#dunno why i started w/ my favorite dad but here's to hoping i can manage all the rest

[kingpaints]

the oaks

[jadekitty777]

Who Needs Genetics When We Have Family?: Chapter 2

It is here! The last and final part of the Golden Hummingbird series. This chapter is no joke, as it’s certainly the longest by far. For those of you who have been missing Summer these past few chapters, don’t worry she makes a great return in this one.

Thank you to those who have been on this journey with me, it’s been a blast!

Word Count: 10k+

Pairing: Summer/Tai/Qrow

Ao3 Link: Chapter 2

Summary: While going through her mom’s old clothes, Ruby discovers an old scrap book that reveals she may have one additional parent she never knew about. Now questioning everything from how the trio ended up together down to her very identity, Tai and Qrow find themselves with a lot to answer for. [Takes place Post-Canon]

~

Five minutes in and the tick-tick-tick from the clock on the wall was already driving Ruby crazy. Medical offices had a thing for loud clocks, didn’t they?

She sighed, crossing her legs. Uncrossed them. Started drumming her fingers on the table. Stopped. Bounced her right foot.

Looked at the clock.

A minute and a half later.

“Ugggh.” Ruby groaned, flopping over the circular table’s surface.

“Wow they sure have interesting placemats here.”

She turned her head to the side, overexaggerating her frown so dad would know his dumb jokes weren’t appreciated.

He only smiled back, setting a Styrofoam cup by her head. “Brought you some tea. It’ll calm your nerves.”

Ruby resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She was pretty sure he thought tea was the cure to everything. Still, she sat up, feeling the steam waft up onto her face when she brought it close, taking a sip. “Not feeling any calmer.” She announced petulantly, then immediately felt guilty about it. “Sorry, I’m just… I don’t know.”

Her dad reached out, brushing back some of her hair and tucking it behind her ear. “Sweetheart, if you’re not ready, we can leave.”

“No. No, that wouldn’t be right after I dragged you both through all this.” She said, shaking her head.

“And there’s no problem if we have to do it all over again.” He reassured. Normally, such a thing would calm her, but it only made her more mixed up inside.

Another chair scraped along the tile, and her uncle gave a loud sigh as he fell into it, draping an arm over the back and nursing a cup of coffee in one hand. “If it makes you feel any better kiddo, I’m pretty nervous too.”

“Yeah, must be hard, maybe having to admit you’re an irresponsible adult.” Yang mocked as she took the final seat across from her.

“Just for that backtalk, you’re grounded firecracker.” He replied without any real sincerity.

“Hah, as if! You’re not my dad at least!” She said, sticking her tongue out at him.

Ruby slid down in her seat a little, gripping her cup harder.

Dad seemed to take note and intervened, “Alright you two, that’s enough.” He looked between them all. “Perhaps we can think of something more constructive to do while we wait?”

Yang pressed her chin into her metal hand contemplatively. “How about you guys tell us some stories? There’s a lot of stuff I still want to know.”

She perked up at the suggestion, leaping back up. “Yeah, me too!”

“‘Suppose we could do that.” Qrow shrugged, setting his drink on the table. “Ask away.”

Her sister went first. “How’d you guys get together?”

“Boo, that’s the boring one.” Ruby heckled.

“How?!”

Tai scratched his chin. “Eh, actually it kind of is.”

“From your perspective, it is.” Qrow refuted. “For Sums, it had been like the Second Great War was happening. But!” He held up a hand, “I’m getting ahead of myself. Things actually started a bit further back. One day,”

~

…They were actually playing Truth or Dare. It was apparently a game kids played during sleepovers – but Qrow, whose childhood had been rather absent of such things, had never experienced it. Summer and her enormously large heart could never stand hearing such atrocities, so she tended to get a little gung-ho about having him ‘relive’ his childhood.

“Okay, truth or dare?” He said, scratching vigorously at his skull. Little pink flakes rained down from the paint he’d been dared to put in his hair.

“Truth.” Summer was sprawled along the couch, her feet propped up in his lap. They’d been playing for awhile now and both of them were struggling to stay awake.

“Uh, I dunno?” He yawned, laying his head on the arm of the couch. “Who’d you like back at Beacon?”

She smacked her heel against his thigh. “You, dummy.”

“Besides me! Come on, there had to be someone.”

“I guess – okay, you promise you won’t laugh, right?”

He cracked an eye open. “If you say Bart, I make no promises.”

“No!” She looked away. “It, it was Tai.”

That woke him up. “Wait, seriously? When? Don’t tell me when Raven-”

“No, way before then. In First Year.” Summer rubbed the side of her neck, chuckling. “I was really crushing on him. I used to try and sit behind him in class so I could stare at him without him knowing. And um, I would invade the gym when he was finished training because I knew he’d be getting out of the showers soon.”

He sat up straight, grinning. “Oh wow, stalker Summer? I’ve just learned a whole new side of you.”

“S-Shut up!” She hid her face in the cushions, her words becoming muffled. “I know it was dumb.”

“You never asked him out though.”

When she found it in her to come out of her hiding, she was frowning. “I couldn’t. Remember when we failed first semester and Professor Peach pulled us in one by one to her office and talked with us? She’d noticed how I favored Tai over you two. A lot. I remember she’d told me I needed to decide if I was there to be a Huntress or to be a housewife. I was so ashamed, but she was right. I was supposed to lead you guys and here I was, playing favorites.”

Qrow tried to think back on that year, but he’d never noticed. Probably because he’d spent a fair amount of time isolating himself from the other half of his team as much as possible, hoping maybe, just maybe, they wouldn’t figure out his semblance if he did. It was that that Peach had reprimanded him about. She didn’t understand why he was keeping his distance though, so he didn’t take any of her grand speeches about ‘teamwork’ to heart.

But now that he thought about it, it was right after their failure that Summer practically stuck to him like a damn burr. He remembered Raven complaining about the same. “Huh. That’s why you kept looking for me during lunchtime.”

“Yeah.” She laughed. “I’m sorry I wasn’t before.”

He shrugged it off. “Eh, it’s not like I had wanted you around.”

“Ouch.” Summer placed a hand over her heart like he’d struck an arrow through it. “Qrow how could you hurt me this way?”

“Oh shut up.” He tickled her foot, laughing when she squealed and started trying to kick him away. She eventually turtled herself to keep him away, so he let her be, instead slouching more on the couch and propping his legs up on the coffee table. “Well, I guess if you were going to ignore me for anyone, I can understand why. Tai’s quite a looker.”

She snorted. “What?”

“Those arm muscles? Those pretty blue eyes? That infuriatingly cute smile? He’s totally my type.”

“And the truth comes out! Qrow had a guy crush!” Summer teased, poking his side with her big toe.

“Hah, oh come off it. You know I didn’t get serious about anyone back then.” He hesitated, then smiled her way. “Not until you that is.”

Her expression softened, before she eventually sat up and wound her arms around his neck. “And I’m glad you did.” She kissed his cheek. “Come on, let’s go to bed.”

~

“At the time, it was just a conversation, but I always look back on it now and realized maybe I laid a foundation for some of Summer’s old feelings to come back.” Qrow explained.

“What do you mean?” Ruby asked.

It was dad who sighed, rubbing a hand over his forehead. “If I remember right, I called three days after this, didn’t I?”

“Mm.” He nodded. “Give or take.”

~

“She’s saying she’s going to leave after the baby’s born! And if I keep bringing it up, she says she’ll leave now and make sure I’ll never see them!”

Summer gripped her scroll tight as she scowled, but her voice came out calm and firm. “That’s not going to happen. We won’t let her do that.”

Qrow swallowed hard, hearing how Tai’s breath hitched over a sob. “I don’t know what to do guys. I don’t understand. What did I do wrong?”

“Hey,” He spoke up, as soft as he could manage, “For now just, play it her way. We’ll be there soon, right?”

He looked at his girlfriend, who had the same look of determination she got whenever they began a new mission. “Yeah, we’re on our way.”

~

“I think we were hoping we’d swoop in and save the day.” Their uncle explained, his laugh bitter.

Dad’s smile was sad. “If I’m being honest. I was hoping that too.”

“But man, did Summer scream. I swear if Raven wasn’t pregnant, flowerbud would have kicked the shit out of her.”

“Do you think mom would have done it?” Yang spoke up, voice small. “Taken me, I mean?”

Ruby shifted uncomfortably, suddenly wondering if there were laws against a mother kidnapping their own kid.

Dad turned to Yang, placing a hand on her arm. “I don’t think so. When Raven wanted to get her way, she could be pretty awful about making sure it happened.”

“Why didn’t you ever tell me any of this before I went to go see her?” Her sister asked.

“I wanted you to form your opinions about her. How could you, if all I did was give you this impression that she was a horrible person?”

“But she is a horrible person!” Ruby burst out before she could stop herself. Her whole family turned to look at her, varying degrees of shock on their faces. Her cheeks flushed and she slunk down a little. “Uh, s-sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. You’re not wrong.” Her uncle cut in acidly, “Raven made her terrible choices, now she has to lie with them.”

Dad looked his way. “That’s, kind of surprising, coming from you Qrow.”

“Yeah well,” He scoffed. “Guess I finally saw the light.”

Ruby couldn’t decipher the look on dad’s face. Sympathetic maybe? Hoping to put this conversation back on track, she spoke up, “So uh, what happened next?”

Luckily, Dad was on board with it. “Well, after Raven left, I needed help. We had all these plans about taking alternate missions so that one of us was always home, but with her gone, all that just fell apart; and I didn’t have another job to fall back on. Summer and Qrow offered to move in while I looked for something sustainable. It was supposed to be temporary. But what was supposed to be a few weeks turned into a few months. Then it was four months. Then six.”

Qrow chuckled, finding some of his humor again. “That was about when the Second War happened.”

~

“Didn’t you hear me?!” Summer was pacing the floor of their bedroom, hands knotted up in her hair.

“Yeah, I heard you.” Qrow watched her from the bed, leaning back against the headboard. “I just don’t see what the problem is?”

She whirled on him. “How can you not! I just told you I like another guy!”

“So?”

“…So? So!?!? Aren’t you mad? Jealous?! Something?!”

He held her gaze, asking her seriously, “Are you going to leave me?”

“What? No!!” She cried back.

“Then it’s fine.” He relaxed back again.

“No, it’s not! I shouldn’t like anyone else! It should only be you!” He started to worry when her distress began to hint on tears.

“Hey, hey come here.” He called softly, and she came. He let her curl up against his side, wrapping an arm around her and soothing a hand through her hair. “Look, I get it. Being from Atlas, you’re surrounded by all these… close-minded pricks who will tell you there’s only one way to be and one way to think. But you and I have been around the world. How many people have you met that have told you differently?”

She sniffled, “A lot, I guess. But I still don’t get why you’re so okay with this.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

She placed a hand on his chest. “Sweetheart, don’t take this the wrong way but, you can be pretty insecure sometimes.”

He blinked. Huh. Why… didn’t it bother him? As he thought about it though, there was only one conclusion he could make. “I, I guess, being with you is just one of the things I feel really certain about.”

Her eyes widened marginally, and then she reached up, cupping his face in her hand. “Qrow, I love you.”

He smiled, turning his head to kiss her palm. “Love you too.”

~

“Aaah!” Yang swooned.

“Qrow can be extremely romantic when he’s not trying.” Dad chuckled, chin in his hand. It made Ruby notice the ring he was wearing – one of her uncle’s; the black and white one he always had on his index finger. She looked from him to her uncle, who was trying to feign off his embarrassment with an overexaggerated cough.

“Anyways,” Uncle Qrow diverted, “It was pretty obvious Summer’s feelings weren’t going anywhere soon, and we weren’t just going to leave Taiyang high and dry when he needed us the most. So, we figured, maybe trying to date each other was the best solution?”

“That was the best solution?” Yang echoed, disbelieving.

He shrugged. “Eh, better then running off without any real explanation, or trying to ignore it and just letting all the tension become unbearable. The worst Tai could do is say no.”

“And I did say no. At least, at first.”

~

“I’m sorry, but what?” Tai looked at them from the dough he’d been kneading for bread, flour smudges dotting his face. “You guys are messing with me.”

Summer was rocking nervously on her feet, her hands clasped behind her. “Tai, we wouldn’t joke about this. We’re not that mean.”

“I, still!” He shook his head, feeling like his brain just couldn’t compute what it was being told. “You two are just okay with this?”

“I mean, we’re the ones asking. So, yeah.” Qrow spoke up from where he sat on the countertop.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to though.” Summer added hurriedly. “I know you’re under a lot of stress right now and, maybe dating isn’t really a big priority on your mind. Especially if you’re looking for someone more like Raven-”

“Trust me,” He scoffed, rolling the dough with a bit more ferocity. “Dating someone like Raven is the last thing I’ll ever do.” He sighed then, shaking his head. “It’s just, look I don’t want to come between you two-”

“Coming between us actually sounds pretty nice.” Qrow leered.

“Qrow!” Summer smacked his arm.

Tai flushed a little, sparing his old partner an admonishing look. “You’re terrible.” That only earned him a wink. “Anyways, you know what I mean. Besides, how would it even work?”

“We’d do it at your pace.” Summer said, crossing over to his end of the kitchen. “Just because Qrow and I are well-established doesn’t mean we can’t take things slow for you. If that’s what you want.”

“Yeah. And if it’s too weird, then it’s too weird.” The other man added. “We call it quits and laugh about it in a few years from now.”

They were really serious about this, weren’t they?

He bit the inside of his cheek, looking down as doubts and fears spiraled through his mind. “Can I think about this for a little while?”

She placed a gentle hand on his arm. “Of course. Take as much time as you need.”

~

“I remember considering every possible tragedy for days.” Dad laughed softly, his gaze distant, seeing way past the little breakroom they were in. “Brought up each and every one of them – and one day Summer pointed out that I was only ever talking about everything that could go wrong. I never once seemed to consider that anything could go well. When I realized I was only holding myself back, it was easier to say yes.”

“Even though it wasn’t that long after m- Raven left?” Yang asked.

“Remember what I would tell you girls all the time during training? That the most dangerous thing you can do is wait too long to act?”

Oh, Ruby remembered alright; it was practically a mantra in her brain. Sometimes, she wondered if it was because of that single statement that her semblance became speed based.

“Well, that’s a Vacuon saying.” Their dad continued. “But, back home, it didn’t just apply to combat. The whole continent is just one big death trap waiting to happen – there’s no time for second guesses or hesitation for a lot of stuff. Especially love. So that’s what friends would say to each other when they were pining over someone; because come tomorrow, you or they could be gone.” He sighed. “The only thing I wasn’t ready for was losing someone again.”

