister away from me.

'No, don't be scared kid, good dog'. I whimpered softly as I waved my paw at him showing him that I wasn't going to hurt him or his sister. He looked at me nervously and shakily held out his hand for me. Maybe it was instinct, maybe it was a gut feeling, but something was telling me that this young boy once had a bad encounter with a dog before, that's why his hand was so shaky and why he's also trying to protect his sister so much from me.

I lowered my head to his hand and softly licked it assuring him I was a good dog. When I was done, he looked down at his twin then back at me with teary eyes. I walked up to the little girl and sniffed her, I could sadly smell blood but thankfully not a lot so I proceeded to gently lick her temple licking up the blood in the process and soon she started to stir.

"Amy!" The girl's eyes soon opened and my tail wagged thanking god she was alright. When she saw me she suddenly jumped back and her brother caught her and said to her, "it's okay Amy. He's a nice doggy, he's not like uncle's dog was, aren't yah boy?" I grunted softly and sat down before them. So my instincts were right, these poor kids did have a bad experience with a dog before and by their uncle? That just broke my heart.

The little girl Amy looked at me and she held out her hand as well. I smelled her hand and nudged it playfully until it was on top of my head. She smiled softly and petted my head which made my tail swish along the floor.

"He's soft" Amy said. The little boy then reached out and stroked down my neck and gently ruffled the fur alongside my neck and he said.

"Yeah, and he's warm too, and he doesn't have a collar on".

"Look Aaron, he's got a metal leg". I lowered my ears thinking now they would leave and think I was a freak now that they see my metal arm.

"Wow, that's so cool". My ears perked up and I tilted my head in confusion.

"He must be like us, can't we take him home with us, please Aaron?" Amy begged to her brother.

"Amy, I don't think Miss Alex will allow us to have a dog, especially since we didn't tell her we lost the cat we begged to keep when we found it". Cat? What cat?

"But look at him, he's just like us. I bet he's been kicked out by the grownups, haven't you boy?" Amy asked as she took my face between her small hands. I whimpered sadly in yes.

'You don't know the half of it kid'.

"Please Aaron?" I then gave him the puppy dog eyes as did his sister and soon Aaron gave in.

"Alright we can keep him".

"Yay! You hear that boy, you get to come live with us". Amy cheered. I licked her cheek happily making her giggle and curl up. Aww how cute, she's ticklish.

"But we gotta make sure Miss Alex doesn't find him, otherwise she'll make us get rid of him, now come on let's go before she gets back". The twins then stood up and I followed them to their home.

Now I wasn't expecting much just a simple house or even apartment and this so called "Miss Alex" was to be an older woman sitting by a chair or maybe a desk but to my shock these children didn't live in any house, but in the NYC junkyard.

As I followed the young twins I soon notice a camp was set up with small forts and old, filthy mattresses and broken or used up furniture surrounding the camp. A large fire pit stood at the center and all around I could see children ranging from the twins age to teenagers. All of them looked roughed up from living out here in the streets of NY and wore scattered clothes.

"Here we are doggy, home". Amy said.

"Oh good, Miss Alex isn't here yet, maybe she's with Miss Mindy, Carly and Wendy". I titled my head in confusion when someone called out.

"Hey! Where are Amy and Aaron?"

"Uh-oh, quick doggy you gotta hide, we need to talk to Miss Alex about letting you join in". Amy quickly stated. Not wanting these kids to get in trouble with this "Alex" character I quickly hid among some of the rubble of garbage and soon coming into the camp was a girl around 19 maybe even 20 years old, long dark brown hair down past her shoulders, she wore all black and had on a long sleeved black leather jacket and I could faintly see a mark on her neck it almost looked like a tattoo.

Along with her were another girl a bit younger than her wearing the same type of clothes as she was. My dog instincts were telling me that the eldest girl could probably be "Miss Alex" as the twins have said. I stayed as low and quiet as I could and just watched carefully and listened to the conversation that would soon take place.

