#ftf: all

[corimmy]

And I'm speechless, starin' at you, standin' there, in that dress. || Zammy

WHO: @zachwilde, @corimmy

WHERE: Immy's house

WHEN: The 14th of November

WHY: Immy comes home with a present for Zach, and they have some big talks with Malea

WARNINGS: Mentions of violence.

Immy CortesImmy couldn't even express how proud she was of Zach for the news about his show. It was obvious to anyone who had seen it that it deserved to be made into a show and then some, but she beamed with pride whenever she thought about it, and thought about them. Her partner, her person, her love, and he was so incredible. She'd stopped on her way home from work to buy them a gift, though she didn't know how they'd feel about it. They'd discussed on Halloween how Zach wanted a little black dress, and Immy figured they'd want to pick one out for themselves, but as she drove by a little boutique, she couldn't quite stop herself, deciding that if they wanted to pick out their own, they could have two. 

Walking in through the front door, she gave Malea a kiss, then Han a scratch on the head, before taking Zach's hand, "Come with me," She whispered, placing a kiss on their lips as well, before tugging them towards the bedroom. "I have something for you." She said, holding the wrapped box out to them once they were alone. She'd had the lady at the store wrap it in the prettiest gold wrapping paper she'd ever seen, with a giant, and intricate, hand tied bow in light pink ribbon around it. "If you don't like it, that's okay. I just saw it and I couldn't resist and I just wanted to get you something to celebrate you and how amazing you are and your amazing news. And I just-" She cut herself off, kissing him again, "I love you so much, and I'm so proud of you, of your work, and of who you are, and I just hope you know that."

zach wildeZach was thrilled when Immy pulled him into their bedroom, and even more so when she held out a present for him. The wrapping was done beautifully, and he grinned as he took it from her. He was about to ask what he'd done to deserve a present, but then she started talking. Love bloomed in his chest, and he couldn't help the fact that he already felt like crying. Whatever the present may be, he knew he would be crying soon. "Baby.." he smiled, immediately setting it on the bed so he could carefully open it, not wanting to mess up the wrapping at all. 

When they finally opened it, they found a black dress inside. Zach gasped, and immediately held it up to look at it. Tears filled their eyes, and they just held it against their chest for a moment. They'd wanted a dress for awhile now, but had just been too afraid to buy one. They also had this fear that Immy wouldn't want to see him in a dress - which was ridiculous but an anxiety of theirs nonetheless. "I don't know what to say," Zach breathed out, laughing happily as tears fell down their cheeks. They wrapped their arms around Immy, holding her close and then kissing her several times. "God, I love you. You're fucking perfect, you know that? I don't deserve you, or this. This is so thoughtful, Im.." They couldn't help their smile as they lifted it up again. "Should I try it on?"

Immy CortesShe watched him, her hand on her face to try to contain her smile. She stepped closer, letting them pull her in before wiping their tears away. “You deserve the world, baby. You deserve everything you’ve ever wanted, and all of the things that you haven’t even thought to want yet. When I said that I’m so proud of you, I mean it. I am so proud of everything single piece of who are, and I am so proud that I get to call you mine, and that you trust me enough to tell me things like how you’ve always wanted a dress.” She sat on the bed in front of them, “I am so in awe of you, or who are you, despite everything. I love you so much.” 

She nodded when they asked if they should try it on, “Yeah, I mean I’d be a little offended if you didn’t. But if you don’t like the style or anything, that’s okay! I wasn’t really sure what your style is and I figured if you didn’t like this one we could return it and go together so you can pick out one that you do like. “

zach wildeZach immediately started taking off his clothes, ready to try on the dress already. He couldn't stop grinning as he slipped into the dress, already feeling a sense of euphoria that he couldn't quite explain. It felt good. He let out an excited laugh, but felt somewhat nervous to turn towards Immy to show her. Zach turned slowly anyway, blush hot on his cheeks. "How do I look?" He asked quietly, hoping that even though she had bought this for him, that she would like how he looked in it. 

They walked over towards the mirror to look at themselves, and they were taken aback. Their muscles stood out against the dress, and it really made their arms look big. The thing was, though, looking the way they did in a dress was exactly what made them feel euphoric. "Holy shit, I'm hot, aren't I?"

Immy CortesImmy stayed quiet as Zach changed into the dress, wanting to see their reaction before giving her own, she didn’t want to influence the way they felt in anyway. It was hard to keep her reaction neutral when they asked how they looked, but as Zach walked to the mirror, Immy couldn’t help her own tears from escaping her. 

Coming up behind them, she reached out for Zach’s hand, not wanting to invade the image in the mirror so he could fully enjoy it but just so he knew she was there. “You look incredible,” she finally said, wiping her tears away with her free hand. “And you look happy, and definitely hot.” Finally she stepped closer, one hand cupping their cheek as she kissed them. “I’m so in love with you.”

zach wildeZach felt a range of emotions, but the one that he was most focused on was how much he loved Immy. It was such an incredible thing to be loved by her - she saw him, and not many people had. Thinking back to his past relationships, none of them had ever held a candle to this. He was sure that no one had ever loved him like this, and he felt like the luckiest man alive because of it. There were more tears falling, and when she kissed him, he completely leaned into it. Zach smiled into the kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist to bring her as close as possible. 

"Halloween felt good, but this is... different. This is more me. I don't know if I'll be confident enough to wear this out of the house yet, but... Fuck, babe. I love you so much. Do you know what this means to me?" They asked her, tears filling their eyes once again. Zach turned towards the mirror, Immy standing next to them now. It felt empowering to see them standing there together like that, and they couldn't help the grin on their face. "This is the happiest I've felt in a really long time, I hope you know that."

Immy CortesImmy just let Zach talk, she didn’t want to interrupt, just wanted them to process their emotions. She’d never been in a position like this to know how they were feeling, but she wanted to be as supportive as possible. Immy gave them one more kiss before moving towards the closet, “A dress like that needs accessories,” she said, opening her jewelry box and pulling out a few different necklaces for Zach to choose from. “I don’t think I have any rings or bracelets that will fit you, but we can always buy some.” She said before stepping further into the closet and coming back with a sheer black shawl the go over his shoulders. 

Stepping back into the view of the mirror she held the necklaces up, choosing one with a longer chain, and a pendant with white and black diamonds that would land a couple inches above the neckline of the dress. She walked behind them, clasping the necklace on, and then wrapping the shawl around his arms just below his shoulders. “We’ll have to get you some shoes, too.” Immy stood on her toes so she could place a kiss against their bare shoulder. “You like this dress was made for you, baby. And if you don’t want to wear it out of the house yet, or ever, that’s okay. And if you do want to wear it out of the house, then I’ll be so proud to stand next to you while you do.” She hoped she was assuring them that they had nothing to be ashamed of, if Aaron’s voice was running through head right now that he was dead wrong. “Should we show Malea?” She asked, biting her lip, “Or are you not ready for that yet? It’s totally up to you, baby.”

zach wildeZach had never had a safe space like Immy. Sure, she was a person, but she was his safe place. There was nowhere else that Zach had felt like he could truly and completely be himself other than with Immy by his side. She started adorning him with different accessories, and he just sat there as if he was a doll and was more than happy to just let her do what she thought was best with the dress. He finally looked at himself with everything that Immy had added and grinned. "This definitely makes the whole outfit. If it weren't for you, I would've just worn the dress. Actually, if it weren't for you.. I would've never gotten the dress." He let out a shiver when she kissed his shoulder. He wondered what would happen if Aaron would ever see him like this -- he knew that he would beat him bloody, to the point where no one would recognize him. Honestly, Zach was sure that he'd kill him. He shook himself out of his thoughts, realizing that throughout this whole thing he'd been rather quiet. He was taking in this feeling and enjoying every single second of it. Aaron didn't need to be on his mind, not at all. 

At the mention of Malea, Zach perked up. All thoughts of not being good enough, not looking good enough in the dress and Aaron dissipated. "God, I've love to show her, are you kidding?" Before they left the room, though, they wrapped their arms around Immy and kissed her. They let it linger, just holding her close. "I'm so in love with you. I hope you know that. I've never felt more myself with anyone in my entire life. I feel.. god," Zach laughed, blushing a bit. "Beautiful. That might sound stupid." 

He made his way out of the room, going towards the living room where Malea had been playing. "Wanna see something crazy?" Zach asked, and she finally looked up and took in his appearance. He felt more confident around her, and so he did a spin and started posing for her. "Your mommy got me a dress. I feel so pretty. What do you think about it?"

Immy Cortes She kissed him back happily, wanting nothing more than them to feel this happy every day. It was what she wanted more than anything, was Zach - and Malea of course - to spend the rest of their lives happy. “It doesn’t sound stupid. You look beautiful, and even more than that, you are beautiful, inside and out, you are the most beautiful person I’ve ever known.”

Immy followed behind Zach quietly to the living room, grinning at Malea when she looked up. Malea narrowed her eyes at Zach, more in confusion than anything, and without a hint of malice in her voice she giggled. “You look so pretty, Zachy! I didn’t know boys could wear dresses, though!” She shrugged, looking at Immy, “How come boys never wear dresses to school?” She asked. 

Immy made her way to Malea sat on the floor and slid down next to her. “Well, boys can wear dresses if they want, but sometimes some people don’t like when boys wear dresses. Those people are stinky and we don’t like them.” Immy scrunched up her nose, “Everyone should be able to wear whatever they want as long as they’re covering all of their private parts.” Immy let out a sigh, pulling Malea into her lap, hoping that Malea would understand the conversation they were about to have, and hoping Zach would jump in if Immy said anything wrong. 

Immy took two pieces of Maleas coloring paper and laid them out in front of them, leaving a large space between them. “But you know what, Zach isn’t really just a boy, did you know that?” And Malea rolled her eyes, “I know, because he’s a grown up so he’s a man.” Immy let out a soft laugh and nodded, “You’re right but that’s not really what I mean. See there are girls,” she said, plopping some of the crayons Malea had been using down on one piece of paper, and then some more on the other “And there are boys. And when we’re born we get put into or the other, but sometimes when we get older, we start to realize that maybe girl or boy isn’t what feels right for us. So sometimes people who were out in the girl category realize that actually they feel more like a boy, or sometimes boys will realize they feel more like girls. And sometimes some people feel like they’re more in the middle somewhere.” Immy moved crayons back and forth on the papers as she explained, now laying a few throughout the space in the center. “Some people feel like they’re a boy and a girl, or maybe that they’re neither, or maybe that they’re mostly a boy but some parts of being a girl make more sense to them.” She looked down to make sure Malea was following as she tried to simplify it as much as possible. “Zachy was told he was a boy when he was born but sometimes he feels like more in the middle. So boys can wear dresses, and sometimes people who feel in the middle wear dresses, too.” 

Immy stopped there, trying to let Malea take it in before she continued. Malea looked up at Zach, her head tilted to one side as she tried to understand everything Immy had just said. “But you said that if I wanted you to be my Daddy that you would be, but you can’t be my Daddy if you’re not a boy, can you?”

zach wildeZach had been grateful that Immy had taken the lead with answering the questions first. He listened intently to all the questions Malea had asked, and even moreso when Immy had answered them. He stood there, falling more in love with her than he ever thought that he could. He watched as she used crayons to explain gender, and smiled as he saw Malea take in all the information. Everything that Immy had said was perfect. When Malea finally directed a question at him, he slowly went to his knees so that he could sit with them on the floor. He wasn't used to moving around in a dress and he had no idea how to sit properly. 

"I can always be your Daddy," Zach told her, reaching out so they could move the hair out of her face. "Everyone's different. Maybe someone who felt like me wouldn't want to be called Daddy, but I would. I would like that a lot, actually." The fact that she asked had meant a lot to them - they wondered if it was something that possibly was on Malea's mind lately. "For me, I feel mostly like a boy. But also a little bit of the middle, like your mommy said. And sometimes I just want to wear a pretty dress. Like now," they gestured to themselves, smiling. "Do you have any other questions for me, sweetheart?"

Immy CortesImmy could only hope that what she said to Malea was right, and was grateful when Zach spoke. Malea nodded at Zach’s answer, seeming satisfied that she could still call them her dad if she wanted. She shrugged when asked if she had any other questions, “I think you look pretty in a dress.” She said, though it wasn’t a question, Immy smiled, giving her a kiss on the top of her head. “Wait!” She shouted, standing quickly from Immy’s lap and running down the hall to her room. Immy watched after her, curious when she’d be back. 

Immy scooted closer to Zach, kissing them deeply and hoping they were still feeling just as confident in their dress now as they did looking in the mirror. Malea came stumbling back into her room with a tiara and big clip on dress up earrings, “If you want to look pretty you have to go all out.” Immy couldn’t help but laugh at how similar Malea sounded to herself just a few minutes before. Malea placed the tiara on Zach’s head and then added the earrings. 

“That’s very nice of you, Malea. Zach looks great, don’t they?” And Malea nodded, sitting back in Immy’s lap now. “Hey, can I ask you something, Malea?” She asked, one hand reaching out to squeeze Zach’s hand now. “Why did you ask if you could still call Zach your daddy if you wanted to? Is that what you want to call him Daddy instead of Zachy?” Malea looked from Immy to Zach and back at Immy again. “Well, I do want him to be my Daddy, but I also like that you’re my Zachy, but I always wanted a Daddy, and Zachy is the best and would be the best Daddy.”

zach wildeZach just sat there as Malea adorned him with a tiara and clip-on earrings, the grin on his face starting to make his cheeks feel sore. His mind was still on the fact that she asked if he could still be his Daddy, but he chuckled anyway. "Thank you, sweetie. I look much better now. Maybe you can do my make up and nails one day?" He offered, and when Immy reached out to hold his hand, he intertwined their fingers together, tugging her a little bit closer to him. He was thankful that Immy had brought it up again, but wasn't expecting Malea's answer. She wanted him to her Daddy. He let go of Immy's hand and scooped Malea into his arms, giving her the biggest hug in the world. He laughed at her confusion, but he didn't care. 

Finally, Zach put her down and then kissed the top of her head. "Malea, there's nothing more that I want than to be your Daddy. You know, I'll always be your Zachy even when I'm your Daddy. That's never going to change, okay?" Zach looked over at Immy, hoping that they were saying the correct things. "You can call me both. Daddy and Zachy. Even Daddy Zachy if you like that. How does that sound, baby?" There were tears in their eyes, and their voice was a little wobbly, but they hoped that Malea didn't notice. Everything in their life was so perfect, and they couldn't ask for anything more - this right here, this was what Zach had always wanted.

Immy CortesImmy watched in silence as Zach spoke to Malea, pulling her knees up to chest and hugging herself to try and keep from crying. There was no one in the world that would make a better father than Zach, to anyone. And this was a thing that Immy almost never even let herself dream of, finding someone who loved Malea as much as she did, but Zach absolutely did. He loved her from the moment he met her, and Immy felt like deep down she knew Zach was meant to be Malea’s father. 

Still, the decision was Malea’s, and while she’d prompted her by asking, she wasn’t going to encourage her one way or another, she only wanted Malea to be comfortable. Malea seemed to be thinking for a while after Zach spoke. “Hey bug, there’s no wrong answer, okay. You can call Zachy whatever feels right to you, okay?” Malea nodded, her eyes darting between Immy and Zach. “I just think that I just only want to call you Daddy. I still want you to be my Zachy but I don’t want to call you Zachy. Is that okay?”

zach wildeZach couldn't help himself, and the tears immediately started falling. She wanted to call him Daddy. Just Daddy. He nodded, outwardly crying. "I'm sorry, honey. These are happy tears. You can call me daddy and I'll still be your Zachy. Whatever you want, okay?" He wiped away the tears, and brought her in for another hug. He wrapped his arms around her, and then motioned Immy to join them in a group hug. "Family group hug," Zach said, a wide smile on his face. He held both of his girls close, knowing that nothing else in the world could make him this happy. He had already viewed Malea as a daughter, but her accepting him as a dad - that meant the world to him. More than anything.

Immy CortesImmy didn’t hesitate to join the hug, wrapping her arms around both of them. She hadn’t expected tonight to go this way, but who could have expected this? It was beyond her wildest dream. Twice night she’d seen a look on Zach’s face of pure happiness, and she would do anything she could to keep seeing them look like that. She gave Zach a kiss, before kissing Malea on the top of her head. “This is the perfect family.” She whispered, resting her head against Zach’s shoulder, unwilling to pull away from either of them just yet.

[mir-iamwilde]

Aren't you scared? Well, that's just fine. || DAMIDGE

WHO: @dannyssylvester, @mir-iamwilde

WHERE: Midge's Apartment

WHEN: The 31st of October, before and then after the halloween party

WHY: Danny and Midge get ready for the party, then come back to Midge's afterwards. Danny shares some personal information, and then Midge gets vulvernable.

WARNINGS: Mentions of kidnapping, violence, religion. Sex, NSFW

Midge WildeStepping out of the shower, Midge was kind of excited for her costume. She knew she was going to look great in it, but it was surprisingly low maintenance for her. She didn't even have to blow dry her hair, just brush and braid it. Which is exactly what she decided to do first as she stepped out of the bathroom and into her bedroom, still wrapped in her towel as she sat down at the chair in front of her mirror and began brushing her hair. "You know," She said, turning to Danny, "You could have joined me in there, I wouldn't have minded." She teased, winking over at him as she began to put her hair into a french braid.

Danny SylvesterIt was Halloween already, never Danny's thing, but he liked to dress up hot whenever he could so this definitely counted. He'd got his pants on so far, and pulled on his shirt but hadn't buttoned it up yet. Too busy getting distracted by the very gorgeous woman who's house he was in. "I know," He replied as Midge came back into the bedroom. "But I didn't want us to be late, we would have definitely got sidetracked." Even though he said that, he still stood up and placed a kiss onto Midge's shoulder, before moving to look at his accessories for his costume. "I feel like this is going to come in handy tonight." Danny waved his whip at her, a smirk on his face.

Midge WildeMidge grinned at his answer, letting her fingers tangle into his hair when he kissed her shoulder, "Babe, it's a party, not a wedding, you don't have to show up on time." She grinned, standing when she'd finished her hair to look at what he was holding. Midge walked over to where he stood, her hands adventuring to his abs, enjoying his open shirt. "I'm confused," She said, her face innocent as she met his eyes, "What could you possibly use that for?" She bit her lip as she tilted her head, as if trying to understand, "Maybe I need a demonstration..."

Danny Sylvester"Well in that case." Danny muttered and pulled Midge into a kiss as she began to touch him. He quickly pulled back and grinned at her. "A demonstration? I don't know... Are you sure you don't want to go straight to the party?" But he unfurled the whip and wrapped it around Midge's back to pulled her closer and kiss her hard. "If you want a full demonstration you'll have to get on the bed. And then I'd tie you up and then eat you out, but not let you come, just leave you hanging and keep teasing you, but you can't touch yourself." He nipped at her bottom lip. "And maybe I have a few other ideas too."

Midge WildeMidge let her eyes slide closed when he spoke, the images running through her mind caused her to let out a soft moan as her hips ground slightly against his on instinct. “Please,” she whispered, her hands still roaming his upper body. She couldn’t seem to resist him and didn’t care how long it took to get to the party, “You can’t tell me something like that and then leave me hanging, baby.” She said, her fingers tangling into his hair, not caring that her towel was coming loose around her on its own, “I need follow through.”

Danny SylvesterDanny just chuckled and brushed his lips gently against hers, teasing her. "Are you sure? Everyone will be waiting for us at the bar." He looked down to see that Midge's towel was starting to come off and he reached forward to pull it away from her body, mouth watering at what he saw. "We have all the time in the world after the party though." And he pressed hot kisses to her neck. "And at the party."