“But who’s ever ready for that?” Qrow said, downing the remainder of his coffee.

Ruby looked his way. “How long were you and mom together before all this?”

He gave a thoughtful grunt. “We got together towards the end of third year. Didn’t really become serious until the end of fourth though. We’d been together about three years by the time this dork joined us.” He indicated the man across from him. “The three of us got serious a lot faster.”

She calculated the rest in her head. Four total for dad and mom, seven for mom and Qrow. Just a few years ago, that would have sounded like a lifetime to her – but her experiences both at Beacon and beyond taught her just how quickly time went by. She wished it had been longer or that even a fifth chair at this very table could have been filled.

“Though, I never expected it to get that far.”

She found herself pulled from her thoughts, glancing towards her uncle. “What do you mean?”

He both half-shrugged and half-smiled, making him look a bit askew. “When Tai first accepted, I had no expectations. I figured we’d all go on a few dates, just kind of enjoy things for a while, and then we’d probably move on.”

“I thought that way at first too.” Dad agreed. “But one morning, I woke up with both of you on either side of me, and realized I didn’t want you two to ever leave. That’s when I decided I wanted more than a fling.”

It was Qrow’s turn to look a little distant. “Heh, I remember the exact moment I fell in love with each of you.”

Dad rose an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“After the picnic - the one for your birthday? When we were watching the rain. I kind of just looked at you and,” He waved his hand fruitlessly in the air, trying to grasp at words he couldn’t say. “Well, it just clicked.”

“What about with-”

He held up a hand to stop Yang, grinning sheepishly now. “That one is not PG-rated, firecracker. Let’s just say, Sums looks really gorgeous in the moonlight.”

That brought about an onslaught of half-formed ideas Ruby quickly discarded before she grossed herself out. Desperate to change the topic, she hastily inquired, “Who proposed?”

The two men shared a look, saying in unison, “Summer did.”

~

Summer was not a romantic. That was as true as the grass was green.

So, when Tai and Qrow arrived home to see a double-locked box placed on the table, an envelope addressed to each of them set in front of it, they were surprised to say the least.

“It’s a… riddle?” Tai asked once he’d finished reading his letter over.

Summer gave an affirmative hum. She was sitting on the couch, rocking Yang to sleep. “One for each of you. The answers lead to the keys that open the box.”

“Uh, Summer, not that I don’t appreciate the effort and all, but you know I’m not a strong reader, right?” Qrow appeared a bit conflicted.

“I never said you couldn’t help each other.” She smiled at them.

They looked at each other, quickly trading their letters. Tai read over Qrow’s carefully.

I see the moon set and the sun rise,

I’m close to the heart but I’m the head.

Where am I?

Qrow scratched the back of his head. “I don’t think I get this one either.”

Their girlfriend got to her feet. “While you two figure it out, I’m going to lay Yang down for her nap.”

The moment she was up the stairs, his boyfriend eyed the box. “We could just break into it.”

“No!” Tai bumped their hips together, both of them chuckling. “Come on man, we can do this. Riddles are all about personifying something with characteristics it doesn’t normally have. I doubt Summer hid these the keys very far either, so they’ve got to be somewhere around here.”

“You know where mine is, don’t you?”

He smiled guiltily. “I have a few guesses. But I know you’re smart enough to figure it out. Just think about it – what in the house sees the sun and moon set?”

He watched as the other man pivoted slowly on his heels, looking around for anything to jog the answer. When he got three-quarters around, the door caught his attention – or more specifically, the glass in the center of it. ”A window.” Three seconds later, his eyes widened. “Our bedroom window.”

Gods, he was cute when he was excited. “Yeah, that was my first thought.”

Tai followed him up the stairs and down the hall to their room, watching Qrow quickly flock to the window on one side of the room. Finding nothing there, he hurried to the other side.

Nothing.

“It’s not here.” Qrow grumbled, tapping his foot. “Read it to me again.” After Tai had complied, he stood there, murmuring to himself. “The sun rises…” He looked to one window, “But the moon sets.” He looked to the opposite. “Whatever it is has to see both. But it’s at the top- Oh!” He whirled, yanking open the window in enthusiastic fervor before leaping right out in a flurry of feathers.

“Eureka, I think he’s got it.” Tai grinned as the little crow went flying up towards the roof. A few moments later, he was returning, a metal key held triumphantly in his beak. Tai rose his arm, allowing the bird to land on his gauntlet. “Good job.” He reached up to pet him on the head, a gesture that Qrow would never, ever admit he liked but also never complained he got. “Alright, let’s find the other one.”

Returning downstairs, one prize in hand, they found Summer was back on the couch.

Qrow showed off the key to her. “Your little nest up there was a nice touch.”

She giggled. “I thought you’d like it.” She looked to him. “Figure out the other one yet?”

“Not quite.” Tai read his over once more.

My life is a world of color.

Brown, green, yellow, brown again.

Where am I?

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Has to be something with all these colors.”

“You don’t say?” Summer quipped unhelpfully.

“Careful, your Atlesian snob is showing.” She stuck her tongue out at him. He stuck his right back.

Qrow laid his arm on his shoulder, leaning in. “I don’t get yours at all. Why are the colors repeating?”

“Huh?”

“Well it says ‘again’. That means it’s repeating, right?”

Repeating? He looked at the riddle one more time.

No.

They were cycling. Cycling through life. And there was only one thing in the house that did that.

He pointed the letter at Summer, “That was clever.” Before gently pushing Qrow off of him so he could head outside.

As he searched through his garden, he heard the faintest shout of ‘Oh, the flowers!’ from his boyfriend that made him chuckle. It didn’t take him long to find the key, placed delicately on one corner of the wooden frame. He picked it up before going back inside.

He clinked his together with Qrow’s like celebratory wine glasses. “We are officially key buddies.”

Summer stood, patting the top of the box. “Alright, time for the prize. You guys ready?”

Oh right! He’d been so caught up solving the riddles, he hadn’t even thought of what could possibly be inside and it was so left-field for Summer to do something like this that it was hard to imagine what she’d feel was worth so much effort. As he and Qrow turned their key in the locks and opened it, nothing he had in mind even came close.

It in itself wasn’t anything outstandingly special – just a simple piece of white paper with a single question on it. But the question itself was enormous.

Will you two marry me?

Qrow was the first to react. “Summer, you really want this?”

She was a ball of nervousness, biting her lip and holding fistfuls of her skirt. All she could do was nod.

The shock faded to joy, and then the other man was leaping up, pulling her into his arms. “Yeah! Yes! Of course I’ll marry you.” The relief on her face was almost instant.

Watching them hug and laugh, Tai almost felt like an outsider. He wanted to share in it but, he couldn’t. There was a huge problem with all of this.

“Tai? Are you okay?” Summer’s voice was small, drawing his eyes to her. The two had stopped celebrating when they realized he was still standing there, shell-shocked. “If, if you want to say no-”

His chest clenched. No, no, that wasn’t it! He couldn’t let her think that. He said in a rush, “Summer, I’d marry you in a heartbeat. That’s, not the problem.”

“Then what is?” Qrow asked. “If it’s ‘cause you and Rae still legally are, we can-”

“That’s not it either. We divorced.” He cut in, his stomach fluttering as the butterflies invaded.

If they didn’t get it, there was only one thing to do.

With the table between them, Tai just decided to use it, standing on it, only to get down on one knee. He took one of Qrow’s hands in his, meeting his eyes. “I can’t say yes to Summer, until you say yes to me.”

The look that crossed his face was one of surprise, then it dissolved into laughter. “That’s all you need? By the Gods Tai! You were scaring me!” The laughter faded to something more sincere as his hand clung to his and Qrow lent down until their foreheads almost brushed. “Yes. Absolutely yes.”

Tai was so happy, he kissed him.

And then, when they pulled apart, he kissed Summer next.

Then Qrow kissed her.

“Boys, there’s something else.” She was giggling, grinning, an arm around each of their necks, tears of joy beaded in the corners of her eyes. “The box has a false bottom. There’s something else in there you both really need to see.”

“What is it, our engagement rings?” Qrow said as he pulled away, and though he was joking, it was probably the right guess.

Tai slipped off the table. They found the nick in the wood, and used one of the keys to pull out the wooden board.

Underneath was just another slip of paper with two single, life-changing words written on it.

We’re pregnant.

~

“That’s how she told you?!” Ruby nearly shrieked her delight.

Qrow ruffled her hair. “Yep. That’s how we found out about you kiddo.”

“It’s a moment I’ll never forget.” Dad beamed. “We were so busy those days, planning for you and the wedding.”

“June 21st, right?” Yang asked. Her expression was strange, like she wasn’t quite understanding something.

“Yep, the-”

“First day of summer. We know dad.” Ruby finished before he could. He was always so ridiculously proud of that fact.

But his mirth, if possible, was even more uncontainable than usual. “And it’s when the last of the newborn crows are learning to fly. You know, the ones born in May.”

She stared. “Dad… why?” Surely there were laws against being that cheesy, right?

Her uncle, whose birthday truly was in May, groaned. “I’m convinced it’s because he wanted to pester me with it for the rest of my life.”

“It’s a great bonus.” He winked, ducking under the empty Styrofoam cup that was tossed at him. “Don’t litter!”

“I was throwing it at the trash.” Was his argument.

“Oh har de har.”

In the lull that followed as her dad stood to properly dispose of the cup, Ruby glanced at the clock. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw it was only five minutes later from the last time she checked. What? That was impossible!

“That doesn’t make sense.”

At first, Ruby thought her sister had noticed the clock as well, but her frown was directed at their uncle.

“What doesn’t?” He asked.

“Dad’s birthday is in August.”

“Uh, yeah? ‘Fraid I ain’t following.”

Yang’s eyes narrowed. “Did you marry dad before you were in love with him?”

What? What was she talking about? Ruby had to backpedal through the conversation to catch up, until she recalled what her uncle had said about the rainstorm after the picnic. That would have happened an entire two months after the wedding.

“Uh, well.” Uncle Qrow rubbed the back of his head, looking a little sheepish.

Dad’s chair scrapped as he plopped back down into it. “Dragon, I hate to be the one to break this to you, but your uncle is not the brightest crayon in the box.”

“I think you earn that spot buddy, considering you still married me.”

“You used illegal wooing!”

~

Nights in Patch were quiet this early into spring, where the island had not yet fully come to life after winter’s sleep. That’s why Qrow could easily hear him coming well before he reached the spot where he was hidden at the bottom of the porch steps.

“You’re drinking?” Tai asked.

“Got something to celebrate, right?” He lifted an unopened bottle from the six pack on the ground, offering it towards him. “Join me?”

His fiancé – that was going to take some getting used to – hesitated, before coming down the steps to sit beside him, taking the proffered drink and twisting off the cap. “Cheers.”

They clinked the bottles together, taking a long, generous gulp. Qrow sighed, propping himself up by his elbows on one of the steps behind him. “Where’s Sums?”

Tai settled back against the railing so he could look at him, letting the bottle dangle from his fingers. “Turned in for the night. Guess now we know why she’s been so tired lately.”

“And cranky.” He joked, taking another sip. He set the bottle down beside him. “Been thinking. Since she’s gonna be calling up Oz to sideline herself, maybe I should ask him if he’ll increase my field time instead. Keep our income steady.”

“And keep yourself away.” Tai remarked bluntly.

He did his best not to flinch. Should have expected he’d see right through him. “It’s safer that way.”

“And what excuses will you make when the baby’s here?”

“Stop.”

“Qrow-”

“Drop it.” He ordered, giving him a sharp look. “Stuff like that is easy for you to say. You don’t know what it’s like, living life with only loaded dice to play with.”

Tai frowned. “Is that why you said yes? Am I just another gamble?”

The abrupt change in topic threw him off balance, irritation washed away by confusion. “What are you talking about?”

He sighed, looking out towards the field. “I know you’ve never been good at expressing certain emotions. So when you said yes to marrying me, it made me really happy. Because I thought maybe that was your way of telling me you loved me. But…” The small smile that had formed fell quickly. “It wasn’t, was it?”

“Of course not.” From the way Tai’s face immediately twisted with hurt, Qrow realized that had not been the right thing to say. “That’s not, I mean – shit! Let me explain.” He sat up, very aware of the eyes following him. He ran a hand over the back of his neck, hoping this was going to make some semblance of sense. “Okay so, people get together and fall in love all the time, right? There’s not really anything more required than that – so what’s a marriage for?”

“Uh, to commit yourself to that person?”

“Exactly! I,” He faltered, the words trying to get stuck in his throat. But for all he couldn’t tell Tai, he had to say this. “My entire life, I’ve spent feeling like I didn’t belong anywhere. Even the tribe, a bunch of lowlifes, didn’t want me. That’s why I ended up at Beacon. It was their way of kicking me out.”

He looked towards the sky and its broken moon. From his bed in the dorm, he always sought that sight before going to sleep. Seeing it through their window, he used to imagine the wooden stripes dividing the glass into squares were the bars of a jail cell. Because that was what the school had felt like: somewhere he’d been locked away, so he couldn’t return home.

But over time, without him noticing, that feeling slowly changed. It wasn’t until they left the window open one hot night, and the sky was open and free, that Qrow felt likewise.

“For the longest time, I was convinced Beacon would be just the same. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. But it never did.” He looked to the other man. “You and Summer accepted me in a way no one else has. I look at you two and I see home.” He reached out, laying his hand over Tai’s. “I guess what I’m saying is, I may not be ready to say I love you yet, but I am ready to say that I’ll be by your side forever.”

Tai’s eyes widened. Then they started to glisten.

“A-Are you crying?”

“No!” He hastily wiped away the evidence, sniffling. “Just meant a lot to hear something like that.”

Qrow snickered softly. What a hopeless romantic. “If that’s not enough though, I understand. We can wait. All of this is really fast for you and, erm-” The feeling of Tai’s fingers slipping into his own cut him off.

“After a declaration like that, how could I ever want to wait?”

~

“Looking back on it, we really should have. It could have gone wrong in about a hundred thousand different ways.” Dad reflected. “But we were 23 and stupid.”

“Hey, I’m 43 and still stupid.” Qrow joked as he got to his feet.

“You’re 45 Qrow.”

“See? Proved my own point.” He threw back over his shoulder, heading for the various drink machines set on the counter.

Ruby bit her lip to stop herself from giggling. As they waited for him to get back, she sipped at her tea and thought of something else to ask. The wedding seemed like an obvious one, but she already knew the details on that one – or well, she knew them as long as she added her uncle to it.