*My POV*

My name is Alex Pickett, I'm 20 years old with a very, very, very rough past. I'm the leader of a sacred group of special kids, you know the ones that the adults give up on, throw aside like strays, abuse them, and force them into activities that no child should have to go through. Any child in that situation, I come into the picture and bring them here to my save haven in the junkyard where no big business like Child Services can find it.

Anyways, my Right hand girl Mindy and I had just gotten back from getting some supplies like food and medicine for our pack of strays. Might as well tell you a little bit about my girl that I've allowed to be my 2nd in command. Mindy's father was sent to prison for life on a false charge caused by some hire-up business dick who wanted to sleep with her mother who was pregnant with her at the time. Depressed her mom overdosed and died as she gave a 7 month birth to Mindy.

She was taken from foster home to foster home until finally the system just threw her out. I met her just shortly I escaped my fate and the two of us began the Merry gang.

The two of us would find and pick up any child boy or girl that has been abandoned by the people they've looked up to the most in their whole lives, the people that gave them life but soon decided it was nothing but a mistake, or stolen away at their most vulnerable ages or states and taken to serve as their pets in whatever sick activity these bastards saw fit.

"They're back!" Jared called out and soon the whole gang gathered around and Carly said.

"Did you get the stuff?"

"Yep" I said as Mindy and I opened the bags revealing our food and medicine and other supplies we needed to survive at a few weeks at most.

"Hey, where are Amy and Aaron?"

"We're right here!" We all turned to see our youngest pups running towards us. I walked up towards them and knelt down to their 5 year heights. These kids boy did they have a rough story. Their uncle was the only legal guardian alive to care for these kids but the guy was a heavy drinker and he once used to host the Dog fights down in Mexico in his early days. He had the winning fight dog as his pet and whenever he got into his drunk moods, he would have the dog attack these poor children if they ever disobeyed him.

That's when I came in. I found them cowering behind a creak in the woods not far from their house trying to run away. I told them that I was sent to save them and when I heard the Uncle's drunken slurs and the dog's barking, I forced them behind me and told them to close their eyes and cover their ears. As their uncle and his dog came forward, the uncle seized his dog on me and when I was sure the twins could see or hear anything I killed their uncle and his dog with only my right arm *spoilers*.

Now a few months later these two little punks are starting to open up and recover since Child services didn't even bother even trying to look into their case, I was their savior and like to all these other kids, I am their Mother and Protector.

"Where did you two get to?"

"We were just taking a walk Miss Alex, honest". Aaron said nervously. I raised an eyebrow when I took notice of a bit of dry blood at the corner of Amy's temple.

"Amy, what happened to your head?" Amy touched her head and winced. "Oh god, Mindy get me some antiseptic cream and some band-aids from the bag!" Mindy handed me the antiseptic and the band-aids and I said as I squeezed some onto my hand and gently dabbed it onto Amy's forehead. "Okay you two, no more lies, what happened?"

"It was Butch and his goons, we got lost on our way back and accidentally went into his alleyway. He picked Amy up and threw her against the wall". I stopped as I put the band-aid on Amy's head and internally snarled.

That Butch, he and his gang of snakes have always been trying to claim certain spots of the streets as his turf even if it wasn't before. He's even tried to get me involved with a few heists of theirs in the past and a few other stuff to with him personally in his bedroom, and everytime when I'm not in front of the little ones, I tell him to fuck off and I beat the shit out of him then head back home.

"We're sorry Miss Alex, we didn't mean to, we just—" Amy started off but then she trailed off as she looked down almost about to cry. I gently ruffled her head and said.

"It's okay sweetie, I'm not mad at you or your brother. You both didn't know, okay so don't cry okay?" She sniffled and tried to dry up her tears and wiped her cheek with her sleeve. "That's my girl, now then," I stood up and said, "where's Little Thief, I've got something for him". Little Thief is whom I like to call the Black cat that Aaron and Amy begged me to keep around in the gang about a week ago. Black male cat with green eyes, always causing trouble and mischief for my group and stealing some of our food and other supplies running us dry, so I called him "Little Thief" for that.