Midge WildeShe couldn't explain how much she didn't care about anyone who was waiting for them, but she could tell that Danny did, and she could wait. Waiting was half the fun. Midge laughed as he pulled her towel away, letting her arms rise up at her sides as she turned around to give him the full view. "All the time in the world, huh? You promise? Because I want you to take your time tonight." She grinned, her fingers tangling into his hair, "I think I might make you wait until after, maybe tonight at the party you can look but you don't get to touch, what do you think about that?"

Danny SylvesterAs she turned around and showed off her body to him, Danny smirked and slapped her ass lightly before she turned back around. "Oh don't worry, I will take my time tonight, if you're a good girl that is." He leant down to peck her lips a few times before pulling back. "You know you drive me crazy when you tease me. But I like the sound of that challenge honestly." His hands soon found their way back to her ass. "Not gonna lie though I'm going to be staring at your ass all night baby."

______________________________ Midge WildeComing home from the party, she hadn’t really had the fun time she’d envisioned. It wasn’t that she’d had a bad time, but the night seemed to feel heavier and heavier as it went on, and by the time she found her way back to Danny, she was just ready to leave and be alone with him. After hearing about his fight with Zach, the last bit of her energy seemed to drain out of her and she was ready to just sink into him. Entering her apartment she made her way straight to the fridge for some water, before turning to warp her arms Danny’s neck, her free hand tangling into his hair before removing his hat and placing it on her own head instead. Midge gave him a soft kiss, “Thanks for coming home with me.”

Danny SylvesterWhere he thought he was going to have a really fun time tonight with Midge and win the couples costume contest, but that certainly didn't happen. It was a bad time all around, with weird conversations and an almost fist fight, caused by him of course, and now he just felt slightly deflated. But luckily there was one little light in his life right now, Midge was still here. She was a good distraction, and was all over him straight away. Smiling softly as she put his hat on, he kissed her gently. "Thanks for inviting me back. Means a lot."

Midge WildeShe frowned, knowing his night hadn’t been great, not that hers had been either, but she wanted so badly to see him smiling like he usually did. She placed kisses along his jawline, “Baby, come here,” she whispered, taking his hands to lead him to the couch. She gently pushed him down on the couch before straddling him. Instead of rushing to take their clothes off like she normally would though, laid herself down on top of him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “You wanna tell me what’s on your mind?”

Danny SylvesterHe couldn't deny it, but Danny melted every time she called him baby. With a small smile, he let her lead him to the couch and he sat down. As she straddled him, he did expect it to be the start to sex, so he was definitely surprised when she wanted him to talk. "I'm sorry I ruined our night." He frowned and sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know, I just... You mean a lot to me, you know that right? I've never felt a connection with anyone like this before." And he looked deep in her eyes, trying to convey everything he felt. "But you don't know the real me. And I think we need to change that."

Midge Wilde“You didn’t ruin anything, my night still looks pretty good,” she smiled, gesturing to them sitting together on the couch. She nodded when he said she meant a lot to him, though she tried to deny it to herself, she knew whatever this was with Danny was deeper than just great sex, it was deeper than anything she’d felt. Midge frowned as he continued, anxiety spiking in her chest at his words, “What do you mean? What are you talking about?”

Danny SylvesterHis smile was soft, and so was the kiss and he leant up to press his lips to her. Danny could see that Midge was getting a little tense, so he reached up and held onto her arms, rubbing them to sooth her. "Sorry that did sound a little ominous." He swallowed a lump in his throat and took another deep breath. "This is going to sound crazy, I can't deny that, it took me a while to wrap my head around it." With a sigh, he got himself settled better on the couch. "Originally I was led to believe that I was adopted by Sue Sylvester. But I wasn't. I was kidnapped. You ever hear the story about Daniel Schuester? The baby that got kidnapped, that's me. And I have been living a lie my whole life and it is eating me alive."

Midge WildeShe sat up as he spoke, trying not to show her disbelief on her face. For a moment, she sat silently, just trying to take in what he'd just said. "What?" She finally spoke, her voice so low she didn't know if he'd even hear it. She wasn't sure if this was some kind of Halloween prank, or what, but she also couldn't imagine why Danny would come up like a story like this. "What?" She repeated, finally meeting his eyes, "How is that possible? You said originally you were lead to believe, so when did you find this all out?"

Danny SylvesterDanny just nodded slowly, his face sad. "Yeah... yeah it's true, it's all real." He rested his head against the back of the couch as he reflected back on bad memories. "About twelve years ago." And he shook his head. "I had been at home searching for my birth certificate and instead found lots of information about the real me and what happened... I flipped out, asked Sue and she confirmed it, and then I ran. That was my biggest mistake and regret. I left and didn't tell my siblings anything. Disappeared for twelve years and turned up like two months ago because I decided to tell them the truth." He finally looked at her now. "I'd been through so much shit and had just given up, I needed to come home."

Midge WildeShe didn’t know what to say, and instead just stared at him. She should have had a million questions, but her mind was blank, just trying to take in what he was saying. “What kind of shit?” She finally asked, wanting to make sure he knew he could tell her everything. “What about your birth parents, do they know?”

Danny SylvesterThe first question had caught him off guard and he paused. "I got arrested a few times, Sue bailed me out and then after the second time she said she wouldn't any more. So the third time I was in jail for just over three years." She was the first person he'd actually explained this too other than Penny. "Then after I was released I struggled to get a job and I ended up homeless for two years." Danny's brows furrowed deep. "That was hard. Really hard. I thought I was going to die, I was really ill at one point." Then he shook his head. "That doesn't matter though. And no they don't, I'm just trying to get to know my siblings a little better first."

Midge WildeHe had mentioned some of his past to her before on their date, how it was difficult to get a job because of it, but he hadn’t provided as many details. Staring at him, she ran her fingers through his hair, hoping to be some kind of comfort, “I’m sorry you had to go through all of that.” She whispered, “I hope you know that that never has to happen again, you’re stuck with me now, so you’ve always got a place to stay, okay? And someone to bail you out.” Midge sighed, leaning forward to give him a soft kiss, “I think that’s smart, I can’t imagine what navigating all of this has been like for you, baby, but just know I’m here for you, okay? Whatever happens, whatever you decide to do, I’m going to be here, okay?”

Danny SylvesterAs Midge ran her fingers through his hair, Danny sighed and leant into her touch. "It's okay." He muttered, the only thing he had the energy to do was shrug. Her words sunk in and he looked over at her, unable to find the right words to say, so he just nodded, many thoughts and feelings overwhelming him. He knew that Penny would never kick him out, but to know he had another place to stay if he needed it just made the heaviness in his chest ease slightly. "Why are you so good to me?" He asked against her lips, desperate to kiss her. "Penny is friends with some of them so I can go to her for help with telling them." Danny tried a small smile and nodded. "I know. Thank you."

Midge WildeBecause you deserve to be treated well.” She said, her voice serious, her answer matter of fact. Midge nodded, she wanted to listen for as long as he wanted to talk, but she also wanted to feel close to him, closer than she felt right now. She wanted to try and make his night better, to show him that she cared about him in the only way she really knew how, so she leaned forward again, kissing him as her hands cupped his face. She deepened the kiss, knowing that if he needed to talk more he would. Still she pulled away to rest her forehead against his, “You deserve so much better than what you’ve been given, baby.” She whispered, her hands roaming his body now as she placed kisses along his jawline, “I want to give you everything you deserve.”

Danny Sylvester"I don't." Danny replied, his voice barely a whisper so he wasn't sure whether she'd hear him or not. But then they were kissing again, and this time he allowed himself to get lost in it. As their foreheads rested together, he sighed, Midge was trying her best to cheer him up and he just kept pushing her away. Reaching up, he took his hat off her head and threw it aside so he could run his fingers through her hair. He didn't say another word, and just pressed his lips desperately against hers.

Midge WildeShe deepened the kiss, just wanting him. She didn’t feel the need to try and impress him, or make stupid comments, she just wanted to be as close to him as she could get. She sat up, just enough to take her top off, before moving closer again, her lips leaving a trail down his neck as she unbuttoned his shirt, allowing her fingers to trail along his bare skin as she went. “Danny,” she whispered, meeting his eyes again. “Take me to the bed.” It wasn’t that they couldn’t have sex on the couch, but it didn’t feel intimate enough tonight, she wanted more than just to be fucked by him, though she couldn’t put what she wanted into words, it felt like it needed a bed, and a closeness that the couch didn’t offer.

Danny SylvesterHe smiled as she pulled back to take her shirt off, letting his eyes roam over her upper body. His hands moved to cup her breasts, squeezing gently and then moving away so she could unbutton his shirt. Pressing his lips against hers again, he grabbed her hips and pulled her closer to him on his lap. But as Midge spoke, Danny looked at her and nodded, glad that she felt the same as he did. He didn't want to fuck her today, he wanted to spend some intimate time with her. Hooking his arms under her legs, Danny scooped her into his arms and picked her up, carrying her to her room, and gently placing her on her bed.

Midge WildeShe held onto him as he carried her, and then pulled him down on top of her when he laid her down. Midge began kissing him again, pushing his shirt off his shoulders now and down his arms. “Danny, I-…” she started to say something she was sure to regret, but the words love you almost tumbled out of her mouth without a thought. She didn’t know if it was even possible for her to be in love with anyone, but she did love Danny, as a person she loved him, but she couldn’t say that, not when they were about to have sex, not when she wasn’t even sure how she meant it. “I need you, baby.” She whispered, trying to cover up for her almost slip as she kissed along his jaw again.

Danny SylvesterHe was pulled down on top of her and he grinned into the kiss. Midge had definitely made him feel better by just being her, but he couldn't deny that sex would help too. But it was different, with Midge, even though he didn't feel like he was worthy of what she said to him, she did make everything better. His heart was thumping hard in his chest as he took a moment to look down at her. What was this? He had never been this soft and intimate with anyone like this before. So why Midge? Why was she different? She spoke and he nodded again at her request, kissing her once more. "I'm right here baby, I'm not going anywhere." And he tilted his head so she could kiss his jaw.

Midge WildeShe let his words echo through her, but didn’t say anything back. She didn’t need to, she just let the sounds they made fill the room instead. Midge reached down to undo her shorts, pulling them down with her panties and then kicked them the rest of the way off, leaving herself completely naked. She wasted no time moving to his pants, undoing them and pushing them down, leaving the rest to him to kick off. Midge kissed him again, her hands wrapping around his shoulders as she pulled him closer. She didn’t want all of the games and the teasing they usually had, she just wanted him as close to her as he possibly could be.

Danny SylvesterAs Midge took her clothes off and lay there naked in front of him, Danny pressed his lips to wherever he could on her body, feeling himself getting hard. Then his pants were coming off and he dragged his boxers down his legs before throwing them to the floor. They were pressed so closely together and he rolled his hips against her as they kissed. Danny reached down to stroke himself a few times before he pulled back from the kiss to look at her. "You ready?" He whispered softly.

Midge WildeShe let out a soft moan at the feeling of Danny's hips rolling into hers. Midge nodded, when he asked if she was ready, "Yeah, I'm ready." She whispered, letting herself relax back against the bed, her legs spreading to make sure he had plenty of room. She didn't know what this was, why this felt so different, but she felt like they were on the brink of something. Standing at the edge of a cliff that they were trying not to tumble over, and yet she also wanted to leap.

Danny SylvesterDanny gave her one last kiss before he lined himself up and slowly pushed in. He let out a soft gasp at the feeling and moved his head down to press his forehead against hers as he began to slowly rock his hips back and forth. Danny certainly wasn't used to this level of intimacy, it was soft and gentle, but honestly right now he wouldn't change it for anything, he wanted to be with Midge like this. Something had changed between them, but he just didn't know what. He moaned deeply as he pushed himself in further, but didn't get any quicker.

Midge WildeShe let out another moan at the feeling of him filling her, her hips rocking toward him in rhythm with his own. The pace he set was slow but it felt incredible, every movement felt magnified. Midge brought her hands up to cup his cheek with one, the other finding its way into his hair. She didn’t try to hide the moans that were escaping her with each thrust he made. Midge wanted to close her eyes, get lost in this feeling completely, but met Danny’s eyes instead. Everything felt so intimate, and she didn’t want to run from that for once. She didn’t know if he felt the same way, if he felt the same connection she was, but in the moment it didn’t matter, all that mattered was being there together. “Tell me something,” she whispered, longing to hear something that told her this was more than just in her head, that he could see the real her, that he thought she was beautiful, that he felt as vulnerable as she did in this moment, anything to tell her she wasn’t crazy for feeling this way.

Danny SylvesterHis eyes wanted to flutter shut as Midge ran her hand through his hair, but he kept them open needing to see all of her in this moment. There were a few soft groans from him as his pace picked up, and he pulled away so he could take a better look at her, laying there all for him and only for him. When Midge spoke, Danny's brows furrowed and he slowed himself down slightly as he stared at her. What did she want him to say? His heart was beating like crazy in his chest as he opened his mouth, he didn't want to say the wrong thing. But in the end, it came naturally to him. "You're so beautiful." And he brushed his lips against hers. "I care about you so much. I swear I do."

Midge WildeShe kept her hips moving in rhythm with his, watching him as he spoke. Midge pulled him closer so she could kiss him again. It was strange, the way she’d been naked in front of him plenty of times now, but had never felt this vulnerable, and yet, she’d also never felt this safe with anyone. Midge could feel her orgasm building already, “Baby,” she whispered, placing kisses along his jaw again, “I’m so close,” she added, her knees starting to shake a bit at the feeling. She couldn’t explain this, why she felt so exposed to him like this, she couldn’t hide behind her normal bravado and it terrified her, but Danny on top of her felt like a shield from all of the bad shit in the world that could hurt her.

Danny SylvesterHe moaned into the kiss, his rhythm picking up now as he was desperate for them both to come. His fingers traced all over her skin and moved down her body until he was gripping onto her hips. "Yeah..." Danny grunted slightly as he pushed in deeper. "Me too." He looked down at her, meeting her eyes and smiled softly. Everything he was feeling right now seemed to be amplified even more on this moment. And Danny cared about Midge so much, he knew he did, so why did this feel so different? "Come with me?" He asked, nearly at his peak. "Please come with me baby."

Midge WildeMidge nodded at his question, knowing she wouldn’t be able to hold off now even if she wanted to. She kissed him again, moaning into his mouth as she felt herself come undone, her hips rocking in rhythm with the waves of her orgasm now. She moaned again, her breathing ragged as her back arched off the bed, her toes curling into the blanket under her, and her hands grasped his arms, as if she needed to hold herself steady. Midge relaxed against the bed again as her orgasm slowed, trying to catch her breath. She didn’t want to move yet, didn’t want to lose the closeness, worried that somehow the vulnerability and the safeness of the whole thing would disappear as soon as the moment ended.

Danny SylvesterAs he saw Midge hit her peak, felt her tighten around him and heard her moan, Danny came too, his whole body shaking and feeling like it was on fire. It seemed very intense for Midge too and that spurred him on even more to keep moving his hips as they rode their orgasms out. Once they'd both came down from their high, panting hard, Danny moved down to kiss her softly, cupping her cheek. "That was incredible." He whispered and brushed his nose against hers. "Never felt anything like that before." He admitted.

Midge WildeShe let out a few shaky breaths before speaking, wanting to make sure she didn't say anything stupid. She brushed her fingers through his hair again, trying to keep herself in the moment, not let all of her fears and insecurities seep in and ruin this. "Me too." She finally whispered back, kissing him again. "Will you stay with me?" She finally asked, wanting him to spend the night, of course, but she knew that she meant that question with a deeper meaning, wondering if one day Danny would leave her, outgrow her. "I don't want to sleep alone." She added, hoping to cover up any double meaning to the question.

Danny SylvesterDanny nodded his head slowly at her request, but was confused to why she would even ask, of course he would stay with her, he'd stay forever if she asked. He pulled out slowly with a groan and dropped onto the bed next to her, gathering her into his arms. "I'm not leaving your side, I promise." Pressing a kiss to the back of her shoulder, he reached for one of her hands and tangled their fingers together. "Are you okay baby?" He whispered to her, trying to capture her lips as best as he could.

Midge WildeShe didn’t know why she let herself get so bothered all the time. They had just had a moment where everything felt so wonderful and then she had to remind herself that what goes up must come down before she even had a moment to enjoy it. But as Danny pulled her against himself she felt okay again, letting her body relax against his. She turned her head to kiss him back, then nodded. “I am now.” She whispered, “I think I just got scared for a second there, it sounds silly, I know.”

Danny Sylvester"That's good." He replied as he kissed her once more, before laying back down and moving to spoon her. Sure they'd had a lot of sex since they'd been hanging out together, but it was the moments like this that Danny felt were truly special, just the two of them together, holding each other and talking and really building a connection. He felt some sort of pounding in his chest, but he ignored it to focus on Midge. "What do you mean scared?" And he dipped his head to brush his lips against her neck. "That I'd leave?"

Midge WildeShe sighed, letting her free hand draw circles on the skin of his arm. "No," She whispered at his question, and then shrugged, "Or maybe." She didn't know what she was afraid of, she just felt like they were in a bubble that was about to pop for a minute and then he wrapped his arms around her and she felt better. She didn't know how to explain that. She let go of his hand, rolling over to face him now. "Usually it's so easy for me to be with someone physically. It's fun and it's easy and then when it's done, it's done. But when I'm with you I don't want it to just be done when it's done. I don't mean that I want to have more sex, I just..." She trailed off, her eyes wandering around the room instead of on him, trying to find the right words, "I feel like all the ways I'm usually so good at protecting myself are useless against you."

Danny SylvesterAs Midge rolled over to face him, Danny let her talk, but had a frown on his face as he listened. It didn't sound like a bad thing she was saying, but maybe it wasn't necessarily good because she seemed quite nervous and almost scared. But the other thing was that, he understood. He'd hook up with a girl and once they'd had sex he'd probably leave or just stay the night because it was convenient. With Midge his rules changed; he wanted to spend time with her, go out to dinner with her and hold her hand and buy her candy and cheer her up when she was sad. And it was terrifying. But as soon as he would look at her, that feeling in his chest and his stomach would settle. "You let your walls down around me. But I do the same, I like my walls down around you. Because I trust you, and care about you."

Midge WildeNodding at his words, she felt herself relax again. She was comforted by the way he understood her, even if the fact that they had that connection to understand her was part of what freaked her out. "Trusting someone means giving them a lot of power to hurt you." She finally said before placing a soft kiss on his lips, "I guess that's part of it, giving them the power to hurt you but trusting that they won't. And I do trust you, but then when I feel vulnerable I don't think I always trust myself, and I start thinking about..." She trailed off, trying to find the right words. "Like, just now, I was thinking that we just had this amazing moment where it felt like we were so connected, but then my first thought after was that at some point what goes up must come down, and you can't ride a high like that forever. It's like I can't just let myself enjoy something, I have to ruin it for myself, so I get scared."

Danny SylvesterDanny frowned but nodded, understanding completely. He had trusted the woman he thought was his mother, and she'd hurt him, in more ways than one, so now it was hard for him to trust anyone. But he trusted Midge as soon as he had met her, and to let her in was a huge step. "It sounds like you're getting in your own way of being happy. And I don't want you to do that, because you deserve to be happy." He leant his forehead against hers and tangled their fingers together, anything to try and comfort her. "There is bad with the good, there always will be. But you have to try and enjoy yourself and stay positive." He sighed a little, feeling deflated because he knew he wasn't really helping. "I care about you so much and I'm always going to be here, I promise you that, and I promise I'll never hurt you." Danny brushed some hair out of her face. "And you can talk to me about this and how you're feeling any time okay? I'm always here to listen to you."

Midge WildeShe nodded at his words, “I know. It’s not as dramatic as it all sounds, I just get in my head, but then when you said you were staying, I felt fine. I just need a little reassurance sometimes, I guess.” Midge kissed him, hoping he knew how much better he could make her feel just with his presence. “I don’t know how I got so lucky to have you in my life, and have you care about me the way you do, but I hope you know it’s mutual.”