Dad had told her long ago that it had been a simple backyard affair, with as many of dad and mom’s sides of the family invited as they could find as well as any classmates from Beacon that hadn’t yet moved away from the area and some local friends from Patch. They had said their vows underneath the tallest Maple tree in the yard. Then dad, mom – and Qrow – climbed up into tree and placed a nest within its branches, a symbolic sign of the new life to come to their home and their promise to care for her until she was ready to fly.

That part was always her favorite. Now with all this new perspective, she finally understood why they’d specifically made it a nest and whose idea it was in the first place.

“Thinking hard about something kiddo?” Qrow asked, taking a seat.

“Just not sure what to ask next.” She deflected, knowing if she told him her true train of thought, he probably would be too embarrassed to be completely honest.

“Well, I got tons of little tales about what a terror your mom was when she was pregnant with you.”

Dad waved him down. “Oh come off it. She wasn’t that bad.”

He slammed his cup down, some of the coffee spilling over. “She made me fly out at 2am to find watermelon. Watermelon!”

“That doesn’t sound that bad?” Yang said, tossing some napkins his way.

He ignored them in favor of staring her down. “It. Was. Hailing.”

Dad snorted behind his hand, shaking his head. He leaned her way, voice low, “He’s just being dramatic Ruby. She really was a sweetheart.”

“Hey, hey! I heard that! You had experience, so your opinion does not count!”

“I reject that, considering I was the one who was with Summer most of the time.” He grinned. “Though, you still got stuck rushing her to the hospital. Lucky you.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Qrow buried his head in his hands.

“How that’d work out?” Her sister inquired, looking as amused as Ruby felt. She wondered if she was envisioning the same level of chaos she was (Okay, maybe imagining the car catching on fire was a little too over the top).

“Sums went into early labor. Ruby wasn’t actually due to be born until December 16th, but she never did like to wait.” Dad threw her a teasing look. “Qrow freaked out, majorly, and I was miles away on a field trip.”

~

“You have to come home, now!” Qrow was practically shouting through the phone.

Tai could hear him rushing around the house, throwing things together. “I can’t just leave 30 kids in the middle of a forest Qrow.”

“Forget them! We’re having a crisis here!”

He tried to exercise his best calming voice. “Qrow, calm down. It’s going to be fine. This might even be a false alarm.”

“F-False alarm?! Those happen!?”

“Yes.” He stressed. “And even if the baby is born now, we’re far enough along at this point they’ll be fine.”

It seemed to work – for three seconds. “But you’re supposed to be here. You’re supposed to go into the room with her and I’m supposed to watch Yang. What am I even going to do with Yang? I-”

Before the tangent could go on, there was a faint “Qrow give me the phone.” And then suddenly Summer’s voice was in his ear, strained and out of breath. “Sorry, he’s losing his mind.”

“I can tell.” Tai replied drily, though he quickly shifted to something more sincere. “How you holding up sweetheart?”

“Just feeling like I’m about to have a baby, so never better.” Was the sarcastic quip. “But, don’t worry too much. I’ll get things handled if this numbskull can’t pull it together.”

He smiled, though he could feel his own anxiety pulling at his heart now. He wished he was there. He was supposed to be there. “We’ll start heading back now and I’ll be there in a few hours. Are you sure you don’t want me to call some of the neighbors at least?”

In the background, he heard a violent curse from Qrow. A sharp gasp from Summer, and then after a long moment, she said, “Uh, actually, I think we’ve got it now.”

~

Dad abruptly trailed off. He seemed to look around the room, as if the rest of the story would be scripted out on the walls around him, before his gaze finally rested on Qrow. “Can you-?”

He just lifted up his hands pacifyingly, saying softly, “I’ll tell it but, it’s your call man.”

Ruby shared a look with Yang, neither of them masking how confused they were.

Dad heaved a long, low sigh. “It’s fine.”

“Alright.” Qrow nodded, turning to them. “So, as your dad so eloquently put it, I was maybe a little… distressed.”

~

This couldn’t be happening. This shouldn’t be happening! Qrow was cursing his luck as he yanked open the closet door under the stairs, trying to find a luggage bag for all the stuff they needed to bring. His heart was pounding in his ears. Six weeks early; six whole weeks. Tai said it’d be fine but, if his semblance did this, was it really? What if their organs weren’t properly developed? What if they’re born with a defect? He should have stayed away more. How could he be so stupid!

He hurried back to the coffee table. Summer was on the couch, a hand on her stomach and talking to Tai, calm despite the situation. He started shoving all the items he’d dragged from various parts of the house into the bag. Clothes for his wife and the child, various other baby things like a blanket and hat. His hands were shaking. What else should he bring?

“Don’t forget this.”

That voice, painfully familiar, had his lungs freezing up. He whirled around.

And there Raven was, coming down the stairs with Yang in her arms. His niece had been down for her nap and was blinking blearily, not completely aware that a stranger was holding her.

So in shock by what he was seeing, he spat out the words almost unconsciously, “What the fuck!”

“What language little brother. There’s a child in the room.” Her eyes flicked from him to Summer, snidely adding, “Children, almost.”

Qrow looked back at his wife, panicked for a whole new reason as he motioned for her to get off the phone. They didn’t need Tai picking up on Raven’s voice – not with him halfway across the island and no way to get to his daughter.

Summer grasped onto the cue, saying quickly, “Look we’ve gotta head to the hospital now. I’ll update you more once I’m admitted, okay? Love you!”

He turned back to his sister as she stopped right in front of him, numbly accepting his niece when she was shoved into his arms. “What are you doing here?”

She arched an eyebrow. “You were having such a fit that it was impossible to ignore. And if I watched this clown show any longer without intervening, I was afraid I was going to lose some brain cells.”

His first instinct was to say no. The rejection wouldn’t quite leave his mouth and he was just left with his jaw hanging open.

Ignoring him, Raven crossed over to where Summer was, settling on the couch beside her. “How you holding up?”

“Mentally or physically? Because both are kind of bad right now.” She said, doubling over a bit and groaning.

“Don’t worry, it gets a lot worse.”

“Not. Helping.”

Raven smiled. It looked so alien on her Qrow almost thought he imagined it. Then she ran a hand along her back, soothing the way she used to be back when things were good. “Come on, unless you want to have this thing right in the living room, we got to get you up.”

“I know.” Summer took a few deep breathes as she waited for the contraction to pass. Once it had, she looked to the woman beside her. “Give me a hand?”

“Of course.”

~

Ruby stared at the tea ring at the bottom of her cup, unable to believe what she was hearing. Raven had really done that? Now she almost felt bad for what she said before.

“So, she was there?” Yang’s voice was weak, conflicted.

Uncle Qrow sighed. “Yeah. She was.”

“But, why?”

“Even after all this time, I’m still not really sure.”

Dad spoke up. “The only thing I could figure was that since we all hadn’t been apart that long, she still cared enough to come when we really needed her. Or that because we’d all been there for her when she’d been through childbirth herself, she felt obligated to do the same for Summer.” He shrugged. “Told you she was complicated.”

“What um,” Ruby tapped her fingers against the Styrofoam. “What happened when you finally got to the hospital?”

“The nurses almost had to admit me for an aneurysm.” If it was meant to be a joke, he didn’t deliver it with a punch of humor. “Honestly, I’m glad Qrow was the one out with Yang at the time when I got there so he could give me the heads up.”

“At the time?”

“I couldn’t handle being in the room for long periods of time but I also wanted to be there for Summer.” Qrow explained. “So, Raven and I switched off.”

“I had been pretty pissed later on when I found that out.” Dad huffed.

“Only reason I did it was ‘cause Summer just pulled Raven down at one point and said ‘You even think of running off with Yang, and I swear I will burn all of Remnant to get her back’.” He chuckled. “Could have been the meds talking though.”

Ruby didn’t miss the small but warm smile on her sister’s face. It made her smile too.

“Anyways, with everything that was happening, there really wasn’t time to deal with it.” Dad continued. “I knew I could trust Qrow with Yang. So, I was with Summer the rest of the way. I didn’t leave her side, not once.” He ran a hand over his face, looking tired just remembering it. “She was in labor for fifteen grueling hours. But finally, you came.”

~

Tai trudged down the hallway, stiff and tired but unable to stop smiling. He picked out his husband and ex-wife immediately when he entered the waiting room. Raven seemed to have dozed off, Yang sprawled along her chest. Qrow was wide awake though, bent over, hands clasped like a prayer and foot tapping a nervous rhythm on the tile floor.

When he noticed him though, he almost tipped his chair over in his hurry to get up and rush over. “Well?” He asked, practically holding his breath.

Tai’s grin became even wider. “We’ve got a girl.”

“A girl.” Qrow repeated with reverence, and joy rose to his face like the sun to morning. He was laughing, unabashed as he threw his arms around him in a tight embrace. “We’ve got a little girl!”

He returned the hug, kissing his temple tenderly. “She’s a bit small but we expected that. 5 pounds, 3 ounces. 17.1 inches. But,” He cupped the other man’s chin in his hand, wiping away the budding tear in the corner of his eye. “She’s perfectly healthy.”

He laughed again, warring against more tears. “Thank the Brothers.”

Tai rubbed his cheekbone, saying softly, “They’re still cleaning up right now, but Summer’s asking for you.”

“Yeah, okay.” He gripped the back of his shirt, nose nuzzling his ear as he whispered “You gonna be okay out here?”

“I got it.” He whispered back, squeezing him just a little tighter. “Go on already.”

Qrow kissed him softly, murmuring against his lips, “Love you” before he pulled away and started down the hall, a spring to his step he’d never seen before. Tai heard his fading but excited ‘A girl!’ as he disappeared amidst the hospital staff. It pulled one last, fond smile from him, before he took a deep breath, turned around and met blood red eyes.

Immediately, he wished he’d asked his husband to stay. Then subsequently felt guilty for it. No need to ruin Qrow and Summer’s moment. He was an adult. He could handle his ex-wife on his own.

He walked over, feeling stiffer than before and sat in the chair Qrow had vacated.

“Congrats.” She offered almost flippantly, like talking to him was as nonconsequential as sharing the weather report with a stranger in a store. Why did it matter so little to her when to him it was like everything around him needed to stop just to handle it?

“Thanks.” He replied, swallowing against a suddenly dry mouth. “And thank you. For helping out. You didn’t need to do that.” She made a noncommittal hum. He looked between her and Yang, uncomfortable with how wrong the whole picture looked, and held out his hands. “I can take her now.”

Raven placed a hand along Yang’s back. “She’s fine.”

Tai fought the urge to rip her from her arms. She was, technically, her daughter – what right did he have to say she couldn’t hold her? He let his hands drop. “Okay.”

“She’s going to have my wild hair, I can already tell.” She twirled a finger around one of their daughter’s blonde curls, side-eyeing him. “What about this new brat of yours? What color are her eyes?”

He grit out, “Blue, like all babies.”

“But that’s not at all what I meant, and you know it.” She bit right back.

He could feel the beginning thump of an angry headache. “Don’t treat me like an idiot. We know she can have silver eyes.”

“Yet you didn’t consider the ramifications?” She twisted towards him. “Do you think anyone would hesitate to kill two children instead of one just to get the job done?”

“You don’t get a say in what I do with my life anymore Raven!”

“But I do get a say in hers!”

“You don’t! You gave up that right!” They were practically right in each other’s faces, snarling away like dogs.

The beginning wail from Yang pulled them back though, both of them looking down at her. On instinct, Tai reached for her, but Raven was quicker, shushing and rocking her with a gentleness he never even knew she was capable of.

Yet, it was the practiced ease of it that peaked his fury anew. “How many times have you broken into her room?”

Her smirk hid nothing. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Something sick twisted up inside him. After spending the first few months of Yang’s life barely able to sleep out of fear that Raven would come back and make good on her promise to take her away, after the countless conversations and reassurances Summer or Qrow had to give him just to ease the anxiety, after all that, to find out now she’d invaded his home anyways was like a punch to the gut. He shook, the barrel of emotions thrashing inside of him leaving him off-balance.

“Give me my daughter. Now.” Tai commanded, so unsure of himself at the moment he wasn’t sure what he’d do if she refused.

But she didn’t. There was no hesitation in the way she dropped the blubbering infant into his hands, just as she had done nineteen months ago. No regret as she got to her feet and looked down at him with disdain and disgust. “I was merely making a point. If it’s been this easy for me, how easy is it going to be for her?” She turned her back to him. “A fool like you should know that even if she strikes the killing blow, it’s you who first started digging their graves.”

Though the rebuttal was on the tip of his tongue, he let her walk away. He’d learned long ago and much too late there was no winning with her.

Instead, he looked down at his fussing daughter, rocking her gently and kissing her forward. “It’s okay little dragon. Daddy’s here.”

He’d prove Raven wrong. Yang and her little sister were both going to live long, happy lives. He’d make sure of it.

~

The cup in her hand fell apart as Ruby crushed it. She took it back. She didn’t feel bad about what she said at all.

The action didn’t go unnoticed.

“Gee kiddo, tell us how you really feel.” Her uncle’s jab was meant to be teasing, but she only felt ashamed.

“I, uh,” She pushed her mess to the side to ignore it. That went double for the knowing look her dad was sending her.

Luckily, Yang spoke up before she had to explain herself, “So, what? She cared about me back then?”

“Honest opinion?” Uncle Qrow replied, “In her own, messed up way, she’s always cared about you. She just… cared about herself more.”

“So then why did you want her back so bad?” Ruby demanded.

“Ruby-”

She cut her dad off before he could try to stop her. “No! I mean it! She’s awful. She’s always been awful! And she doesn’t deserve to be part of our family!”

There, she said it! She finally said the one thing she thought since she first understood who Raven was!

Oh Gods, she said it. She couldn’t look her uncle or sister in the eye.

“I-I, I mean,”

“No, you’re right.” The strength in Yang’s voice when she said that was an odd comfort. “She’s had my whole life to try and bother to be an actual mom and where is she now? Not here.” She huffed, before glancing at dad. “I’m sorry for all the times I gave you a hard time about it. I used to think that you were just trying to hide her from me, but I get now that you just wanted to look out for me.”

Qrow rubbed the back of his neck. “Er, I’m sorry too. For uh, well. You know.”

Dad shook his head. “If you both need to apologize then I do too. I could have been more forthcoming, more understanding. Sometimes, I just let my fears get the better of me. I loved Raven once, I really did. But when we divorced and I could look back on it with a new perspective, I realized I never wanted her back in my life.”

