#gonna drink my milkshake in the bath i think it's been a hard day

[ephemeral-winter]

(girl who just bought a blender voice) did you guys know you can just make and consume a milkshake any time you want

[zukoskataraa]

a request i got from @yaeno-gen! thanks for the request!

prompt #3: it’s three in the morning.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow?” Katara says as Zuko drops her off at her place. Katara unlocks her seatbelt and turns to face Zuko. Zuko turns to Katara, smiling, placing his hand over hers.

“Yup. 3pm. I’ll pick you up.” Zuko says.

“I had a great time today. Thanks for treating me to dinner. It was delicious.” Katara smiles.

“I’m glad you liked it. We could go there again soon if you’d like.” Zuko says and Katara nods.

“Sure, that’d be great. Anyway, I should get going. It’s late and I still have a class at 1 tomorrow.”

“Oh yes, sure. Sorry for keeping you.” Zuko says. Katara leans in for a hug, and Zuko smiles as he hugs her back. Zuko loved that Katara smelled of vanilla, it was intoxicating to him. Katara pulls away first, smiling.

“See you tomorrow.” She gives Zuko a quick peck on the cheek, making Zuko blush. She opens the door and walks out, closing it. Zuko drives to his place, smiling the whole time.

Katara walks into her apartment, embarrassed that she kissed Zuko. It was only a peck on the cheek, that’s what she told herself. It didn’t mean anything. She takes off her shoes and makes her way to her bathroom, running the water for a bath. She grabs her phone from her bag and calls Suki, who answers right away.

“H-”

“How was the date? Did you guys finally kiss? Are you guys dating now? Spill, Kat!” Suki says, excited. Katara sits down on her couch.

“It wasn’t a date. I already told you that.” Katara says, sighing.

“Okay, fine. It wasn’t.” Suki says, mockingly.

“I know you’re being sarcastic. Anyway, to answer your other questions. We are not dating. And I may or may not have kissed him.” Katara says and Suki squeals. “Hey, relax. It was only a peck on the cheek.”

“Awww, that’s lame. But still, I’m surprised you made the first move.” Suki says, giggling. “I’m proud of you. You’ve been crushing on him for what? A year now? And you guys only started hanging out like two months ago. It’s progress, Kat. He obviously likes you too. Both of you are just too dense to admit it first.” Suki says. Katara sighs, standing up as she walks to the bathroom to turn off the water.

“I mean, I wouldn’t exactly say dense.” Katara says. “But still. You’re right. It’ll happen sooner or later.”

“Of course I’m right. I always am. Anyway, I gotta finish this assignment. See you tomorrow!” Suki hangs up, and Katara puts her phone on the bathroom counter. She takes off her clothes and steps into the bath, slowly going down. The warm water felt like heaven on her skin, and it felt as if her stress had been taken away. She sat there, contemplating if she should confess to Zuko, or wait for Zuko to confess to her.

Katara got out of the tub a few minutes later, and changed into her pajamas. Sleep was taking over her, it was midnight already and she was out the whole day. She decided to sleep on it, hoping she would have a decision in the morning regarding her and Zuko.

-

“Ugh, I’m so tired. That test was so hard.” Suki says as she links her arms with Katara’s as they walk out of their class.

“I know right? I didn’t even get to finish the essay at the back.” Katara says and Suki stops dead in her tracks. “What’s the matter?” Katara asks, looking at Suki.

“There’s… a back part? An essay?” Suki says and Katara giggles.

“Yes, Suki. There was. But based on your reaction, I’m guessing you didn’t know.” Katara says and Suki sighs.

“That’s it. I’m failing. I’m just gonna drop out and become a stripper.” Suki says and Katara just laughs. “Anyway, what time is your boyfriend picking you up?” Suki asks and Katara blushes.

“H-He’s not my boyfriend.” Katara stutters. Suki laughs. “He told me he’d wait at the front for me at 3.”

“Well, it’s like…” Suki checks her watch. “2:57 right now. So you should get going.”

“I don’t think he’s there yet though. Plus, you're going that way, right? We can go together.” Katara says and Suki nods.

“So, are you gonna tell him?” Suki asks, and Katara blushes.

“Well, I want to. But I don’t want to be rejected. Remember what happened with Jet?” Katara says and Suki fumes.

“I hate that guy. Jet was such a piece of shit, I can’t believe you almost dated him.” Suki says and Katara giggles.

“Calm down, chief. I hate him too, but I learned something from him. Plus, the past is in the past, right?”

“Right. And that means you should confess to Zuko and then you two can start dating and get married and have bab-" Suki stops when she sees Zuko walk up to them, smiling.

“Hi, Katara. Suki.” He greets them politely and Suki smiles.

“Hey, Zuko. Nice meeting you, but I should get going. I don’t wanna get in the way of you two lovebirds. Bye Kat, bye Zuko!” Suki walks away before Katara can speak.

“Uh, don’t mind Suki. You know how she can be.” Katara says and Zuko chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

“It’s alright, I don’t mind.” Zuko says. On unspoken terms, they start to walk outside towards the university parking lot. “So, are you hungry?”

“Yeah, kind of. I could go for some burgers right now.” Katara says and Zuko smiles.

“Perfect.” He takes his car keys out from his pocket and unlocks the car, opening the door for Katara. She blushes as she gets inside, and Zuko closes the door. He walks over to the driver’s side and gets in, putting the key in the ignition and closes the door. “There’s this awesome fastfood restaurant a few blocks from here. You know Burger Joint?” Zuko starts to drive, and Katara nods. “It’s only like less than 5 minutes from here to there.”

“Yeah, I’ve been there. Once, with Suki. A month ago I think.” Katara says. “Suki found out that her boyfriend, now her ex, cheated on her, and she was so mad that she wanted to eat anything she could. Don’t ask me, I don’t know why. But, we went to Burger Joint and she ordered like 3 king-sized meals, and like you know how big their servings are, right? But she finished them all.” Katara laughs and Zuko joins her. “She was so full by the end of it, she almost threw up at the table.”

“Oh wow, I hope she doesn’t get her heart broken like that again.” Zuko says, sincerity in his voice.

“Me too. She deserves better than that.” Katara says. “How’d your morning go? Did you have any classes?”

“I had one class at 10, but the teacher didn’t show.” Zuko says, turning left as they reach their destination. “So I stayed in the library and waited for you.” Zuko says and Katara blushes. He drives into a parking slot and stops, turning off the engine.

“So, you haven’t eaten lunch yet?” Katara asks, unbuckling her seatbelt. She wanted to scold him for not eating lunch, but they weren’t a couple, so she didn’t have the right to do it. “Also, can I leave my bag here? I’ll just bring my phone and wallet.”

“Nope, I haven’t eaten yet. And yeah sure go ahead.” Zuko says as he unbuckles his and takes out his car keys. “Hang on.” Zuko gets out of the car and walks over to the other side of the car, opening the door for Katara. Katara looks up at Zuko, and Zuko gives her a wink. She blushes as she gets out of the car, and Zuko closes the door and locks it.

“Thanks. Also, you should have eaten. Not eating lunch isn’t good for you, you know.” Katara says as she and Zuko walk to the entrance of the restaurant. Zuko chuckles.

“Aw, you care for me.” Zuko teases and Katara looks away, blushing.

“W-What? Of course I do.” Katara says, and she immediately stops. “N-Not like that though! I just meant like, uh, you know…” Katara stutters and Zuko laughs, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they continue to walk. ‘She’s so cute’ Zuko smiles, thinking.

“I was just teasing, Katara. Thanks for looking out for me though.” Zuko says and Katara blushes.

“So, what do you want?” Zuko asks as they enter the restaurant. Katara looks at the menu displayed above the registers. “Go crazy. I’m paying.” Zuko says.

“Y-You don’t have to do that, Zuko. I can pay for this. You already paid for dinner last night.” Katara says. “And I’m not taking no for an answer.” She adds before Zuko can speak. Zuko chuckles, and lifts his hands up in surrender.

“Okay, okay. I’ll just have what you’re having then.” Zuko says and Katara nods. They walk up to the cashier and he takes their orders.

“And for your drinks, ma’am?” The cashier asks. “One large milkshake? It’s big enough to share with your boyfriend.” The cashier says and Katara and Zuko blush.

“Oh! He’s not… We’re not dating.” Katara says and Zuko chuckles.

“We’re just friends.” Zuko says, and Katara nods.

“My bad. Sorry. So, um, what would you like to drink?” The cashier asks.

“I’ll take a strawberry milkshake. Small.” Katara says.

“Uh, I’ll have a small vanilla milkshake.” Zuko says and the cashier nods. Katara pays and the cashier prepares their orders while they wait at the side.

“Here you go. Two king-sized meals with a vanilla milkshake and strawberry milkshake.” The cashier says.

“Thank you.” Katara and Zuko say in unison. Zuko picks up the tray, and Katara holds their cups.

“Oh, let’s sit there by the window.” Katara says as she walks ahead and puts the cups on the table. Zuko follows her and places their tray there. They sit down, silence hanging in the air.

“Let’s eat!” Katara says as she grabs her burger and Zuko smiles, following her.

“Yes, let’s.” Zuko says and they eat in a comfortable silence.

“Oh.” Katara breaks the silence a minute later, wiping her mouth with a tissue. “Are we going anywhere after this? Because I have to edit this paper that’s due later, so I need to get back home soon.”

“Oh, I was hoping-” Zuko starts but doesn’t finish. “Oh, yeah. I can drop you off after this.” Zuko says, and Katara nods, smiling. Zuko wanted to spend more time with Katara. He had planned to watch a movie with her, and eat dinner and go to the park. He had planned to confess to Katara later, but now his plans were ruined.

“Zuko?” Katara asks, and Zuko looks up at her.

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“Well, you suddenly froze and started glaring outside the window. Are you okay?” Katara asks.

“Yeah, sorry. I’m fine.” Zuko smiles and he continues to eat his food. An awkward silence looms over them as they finish their food.

“You ready to go?” Zuko asks a few minutes after they finish eating.

“Yeah, let’s go.” Katara smiles. They head out of the restaurant and walk towards Zuko’s car.

“Hey, I’m sorry for not being able to hang out with you for the rest of the afternoon.” Katara says once they’re inside the car.

“Don’t worry about it. You don’t have to be sorry, Kat.” Zuko says.

“I know. But I was looking forward to hanging out today. I can’t believe I forgot that I had to pass the paper today.” Katara says.

“I was looking forward to it too.” Zuko starts the car and they head out of the parking lot. “But, there’s always next time, right?” Zuko asks, uncertain.

“Yeah! Of course.” Katara says. Silence hangs in the air, both of them unsure of what to say.

“I’ll see you soon?” Zuko asks once they arrive at Katara’s apartment.

“Definitely. Thanks for dropping me off. And sorry once again. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” Katara says as she unbuckles her seatbelt.

“It’s no problem.” Zuko smiles. Katara reaches over and gives Zuko a quick peck on the cheek before heading out of the car.

-a few hours later-

“H-“

“Suki I messed up!!! Help me!” Katara says, panicking.

“Whoa, whoa. What happened? Are you okay?” Suki asks, worried.

“I can’t sleep because I messed up, and now Zuko won’t talk to me ever again! I told him I had this paper to pass earlier tonight, so we ended our date early!” Katara says. “And I don’t even have a paper to pass! I just suddenly panicked when we were eating, I don’t know why. Help me! Why am I like this?”

“Hey, calm down Katara.” Suki says and Katara sits down on the edge of her bed, taking deep breaths. “Are you okay now?”

“Yeah. I am. But what am I gonna do? I regret everything.” Katara says and Suki sighs.

“Okay, it’s like 2 in the morning. Maybe you should get some sleep and then call him in the morning.” Suki says.

“Y-yeah. That sounds good.” Katara says.

“You know, you called it a date.” Suki says, amusement in her voice.

“W-What?”

“You know, your hangout session yesterday. You called it a date.” Suki says.

“I didn’t!”

“You did.”

“You’re just imagining things.” Katara says.

“I’m not. Anyway, get some sleep, Kat.” A yawn comes from Suki. “I’m gonna head to bed now. Goodnight.” Suki hangs up, leaving Katara with her thoughts.

And that’s how Katara ended up in front of Zuko’s door at 3am, wearing her pajamas. She takes a deep breath, and knocks on the door. She bites her lip looking at the ground, hoping that Zuko would answer. She also remembers that it’s 3am, so Zuko was probably sleeping.