Danny Sylvester "Then I will always reassure you Midge, whenever you need it." And Danny pulled her as close as he could as they kissed, letting her know that he was there and not leaving. "You're lucky? No way, I'm the luckiest guy in the world." He replied with a soft grin and kissed her nose. "But I know it's mutual. I struggle with accepting love and people actually liking me sometimes, but I know you care about me. You always know what to say or do to make me feel better."

[serenaxsmythe]

safe there in your arms (will we know when it feels right?) || serena & tina

TAGGING: Serena Smythe and Tina Cohen-Chang @psutina

LOCATION: Serena’s father’s villa in Dubai, overlooking the coastline

TIME FRAME: 10/03 morning

WARNINGS: None

SUMMARY: In the tranquil morning light of her father’s villa, Serena and Tina share a moment of quiet intimacy over breakfast. As they enjoy the view of the coastline, Tina feels the urge to define their relationship, wanting clarity on what they are. Serena, however, suggests they embrace the uncertainty and simply go with the flow, cherishing the simplicity of the moment instead of rushing to label it.

SERENA

Serena woke up to the soft glow of morning light filtering through the curtains, her body comfortably intertwined with Tina's. An arm draped over her waist, a leg tangled with hers... positions Serena had once gone to great lengths to avoid, but now seemed to be second nature. Careful not to wake Tina, she slowly slid out of bed, tiptoeing to the bathroom. After showering, she brushed her teeth and applied her skincare products, her mind wandering to how much things had shifted between her and Tina. Just a few months ago, Serena would have made a hasty exit after a night together, too wary of getting too close. Now, they were on a trip, sharing more than just their bodies. The fear of repeating past mistakes lingered, yet they were discovering an unexpected ease in their casual arrangement. It was refreshing to realize that perhaps being just friends with benefits suited them perfectly after all. She stepped out and glanced back at the bed. Tina hadn’t moved an inch. She smirked, feeling an unfamiliar fondness as she quietly made her way downstairs to the kitchen, where the staff was asked to prepare breakfast for two. Once everything was set, Serena returned upstairs and quietly slipped back into the bedroom. She let herself admire the sight of Tina sleeping for a moment, then climbed onto the bed, gently straddling her, and leaned down. She placed soft, lingering kisses along Tina’s jawline while softly saying “good morning." She felt Tina stir beneath her but made no move to shift away, letting their bodies stay close. Serena’s mind briefly entertained thoughts of continuing where they left off last night, but her stomach grumbled in protest. Yeah, she needed to get more energy first. Come on, I'd love another three hours of sleep too, but we've got a yacht party to catch. If we don’t get up now, we’ll miss the departure and there’s no chance I’m going to have to helicopter us over because someone overslept,” she murmured against Tina’s skin, placing more kisses along her neck and jawline.

TINA

It wasn’t every day that Tina hooked up with her exes or even woke up someplace that wasn’t her own bed. She was a homebody at times, but she was learning to get out more, and not be at home with her cat all the time. She didn’t expect to be in a trip with an ex yesterday, but she was learning to be more spontaneous. She missed things with Serena, the way the other made her want to let loose and have more fun. She felt someone straddle her, and place kisses on her jawline. She wanted more and maybe even wake up with an orgasm but she was starting to get hungry, however she wanted more of the kisses, more of the others body on hers. She looked up at Serena’s words and smiled. “Hi.” She said before, kissing Serena back. “Do you have coffee?” Tina asked, her hands moving towards Serena’s hips. “And good morning.” She sat up to kiss Serena on the lips. “How do you know all these people who throw fancy parties all the time?”

SERENA

“I barely remember half the people at these things. It’s always a blur of ‘that’s some first minister’s son,’ or ‘that's some tech mogul who invented… I don’t know, something with apps.’” She gave a half-hearted shrug. “It’s a small world for us, the one percent,” she continued, casually, “Even if we don’t know each other, we’re bound to cross paths. This time, though, my father knows the parents of the host. They do business together, so I sort of grew up around him. Nice guy, but kind of dumb.” She tapped her finger lightly against Tina’s collarbone, as if considering the thought. “Honestly, I prefer it when our only connection is that we’re all a bunch of bored, wealthy kids trying to find new ways to have fun. Makes it easier to forget who I might’ve insulted the night before.” She laughed slightly and then leaned down, brushing her lips softly against Tina’s in a teasing, featherlight touch. “And yes, there's coffee... and pancakes,” she murmured, a hint of a smile forming as she lingered a moment longer, letting her body gently mold against Tina's while she kissed her deeply. Her body joined the fun soon after and before Serena knew it she was slowly rubbing against Tina. When she finally pulled back, catching her breath a little, her gaze lingered on Tina’s face, the playful edge softening just a touch. “I thought it’d be more fun than spending another weekend at my place, staring at the same old view. But if you’d rather stay in…” She let the words hang in the air.

TINA

Tina chuckled and shaked her head. She didn't know how Serena was so active and friendly all the time. She could never be a social butterfly like Serena. "Us nepo babies do have a small circle." She agrred with a nod of her head. She never liked using her mother's fame to beenfit her, but sometimes it could get in handy, like meeting different kinds of people, and honestly having a private jet at her disposal was better than getting yelled at by TSA. “You need to stop insulting people and be kinder.” She shook her head affectionately. She liked how bold her ex could be. She giggled as her felt Serena’s lips against hers. The other could be such a tease. Het hands went to Serena’s hair as they kissed, her hands moving to Serena’s hair. “Mhm, I guess I could get up.” Tina said. She moved to sit up, feeling her stomach grumble in hunger. “You know me so well.” She kissed Serena again before getting up. “I like your place. Your staff is so nice. All my mom’s assistants do is follow her around.” She rolled her eyes. “Now, where is my bra?” She looked around the room and picked up a shirt, sliding it on. She didn’t seriously need a bra anyways. She went over to her overnight bag and changed into some leggings. “Now you ready to get coffee?”

SERENA

Serena stretched leisurely, a small smile tugging at her lips as she watched Tina get ready. “You say that like I haven’t heard it a million times,” she teased, referencing Tina’s comment about being kinder. “Trust me, I used to be a lot worse. People can’t really complain when I throw something nasty out now and then.” She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “Tee, did you forget we flew to Dubai last night?” Her tone held a hint of genuine curiosity given the amount of alcohol consumed during the flight, it wouldn’t have been surprising. “Your bra’s back in L.A. I didn’t even think about asking the staff to pack it for this trip. So, it’s currently enjoying the California sun while we’re stuck here on the other side of the world.” Sliding off the bed, Serena took her time following Tina’s movements, her gaze lingering before she spoke again. “Guess this means we’ll just have to go shopping in Dubai.” A smirk formed on her lips as she turned to grab her phone from the nightstand, still teasing. She stretched once more, still feeling the effects of last night’s late hours and the mere few hours of sleep they’d gotten. Running a hand through her hair, Serena glanced back at Tina with a knowing smile. “And don’t worry about breakfast. The staff’s already got it all laid out for us.” She took Tina’s hand, intertwining their fingers as they started toward the door. “Think of it as a reward for being dragged out of bed so early,” she added, her tone playful yet affectionate.

TINA

“I guess being a mom softened you up.” She teased. She couldn’t imagine being a mom. Yeah, she had her cat to take care of and she called herself a cat mom, but a whole other human? That sounded scary and crazy to her. She rolled her eyes affectionately. “No, but I also did drink a lot.” Tina wasn’t the one to drink a lot, she wasn’t her 20’s anymore and couldn’t drink and not have a hangover the next day. She was older now and her body could not take drinking like a fish anymore. Thankfully she had a little packet of liquid IV in her purse so she wouldn’t be too affected by the hangover. She blushed slightly at the others words. She wasn’t used to someone else packing her bags, she preferred doing it herself, but she as much too busy with Serena to care. It was worth it, though. “Don’t let me leave without getting something for my niece and nephew.” She loved spoiling her niece and nephew, she was that kind of aunt. As they held hands, Tina wanted to ask the question that lingered over her head. What were they? She smiled as they walked to breakfast. “So.” She said once they sat down at breakfast. She took a long sip of her coffee. “What are we?” She asked.

SERENA

As they walked down the opulent marble staircase, the sunlight filtered through the grand floor to ceiling windows, casting golden hues across the villa. The air was laced with the scent of freshly brewed coffee and pastries, a preview of the breakfast waiting for them. They stepped into the elegant dining area, which boasted a stunning view of the Dubai skyline from its expansive terrace. The table was adorned with fine china, gleaming silverware and an array of healthy breakfast options: avocado toast topped with poached eggs, fresh fruit, greek yogurt with honey and organic teas. And of course, Tina's pancakes. Serena settled into her chair, shooting a playful smile at Tina. “So you think being a mom has softened me up? I resent that.” She laughed lightly, her tone teasing. “I prefer to think it’s made me busier so I don't have time to judge the way people choose to live.” She glanced at the meticulously arranged dishes, considering if she wanted to share more while the server poured her herbal tea. “But it’s mostly about therapy I think." At Tina's question, Serena paused, her fork hovering over her plate as she processed the words. Her brow furrowed slightly. “I thought we were casual." And hadn't she double checked it with Tina on that sunday they went to the Ritz? She set her fork down and looked at her ex, searching her face for answers. “Is that not how you see it anymore?” Oh boy.

TINA

The view outside was gorgeous and breathtaking and Tina mentally reminded herself to take a few pictures before she left. Serena had good taste, something she missed about the other. She knew how to break Tina out of her shell, push her out of her comfort zone to have fun and new adventures.Of course Serena had pancakes out for her, she knew her so well. Tina was touched that she remembered. It was the little things like that that made Tina’s heart swell for Serena. Tina chucked. “That’s good. Wish it softened up my mom.” She rolled her eyes, her mother was judgmental and critical of Tina. Serena seemed like an amazing mother and Tina was happy for her. “Therapy does help.” “Going to the Ritz and Dubai doesn’t seem casual to me.” She said. She put her coffee cup down. “I like us, I like spending time with you, but I’m just confused on what we are. I don’t want my heart broken by you again. I know we ended last time on good terms, but break ups suck no matter what, and we need to figure out what we are before I start catching deeper feelings again.” She took another long sip of her coffee. “But we can be casual, date other people, still hang out together and then reassess what we want.”

SERENA

“You know me, no matter what I say I always end up overdoing it.” Serena shrugged, her smile tinged with a bit of self-awareness. “But I’m not trying to whisk you away to luxury hotels or fancy trips to prove a point. I just… missed you. Thought we could use some time out of the chaos.”She leaned back, gaze softening as she held Tina’s. “I’m not here to hurt you, T. I’ve done that before and I won’t lie... I was a coward for running the way I did.” Serena paused, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of her tea cup as if searching for the right words. “I’m trying to figure things out too. But I get why you’d be confused...”Serena let out a small sigh, shaking her head lightly as she continued, her tone gentle yet firm. “Casual is… complicated with us. Because I like to think we've become friends? I like spending time with you. I like seeing you happy. But right now I don’t want more than this.”She gave Tina a wry smile, humor flickering in her eyes. “So if I have to stay in my lane, no Ritz and no fancy flights, I’ll do that."

TINA

“Okay.” She said nodding her head. That sounded reasonable. Maybe Tina had it in her head that there was something more. She nodded as Serena talked, sipping at her coffee. Although she was tired from jetting across the country and having lots and lots of sex with Serena, she wanted to have this talk with her and spend time with her in Dubai. She wanted to be with Serena, but Serena had a kid and Tina’s wasn’t even sure she wanted kids. She loved her niece and nephew, but she didn’t have a yearning to be a mother. “You don’t have to take me to the Ritz or other countries to make me happy. Going to brunch in LA makes me happy. I appreciate you taking me to these places and encouraging me to come out of my shell.” “So, what’s our plan for the day? Shopping and sex?”

SERENA

Serena tilted her head slightly, setting her cup down and letting out a soft, amused breath. “If brunch and a quiet day make you happy, then that’s what we can do next time.” Her gaze softened a bit, a glint of curiosity in her eyes. “If it meant something more though... We would do what, get back together?" Almost ten years had passed, they were adults now and Serena had Sadie. Dating in college was one thing, she could be immature and only accept the commitment because she didn't want to share Tina, but now... She'd need to be sure it was love. She supposes. God, when did she turn into that kind of person? She leaned back in her chair, her expression relaxing as she decided to stop dwelling on it. “As for today? Yeah, we can shop. Take it easy, grab lunch. And then... well, we’ll see where the day leads.” She picked up her tea again, a subtle smile playing on her lips. “Sounds good?”

TINA

A quiet day of having multiple orgasms and brunch with you makes me happy.” She said with a teasing smile. “I don’t know” she admitted. Tina wasn’t even sure she wanted to be a mother and dating someone with a kid seemed like a lot. Her own mother wasn’t an example of a great mother and Tina wasn’t sure what her role would be in Sadie’s life. Could she be ready to date someone with a kid? Was Serena worth it? Maybe. “That sounds fun.” She took a bite of her pancakes and smiled. “You know me so well.” She said shaking her head fondly. “So after shopping we can relax by the pool?”

SERENA

Serena’s gaze softened as she watched Tina with a warm smile, a rare look of quiet contentment settling across her face. She leaned back, letting her fingers brush over Tina's as they shared this easy moment. “Yeah,” she murmured, her voice low and steady, carrying the weight of an unspoken promise. “Just the two of us, taking it slow.” The morning light danced across the table, casting gentle shadows as they finished their breakfast together. Their laughter softened, blending with the quiet hum of the city beyond, until the scene blurred, folding into a lingering warmth that held them both.

[syljoni]

TAGGING ➝ @dannyssylvester, @syljoni

LOCATION ➝ Juicy Peach Gym

TIME FRAME ➝ 9/24. Evening

WARNINGS ➝ Mentions of kidnapping

NOTES ➝ Danny shows up at Juicy Peach to see Joni and tell her why he's been gone for so long.

Joni Sylvester

Joni hated being behind schedule and tonight was no exception, there were a couple of stragglers who had stayed after a class checking out the shop and she was grateful when they finally left and she could get started on closing up. She was behind the front desk and when she heard the door open again and looked up with a smile. “Hey! So sorry, we’re about to close!” She said in an upbeat tone. He looked somewhat familiar but definitely wasn’t a regular, and even the non regulars that came by less often she could usually place. “Were you looking for some information on joining?” She asked, reaching into a drawer for their brochures and holding one out to him. “I can give you a quick tour if you want, but like I said, we’re about to close so I’m afraid you’ll have to come back a different day if you want to register.”

Danny Sylvester

Danny hadn't exactly been stalking his siblings, but he had been keeping a very close eye on them since he'd moved to LA and maybe followed them around a little bit, but that's notstalking. Last time he'd seen Joni she was thirteen years old, not even in high school, so to see her now this beautiful woman who worked in, or possibly owned, this fitnesa place, he was so proud of her. Making sure that everyone had left for the night apart from his sister he quickly entered and waited for Joni's attention to be on him, a soft smile on his face. "Hey." He started, but then he was confused as she handed him a brochure and was trying to get him to leave. She didn't recognise him, his smile dropped a little bit, but he didn't blame her at all it had been a long time. He chuckled and shook his head. "Nope, just looking to talk to you." Stepping forward, he tried not to spook her. "Joni it's me. Danny. Your brother."

Joni Sylvester

She looked at him with confusion when he said he wanted to talk to her. It wasn’t insanely uncommon for people to recognize her and even hit on her in public from social media, but it was another for a man to come into her gym when she was alone at night. Still, she didn’t feel like she needed to be nervous, and instead found herself studying his face again, trying to place him. The last thing she expected to hear was exactly what he said next, though and she heard herself gasp and felt herself stepping forward to hug him before she truly processed what was happening. Joni stepped back quickly after hugging him, “Shit, I’m sorry - I didn’t mean to just jump on you like that.” She’s said, but a small laugh escaped her at the same time. “Danny?” She questioned, but now as she looked at him again, it was so obvious and she was embarrassed she hadn’t recognized him straight away. “I’m so sorry, I feel like an idiot you just- you look so grown up compare to how I remember you…What are you doing here?”

Danny Sylvester

He thought it might take her just a little longer to understand what was going on, so he was totally caught off guard when Joni hugged him, and he quickly wrapped his arms around her, laughing in relief. "No it's okay kid, it's cool." Danny let her take a step back, but he gripped onto her shoulders, holding her and arm's length. "Yeah. It's me Joni, I'm really here. And I'm sorry." He chuckled and shook her head. "It's okay, it's been a while huh? Guess I need a shave." And he ran a hand over his short beard. "Last time I saw you I don't think I even knew how to grow facial hair. And you were just a teenager." Danny gave her a squeeze and let go. "I'm here to see you. And the others. To explain where I've been and to apologize for being gone so long."

Joni Sylvester

Joni had always been an absolute softie when it came to her family, or anyone she loved, really. While anyone else she may have kept at a distance, her siblings were her whole world, even one who she hadn't seen in almost half of her life. She shook her head when he apologized, and pulled away from him, just long enough to step around him and lock the door to the gym and turn off the open sign, not wanting anyone else to interrupt them. Joni stepped into another hug with Danny, just incase he took off again, she wanted to remember him this time. "You look great," She added, taking in his features and committing them to memory. "You don't need to apologize to me, I'm just glad you're back, are you staying?" She asked hopefully, and then lead him to the back breakroom where there were some couches they could sit on and relax.

"Do you want anything to drink?" She asked, opening the fridge to grab herself a water before sitting down. She was itching to know why he'd left, but she also didn't want to rush him and wanted him to be comfortable when he told her.

Danny Sylvester

As his sister pulled away for a moment, Danny had a split second of worry that she might kick him out. But then she was just locking the door and he smiled at her as she came back. He hugged her a little tighter this time, not wanting to let his youngest sibling go. "So do you. You're a full ass grown up now. And I bet you're fucking killing it in life." Following her to the backroom he took a seat on the couch. "Yeah I'm staying. Been living here for like a month now, I just needed time to settle into a place and get a job before I spoke to you." Danny smiled softly at her and shook his head. "No I'm good right now thanks." He felt almost nervous as he sat here with her. Joni was the youngest of his siblings and he wasn't quite sure how she would take this news, or what her relationship with Sue was like since he had been gone. "I really am sorry I was gone. It might not seem like it, but I am."

Joni Sylvester

She smirked when he called her a grown up, "I wouldn't go that far, I still feel like a 13 year old sometimes, but I do own this place, so that's pretty cool." She said gesturing to the gym around them. Relief washed over her when he said he was staying and she nodded. Joni sat down next to him on the couch and let a sigh, "You don't have to be sorry, really. I missed you, but i'm just glad to have you here now. So, tell me," she prompted, motioning toward him, "you said you wanted to explain, I'm listening."

Danny Sylvester

He gave her a very impressed look and grinned brightly. "No fucking way. Good for you Joni." She was doing well for herself and he felt nothing but pride for her and how far she'd come, and she was still young. "Yeah I missed you too." Danny smiled sadly, and he meant it. He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "Look this is totally crazy and very hard to believe, but it is the truth I swear." Danny turned his body more to face his sister. "I've been gone so long because I found something out and I got mad at Sue and I left. I wasn't adopted like we all thought I was. Sue kidnapped me, and not only did she do that, but she kidnapped me from the Schuesters. Their little boy Daniel that they've been searching for all these years. That's me." He let the words sit between them for a moment, giving Joni time to process them

Joni Sylvester

She listened intently as Danny spoke, and let out a loud laugh when he was done. Joni shook her head, "No...That doesn't make any sense." She said, staring at him and waiting for the punchline, but the serious look on his face told her that he meant what he'd said. Sitting silently for a few minutes, Joni ran through so many possibilities in her mind, that he was messing with her, that he was mistaken, that ...anything other than that possibly being true. "I mean, Sue is kind of nuts, she's done some really messed up stuff but...kidnapping a baby?" Joni finally said, shaking her head. There was no way, right? She felt her face getting hot, tears threatening to escape her stinging eyes and her mind tried to process what her brother was saying. She didn't know what to believe, "How did you find out?"