I then looked down to see the twins looking down nervously and I said to them.

"Amy, Aaron, do you know where Little Thief is?"

"We're sorry Miss Alex, but he ran away a few days ago. We tried to catch him but he disappeared before we could, we're sorry". Aaron said. I took a deep sigh then I said.

"I told you guys that if you can keep track of your pets you could keep them, but since he's gone I'm afraid you guys can't have any more pets around. No more animals, alright?"

"Yes Miss Alex". They said solemnly.

"Now go on, wash yourselves up it's almost supper time". They sulked off together and I told the others to wash up as well and prepare the dinner table leaving Mindy and I alone.

"Well that was a little cruel of you, you know cats are agile and can easily escape if they want to". Mindy said to me.

"It doesn't matter anymore, besides that cat was trouble form the start. The thing I wanted to give him was a bullet right between the eyes". I sneered. I really did hate that cat and he always seem to target me while he stayed in the gang, and at times I did want to shoot the little bastard but I didn't want to upset Aaron and Amy. "You go and wash up Mins, I'll gather the food from the bags". She walked up and I took out the food unaware of someone watching me.

*Bucky's POV*

Wow, this girl really seemed tough on the outside, but on the inside she was sweet and gentle but she is firm when she needs to be, not letting anyone push her around, she truly was a leader, kinda like Steve in a way. But what I want to know is why does she always have to act like this? And what does she have hidden underneath that right arm of hers since I've notice that as she gathers up the food, she keeps touching her right arm like it hurts or something.

Just who was this girl anyway?

*My POV*

After supper time it was time for bed for the little ones, the teens and I tucked in the young ones in their mattress beds and covered them up with as many blankets as we could find and if they wanted a story, the destined teen would read them a story from books that Mindy and I "take" from bookstores and libraries.

Once the little ones were all tired after story time or whatever they needed, we would leave a small lantern on for them in case they needed a light and us big kids gathered around the fire pit and talked quietly.

My mind couldn't shake off the fact that Butch had harmed one of my kids and he needed to pay especially since he's done it to one of my younger and most recent members. I stood up and Mindy said.

"Alex?"

"I'm going to pay someone a visit". Mindy being my right hand woman and knowing me the best out of anyone in the whole gang knew to whom I was referring to.

"Do you want us to go with you?"

"No, Butch is mine and mine alone. I've kicked his ass before and I'll do it again, I'll be back in an hour". I walked out of the junkyard and headed towards Butch's apartment where he and the rest of his lackies like to lounge around.

*Bucky's POV*

That night when the teens had put the kids to bed, I snuck out and walked towards Aaron's and Amy's shared mattress and laid down beside them. I felt Amy place her small hand on my head petting me and Aaron snuggled into my neck. At least I wouldn't be sleeping in an alleyway or under a bridge tonight.

My ears flicked as I heard someone leaving the junkyard. I got off the mattress and safely snuck around the teens who were still gathered around the fire and followed the figure. 

As I followed the scent, I soon found out that Alex was heading into an old building of some sorts so I quickly looked around to see if there was a safer way for me to get inside, when I found an airway vent at the floor of the building. I pawed at it and when I got it opened, I walked inside and crawled through the vents, hoping to find Alex's scent again.

*My POV*

I walked up the stairs and I soon arrived at Butch's floor. All around me I saw some of his goonies passed out on the floor drunk or beyond High on coke or whatever they had in their bodies. I slammed the doors opened and all around me Butch's boys all stared at me and then I saw the high man himself with two prostitutes way older than him on either side hooked onto his arms.

"Ahhh Alex, welcome, welcome, thrice welcome my sweet".

"Cut the shit Butch, you know why I'm here!" I snarled.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about sweetheart". His Brooklynn accent strong as he cooed at me.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about! You mess with any of my kids, especially the children, Mama Bear comes out in full throttle". I tore my leather jacket off revealing my secret weapon.