“Who’s there?” A groggy voice says, the door opening. Katara looks up and sees Zuko, hair messy, and looks down to realize that he’s not wearing a shirt. She looks up to see him smirking. “You like the view?” He says, his voice still groggy. Katara blushes and her eyes go wide.

“N-No! I mean, yes! Wait! I just mean-“ She stops as Zuko chuckles.

“It’s three in the morning.” Zuko says, suddenly serious.

“I-I know that. But, um, can we talk?” She says, suddenly feeling small. Zuko runs his hands through his hair and makes way for Katara to enter his apartment. Katara walks in, and Zuko closes the door. She turns around and bumps into Zuko, and Zuko wraps his arms around her to prevent her from falling.

“Are you okay? Did something happen?” He asks, and Katara can’t speak. Not when Zuko’s face is inches from hers. Not when he’s holding her so close. Not when she’s staring right into his brown angelic eyes. “Katara?”

“I LIKE YOU.” She blurts out, and both of them widen their eyes. She gulps, waiting for Zuko to say something. “Oh my god, that was so stupid. Look, I-I’m sorry. I didn’t- I wasn’t thinking. I’m gonna go now. Sorry for waking you.” Katara says, breaking free from Zuko’s grasp. She’s about to walk out the door, until…

“Katara.” Zuko says, making Katara shiver.

“I’m sorry. Forget everything I said.”

“How am I supposed to forget that? You told me you liked me, and now you’re saying that you’re sorry? Sorry for what? Do you not like me?” Zuko asks.

“I-I do! I just… I know you don’t feel the same way. So, I’m sorry.” She unlocks the door when Zuko stops her, placing his hand above hers. He’s right behind her, like a predator tapping its prey.

“Here’s the thing, Katara. I like you too.” Zuko says, whispering into her ear.

“Y-You do?” She asks.

“I do.” He replies. “I wasn’t expecting my confession to be like that. But, it’ll do.” Zuko chuckles, and he’s back to his old self. Katara looks up at him and smiles.

“I’m so embarrassed right now.” She covers her face with her hands and Zuko laughs, wrapping her in a hug. She smiles at the warmth his body radiates, and she nuzzles deeper into his chest.

“You’re so cute, you know that?” Zuko says, giving her forehead a peck. She blushes, looking up at him.

“Well, you’re cuter.” Katara says and Zuko shakes his head.

“As much as I’d love to argue, I really wanna go back to bed.” Zuko says and Katara nods.

“Oh, yeah okay. I’ll get going then. See you.” Katara says.

“Hold on. Where do you think you’re going? You’re gonna sleep with me. I’m not gonna let you go out alone at this hour.” Zuko says, and Katara blushes. “Now, come on.” Zuko takes Katara’s hand and leads her to his bedroom.

“I’m not going to touch you. Not unless you want me to, anyway. You can take the left side of the bed.” Zuko says and Katara nods as she lies down. “Goodnight, Kat.” Zuko says, facing her.

“Goodnight Zuko.” She says, facing him. But she doesn’t close her eyes. She stares at Zuko, his pale face illuminated by the moonlight. She gulps as she slowly moves closer to him, and Zuko chuckles.

“Okay, come here.” Zuko gently grabs her and pulls her towards him, nuzzling his face into her hair. Zuko’s thumb gently rubs circles on her back, and Katara smiles as sleep slowly takes her.

-

masterlist | AO3

shoutout to @tonguetidee for giving me an idea for this fic!! <3

[mamabearcat]

23 Nalu? pretty please!

Okey dokey Nonny! Here you go!

Also tagging @hazel-got-fanfiction because I just opened my word document for the prompt and it is gone, the same way half of Into the Woods went - I must have had both of them open when my laptop tried to save them to the cloud when I was at a cafe with no internet and they reverted back to an earlier version. So this is a stop gap for that prompt until I can remember what I’d written previously and re-write it!

23. Seeking Shelter

Lucy trudged along the fast disappearing path in front of them, crossing her arms to try and conserve the small amount of precious warmth still in her body, shivering violently in the cold. She’d given in to Natsu’s continual whining, and they’d begun walking back home after successfully completing their mission, instead of taking the train like she’d wanted. And now they were caught in a freak snowstorm, when it wouldn’t usually snow in Fiore for another month. 

She hadn’t planned on camping out, so she had no sleeping bag, no tent, not even a blanket. The jacket, pants and boots she was wearing were fine for sunny autumn days, but not for snow. She glared at Natsu’s back. As usual, he didn’t look cold at all, arms swinging as he marched ahead, whistling nonchalantly as he kicked a path in sandal shod feet through the deepening snowfall. If she wasn’t so frozen already, she’d be pelting snowballs at the back of his head, because this was all. his. fault. 

She glared at him as he turned to look at her. 

“Crap! You okay Luce?” he exclaimed, taking in her hunched posture, chattering teeth and blue tinged lips.

“Do I look okay to you Natsu?” she managed to stutter out, shaking violently in the bitter wind. 

“Sheesh, don’t get your panties in a twist, I was just askin”, he replied, cocking an eyebrow at her. “We’ll find somewhere to sit out the storm, okay? I think there’s some caves in the hills not too far ahead.”

“There’d better be”, muttered Lucy as they trudged forwards again, wondering not for the first time how she’d managed to score a petulant man child as a partner. She sighed. A lovable, endearing, totally oblivious man child, who couldn’t see anything past his love of friendship, adventure and fun. She swallowed down those feelings again. After all, she’d been holding a candle for Natsu for quite a few years now, so she’d had a lot of practice. It worried her sometimes how easily she could push those feelings down now - surely it couldn’t be good for her in the long term. But she didn’t know what else to do.

By the time Natsu had found a small cave, checking it out first to make sure they wouldn’t be sharing it with bears, wolves or anything else with large pointy teeth, Lucy resembled a walking popsicle. She stumbled into the cave, feeling clumsy and lightheaded. 

“You got any snacks left in that bag a yours Luce?” asked Natsu cheerfully, sitting down on the sandy floor of the cave, watching her quizzically as she remained standing, her arms wrapped around her torso, violently shivering. “Sit down weirdo.”

“Huh?” slurred Lucy. “Wha?” Her brain was struggling to string anything together, and she blinked slowly at Natsu, as her body continued to shake. 

Natsu reached forward and grabbed at her wrist to tug her down. “Holy crap, you’re fucking freezing! C’mere Lucy.” He pulled her to sit in front of him, wrapping his legs around hers, and rubbing his hands briskly up and down her arms. “Sorry, I forget sometimes because I don’t get cold. Ya should’a said somethin’ Lucy.”

Lucy’s head lolled back, resting on his shoulder. “Sleeeepy”, she muttered. Warning bells began to ring in the back of Natsu’s mind, and a small amount of panic writhed in his chest.

“Nope. No sleepin’ in here. This is officially a non-napping cave. You have ta stay awake for me Luce okay?” 

He stripped off his jacket and struggled to push her unresponsive arms into it, finally giving up and just wrapping it around her and buttoning it up to her neck. He rubbed her arms as hard as he dared, pushing some extra heat into his hands and torso, trying to keep her as warm as possible. He kept up a constant stream of chatter, talking about anything that popped into his brain, anything to keep her awake, here with him. 

“I could really go for one of Mira’s dishes of fire chicken right now, hey Lucy? Fire chicken really hits the spot on a cold day. We could share it huh? I’ve never minded sharin’ stuff with you. You could have a strawberry milkshake, and I could have a fire whiskey, and we could sit and laugh at everyone else. Wouldn’t that be fun? Laughing at Juvia chasin’ that pervy popsicle around the guild hall, or at Master tryin’ to outdrink Cana again, when we all know she can drink all of us under the table? Luce? Whaddya think, huh?”

“So tired, Natsuuu”.

“No, you’re not tired Luce, ya just think ya are. Keep awake for me now okay? You don’t wanna go to sleep before you have a bath right? You know how you hate goin’ ta bed without bein’ all clean. I like that strawberry stuff you use on your hair. It smells so pretty. You smell pretty too, ya know. Like sunshine in the meadow. It always makes me feel happy when I walk into a room and I can smell that you’re there...No, don’t close your eyes Luce!” 

He tapped her face lightly with his palm, panic rising. “C’mon Luce. It’s no fair if you get ta sleep without me, right? I know how ya like everythin’ to be fair.” Terror seized him as she closed her eyes, going lax in his arms, her breathing shallow. “Don’t sleep. Lucy please!” He pinched her cheeks, rubbing his heated hands through her hair, holding her tightly against his body. “Wake up Luce, wake up please!”

He heated his body as high as he dared, not wanting to burn her, desperately rubbing her back, rubbing his cheek on hers. He could hear the weakening pulse in her neck. “Lucy, c’mon. I’m gonna get grumpy soon if ya don’t wake up. Please? Don’t make me beg. Don’t let it end like this.” The back of his Natsu’s eyes burned with hot tears, his heart banging in his chest in pure panic. “Ya don’t know how lonely I was until I met you. If ya wake up, I’ll tell ya a secret. One I’ve been carryin’ around for ever. C’mon.”

Violent shudders shook Lucy’s body as Natsu continued to rub her back. “That’s it Lucy. Come back to me. You can do it. I know how stubborn ya are.”

“You’re...stubborn”. Natsu cackled delightedly as he continued to rub her back.

“Nope. Definitely you. You’re the stubborn one Luce. How else could ya put up with a numbskull like me after all these years, huh?” He gazed into the brown eyes struggling to focus on his own. “You scared me Lucy”, he said softly, stroking her fringe away from her face. “I thought you were gonna leave me behind.” He placed a gentle kiss on Lucy’s cold lips, grinning as Lucy’s eyes widened in surprise. “Don’t scare me like that again ya weirdo.”

Lucy smiled at him, her eyes bright with tears. 

“Oi, don’t cry. Ya need to save your energy for getting warm again. Lucky you got a fire dragon slayer here to warm ya up. Where would ya be without me Luce?

Lucy smiled again, still shivering in Natsu’s arms.

“I’d be in a nice warm train, you jerk.”

[rueitae]

No Reservations

Written for @rosieclark for @plancevalentineexchange 2019! She requested angst. I hope I have delivered. Roughly 8,700 words.

Read on Ao3.