Danny Sylvester

Danny just let Joni go through all the emotions, sitting there in silence as he watched her. "It's true." As he saw some tears forming he moved forward and wrapped an arm around his sister. "Hey, hey, none of that yeah? It's okay, I'm here now." He rubbed her back gently and sighed. "I needed my birth certificate for something. Let myself into Sue's room but I couldn't find it, instead I found paper work and different things about me and her bribing people to keep it quiet." A small laugh escaped his mouth. "It's totally crazy right? It doesn't sound real at all, but it is. She found me and I told her to tell me the truth and she did. And then I left." He rested his head against hers. "I don't exactly regret leaving, but I regret the way that I did it. I should have kept in contact."

Joni Sylvester

She couldn’t seem to wrap her mind around any of this, it didn’t seem real. She chose to just plow through, assuming it was real just until she could process it. It felt good to be comforted by her big brother, despite all of the craziness of the situation. “Where did you go?” She finally asked, “I mean, where have you been all this time? Do the Schuester’s know?” Her mother had yet to be thrown in jail so she had to assume they didn’t. “What the fuck? What are we supposed to do with this? What…where do we go from here?”

Danny Sylvester

He hesitated on his reply, giving her a sad smile. "I was around, had to keep moving cities or towns... I kind of got arrested a few times. So I moved about so people didn't know me and judge me. I was in Vegas before I moved back here." Frowning, he shook his head. "No they don't. But I want to tell them, they deserve to know." Danny rubbed at his tired eyes, so many words and plans and answers swimming around in his head. "I don't know." He was very reluctant to share his plan to tear Sue down to Joni, not sure how close they were now his sister was an adult. "I just needed to see you guys before I made a decision."

Joni Sylvester

She nodded as he spoke, her heart breaking when he said he’d been arrested a few times. All she wanted in this moment was to take away any of his suffering. “Oh, Danny…” she whispered, cradling his face in her hand before pulling him in for another hug. It scared her to think about him telling his real parents who he was, but she also knew that he was right and they deserved to know. Joni knew her mom was crazy and the things she did were beyond belief on so many occasions, but Sue was still her mom and she didn’t want to see her thrown in jail, even if she did belong there for literally kidnapping a baby, but there was also the matter of Robin still being a child and her mom going to jail would be traumatic. “I…I don’t know what to say. I can’t imagine the pain they’ve suffered all these years. I can imagine Mom relishing in causing it though.” Joni shook her head, “Whatever you decide to do, I’m with you, okay?”

Danny Sylvester

Danny was surprised that she was hugging him again, but he pulled her in close, closing his eyes as he held her tight. "I missed you Joni." He'd make it up to them, all of his siblings. Years and years of missed birthdays, Christmases, graduations, a wedding, he should have been there for all of them. "I'm going to be staying with Penny so I'll be around, a lot." He shook his head as he thought about the Schuesters. "They need to know, I mean they probably won't believe me, but I have to try." Then he sighed loudly. "It's just everything that will happen afterwards though. I don't want anything bad to happen to you guys, I didn't come back to hurt you guys." He then looks down at the floor. "Pen says that Sue's got another kid? I can't let anything bad happen to her either. That's not fair."

Joni Sylvester

"I missed you, too." She said, covering the sadness in her voice, hoping not to let it show too much. "Okay, good. I will be bothering you at Penny's constantly, then." Joni nodded when he siad the needed to know, deciding it maybe wasn't the time that prooving it would probably be pretty easy with a blood test, but then she wouldn't blame them if they worried this was some elaborate scheme by Sue to trick them into thinking Danny was their son and wanted nothing to do with it. She stayed quiet, though. This was Danny's business and he needed to handle it however he felt was right and didn't need her putting doubts in his head, or encouraging him one way or another. "Yeah, Robin." She agreed, and frowned, "I get what you're saying but you were kidnapped as a baby from loving parents, those parents have been hurt so much and they're still hurting. Maybe being raised by a literal kidnapper is the bad thing that's already happening to her." Joni offered, wanting to show her support for whatever decision he made.

Danny Sylvester

He chuckled at her comment but was glad that he and Joni's relationship would be getting back to normal pretty quickly. "Sure you can bother me there or I can bother you here or at your place." At least if everything went wrong with the Schuesters then he'd still have his siblings on his side. And Joni was taking this pretty well so that was good. Danny listened to his sister's words carefully and nodded slowly. "But then what? Sue goes to jail but what happens to the kid? Penny can't take her in, or any of you, she needs extra care." There was a part in the back of his mind that was telling him that he shouldn't care about some kid who has nothing to do with him, but he just couldn't ignore it or her, she was still technically his sister. Danny gave Joni one last squeeze and smiled softly at her. "Thanks kid, it means a lot that you're on my side. Not gonna lie, I was worried."

Joni Sylvester

It wasn't that Danny was wrong about anything he was saying, but the consequences of Sue's actions weren't the responsibility of her kids, and it didn't change the fact that Will and Emma deserved to have peace and know that their child was ...at least alive. "That's a bridge we'll all cross together when we come to it, okay? You're not responsible for that." She assured him. "You don't ever have to worry about that with me, okay? Unless you turn into Sue or something...then I might turn on you."

[corimmy]

Immy's eyes were glued to the TV as the video began to play, a small gasp escaping her when she saw Malea and then herself on the screen. She sat up straight, her whole body rigid as she watched, not sure if she even took another breath the entire time. As the video ended, a few silent tears escaped her and ran down her cheeks. She realized her grip on Zach's hand had tightened considerably and she loosened it as she looked at him, using her free hand to wipe her tears away before Malea could see.

Malea jumped up from the couch, "That was SO COOL!" She shouted, rousing Han and making him stand up as well, as if he thought it might be play time. "I'm being Malea the Magnificent for Halloween, Mom!" She said, as she started to charge around the room with one arm in front of her and the other held a fake shield. Han began jumping around with her, and Malea watched as her daughters face was lit up with pure joy thanks to the person sitting next to her.

Finally, she turned back to them and just smiled for a second. Immy didn't know what to say, instead, while Malea was occupied, she pulled Zach's hand close to her, placing a soft kissing against the back of it and then pulling it closer to her chest as if hugging it. "Thank you, Zach. I don't know what else to say. Just, thank you - For that, and just for being you. Thank you."

Holding hands with Immy felt like it always had, and it took Zach right back to being a pimpled-face teenager who was head over heels in love with the girl next to him. Maybe this was too much, but stumbling over their words and apologizing about it in front of a four year old felt way too embarrassing, so they opted for staying quiet instead. With Zach's free hand, he grabbed the remote and pressed play on the video that he had queued up on his and Gabe's television.

The scene starts with an animated version of Malea playing outside in the rain with her toys. It suddenly starts pouring down rain - a lightning strike flashes in the sky, and soon thereafter there's a loud and booming thunder. Malea's eyes go wide. "I'm scared," she says, and then feels her body buzz. She looks down in wonder as she transforms into Malea the Magnificent. Her new power allows her to hear things from far away, being able to detect danger easily. Someone flies down quickly - it appears to be Immy the Incredible, with her sparkling cape. Malea turns to her quickly. "Mama, I'm scared!" Immy hugs Malea and smiles. "You're feeling a big feeling, Malea. That's your superpower talking. But we can use it to help others!"

After the two of them walk back inside, they notice a large colorful cloud that changes shape. The cloud looks as if it's about to blow the roof of their house off. "What's that?" Malea asks, terrified. Immy keeps her close and tells her, "That's the Monster of Moods! It's grown from everyone's big feelings today." Malea decides to use her superpower, and she focuses her hearing on the Monster of Moods. She hears it softly proclaim: "I'm lonely."

"Oh! It's lonely! Mom, it just needs love!" Immy nods, proud of her daughter for uncovering this information. Malea notices something: when she feels love, her body glows with a warm light. Malea and Immy hold hands, and together, they use Malea the Magnificent's love energy towards the Monster of Moods. The cloud begins to shrink, and the sky outside clears. The monster smiles before disappearing completely.

Malea cheers: "Mom, we did it! We made it feel better!" Immy nods, pulling Malea into a hug. "See, Malea. Every big feeling is special! Being scared is a part of being brave. You've got the super powers to face your feelings, and help others. Just like today!"

As the animation fades out, it ends with a message: Stay tuned for more adventures with Malea the Magnificent and Immy the Incredible.

When it was over, Zach looked over to both Immy and Malea, hoping that they weren't crazy for doing this.

[corimmy]

Do You Feel Like a Man When You Push Her Around? || ZAMMY

TAGGING: @zachwilde, @corimmy.

LOCATION: Zach and Gabe's apartment.

TIMEFRAME: 10/22, afternoon.

WARNINGS: So many? Violence, pretty indepth mentions of csa, slut shaming, mentions of child abuse, religion, religious trauma.

SUMMARY: Zach and Immy are getting some of Zach's things together to stay at her place for a while when Aaron shows up, angry about the picture Midge sent him during lockdown and is there to put the blame on Zach.

Immy Cortes

More often than not, Zach and Immy were together lately, and generally they were usually at her house, but they'd stopped by Zach's apartment today to grab some of things, and while Immy could have been helping, she found herself in the living room, looking at various pieces of Zach's artwork instead. She was so mesmerized by the beauty of it all, she almost didn't hear the knock at the door. 

Gabe wasn't home and she didn't think anyone knew Zach would be here, so she figured maybe it was someone lost, and didn't want to leave them waiting and went to answer the door. "Zach, are you expecting anyone?" she called over her shoulder, just to be sure, but her whole body froze when she pulled the door open and saw Aaron Wilde standing there. 

His expression was confused at first, but as the realization of who he was staring at seemed to hit him, he let out a cold laugh, "Of course, Imogen. Of course I'd find you here." Aaron shook his head, stepping around her into the apartment and slamming the door shut behind him.

zach wilde

Zach was in his bedroom, gathering a few things here and there that he needed to bring to Immy's house. They spent the last week completely attached at the hip, and Zach wouldn't have it any other way. He was finishing up putting some things in a duffle bag when he heard Immy call out for him. His brows furrowed, not being able to hear exactly what she said. He made his way out of the bedroom. "What'd you say, babe? I didn't hea-" Zach went cold. His father was standing in his living room. He blinked once, twice - to make sure he was really there. As much as he hated it, the man still instilled a very deep fear inside of him. How did he know where he lived? He knows Gabe didn't tell him, so how... 

Zach cleared his throat. They knew all the tell-tale signs of when their father was angry. Zach memorized them all as a young child, knowing when they'd be receiving their father's unloving fists. They saw it right now - his stature, the way his jaw was set. They looked over to Immy to make sure she was okay, and then looked back to their father. It had been quiet too long, and Aaron noticed it. "What, boy? You can't speak?" 

He didn't want to, but he made his way into the living room and made sure there was enough distance between his dad and Immy. "I'm just surprised to see you here, dad." Zach said, feeling his heart beating wildly in his chest. "What's going on?" And how do you know where I live?

Immy Cortes

She didn't know why she was so afraid of Aaron, but she did know that when it came to fight, flight or freeze, she'd always been frozen, ever since she was a little girl. Whenever something bad was happening, her body and mind would freeze and she'd just tell herself over and over again that all she had to do was survive, which was exactly what she found herself repeating in her mind now. She snapped out of it when she heard Zach's voice, wishing somehow she could stop them from coming out of their room, save them having to see their father right now, but then Zach was there, and Aaron was radiating anger. 

As Zach stepped into the room, standing close to her and effectively shielding her from his father, Immy still felt fear, but something else, too. She felt protected, and loved, and like for the first time someone actually cared that something bad didn't happen to her, and she just hoped that having her there made Zach feel the same way. Aaron laughed at Zach, shaking his head, as if Zach should have been able to read his mind. "I'm here, because I want to know why you can't stop your sister from acting like a whore." 

Aaron tossed his phone to Zach, Immy catching a glance of the screen and a picture of Midge - bottle of whiskey in one hand, as she took a selfie of herself making out with someone in the other. "But now I see, that not only does she have your bad influence dragging her down, you've got the biggest harlot of them all hanging around again. God is testing you and you continue to fail in every way possible."

zach wilde

Zach's mind started reeling when Aaron called one of his sisters whore. He didn't even know which sister, only that it angered him in a way that he didn't know how to explain. He caught his dad's phone in his hand, and looked at the picture quickly. Midge. What was she doing? How did Aaron get this picture? And with.. Danny Sylvester? Man, Zach was going to kill that guy later. "Dad, no. Midge's just having a good time. She's being safe, that much I know. And that's what matters." No matter what, Zach would stand up for his siblings - even if he didn't know what he was saying was true. He really hoped she was being safe. 

They looked back at Immy to make sure that she was doing okay, but snapped their head back towards Aaron when he called her a harlot. Zach took a step closer to Aaron. "Don't say that. Don't talk about her like that," they said, balling her hands into fists at their side. This is how it happened last time - Aaron antagonizing them, and pushing Zach to the breaking point. "I'm going to have to ask you to get the fuck out of my apartment, dad. Just get the hell out of here." Zach's fear was now being overtaken with anger with how he spoke about the women in Zach's life that they loved so much. 

Aaron laughed. Of course he did. Zach bristled. "I'm not going anywhere, Zachary." Aaron loked towards Immy, a disgusting smirk playing on his lips. Zach had to hold himself back from beating the shit out of him just for looking at her like that, after all the lies he told about her. "Have you told him yet, Imogen? Have you told Zachary what you did?"

Immy Cortes

She didn’t know what to do, she wanted so badly to reach out and touch Zach, try to calm him down, try to protect him, but all she could manage to do was rest her hand against his forearm, kicking herself for not knowing how to handle this better. 

When Aaron looked at her, she didn’t know what he meant, all she could think about was his lies about her trying to seduce him, but Aaron just laughed again, stepping closer to both of them. “Don’t act like some scared innocent little lamb, you were born with the devil in you, weren’t you?” He sneered at her, “How old were you the first time you did it? The first time you lured your very own stepfather into your bed, Imogen? You bit off more than you could chew, didn’t you, that’s why you always came around our house, you couldn’t reap what you’d sewn. But that didn’t stop you from trying it again with me, luckily I am strengthened by Him and was able to resist you.” 

Shock and horror filled her at his words, her hand slipping away from Zach as she wrapped her arms around herself, “I was just a kid, I didn’t do anything to him or to you. I trusted you, I thought you were a good man, he was supposed to be my father, I didn’t do anything. I was just a kid.”

zach wilde

At his dad's words, Zach stilled. Why would he lie about Immy sleeping with her stepfather? He looked from Aaron to Immy, trying to put everything together. By the look on her face, Zach could tell there was some truth to it - but not in the way that his dad was insinuating. Did her stepfather touch her? At the thought, Zach started seeing red. Her reaction confirmed it. I was just a kid. And his dad was using this against her? 

"Shut the fuck up!" Zach yelled, not being able to stop themselves from raising their voice. Everything was hitting him at once. Aaron had the audacity to look affronted that they had yelled. Zach took another step towards him. "Shut. The. Fuck. Up. Don't speak about Immy that way. You say you're a man of god, but you're lying through your fucking teeth. What do they say about lying in the bible, Aaron?" Zach paused, but started again before their dad could get in a word. "Proverbs 19:5, A false witness will not go unpunished and he who breathes out lies will not escape. Think I don't remember your sermon on it?"

Immy Cortes

Immy watched in horror as Zach yelled at his father, she knew how afraid of Aaron Zach still was, but they were yelling at him over her and all she could do was try to crawl inside of herself. She wanted so badly to step in, to try and calm the situation down but she could barely catch her breath. Zach thought the whole thing was a lie, they’d always believed the best in her, but she’d have to tell him it was true. She hadn’t seduced her stepfather but what Aaron said happened was true.

“Zach, please,” she finally whispered, reaching for his arm again, she just wanted everyone to calm down. “It’s not a lie.” Aaron boomed, his voice serious as he stared at Immy, “You’re meant to be taking care of your siblings, Zachary, but you’re so busy with your little whore that you’ve allowed your sister to fall in to sin, you’ve brought bad influences around her and she’s too weak to resist. Maybe I was too gentle with her, she needed a firmer hand. Maybe when I leave here I’ll go visit Midge and show her the discipline I should have given her as a child, the way I disciplined you, but you were a lost cause. If it’s not whores and harlots it’s acting like a homo.” 

As much as Aaron made her feel like a scared little girl all over again, hearing him speak to Zach that way made her blood boil. Threatening him, threatening their sister, and calling them names? She couldn't stop herself from stepping forward around Zach. "Don't you ever speak to him like that again." She said, suddenly switching into fight mode. She had never felt so angry in her entire life, "They're not a kid anymore. I'm not a kid anymore, and have no right to even be here, nevermind speak to them like that!"

zach wilde

Zach was now past seeing red. He felt like he couldn't see anything straight. From calling Immy a whore, to threatening to put his hands on Midge, that was enough. It had been more than enough. He was about to absolutely lose it on his dad when Immy stepped in front of him, standing up for him. It was different - no one had ever been around in these moments where Aaron showed his true self, but Immy was seeing him for who he truly was. And she was standing up for him. "Im.." Zach said quietly, not wanting her to be a part of this. 

Aaron took three big steps, closing in the space between him and Immy. He was towering over her, trying to make her feel small. His face was red and angry, and Zach saw the man who had hurt him so many times before. They stepped in between the two of them. "Get the fuck away from her. I swear on everything, I will fucking kill you if you ever get that close to her again," they said through gritted teeth. Aaron tried to take a step forward again, but Zach pressed their hand against his chest, stopping him. 

The next thing that happened put Zach into a daze. His father was speaking, but his hand was wrapped around Zach's throat hard. The fear came back, and for a moment, Zach was frozen. He was eight years old again, getting thrown across the room because he muttered 'what the hell'. Then, something snapped in Zach. He struggled against Aaron, trying to take in a breath, and finally he was able to wrench his dad's hands off of him. "Don't fucking touch me!" Zach screamed, the anger taking over the fear. One of the reasons he worked out so much, got so strong, was that so he could have a defense against his father. And now he did.

Without much thinking, Zach pushed their dad hard. Aaron went stumbling backwards, but they knew that look on his face. He was going to try to make it hurt. “Immy, get back. Go to the other room, please,” Zach pleaded as Aaron came charging at them, his fist colliding into Zach’s cheek. The thing was, this pain? They were used to it. It had happened several times before. They were almost numb to the feeling. They felt the blood trickling, but didn’t care at all. Zach moved forward with ease, his fist colliding with Aaron’s nose. Aaron stumbled backwards, surprised that Zach was now fighting back. “I’m not a kid anymore. You think I’m going to allow you to beat the shit out of me? You think I’m going to give you that satisfaction?” Zach took their arm and pressed it against Aaron’s throat, pushing him all the way to the wall, holding him there like that.

They were shaking all over. Fear and anger felt a lot like the same thing, and the fact that he didn’t know if Immy was still in the room or not scared him. He didn’t want her to see him like this. He didn’t want to be like this. But when it came to his father… Zach would never let him make him feel as scared as he did when he was a young boy. Never again. “You’re never going to touch any of them. You understand me? Do you fucking understand me, Aaron? You’re going to be the perfect father. You’re going to treat them like a good Christian man does. You don’t want to know what I’ll do to you if you hurt a single hair on their head.”