“I had just been so certain she’d change, you know?” Her uncle claimed. “Remember when we first met? How much of a bastard I was? I was convinced I changed for the better because of you and Summer. That’s why I thought firecracker here could make all the difference for Raven. I pushed for it so hard, thinking she just needed the right person in her life. Turned out, the real problem was I just wasn’t giving myself enough credit for my own effort. I wanted to change. She never has.”

Smiling, dad reached out, placing a hand on his wrist. “Well, I’m glad you did. Raven may have been one of the worst parts of my life, but you’ve always been one of my best.”

He turned red, spluttering in embarrassment. “Yo-You’re such a sap!”

Ruby felt content, hearing her family speak so openly and calmly. It was as if a chapter of their lives had finally closed. She still remembered the long evenings where the very utterance of Raven’s name made the house a minefield. But things had changed enough even she was comfortable to say, “I really hated it when anyone brought her up. It felt like talking about her did nothing but make everyone argue. So I thought, if this is what she can do without her even being here, how bad would it get if she was? I was afraid if she actually came home, that she’d tear us apart.”

“You never told me you felt like that.” Yang frowned.

“She was your mom, not mine. I didn’t want to be a jerk and tell you I hated her, when it was so important to you.” She explained. “I thought I was being a good sister.”

“You’re a great sister.”

Ruby opened her mouth, about to respond.

Then the door opened. “Rose?” The attendant called.

Her smile turned nervous. “Even if I’m not actually your sister?”

Yang just grinned. “Even then.”

She clasped her shaking hands together, took a deep breath, and got to her feet.

It was time.

~

She couldn’t do this. She just couldn’t!

She paced to and fro in the little garden area outside of the medical office, the manila folder in her hand crinkling as she held it too tightly. Inside of it was nothing but a sheet of paper with the results of the paternity test – but she couldn’t convince herself to open it. What if this really DID change everything? She could never take this moment back.

“Ruby, we don’t have to do this here.” Dad was sitting on the brick housing of a large planter with Qrow and Yang. Little white daisies poked out between them.

“No!” She exclaimed. “If I don’t do this now then I might put it off forever.”

“That’s not necessarily a bad thing kiddo.” Her uncle said as he lent back on his hands. He looked down when he accidentally crushed some of the flowers under his palm.

“Hey, where was that advice when I wanted to stay up past 10?” Her sister joked.

“But I did let you stay up past 10.” Qrow faltered when dad gave him his patented Stare of Doom. He lifted up his fist, where the little daisies he’d flattened were drooping sadly. “Forgive me?”

“Pffft.” It was a good thing that Dad cracked easily.          

Normally, she would have laughed too. But she was too anxious to find anything funny. This was ridiculous, wasn’t it? She was being dumb. She had magic eyes for maiden’s sake! What was a potential shift in parentage compared to that? Nothing, that’s what!

She grabbed on the edge of the folder.

Kept holding.

And holding.

And – She groaned, smacking herself in the face with it. “Why is this so hard!”

“Anything we can do to make it easier?” Yang offered.

Ruby thought it over, before shoving the folder in her hands. “You read it first!”

“What? Are you sure?”

She nodded frantically. Maybe if she saw her not react badly to it, it would calm her down.

“Okay.” Yang lifted the folder up, flipped it open. At first, her expression was only pensive as she read it over, before one eyebrow ever so slightly rose. Then she nodded. “Yeah that’s about what I expected.”

She waved her arms. “What does that mean?”

“It means you’re an alien ‘cause your head’s always in outer space sis.” Yang closed it and held it back out to her.

Ruby huffed irritably as she snatched it back. That hadn’t helped at all!

She paced left.

Then right.

Left again.

Stopped in front of her dad and uncle. “You two read it next.”

Dad took it without complaint. “Alright sweetheart.” He glanced at the man next to him. “You ready?”

Qrow looked decidedly more agitated, his heel starting to tap on the ground, his fingers drumming along. Still, he shifted close enough their shoulders were touching and announced, “Ready.”

He opened it, both of them looking down at the words written there. After a few seconds, dad started to smile.

Ruby’s heart jumped. So then he had to be-

But no, her uncle started to smile too. Was it actually-?!

Dad looked to Qrow, asking, “Okay?”

He nodded. “Okay.”

In despair, Ruby fell to her knees. “That didn’t tell me anything!”

Dad closed it, handing it back to her. “We can’t do this part for you Ruby.”

“You’ll feel better once you read it. Trust me.” Her uncle assured. He did look a lot calmer.

She got back to her feet, gazing down at the folder, flicking the corner of it. She asked, mostly to continue to stall, “If mom were here, how would she have reacted?”

They both hummed in thought, but it was dad who spoke first, “There was a joke she had. See, even though we didn’t get the test done, Qrow and I thought eventually we’d just figure it out, once you started taking after one of us. It was obvious you had your mom’s hair, so we hoped maybe you’d get our eye color. Of course, you didn’t. So then we had to start debating the small things like whose nose you had or ears. But, we both knew you were pretty much your mother’s double.”

“She definitely has my scythe wielding skills though.” Uncle Qrow said.

“That’s not a genetic trait.”

“But being awesome is.”

Dad elbowed him in the ribs. “Anyways, whenever your mom overhead us getting into one of these debates she’d cut in and say that our arguments were pointless, since it was obvious that she was both your mom and your dad.” He chuckled. “I bet you that’s what she would have said once she read it.”

“Nah. She would only pretend to read it. Just would have opened it up, not even looked, said something like ‘Of course it’s me!’ and then given it back to you before Tai or I could see.” Qrow pitched in.

“Oh yeah that sounds about right.” Dad agreed. “As far as how she’d feel about the actual results; well, I don’t think it would matter to her either way. To her, it was never the blood relation but the dedication and love you put into being a parent. That’s what she’d say, when she talked about what kind of mom she wanted to be for you two.”

Ruby glanced towards her sister, seeing the surprise and happiness on Yang’s face.

And it was that simple expression that finally made her realize how utterly silly she was being. Because if her sister, after agonizing for years over her biological mother’s neglect, could still find such joy knowing her step-mom cared that much – then, what did Ruby have to worry about, when both Qrow and Tai had been there for her all along?

As self-assurance filled her for the first time that day, she announced, “I’m ready to look.”

“Go for it, kiddo.” Qrow encouraged.

She didn’t second guess herself. She opened the folder and looked down at the sheet of paper, scanning over it. There was a small section at the top with all three of their names listed and the purpose of the visit laid out like an essay paper’s thesis. But what drew her attention was the part half way down, titled: Results.

From the DNA samples provided, it has been concluded the biological father of Ruby Rose is

Her eyes widened.

She looked up, straight at him.

He smiled back at her.

[miss-writes-a-lot]

The Waiting Game (Mermaid AU)

(Note: Before I begin, I just wanted you to know that I tried to keep things as platonic as possible so no one fights over ships and things. I rarely show what I ship so that way all hell doesn't break loose because I'm weak. Also this was just for fun. It was just me fucking around and having fun. It's just a dumb fic. Also, Josuke is able to walk on land because out of water, he has legs just in case someone got confused. I told ya, it's a dumb fic.)

Fandom: Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

Synopsis: After two weeks of waiting for her father to return home with no trace of him, Joruri finds an ally to talk to in the Great Rohan Kishibe about what other things have been troubling her.

Character(s): Joruri Higashikata(oc child), Josuke Higashikata, Okuyasu Nijimura, Koichi Hirose, Jotaro Kujo, Rohan Kishibe

Pairing(s): None

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

Two weeks had gone by since Joruri had last seen her father. Usually, he and her uncle Jotaro would return after a few days once they finished making sure that there was nothing in the ocean that posed a threat to the people living above. It would be quick because there was hardly anything that was threatening down there. But apparently, this was a different case.

Jotaro hadn't called or sent any form of message and Josuke had made no appearance in the slightest. No small trinkets lined along the beach for her to find and observe, no sign of his shimmering purple scales racing her home on her way from school. Nothing. But, she didn't give up hope. Or, at least that what it seemed.

Every day before dawn and every afternoon once she got home from school, Joruri would sit herself on the dock outside of her house and just wait. It would get to the point where Koichi and Okuyasu would have to drag her inside before it got too dark. She also started changing. She was more distant and irritable, not talking to anyone-not to mention she had lost her big toothy smile she would bring in through the door everyday.

Something was wrong and she wasn't telling and that was a problem they didn't know how to fix.

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

Rohan had come over to see Koichi since he was hardly around anymore because he had been busy taking care of Joruri. He couldn't help but stare at the dismal girl at the end of the dock, doing nothing but waiting.

"She's been like that for days," Koichi explained, joining Rohan at the kitchen table. "She's been so...different. She doesn't want to do anything but wait for him almost 24/7."

Rohan scoffed. "So dramatic. I'm sure Josuke is being an idiot, getting into trouble somewhere and forgot he had to come home. I wouldn't even be surprised if he even forgot where his home even is..."

Koichi shook his head. "I doubt it. You may think Josuke is a bumbling idiot, but he's a good guy. You're just angry you can't tell what he's going to do next-"

"Pfft. Please. As if I would be angry at him for such a trivial thing such as that. I dislike because he's irresponsible, reckless, and does think before he acts."

Rohan's gaze once again shifted to Joruri. Something about this child who he rarely conversated with was making him uncharacteristically....upset. He stood from the table and immediately walked outside to the dock, stopping just a foot away from Joruri, who just sat there, not acknowledging him in anyway.

"You know, they say a watched pot never boils." He said, attempting to get a reaction out of her."

"....."

"What? Not talking? Like that will hold up long. You run your mouth at a hundred. You can't keep quiet even if your life depended on it-"

"Yes I Can!" Joruri exclaimed, quickly clamping her hands over her mouth soon after. Rohan laughed. "See? I told you!"

Joruri pouted, crossing her arms. "Yeah, whatever. Doesn't matter anyway."

Rohan's eyebrow rose. "That's it? That's all I get?"

"Why are you even here, Sensei? You don't talk to me at all so why are you even trying?"

Rohan rolled his eyes, sitting himself beside her. "You children have such attitude towards your elders...if you must know...I...was concerned about you. You were making me uncharacteristically upset."

"You were....worried about me?" She asked in disbelief.

"Ugh, don't flatter yourself. I only said that because-because-!"

"The Great Rohan Kishibe...is worried about me...ha....that's kinda funny. I...thought you hated me."

"What gave you that impression?"

Joruri shrugged. "I dunno...you don't like my dad and a lot of people say I'm kinda like my dad so...."

Rohan sighed. "Just because I...'greatly dislike' your father, it doesn't mean I don't find you...'spunky.'

"Spunky?"

"You have...a different character. You're his compassionate and caring parts in a child from a generation that has become more than disappointing. You're active and...strong. You can put up a fight. Not mention your energy."

Joruri smiled. "You...thanks. That actually means a lot coming for you, Kishibe-Sensei."

"Oh? And why's that?" He asked.

"Cause you're the Great Rohan Kishibe! You write my favorite series and it's really funny how you blow up over dumb shit my dad does!" She replied.

Rohan gritted his teeth. "Well, it's nice to know you find enjoyment in my frustration..."

She giggled before her gaze moved to the left and her eyes and smile went wide. She jumped up in excitement and joy, squealing loudly. "THEY'RE HOME!"

Rohan looked over to see Jotaro's ship pulling into the pier a block away. Joruri wasted no time running her way through her house and to the pier, Rohan causally walking after her.

Jotaro was just about to step off the boat when he saw Joruri speeding down the road to greet them. He sighed. "Good grief...here we go."

He stepped onto the dock just as Joruri came racing to tackle hug him.

"UNCLE JOTAROOOOOO!!!!!"

She collided with Jotaro, almost managing to knock him down. She hugged him as tightly as possible-which for Jotaro wasn't that tight. "Geez kid, did you miss me that much?" He asked.

"Obviously! You were gone for two weeks straight!" She proclaimed.

He sighed. "I know, I know. We...ran into some trouble, but we're fine."

"And dad is...?"

Jotaro motioned to the edge of the dock. Peaking his head out of the water was the face Joruri longed to see for two whole weeks. Her best friend and father-Josuke Higashikata. Joruri sprinted to the dock and jumped off.

"W-wait! Jojo! Don't-!"

"CANNONBALL!!!"

With a big splash, Joruri was now in Josuke's embrace, her arms wrapped around his neck and face smushed up against his. Josuke laughed, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"I missed you too, my crazy diamond. But next time, don't jump into freezing saltwater just to meet me." He said.

"Hey! You're the one who's been gone for two weeks! Getting wet isn't as big of a deal as leaving me hanging!"

Josuke sighed. "Joruri, your uncle Jotaro and I were making sure everything was safe for you and everyone else."

Joruri frowned. "I know...but I missed you. A lot. You didn't send anything so I can make sure you guys were okay..."

Josuke rested his chin on top of Joruri's head. "I know, honey...I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left for so long..."

Joruri nodded. "It's okay, dad. Mr. Kishibe-er, Rohan Sensei, helped me feel a lot better."

"Wait a minute...did you just say 'Rohan' made you feel better?"

"Is that a problem, Higashikata?"

By that time, Rohan had made his way to the dock and was know eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Rohan! I-"

"You should be thankful, Josuke. I kept her from jumping into the ocean to go look for you herself." He said, turning his gaze away from them.

"Rohan...thank you. It was really nice of you to...do whatever you did to make Joruri feel better."

Rohan pouted. "I just did what I had to. That's all."

Josuke smiled, turning his attention back to Joruri. "Now you. We're getting you home and into dry clothes before you get pneumonia."

"Can we race there?! I'm getting a lot better at swimming!"

"No."

"Please!"

"No!"

"Maybe?"

"...."

"So a defiant maybe."

Josuke sighed as he carried Joruri onto the dock and following Jotaro and Rohan home, knowing that he would most definitely owe Rohan for what he did for Joruri.

A/N: I'm ready to accept my fate for this horrible fic. Bye everyone. Hope someone enjoyed. Sorry if you didn't.

[yodawgiherd]

Chapter 35: The second date

Rating: T

Read on AO3

Another past chapter, this time about their second date, because i like doing them, and no one can stop me. No one.

Enjoy!

Mikasa Ackerman was not, in any possible or imaginable way, nervous. Nope. Not even a little bit. Nuh-uh. The fact that she was staring at her meager collection of clothes splayed on her bed for the last fifteen minutes was just a pure coincidence. It was in no way connected to the fact that she had a date later today. Her. A date. How did that happen again?