For those who just want fluff... don’t read past ‘The lights go out.’

~~~~~

Lance sighs, content as he sinks into the plush upholstery of a lounge chair, too lazy - and full from the breakfast buffet - to bother to take off his shoes even though they’re back in the condo. He’s on vacation after all.

The Retreats at Noeuna-4 offer everything one could hope for in terms of luxury and recreation. Massive buildings contain their own climate control system, and over the past few days Lance has hiked, skied, and surfed in five different ecosystems. Between physical fun, he’s dined in high end restaurants and lazed about in several of the elaborately designed swimming pools scattered across the grounds, all advertised to host a million guests in comfort.

The rooms reflect the opulence of the common areas, complete with all the snacks and drink a couple may need. A gigantic monitor hangs on the wall, overtly labeled to make video calls or control various room functions, as well as play video games or watch television.

The technology is childishly simple for two former Voltron Paladins, but Lance is thankful to not have to think at all. That’s what vacations are for.

He reaches over to an end table, surface of polished grey stone, and picks a creamy, laminated card on top of a stack of them. He grins as he reads the contents. “Hey, Pidge. Check out this one from Veronica!” Lance clutches his chest, overwhelmed with warm fuzzies from his sister’s thoughtfulness. “She drew a tiny me as Cupid, shooting a tiny you through the heart. Awww…”

Pidge plops down across from him on the king-sized bed, small compared to the rest of their honeymoon suite. She raises an eyebrow, looking less than impressed. “Only if your ‘Cupid’s laser’,” she says, air quotes to accompany, “hit a building, bounced around an alleyway, ricocheted off a lamppost and stuck to me.”

“And it worked.” He smirks, firing finger guns at her. “This is only the beginning, Pidge. We may be married now, but I will woo you every day. I have years to make up for.”

Pidge simmers, her upper body slumping in annoyance. She selects a card from the top of a separate pile on the bed stand. “I can’t believe I signed up for this.” Despite the words, she smiles. “How did we end up like this? It feels like a dream.”

The how doesn’t matter at this point, nor that they’ve been together romantically in some capacity for years now. Not for the first time, Lance just looks at Pidge, filled with affection for his wife.

Her sundress billows across the bed’s disheveled sheets, legs crossed comfortably - something Lance only knows thanks to a hundred mornings just like this. Her hair is still damp from the bath they shared earlier in the morning and he can still feel the thick clumps of her shampooed locks in his hands. It’s as if she glows and Lance falls in love all over again.

“Are you okay?” she asks, her adorable nose wrinkled as she analyzes him. “You’ve got that lovestruck look on your face.”

Lance leans an elbow on the armrest, cheek on his fist. “Hard not to when I get to look at your face every morning.”

Pidge flushes pink, despite their intimacy the night before (even that hadn’t been the first), and she stammers for a comeback. His heart flutters - he’s thrilled to get any sort of reaction from her.

“You’re insufferable,” she says, opening the card.

Strung along by whim and a desire to be next to his wife, Lance rises from his lonely chair and slides onto the bed behind Pidge. He rests his arms on the sides her waist and plants a gentle kiss on the back of her neck. Pidge curls into him, cutting off that side of her neck. “Lance, that tickles.”

“I know,” he teases, and places a kiss on the now exposed side.

Pidge giggles (and snorts) and twists on her knees to face him, locking her soft lips with his and preventing him from kissing her neck again. She presses her hand down on his shoulder, rising over top of him. Lance buckles back onto the piles of pillows at the head of the bed, body warming and anticipation rising.

She sticks the card in his face as she pulls away, blocking his lips from reaching her. Kissing the card is better than kissing a mouse at least. “This one’s from Hunk. We should read it together.”

Lance groans. “You’re a tease,” he complains as he takes the card. He steals a kiss from her forehead. “I love you so much. I’m the luckiest guy to be married to you.”

Pidge grins and leans back into him as he opens the card for both of them to see. “Luck is one of your best traits. Like, you’re lucky my mom didn’t find out we eloped. We’d  both  be grounded.”

Lance scans the writing on Hunk’s card and lets out a sharp laugh. “Looks like we didn’t fool everyone.”

“‘You lying liars,’” Pidge recites, not bothering to contain her own laughter. “‘I know you eloped, like, a year ago and you only had the wedding to con gifts out of us. Joke’s on you. I got you an off-brand blender so your milkshakes will never be as smooth as you like them! ...I love you guys. Congratulations. Come over often and I’ll make you proper milkshakes.’”

“I don’t know how we’ll survive without him,” Lance laughs. “Maybe we should move into the attic of his Earth-based restaurant. Then we’ll never have to do any cooking ever.”

Pidge plucks Hunk’s card from his fingers and sets it off to the side. “Tempting, but you start school in a few months and I’m still testing the limits of the Defenders vehicles.” She hums, tapping a finger on her chin. "I wonder what would happen if Shiro interacted with them," she says with increasing awe before breaking out into a wide grin. "Maybe the vehicles will combine into a Voltron like the Lions! Lance! Remind me to check the dynotherm connectors when we get back - no, wait, I'm gonna call Matt right now and make him do it." She scrambles off the bed, intent on making her video call.

Lance wraps his arms around her waist, stopping her from going any further, nose pressed up against her lower back. The scent of the local perfume fills his senses and, despite leaning forward awkwardly, he wants to stay like this all day. "I love it when you talk science," he says breathlessly, "but It's our honeymoon. Your brother can wait, tell me all about it."

Small hands hold tightly onto his larger ones, resting on her abdomen. She rolls her thumb over his skin and Lance melts at the soft touches. Heat rises in his belly once more, wanting nothing more than to pull her back to the bed and lie beside her, recreating the morning’s peaceful afterglow.

"Speaking of… talking...” Pidge says instead, “did you remember to make the reservation for the Hilt tonight?"

His eyes snap open and out of his blissful daydream. The Hilt is the premier restaurant of the resort, one that has Hunk's rare seal of approval. Pidge has been wanting to eat there for a few days now.

He forgot to make the reservation again.

Lance breaks away, jumps off the bed, and makes a beeline for the video phone. "Maybe my luck will get us a free spot tonight,” he says as he reaches the video phone, turning to face her with a weak grin. “If not, I'll make a reservation for sometime this week, I promise," he assures her, clasping his hands together as if it will prove his words true.

Pidge fidgets with the hem of her dress. "Okay, sure. The soonest opening you can get, okay? It doesn't have to be the best table or anything."

"Only the best for the best," Lance insists. Though he compliments her, Pidge gives no reaction, her enthusiasm for the Defenders project so distant compared to her current fidgety mood. He runs the top of his teeth along his bottom lip, heart twisting with guilt; she really wants this. He’s a failure if he can’t read her intentions after not only dating, but also having been linked mentally through sentient robots.

But they are in the condo now, surrounded by lush alien jungle and a mile from their nearest neighbor - with nothing to distract them but each other - so Lance is determined to make it up to Pidge and finally get the reservations. It will be a romantic evening like no other - just him and his wife, candle-lit dinner and all, he swears it - he isn’t called loverboy Lance without reason.

He presses the comm button that will connect him with the hotel lobby, but instead of their pink-skinned alien hosts, static greets him.

"That's weird," he muses. "It was working fine last night when we ordered room service."

Pidge bends down and pops open the plate that hides the wiring behind the wall. She examines the bundle, fingering the wires as musician to a harp. "Everything looks normal.” Her brows furrow. “It must be on the lobby's end."

Lance groans. So much for any after-breakfast snuggling today. "Let's go then. We might as well take our swimsuits for the water park since we can just head there after stopping at the lobby."

Pidge smiles up at him, instantly lifting his mood. "I hope you brought the right swim trunks." She smirks. "I heard the Galaxy Whirl can rip them right off of you."

He matches her grin, raising his eyebrows suggestively. "You'd like that wouldn't you?"

She stands, closing the gap between them, teasingly twisting the fabric of his shirt between her fingers. "Maybe we should do a quick test run in the shower to make sure they stay on."

The lights go out.

Lance blinks to acclimate his eyes as quickly as he can, his other senses on high alert. First the comm unit and now the power? Instinct makes him reach for his bayard... which he hasn't had since the Lions departed. Perhaps the years as a Paladin have made him too paranoid. It’s probably just a malfunction.

"Who's there?" Pidge demands. Lance places a hand on her shoulder - she's just as tense as he is.

A high-pitched zing is the only warning Lance has before his shins slam together, tied snug by weighted cord. He flails his arms, seeking balance, yelping until the floor greets his face with a disorientating thud. “Owww…” He inhales through his nose and coughs wetly. Probably a nosebleed, but with his legs wound tightly together that’s the least of his concerns.

“Lance - AH!” Pidge yells.

Lance kneels. His heart catches in his throat as her head makes solid contact with the stone table lamp, her arms pinned snug against her sides. She falls onto the bed with a soft thump.

“Pidge!” He props his arms on foot of the bed, pulling himself up to be closer to her. She’s not moving. Maybe the fall wasn’t that bad, he tells himself, though his racing heart betrays his growing anxiety. He needs to make sure Pidge is okay, then find their attacker. “Talk to m-mhhhmmm!”

A clawed and scaly hand as big as his face cuts his words short. “Shhh,” the voice says softly, presumably belonging to their assailant. Quiznak, this isn’t supposed to be happening. They hadn’t been Paladins in  years  - they were so out of practice and so complacent… “We may be alone, but you’ll excite Kharl with your panicked squeals. Trust me, you don’t want that.” The voice - she, if Lance has to guess - chuckles at her own private joke. “Not yet anyway.”

A threatening hiss makes Lance jump, but the hand keeps him firmly in place. In the shadows, movement from the wall above the bed makes his skin scrawl. He's reminded of a lizard, and this would be a much larger one than he's used to on Earth.

His assailant removes her hand from his face and binds his wrists with magenta cuffs.

“We’re Paladins of Voltron,” Lance declares, filling his voice with as much confidence as he can muster, mind buzzing for a plan - a counterattack, anything. He’s picked up, and he grunts as he’s unceremoniously thrown onto the bed near Pidge. He rolls onto an elbow, making himself as big as he can. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.”

"I know who you are." Flashing yellow eyes seem to float above the edge of the bed, disembodied in the darkness. Lance’s stomach ties into a knot, terrified as the terms ‘bounty hunter’, ‘Zarkon loyalist’, and ‘pirate’ roll across his mind. He worms his way between Pidge and their attacker. Though they have no physical weapons, Lance isn’t defenseless. Pidge is small, but she’s far from frail. He can distract for as long as it takes for Pidge to come to and sneak a distress call out.

"Oh." Lance swallows, tasting the blood trickling down his throat. Execution is easier said than done, but if anyone is equal to the task, it’s him. He forces a weary smile. "I don’t suppose you’re just looking for autographs then?"

The eyes glow in amusement. "Of sorts. I am a great fan of your work, Paladin Lance. Your aim and situational awareness are something of legend in certain circles, although you seem to be out of practice.”

They’ve been tracked - hunted, Lance realizes, urgency growing in time with each heartbeat. "You’ve got us at a disadvantage," he says, and chuckles, lifting his cuffed hands. "Literally. But we don't know a thing about you."

Pidge groans softly from behind him and Lance wants nothing more than to turn around and see to her injuries, but he can’t, not when their lives may depend on it.

The eyes rise to near the ceiling, and a thump - probably large feet - reverberates across the floor. "Paladin Pidge,” the voice addresses and Lance growls at his failure, “technology and stealth expert. I am Rizak Ix and I have been looking forward to hunting you and your fellow Paladins."

Despite the direness of the situation, his mouth seems to have a mind of its own. “There’s only five of us,” he says though his heart pounds in his chest and through his ears. “I suppose our autographs  are  a precious commodity.”

It sounds so stupid when it leaves his mouth, but when the whites of Rizak’s teeth glint against the darkness to form a grin, Lance lets himself feel a bit better. He can work with an enemy with a sense of humor.

“I prefer a token of flesh and blood,” she says, “although I am woefully disappointed with your performance today, your capture was far too easy. I’ve waited years for the feared Voltron Paladins to become unneeded, I expected more of a challenge.”

“Then let us go,” Pidge insists. Her voice is groggy, but it lets Lance know she’s aware, and relief floods over him.

He leans over his shoulder, catching the shadows of her face. “Is your head okay?”

“...not great,” she admits. “I’ll deal with it once we’re out of this.”

The telltale whine of a laser gun powering up snaps Lance’s attention back to their bounty hunter. She’s easier to see as she stalks around the bed towards them, her head towering to near the top of the vaulted ceiling. A forked tongue wiggles from her delighted smile. A loaded pistol sits in her large hand, with dark pink streaks lining the outside of the weapon illuminating her dark grey scales.

“Allow me to assist,” Rizak says. Lance freezes in fear as she presses the barrel into the side of his neck. It taints the memory of the soft kisses Pidge planted there in what already seems like a lifetime ago. “I’ll have you both out of here shortly.”

“Don’t hurt him!” Pidge screams desperately. “Stop!”

The gun fires and Lance knows no more.

~~~~~

Lance wakes. He wishes the tranquilizer had been stronger when he takes in the stale, rotten air.

His vision is slow to come into focus, but it's clear the place is reminiscent of Galra prison cells: rectangular, grey, and metal-looking, although instead of any discernible door, there’s a skylight, barred in magenta. It looks too small to fit through, but the low hum of a ship’s engine distracts him from pondering further. They’re no longer at the resort.

Lance coughs, a poor attempt to relieve himself of the rotting stench in the air. Whatever had been kept in this prison before them hadn’t made it out alive. He refuses to think on what that might mean for them and the cold metal digging into his chin distracts him enough.

His chest tightens, not wanting to acknowledge that its a collar. Questions flood into his thoughts anyway. Shock? Aesthetic? What does this bounty hunter want with them? Probable bounty hunter anyway. What all does the universe have left to throw at them?

No wonder his neck hurts. His bum is sore on top of it, which means he’s been sitting up for a long while. At least his hands and feet are free again and his nose isn’t bleeding anymore.

A smaller body shifts against his side.

“Pidge?” he asks. She’s hurt, he remembers. He needs to make sure she is all right.

“I’m here,” she responds groggily, making no attempt to move from his side. Lance wants it no other way. Her touch means she’s here, and they’re together, not only creating warmth for their bodies, but also in his heart. He desperately needs that thread of security now.

But guilt twists in his stomach. “Sorry, Pidge. Go back to sleep. We’re going to need your brain to get out of this one.”

It isn’t fair. They did their time and saved the universe. Why does a happy ending still elude them?