Immy Cortes

She kept eye contact with him when he closed the gap between them, she was terrified but she refused to show it. Aaron seemed big enough to snap her in half if he wanted to, but she’d take it if it meant he stopped talking to Zach like that. She let Zach separate them, taking a few steps back, though she wanted so badly to stop him, to protect him. But then things were happening so fast. When Zach told her to go in the other room she didn’t want to, but listened, taking a step towards the hall until she saw Aaron’s hand on Zach’s throat and she froze, her own fists clenching. She was about to try and pull Aaron off when Zach freed themself and pushed Aaron back. 

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears and she watched the two men in front of her. She let out a scream when Aaron punched Zach, though it didn’t seem to deter either of them. They continued in what seemed like slow motion until Zach had Aaron pinned to the wall. Aaron looked like he still wanted to kill Zach but he seemed to stop fighting. 

Stepping forward, Immy put her hand on Zach’s arm, trying to ease him away from Aaron, hoping to calm them down. Aaron sneered at the two of them but reached for the doorknob, “Honor thy father, Zachary. This conversation is not over, not for you or for Miriam but I’ll wait until you can control yourself better.” He said, before shutting the door behind himself, as if he hadn’t been the one to get violent. Tears sprang from Immy’s eyes as she saw Zach shaking with anger. 

She let her hands roam their chest, trying to bring their focus to her. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” She asked, looking at the blood on their cheek. “I was so scared for you,” she said, burying her face in his chest, “Please tell me you’re okay. I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have made him angry.” She said, momentarily forgetting what Aaron had told Zach about her past while she focused on making sure they weren’t injured.

zach wilde

As Aaron left, Zach stood there motionless. He almost didn't notice Immy touching him at first. He snapped out of his daze when she pressed her face to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her tight, holding her there for a moment. He hated the fact that she just saw him act like that. That person was not who he was - that was who Aaron turned him into. That was the scared little boy finally fighting back. Immy didn't need to see that. He pulled away, hands still shaking, not knowing what to say. 

Zach stared at her, and it had been at least a minute until they realized that tears were pouring down their cheeks. Their whole body was vibrating with fear now, and they felt like they couldn't get a word out. "I'm so sorry," Zach finally choked out, feeling completely overwhelmed with emotion. A sob wracked their body, and they felt their legs go out from underneath them. They dropped to the floor on their knees, the tears still coming. How could a man make Zach, at thirty-six years old, feel this way? He clenched his fists, not wanting Immy to see him like this. No one had seem him like this - not even Gabe.

Immy Cortes

When his attention finally came back to her she could feel her heart breaking for them. She just stood there as Zach pulled away from her, tears in their eyes. For a split second she worried they were upset with her, for causing this, for what Aaron told them about her, for not leaving the room, for everything. But then Zach apologized and fell to his knees. 

She rushed forward, wrapping her arms around them, pulling their head to her chest as she kissed the top of his head. “No, baby.” She whispered into his hair, holding him as tight as she could, the fingers on one hand combing through his hair, trying to comfort him anyway she could think of. “None of this was your fault, please, please listen to me.” She didn’t know what else to say, so she kissed his head again and did the only thing she could think of which was to sing You Are My Sunshine to him, the same way she did to Malea when she was hurt or scared.

zach wilde

Zach looked up when he heard Immy singing to him. He wasn't sure why it took him out of his daze, but it did. He watched her as she sang to him, and he couldn't help the smile that finally started tugging on his lips. He was still shaking, but the tears were no longer flowing. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her - Immy being the only thing that brought him that type of comfort. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. But, babe.. I couldn't handle the shit that he was saying about you and Midge." 

Zach pressed himself against Immy, wanting to be as close as possible to her. "About what he said... About..." They trailed off, not wanting to bring it up, afraid to upset her at all. "I don't believe him, you know that right? I don't think you'd do anything like that, babe."

Immy Cortes

She was so glad to see that they were finally relaxing a bit, and she kissed them back gratefully, her own nerves starting to settle, too. "You don't have anything to be sorry for, you didn't cause this, what else were you supposed to do, let him beat the shit out of you, not fight back?" She said, wiping away his remaining tears with her thumbs. 

When Zach said he didn't believe Aaron, she felt her body tense against him, and she pulled away just slightly, her eyes trained on the floor now as shame filled her. "Zach, it's true. What he said about me, it's true." She admitted, her voice breaking as more tears escaped her. "I mean, I was just a kid, I didn't...I didn't mean to..." She trailed off, shaking her head, her own hands shaking with fear over how Zach would react to this. How he would react to knowing he'd hit his own father to defend her and she hadn't even deserved it. "I was only 11 when it started but...I don't know, maybe it was my fault, maybe I did something to make him think it was okay."

zach wilde

Everything that he was feeling about his father - fear, anger and everything in between - dissipated when Immy said it was true. He listened to her talk, and as soon as she said I was only eleven, and that it could be her fault, all he could bring himself to do was pull her close to him. He hugged her tight, trying to fight the nausea as he thought of what her stepfather did to her. 

They pulled away, holding Immy's face in their hands, eyes locked. "You listen to me. Nothing was your fault. Whatever he did to you, babe.. I promise you that you didn't deserve it. You were eleven years old? No man should be touching an eleven year old child. Don't blame yourself." They choked on their words, tears falling once more. "You don't have to tell me the details. If you want to talk about it.. I'm here. But please don't feel like you have to explain yourself to me. I believe you, Immy."

Immy Cortes

When Zach pulled her against them, she felt her body collapse into theirs. Her tears were so strong now she didn't think she could speak, so she just cried against them, until they pulled away. Listening to his words, logically, she knew they were true, but it was so hard to feel the truth in them when she'd grown up being told it was her fault, and when Aaron, the only person she'd ever told, threw it in her face. 

"No, no. I know you're right. I do, but it's just...My bio dad, he took advantage of my mom, and then she got pregnant with me and my stepdad, he raised me, but my mom she didn't want to be touched after what Cooter did to her so, they just always told me that it was my responsibility to help out. I know how messed up that is now, but growing up it was just...It was all I knew." She shook her head, wiping her tears away quickly. "I don't ...I don't want to dwell on it, but I didn't want to lie to you. I didn't want you thinking your dad was a liar when he wasn't lying about that."

zach wilde

Zach had never felt the type of anger towards someone as he did as the people who told Immy that it was her responsibility to touch an older man. He thought he knew what it was like to feel it, but this was something entirely new. "He did lie, though. You did not seduce anyone. You're a victim, babe. You're not some temptress like he's making you out to be." 

They started playing with Immy's hair as they held her close, just needing to be as close as possible to her right now. Zach was pretty sure that they both needed this closeness after everything. They smiled sadly, but winced afterwards because of what they were sure was a cut and bruise on their face. Aaron must've punched them with a ring on - something Zach had been used to. "I love you so much, Immy."

Immy Cortes

She let herself relax into him for a few minutes, not wanting to do anything but be in this moment with them. The feeling of their hand in her hair bringing her comfort and calmness that she was truly just not used to. She finally pulled away from them to look when she heard them wince. Seeing the blood on his face, she felt a fresh wave of tears hit her. "I love you, too." She whispered, before finally pushing herself to her feet. 

Immy held a hand out to Zach to help pull him up, "Come on, we should get you cleaned up." She said softly, "Then we're packing whatever you need and you're staying with me. I'm not taking no for an answer. I don't want you to be here if he comes back. Maybe tell Gabe to think about staying somewhere else for a bit, too."

[mir-iamwilde]

My mind is running too fast. Shadows on the wall keep lurking. || Namidge

WHO: @natepuck, @mir-iamwilde

WHERE: Midge's Apartment

WHEN: The 7th of November

WHY: Nate has a disappointing date and shows up at Midge's who is home alone and grateful for the company.

WARNINGS: I think this is mostly just fluffy tbh.

nate puckerman Nate was officially an idiot, which is something he was very well in tune with. No matter who he hooked up with, it was never as good as it was with Midge. Was he on a mission to possibly find someone who could make him feel exactly like she did? Possibly. But at this point, he was pretty sure it was impossible. He had just spent the last hour with a girl who was very attractive, yes.. but completely underwhelming. He found himself standing in front of Midge's apartment, as he always did, and shot her off a text: actually proud of you for locking your door this time. let me in though

Midge WildeIt felt rare lately that Midge spent a night home alone, and she hated it. She used to enjoy her own space, but now she felt anxiety whenever she was alone. Still, she was determined to not let herself become pathetic and afraid, so she planned a night at home alone. She regretted it, as she sat with every light in her apartment turned on to make sure she was really alone, and could feel herself flood with relief when she saw the text from Nate pop up to say he was there. She hadn’t expected him, but she certainly welcomed the company. She sprang to the door, pulling it open as she regained her composure. “You just can’t stay away from me, can you? Even a locked door won’t deter you.” She grinned, stepping aside to let him in. “What’s up? You couldn’t find a poor girl to fall for your charm tonight?”

nate puckermanNate leaned forward to press a quick kiss to Midge's cheek, and rolled his eyes. He didn't want to let her know that he was actually coming from hooking up with a girl and came straight here instead. "Shit, does that make you a poor girl who fell for my charms?" He grinned, making himself comfortable as he grabbed himself a water bottle. "Nothing. Just wanted to see my favorite girl tonight. What's so wrong with that?" He'd been drinking, but the effects of the alcohol were almost long gone. After taking a few sips he walked over towards her, wondering why she was alone tonight. She was always around someone, whether it be him, Danny or some other lucky dude. Nate took her hand in his own. "You doing okay?"

Midge WildeShe grinned at his words, shaking her head, "No silly, you're the poor guy who fell for mine." She shut the door again, relocking it, and laughing when he spoke again. Midge didn't bother to be shy with Nate, she pulled her hand away from his, instead letting her hands land on his waist, snaking around to his sides to stand closer to him. Her eyes met his and she nodded, "I'm good, glad to have some company now." She smiled, her head tilting to the side, "You smell like alcohol and shitty perfume, so maybe you did find a poor girl to fall for your charm, what happened?"

nate puckerman"Poor guy? Far from it." Nate couldn't help himself whenever he was around Midge. He slid his hand down her back and let his hand rest on her ass and smiled down at her. He shrugged when she asked what happened. "Nothing happened. It was just shitty. I don't even know how to explain it, but I was not feeling myself with her." She wasn't you, he doesn't say. He probably didn't need to anyway. With his free hand, he cupped her chin gently, letting his thumb run over her jawline. "What have you been up to by yourself?"

Midge WildeShe let herself relax into his touch, her own hands finding their way to his chest now. “Shitty sex is the worst.” She commented, though maybe that wasn’t what he meant, but she wasn’t sure how far either of them should be diving into what he meant. Midge looked up at his touch, meeting his eyes and smiling. “I’d love to tell you I was doing something naughty and get you all wound up, but I wasn’t. I was just trying to find something to watch.” Her voice sounded sadder than she’d intended it to but she shook away the feeling, remembering how every light in the whole place was on and hoping that didn’t seem odd. Midge moved to lay one of her hands over his, moving his hand so she could kiss his palm, “Did you want to change that?”

nate puckermanNate knew Midge well enough at this point, and when she teased about doing something naughty - the tone of her voice told him something else. He looked around the apartment and then back at her. "You were looking for something to watch with all the lights on? C'mon now." Everything that had been going on with her dad had to have been weighing on her. He watched as she pressed a kiss to his palm and gave a small smile to her, shaking his head amusedly. He settled his hand behind her head and pulled her in for a kiss, though it was a soft one - not one that he would give to really anybody but her. "You know that I'm always down to fuck you." God, he was. She was fucking incredible, and she had him completely addicted. Nate paused. "But something's telling me that's not what you really want. Or am I wrong?"

Midge WildeShe sighed at his words, it was a blessing and a curse to have someone know her the way Nate did. Though kissing him was nice, she couldn’t deny that he was right, fucking wasn’t what she wanted right now, if it was she’d be doing it already, she’d have made plans for the night, or hell, she’d be down on her knees for Nate by now, but she knew that her head wasn’t in it right now. “I’m just trying to force myself to feel okay to be alone again.” She whispered, pulling her eyes away from his now, looking at the floor instead. “I used to love having a night to myself at home, and now I feel like there’s a monster hiding in every shadow.” She hated the way she sounded, she hated feeling so pathetic and scared. “I’m glad you showed up so I don’t have to feel afraid.”

nate puckermanNate nodded, knowing that sex wasn't what she wanted. He could always tell by just the tone of her voice even if she tried to hide it. Nate wrapped his arms around her and brought her as close as possible and started running his fingers through her hair. "You never have to feel afraid when I'm around," he promised her, pulling back to look her straight in the eyes. "It's completely normal to be freaked the fuck out by what happened, babe. Anyone would be scared. I know you've got Danny," he started, and though he had no right to feel jealous, especially when he knew the guy actually cared about her, he did anyway. "But when he's not here, how about you call me? You can always come over to my place too. I can just give you the access code to my apartment and you can come over whenever. Even when I'm sleeping, I really don't give a fuck. Whenever. Alright?"

Midge WildeShe smiled at his words, at the feeling of his hands on her, at the closeness and safety she felt with him, leaning herself back against the wall behind her. “I know I can call you, it’s not that. I want to be able to be alone not be afraid. I don’t want to feel so pathetic all the time.” Midge let out a small laugh, shaking her head, “And what happens when I show up and there’s another girl in your bed, am I supposed to crawl in the middle?”

nate puckerman"Alright, well. You're not pathetic. It's gonna take some time to not feel like this and that's alright. No one's staring at you expecting you to have your shit together. I know your brother isn't, Danny isn't and I sure as hell don't." He laughed when Midge mentioned that another girl might be in his bed, and to be honest.. He didn't even think of that, mostly because he wasn't one for letting people stay the night. Nate took Midge's hand and led her to her couch, sitting his back against the arm rest and motioning for her to get comfortable in between his legs. He wrapped his arms around her, leaned over and kissed her collarbone. "Nah, you know me. I'm not a 'stay the night' kind of guy. I'm more a 'get the fuck outta here' guy but in a nice way. A gentle nudge, if you feel me."

Midge WildeShe wanted to argue that she was expecting herself to have her shit together, but she decided not to. She’d spent her whole life afraid of her father, this wasn’t anything new, it was just a new level of fear that she had to adjust to. She followed where he lead, settling against him and laying her head against his chest. She tilted her head to look up at him, a smirk on her lips, “I don’t know, babe, you might have a warped perception of yourself, I don’t think you’ve ever kicked me out of your bed, in fact, I can recall quite a few times where you asked me to stay the night. I suppose you’re going to tell me that’s just because I’m special?”

nate puckermanNate looked down at Midge and was taken aback, as always, by how fucking beautiful she was. He laughed when she mentioned that he'd never kicked her out and wondered if she would ever realize how exactly he looked at her. He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you are special. The fuck? Don't you realize that? You ever see me going to these other girl's apartments and saying no to fucking them because I know they're upset?" He looked down at her, shaking his head in disbelief. "C'mon, babe. You've gotta realize you're number one, at least."

Midge WildeShe laughed softly, “Nah, you talk a big game but I think you’re secretly a softie, if another girl was upset you’d be sitting just like this with her, telling her she’s special.” Maybe that wasn’t true, not exactly, she knew him enough to know he wouldn’t ignore a girl being upset and fuck her anyways, but would he stay and tell her she was special, maybe not. “Of course I’m number one, I give better head than you even knew was possible, so no one comes before me, except for you, because you know how much I like having to beg for it.” She grinned, her hand grazing absently over his chest now, too. She felt herself relaxing more and more as they spoke, enjoying feeling so at ease with him, “You know, I like when you sleep here, too. I like waking up next to you.”

nate puckermanNate wasn't an asshole - he wouldn't just kick a girl out because she was sad or fuck her anyway, but he certainly wouldn't be holding them and telling them how special they were. He smirked when she talked about her head game because yes it was unbelievable, but this was even further proof that she had absolutely no idea what he felt for her. Nate couldn't decide if this was a good or bad thing, honestly. But he was gonna keep it that way as long as he possibly could. "You're such a bad girl, you know?" He laughed, settling one of his hands on her hip, moving her shirt just a little bit so he could feel her skin against his fingertips. "Yeah? Now I bet you say that to all that guys. Now you're trying to make me feel special, huh?"

Midge WildeMidge turned around to face him now, sitting back on her heels between his legs. “Sometimes I’m a good girl, just depends on my mood, really.” She grinned, leaning in to kiss him again. “I don’t have to worry about saying it or not, most guys aren’t allowed through the front door,” she paused, raising an eyebrow at her own words, “or the back door either, before you ask,” she grinned, “I only let the special ones come home with me, and I certainly don’t let just anyone show up unannounced and cuddle on my couch with me instead of fucking me so I can talk about my feelings.”

nate puckermanEven though Midge was calling him special, he knew that he wasn't the only guy that got this treatment from her. But Nate stayed quiet instead and tugged her close so he could kiss her, smile playing on his lips. "Damn, so.. If you're special to me and I'm special to you.. Sounds like you should let me through your back door," he teased, settling his hands on her thighs. She was so fucking clueless, honestly. "Seriously, though. I'm glad you trust me enough for all of that. I hope you know I'm always gonna be around to cuddle on your couch and talk about your feelings." Nate quirked an eyebrow, sliding his hands up to her waist. He really couldn't keep his hands off of her. "And to fuck you, of course."

Midge WildeHer eyebrows raised at his comment, she tilted her head to the side, “I thought you’d never ask,” she whispered against his lips, a short laugh escaping her. She kissed him fully now, her hands cupping his face as she did, hoping he knew how much she appreciated his presence. She finally pulled away, turning back around so she could settle into him again. “Tell me more about this shitty sex you had earlier, what happened?”

nate puckermanNate lost himself in the kiss for a moment, wondering if Midge actually had meant it. It wasn't something they'd ever talked about, but he was certainly interested in exploring that with her. After she turned around, he wrapped his arms around her to bring her closer. He laughed when she asked about the shitty sex and shrugged. "I don't know. She was clearly really enjoying herself, and I mean, yeah.. I got off. Like it was just okay. You know what I mean? Y'know how with us, we can't get enough of each other? How I can't get enough of you? Polar fucking opposite of that. I mean, I think she wanted more of me, but nah. It just wasn't clicking for me. She was hot too, so I don't know what's up with me."

Midge Wilde“Did she dead fish you or something?” She laughed, feeling bad that his night had been a dud. She’d had nights of her own like that, the sex was fine but that was all it was, and when it was done it was done and she had no need for more. That was never the case with Nate, she wasn’t sure there was ever a time they’d been together where they hadn’t gone multiple rounds, where she hadn’t craved more of him, or where he’d been able to keep his hands off of her. They had intense sexual chemistry, and it was more than that, there was such deep friendship between them, there was never a moment when they didn’t want each other. “Sometimes it’s just not there,” she sighed, her fingers drawing lazy circles on each of his knees, “Did you let her down easy, at least?”

nate puckermanJust sitting here like this was something that Nate didn't do with anybody but Midge, and it just felt good. Yeah, having sex with her was great, but this was just as good. Just talking to her and being with her. Nate couldn't remember the last time he'd felt that about someone. "Yeah, of course. You know I'm not an asshole. I did the whole 'oh shit, my boy just texted me and I gotta go' but I made it super convincing. What she doesn't need to know is I came to your place afterwards," he laughed. "I'm sure she'll be fine. She's probably telling her friends it was the best night of her life."