“You know Miks, you actually have to put those clothes on, just angrily staring at them ain’t gonna cut it. “

She almost jumped out of her skin. Sasha didn’t seem to care much for the fact that she just almost killed her, stretching on the mattress where she somehow found a place in between the clothing.

“Sasha! What…What the hell are you doing here? “

She frowned at her from behind her phone.

“You asked me to come, don’t you remember? To help you pick an outfit for that mysterious suitor of yours. “

“He’s not my suitor! What the hell. “ Or at least he wasn’t. Yet.

Sasha didn’t seem to care for her vehement denial, putting down her phone and sitting up on the bed. She started going through Mikasa’s collection, pulling some stuff out and throwing it back down carelessly.

“Oh look, you have such a variety in colors! Black, black, black, and look another black. Damn, this one has red stripes, innovation! “

Mikasa couldn’t help it. So what that she had a favorite color? All right, maybe she was going a bit overboard. A tiny, little bit. Sasha didn’t care though, and soon picked up some pieces that fitted good together, in her opinion, and threw it at her roommate.

“Here, try these. “ When Mikasa turned her back to her and pulled her shirt over her head, Sasha plopped back into the bed, laying down. “So you like this guy….eeh, what was his name again? “

“Eren. And why would I go out with him I didn’t like him? “

“I dunno. It’s not like you ever dated before. “

“Yea well maybe you should stop grilling me and give me some tips. “ Mikasa frowned at her friend when she peeked out of the black, surprisingly, top she picked for her, “Aren’t you the expert here? “

“Yes I am! “, Sasha was right in her element, “Tips you say. Hmmm…“ She tapped her chin. “Let me ask you a question first though. Do you really, really like him? “

“I don’t know! Jesus, all we did was talk for one night. “

“I don’t even remember talking to a guy for that long. Well, except maybe my dad. “, she chuckled, “You should  treasure that. “

“You know what? All right, okay, I like him. I have this feeling…. That we knew each other before, you know. “

“Ooh, past lives, that’s so romantic. “

She frowned. “Shut up Sasha. “

“Anyway, back to my original point. “, she checked her phone again, before putting it down and looking right into Mikasa’s eyes. “You want my advice? If you like him, you should fuck him. “

Mikasa almost choked on air.

“W-What? “

“Hm? Why so surprised? “, Sasha arched her eyebrow at her friend, “You said you liked him, right? “

“Yea but, this is like our second date, why the hell should I sleep with him so early? “

“Early? “, Sasha giggled, “You are eighteen, Miks, you are late, not early. “ When she saw that the goth was still stunned by her statement, she sighed. “C’mon, would it be so bad? Is he that ugly? “

“N-No… No. He’s good looking. Kind of. “

“See? So what’s the problem? I’m sorry to burst your bubble my dear, but guys are usually way more interested in your body then your personality, at least at start. So use it. Hook, line and sinker. It’s easy, really. “

Would it really be so bad? Eren seemed like a really nice guy, didn’t look half bad, and the talk they had was relaxing. So yea, she liked him, she liked him a lot. And Sasha was right after all, maybe it was high time to have her cherry popped, in a manner of speaking.

“Look, I’ll sleep over at my friend’s tonight, okay? So if you decide that you want to take my advice, take him here and, “, she winked at her, “do what you gotta do. “

Mikasa nodded, half to herself, half to her friend. “Thanks Sasha, I’ll… I’ll think about it. “

“Now then, “, she pushed herself from the bed, looking critically over Mikasa’s outfit before smiling. “You are hot, girl, he’ll fall for you on the first sight. Come here, so I can fix your hair. You want a ponytail? “

 Eren was nervous, he had no intention of denying it. He couldn’t really sleep, the expectation rising higher thorough the whole day. He liked the girl, there was no way around it. She was smart, funny, and yea, fucking beautiful. Honestly, he didn’t even know why she was even spending time with someone like him. When he asked Armin how he looked in his freshly ironed shirt and jeans, he looked him up and down with a slight grin.

“Like an idiot. “, he shrugged, “So no change from a normal day. “

“Thanks buddy. “

“Always here to help. “

So yea, he wasn’t feeling exactly confident as he stood next to the fountain where they agreed to meet, scanning the crowd for her. There she was, looking perhaps even more perfect than the last time he saw her. When she noticed him, her features seemed to light up, and she walked over to where Eren was standing.

“Hey. “

“Hey yourself. “

There it was, the silence they both feared. Last time they talked, they had the alcohol to break through their usual shyness, but now they had nothing. Here, in public, neither of them knew what to say. That was, until Eren finally decided to man up a bit.

“Come on, I know a spot. “, he said, gesturing for her to follow.

 It was a nice one, Mikasa thought, a patch of grass with sun shining right at them. The earth was warm beneath her, where she was sitting, with Eren right next to her.

“So, here we are. “

He nodded. “Here we are. “

“What you want to do now? “

“Well, “ he scratched the back of his head, “ I need to take a picture. “

“ A picture? “

“ Yep, for my mom. “ , he shuffled closer a bit and pulled out his phone. She stared at the camera as he took a quick selfie, satisfied.

“So…. What now? “, she asked, a bit embarrassed by what just happened.

“How about we take a nap? “

“What? “

He grinned at her.

“Listen, Mikasa, we are both completely new to this dating thing, right? So I just thought, there are no rules we have to follow, right? We can do whatever we want, whenever we want to do it, as long as it’s comfortable for us both. “

His logic was rather sound, now that Mikasa thought about it. They really didn’t have to follow any rules, there was no big dating book to read.

“I guess you are right. “, she nodded.

“Okay then, “he licked his lips, suddenly looking embarrassed as he looked her up and down, his mind clearly chewing on some problem. “Listen, Mikasa, could I…. Could I lay down on your legs? “He gestured around. “There is nothing else to use. “

She blushed furiously when he said it but nodded. After all, she felt comfortable with him around. Careful, he slowly lowered his head on her thighs, sighing in relief. That felt… nice. He closed his eyes, content to just doze off for a few minutes. Mikasa watched him, shaking her head when she saw the way his body relaxed.

“You shouldn’t trust me like this. “

“Hmm? “, he replied, not bothering to open his eyes.

“I could kill you right now. “

All right, that got his attention. “What are you talking about? “

“Here. “, she pulled one of her legs from under his head and curled it at the knee, wrapping it around his neck. “I could cut off your air like this, easily. “

Oh damn, choked to death by her thighs. Wouldn’t that be the perfect way to go. She must have noticed his smile, because her frown deepened. “What are you grinning about? “

He shook his head. “We can do what we want, but trying to kill me on our second date is taking it a little bit too fast, don’t you think? “

She pulled her leg from his throat, the heat once again rising in her cheeks. This position, him so close, it was way too intimate for now, she needed a change. “Listen Eren, why don’t we go to my dorm? It’s close, and we can watch Tv there or something. “ She took a deep breath. “And I’ll give you a ride. “

He opened his eyes, ready to ask what kind of ride they were talking about, but she was already standing up which forced him to move fast in order to follow her. They passed through the crowds of other students, who were out and enjoying the day. She walked quick, and didn’t look back at him, which made him wonder if he did something wrong. Maybe taking a nap on their date wasn’t the way to go after all. But Armin told him to act natural, so he did. He just hoped that she wasn’t too mad at him. When they reached her room she was fumbling with the keys, and even dropped them once before she managed to open the lock. What was she so nervous about?

“I can’t help but wonder, “, he said as they entered the room, “what was the ride you were talking about? “

“Isn’t that obvious? “, she finally turned to face him, “You are going to ride me, silly. “

He stared at her, robbed of words by her sudden bluntness that came literally out of nowhere. Mikasa didn’t seem to agree with just looking, because she grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of what he guessed was her bedroom.

 Their clothes littered the floor, with Mikasa doing most of the work because Eren was simply stunned by the direction this day took. Her shirt was the first to fall off, with his soon following, and before he could react she pulled her skirt and tights off, and just like that, there was nothing on her body but her underwear. She could feel his heat as she pulled him on top of her. Eren’s brain finally seemed to catch up with the situation he was in, and his lips traced down her neck, nipping at her collarbones. Mikasa turned her head away, hoping that he will think that she did it just to give him more space. In truth, she couldn’t look at him. Constantly, she had to turn down her instincts that screamed at her to push the body on top of her away. He’s not trying to hurt you, damn it. But it was no use. She wasn’t used to this, she didn’t want it. Mikasa closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, hoping to god that Eren will just get a move on and finish this as quickly as possible. If this is what it takes to stay with him, she was willing to do it. He finally made a move, his hand coming down to touch her between the legs. Just a few more minutes she thought to herself, a bit of pain, few thrusts, and boom, it will be done. Just bear with it a little longer. But out of nowhere, he stopped.

“Mikasa, you are shaking. “

“W-What? I am... I am not shaking! “

Yes, she was.

He stared down at her, propped up on his arms, a confused look on his face.

“What’s wrong? “

“Nothing…“, she licked her lips to get some moisture at them but couldn’t look at him. Not yet. “Nothing’s wrong, just do it. F-Fuck m-me. “

He finally broke through the barrier of want and lust that clouded his vision and got a good look at her. She was shivering, her teeth were pressed together as if to prevent them from clicking, her whole face scrunched in fear and maybe partly disgust. Her hands were pulled up in a position of surrender, and he could see the way her muscles were pulled tight, strained beneath her skin. She was fighting herself, maybe not to push him maybe, maybe not to cover her chest, but it didn’t matter. Out of all these things, one truth was clear to him. Mikasa didn’t want this, not here, not now, and for some reason she was forcing herself. There was no way in hell he would go with that.

“No. “

She finally turned her head to look at him, her eyes landing on his face. “N-No? “

“Nope. “

Out of nowhere, Mikasa felt a completely unreasonable wave of anger rising in her. On him, on Sasha and her stupid advices, but most of all on herself, for doing this stupid shit. “So you are not going to do it? “, She asked for the last time.

He shook his head.

“Then get off me you fucking pussy! “

With that, she shoved him away, using both hands, with a way more strength than she intended. The power took him right off, and he flew away before landing on the ground with a loud crash. The anger she felt quickly turned into regret and fear. She sat up and hid her face behind her hands, knowing that she fucked everything up again. The nicest guy she meets, and she tries to force herself to sleep with him on the second date and when he calls her bluff she basically punches him. Any moment now, he would pick himself up from the floor, call her a stupid bitch, rightfully, and slam the door behind him on the way out. And she would never see him again. The tears started flowing down her cheeks on their own, falling down and drenching the material of her bra. But the slam of the doors she feared never came. Instead, she could feel the dip of the bed beneath her, as another body sat down next to her. Out of nowhere, a hand slowly draped over her shoulders, and Eren pulled her close, letting her put her head on his shoulder.

“W-Why? “, was all she managed to push out in between her sobs, not understanding how he could be comforting her after the shit she pulled.

“Shush, just let it out. “

So she did.

 When she was finally done and had no more tears to spill, she blinked her eyes open to see that he was watching her with a worried expression on his face.

“You okay? “, he asked.

“Eren… Why are you still here? “

“You don’t want me to? “

“No! I mean yes! I want you here, please don’t leave. “

He grinned at her. “I’m not going anywhere. “

“I just… I don’t understand… After what I did, how can you still be here? “

“Mikasa, why did you even try that thing in the first place? It’s obvious that you didn’t want it. “

“I….“, she bit her bottom lip, “My friend suggested that I should… sleep with you to keep you interested… in me. “

“That’s stupid. “ Eren shook his head, “You are interesting as you are, you don’t need to use your body for that. “

“Look I’m…. sorry... I fucked up everything. “

“Nah. You didn’t, it’s fine. Let’s just forget about this, okay? “

There was nothing she’d rather do. “Okay. “

“Now then, “, he smiled at her, “Let’s do the thing we came here to do in the first place. A nap! “

She nodded, and he reached down on the floor, picking up his shirt and handing it over to her. She took it gladly for two reasons. First, she really wanted to cover herself, it was in her nature, and secondly, taking his shirt meant that he is going to sleep shirtless. Win-win situation. Using the remnants of her boldness, she slipped the clothing over her head, and dug her hands beneath, unclipping her bra and throwing it away. It wasn’t comfortable to sleep in it. Together, they lay down on the bed, and she used his bare chest as a pillow, tracing symbols into his skin with the tip of her finger. His hand dropped down to her waist, and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, which made her smile in return. Mikasa drifted off first, and Eren watched her sleep for a bit, saw the way her features softened when she wasn’t conscious. Her warm breath was spreading over his chest, and seemed to seep into it, right under his skin, warming him inside and out. This girl in his arms, she was beautiful, no doubt, but she was also hurt, deep down, and as Eren followed her into the realm of dreams, he wondered if he will be able to help her, even a little bit.

 He woke up first. When he opened his eyes, he saw that even in her sleep, she never truly escaped from her inner demons. Mikasa was clutching to him, her hands holding tight, wrapped beneath his arms and resting on his back. He could see that her eyes were moving beneath her lids, and she was whispering something, fragments of words in Japanese, he didn’t understand a thing.

“Hey… It’s okay, I’m here. “, he didn’t know what prompted him to say those words, but seeing her distressed like this, it just made him want to protect her. Silly, wasn’t it. He reached out carefully and stroked her hair, hoping that he will calm her. Mikasa seemed to react well to the touch, and she fell silent, her grip slackening as she drifted off to the deeper sleep. That brought Eren’s attention back to the initial reason that he woke up. He really needed to take a leak. As gently as possible, he untangled himself from her, and tiptoed away from the bed in the search of bathroom. When he returned after relieving himself, he saw that she already found a replacement for him, clutching the pillow instead. He chuckled and stretched, feeling rather well rested, and… hungry. Perhaps there was something he could cook. With that, he left once again on his epic quest, this time to find the kitchen.

Mikasa blinked her eyes open, letting go of the pillow she was holding for some reason. She sat up and yawned, scratching the back of her head. The sky behind the windows was dark, indicating that it was evening, or maybe even night. Damn, did she really sleep for half a day? And where was Eren? She blushed when she remembered all the dumb things she did just a few hours back, hoping that he didn’t sneak out when she fell asleep. But her worries where soon put to rest when she heard someone moving in the kitchen. Mikasa slid down from the bed and padded over to the door, curious to see what he was up to.