“My head is killing me,” Pidge complains. “I don’t think I can.”

Lance shifts to face her, careful to make sure she doesn’t fall to the floor. A ring of clunky metal around her neck stares back at him, a dot of green light alone in a sea of dark grey, and he’s positive it’s a mirror of what he wears himself.

Pidge diverts his focus from their dreadful situation before it can overwhelm him. Though the movement isn’t much, she gasps and heaves, vomit spilling out before them. He holds her upright and gently rubs her back in silence. Finished, she shivers, and stares at the wall across from them as if in a daze.

“Okay, well, you really should,” he says. “I don’t remember that much from health class, but I’m pretty sure you have a concussion. You look just like Keith after he came back from that ice planet.”

“I feel like crap,” Pidge moans. “This wasn’t supposed to happen yet.”

“This wasn’t supposed to happen ever,” Lance corrects, annoyed. He’s more alert now that he’s aware that he needs to take charge of the situation while Pidge recovers. “Look, we’re famous. Someone is bound to recognize us if this lady tries to sell us off. It might give us a fighting chance for escape too.” His words taste false as soon as he says them. The way the bounty hunter praised them, eager for a fight - Lance isn’t sure there’s a third party at all.

A quick, sharp buzz makes Lance jump. His heart freezes at the sight of several long, needle-like teeth grinding at the bars across the skylight. Translucent green slobber drips down to the floor as the creature gnaws, as if desperate to get in.

“Up, Kharl!” The teeth vanish from view at the bounty hunter’s words, the creature - Kharl - whining and panting as it skitters away across the top of the prison.

Lance decides he does not want to meet Kharl if he can help it.

The bars retract and a large bowl descends slowly, attached to a thick cord via a metal hook. Clear liquid, water probably, spills over the top as it jerks downward. Seeing an opportunity, Lance sets Pidge against the wall and rushes the cord, grabbing hold as it unhooks from the bowl and lifts back into the air.

He’s hit with an electric shock far worse than simple static cling, lighting his nerves on fire. He cries out as his back makes contact with the hard floor and slides backwards until Pidge catches his shoulders.

Hidden from view, Rizak laughs. The hook disappears through the opening. “Careful, Paladins, the wires are live. I wouldn’t recommend touching it twice. You’ll need your sprightliness, as well as the water, for later.”

“You won’t get away with this,” Pidge threatens. She tightens her grip on his shirt, a comfort as he comes out of his daze. “We have allies everywhere.”

“You'll find no friend in this part of the universe,” she advises. A bulging sack plummets from the skylight and it lands with a thud beside the bowl. “The water is fresh and the sack is full of rations. Eat your fill; you won’t die while on this ship.”

Lance seethes, face twisting in displeasure. He can’t stand to be patronized by their captor.

But the gesture of food and water both throw him for a loop and set his stomach into further unease. What - or who - did she need them alive for?

“Then get Pidge something for her nausea! She can’t eat if she’s sick,” he demands. His feelings don’t matter if Pidge is ill.

“Rizak the Patient,” Pidge says before the bounty hunter can respond. “I remember your name from the black market channels. Kind of an odd nickname for a bounty hunter.”

A deep chuckle reverberates through the air. “I have been watching your actions as Paladins since the early days of the Voltron Coalition,” she explains. “And the more I learned about each one of you, the greater my desire to test my skills against the defenders of the universe. I am willing to take my time to get results.”

A crash and thud from just the other side of the wall startle Lance while Pidge jumps away from the point of origin.

“Kharl, however, is not so patient.”

Claws scrape at the wall and the beast breathes deep, sniffing incessantly.

Lance catches on fast, inhaling sharply in fear. Rizak is a hunter and Kharl is her hunting dog.

He and Pidge are the prey.

The magenta bars snap back into place between the skylight. “Now that the universe no longer needs the Paladins or Voltron for its safekeeping, I will take this opportunity to hunt the both of you. I am positive you will all make excellent trophies.”

Lance swallows hard. The implication behind ‘trophies’ makes his stomach churn. He imagines those long, sharp teeth sinking into his chest, green slobber the last thing he sees in life - a life cut far too short for what they fought to preserve.

It isn’t fair.

But the thought of that fate for Pidge ignites his anger. There are plenty of flight instructors at the Garrison to guide the next generation of pilots, but there’s only one Pidge who knows the workings of the Defenders’ vehicles better than the back of her hand, no one else who possesses both the experience piloting a sentient machine with the intimate knowledge of how they work.

The universe can’t lose Pidge. Lance refuses to lose yet another loved one, not when he can do something about it. He stands, intent on giving this bounty hunter a piece of his mind.

“Some great hunter you are,” Pidge jeers, beating him to the punch. Quiznak, this is why he loves her. The sharp tongue and defiance in the face of danger are weapons in themselves. “You captured us completely unarmed and unprepared.”

He takes her hand in solidarity and offers an encouraging smile, emboldened by her snark to offer some of his own, “Must be a side job. The day one must be boring.”

Pidge returns the smile, but it isn’t full or bright, merely thankful. Her resilience is only skin deep. She’s just as terrified as he is.

“Of sorts” Rizak says, taking Lance by surprise as he snaps his head upwards, “which is why the hunt will continue elsewhere. You will have all the resources of an uninhabited planet at your disposal. Simply survive and I will test my tracking skills.”

“ What? ” Lance squeaks, incredulous he’s hearing this.

“How is that even fair?” Pidge protests. “You can’t - you have tracking devices on us!” She points to the collar around her neck.

Of course that’s what they are! What’s to stop them from carrying electricity if the wires are charged?

A single click echoes in the air. Lance yelps as a red glow surrounds him and spreads down to his toes before disappearing.

“Red Paladin Lance,” an electronic voice says. “Heart rate: elevated. Minor bruising. Broken nasal cavity; ninety percent healed. Dehydration. Suggested course of action: rest, fluids.”

The red glow in his periphery turns green.

“That particular feature is turned off. The devices you wear exist to measure your vitals only,” the bounty hunter explains.

Lance stills in fear - she’d healed his broken nose? What else had she done to them? - rage building as he balls his hands into fists. “And we’re supposed to take your word on this? After you’ve kidnapped us?”

“On my honor as a Xunalmani, you will have ample opportunity to kill me once the hunt begins. I have placed your weapons of choice across the planet so that you will not be defenseless. And… I do not intend to let you die unless it is by my hand.”

A million questions race through Lance’s mind, and Pidge’s concerned expression mirrors his thoughts. If this is actually happening - it still seems surreal despite the accommodations - then they need to be prepared. What is the wildlife like? What is safe to eat? To drink?

His hands grow clammy, becoming more terrified by the second. Less about the threat of death, he’s used to that, but how she’s prepared the hunting ground like it’s a game.

“The resourcefulness of the Paladins is legendary,” she says in awe. “You had precious little to work with in your early days and still managed to not only survive, but thrive and take down the Galra empire. I am looking forward to seeing that resourcefulness in action.”

“We’re flattered,” Pidge drones. Her hand shakes in his.

His heart breaks. He would like nothing more than to have Pidge by his side to thwart this sick sideshow… but he also wants to keep her out of danger however he can.

“You don’t need both of us!” Lance growls desperately, staring intensely as if it could somehow break apart their cell. “Shouldn’t one former Paladin be enough for you? Let Pidge go!”

“Lance!” Pidge cries. “No! Don’t you dare!”

“I appreciate the enthusiasm to go first, Paladin Lance,” Rizak says. “I will oblige, since I want all three of you.”

Pidge freezes, but Lance pays it no mind as he mentally does the math. Who else does she have? Hunk and Shiro travel with the Atlas, and there’s no way a bounty hunter could get through that kind of security. But Keith… Keith is sometimes isolated during his humanitarian missions. Caught unaware, even the best fighter among them can fall.

“What have you done with Keith?" Lance demands.

“Lance…” Pidge says so quietly, he almost doesn’t hear.

“You’re screwed if you let him loose,” he continues instead. “Give him a stick and he’ll find a way to kill you with it.”

“Lance, it's not Keith she’s talking about,” Pidge says, her voice trembling.

It’s the voice she uses so sparingly, only in the most dire of situations, when she’s exhausted of all her rage and options. So he finally turns from the skylight to his wife. She grips his hand so tightly and clenches a fistful of floral fabric near her abdomen in the other.

Her eyes lock onto his like a finely tuned guidance system. She opens her mouth, “I’m -- “

“A child of two Paladins could be the challenge of a lifetime,” Rizak interrupts. “With proper training, I will have an apprentice for years and a one of a kind trophy.”

Pidge snaps her head towards the skylight. “Over my dead body!”

“That will be easily arranged once the child is born.”

Lance barely registers his own breathing, his mouth already growing dry as it hangs open, struggling to digest the new information.

Pidge is pregnant.

Pidge is pregnant with their child and they’re imprisoned on a quiznaking ship by a quiznaking bounty hunter.

Pidge takes pity on his slow comprehension, face softening despite her hurried breaths. “I wanted to tell you at dinner, to make it extra special,” she explains. Tears threaten to break out from her eyes. “I would’ve told you earlier if I’d known all this was going to happen.”

“It’s no fun hunting prey that isn’t in peak condition,” Rizak says. “Paladin Pidge will remain on the ship until the child is born.”

“Hold on, that’s almost nine months,” Pidge squeaks, eyes narrowing again in rage. “I am not staying that long, let alone giving birth here.”

Lance steps forward, “And there’s no way I’m letting you take our baby either.” The words are foreign to his lips, and any other day he might say it over and over, just to get used to how wonderful they sound. All he can do right now is use them for bluster.

He knows as things stand, he doesn’t have much choice in the matter.

Rizak bursts out a hearty laugh. “I look forward to the challenge from both of you.” A muted beep sounds in the distance. “We’ve arrived. You have five doboshes while I take the ship into the atmosphere and release Paladin Lance for the hunt. Say what you need.”

The clunk of boots are heavy on the roof of the prison, including the jump down to ground level.

They are literally in an animal crate.

Pidge pounds on the wall. “Get back here and let us go! I’ll show you a fight!” Her threat falls short of intimidating as she swallows hard and fails to hold back her sobs. “You got lucky! You’d never have caught us if we knew you were coming!’ She kicks the wall and bows her head against it, weakly slapping it with her palm.

Lance is drawn in as she cries, wrapping his arms around her, begging whatever is left of the Paladin bond to let him take all of her sorrow. He rests his head on hers. Never mind the fact he is about to be dropped onto an unknown planet, they’re about to be separated, and he won’t be able to protect her. He already tastes the failure and it scares him.

“This is actually happening,” Pidge chokes. She twists around and wraps her arms around his neck, but instead of familiar teasing kisses she buries her face in his chest.

Before he can blink Lance is on his knees and hugging Pidge as if his life depends on it, dragging her to the floor with him. “I love you,” he says, not bothering to whisper. “I love you and our kid. I’ll find a way off the planet and I’ll get you both out of here.”

“I’ll find a way to get a distress call out,” Pidge says as she tightens her grip on him. “She’s bound to let her guard down eventually.”

“I don’t want to leave you, either of you,” he says. His heart beats so fast it feels as if it can burst from his body. He tries to focus on Pidge, commit all of her to memory - the smell of her tropical perfume, the feel of her thick hair, the look of her face (if he can only find a way to make her smile right now) - because he honestly does not know when he will next see her. And that terrifies him more than whatever fate awaits him on this planet.

Pidge sniffs. “I don’t want you to leave. I want you with me and the baby, where you belong.”

“M-maybe there’s a secret door somewhere,” he jokes. She’d teased him the last time he suggested that at least. “We aren’t separated yet, Pidge. She has to take you out first. We can jump her.”

They have to; with no weapons it will be their one shot to get out of this nightmare before it gets much worse.

Pidge leans back and wipes the snot away from her face. “Yeah, okay. We’d better get ready.”

Lance nods in agreement and stands. He's so numb. Between their capture, imminent future, and the knowledge he will be a father… his emotions are in turmoil. He exhales, rolling his shoulders forward. One thing at a time. Get out of this first. Lift spirits.

He forces himself to grin, feigning confidence as he says, “Kiss for good luck?”

It works. His heart soars with joy when she stands and smiles at him, though her eyes still shine with tears. “You would. I should withhold it for when we’re safely back at the resort.”

“When we’re safe,” he says as he takes both of her hands, “I’ll be the one giving you a kiss. Promise.”