Midge WildeShe laughed again, “I’d tease you for being full of yourself but you’re probably right, and she’s probably not lying, it probably was the best night of her life.” Midge turned on her side now, so she could still relax but meet his eyes, too. “You wanna spend the night?” She asked, her eyes steady on his when she asked, there was no hidden meaning behind her words, wether spending the night meant fucking or not, she didn’t know or care, she just knew she didn’t want him to leave.

nate puckerman"You're damn straight it was," he grinned, knowing he knew exactly how to treat a woman right. Most dudes couldn't even find the clit correctly, which was just embarrassing. He looked down at her and nodded. "Yeah, I'll stay the night." He brushed Midge's hair out of her face, admiring her for a moment. It was kinda stupid how his heart felt when she looked up at him, but he really couldn't help himself. "Have you eaten? Should I order something to eat?"

Midge Wilde “Mmmm, food sounds great,” she smiled up at him, “I don’t suppose you’re interested in pizza?” She asked, a small pout on her face, hoping to win him over.

[rosenkranz-does-things]

a couple of Pusher studies. the top one was done on a plane in a little under an hour. I've found that doing these sorts of studies during flight is actually great because you don't get distracted by, say, checking tumblr, it helps pass the time and calm down if you're nervous, and you don't get lost in the details/portrait likeness, you only focus on the big picture (color combinations, shapes, light and shadow contract etc)

[randomfoggytiger]

"My Touchstone": the Turning Point

Dedicated to the anon who asked:

I would love to hear your thoughts on how the “touchstone” conversation changed Mulder and Scully’s relationship. Was it this scene that propelled them into a romantic relationship?

To answer that question, I have to back up a bit to Fight the Future. Actually, let's back up even further-- to the cancer arc-- so we can get a clearer picture of the relationship between these two Avoidants (post here.)

FORWARD AND BACKWARD

Mulder realizes the extent of his feelings for Scully in Memento Mori.

I posit Scully's already known her feelings since at least early Season 2; but her temperament leads her to suppress, rather than express, emotional wants or needs. Never Again (posts here and here) was the result of both Season 3's on-and-off jealousy and Mulder's avoidance of a normal life (Home, post here) and search for his tragic soulmate (The Field Where I Died.) Because of this, Scully tries to pinpoint and grapple with her "endless line", realizing-- too late-- that she wanted recognition (and more) from Mulder (as spelled out in the script, here.) Mulder realizes this, too, and lets the matter drop.

For Scully, it's advantageous to keep everything unsaid, largely because Mulder isn't ready... for anything, really (as discussed in the Home post linked above, and demonstrated by this clip.) Everything he's been drawn to or attracted by has an ephemeral, fleeting resemblance to some other normalcy he craves (post here)-- but has never, ever lasted. Except Scully.

So, Mulder realizes his feelings, Scully escapes cancer by the skin of her teeth, and we arrive at Detour... where he runs from the motel, chasing after his monster case.

Some read this moment as Mulder realizing and dodging Scully's intentions, others that he was completely blind to her intentions. I file it as the latter; but we also have ample evidence of Mulder noticing Scully's actions briefly before losing focus in favor of another tantalizing mystery (ex. the beginning of The Unnatural.) He misses the forest for the trees in his personal life-- or rather, he doesn't see the value in fixating on it beyond a few superficial check-ins here and there (we'll get to that.) Scully's always by his side, they have the work, he wants answers, why change? It's the same question he asks her in other contexts (ex. "Why now? Why Boggs?" in Beyond the Sea.)

Season 5 continues. It's a rough year for Mulder (post here.) And for Scully: The End is another episode on a pile of episodes where she feels she's "failed" Mulder, leading to her dispirited goodbye in FTF.

Thus, we arrive at Fight the Future: the moment that forces Mulder to make a confession or lose Scully. To him, her importance was never in question; but the hard part is admitting how broken he feels without her. He was afraid to do more in their partnership because... what would happen if things changed? His fear is rooted in the "What if?", and holds him back from a course of action. Scully's fear is rooted in "Did I choose right?", and manifests after she decides on a course of action (A Christmas Carol's doubts after joining the FBI, Never Again after four years in, all things after the Season of Secret Sex, etc.)

Despite the good that came from his hallway, Mulder's greatest fear is realized when Scully nearly dies after he confesses he needs her. This kicks him into retreat mode (post here)-- "go be a doctor", he tells her. It's Scully who says, "I can't", and clings to his hand, who refuses to give up. That is important, because it's another example of how reliant on Scully Mulder is, to the detriment of his own growth, at times.

Mulder takes her words to mean that Scully is unflinchingly by his side-- which is true. What isn't is his next assumption: that they're on the same page.

They're not, really.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SEASON 6

In The Beginning, Scully hasn't felt the need to change-- she's a scientist, she needs proof-- but she hasn't confronted and overcome her unnecessary doubts, either. Mulder, meanwhile, demonstrates he hasn't changed, either-- and, more importantly, how far removed he is still if from a functioning relationship... as Scully suspected. Hurt that she didn't back him up before their superiors-- which resulted in them losing the files-- he hides behind frustration and anger. Scully feels rejected, and lo and behold! Diana appears; and wins back some ground with Mulder while Scully loses Gibson Praise. By the end of the episode, Mulder doesn't want to cosign to Scully's theory because her science, he thinks, betrayed them before. And lo and behold! It kind of did. But it didn't this time, when it's too late.

Where does that place them early Season 6? As an enclosed unit, with Mulder pillaging the basement-- without consulting Diana-- and sneaking off on his own or taking Scully with him on his misadventures. For all that could be wrong between them, a lot is still right; and both put in the effort to include and watch out for the each other.

Then Two Fathers and One Son (posts here, here, and here) shakes them apart: Mulder doesn't want to believe yet another ally is using and manipulating him; but gives in and goes to investigate Diana when Scully threatens to walk if he doesn't listen to her. He's speared in the Achilles Heel, however-- fatalism in the face of the inevitable-- and almost gives up completely before Scully yells him back from the brink. This happens again in Amor Fati; but he finally learns his lesson there. Scully is visibly angry with him at the end of the episode... and then we have the next few episodes as if nothing happened.

Agua Mala completely resolves their festering from One Son (yes, it's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it resolution; and, yes, I need to sit down and write that out sometime) and propels them into their old-- dare I say, lighthearted-- routine and banter (i.e. Monday, Arcadia, etc.)

An important side note: To accurately place where Mulder and Scully were romantically during this period, we have to figure out if there was lingering tension post One Son. The facts simply don't support that narrative. We see in Arcadia that Scully was enjoying herself at first-- only brushing Mulder off initially when he used her as part of his schmaltzy facade (during their arrival)-- until her partner began poking at her, too (posts here), to maintain distance between them (post here.) We see in Alpha (posts here) that their banter was fun and lighthearted until she found out Mulder kept information relevant to that case from her; and that that information was yet another woman he wanted her to trust without question because he did. (Regardless, she still looked out for his best interests and sympathized with him after Karin's death.) We are shown in Milagro (posts here) that her tops are dropping lower and lower in an unconscious desire to grab Mulder's attention; but more importantly, that Mulder still hasn't considered her in all the ways Dana Katherine Scully exists. Yet, tension only arises when Scully feels overlooked, not displaced-- a creeping of her old assumptions and Mulder's missed signals in Never Again 2.0, not a minimization of her value ala One Son. We see in The Unnatural that she's survived Padgett and is setting subtlety aside for the first time in their relationship; so no tension there at all.

In short, we see Scully moving on and wanting Mulder to move on with her, too... and Mulder either not getting the hint outright (the beginning of Arcadia and Milagro), or getting distracted by the next shiny case instead, despite her efforts (Alpha, The Unnatural.)

The Unnatural: stage one of Mulder's mature development (and you can thank David Duchovny for each of these stages, by the way.) I.e. Detour with unmistakably romantic overtures, in case Mulder missed them the first time (which seems to be a pattern for Scully: near death, survival, resolution, and overtures.) Mulder would have to be thick to miss her obvious flirting, but he still loses himself in another x-file and runs off to badger Arthur Dales about it-- meaning, at this point, Scully has his attention, but not his full attention. Scully takes this as a matter of course-- because that's how Mulder's been from Season 1 (i.e. The Jersey Devil's "Unlike you, Mulder, I would like to have a life"/"I have a life.") However, Mulder finally learns "the mystery of the heart"; and decides to test this out with Scully on the baseball field. It's a small, small, small step because he's not used to this "normal", this appreciation for small, perhaps insignificant things. More to the point, he's probably afraid to do more-- was afraid she wouldn't even show up, per his expression; and will be afraid to follow-up, per his actions in Amor Fati and Millennium. But he did it; and Scully knew what Mulder was meaning to demonstrate ("Shut up, Mulder, I'm playing baseball.), as Duchovny intended.

So, where does that take us? The IVF arc, of course (post here.) It's a failure, splat (or not a part of some fans' canon); and that keeps up moving rapidly along to the next beat in their relationship.

Field Trip. Oh, boy. Field Trip: the episode that prepares both agents for the foundational upheaval of the Biogenesis-Amor Fati arc. Scully can't solely rely on her pat scientific rationalizations; and Mulder doesn't trust her blind loyalty and belief. And both are undeniably coded as a couple throughout their "trip." The main takeaway from this experience is that they doubt themselves more than they doubt each other; and their doubts in each other pale in comparison to their unshakeable trust.

MY TOUCHSTONE

That leads us neatly to Biogenesis-Amor Fati... which we shall mostly skip for brevity's sake, as this arc accomplishes very little (despite its exorbitant screen time.)

Diana shows up, but has to admit Mulder has been asking for Scully "since last night." The barb doesn't land for Scully (while the implication highly amuses Skinner, post here); and after their resolution in Season 6-- Milagro and The Unnatural and the IVF arc and, most recently, Field Trip-- she remains unshaken in her conviction of Mulder's loyalty. She flies to Africa, touches the baby-restorer ship, and accomplishes... very little before flying back and finding out Tena has turned her son over to CSM.

Mulder, meanwhile, is stuck in dreamland. @cecilysass wrote an incredible post on the topic here; and @jaspertedd and @deathsbestgirl's theories-- that Mulder's dreams are influenced by those around him (post here)-- are interesting and pertinent additions. If true, that speaks to a deeper hole in Mulder's psyche he's yet to repair: doubting himself so much so that the influence of others takes precedence over his conscience. We've seen that before many times (one of which is Diana's manipulation in One Son, another of which was CSM's temptation in Redux II); but in each case, it was Scully-- a stronger moral barometer-- that kept him back or influenced his courage in the right direction. Mulder doesn't need to borrow her conscience, just her strength to act on his own.

"You were my constant, my touchstone"/"And you are mine" speaks volumes about where these characters are.

Mulder needed to accurately see that a life, a world where he was handed all his answers and given atonement for all his trespasses was empty and shallow without Scully. He needed, further, to shake off that side of himself that would rather wallow than fight, that put Scully in a position, over and over again, to save his life (Demons) or to talk him back from the edge (The Ghosts That Stole Christmas, though a mirage, was based in a truth.) For Mulder, Amor Fati is the crest of a long, arduous hill that took him decades to climb; and now tips him down, at last, towards maturity, self-actualization, and closure.

Scully needed to come to a different, frightening realization: that the cornerstones of her beliefs might be built on lies, too. She needed to open her mind to possibilities that challenged or even betrayed her beliefs-- to overcome the fear inside that was still inflicting self-doubt. For Scully, Amor Fati was the beginning of the end of her security in "the facts"-- but one that gave her the opportunity to step away from "the tried and true" in order to find herself: her intuition, and her happiness.

"You were my constant, my touchstone"/"And you are mine" is the verbalization of their mutual revelations.

THE END FOR MULDER, THE BEGINNING FOR SCULLY

Amor Fati, for Mulder, was a Part 2 to Redux II and a do-over for One Son: he was confronted by his conscience and learned, once again, to stand by it. But not alone, not yet. For Scully, it was the beginning of her journey, one that culminates in all things (post here.) Her relationship struggles aren't rooted in an upfront fear about moving forward in a relationship-- only what comes after, a pattern in all her relationships and major life decisions (post here.)

Yet, Mulder doesn't make a move in his hallway-- doesn't even try-- after his touchstone speech. Why?

Because Scully was overwhelmed and conflicted and needed space to work through her (Diana-adjacent) guilt-- the same feelings he'd battled with throughout Season 4 and 5: failing and failing and failing. With a little space and a little time for him to recover and a little case thrown in to get her back on track (Hungry), their equilibrium is reestablished.

And that leads us to Millennium and the Season of Secret Sex.

It's Mulder who initiated his confession in Fight the Future, it's Mulder who invited her to play ball under the stars, and it's Mulder who affirmed she was his touchstone; so, it's Mulder who initiates their first kiss. Scully continues to hold herself in a waiting position-- standing at attention, Starbuck-style, until her captain makes the first move (something that all things shifts, as well)-- but all bets are off when he does. Mulder's first step initiates all her ensuing ones: jealously knocking into him in and playing with his tie in Rush, teasing about all being "right with the world" when they (hypothetically) return home in The Goldberg Variation, and each and every fond ribbing she tosses his way. There's a resolution between the two that isn't shaken until En Ami's trickery (which... was a topic all its own, post here) and all things's doubts.

Then we arrive at Closure. This episode is the resolution to Mulder's character arc-- not only because he found his sister and, effectively, laid her to rest, but because he learned to trust to her happy ending without needing Scully to believe him. For the first time, he exercises a "conscience", if you will, separately from Scully-- she is his touchstone, still, but not his whole being. A monumental change from Redux II and Folie a Deux and Fight the Future: then, it was "I knew you'd tell me if I was making a mistake" and "no one else" on earth believes him and "I don't want to do this alone. I don't even know if I can." Now, she remains his touchstone, his realignment; but he can stand on his own two feet without curling into whatever shape will earn him love from others.

all things is to Scully what Closure was to Mulder. Her touchstone claimed her as his in Amor Fati; and Scully thought this meant Mulder promised to always be there when she navigated strange waters... and then he ditches her for crop circles in England. Mulder doesn't understand why she's making a big deal of weekend work now instead of every weekend before; and the two separate in not bad but not great spirits (ala Never Again.) Feeling adrift, Scully runs into Daniel Waterston, and we know what happens from there. In short, all things forces Scully to have distance from Mulder's influence-- as Amor Fati had forced him from her-- in order to choose, with a clear conscience, if this path, this touchstone, is the right one for her. all things finally sets her free from her inhibitions: she guides Mulder back to their apartment and lets him ramble on and on without feeling displaced or devalued by his split focus.

Scully wouldn't be driven to this crossroads and its resolution had not Mulder calmed her self-reproach and claimed her as his "touchstone", allowing her to come back to and lean on that truth in her darkest hours. As we know, she's always relied on Mulder's strength-- Irresistible, Memento Mori, Elegy, etc.-- but had yet to rely on her own. all things, finally, guides her into her own strength and abilities.

COULD A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM HAVE WORKED BEFORE?

Realistically, anything can work with enough dedication and elbow grease (from both parties.) But, actually factually, the reciprocity needed for an intimate relationship wouldn't have been equal until after Mulder's return from "another life, another world." While they loved each other, Mulder's mercurial ways would wear on Scully's security, and Scully's sudden doubts and distance would dig Mulder's insecurities deeper in.

Mulder, the FBI profiler, was more strongly aware of this than Scully; while Scully, the scientific medical doctor, was more alertly aware of Mulder's constant retreat and instability than her own conflicting, distancing, brewing emotions. He had to learn to stand on his own two feet: a man who railed against the sky and stood up to his superiors and welcomed an existence as a pariah; and who would crumble the instant love was offered then revoked. She had to learn to trust her own instincts: a woman who rigidly tried to rein in her insecurities through facts and detached logical thinking; and who would implode with doubt the instant someone she respected or trusted questioned her decisions or intuition.

Could it or would it have worked? Yes, I think so. But Mulder and Scully were, I believe, happiest to begin a relationship when they did, on their own terms. They needed to be each other's touchstone first, not his "one-in-five-billion" or her "strength."

Partners, in all things.

CONCLUSION

"My touchstone" was the awakening for both: of how far Mulder had come, and much farther Scully had to go. Moreover, it solidified the nature of their relationship: unshakeable reliance and dependable trust, even if the whole world was (is) falling apart.

In short, Anon? Yes.

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

[thursdayinspace]

You know what really kills me about the hallway scene? That it's not them consciously and intentionally making the choice to act on this pull between them, but that it's their defences crumbling away. Their hearts have beaten themselves sore with longing and suppressed all-consuming love. And now she is trying to leave, but it hurts to even just stretch that bond between them. And he's confessing his feelings because she needs to know that his world makes no sense without her.

When she steps into that hug and closes her eyes, she's powerless against everything she feels for him. When she looks into his eyes, she's not offering him her heart, she's admitting that it's already his.

The look in his eyes, asking her if she really doesn't know? His soul is wide open, there is not a single protective wall in place. He doesn't have the strength. He's pleading, hurting, and completely and utterly hers.

They're powerless, helpless; weak and bruised and aching from keeping this secret straining against the confines of their hearts for so long. There's only one way forward that won't break them. And regardless of what happens next, they admit they want to take that step, enough to keep them from shattering.

It's the absolute anguish in the moments before they start leaning in for the kiss that makes it so overwhelming. They try so hard not to for years. But when it comes to walking away, their bodies and souls rebel so hard they can no longer pretend.

[dazeddoodles]

Since you hate the way the fandom does, how would you describe Willow?

I'll try to keep it as short as possible as to not cheat (It's supposed to be a description not a character analysis)

But Willow seems to not value in herself due to years of bullying, which is why early on she doesn't see her potential.

And why she puts others needs above her own, because she doesn't see herself as important. As we see in FTF when she keeps avoiding how she's feeling instead focusing on others.

Part of the reason she breaks down at the end of the episode is her bottling up her emotions but also because she thinks that she failed everyone/put them all in danger.

One of the last things she was about to say about herself is that she's still Half a Witch Willow. Until Hunter snaps her out of it and comforts her. The opposite of what she was trying to do for him earlier in the ep.

The problem is alot of fans also only value her if she's being a friend (or girlfriend to Hunter) to the other characters they care about more. So that's what they chalk up her entire character as.

See what I mentioned earlier about how people hate on her for "only being Hunter's girlfriend" when that's outright a lie. She didn't even know him for half the show, and their relationship in the show was pretty lowkey. It's just that people only remember her when she's interacting with the more popular characters.

In reality she's tough but goofy and a friend to others sometimes to her own detriment. And she actually has feelings outside of worrying about others.

People tend to forget how many time we see her rightfully get angry over how she's being treated. She not a "perfect uwu victim". Instead paying more attention to "Omg but how do the people who hurt her feel? 🥺"

Something should also be said about how people see a female character be nice to people the same age range as her and immediately think "mom" but idk

In conclusion:

[twogravesinsomecemetery]

Ftf is really two entire hours of mulder internally screaming 'at a time like this????' as he goes around dealing with 27 million things at once and y'know what I love that about it actually

[corimmy]

You wear those shoes and I will wear that dress. Oh, Kiss me! || ZAMMY

TAGGING ➝ @zachwilde, @corimmy

LOCATION ➝ TABLE + ICE

TIME FRAME ➝ 10/09. Evening.

WARNINGS ➝ Possible mentions of childhood abuse, and csa, religious trauma - nothing mentioned super specifically or indepth.

NOTES ➝ Immy plans a first date for her and Zach, they discuss some deep feelings, and some fluff.

Immy CortesNervous didn't even begin to cover what Immy was feeling as she dropped Malea off with Haley for the night, she was verging on panic. It was silly, really, but she couldn't help it, she wanted this night to go well, she wanted every night with Zach to go well, and if this one went poorly, she worried there wouldn't be any more to come. Normally, one person picks another up for a date, but because she had to drop Malea off, and wanted to make sure everything was set up to her standards she asked Zach to meet her at her restaurant. 