Eren heard the door open and turned around to greet her with the same grin he had when she fell asleep. “Morning. “

“Morning? “¸she yawned again, stretching her hands over her head, feeling all muscles in her body tense before relaxing, “More like evening, no? “

He was just preparing his witty reply, but his thoughts were cut short. She was standing there, wearing nothing but her panties and his shirt, stretching, and he could literally feel himself catching fire. Not to mention that he was rather sure he could drill diamonds with a certain part of his body. Averting his gaze, he coughed, ears burning red. “I-I wanted to cook something. For us. But the fridge is…. Interesting. “

She frowned and walked over to it, opening the door. Oh. The food there was marked with bright yellow stickers, branding all of the edibles as “Sasha’s, don’t touch!”.

“Look it’s fine, “, Eren said, “Let’s just go out and grab a bite. “

Finding herself quite hungry, she agreed, but when she was passing him he grabbed her hand. Mikasa looked up at him with an arched eyebrow, but he just smirked down at her.

“I’m going to need my shirt back. “

 The place he picked was rather busy, even at this hour, frequented by other students. It was no surprise, honestly. They served pizza, burgers, fries and hotdogs, all the kind of food that the young desired. When they found a table, and Mikasa could finally take a bite out of her slice, she easily discovered another reason why it was so crowded. It was delicious. But while Eren seemed to be content with just chewing on his portion, she felt the need to say something, after the fail of a date they had.

“Eren? I’m really sorry, again. “

He just shook his head. “Don’t be. “

“I just…. I’m not used to this. “, she felt herself blush a bit, “But I want it, I really do. “

“Want what? “

Damn, why were some words so hard to say?

“I want us to be…. Intimate. “

“Then let’s take it slow. “, he swallowed, and took another bite, “We are in no rush, right? Since this is my first time dating anyone, and it’s the same for you, let’s just move at our own pace. “

“You mean it? “

“I do. “, he looked up at her, licking his lips and putting together what he wanted to say. “Mikasa, I know that it’s usually different. People sleep together on first, second dates, no problem. But… I didn’t have anyone for eighteen years, I have no problem with waiting. I don’t want my first time to be bad for you. I don’t want you to remember it as a painful experience, where you counted every second until I finished and was left with nothing but discomfort and sweat. When it happens, I want us both to enjoy it, as much as we can. “

The monologue done, he looked back on the table, blushing a bit. But Mikasa reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it. “I would like that. “

He looked back up, managing a grin to appear on his lips.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then? For lunch? “

Mikasa had a smile of her own when she leaned over the table and whispered “It’s a date then. “, before kissing him. She had to remember to thank Sasha, because in the end, everything seemed to turn out better then she expected.

I thought about giving this some link into the present, but in the end decided against it, because it felt way too forced. More chapters to follow soon, if I find the motivation to do them, that is.

Till next time!

[wittystiles]

The Agreement || Part Four || Stiles Stilinski

Author: wittystiles

Words: 3.5k+

Relationship: Stiles Stilinski x Reader

Title: The One With The Dad Upgrade

Summary: (Y/N) and Stiles decide to tell the very first person that they’re having a baby.

A/N: Y’all! I was stuck on this here chapter for like, I would like to say a month. A month. For some reason I could not write this. It took sitting there and watching Teen Wolf with my Grandma to finally get inspired to write this fic. It came together in like, 2 hours, and it’s ight. I hope you like it! Thank you for waiting so long. (-: ALSO! Huge fucking shoutout to my girl @ellie-bee242 for literally writing (typing a few paragraphs of it while i said what I wanted it to say) it for me. And editing it. You’re the MVP.

(Y/N) stood beside Stiles at the grocery store, looking over his shoulder at the grocery list. “Do we really want to make asparagus?” She asked, looking from the list to the vegetables on display.

“Yes,” Stiles sighed. “Have you ever had my grilled asparagus? It’s heavenly. And it’s healthy, would you stop being anti-vegetable?”

(Y/N) groaned, “I’m not anti-vegetable, Stiles. I just don’t particularly want asparagus. It’s not a bad thing, and I’m not discrediting you as a chef. It’s just not my favorite.”

“Then don’t eat it.” He shrugged, grabbing two small bags of asparagus. “Lydia, Scott, Malia and my dad all love it so. We have to do it.”

(Y/N) huffed loudly, gripping onto the handle of the shopping cart tighter. “Okay. So. We have your gross asparagus, steak, mashed potatoes, and what else? I’m going to make sautéed onions and mushrooms for the steak. What should I make for dessert?”

Stiles shrugged, “dunno. I’m not in charge of the dessert, that’s your area (Y/N). I’m just here for the whole dinner thing. Make like. I don’t know? Cupcakes.”

“Cupcakes are boring.” (Y/N) sighed, pushing the cart behind Stiles. “God. I hate grocery shopping. Have I ever mentioned that?”

Stiles rolled his eyes, stopping abruptly in front of the meat section. (Y/N) accidentally hit him with the cart, gasping in shock. “I am so sorry!”

Stiles turned a glare on her, rubbing his hip where the cart hit. “I’m sure you aren’t.”

(Y/N) returned his glare, “what is that supposed to mean?”

Stiles ignored her, picking up a package of fillets. “These look good?” He held the package up for her to see.

“I’m serious! What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean you probably meant to hit me, (Y/N). I know how you get. You’ve been snippy with me for hours, and maybe it wasn’t conscious but you meant to hit me.”

(Y/N) flared her nostrils in anger, “I would never. I’ve been snippy because you made me go buy new dishes from one store. Then you made me get a new table cloth from a second store. Now we’re here for food. And I’m going to have to cook and bake for a dozen people. I’m tired, Stiles. That’s all. I wouldn’t hit my baby daddy.”

Stiles sighed, “sorry. I’m nervous to tell everyone, and it’s coming out in obsessing over everything being perfect. I’m sorry. Won’t happen anymore. Want me to drop you back at your apartment and I can handle this all on my own?”

(Y/N) shook her head, pouting a bit, her eyes lowering to her hands. “No… I don’t want you stressing all on your own, Stiles. I just… I want you to know I’m not being a bitch on purpose. You know how I get when I’m tired.”

Stiles sighed, dropping the fillets back to their spot, rounding the shopping cart to pull (Y/N) into a hug. “Yeah, I do.” He took a deep breath, gently rubbing her back. “Go take a nap in the car, yeah? I can finish the shopping - I know what we need - and when I come out you can drive us to your place. That way I can rest on the way there. That sound like a deal?”

(Y/N) hesitated for a moment, her head resting against Stiles chest. “Okay, thank you.”

The two stood together for a moment, Stiles just rubbing (Y/N)’s back while she rest against him, before (Y/N) decided to pull away. “I should go lay down.”

Stiles nodded, fishing the keys to his car out of his pocket. “I’ll be out as soon as possible. Okay?”

“Sure.” (Y/N) picked her purse up from the child seat in the cart, took the keys, and walked out of the store.

(Y/N) woke to Stiles picking her up from the back seat of his car. She peeked an eye open, and quickly shut it again, allowing Stiles to carry her inside of his home. When he got her settled on the couch, she decided to pretend to wake up, stretching her limbs out.

“I’m sorry,” Stiles rushed out. “I didn’t mean to wake you! You can go back to sleep.” He picked up the blanket from the back of the couch, covering her up before she could protest.  

“I should be in there helping you make dinner,” (Y/N) started, pushing the blanket off of her waist down to her thighs.

“Nope!” Stiles covered her back up again, resting a hand on her shoulder to keep her laying down. “You can sleep. I’ve got this covered. I know how to cook, (Y/N). Besides, you’d just get annoyed by me and come out here anyway.”

“I would not!” (Y/N) argued.

Stiles gave her a knowing look, and she acquiesced, getting comfortable against the pillows on the couch. “Fine. I’ll lay here.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and grunted when Stiles leaned down to kiss her forehead. “Don’t do that shit, Stiles. I don’t know you like that.”  

“(Y/N),” Stiles sighed. “You’re carrying my baby. You know me well enough to let me kiss your forehead.”

(Y/N) mocked him, rolling onto her side so that she had her back to him. “Go cook, Stiles, before I ‘accidentally’ fall down the stairs and I’m not carrying your child any more.”

“(Y/N).” Stiles sounded hurt. “Please don’t joke about that. Knowing how clutzy you are, it wouldn’t surprise me if you managed to do just that on a real accident. Let’s not jinx anything, yeah?”

(Y/N) frowned, not turning to face him. “Fine, Stiles. Sorry. Go cook.”

Sighing, Stiles walked away from the couch, rubbing his forehead tiredly. Unlike (Y/N), he hadn’t had the luxury of napping because his baby daddy was nice. “My father will be here soon,” he called from the kitchen, his head inside of the fridge while he reorganized the vegetables in the crisper. “I want to tell him before everyone so he’s gonna be here before the rest of them arrive.”

(Y/N) grunted her response, pulling the blanket Stiles had covered her with up, over her shoulder up to her ear.

“You’re going to have to wake up when he gets here, I just realized, cause. You’ve got to share this news too. It’s our news, not just mine. And it would take the fun out of it if I just told him myself and you weren’t involved.”

(Y/N) groaned this time, scrunching her eyes tighter.

Stiles continued rambling, speaking of various things that (Y/N) had tuned out while she tried sleeping. The doorbell going off startled her, her heart jumping a bit. She sat up in time to watch Stiles nearly trip over his own feet as he came running out of the kitchen, headed for the front door. “I got it!” he called to her, stopping abruptly and grabbing at the doorknob.

“I’m glad.” She huffed, standing from couch. She made a half hearted attempt at folding the blanket she had just been covered with, draping it once more over the back of the couch.

Stiles greeted his father with an excited ‘hello’, hugging his old man tight. The two Stilinski men walked into the house together, Stiles offering to take his fathers jacket from him. Sheriff Noah Stilinski shrugged the jacket off of his shoulders, offering it to his son who promptly hung it on a hook beside the door.

“Oh, hello (Y/N).” The sheriff greeted with a warm smile, crossing to (Y/N), pulling her into a hug. The two squeezed each other tightly for a brief moment before (Y/N) let go, pushing her fingers through her hair.

Sties crossed the room and took a seat on the couch with (Y/N). The Sheriff took a seat in the overstuff and slightly uncomfortable gray armchair, across from the young couple. An air of uncomfortableness settled in the room as Stiles knotted and un-knotted his hands in his lap.

“So,” the Sheriff said, drawing out the’o’. “This is the weirdest parent/teacher conference I’ve ever attended. What has my son done now?”

Me, (Y/N) thought, covering her mouth so as not to snicker. She licked her lips, “well, Mr. Stilinski, your son’s performance has been, dare I say, less than satisfactory?”

Stiles turned to look at her, giving her a furrowed brow glare. “Excuse me? My performance in what?”

Sheriff laughed, crossing his leg over his knee. “Really, you two. Why did you guys have me come over here so early? I thought dinner wasn’t for another hour?”

“It isn’t,” Stiles responded, his throat getting dry with the realization that this was it. This was the time in which he would have to announce to his father that he was going to upgrade in dad status. That he would transcende from Father Stilinski to Grandfather Stilinski. Stiles’ palms began to sweat.

“Son,” Sheriff prompted motioning with his hand for his son to continue. “What is it?”

Stiles cleared his dry throat, rubbing his sweating palms against his jean clad thighs. “It’s nothing, really. I mean. Okay, well it’s technically something. A big something. No, really it’s a small something. It’s a small something. It’s nothing to even really concern yourself with dad. Honestly, I don’t know why we even brought this up. I promise. Nothing important.”

(Y/N) rest her hand on Stiles knee, giving it a squeeze to try stopping him from rambling. It didn’t work, and she moved her hand back to her own lap, spinning the small ring she kept above the second knuckle of her left ring finger.

Sheriff stared, watching the two of them with narrowed eyes. “What the hell are you talking about, son?” The sheriff asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Well,” Stiles started again. His voice had kept it’s regular anxious pitch, but sped up. “We’ve got something to tell you. We as in (Y/N) and I. Well, technically it’s just me because (Y/N) isn’t doing much talking. She likes to watch me flounder, throw me to the wolves so to speak. Anyway,” he rubbed at his forehead, trying to collect his thoughts. “You know how we’re best friends, right dad?”

Stiles father nodded, watching his son, his eyebrow now raised in wonder. “Yeah, I’ve known that for years. Why are you clarifying?”

“Just bear with me,” Stiles encouraged, licking his lips, pulling them back between his teeth for a second while he thought of what to say next. (Y/N) pursed her lips together watching him with raised eyebrows and wide eyes. “You know we’re like, really close right? The closest I’ve ever been with someone that I’m not dating or that isn’t Scott.” “Again, yes, Stiles. Where is this going?”

Stiles shot his father a look, “let me just get there naturally.”

Sheriff Stilinski took a deep breath and sank back further against the chair.

“Anyway,” Stiles leg began bouncing. “Well a - what would you say? Month and a half? Almost two months?”

(Y/N) nodded, shrugging her shoulders a bit, “sure.”

“Almost two months ago we were hanging out - watching a show together -, and we got to drinking like grown adults do,” Stiles nodded along to his own story. “Well, right. One thing lead to another and well.” Stiles motioned between (Y/N) and himself. “We kind of - well no we totally did, get her pregnant. Well, by that I mean. I got (Y/N) pregnant, because I’m the guy and according to what I have read. That’s how it works. The one with the sperm gets the one with the egg pregnant. Right?”

(Y/N) brought her hand up to her eyes, rubbing them tiredly, mentally chastising herself when she remembered the mascara she wore on her eyelashes. “Stiles, please. Stop before you further embarrass the both of us.”

Stiles pouted a little, “I’m not embarrassing us, (Y/N). Don’t be rude. I’m trying to talk to my father about this. It’s important and it’s big - little really - like the size of a poppy seed. I have an app that tells me how big the little one is and it told me it’s a poppy seed right now.” He shook his head. “We’re having a baby.” He finally actually announced to his father, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

Noah sat in his slightly uncomfortable arm chair, processing the vomit of words his son had just strewn across the living room floor. (Y/N) glanced between the two generations of Stilinski men, her hand resting on her stomach of its own accord. When no one said anything for longer than Stiles could bear, he opened his mouth again to speak, his father's hand shooting up faster than he figured should be humanly possible.

“Don’t,” his father sighed. Noah took a deep breath, his chest constricting tightly around his lungs. “You dragged me over here to tell me a lie?”

“What?” Stiles asked, head shaking back and forth rapidly in shock, eyes widening and eyebrows shooting to his hairline. “A lie? What? No. Dad, this is - this is serious. Like, cancer serious but like, not miserable serious. It’s a baby. Dad. (Y/N)’s pregnant! With my child. Our child. What do we call it, (Y/N)? Ours or mine? I don’t really know the proper terminology. I’ve heard people say it both ways when discussing their impending offspring.”