Her smile fades almost as quickly as it had appeared. Her eyes peer into his soul. “There’s a decent chance this won’t work, Lance. We might not even have the advantage of surprise if she’s expecting us to try something. So… if - if we are separated, you stay alive. That’s all. Just stay alive. Promise me that.”

The reminder of exactly how dire their situation is overcomes him and he drops to one knee. “I already made a promise to be by your side through everything.” He rubs the smooth silver band around her finger, the one he had inlaid with diamonds around the circumference before their engagement, the ring he had the honor of slipping onto her finger twice now. “I don’t intend to let death part us that easily. Trust me.”

Pidge nods and bites her quivering lip. “I do. I brought my dad and Matt back, so you can bet I’m coming to collect your quiznaking butt off that planet.” She takes a deep breath and glares, though he knows she’s not angry with him. “I am not raising this baby without you, understand?”

Despite everything going on, her words soothe him. He’s seen firsthand what Pidge will do for her family. “I do,” he says as he rises, cupping her cheek and wiping away her residual tears with his thumb. ”I believe it.”

She leans in, bracing her hand around the back of his neck. “Then I guess I can give you this.”

He meets her lips with his. The firm and easy press lets him easily take them away from here, back to the resort and then to their home on Garrison grounds. He imagines the two of them painting the guest bedroom in soft blues and greens in preparation for their first child, and a chorus of congratulations from friends and allies alike.

Heavy footsteps break him from his blissful daydream and Pidge from him. It’s time. They have to take a post on opposite walls.

He doesn’t want to let go - he can see it in Pidge’s eyes she doesn’t either - especially if it may be their last.

Like fingernails on a chalkboard, Kharl gnaws on the other side of the wall nearest to where they stand, stopping only to inhale their scent. They both jump, and Pidge uses the distraction to slip out of his hands. Lance opens his mouth to protest, but a hydraulic hiss forces his attention to his right.

Lance pins his back to the wall and waits as the hidden door slides down. He sets a foot against the wall, ignoring Kharl’s continuous sniffing, readying to launch himself at their captor.

Rizak walks up a ramp empty-handed. It’s the first clear view he’s had of her at all. She’s more lizard-like than he imagined, with a long tail and pointed teeth inside an elongated snout.

Pidge gasps, and her eyes widen with renewed fear. A heartbeat later, she’s clenching her teeth in the same rabid determination she displayed in the search for her family, hands balled up into fists. She charges and Lance follows her lead with a battle cry.

He collides with the force field before he runs into the bounty hunter, bouncing back onto the hard floor.

His heart catches in this throat when he sees Pidge on the other side, the bounty hunter’s thick arms around her neck, leaving Pidge’s legs flailing and hands scrabbling to get free.

A soft, red glow emanates off the grey scales. Lance places his own trembling hand near his collar, and a green light shines off his skin.

His blood boils. Rizak had planned for their counterattack and used it against them.

Then guilt sets in. It was his idea.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Rizak teases, squeezing Pidge closer to herself. “Could it be you’ve seen my kind before?”

Lance snarls and leaps to his feet, ramming his fists against the force field. “Let her go!”

Needle-like teeth ram at the barrier, creating yellow sparks. Lance steps back on instinct as the jaws unhinge and gnaw on the force field, threatening to cut him clean in half. Kharl is long, black with thick red stripes on his snake-like body - one with thin legs and sharp claws that Lance is very sure can shred him to bits.

He’s more concerned for Pidge at the moment.

“He was hunting my brother!” she shouts. “And I’d do the same thing again!”

“We have something in common, Paladin Pidge. We would do anything for our families,” Rizak says, caressing Pidge’s terrified face in a way that makes Lance quake with rage. “You took my brother from me, so I will take pleasure in taking you from your mate.”

Pidge pales. “No, don’t! If your beef is with me - “

“And after I hunt Paladin Lance, I will take your child, hunt you down, and finish my brother’s job.” She hisses. “Down, Kharl. Not yet.”

The creature backs down and slinks off into the shadows, but its eager, red eyes remain locked on Lance.

“You have twenty varga to prepare, Paladin Lance. Keep me entertained and you will live for another hunt,” Rizak instructs.

Lance swallows, keeping his heart from leaping into his throat. He’s still trembling and he hates showing how scared he is in front of their captor. “Just don’t hurt Pidge,” he manages.

“I take my investments seriously.” Rizak grins evilly. “She will be well cared for, and”--she holds Pidge painfully closer--“will have plenty of work to do.”

They are words Lance can’t bring himself to trust, but as the gears turn and the door begins to close and cut him off from Pidge, he forces himself to hang onto them. “Pidge!” he cries desperately, pounding on the force field - standing on his toes to keep her within his sights. “Katie!”

“Lance!” Pidge screams as the door locks shut, sobs intruding in her voice as she follows with, “I love you!”

So he, with all the wisdom of a man in his 20s who’s gone through war, saved the universe, is captured, and just wants to make his wife feel better, responds, “I know!”

Quiznak, his last words to Pidge ever might be a Star Wars reference. “I lo -- "

Lance doesn’t get a chance to change his words. The prison tilts and Lance is pulled back, striking the far wall and stuck there as if he’s a cadet in the Garrison’s centrifuge machine again. His heart threatens to rip out of his body and his stomach tightens. It feels like an eternity as the force refuses to let him even move his arms or yell in alarm to relieve the fear he finally feels for himself. He’s perceptive enough to realize he’s just been airdropped. Is he even going to survive this fall?

Finally the crate slams against solid ground, throwing Lance against the - wall-floor-ceiling? - metal. A crack and sharp pain jolts through his wrist and he screams in pain. He’ll have to start off this stupid game with a probable broken hand.

As he holds his wrist gingerly, the door swings open, hitting the ground with a slam and pillowing cloud of dust. Hot, humid air rushes over his skin. Lance takes a deep, trembling breath. “No problem. Just like home. You’ve got this, Lance.”

He takes his time walking down the ramp. Dozens of large metal crates litter the area between giant trees - it chills him that he isn’t the first to face this fate, nor the last if he and Pidge can’t do anything about it. The trunks are wider than any he knows on Earth, upended roots among the thick undergrowth large enough to fit a small house under.

It's a jungle paradise, just like the resort, only on a massive scale. He now knows what an ant must feel like.

Just the thought of what he’s been taken from pulls him to his knees, chest rising and falling hard. It wasn’t that long ago he and Pidge were safe, celebrating their time together. He wants to cry, but the tears don’t come. The air is wet enough as it is. Beads of sweat dot his forehead and slip down his temple and into his eyes.

The calls of the native birds sound mournful, appropriate for his mood. He’s not even come to terms, not completely, with the fact that he is going to be a father. How can he when the mother of the child is held captive by a bounty hunter who seems to have personal history with her?

Lance falls to his hands and knees. He rips some undergrowth from the ground and screams in frustration. There’s nothing he can do.

At least not yet. Rizak said she was coming in twenty varga, and if he can believe her, there’s a gun out here somewhere for him to make it a fair fight.

Lance stands and heads back into his former prison, filled with renewed determination. The fall spilled the water, but the ration packets and the bag will be indispensable.