Immy was upstairs on the rooftop patio, the restaurant closed on Wednesday nights to give the staff a night off, meant the place was quiet and private and hopefully not too romantic that she'd run them off, which is why she opted not to put candles on the table, and instead using the bars low lighting. The whole rooftop was cleared, with the exception of their table, and the place was empty with the exception of a few staff who she was paying double time for volunteering to work on their day off.

zach wildeZach didn't know what to expect tonight. He'd been nervous, pacing back and forth in his apartment only just an hour before. The conversation they'd had about taking things slow made complete sense, and Zach was glad to know that they were on the same page. But now, Immy was figuring out if she still felt the same way about Zach now, and not just teenager Zach. 

When they finally arrived on the rooftop patio, Zach was at a loss for words. One, because of the set up. And two, because Immy was the most beautiful woman they'd ever seen in their life, they were sure of it. They walked up to her, not being able to hold themselves back from just completely checking them out. Zach wrapped his arms around Immy, pulling her close. "Wow.." He pressed a kiss against her cheek before pulling away. They took her hand in their own, eyes locking onto Immy's. "You're absolutely breathtaking, Immy."

Immy CortesHer heart raced when she saw them step onto the patio and finally felt a bit of calm for the first time all night when Zach wrapped their arms around her. She was certain the way her whole body reacted to them couldn’t just be old feelings resurfacing. A deep blush rose on her cheeks when she heard their words, and she couldn’t stop herself from tugging on their hand to pull him in for a real kiss this time. 

“Sorry, I’ve been thinking about kissing you since the last time we kissed, I didn’t think I could wait any longer.” Immy grinned, and then motioned to the table, “we should eat, there’s a surprise later and I want to make sure we’ve finished eating and have everything cleared away when it’s time. The menu is smaller than a full menu since we’re closed and a lot of stuff gets made in batches but there are burgers, so I figured you’d be okay with the limited options.” She said, sitting down in her own seat and smiling as one of her servers came over with water and to take their orders.

zach wildeZach was more than happy to feel Immy's lips against his again. He couldn't help his somewhat dopey grin as he said: "You never have to apologize for kissing me, Im." The fact that there was a surprise later caught Zach's surprise, but not enough to quickly pull out the chair for Immy. 

Zach immediately ordered a burger, as they always did, and turned back to Immy. "So, back to this surprise.." They smiled, grabbing their water and taking a quick sip. "You're amazing. All of this?" Zach motioned towards the rooftop patio, and then towards her. "Amazing. I feel like I'm the luckiest person in the world now up here with you."

Immy CortesIt shouldn’t have surprised her when Zach pulled out her chair, and yet it did, just a small gesture like that was exactly one of the reasons she knew they were still such a good person after all these years. Immy ordered her own food, glad to hear Zach ordering his usual, and blushed again at his words. “I was worried you would think I was doing too much, but then at the same time nothing felt like it was enough for you.” She bit her lip, “I might be just a little smitten, and I’ve never really had a chance to plan a date like this, not a real date with someone I actually care about, so if anyone here is the lucky one, it’s me.” 

Immy leaned back in her chair, debating on telling him now what the surprise was, “Do you want to know what the surprise is or would you rather wait and see? I’m okay either way, but I think it will take a little explaining.” Another thought occurred to her, and she cleared her throat, then took a sip of water, hoping she didn’t sound to forward, “This doesn’t have to mean anything, but for the record, Malea is sleeping over at Haley’s tonight so, I guess I’m saying I don’t have a curfew tonight.”

zach wildeEverything between Immy had felt so charged. Even with them just sitting here with one another, Zach found themselves feeling so much. With Immy simply saying she was smitten with them, they felt their heart beat just a little bit faster. "How about we're both lucky?" Zach suggested, not being able to take his eyes off of her. In this lighting, she was absolutely breathtaking. "Just a little smitten?" Zach tilted his head to the side, smiling playfully. "I'll remember that. I'm a little bit smitten with you too, though." 

Zach was going to respond to Immy concerning the surprise, but was taken aback when she told him that Malea was staying the night at Haley's. He couldn't help the way he immediately thought of all the things he could do with her, provided that was what she wanted. Perhaps that was thinking too far, but they couldn't help themselves. Immy was intoxicating. "Okay. But, just to be clear. Are you intending it to mean something?"

Immy Cortes“Okay, we’re both lucky,” Immy agreed. “Maybe more than a little on my part.” She admitted. Her blush deepened at their words and she shook her head, trying to figure out what she did mean. “I just mean, we’re adults and I’m physically attracted to you and I think you feel the same and I’m not saying we definitely should go home and bone,” she said with a laugh, “I just mean, we can go wherever the night takes us, I don’t believe in rules about needing to go on so many dates, and we don’t have to worry about me needing to rush out to get Malea. But if you’re wondering if I want to sleep with you, the answer is definitely yes.”

zach wildeZach couldn’t stop himself from smirking just a bit at her last comment. He cleared his throat and took a sip of water, taking a second before he replied with something too inappropriate for a first date. Instead, they focused on the feeling that Immy had felt comfortable enough with them to want that. He reached his hand over the table and took Immy’s hand in his own. Zach locked eyes with her. “Whatever you want. Everything will be at your pace. Personally, I’m okay with kissing you all night long like we’re in high school again.” He laughed, thinking back on how nervous he’d been to kiss her back then. “But just to let you know, my answer is definitely yes too. Just thought you should know.”

Immy CortesShe gave him her hand happily, squeezing theirs back gently. “The kissing all night is definitely an option, too.” But she was glad to hear that they were just as interested as she was. She was pulled from her thoughts when the food arrived, grateful for a break in the tension because she wasn’t sure if she was about to climb into their lap right here in the restaurant. 

Immy thanked the server that brought the food and checked the time on her watch, they still had a decent amount of time before the sculpture instructor arrived. “Is your burger okay?” She asked, enjoying her pasta probably a little too quickly, but she was definitely a foodie and couldn’t help but dive right in. “Sorry,” she laughed as she pushed her nearly empty plate to the side, “I was hungry.”

zach wildeNo matter what, when there was a burger in front of Zach, he was going to inhale the thing like he'd never eaten before in his life. He looked up just in time for Immy to ask him if his food was good. He finished the large bite in his mouth and then nodded. "It's incredible. As someone who has eaten their fair share of burgers.. and by that, I mean, way too many fucking burgers.. this has got to be top ten." Zach wiped off their mouth, making sure there was nothing on their face. They looked at their finished plate and laughed. "Never apologize for eating. I'm sure it's incredible." 

They finished up their burger quickly after that, pushing it to the side. Zach started feeling somewhat antsy about the supposed surprise, so he couldn't help but ask. "First off, thank you so much for dinner and setting this whole thing up. It really has been incredible. And second.. The more time that goes on, the more I'm wondering about this surprise. What do you have up your sleeves, Im?"

Immy CortesImmy grinned as they finished their food as well, “Well, I’ll have to let the chef know that you approve.” She smiled, declining to order any dessert for herself when the server came back for the plates, waiting to see if Zach wanted any. 

Immy held her arms up at her sides slightly, “I have no sleeves,” she teased but didn’t want to keep him waiting. “Umm, hopefully this isn’t too strange but I saw you say that you’d like to try sculpting sometime. I hired someone from a local studio to come here and give us a lesson. She should be here soon, but if you’re not interested I can text her and tell her we’re all set.” She said, nerves suddenly taking over her.

zach wildeZach scrunched his nose, amused with Immy's little joke. However, he was stunned into silence when she explained that she hired someone to give them a lesson on sculpting. The whole idea that she'd seen their casual answer of a skill they'd like to learn, and made this happen. "I..." They started, not really knowing what to say. Sure, people had done some kind things for him before, but something about this felt different. It felt.. more. In a good way. In a really good way. 

"I don't know what to say other than thank you. That's so thoughtful." With every passing second that Zach spent with Immy, they were becoming more and more sure that their feelings were for Immy and not just because of what they felt when they were teenagers. "Of course I'm interested." He paused. "How long until she's going to be here? Because I really want to kiss you."

Immy CortesThe silence dragged on for long enough for Immy to feel self conscious about the date she’d planned, but she felt herself relaxed when they seemed happy by the surprise. “We have about ten minutes.” She said, grinning as she looked around, not really wanting to make out in front of her staff but wanting to kiss them just as badly. “I could show you my office, if you wanted.” She offered, taking his hand and leading him to the door that lead to her office. 

It wasn’t anything magnificent, just a desk and a couch pushed against the windows, but the view was almost as nice as the rooftop. “I just figured we could have some privacy for a few minutes and I don’t want to have to pay for therapy for my staff for forcing them to watch their boss come unglued on a date.” She smiled, stepping closer to them and resting her hands against his chest, “Zach, I just really hope you know how incredibly grateful I am for you, for believing the best of me even after all this time, for not believing your dad about me, for always making me feel safe, for so many things, really. I’ve never felt the same way about anyone as I have about you, and I appreciate you being willing to take things slow with me, but I truly can’t imagine that the way I’m feeling is all in my head. It’s not just feelings from when we were kids, not for me, I know that already.”

zach wildeZach was happy to be led into Immy's office. He took a look around, but soon thereafter focused all of his attention on her. He laughed. "Yeah.. That would be embarrassing for them and you, I think." When she stepped closed to them, they wrapped their arms around her waist and pulled them in closer. "There's nothing in this world that could make me believe anything that man says. And even then, I know you. I know you would've never done what he said." He took in a deep breath, just needing her to know that he was always going to feel that way. 

Zach leaned down and pressed their lips against Immy's, letting it linger for a long moment before they pulled away. "Sorry. I can't help it. But.. I'm really glad you feel that way. Because ever since I've seen you tonight, I've known that it's not just leftover feelings. I think it's you, Immy. I'm just... so fucking crazy about you. I want to get to know everything about you, and what you've been doing these last years. I want to know what's been going on inside of that beautiful mind of yours. It was you then and it's you now, babe."

Immy CortesShe just couldn’t understand what she’d ever done in life to get as lucky as she was. She was blessed with the most amazing child, a career she loved, and for a long time she had felt that that was enough. She knew she could be content in life with just that, she wondered about maybe one day falling in love, but didn’t really see it for herself. But she never could have dreamed up this, having Zach Wilde holding her in their arms and telling her they were crazy about her. Immy lived her life in pure misery as a child, and then one day there was Zach, and he changed everything. And now she was an adult, living contently and accepting of that, and then again, one day there was Zach and it felt like everything could be different. 

Immy felt a tear escape her but she quickly wiped it away, standing on her tip toes to press another kiss to their lips. “I don’t know how I ever got so lucky, between you and Malea I have to be the luckiest person on the planet to get to have you both in my life. I’ve never felt the way I felt about you with anyone else, not even Malea’s dad, and I truly didn’t think I ever would again until I saw you again.”

zach wilde Zach kissed Immy on one cheek, and then the other, and then moved to her forehead. He wished that he could kiss her everywhere right then and there, just to show her how much she meant to him. They cupped Immy's cheek in their palm, just looking down at her and admiring her for everything that she was. "You've got me feeling really special, Im." Zach's voice was quiet, and he rubbed his thumb along her bottom lip, just looking at her. 

"Looking at you like this, right now, I feel like the luckiest fucking person in the world." They took in a deep breath and smiled. "I struggle a lot, simply put. With my anxiety and ..just everything with my dad. Sometimes I swear I can hear his boots stomping down the hallway and straight to my room. I'll be up for hours trying to convince myself he's not in my house. Things feel really dark a lot of the time. But you're this bright light, allowing me to finally breathe just right."

Immy CortesIt was the way Zach seemed to really see her that had made Immy fall in love back then and it was the same thing that was making her fall so hard now. He didn’t just think she was hot, or want her body, he truly saw her and wanted her. There were still things they didn’t know about her past, and now wasn’t the time to bring them up, but somehow she knew that even if they did know, theyd still choose to be here with her. “You are special, Zach.” 

She felt her heart breaking for them when they spoke, wishing she could take that pain away. She’d go through all of the pain she’d been through and then some if it meant sparing Zach from the pain of their own past. “I don’t know how but if you say so, then I’m glad I can do that for you. You know, you can call me. If you’re having a night like that, please call me. Or just come over, I don’t care what time it is, I’m a light sleeper, I’ll wake up and if I can’t make you feel better then at least we’ll be up together.”

zach wilde

Zach smiled. Of course she'd invite him over when he was having a particularly bad night. Most times, he found himself awake in the middle of the night and painting. It was the one thing that seemed to calm his nerves. But going over to Immy's sounded much better. Zach already knew he was going to take her up on that offer. "Just by being here again. That's how you do it. And I'm definitely going to be coming over. Any excuse to see you." 

Not wanting to continue thinking about his dad, Zach opted for something better. "Now, I believe we came in here for a reason.." They trailed off, small smile playing on their lips. They pressed their body against hers, pulling her as close as possible before kissing her. He kissed her hungrily, wanting to capture the taste of her. Zach hummed happily into the kiss, and then pulled away after a couple of minutes. "Is this okay?"

Immy Cortes

She was more than happy to let him kiss her, enjoying it maybe even more than she should. If they weren't in her office she'd consider moving things beyond kissing, but was grateful for the break in her thoughts when they pulled away. "More than okay," She grinned, and then let out a sigh, "But unfortunately I think our instructor will be here soon, we should probably make our way back out there and save the rest of this for later."

[mir-iamwilde]

So what would you think of me now? So lucky, so strong, so proud || Zach & Midge

WHO: @zachwilde, @mir-iamwilde

WHERE: Immy and Zach's House

WHEN: The 5th of November

WHY: Zach and Midge discuss Midge's plan with Aaron, and what happened on Halloween with Danny.

WARNINGS: Mentions of violence, abuse, religion, and murder. Zach suffers a panic attack.

zach wilde Zach loved when it was just him and Malea. The fact that Immy had trusted him enough to take care of her on his own, and the fact that Malea liked him enough to spend one on one time with him. They'd been coloring and watching cartoons together when Midge walked through the front door. "Hey!" Zach greeted happily, immediately looking her over to see if there were any noticeable bruises on her. He relaxed when there weren't any, and got up to greet her. He wrapped his arms around Midge, kissing her on the top of the head. "You remember Midge, Malea? Say hi!" He waited for what Malea was going to do, and she looked up and sighed. "I'm still coloring, Zachy," she told them, and Zach laughed. "You're so right, I'm sorry, bug." They turned to Midge, voice lower now: "What's up? Is everything okay?"

Midge WildeMaking her way to Immy's house, or - Zach and Immy's house, she felt her nerves building. She knew Zach wasn't going to like this conversation, that they were going to worry about her, but she couldn't keep doing so many things behind their back. She'd promised to tell him what her plan was on Halloween, and she needed to follow through. Midge barged through the door, kicking it shut behind her, wondering if Immy was there to be annoyed by her, but was disappointed when she saw it was just Zach and the kid. At least Han was there to greet her. 

Midge hugged Zach back, relaxing against them, and couldn't help but to let out a laugh at Malea's words. She could respect a girl with an attitude, "Yeah, don't be so rude, Zachy." She teased, nudging them with her arm. Midge nodded at their question, and gestured towards the next room, "Maybe we should talk in here?" She said, taking a seat at the kitchen table, "Are you doing okay?" She asked, biting her lip, knowing that they'd likely need to discuss both Aaron and Danny, and she wasn't sure how either would go.

zach wilde"I'm gonna talk to Midge, okay?" Zach told Malea, but she was far too busy with coloring to really care what they were saying. He laughed and then made his way to the kitchen. Zach grabbed two glasses and filled them up with water, setting them down on the table and joined her. As much as he liked a visit from Midge, he knew that there must be something going on. He wondered if she knew that Danny put his hands on him, and still was going back and forth with deciding if he should even tell her or not. 

"I'm okay," they nodded, tilting their head to the side, a little confused. Why was she asking if they were okay? "Are you? I love that you're here, Midgie, but I'm kind of confused. Is there something going on? Nothing happened with Aaron, did it?" They couldn't help themselves, they looked over Midge again, making sure there weren't any bruises they'd missed the first look over.

Midge WildeMidge felt herself flinch under their gaze. She knew Zach only cared that she was okay, but she didn't like feeling like she was being inspected. Instead, she brushed them off, stretching her neck up so they could have a clear view, letting a small laugh escape her, "You want to see my stomach, too, make sure there's nothing hidden anywhere else?" She teased, reaching out to squeeze their hand gently. 

"No, nothing happened with Aaron, but I just ...I didn't really get to explain on Halloween, but I think there's a way that maybe I can get him out of our lives." She bit her lip, feeling her nerves pick up again, "But I need you to tell me it's okay to do this, because if you tell me not to, I won't." Midge took in a deep breath, "I think all these years, Dad has been stealing money from the church, I think I can get proof, and from what I'm seeing, he could go to jail for a really long time. But...I have to be able to prove it."

zach wildeZach frowned. "I'm sorry. Ever since you told me what happened with dad, I've just.. I've been having a lot of bad dreams. I can't stop thinking about it," his voice was quieter on the last sentence, but he squeezed her hand back. He wouldn't tell her that he was constantly plagued with the anxiety that Aaron would show up and do even worse to her. 

They were immediately locked into what Midge was saying, brows furrowing in confusion. Everything made sense when Midge commented on Aaron stealing money from the church. Zach couldn't help his laugh. Of course the good Christian man was stealing money from Pacific Grace. Of course he was. But Midge being the one to uncover it... "Midgie.." they finally said, shaking their head. "I'll be the first one to say I want Aaron to go to jail. He deserves it. But.. Are you being careful? What if he catches on? What then?"

Midge WildeShe regretted telling Zach what had really happened with Aaron. As much as they deserved to know, and she knew she should have told them, she regretted the worry it was causing them. Midge frowned at their words, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, but I promise, he’s been fine at work, he wouldn’t let anyone think less of him by treating me badly in front of anyone. You don’t have to worry about it.” She knew that would likely be little comfort, but she hoped it helped enough. 

She was surprised how well he took her news, of course he was worried, but she expected that. “Well, he’ll have to find out eventually, but I’ve got time to prepare for that. As far as him catching on, he won’t. I’m not doing anything, I’m not stopping him or anything like that, just making records and I’m not keeping them there. They’ve got it all set up as this fake charity, they put a set amount in it each month as a donation but it doesn’t exist, it just goes to dad and I’m guess Al gets a cut. So as long as I keep putting money in there he won’t notice anything. At first I thought I’d try to tell him we needed to diversify our donations and wanted to set up other places to donate to, but I realized that would raise too many questions when he got mad at me and he’d suspect I knew something. So I’m just playing dumb. It’s easy, he thinks he’s smarter than everyone else already, so he just assumes I’m still just naive little Miriam and he’s too proud to question that.”

zach wildeZach sighed, and then looked out to the living room to make sure Malea was still doing okay. She was talking to herself and he gave a small smile. He turned back to Midge, unsure. As much as he wanted Aaron to go down, having his sister be the one to do it made him nervous. 

"Midge, I know you think he's stupid. He is in a lot of ways, and I'm gonna be the first one to admit that. But he's also really smart in other ways. He's a fucking master manipulator, okay?" Zach let out a shaky sigh. They weren't sure if this was the best idea, and they felt the pressure in their chest that told them they were getting anxious. Zach stood up from the table and paced back and forth. "I don't know. Like I said, I'm the first one to say he deserves to go to jail. But on the other hand, I don't know what the hell he'd do to you if he found out before you could do anything." Actually, Zach had a pretty good idea - Aaron would most likely try to kill her. Or at least get close to it. There were a few times when Zach had been younger, that he was sure that's exactly what he was trying to do to them. While their siblings understood the kind of man he was now, they never really knew exactly how bad it got. Tears filled Zach's eyes and he balled his hands into fists. "I can't have anything else happen to you."