My right arm was entirely made of the strongest automail material, it also came with a very long extension blade that I personally can summon out by tensing up my muscles together. (A/N: For the automail arm, look up a picture of Lan Fan from FMA: Brotherhood and see her automail arm, that’s what I imagines the arm to look like here)

"Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho, now that's some bad ass arm you got there, I'd love to feel that around my thick—"

"Enough you pig! You want me to feel you, then try it in the dark!" I then slammed my hand against the power box and soon the room went pitch black. Butch and his gang all went screaming and frantically tried to find anything that would give them a source of light but they didn't notice that something dark was stalking them.

A blade went through one guy's chest and he let out a choked out bloody scream just before he collapsed. Butch's gang were nothing but babies as soon as one of them cried out.

"BODY!!" It was a game of cat and mouse, or as I like to call it the Mouse and the Raven. More guys kept screaming in pain as something was beating them like ragdolls before being stabbed by a blade. When the lights came back on, bloody bodies laid all over the ground and Butch stood there as the last one with terrified eyes and I stood just a few feet away from him, the blade of my automail dripping blood onto the ground as well as my whole arm.

Even my whole body was splattered with blood from my clothes, skin and even a portion of my face especially where my tattoo of a raven on flight on my neck was as I stared darkly at Butch.

"You even mess with my children again, I promise you you'll be—AHHHHH!!!" Something shocked me in the back and I was soon brought down to the ground knocked unconscious.

*3rd POV*

Older men in black combat gear came into the room and apprehended my unconscious body while the man in a full armor suit wearing a mask with a design of crossbones walked in and he said.

"Nicely done kid".

"Well it was about damn time you guys got here I thought she was going to kill me! So does that mean I'm a full-fledged Hydra member now?"

"Not yet, first we need to make sure you'll fully comply with Hydra's demands". Crossbones walked towards his men who were holding Alex in hold and touched her face and felt for her pulse.

"Comply with Hydra's demands hey I helped you guys get her doesn't that comply with Hydra's demands you son of a—" Butch was then shot point blank in the forehead with a blade and Crossbones lowered his arm and muttered.

"These damn kids, no respect for authority what's so ever. Get her in the car". Crossbones and his men walked out with Alex to a truck and drove out, unaware that a German shepherd saw the whole thing and was now trailing behind the truck.

[brywrites]

Overwhelming III

Author’s Note: @multipotens this one’s for you! I’ve had a few people asking me about another part to Overwhelming, and finally found some inspiration for it. So here you are, my dears! I hope you like it!

(Part I || Part II)

April 4th has been marked on his calendar for a long time. It’s a special day. The fourth day of the fourth month. Four four. A good sign. An omen. O-M-E-N. Four again. It’s April 4th, and he’s taking her to the observatory. Once upon a time she mentioned it, when they were talking about how astronauts have to be careful if they cry in space, and he’s finally going to take her there.

Y/N doesn’t understand space the way he does, but she has an adoration for the stars. When she listens to him explain the night sky, her eyes light up in a way that puts the Milky Way to shame. He always thought that such expressions were so unnecessary. Metaphors never made much sense before her. Now, nothing seems a good enough comparison. She is every bright spot in his sky, the faithful rhythm of a heartbeat, the one and only person who makes him feel like he’s normal. When he’s with her, he’s not drowning. She keeps him anchored and grounded, her love a life raft to keep his head above water.

How he loves her.

For two and a half years, she has been the best thing in his life. Her hand on his cheek as she talks him through a panic attack. The way she scouts out potential date locations to make sure the stimuli won’t be too overwhelming for him. The soft whisper of her voice as she says, good night, Doctor, in the hallway of her apartment building before kissing him.