He has a promise to keep, so for now he plays the game - aiming to win.

~~~~~

His heart sinks when he hears the shuttle descend into the atmosphere. Rizak is early.

Lance tears apart his enclosure as his heart thumps in panic over the break of routine, tossing the limbs and leaves of his former roof into the nearby stream. He douses the fire, throwing all he can into the water, and scatters the mud that made his walls. The more he makes it seem like he was never here, the better. A shame, this had been one of the nicer areas.

It’s been a long time, so long even his time as a Paladin seems like a fever dream. Rizak never divulges outside information, and he can’t keep track of the days for fear he’ll leave evidence of his stay in any given spot. He has no other contact with living beings and if he makes it out of here alive he’ll never eat another berry again.

Lance is tired, not just physically, and his heart feels as if it’s made of lead. He kneels beside a stream and washes his face and hands - his wrist healed, a mercy given to him after the first time she caught up to him. He needs to focus. Stubble and aged wrinkles stare back at him, along with the unnatural metal necklace he still wears, light blinking its usual green. He reaches out to the surface, touching his reflection. He hardly looks like himself.

Perhaps she’s finally bored of him. She’s captured him more often than not lately. Killing Kharl must have been the last great feat he’s allowed to accomplish.

“Pidge has it under control,” he tells himself. He misses her fiercely; there is no one Lance would rather have on his side in that ship.

He collects his two possessions: the promised rifle that took him way too long to find and the sack once filled with rations. He forces his legs to move. Best to put as much distance between himself and Rizak as possible. If he’s lucky he won’t even see her. Or maybe...maybe today will be the day he can snipe her, steal her ship, and rescue Pidge and their baby.

Their baby… he wonders what Pidge looks like with her belly swollen. She has to be showing by now.

He pounds his fist against the nearest tree. Not for the first time he thinks about how lonely she is, becoming increasingly vulnerable at the hands of their captor. He should be there for her, doting on her every need, kissing her belly, feeling their child kick against her skin, and taking her to proper doctor appointments. He wants to tell the baby of epic adventures - both real and fantasy - as Pidge fights a fond smile and rolls her eyes at him.

Lance needs to be doing all of those things, not spending time in this quiznaking jungle planet fighting for his life.

But he promised Pidge he would survive so that he would have those moments with his family in the future.

So he trudges on.

He also never loses sight of the shuttle. It’s typically landed by now, but today it heads right for him.

Lance picks up speed, sure to look over his shoulder as often as he can spare. His heart pounds through his ears as it gains on him. He changes direction, zig zags, shields himself with the towering trees. None of it matters as the shuttle follows him everywhere.

He runs into another section of the winding stream and plows in, water up to his knees soaking into his tattered clothes and resisting him with every step. It takes too much energy, but there’s higher ground on the other side where he can hide for a possible shot.

He catches a glimpse of red on the water’s surface. This must be the end. Lance can’t think of any other reason why the bounty hunter has turned on the tracking function.

He swallows a sob as he reaches the opposite bank. At least it’ll be quick if he fails.

Air drier and hotter than the ambient atmosphere washes over him, and the sun disappears as the shuttle overtakes his path, landing before him.

Lance stops and brings the rifle to a firing position, intent on making a literal last stand. The scope is long since broken, so he has to rely on his own sight for this shot. He’ll only get one. But his arms ache, and feel like noodles. He will miss if they don’t stop shaking.

The shuttle’s bay doors open, spitting in the middle and spreading out. The bottom half rests on the forest floor, creating a ramp.

A figure moves in the shadows and Lance shoots. He can’t afford to wait, not when his ticket to freedom and freeing Pidge is right there with only a bounty hunter in his way.

The shot ricochets off the door and onto a tree. His fingers shake, but he readies the next shot, teeth clenched in concentration.

“Lance, stop!”

He lowers the rifle. Is he already dead?

“Pidge?” he rasps, unbelieving.

But it is Pidge who emerges from the shuttle, resting a hand against the side, smiling at him with tears poking at her eyes in clear relief. She wears a tattered Galra prison uniform around her familiar slender form, but she’s never looked more beautiful to his strained eyes.

“You’re okay. You’re okay,” she repeats breathlessly. Her legs stumble forward. Lance drops his rifle and it bounces harmlessly among the fallen leaves. He easily finds strength from deep within himself to run to her.

She falls into his arms at the end of the ramp and they sink to their knees. Just having her body next to his again heals his aching and tired limbs. Pidge drapes her arms over his shoulders, and he wraps his tightly around her. She’s crying. “It's all over, Lance. She’s dead. We’re free.”

Relief washes over him like a flood. They aren’t endangered anymore. No more running for his life. He can finally put that behind him. “Pidge. Pidge,” he says. He can’t say her name too many times. “Katie, I missed you so much.”

“I was so worried about you. Every single day. I tried to ask her about you, but she wouldn’t tell me anything. I finally broke out of my room. I got a message to Keith. He was in the next galaxy over he…” Pidge rambles. “Lance, if I hadn’t gotten his frequency he would have never known we were here. They never stopped looking for us.”

How long had it been? Wasn’t Pidge pregnant? Why isn’t she showing? “Pidge... “ He breaks away, almost scared to ask. “The baby?”

But Pidge grins and it makes his chest light. “Your daughter is spending some time with her uncle Keith.” She cocks her head to the side. “I’ve told her all I can about you, but it’s better if she sees for herself. Not that she can actually remember since she’s only a few days old but - “

Lance breaks her string of ponderings with a kiss, unable to hold himself back any further. He’s missed her so much, and he just wants to know she isn’t an illusion.

Pidge relaxes, and returns it. How good it is to feel something something other than the thick air and sour berries on his lips. He takes care to moisten the cracks in hers, chapped from the dry spaceship systems.

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there,” he says as they part. Lance knows it isn’t his fault, but his heart goes out to her all the same. “I didn’t know what she was going to do to you.”

Pidge hesitates. “She has a trophy room. It’s best if you don’t see it. Keith is working to find their home planets… to give them proper burials.”

It goes unsaid, but Lance understands. Either of them could have become part of the macabre collection sooner or later.

“it won’t happen to anyone else,” he assures her. “You're so brave, Pidge. I love you.”

Pidge leans her tired head into his chest. “I want to go home. I want you to see your daughter and I want the three of us together.”

Chest filled with warmth at the prospect, Lance presses a kiss on top of her head, holding her close. “I’ll go wherever you want.”

Together they rise and enter the shuttle. Lance doesn’t even look back as the bay doors close. He’s pleased that his pilot instincts remain as he prepares them for takeoff.

Pidge laughs at him from the copilot seat. “I’ll take it from here, Tailor. You look like you’re going to pass out.”

It was true he hasn’t slept well for - he pauses to take in the date on the dashboard - the past eight months. Silent tears reach his mouth, but he’s too numb to really take it in. The time he’s missed.... It's almost too much to bear. Perhaps a short nap  is  in order.

Lance smiles, chest light in contentment. He won’t need to wait long to see the subject of his dreams. And all things considered, he decides not to be too angry at Keith for getting to hold his daughter before him.

It’s finally over. When he wakes, he’ll be busier than ever. Forget the honeymoon he and Pidge never finished, it’s time to get to work making sure things like this don’t happen to anyone else, defending the universe by training the next generation.

He also has dozens of kisses for a tiny head that are far overdue, and he doesn’t expect to tire from it.

[sawyersscribbles]

Hell I would like every single headcanon for Reagan because i saw she'd just eat an entire thing of sour cream and now i'm just curious about this weird sour-cream-eating creature

sbhfnjkn she absolutely would and i’m gonna find a way to sneak that into the canon if it kills me. But Reagan is such a good choice, thanks for the ask! And sorry this took me a bit to get back, I’ve been thinking about this for days

1. Holiday headcanon

Reagan grew up in Colorado, so she feels really connected to forests and mountains, so she and her family always go on a Christmas hike up a mountain and decorate a wild tree for Christmas because they don’t really like cutting them down and feel like a plastic tree is too fake. that damn hippie Hart family

2. Cooking headcanon

Her favorite food is cream of corn which I ABSOLUTELY HATE because it’s all slimy and sweet and fjlnekrgaljkfn but whatever, she makes her own rules. Her preferred method of eating it is putting the can over the fire and drinking it like soup. What the literal hell. Why is she like this.

3. Sleeping headcanon

Reagan usually refuses to sleep because “the night is when all the fun shit happens” or something so her best friend Ingrid sometimes puts sleeping pills in her milkshakes so she can take a god damn nap which is honestly what I’d do if I was Ingrid

4. Driving headcanon

I think I’ve mentioned this once before, but Reagan has crashed a total of six cars in her lifetime. Three times it was her parents’ car, once was her own car that she and her mother fixed up, and then two other times after the invaders came and Reagan hijacked abandoned cars on the road

5. Bathing/showering headcanon

Reagan is definitely the type who says she hates showers and baths but the second she gets into one she’s like “mmmm srgjnlwergjk warm woter” and then won’t leave for hours. She loves the water BOILING hot though so be sure not to touch any metal in a building where Reagan’s showering

6. Hugging headcanon

Reagan loves to do that “bro hug” thing where you clap your hand into the other person’s and then bring it in kind of? Not to @ any voltron lovers (#sheith for the win btw) but this is what I mean:

7. Kissing headcanon

I’ve never written a character with more Top Energy™ in my life, so Reagan usually goes all out if she’s making out, as in she’ll wrap you up and hold you close and will throw as much passion at you as you’ll let her. She also has a thing for getting kissed behind the ear but she hates people knowing that o.o

8. Sex headcanon

As mentioned before, intense Top Energy™ over there. She also has a track record of spending… nights… with the daughters of authority figures because she has an Authority Problem so for example, after getting arrested for reckless driving, in retaliation Reagan had a fling with the daughter of the police chief who arrested her for about a month afterwards ;)

9. General physical contact headcanon

Reagan has this ability to make usually normal acts of physical contact really intimate. She doesn’t show affection as much through hand holding or hugging, but if you make a secret handshake with her, that’s how you know you’re on her good side

10. Physical appearance headcanon

Reagan has tan skin and dark eyes and starts the novel with long hair, but shaves it off at the beginning of the book (a way I measure time in SOS is noting how long Reagan’s hair is, since it represents the passing of time as it grows longer). Her body is also riddled with various scars from when she’s gotten into dirt bike accidents or got shot, and she’s very proud of each one

11. Wardrobe headcanon

Since she’s in the desert and also a lesbian, her main clothing of choice is a pair of cargo pants, some sort of tank top, usually gray or white, a flannel wrapped around her waist, and a snapback hat. Basically the sk8r boy look, even though she doesn’t know how to skateboard

12. Jewelery headcanon

She doesn’t wear a lot of jewelry but is often seen with botched piercing jobs like “haha I lit a safety pin over the fire and just had at it. Do you think it looks cool?”

13. Nickname headcanon

Reagan despises her name because her parents gave it to her after the American president, so she sometimes likes to go by “Ray”, but she still appreciates that it’s unique, so most people usually call her by her full name

14. Dancing headcanon

If I had my way, I’d totally put Reagan in an 80s AU where she’s a hip hop dncer. I feel like I can totally picture her spinning on the floor and jamming out to some intense base somewhere, so she definitely goes hard

15. Singing headcanon

While she isn’t that good at singing, Reagan is a mean karaoke participant. It might just be her flare for the dramatic, but she’ll climb on tables, use beer bottles as prop microphones, and do rock n’ roll slides if she’s really feeling the song

16. Anger headcanon

Her parents didn’t teach Reagan much as a teenager, but the one thing they instilled in her as a child was, “if you’re mad, take five minutes and walk away”. Whenever she’s frustrated, she would just close her eyes and breathe, and then find the nearest exit for a walk before she does something rash

17. Soft spot headcanon

The one constant in Reagan’s life for years has been her cat Ozzy, and she loves him more than she loves herself (which isn’t a super high bar). She doesn’t always hit it off well with people, so she’s found a lot of comfort in having Ozzy around and would be devastated if something happened to him

18. Favorite possession headcanon

This actually isn’t a headcanon, it’s just canon canon, because a little while ago I wrote a scene where we see Reagan’s most prized possession, which is a polaroid photo of her and her older brother on their last hike together before he went off to college with writing at the bottom that said, “We survived! See you soon, little sis :)”. Would you believe me if I said she never saw him again?

19. Favorite photograph headcanon

See above! :)

20. Relationship with/thoughts on Anais headcanon

I actually wanted to pick Anais for this because the more I think about the two of them as characters, the more I think they’re foils for each other. Reagan is brash and loves fun and partying and letting herself go and throwing herself in harm’s way for others, and isn’t afraid to speak her mind on what she thinks is right. Anais, on the other hand, is her opposite. She has a lot of things to say, a lot of which are good ideas, but usually keeps them close out of fear of rejection. She seeks comfort in close friends who she can deeply trusts, and actually doesn’t like Reagan at all at the beginning of the book, so their relationship as two members of a group traveling across the country together is something I’m really excited to explore

~

Thanks so much for this ask, Ellie!! This was so much fun to put together!

[atombooks]

Home Girl

1

Trading Places

‘He’s a perv!’ I yelled. I fixed my seat belt while switching the car radio to a grime station. I knew she hated that. ‘Why don’t you believe me?’

Louise looked at me like she wanted to give me a koof. But she couldn’t. She was my social wanker. She had issues start-ing the car. Her hands shook. ‘He says he was only standing outside the bathroom with your towel,’ she said.