“Stiles, you’re rambling.”

“Mhmm.” He agreed, nodding his head a little. “I am. But that’s because this... guy,” he pointed at his father. “Doesn’t believe that you’re pregnant. You just straight up called our unborn child a lie, dad. That hurts,” Stiles declared, turning to look at his father.

“I’m sorry, kid. I just,” Noah sat up a bit straighter. “I never thought that I would be sat down to be that you were going to be a father.”

“Excuse me? Do I not seem the fatherly type?”

Noah shook his head, “you do. I wasn’t finished. I meant, be a father with (Y/N). I always figured you two would be in love with each other and not say anything about it until the two of you died.”

“We aren’t in love with each other,” (Y/N) corrected, leaving the rest of the conversation untouched.

“From what I’ve sort of heard, through all of his looping rambles, is that you’re having his baby,” Sheriff pointed at Stiles his eyes on (Y/N). “That kind of makes it seem like you’re in love.”

Stiles shook his head, not wanting his father to continue to out him as being mindlessly in love with his best friend who was now holding the title of ‘mother-to-his-child’. He didn’t need that embarrassing conversation today.

“Okay,” Stiles began again. “Don’t look at this like ‘oh we’re two people in love who made a baby because it’s the next step in our wonderful loving and committed relationship’. Cause, there’s no relationship here besides a purely platonic friendship-y relationship. Right, (Y/N)?”

(Y/N) nodded, wondering how this would end.

“Think of it like in the way that like, okay. (Y/N)’s uterus - or is it your womb? God, I swear I learned anatomy once. I did. I promise, it’s a credit. Whatever, (Y/N)’s uterus sounds better. (Y/N)’s uterus is a hotel, okay. She had a vacancy, because there wasn’t a baby. Okay, see where I’m going with this? And one day I had - oh my God!” He shouted to himself, bringing his hands up to his arm that (Y/N) started smacking.

“Do not refer to my uterus as a fucking hotel, Stilinski. Jesus Christ! There are four thousand different ways you can say this, without using that weird analogy.”

Noah began laughing, shaking his head at the two in front of him.

“What I was trying to say, before you started abusing me, in front of a cop no less - was this; (Y/N) wanted a baby, I wanted a baby. She had an egg, I had sperm. Yadahyadah, we decided that I’d use her egg, she’d use my sperm. We’d do some things to get the party started, and bam! Baby.”

“I’m getting an abortion, I’ve changed my mind. I swear to God. I need a drink more than I have ever needed a drink in my entire life, Stilinski.”

“We discussed not saying you’re getting rid of the baby.”

“That was before you called my uterus a hotel.”

Noah’s laugh caused the two of them to turn their heads and stop their arguing, “so. You’re having a baby, because you’re a couple? But you’re not a couple? But you’ve been having… relations?”

“Basically,” Stiles nodded.

“Minus the couple part all together. We are just friends, who had sex, and wound up with a baby.” “So it was an accident?” Noah asked.

(Y/N) shook her head, “no! It was planned, it was planned. It was ..”

“An agreement,” Stiles finished for her.

“You guys agreed to have a baby?”

“Yep.” (Y/N) popped the ‘p’.

Noah stood up, walking away from the two of them. Stiles bound after his father, brows knitted together in confusion. “What are you doin’?” He wondered, gripping onto the edge of the counter when they both stopped in the kitchen.

“Getting a drink,” Noah declared, finding a bottle of whiskey in Stiles liquor cabinet.

“Get me one!” (Y/N) called from the living room.

“Ignore her,” Stiles sighed. “Look, dad. I promise it isn’t as weird as it sounds. It really isn’t. She’s my best friend in the entire world. I would kill a numerous amount of men for her if I so needed to. That’s why this is so perfect. I really wanted a child, dad. And so did she, you should have seen the way she looked when we first started the conversation that spurred on us deciding to have a baby together. It was heartbreaking.”

“I know the look,” Noah mused, adding a handful of ice to a glass he’d taken from the cupboard.

“Right, cause you’re a dad. Anyway,” Stiles rubbed at the back of his neck. “She was gonna go to a sperm bank, dad. How gross is that?”

“Aren’t you essentially a familiar sperm bank?”

“Ouch. Wow, okay, no. I’m going to help raise the baby. It’s going to be split, fifty-fifty. Half hers, half mine. Sperm banks are one hundred percent the mom, zero percent the father. I didn’t think I needed to explain that.” Stiles sighed, taking the drink from his father when he walked close enough.

“That was mine,” Noah acknowledged, turning back around to make himself another drink.

“It’s going to be good, dad. Seriously. This baby is going to be so lucky. Not only will (Y/N) be it’s mother, which already sets it up to have a good chance in life, but it’ll have me and you, and the whole rest of the pack. This may seem weird, trust me. I’ve spent every night since we made this agreement thinking about how weird it is. But. It’s good. I promise. I’m happy, dad. I’m excited.”

Noah turned his head, looking at his son over his shoulder. “You and I both know this is going to hurt you, Stiles.”

Stiles downed the amber liquid from his stolen glass, setting it down on the countertop with a clink. “How is it going to hurt me?”

“Cause,” Noah turned around, leaning his back against the counter. “I know you’re in love with her. I know because you’ve told me, time and time again. I know because you look at her like I was told I looked at your mother.” Noah frowned, giving his son an apologetic look. “She was quick to shut down you two being in a relationship when I mentioned it, son. She probably sees this as no more than what you were trying to peddle me out there, a business deal.”

“It is,” Stiles said with no truth to it.

“Sure,” Noah disagreed. “Look. I just know that the longer she’s pregnant, the more attached you both will get to each other. You’re going to fall for her harder, Stiles. C’mon. You know that. You know that this isn’t going to end well for you, son. When that baby comes she’s going to go back to being the same ol’ best friend she always was to you, and it’s going to break your heart. You’re going to have to share custody of this baby with her, and you’re going to probably have to watch her get into a relationship with someone else. I just,” Noah shook his head, downing his drink in the same manner his son had done a moment prior.

Stiles shook his head, spinning the ice in the glass with his middle finger. “I’ll be fine, dad,” Stiles promised, not looking up at his father. “I’ll be fine. I’ll be good. We’ll be good. Can’t you just, maybe, be happy for me? I’m going to be a father, dad… This is good.”

Noah frowned for a brief second before nodding, “okay, Stiles. You’re right. You’ll be good. C’mere.”

Stiles crossed the kitchen, embracing his dad in a warm hug. “I’m really happy for you, kiddo. Congratulations, to you and (Y/N).”

“Thanks, dad,” Stiles said, smiling into the hug.

~

Tags: @ellie-bee242,  @redstringlovers, @lovefilledtragedy, @behind-my-hazeleyes27, @girlwiththerubyslippers, @bilesbilinskix, @omgimafuckingmermaid, @daddyxraeken, @itsambreh, @redemptivesammy, @sumcp, @cuillere, @ela-loves-you, @stargazeroutloud29

If you would like to be tagged in this fic, please let me know. (-:

[lil-loucifer]

All greek myths you fool

Why are you like dis

GODS: Life

Zeus: What’s your name or nickname?

I go by “Lou,” but I have plenty of nicknames. You, for instance, call me “Lulu”

Hera: Where are you from?

NorCal.

Athena: How old are you?

Just turned eighteen B)

Hephaestus: When is your birthday?

July 19.

Aphrodite: What’s your relationship status?

Single af

Poseidon: What are your pronouns?

He/him/his.

Dionysus: Are you and extrovert or an introvert?

I am very much an introvert.

Demeter: Do you have any pets?

Two asshole dogs.

Apollo: What kind of music are you into?

All kinds of shit, honestly!

Artemis: What do you first notice about new people?

Whether or not they annoy me?

Hades: What’s a big fear of yours?

Being alone and unwanted and worthless!! :D

Ares: What’s a big pet peeve of yours?

They kinda come and go depending on the situation.

Hestia: Where do you consider home?

Uh... Probably my house, I guess? 

CREATURES: Lasts

Pegasus: Last movie you watched?

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (It just got released on Netflix so I finally got to watch it ewe)

Mermaid: Last tv show you finished?

Uhhhh fuckin Young Justice, probably

Centaur: Last book you read?

The Dark Prophecy. 

Siren: Last song you listened to?

Almost Human, by Voltaire

Gorgon: Last thing you ate?

Some pop-tarts?

Cyclops: Last time you cried?

I dunno, honestly, but I can tell you it as within this month >:D

Minotaur: Last time you were truly happy?

I don’t really know tbh

Sphynx: Last text you sent?

A good night text to a friend :P

Chimera: Last call you made?

Probably to my aunt to tell her I finished an errand -_-

Griffin: Last thing you did before going to sleep last night?

Uhhh, things. 

Nymph: Last dream you remember?

I always default to the Naked Chris Evans dream.

Satyr: Last time you couldn’t stop laughing?

My sister fuckin told me about the time my dad asked my mom out, it was hilarious

HEROES: Experiences

Heracles: Have you ever had a dream come true?

Not really, I don’t really have dreams.

Theseus: What is your worst regret?

Repressed ._.

Perseus: Have you ever been arrested?

Almost! :D

Cadmus: Have you ever had your heart broken?

Hell yeah I have! >:D

Achilles: Have you ever had to be hospitalized?

Nah, I’m a lucky boy

Actaeon: Tell about a memory you wish to forget.

A web of lies and deceits he weaved around his friends, his loved ones, all to preserve his own pride. That fucking piece of shit. 

Bellerophon: Have you ever passed out?

Nah.

Agamemnon: What is an achievement you’re proud of?

I have literally just been wasting oxygen my entire life~

Oedipus: Have you ever been in love?

Maybe?

Jason: Have you ever travelled abroad? Where?

I’ve travelled to the Philippines with my mom when I was like, five or six. I spent have the trip in a fever haze :P

Atlanta: Have you ever stood up for someone else?

Yeah, I think? We never spoke again after that, so...

Hippolytus: Tell an experience you will never forget.

Alright, soo, in senior year of high school, I signed up for an elective science class right? It was fuckin’ forensic science, so yeah, I know a few CSI techniques, like, you ask me to dust somewhere for prints, I’ma fuck it up, but I know how it works.  But that year, the higher-level science classes had to do a fuckin presentation to the sophomores and shit, to encourage them to sign up for science classes even after they’d fulfilled their graduation reqs for science. 

Anyways, one of the courses the presentation would involve was Forensic Science. I signed up to be in the presentation group so I could ditch classes the whole day, and it was pretty hype. 

So, there were a bunch of science kids backstage, preparing little experiments and showcases to show to the audience; like, the chemistry kids had a small smokescreen, the AP Physics kids had something involving wind socks? And the fuckin Marine Bio kids had a fucking skull from a shark. I shit you not. 

And then there was us. Forensic fucking Science. So, our teacher, Ms. P., she was in charge of hosting the damn show. So, I guess she was so caught up in the planning for it that she forgot to suggest a showcasing for us. So when the presentation team for Forensic Science, by far the largest group of six, compared to the other’s average of two or four, talked to our teacher to ask what we should say and/or do, she replied “I don’t know, improvise?” 

So we improvise. Our routine got better throughout the day, but it would normally start like this: I say in my best creepy tone of voice “Hello everybody, we’re here to talk to you about murder,” and briefly go over what the rest of the people in my team would do, then they talk about the technical aspects and the activities, a little bit of what we learn, one guy makes a reference to pop culture, and then we finish it off with a shitty pun. Then we’d go backstage again and wait until the last presentation, Marine Bio, finished up their part, and go back onstage to answer any questions the audience might have about the classes. 

Now, we didn’t really have much visual aid, compared to the other sciences. The AP Chem kids wowed people with their home made smokescreen, the Physics kids did some kind of breathplay shit, and the Marine Bio guy let the audience pass the shark head around so they could get a better look at it.

The most riveting thing my group had was, apparently, me. Like, really. Standing next to the other forensic science kids, I was basically Abby from NCIS, meaning I stood the fuck out my dyed hair and actual Forensic Science class shirt I wore just for the occasion, and I behaved in the most weird/interesting manner I could manage. So naturally when we go back up on stage for the Q&A session, the one person who had questions about Forensic Science, directed his questions towards me. Now, that shouldn’t be a problem for someone who knew shit about the class.

The thing is, it was fuckin me. I didn’t know JACK SHIT. So I had to fuckin improvise. 

“What kind of cases do you get in Forensic Science?”

Fuck. Shit. We haven’t done any mock crime scenes yet. Fuck.

“Well, we uh... We get a huge variety of cases, scenarios, situations and the like, Ms.P. changes it up all the time. ...Uh, you feel me?”

Then someone else stepped in to save my dumb ass, and I hung my head and moped back to the group. Everyone finished up asking their questions, and we had to remain on stage while the audience filed out to leave. 

But then, the Marine Bio guy dashed up to the mic podium and worriedly said, “Yo wait, guys, where’s the shark head?” 

He never got the shark head back. 

So the Marine Bio guy’s freaking out, he jumps off the stage to look for the shark head, and the Ms. P. turns to me and says, in the most serious tone of voice, the funniest thing anyone hasever said to me: 

“Find the head.”

And after a few objections, I left to lead the Forensic Science team to find the head.

Since I’m a shitty leader, they didn’t listen to me, so I tried to profile the crowd on my own. 

So after several disastrous attempts at finding the shark head, a guy from the Forensic Science team, Don, says “Guys, I found the head.” 

Turns out one of the guy’s friends was the last one to hold the head, so he just snuck backstage and left it on the Marine Bio guy’s bag. 

MAGICAL ITEMS: Favorites  

Trident: Who are your favorite people?

My close-ass friends, like you

Lightning Bolt: What are your top three favorite movies?

NOT “The Lightning Thief.” 

1: Wreck-It Ralph

2: The Kingsman movies

3: Patch Adams

Sun Chariot: What is your favorite mythological creature?

I got nothing, sorry

Lyre: What are your top three favorite songs?

CAN’T CHOOSE

Caduceus: What is your favorite color?

Blue or black!!

Aegis: What is your favorite book or series?

Percy Jackson holds a special place in my heart.

Scythe: What is your favorite tv show?

Lucifer, on Fox

Bident: What is your favorite way to spend free time?

Video games, probably

Harpe: What are your top 3 favorite places?

1: Borders Barns & Noble Whatever fuckin bookstores we’ve got left

2: Somewhere quiet and dark and lonely. 

3: Where the food is

Cornucopia: What is your favorite place to eat?

...In my room?