So many four letter words now hold a much greater significance for him. Kiss and love and lips and dear and want and need and hold. He’s not religious, but when she kisses him that way, he thinks maybe there is a higher power, if by some miracle and against all odds, he is here with the lips of the most beautiful girl in the world on his.

It took several failed attempts at intimacy before he finally managed to feel comfortable enough – long hours in dim rooms, tangled up in sheets and sweat, inevitably concluded with him curled up on the edge of the bed, hands over his ears, eyes shut tight as he tried to breathe in and out. She was patient with him, gently setting a blanket around his shoulders so he wouldn’t feel so exposed and vulnerable, waiting until he could get his lungs to work again. But when it finally happened, her skin beneath his, the way she looked at him as the lines blurred and it became hard to tell where he ended and where she began – if that wasn’t divine, he wasn’t sure what qualified as such.

“Hi you,” she says, when he comes to pick her up. With eyes like stars and a lavender dress, she manages to take his breath away. His heart beats faster, and he becomes keenly aware of the sensation of the leather steering wheel sticking to his skin.

She climbs into the car.

Onetwo threefour onetwo threefour.

Looks at him with a smile she has never directed towards anyone else. Onetwothreefour.

Breathe. Breathe.

In and out and in and out.

“Hey,” he manages, stretching over to kiss her briefly. “You look beautiful. So beautiful.”

“As do you.” He’s dressed up more than usual, in a nice suit and vest, complete with a purple tie littered with tiny stars. “Any particular reason?”

Reid swallows hard and struggles to turn the key in the ignition, his left hand squeezing the steering wheel a little bit tighter. “N-no. I just thought it might be fun, you know?” To his relief, she just nods and doesn’t press the issue further.

At the observatory, they wander through exhibits hand in hand, and he feels a sense of pride as her eyes grow wide at the sight of it all. She asks him question after question, desperate to know more, and he replies with answer after answer.

“Which constellation is your favorite?” she inquires.

What first came to mind was the light in her eyes, and the trail of freckles on her shoulders, and the patterns she traces on his skin when they’re lying together in bed. But he says, “The Pleiades. There are so many stories from so many different cultures about how they came to be, and yet they all sound so similar. I’ve always wondered how something like that could be possible. Which one do you like best?”

“Ursa Major,” she answers. “It’s like an old friend, guiding the way. Now that I think about it, it’s kind of like you. So tall, and always knowing just where to go.” She’s comparing him to stars, and he doesn’t know what he’s done to deserve someone like her, but he’s grateful that out of all the universe, she chose him.

It is a mantra he repeats to himself over and over. She chose you. She chose you. She chose you. There is a reason she chose you. No matter what his brain tries to tell him, no matter what doubts arise, she didn’t have to pick him. But she did. And she has. And he hopes that she always will.

At the thought of that, he inhales sharply, crossing his arms and rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. Subtly trying to stim without her noticing. Of course she does.

“Is everything okay, dear?” Y/N glances around the observatory, people and families strolling through. “Is it too loud? Is it too bright? We can leave if it’s too much.”

“No! No, I’m okay! We should stay. I want to stay.” The words come out in a rush and she tilts her head to the side, confused. Reid brushes it off and checks his watch, fastened over his blazer as usual. They have enough time. All is well. He leads her to a door where the planetarium dome is housed.

“Spencer, the sign says that the show doesn’t start for another hour,” she says.

“It’s alright, I,uh, called in a favor from a friend.” The employee standing outside the door recognizes him, nods, and lets them in. It’s dark and quiet inside, and it takes a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the void of black. No sooner have they done so does the planetarium screen burst to life, pinpricks of light glowing on the screen. The universe is before them. Endless. Infinite. Perpetual. P-E-R-P-E-T-U-A-L. Pur-peh-chu-all.

“Wow,” she breathes, staring up at the simulated night sky. “This is incredible.” Galaxies, nebula, and constellations spin and float above them. It’s dizzying. Or at least he thinks it is. He can’t tell if it’s the screen or his own emotions that has him feeling lightheaded suddenly.