‘Every time I step into the bathroom he’s paedophiling around,’ I spat. ‘Have I got my shampoo? Have I got my bubble bath? Have I got my soap? Does he think I’m dumb enough to step into the bathroom without my tings? I’m telling you he’s a perv with a big prick P!’

Louise finally started the engine. She sucked in a nervous breath. She always did that when I dropped curses on her bony behind. ‘He . . . he says he was only trying to help,’ she stuttered.

‘Jack up your ears, Louise! He’s not helping me. I know the mission he’s on. I can bring my own stuff to the bathroom.’

Winding down her window, Louise blazed a fagarette. She pulled on it like she wanted to kill it with one drag. She looked out to the street. A hood- slug wearing a black hoodie walked a pit- bull. She pulled away. This was the east ends of Ashburton where even the hounds peeped over their shoul-ders and paused before stepping around corners. I watched Louise puff her smoke out of the window. By the angle of her brows I guessed she wanted to be at home sinking red wine and watching a Bridget Jones movie. She screwed up her face.

‘Can I have one?’ I asked.

‘No!’

‘Why not? You know I fire up anyway.’

‘You’re not smoking while you’re with me.’

‘And you’re not supposed to be blazing in the ride with me.’ Louise pulled on her cancer stick once more. She then blew out the window and stubbed it out. She placed the remaining half in her glove compartment.

At my feet was my banged- up cuddly meerkat toy. Its mouth was lengthened by a tear, one claw was missing on the left paw and one eye was looser than the other. I picked it up and placed it on my lap. I stroked it twice and smiled at it. Memories.

I threw Louise an evil eye- pass. Lily Allen’s Smile crackled from the car radio. No bass. Louise turned down the volume. I turned it back up even louder. Louise knew she was gonna lose this game. She gave me one of those really glances and shook her head.

‘Where’re you taking me?’ I asked.

‘I don’t know yet.’

‘Don’t know? The moon’s showing her dimples. Some social worker you are.’

‘Playing little Miss Madam everywhere I take you doesn’t help. I’m fast running out of options.’

‘Not my fault you always place me with freaks and prick fiddlers.’

‘The Holmans have been fostering children in Ashburton for over twenty years. They’re very dependable. No one has ever made a complaint about them before  . . . until this evening.’

‘All the other kids must’ve been too scared to spill some-thing,’ I said. ‘She was always trying to hug me. What’s that about? Always up in my face she was with her welcome- to- The- X-Factor smile.’

An image of my mum bust an entry into my head. I remembered her smile. I tried to erase it but I couldn’t. ‘Is everything all right, Naomi?’ I took the piss. ‘Monkey on mar-bles! I lost count of how many times she asked me that. She made the hairs on my arms wanna leave me. And then him! Kim warned me about bad- minded men like him. Anything you want, Naomi, sweetheart. Just ask. I knew what he wanted. If he got any closer I would’ve clanged him with the biggest no- entry sign I could find.’

‘Are you sure of that, Naomi?’ Louise asked. ‘They were only trying to be friendly. And I’ve told you before, you shouldn’t listen to everything Kim says.’

Even then Louise didn’t believe me. Her casserole didn’t have any dumplings. What did I have to do to make this woman see the pig in the sky?

‘The other day I was watching Titanic,’ I said. ‘I always leak tears when I watch that part when Leo sinks into the sea. She comes over and hugs me like I agreed to be her Surrey Gate mum. I told her if she pollutes my personal space again I’m gonna clong her with a casserole pot when she’s sleeping. When I finish with her she’ll still be seeing tweety birds when she’s having her varicose veins done. I’m telling ya, Louise, they’ve got something of asylum ward twenty- one about ’em.’

Louise kept quiet. Maybe the truth finally slapped her sensible spot.

‘I’m hungry,’ I said. I wasn’t lying. My stomach snorted. ‘Where’re you taking me? And I don’t wanna go no Alabama Chicken Cottage or Mississippi Hen Hut. Their chicken is off- key.’

Louise didn’t answer. She kept her eyes on the road. Ten minutes later, she pulled into the car park of a McDs restau-rant on the Ashburton ring road. She took out a five- pound note from her purse. I liberated it from her, picked up my meerkat and was gone before Louise could say the N of Naomi. I looked back when I reached the McDs entrance. Louise shook her head, took out her mobile phone from her handbag and punched a number. She retrieved her half- smoked cigarette from the glove compartment, sparked it and looked out the window.

I had just sunk the last morsel of a cheese quarter- pounder when Louise parked her slim butt opposite me. She looked like she had joined in on one of those charity fun- runs but her fitness wasn’t up to spec. ‘Your man not coming around tonight?’ I asked.

‘Leave it, Naomi.’

‘He might be cheating on ya, goring someone else.’

‘Naomi!’

‘If that was me I’d churn his balls with one of those food blitzer things when he’s sleeping.’

Through a straw I sucked my chocolate milkshake trying to roadblock a giggle. I couldn’t quite manage it. A spattering of chocolate spewed out over the table and over Louise’s brown leather jacket. A passing black teenage girl carrying a tray of burgers and fries laughed out loud. I put my drink down and wiped my mouth and nose with the back of my hand. Louise’s eyebrows switched forty- five degrees and something funny happened to her lips. She was on the edge of the cliff wearing five- inch- high stilettos. I might’ve gone too far.

‘Sorry,’ I said.

Louise huffed and puffed to the counter. She returned moments later with a handful of napkins and a coffee. I had wiped the table clean. I leant back into my seat with my meer-kat squashed between my arms and stomach.

Louise groped for her phone in her jeans pocket. She closed her eyes and took in two mega breaths. She scoped me hard. ‘Would you mind staying for a week of two with a black family?’ she suggested. ‘I was thinking of this second- generation British, West Indian family. It’s not ideal but it won’t be for long. Just until I can place you somewhere more suitable.’

‘A black family?’

Monkey on ball- bearings. What’s she on?

‘Yes,’ Louise nodded. ‘As I said, only for a short while.

They’re very good. And you’ve got black friends you get on very well with.’

I shrugged. This is new. It could be interesting. ‘I s’pose. As long as they’re not too hugalicious or prick fiddlers.’

Louise jabbed her mobile. I watched her every move. She picked up her coffee and walked out of the restaurant. She kept an eye on me through the window. What’s the frucking point? She’s gonna give me the lowdown anyway.

I hot- toed outside to join her. Louise turned her back on me. ‘Put it on speaker,’ I urged.

Louise ignored me.

‘It’s about me, right? Put it on speaker.’

Louise did what she was told.

‘Hello? Hello, Colleen, it’s Louise. Thank God you’re in.’ ‘Hi, Louise. Everything good with you?’

‘Not exactly. I’m in a spot.’

‘Oh, what’s up?’

‘Can you do me a big favour? I have tried everybody else and I’m fast running out of options. I know it’s late in the day but I really need your help.’

‘It’s after eight so—’

‘I have an emergency case,’ Louise interrupted. ‘I really need an emergency foster carer for the next two weeks or so until I can find somewhere permanent.’

‘Two weeks is no problem. I’ll just clean up our spare bed-room. I haven’t used it for a while. Anything about the case I need to know? I’m not having you shove any self- harmers our way without you telling us. That last case really scared the kids. Tony had to give the bedroom walls a new coat of paint.’

Louise offered me a worried glance before she replied. I made a face at her.

‘No, nothing like that,’ Louise replied. ‘Well, er, there’s something but we’ll talk about it when I arrive. That last case, I didn’t even know she was a self- harmer. It wasn’t on her file and she didn’t have any scars on her arms.’

‘You should’ve looked at her legs.’

‘I know that now. I’m so sorry, my mistake.’

‘Who’s loving razor blades?’ I wanted to know. ‘Is it Taneka Taylor who used to be at the unit? Her life was always on a detour.’

Louise covered her phone with her hand. ‘Not now, Naomi.’ ‘So how do you know this emergency case isn’t a self- harmer?’ Colleen wanted confirmation.

‘I have known the case for a while.’

‘I’m not a fricking case,’ I raised my voice. ‘I’ve got a name. Naomi Brisset.’

Louise side- eyed me. She was back on the edge of the cliff. ‘How old?’ asked Colleen.

‘Fourteen.’

Louise eye- drilled me.

‘Going on twenty- nine,’ she resumed. ‘There’s something you should know.’

‘Oh? What’s that?’

‘She’s Caucasian. Normally I wouldn’t . . . ’

What the fruck is Caucasian? Why’s Louise talking all foreign all of a sudden?

I gave Louise one of my best what the freak you’re talking about glares. Silence for ten seconds.

‘Can I call you back in a minute, Colleen?’ said Louise. ‘I won’t be long.’

Louise spot- lit me for five seconds without leaking a word. Her eyes were desperate. ‘So, are you really OK staying with a black family? It’s either that or the secure unit. I’d rather you stay with a foster family—’

‘I’m not going back to the secure unit!’ I squeezed my meer-kat close to my stomach. ‘Can’t stand the staff there. Hate ’em.’

‘Do you really hate them, Naomi? You were a bit tearful when you left.’

‘That’s cos I was leaving Kim and Nats. They’re my best friends.’

‘Hmmm,’ Louise mumbled. She was never sweet on Kim and Nats. ‘So what do you think about staying with a black family? It wouldn’t be for long.’

‘They got kids?’ I asked.

‘Yes, they have,’ nodded Louise.

‘How old?’

‘Sharyna’s ten and Pablo’s six. They were adopted. They used to be in the care system.’

‘You were their social worker?’

‘Yes. Please give me an answer, Naomi. I haven’t got all night.’

‘Wanna wheel home before your boyfriend gets pissed on waiting for ya and hits on someone else?’

‘Naomi!’

I thought about it. A black family. They’ll definitely be cooler than the Holmans. They might let me blaze a rocket. The mum might be able to put plaits in my hair like Solange Knowles. They could get my dancing on point. Might learn some top-ranking insults like those black chicks at my last school.

I smiled. ‘Yeah. I’m good to play this game.’

‘Are you sure? I don’t want you accusing me of not listening to your opinion before a placement again.’

She was right on that one.

‘I suppose so,’ I said. ‘Unless you wanna give me my own place. I’ll be good on my lonesome. Dunno why you’re always munching your knickers about it when I bring it up. When I’m fifteen I’ll meet a sweet bruv and we can make a life—’

Louise had her really face back on.

‘How many times do I have to tell you, Naomi?’ she said.

‘You’re a minor. The local council are responsible for you until you reach eighteen.’

‘They didn’t call me a minor when I looked after my dad!’ Shaking her head, Louise stepped away. She jabbed the redial button on her phone. ‘Hello, it’s Louise again.’

It was still on speaker.

‘Hi again, Louise.’

‘I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t desperate, Colleen, but I have two emergency foster carers on holiday and another who’s about to give birth. It’s not a problem that my case is Caucasian, is it? Her name’s Naomi. Naomi Brisset.’

‘Naomi,’ repeated Colleen. ‘Nice name.’

I curled a grin. Of course it’s a nice name. My mum gave me it.

‘Tell her I was named after Naomi Watts,’ I said. ‘She was in King Kong and a horror movie.’

Louise ignored me. ‘Will Tony be all right with, er, you know?’ she asked.

‘Course,’ Colleen replied. ‘Won’t bother him at all. He’ll  be cool.’

‘You sure?’ Louise pressed again. ‘It’s just that Tony has always made a point about wanting to foster black children.’

‘He wants to help all kids,’ Colleen insisted.

‘OK, Colleen,’ Louise nodded. She breathed out relief. ‘We’ll be around in half an hour or so.’

‘Hold on, hold on,’ Colleen said. ‘Any dietary requirements I should know about? Remember last year? You sent us that kid who wouldn’t eat rice, potatoes, meat or anything with seasoning in it.’

‘Naomi’s not fussy about her food. I have her file with me.’

‘I don’t like mince,’ I called out. ‘Reminds me of worms. No shepherd’s pie either. Oh, and I don’t like macaroni cheese. That reminds me of yellow worms.’

Louise offered me a seal- your- gums glare.

‘Looking forward to meeting her,’ said Colleen after a pause. We returned to McDs. Louise sipped on her coffee and sank into her seat. ‘Seems like Colleen’s looking forward to meeting you,’ she said.

‘Why wouldn’t she?’ I grinned. ‘I’m lovable.’

I hugged my meerkat tight.

[biamondpickaxe]

Thinking Too Much (1)

Genre: Hurt/comfort

Words: 1.2k

Summary: Sometimes Phil gets anxious and that’s okay.

Contains: Hurt!phil, anxiety, food, mild body issues, mild panic attack

Read Part 2

Phil and his boyfriend, Dan, were sat on some stools in an old-fashioned diner somewhere in America. The servers were girls with big hair and red lipstick and guys with slicked back hair and leather jackets.

The two were looking through their menus when Dan asked, “What do you think you’re gonna order?”

“The BLT looks really good. What about you?” Phil replied. He was still glancing at the menu over and over to make sure he didn’t miss anything he might want instead.

“Maybe a cheeseburger. Should I get us a drink to share?” Dan asked.

“Yeah, sure,” Phil replied, although he was distracted by going over his order in his head so he wouldn’t mess it up and sound stupid in front of the waitress.

“Alright, cuties. What can I get for you?” the waitress asked as she came up to the men on light-up rollerskates.

Phil vaguely registered his boyfriend ordering while he was busy wringing his hands nervously in his lap.

What if I mess up the order?

What if I stutter?

She’s probably going to judge me for my order and think I’m some weirdo anyways.

Dan noticed his boyfriend’s glazed over eyes and clearly distressed state, so he ordered what he remembered Phil saying he wanted. Once Dan decided the coast was clear, he brushed his fingertips lightly over Phil’s thigh.

He didn’t initiate anything that could be seen as PDA because he wouldn’t want to add getting outed to the list of things that Phil was currently worrying about, but the touch was just enough to say I’m here, I got you, you’re alright.

“Phil, are you okay?” Dan’s soothing voice asked.

Phil looked down at his hands and stopped wringing them. Ignoring Dan’s question, he simply muttered, “I need to stop doing that. Everyone can tell how nervous I am.”

“Nobody noticed, I promise you. Are you okay?” Dan repeated.

“Yeah, jus’ got all freaked out and overwhelmed,” Phil answered. He took several deep breaths.

“It’s alright. You’re doing good. I hope you don’t mind but I ordered for you,” said Dan.

“No, I don’t mind at all. Thank you,” Phil said. He subconsciously moved closer to Dan without seeming too suspicious, trying to feel the heat radiating from the other man to ground himself.

“Of course,” Dan said with a smile. “And I got you a surprise.”

“What is it?” Phil asked enthusiastically.

“Apparently I should have gotten you some patience," Dan chucked. "It wouldn’t be a surprise if I just flat-out told you what it was."

The waitress came back quickly after that with their order. Along with the food was a large glass of cold, sweet-smelling pink liquid.

“Surprise!” Dan giggled when the waitress left. Phil already had his mouth on the straw and was drinking the milkshake.

“It’s so good. Strawberry is my favorite,” Phil said.

“I know it’s your favorite, darling. That’s why I ordered it,” Dan replied fondly.

“Hey, Dan?”

“Yes, Phil?”

“Thank you.”

---

Today Phil decided to wear ripped jeans. Maybe it was Dan and the fan’s constant persisting, or maybe it was because the American heat was starting to make his usual jeans feel like a sauna. Either way, he was wearing them.

He had worn them to the meet and greet just fine, but later that night he and Dan decided to take a walk and suddenly he didn’t feel as confident anymore.