Winged Sandals: What is your favorite thing to do when you hangout with your friends?

I dunno, I don’t really have friends to hang out with :P

Golden Fleece: What is your favorite animal?

Cats and dogs!!

PLACES: Goals and Wishes

Olympus: Describe your dream job.

Just fuckin chilling? I dunno. Something quiet, but not too boring. 

Tartarus: What’s a short term goal you hope to achieve?

Graduate college?

Underworld: Describe your dream vacation.

Staycation~

Styx: How would you like your life to look like in 10 years?

Stable job, reliable income, close friends and confidants. I hope to be able to properly comprehend and acknowledge my own emotions one day.

Athuna: If you could live anywhere in the world for the rest of your life, where would it be?

I think I’m good where I am.

Sparta: Do you have a bucket list? If so, what’s on it?

Not really.

Elysium: If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

Mimicry of skills, abilities and powers.

Ogygia: Describe your dream husband/wife/life partner?

Top trait: Low standards

Troja: What is the craziest thing you wanna do before you die?

KNIFE FIGHT A BITCH IN A WAL-MART PARKING LOT

The Labyrinth: Have you ever died and came back to life as a vampire?

Yeah, totally.

Delphi: Are you currently doing anything to pursue your dreams?

I don’t have dreams -w-

[kaoarika]

I was tagged somewhat a while by @greengargouille, but didn’t have the time to write thoughts and feelings about the next characters due to work’s time constraints. but hey, now you know that sometimes is better to say “I cannot explain how much I love them” instead of writing walls of text (not that I’m complaining, though).

Potential spoilers ahead, below the keep reading cut.

Rules: Choose 10 different fandoms and pinpoint your favorite character from each one, then tag 10 people if you want to do this, go ahead... I rarely tag people :P.

Corrector Yui - Synchro.  My love towards Synchro has been there since I first saw the anime. I always loved his loyalty towards Yui and the sacrifice he sometimes put himself into (especially the times he does it for Yui! I mean, it was shipping fuel before I knew what was “shipping fuel”! I dunno, part of me would have loved to see him more in his original form, but oh, well.  He is one of my first proofs that I simply incline more to mysterious characters since I was a kid ^^;

Dance with Devils - Nanashiro Mage. The thing I came first for dandebi was mostly the seiyuu (and it is a great cast, tbh), but I was initially too scared about Mage (I was getting too into Subaru’s voice work) because I thought he may turn to be so hateable. The initial profile release info (which may have been mistranslated, though) didn’t help. But then… the guy turned out to be a huge DORK, and I… you tsundere devil! Even in the otome game, his good endings are very “feel good”. Very fluffy. The guy gives me very fluffy feelings.  

Sket Dance - Yuuki Reiko. I can kinda figure out a top 5 of characters from the series, and even after all this time since the manga ended, she is still one of my faves.  I always liked that her design was different than the usual cutesy girls that Shinohara makes (this is even extended to Astra, too), and I still like her development. Like I always point out, I adore that she wasn’t just a rival that loathed another character (Switch in this case) and that she also had respect for him. It was always mutual, despite what these two claim, because context exists.

Gravity Falls - Mabel Pines. I like her optimism. I wish I could get into more deeper but that’s the thing with her that I can easily mention. I just… simply love her optimism and her sibling relationship with Dipper?  

Gintama - Shimura Shinpachi. Last time I did one of these, I mentioned that Kagura was one of my favorites (she is not *the* but one of them), but this time I picked Shinpachi… mostly because sometimes I identify with him, in the aspect that he is considered plain (in-universe and out), and still he manages to show the opposite. Even though Sorachi showed that he can get a big spotlight moment last year… HE DESERVES MORE THIS YEAR, GARRRGHH.

Sweetness and Lightning - Inuzuka Tsumugi. The marvelous thing about Sweetness & Lightning is mostly Tsumugi, hands down.  I really wish the anime wasn’t sorta concluded in its own right, but continued more the storyline of the manga (because I quick read some chapters a few months ago) in the future because Tsumugi keeps growing little by little as time keeps progressing in the series. It’s very heartwarming to see her through new experiences, and AHHH…

Mob Psycho 100 - Reigen Arataka. Here is the thing with Reigen, though. He is one of my fave characters that I tend to relate to. Especially now that I’m getting older. There are times that I question myself if I’m in the right road of a career, and there are times that I wonder if I’m fully satisfied with my choices. Maybe I’m not waiting to a Mob to appear and tell me that I’m inspiring them to become a better person (w/psychic powers, but), maybe what I really want is to have some mutual inspiration I guess? to become a better person (professionally and the usual). Because that’s one of the qualities that I like from Reigen, too. Mob’s presence in his life (despite his still continuous con artist act) really changed his life, and that makes him happy most of the time.

Uchuu Kyoudai - Itou Serika. It’s also been a while since last time I read or even watched UK and, I think Serika clicked more faster with me when it’s revealed that she was pursuing an space career to find a cure for the same sickness that took out her father (and her flashbacks made me cry because I also have a very close relationship to my dad, and there are times that I wonder what would happen if… hahah, I’m actually crying when writing this…).  I find it unfair when people criticize her, because her character isn’t mostly related to food or the fact that she is also a big eater, she is also willing to help people a step at a time.

Assassination Classroom - Okajima Taiga. I love the Class 3-E students quite a lot. Okajima is one of them, and… WELL, it’s a bit complicated to say why he is one of them (yes, I was also influenced by my seiyuu biases, surprise, surprise) but I think part of it is that he is so ridiculous at time, and I really enjoyed that (although he did give me a LOT of second hand embarrassment in his KoroQ portrayal)? Sure, he is the perv, the very obvious one at that who has the BIGGEST (dis)advantage to make his things happen. But he has a photographic talent and it also helped the rest of the class to get out from some situations. At last, but not less important, I am thankful to the great voice gods that Ryo-san was cast as him, since Okajima was the latest recent and regular character he has had for a while… and it is going to take a while until I hear news of another regular character voiced by him…

Ace Attorney - Ema Skye. I don’t know what clicked on me when I started to play AA on the DS, when I started liking her. I think what I eventually liked her was her grumpy self in AA4, although it brings another topic in the table as I remember WAAAAY before AA5 was announced that people disliked what happened to Ema in the AA4 game. I know AA4 is a “dark” game when we consider that Phoenix was disbarred and how the justice system collapsed just after that… and poor Ema, became a detective instead of becoming what she really wanted to. So, I don’t know… maybe I’m empathic because I fear for failure and all… good to know the team behind AA6 reinvindicated her character (AFAIK, since I haven’t played it), so all is good in the world, as my own hopes.

[louisewahlander]

about me

From - Wed Feb 24 20:07:50 1999

*Name: Louise Izan Elin, Wahlander Lind (eh, kinda long, i know!!) *Sex: Female *Age: 23 on april 19 *Hometown: Norberg Sweden *Location: Varies, but at the moment Norberg Sweden *Height:  5'8 (173cm...i dunno if that's 5'8, but someone told me it is) *Eye Colour: Turqoise blue *Hair Colour & Style: At the moment blue-black...it varies, ALOT! *Favorite Relative:hmmmm...definately not my dad! But my grandma really...(mom's mom)...she's the best, and my cousins on my mom's side... I hate the relatives on dad's side, don't have contact w/anyone of them, not even dad... *Favorite Friend: My best friend Courtney, i wouldn't be able to live without her... And Hannes, the asshole, he hasn't been in touch in, i dunno how long!   *What do you remember most about this year: About 99? Eh...nothing really, i forget easily...   *Favorite TV Show: Oh...just one???? Dharma & Greg...or maybe OLD X-files! Also documentaries and art/fashion/design shows...   *What's on your mouse pad: Cepus Data www.cepus.se (it's not mine) I don't have a mousepad for my own puter...it's a laptop so it's built in... *In the car... A/C or Open Windows?: Both   *Favorite Game: board or computer? Board: Operation (it's not as pervy as it sounds!!!) Puter:...soo many, i really like Zelda!   *Favorite Magazine: Sleazenation, The Face (altho i HATE the photography innit, too hyped!), art/fashion/design mags... and various zines! *Favorite Alcoholic Drink: Guinness or Cider & Blackcurrant *Favorite Non-Alcoholic Drink: Coke!!! and water, i drink 3 litres of water everyday!! (that's why i pee alot, he he) *Favorite Sound: Rain! the ocean too! *Favorite Smell: My perfume oil Oceanus, i don't wear it alot now, but when i do i get flashbacks of Belfast :) And my Vanilla perfume oil, when i smell that i get flashbacks from  my highschool time (ofcourse out of school activities, i've boxed up all school memories in the back of my head!!) And i like the smell of my dog when she's freshly bathed, and Hannes' smell... *Worst Feeling in the world: Beeing depressed, i mean really depressed, so they have to put you in councelling and on medication! And anxiety attacks, panic attacks...ugh! *Best Feeling in the world: Beeing in love. Managing things on my own, showing my dad and his parents that i am worth something, that i do really well on my own, not needing their help, showing them that they are all assholes!!!!! *Favorite thing to do on weekends: Stay on the computer, write letters & poetry, read... *Favorite Soundtrack: I really like the Empire Records soundt. And Carmina Burana (eh, i guess it's actually opera)...Le Grand Bleu... *How do you see yourself in 10 yrs.: Living somewhere else than Sweden!!! Working as a photographer...   *Do you get motion sickness: I never used to, but it's starting now, i even have to eat pills when i'm going on longer car trips, i can manage short trips, but i still feel really sick tho... :( *What's the first thing you thought when you woke up this morning: I don't think i even had a thought, i was dead as a zombie!! But probably...Oh, noooo, not morning!! Not yeeeet....   *Pen or Pencil? Rotring Rapidograph pen...it costs bloody £20 but they are oh so worth it!! The best pen ever (i'm not a designer pen freak, but i need them for my art!) *Future Son's Name: Noah or Callum or maybe Callum-Noah *Future Daughter's Name: Kayla or Towe...wow you know, i have a thing for names, and i collect wierd ones, write them down in a book...i have sooo many... I also like Ruska which means fall-glow in finish. I also like Saoirse (irish) *Chocolate or Vanilla Cake: Chocolate *Do you drive: No, i bike! Ha ha ha... *Do you sleep w/a stuffed animal?: They're in my bed, this dog i've had since i was little, and a Care Bear...i don't cuddle with them, but they can stay in my bed... *If you could meet one person, living or dead.. who would it be? Living, it would have to be Courtney, i miss her... Dead it would have to be...i dunno, Jayne Mansfield maybe, or Nancy Spungen (i would bring Courtney with me to see her, for we both love her)...or ANDY WARHOL!!! The whole Factory gang!! or...or...or... *What's your Zodiac Sign?: Aries *What do you wear to bed?: T-shirt or a slip *Do you eat stems of broccoli?: I'm a vegetarian, so i eat all of the broccoli...   *If you could have any occupation, when you get older what would it be?: Well...i'm working on becoming a photographer! *If you could dye your hair one colour what would it be?: If i didn't dye my hair it would be naturally red-brown... I haven't had my natural haircolor since i was like 12... People say too much hair dyeing will make your hair fall out...They're all lying, believe me, i would be bald by now if they were right!!   *If you could have one tattoo, what & where would it be?: I have three black tribal ones...left upperarm, right underarm and right side of the collarbone... *Favorite Brand of Gum?: Any brand as long as it tastes fresh and the taste lasts long! *Favorite Quote?: "Who knows where thoughts come from, they just appear!" Lucas is Empire Records *Have you ever been in love?: Yes *What's on the walls in your bedroom?: Lotsa stuff... A photo-art-thing i made, a indonesian balsawood mask, bookshelves, photos of friends (and i mean like a million of pix, in and out of frames), faerie pictures by Amy Brown, some prints that my friend Vicki made in art school... *Is the glass half full or empty: Empty *Pick a song that describes you: The Perfect Girl by Cure (and i'm not saying i'm perfect...just read the lyrix and you'll know: "You're such a strange girl, i think u come from another world. You're such a strange girl, i really don't understand a word. You're such a strange girl, i want to shake you around and around. You're such a strange girl, i want to turn you all upside down. You're such a strange girl, the way you look like u do. You're such a strange girl, i want to be with you..." Someone once said the song reminded her of me...) *Which do you prefer, Nacho Cheese or Cool Ranch Doritos?: I dunno, don't even have them here... *Favorite Snapple: I never remember the names, but it's purple/plum coloured...oh, wait, that's Fruitopia, not Snapple... *Favorite Movies: Empire Records (i know every word in it!) Rocky Horror Picture Show (know every word in it!), The Craft, B.S. Dracula...oh, Labyrinth is probably my abs. fave!!!! loads more!   *Coke or Pepsi?: I'm a coke-aholic, so Coke!!! But not british coke, it's got a lame taste... *If you were to kill someone, which method would you choose: Pills (do u know if u giva a cat aspirin it'll die, half a pill is enough... No i'm not a wierdo, i just heard it on the tv once...)   *Are you a righty, lefty or ambidextrous?: I am what? Is this about polictics???? I'm left...social democratic... *Do you type with your fingers on the right keys? Both, but i type faster when i don't have to give a damn about the right fingers on right keys...   *When you meet a person of the same sex, what do you first notice? Well, i can't help it, but i look at the attitude before bodyparts! I guess when people meet me, they all think i'm a bitch at first, cuz i can get really cold and evil, and if they can handle me or if they are like me, i like them... So i try to find out if they're like me the first thing i do... If i don't like the person, i can just sit and stare evil-y (is that even a word) at them... I'm not a bitch, really, i just have strange ways, he he... But i can be really sweet too...oh, sorry, this question wasn't about me...   *If you could do anything to the person you hated most, what would you do? I'm not a violent person, so i would probably just stare at the person with my most evil look and hope she/he would drop dead by it... *Which do prefer: Mud or Jell-O wrestling?: Jell-O would be fun!   *What's under your bed?: Dust, dust and some...dust... *What's your dream car?: Don't have one, but if i ever get a license to drive (i haven't even tried) i'd like some old strange model or a London Cab...he hee, i could never drive a new car, not even a semi-new...   *Favorite Holiday: Holiday as in vacation or season? Vacation: to some big city... Season: Halloween... *Say something nice about the person who sent this to you: Hmmm...he he, okay... You're a nice person, funny, i like to talk to you on the chat... ... what can i say, haven't known you for so long...

Hey! I've gotten these things before and passed along to all my friends, so this time i'm just sending it back to you... Hope i haven't wrecked your image about me, by answering these questions, he he...?

-izan xo