Midge WildeShe knew everything he was saying was true, it wasn’t anything she hadn’t thought herself. It didn’t matter though, she needed to do this. She could understand why Zach wouldn’t want her to, why they would worry and want her safe, but she wasn’t going to be deterred. She knew she’d said she needed them to tell her it was okay, but she was realizing that wasn’t true, she couldn’t walk away from this. “I don’t think he’s stupid, I promise you, he may be underestimating me, but I won’t make that same mistake with him.” She said, hoping to reassure them. She felt a chill run down her spine when they mentioned not knowing what Aaron would do to her. What had happened already wasn’t nearly as bad as what she knew Aaron was capable of, when it came to protecting his reputation, he would go much further. “Well, if I end up dead he could go to jail for that, too.” She teased, though she knew that joke was in poor taste, and Zach would never be amused by it. “Look, I’m being as careful as I can be. I can’t promise everything is going to be fine, but I can’t promise to keep you updated and to stop if I think he’s catching on. And I can promise to keep myself as safe as possible. Danny stays with me most nights, honestly, so he’s not going to catch me home alone again at least.”

zach wildeThough it was a joke, Midge saying that if she ended up dead Aaron would go to jail really got to Zach. He couldn't even listen to the rest of what she'd been saying and completely turned away from her. He didn't want Malea to see him like this. Zach sucked in a deep breath, feeling his hands shaking. The anxiety that had been bubbling up came completely to the surface and he couldn't handle it - he felt like he couldn't breathe. Zach quickly made his way to the back door and immediately tried to take in a big breath. 

It all hit them just then - everything. Everything that had been happening, and it was because of Aaron. Zach slid to the ground and a sob immediately felt like it ripped out of their throat. Tears were spilling and quite honestly, they weren't even aware of it. The thought that Aaron could kill her was the only thing on their mind, and the fact that they couldn't do anything to stop it. Zach had tried to not let their siblings see this side of them, and honestly, it'd been awhile since they'd had a full on panic attack. They were gasping for breath and pulled their knees to their chest, just trying to calm themselves down.

Midge WildeShe watched as Zach seemed to fall apart in front of her. She didn’t know what to do at first, but as they slid to the ground, guilt filled her completely. She grabbed their water and came outside behind them, shutting the door but leaving it cracked so they could hear Malea is she needed them. “Okay, I’m sorry,” she said softly, taking the cold water and pressing the cold container to their cheek, then the other, and then the back of their neck. “Just try to take a deep breath, okay. Smell the flowers, blow out the candles, right? Isn’t that what they say?” She felt herself panicking too, but knew she needed to stay calm if she was going to help Zach at all. Midge sat on her knees in front of them, her hands resting over theirs. “Just breathe, okay?” She repeated, not knowing what else to say, before resuming moving the water around to try and cool them, hoping to reset their nervous system.

zach wildeIt took a second for Zach to recognize that Midge was next to him, but when he felt her hands in his own he finally looked up. His eyes were full of tears and he hated getting like this, especially because both Midge and Malea were around. They let her run the water around him, the coolness of it starting to distract him. His therapist had told him several different ways to calm down from a panic attack, but it was always hard to actually do it when he was in it. Zach breathed just as Midge told him, the tears still falling but not as quickly as before. After a few minutes of silence, they finally spoke up again. "Fuck, I'm.. I'm really sorry. That happens sometimes," he explained, holding Midge's hand in his own, squeezing it tightly. "Please don't joke about that ever again. Okay?"

Midge WildeMidge nodded at their words, relieved that they seemed a bit more calm now. “I won’t.” She whispered, lending forward to hug them. “Besides, I don’t want to die, there’s way too many dicks out there left to be sucked by the two hottest Wilde’s and you’re dick sucking days are over, so I guess it’s all up to me.” She knew that that joke wasn’t likely to make them feel any better but at least it might distract them from the anxiety. They could be annoyed at her all they wanted. “And don’t apologize, at least you give a shit about me, it’s more than I can say for him.” She said, not feeling a need to elaborate on who she meant.

zach wildeZach's head immediately snapped up when Midge started talking about... sucking dick. "What the fuck?" Zach said, staring at her because the absurdity of it all. "Why the hell would you..." He trailed off, not wanting to think about that particular subject when it had to do with his sister. Despite himself, he laughed just because what the fuck. They pulled Midge in for a tighter hug again, resting their forehead on her shoulder. "You're fucking crazy but I love you. I just want you to be safe, okay?

Midge WildeShe couldn’t fight her grin when they swore, letting them hug her, more than happy to hug back. “I know, Zachy.” She smiled, pulling away again, and then standing, her hands held out to him to pull him up as well. “I love you, too. And I have so many years of driving you insane to look forward to, so I’ll be safe, I promise.” She sighed, “I do want you to be okay with this, though. I’m going to do it, but I want you to be okay with it.”

zach wildeZach wasn't completely okay with it, but because she was going to do it anyway, he knew that there was nothing that he could say. She wanted his support, and that's exactly what she'd get. Zach let Midge help her up and stood up, making his way back into the kitchen to check on Malea. She was fine, of course. "I'm okay with it. Can you update me on everything, please? Just everything that you can. You know I'm going to drive myself crazy just thinking about it."

Midge Wilde“You want a code word?” She asked, sitting back down in her seat, completely serious. “Like if things aren’t okay and I need help but he’s there and I can’t say it, I can say ‘banana pudding’ or something, I don’t know. Like if I call you and start talking about dessert and ask if you like banana pudding then you know somethings wrong.” She didn’t know why things like this came to her mind, but here she was. “Or anything, you pick. That way if something is wrong, I can tell dad that I need to call you because you’re expecting me and if you don’t hear from me you’ll worry, he can listen to the call and then I can signal to you that I need help without him knowing.”

zach wilde"Banana pudding works," Zach nodded. "I like that. I just want to be able to know that there's something that I can do to help you. Thank you for letting me know and having this open line of communication with me, Midge. Even if I did freak out a little bit," they laughed, still wiping their face, feeling like it was still wet from the tears. "I really hope that it doesn't come to that, but yeah. Banana pudding works. He'll just think you're being a good woman who wants to cook his oldest son food," he rolled his eyes.

Midge WildeShe nodded, hopeful that this could make them both feel a bit safer. She sat back in her chair, relaxing for a second as she debated if she wanted to keep this conversation going or not. “Zach,” she finally said, knowing that they were likely to get upset again, but she didn’t want anything hanging over them anymore. “Danny told me about what happened on Halloween between you and him.”

zach wildeZach sighed and sat back down in the chair. He was a little impressed that Danny had actually said anything to her, but he was still pissed off about the whole thing. "Did he?" Zach questioned, trying to stay level-headed. After everything Immy had said, they understood Danny wasn't a bad guy, but it definitely wasn't someone he wanted to be with her. "Just so I'm clear. What did he exactly say what happened?"

Midge WildeShe could sense the tension rising in the room and wondered if she’d made a huge mistake bringing it up, “He said you told him you didn’t think he was good enough for me and that he grabbed you.” She sighed, boiling it down the basic gist of what had happened. “He said he got angry and took things to a physical place and that you walked away, he didn’t try to blame it on you or anything like that.”

zach wilde"Actually, I said that he doesn't deserve you after he put his hands on me. He was talking about you in a disrespectful way to me, which - what the fuck? That was already upsetting enough. Then I said that you said he's not what people think, but I was starting to think that's not true. That's when he came up to me and grabbed my dress and pulled me close to him and got in my face." Zach told her, hoping that she understood that he didn't just walk up to Danny and start saying that shit to him. "I was just asking him his intentions with you to begin with."

Midge Wilde“He shouldn’t have said anything like that to you,” she said, almost tempted to ask what he said, but she’d ask Danny for more detail later, she wanted to hear it from him. “I know,” she said, reaching forward to squeeze their hand. “I told him that it was fucked up, that that’s what big brothers say to guys that are hanging around their baby sisters, and how it wasn’t okay that he grabbed you. I’m not here to make excuses for him, or to apologize for him, he should do that himself, I just wanted you to know that I knew. And that I appreciate you care enough to talk to him.” She sighed, “Everything is just so fucked up. I know you probably have feelings about me spending time with him after that, but right now I need him, and he needs me. I’m sorry.”

zach wilde"I'm not about to sit here and argue with you about the guy that you have feelings for, I just want you to know that I don't like him for you. Maybe it's good right now and it's fulfilling something for you and that's great, but I don't think this is the guy, is all I'm saying. You're probably gonna roll your eyes and think I'm being overprotective, but I dunno, I just think a guy who's willing to put his hands on the brother of the girl he's sleeping with.. or whatever it is that you guys are doing.. after what you're going through? Not right." Zach squeezed her hand. "I love you, and I know that you're gonna do whatever you want. That's alright."

Midge WildeShe squeezed their hand back, shaking her head at their words, “I’m not rolling my eyes, I don’t think you’re being overprotective, I get it, Zach. Like I said, I’m not making excuses for him, he shouldn’t have done it.” She sighed, shrugging a shoulder, “I love you, too. Danny makes me feel safe right now, and I need that. I know he fucked up, and I get what you’re saying, but I need that, I need to feel safe.”

zach wilde"Good. I'm glad you have somewhere you can feel safe, but..." He trailed off, sighing. "You feel safe other places too, right? Other people? And when I say other people, I do mean other people, but I kinda also mean me. You feel safe with me, right?" They paused. "Trust me, I know it's different. I just wanna make sure that you've got more than one person that you can feel that with. AKA your big brother."

Midge WildeShe let their words settle, wondering for a moment if that was something they really questioned, because to her it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Zach, there’s no one in the world that feels safer than you. You’ve always been where I’ve felt safest. But..” she trailed off, her eyes glancing into the other room for a moment before meeting theirs again, “ You have other people that need you to keep them safe now. That’s not-…I’m not trying to be passive aggressive or anything, I mean it genuinely, they need you now, and that’s how it should be, you can’t keep being everything for everyone. You have to let me find my own way to be safe.”

zach wildeZach nodded because he knew Midge was right. She was old enough, and he always held onto the fact that he needed to take care of her. But she could make those choices for herself, and it was about time he stopped questioning that. "Okay, yeah. I know. You're right. I've got Immy and Malea, but I want you to know that doesn't make me worry about you any less. Or want to take care of you any less. But.. Yeah, I get it."

Midge Wilde“I know, but that’s because you’re the best. Sometimes I think Dad was born without a heart and you were born with a big enough one for both of you.”

[serenaxsmythe]

You fondle my trigger then blame my gun || Serena and Eva

TAGGING: Serena Smythe and Eva Anderson @anderseva

LOCATION: PSU Cafeteria

TIME FRAME: 10/17 evening

WARNINGS: None

SUMMARY: Serena and Eva meet for the first time and instantly clash over… well, Serena would say it’s because of Eva’s awful personality. Eva, on the other hand, says it’s over their mutual involvement with the same man. Eva is right. Tension runs high as veiled insults and passive aggressive remarks fuel their rivalry.

Serena

Serena made her way over to the water station, her steps slower than usual, her mind still swirling with everything that had happened. The crowd at the shelter was starting to feel suffocating, but she couldn’t avoid the necessity of getting some water. With Sadie napping for the moment, it felt like her only chance for a quick break. She grabbed a bottle and twisted the cap off. The noise of conversations buzzed in the background, but she focused on her bottle, not wanting to catch any attention. Maybe, if she was lucky, she’d make it back to her corner without anyone bothering her.

Eva

While Eva had been avoiding as many people as she could, and silently fuming over the fact that they were still here, she'd grown far too bored for her own liking. Between avoiding Morgan, trying not to get wrapped up in Cooper bragging about himself or Dalton sulking in a corner, she'd settled on just going for a walk. Most of these couple and sibling reunions went from cute to repulsive in a matter of minutes, but it couldn't be all sunshines and rainbows so she'd settled for scouting the room for some drama. It looked pretty fucking dry until she spotted a woman who looked vaguely familiar, and after staring at her for a few moments, it all made sense. Chewing on the inside of her cheek, Eva sauntered right over to her. "Serena, right?" She hummed. "Guess Mother Nature figured it was time we officially met. I'm Eva, but should I assume you already knew that?"

Serena

Serena felt her stomach tighten the moment Eva approached. Great. Face to face with the one person she had absolutely no desire to interact with. Her grip on the bottle in her hand tightened as she quickly masked the flash of irritation that crossed her face. Her lips pressed into a thin, almost forced smile as she turned her head slowly to meet Eva’s gaze. “Yeah, I’ve heard there's an Anderson that's not totally an embarrassment,” she replied, her voice even but with that familiar hint of sharpness she couldn’t quite suppress. Her eyes flicked down, then back up, guarded and unreadable, though a storm of feelings swirled beneath the surface—jealousy, discomfort and exhaustion. She shifted her weight, crossing her arms over her chest. “Guess this lockdown brought all kinds of people together.”

Eva

Eva didn't know Serena, or know why she was straining her face to hide her true emotions, but she was already over this bitch. Before this moment, she didn't really have any ill feelings towards the woman. She knew what she'd been told, and she hadn't bothered to ask two men any questions in regards to the woman when she knew they'd have to meet eventually. But the second she opened that wide mouth of hers and attempted to insult her family, she now had an issue with her. "For someone who played it fast and loose with her cooch and is now just someone's thirsty baby mama, you should tread lightly with calling anyone else an embarrassment." She stated as disrespectfully as she could. All of her pent up frustration about their current situation was bubbling over now, and Serena had somehow managed to piss her off just enough to get a reaction out of her. Rolling her eyes at the weak stance, Eva shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly as she stepped closer to Serena. "I don't know what beef you have with my siblings, and I'd advise you to drop whatever it is anyways, but if your problem with me has to do with Morgan, we can settle this right here, right now. I genuinely just came over to meet Morgan's little damsel for myself, to put a face to the name or whatever, but if you have a problem with me because of him, air that shit out now so we can dead it."

Serena

Serena's whole body felt heavy, weighed down by exhaustion and the emotions that had been churning inside her for days. Maybe because of that, Eva’s jab about her pregnancy cut deeper than it should have. It wasn’t the first time someone had thrown that at her, but it was the first time after a week of cold showers and sleeping on the floor. She flinched, her hands clenching momentarily, before closing her eyes for a second and taking a deep breath. When she opened them, she squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and stepped into Eva’s personal space without hesitation. The air between them crackled as Serena stared her down, one eyebrow arching. “You know,” she began, her voice cool but edged with steel, “I assumed, with how sweet both Morgan and Puck are that I’d meet someone who was above slinging cheap insults. Turns out we’ve got more in common than I thought.” Her lips curled into a small, biting smile. “Your brother wears bowties and hair gel. Molly was Infuriatingly dense in college with that hobbit body of hers. Cooper’s arrogantly insufferable. So no, it’s not exactly beef. I actually tried to help them improve by offering helpful criticism.” Her eyes flicked to Eva’s lips, a smirk forming. “You’re as hot as I am, though. You might not admit it now, but at some point you had to know they were embarrassing too.” She took a step back, swallowing hard. The subject of Morgan was more delicate than she liked to admit. “Morgan is...” someone she was desperate to sleep with on every available surface, “just a friend. So, no, there’s no reason for me to be territorial about him like you’re implying.” And yet she had done it here, but she blamed this fucking place for it. “I don’t do that. Not with friends, not with people I’m casually sleeping with. Maybe that’s something more people should be aware of when sleeping around.” Her voice sharpened, her smile turning sharp as a blade.

Eva

At this point in life, Eva couldn't think of a single thing anyone could say to her that would get to her, so seeing Serena's body language shift at her dig was already stroking her ego. The smug grin on her face as Serena clearly had to think of a rebuttal only remained in place as the other woman stepped closer and started to muster up some ridiculous thing to say, and the fact that she would even remotely think they shared anything in common was baffling. "I highly doubt that." She hummed. It was quite disappointing that this is the Serena she was getting, but the woman still had a chance to try and turn things around in her favor. However, as Eva listened to her take shots at most of her siblings, any hope of Serena Smythe living up to her hype was diminished, and now she was bored. Before she could even dismiss this unfair battle of sharp (well one sharp and one dull) tongues, the other brunette was insinuating that their attractiveness was on the same scale, and she burst into a fit of laughter. "Clearly being cooped up in here is making you delusional if you think we're even close when it comes to looks. And you sure do pay a lot of attention to my siblings, almost like you're a fan, or a hater — it's pathetic either way, so I'm sure you can understand why they didn't take advice from you, right?" Watching her take a step back, Eva would have just dropped this altogether and walked away if this 'beef' had been for any other reason, but knowing that she had somehow gotten under the woman's skin to this extent over a man spurred her on. As Serena talked about him, and paused before declaring that he was just a friend, that was the only answer she needed, and she didn't even listen to anything else Serena said after that. "You clearly don't like me, and I can only assume it's because he wants me and not you? How is that not territorial, Serena?" She questioned curiously. "Or if there's some other reason, now's the time to air your grievances."

Serena

While Eva was saying God knows what, Serena’s mind flashed back to high school, back when she genuinely thought she was people’s worst nightmare (and enjoyed every moment of it). And then college had introduced her to people like Eva. People who didn’t just throw casual insults or make snide remarks but used something personal, something deep and private, to cut right to the bone. Serena had never been good at arguing with people like that. She’d be there having fun mocking fashion choices while they'd wield personal trauma like a weapon. Suddenly, she felt herself calming down. The weight of the last few days finally lifted from her shoulders. It was almost funny, realizing that she wasn’t the worst person in the room after everything that had happened recently. If Morgan really preferred Eva, then honestly, it was his loss. And with that understanding, Serena straightened, her aloofness settling in naturally. This wasn’t worth her energy. “When people are loud and annoying, it’s hard not to notice," Serena said, guessing Eva was still talking about her siblings. "So let’s not pretend it’s that deep. They were never that interesting, Eva. And neither are you." She paused, allowing her words to sink in before continuing. "And Morgan?" Serena raised a brow, a small, almost amused smile tugging at her lips. “I’ll be completely honest with you now and say this was never really about him. I think I just wanted to know I was better than you because, like I just implied, I was afraid I wasn’t.” Her eyes flicked over Eva’s features, lingering for a moment before she smiled sharply. “But I don’t feel like that anymore. And hey, I didn’t even need to sleep with him for that. So I think it’s safe to say we’ve cleared everything now, huh?”

Eva

Eva should have felt somewhat bad for going for Serena's jugular, but she couldn't have even if she'd wanted to. The woman had asked for it the second she start attacking her siblings, and turning up that ridiculous nose at her all over a man. She would have understood it more if she had like 'stolen' Morgan from the other woman, but considering that Serena had never been able to get her hideous claws in him, that wasn't the case. Instead, she was just jealous that her feeble attempts to bed him hadn't worked and was lashing out at Eva, the female in his bed. Pathetic, much? Everything Serena said about her siblings went in one ear and out the other, for now. Her only saving grace there was that her kid was somewhere in this stuff cafeteria, so she let her ramble off some more bullshit without interrupting her. Nothing she said was even of any substance now that Eva knew just how weak she truly was. She even let her spew something about being better than her, and had to hold off from laughing in her face yet again. "You done?" She taunted once Serena finally stopped running that mouth of hers. "Since I would hate for your crotch goblin to watch you get your ass beat, let this be the last time you have any one of the Andersons' names in your mouth, got it?" Eva hissed. "Sorry, not sorry that we're more superior than you, and that you couldn't even handle this little face off with me. I mean seriously, I almost feel bad that all it took was a few remarks to weaken you and your responses, but I'll get over that. Your first assumption was right and I am better than you — always will be, judging by this encounter. But if you want to keep embarrassing yourself by being rejected repeatedly, suit yourself. Just stay away from me and my siblings. I kept it to a verbal lashing this time, but I can promise you that I won't be so nice next time. Now go be a *mother*." And with that, Eva rolled her eyes as she stormed off.

[lollytea]

Huntlow situationship gives me such intense brain termites you don't get it