In and out and in and out. Breathe breathe. He wrings his hands one two three four times in a row. He recites names of stars in his head. He counts backwards from one hundred by prime numbers. He can do this. He can do this.

Reid realizes she’s staring at him, calling his name, and he snaps out of his trance. He can do this. He has to do this. Hand in his suit pocket, he taps his fingers in a slow pattern. “When I was little, I wanted to go up into space so bad. I wanted to see the stars up close and in person. They were so beautiful, I just wanted to be close to them.”

“They’re the most beautiful thing,” she murmurs. In the dim light of the planetarium, her face is half lit up, but it’s enough to see she’s stunned by it all. Overwhelmed.

“No,” he cuts in, “no they’re not.” It comes out harsher than he anticipated and she frowns at him and god he’s never been so nervous in his life. It’s just her. It’s just Y/N, the same Y/N who didn’t run away when he had a panic attack on their first date and who didn’t flinch away from his diagnosis. In all their time together she has never made him feel inferior or ashamed. In fact, she does just the opposite, lifting him up and helping him to find the courage he never dreamed he could possess.

And while she is so good with people, while she could make friends with anyone in a heartbeat, and while he’s convinced that she could manage to make anyone fall in love with her with just that smile of hers and the kindness of her heart, she chooses to love him. The fact that he has Asperger’s doesn’t bother her. Neither does the fact that he’s a recovered addict or the son of a paranoid schizophrenic. She accepts him. She loves him. L-O-V-E. Loves him.

“She loves me,” he whispers under his breath.

“What?” she asks. By now she’s looking rather confused. Reid glances back up at the stars above them, and tries to draw inspiration from them. The Pleiades shine down on him. How strange that their story remains the same across cultures, some magical form of collective effervescence that has crossed oceans.

“They’re not the most beautiful thing. You are.”

This is his story. This is their story. Nothing in the history of the universe has ever been so important to him.

“I have wanted many things in this life,” he tells her, meeting her eyes once more.”I wanted to help my mom and I wanted to get into CalTech and I wanted to join the FBI, and I have wanted a million things along the way, but I have never wanted anything the way I want you. I’ve never needed anything so much.” He takes her hand, and sensing his anxiety, she rubs four steady circles on his skin with her thumb. “I need you in my life. I’m always going to need you, and for the rest of my days, I want to be by your side. You make me a better person, and you’ve proved to me that I’m worthy of love, when I thought nobody would ever want to love me. I want to love you for all of my days and beyond. So, Y/F/N Y/L/N…. Marry me, please?” Maar-ee me please.

Please please please.

Please.

There is nothing but the thundering sound of his own heartbeat in his ears as he drops down to one knee and reveals to her the box he’s been keeping his pocket all day. The weight of it has felt like an anvil, a burden he cannot ignore.

She stares at him unblinking and he counts one two th-

“Yes,” she whispers. “Yes. Yes! Of course I will!” It’s not until that moment he realizes she’s begun to cry, and once he does his own vision starts to blur behind tears. His mind is still processing the words that have come from her lips when she bends down to throw her arms around him and kiss him softly, deeply.

Everything else in the world fades away, and his mind is quiet for just a minute. In this perfect, flawless, minute. Because she said yes.

“Yes?” he clarifies, still shell-shocked.

“Yes,” she assures him. He grins, placing his lips on her forehead, her nose, her cheek, and her lips once more.

It’s intoxicating and blissful and overwhelming o-ver-whel-ming.

This is the good kind of overwhelming, not the sort that makes it impossible to breathe or forces him to close his eyes. So much emotion of any sort is enough to make a mess of him, and while it’s true he’s crying and he can’t find the words to describe this sensation, he doesn’t mind at all. This is the best kind of overwhelming, the joy practically overflowing. She’s laughing and they’re both in tears and her arms are tight around him but the pressure feels nice.

Beneath projected planets and simulated stars, he buries his face in her shoulder. “I love you so,” he says.

One two three four.