“Phil, you look great. Stunning, really. But the sun has already set and I want to get going before it gets too cold,” Dan whined.

Phil paused for a moment. “Are you sure I look okay? I feel like these pants make my legs look weirdly long. And my hair dye is starting to fade and I’m pretty sure these pants make my ass look saggy.”

“You look amazing, sweetheart. Your hair is perfect and your ass looks great, believe me.”

“Are you positive? There’s gonna be a lot of people out tonight and I-”

“Phil,” Dan interrupted, “I hate to break it to you but nobody is going to be paying that much attention. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“I’ll just change,” Phil sighed, defeated.

“You don’t need to. You look gorgeous. Come on, handsome,” Dan coaxed.

Phil finally agreed to go and once he stepped outside he was glad. He and Dan got to look at their beautiful surroundings and the pretty wildlife. The whole duration of the walk, Dan looked at Phil like he was the entire universe, and Phil actually felt okay.

He was okay. Everything was going to be okay.

---

It was one of those days where Phil had been going over the outline for his new video for hours.

He usually wasn’t like this when it came to making videos. Perfectionism and stressing over videos was mostly Dan’s thing. Phil usually didn’t have a detailed script and he made sure that whatever he was doing, he was having fun while doing it.

But right now he wasn’t having fun.

Every idea and bit for his video seemed strange and out of place. He kept telling himself that he could be funnier, should be funnier. At one point he considered scrapping the video idea altogether.

Phil didn’t know when the tears started, but soon he was curled up in a ball on a hotel bed crying.

The fans are going to be so disappointed if you put out a video like this.

How are you going to even be able to keep making money from YouTube if all your ideas are stupid like this one?

Phil knew he was being irrational and way too hard on himself, but his inner saboteur got the best of him and pushed any and all clear thinking to the side.

Dan had been asking the hotel staff how late the pool was open. When he came back, he certainly didn’t expect to see his lovely boyfriend crying on their shared bed.

“Phil, baby? What’s wrong? What happened?” Dan asked, slowly approaching Phil. He was facing away from Dan, but Dan knew Phil was crying by the way his shoulders violently shook.

“N- nothing,” Phil choked out but he was already starting to hyperventilate.

“Okay. Alright, love. Take some deep breaths for me now, okay? Can you do that? Nice, deep breaths. There you go, hun. Good job,” Dan talked his boyfriend through it.

Phil tried to keep breathing, just like Dan said. Dan was here and everything was going to be okay. There was plenty of air and he wasn’t going to die.

“You’re okay. Just keep breathing,” Dan coached, his eyebrows knitted with worry. He knew that Phil was under a lot of stress and he felt bad for leaving him all alone.

“Get it all out. You’re doing so good.” The tears had stopped and now Phil was able to take fairly steady breaths.

“You feeling a little bit better now?” Dan asked. Phil simply nodded.

“Okay. Why don’t you drink some cold water and hop in the bath? After that you can tell me what happened, alright?” Dan suggested.

Phil nodded again and allowed Dan to help him to his feet and get him a water bottle.

“Can we order room service later? I’m starving,” Phil asked.

“Of course, my love,” Dan said with a smile.

Title from Twenty One Pilots - Masterlist & AO3

[blogs-a-clusterfuck]

all 65 questions

1. Do you ever doubt the existence of others than you?Like aliens? Because no. There has to be another species out in the universe 2. On a scale of 1-5, how afraid of the dark are you?1, the dark doesn’t scare me 3. The person you would never want to meet?Donald trump 4. What is your favorite word?Fuck5. If you were a type of tree, what would you be?I’d like to say a birch or maybe cherry blossom tree6. When you looked in the mirror this morning what was the first thing you thought?Damn I love my new piercing 7. What shirt are you wearing?None, I’m in the bath rn8. What do you label yourself as?Not really sure tbh. But I’m a girl9. Bright room or dark room?Dark room10. What were you doing at midnight last night?Baking a whole ass pan of brownies and apple pie11. Favorite age you’ve been so far?Probably now honestly. I’ve had more fun being 18 and 19 then any other age, but 19 by far has been great12. Who told you they loved you last?My friend Alissa 13. Your worst enemy?I can’t think of one tbh. I try not to stay mad at people. Unless it’s my roommate because he makes me so mad and I make him super mad14. What is your current desktop picture?It’s just a blue background but it was Shawn Mendes 15. Do you like someone?No not right now. I did but I’m over it16. The last song you listened to?God is a women by Ariana Grande 17. You can press a button that will make any one person explode. Who would you blow up?No one? I don’t want to kill someone. Idk maybe hitler?18. Who would you really like to just punch in the face?Trump 19. If anyone could be your slave for a day, who would it be and what would they have to do?Shawn Mendes 😂 and just hang with me 20. What is your best physical attribute? (showing said attribute is optional)Ummmm I like my smile and recently I’ve really liked my cheekbones somereason?21. If you were the opposite sex for one day, what would you look like and what would you do?I’d look like a boy? And honestly I’d just do shit with my dick. Like go pee somewhere standing up, look at it. I’m curious what it’s like to have sex and not worry about pregnancy 🤷🏻‍♀️22. Do you have a secret talent? If yes, what is it?I don’t think so?23. What is one unique thing you’re afraid of?Lightning, like severely 24. You can only have one kind of sandwich. Every sandwich ingredient known to humankind is at your disposal.Steak and cheese25. You just found $100! How are you going to spend it?I wouldn’t I’d save that shit or actually maybe get a tattoo26. You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere in the world, but you have to leave immediately. Where are you going to go?Australia 27. An angel appears out of Heaven and offers you a lifetime supply of the alcoholic beverage of your choice. “Be brand-specific” it says. Man! What are you gonna say about that? Even if you don’t drink booze there’s something you can figure out… so what’s it gonna be?Mikes hard lemonade in black cherry. Ugh I want to live off that stuff28. You discover a beautiful island upon which you may build your own society. You make the rules. What is the first rule you put into place? No being mean29. What is your favorite expletive?Fuck and any variation ex. Fuckface, fucker, fuck ass, etc.30. Your house is on fire, holy shit! You have just enough time to run in there and grab ONE inanimate object. Don’t worry, your loved ones and pets have already made it out safely. So what’s the one thing you’re going to save from that blazing inferno?My phone.31. You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?Oh jeez. Maybe like one of my memories between my dad and I 32. You got kicked out of the country for being a time-traveling heathen who sleeps with celebrities and has super-powers. But check out this cool shit… you can move to anywhere else in the world!Is this a question? I’d move to Europe probably 33. The Celestial Gates Of Beyond have opened, much to your surprise because you didn’t think such a thing existed. Death appears. As it turns out, Death is actually a pretty cool entity, and happens to be in a fantastic mood. Death offers to return the friend/family-member/person/etc. of your choice to the living world. Who will you bring back?My little brother34. What was your last dream about?It was about me getting super drunk and hooking up with my roommate/neighbor from my dorm (which half happened I just wasn’t drunk 😬😬)35. Are you a good….[insert anything you’d like here]?Listener? I like to think so.36. Have you ever been admitted to the hospital?No37. Have you ever built a snowman?Yes38. What is the color of your socks?I have none on39. What type of music do you like?Pretty much everything 40. Do you prefer sunrises or sunsets?Sunsets cause then you see stars41. What is your favorite milkshake flavor?Coffee or mint42. What football team do you support? (I will answer in terms of American football as well as soccer)Patriots 43. Do you have any scars?Yeah a lot44. What do you want to be when you graduate?Hopefully a children’s psychiatrist 45. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?My weight46. Are you reliable?Yes47. If you could ask your future self one question, what would it be?How do you feel/how’s life did it get better48. Do you hold grudges?I try not too, I don’t think I have any 49. If you could breed two animals together to defy the laws of nature, what new animal would you create?A big bumblebee house pet50. What is the most unusual conversation you’ve ever had?My fucking group chat with my roommate Sarah and the roommate/neighbor from the question above. It’s so fucking weird and a lot of personal things are said without any care 😅51. Are you a good liar?When I need to be52. How long could you go without talking?Not long 53. What has been you worst haircut/style?When I was like 10 I cut my hair too short54. Have you ever baked your own cake?Yes55. Can you do any accents other than your own?Not really 56. What do you like on your toast?Butter, peanut butter or nutella57. What is the last thing you drew a picture of?Uhhhh I think a bunny at work?58. What would be you dream car?I don’t really have one but I’d like a Jeep limo59. Do you sing in the shower? Or do anything unusual in the shower? Explain.I sing and dance all the time60. Do you believe in aliens?Yes61. Do you often read your horoscope?All the time62. What is your favorite letter of the alphabet?I think a cursive z63. Which is cooler: dinosaurs or dragons?DINOSAURS64. What do you think about babies?I love them but I only want one I think.65. Freebie! Ask anything interesting you can think of.I didn’t get a question

[lustfulmarvel]

How he confesses his love for you

A/N; Quick little fluff stuff because I leave for vacation in two days and my internet still down I wrote this on my Notes I’m so sorry for any mistakes I did not proof read.Also, tell me if I should write part two with Reggie and Jason ?? Should I  make one for Betty,Kevin,Veronica, and Cheryl too??

Part 1

Archie

You and Archie have been dating for four months now and you too were crazy about each other. You guys always together went on dates at least once a week cheered each other during sports games. You guys were as happy as anyone could be.

It was Friday night when Archie asked you to go to Pop’s  for a small date you agreed and decided to meet him there.

You walk in the bell at the top of the door signaling your entrance. Archie stood up from the booth in the corner and made his way to you grabbing you by your waist tightly and kissing you softly.

"Hey, babes," he says with that beautiful smile of his.

"Hey," you say blushing at the nick name.

No matter how long you guys have been together you could never believe that he was actually yours. Before you and Archie got together you wouldn't even look his way, mainly because you knew he was way out of your league but when Archie approached you the first time and asked for your name, you quickly felt yourself falling too quickly.

He leads you to your booth and you smile at him. Pop comes around to take your order Archie orders for you already knowing your favorite. A cheeseburger basket with (Y/fav/milk shake flavor ).

You guys eat enjoying each other's company. You finished your burger and we're currently dipping your fries in your milkshake when Archie takes your hand.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about something for quite some time now," he says when his chocolate brown eyes lock with (Y/E/C)

Suddenly your stomach drops and you swallow hard. You Immediately think the worse is he breaking up with you, is that why he brought you here to break up with you.

You try to calm yourself by telling yourself that you're over reacting you take another fry and stuff it in your mouth.

"Nothing bad I hope," you say with a smile after a couple moments of silence.

"That depends on how you take the news," Archie says and your stomach drops again

" oh well, I guess I should finish my milkshake before this," you say grabbing your milk shake and drinking it quickly.

You pass your hand through your tangles curls and exhale. "Okay I'm ready," you say looking at Archie.

"I know we haven't been dating for long and this isn't some cliche movie where you meet someone and you just click or a Disney movie where the princess meets her prince and they get married the next day I'm not even sure if you feel the same way and it's okay if you don't I mean it's hard to tell in such little time. People talk about love all the time about the meaning and how it feels but I think it's different for everyone you know, not all of us will feel the same way  not that I know but I feel like I do know and when people think about love they think about time and how you can't love someone from little time but I think you can. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think I'm in love with you. All of you, that beautiful smile, your cute dimples the way you dance when your happy, the way you cry when we watch romantic movies, the way you curl by my side when we watch scary movies, your laugh oh god your laugh is music to my ears and I know about music, the way you always seem so determined to achieve your goals. Y/N, Archie Andrews is in love with you" he says looking at you

By the end of his speech, you are breathless and have the biggest smile plastered on your face.

"Oh, Archie Andrews those are the best new I have ever received. You say pulling him in for a kiss. He made you feel so alive and fearless but most importantly Archie made you feel worth it and confident.

You pull away even more breathless than before

" By the way, I (Y/N) (Y/L/N) am in love with you too," you say smiling

Jughead Jones

You were never really a people person but then again never was Jughead Jones which is why you were extremely surprised when he first approached you at pop's asking if you were going to eat the rest of your fries.

*Flashback *

"So is there any reason why you're always so lonely other than the fact that you don't like to share your fries," he asks raising an eyebrow.

" not really a people person. How about you ?" You say shrugging

"I guess I'm not really  people person neither," he says taking a fry out of the basket in front of you

" Is that the only reason or is it because you steal their food too?" you say swatting his hand away.

*Flashback ends*

From that moment the two of you clicked long story short is been seven months and you're both happily dating.

It was Saturday morning and Jughead decided to drag you out of bed to take a walk by the edge of sweet water river. You weren't really looking forward to it since you were sleep deprived and sweet water river gave you the chills ever since Jason's murder but with your boyfriend being as persistent as he is, is almost impossible to say no.

You have been walking by the river's edge now for around five minutes.

"Jughead do you even know where we're going," you say whining a little. You hear your boyfriend chuckle in front of you and he turns around cupping your face in his hands and giving you a small kiss.

"Yes I do now stop distracting me," he says resting his forehead on yours when he pulls away.

Jughead was never big on PDA or affection in general but then again neither were you so you treasured moments like this where he showed you how he felt.

You walked a little longer until you reached a spot where a blanket was spread out and a picnic basket awaited in the middle.

"Omg Juggie is this for me," you ask putting your hand over your face.

"Yes it is, now I can't take all the credit I had help from Archie, Betty, and even Veronica," he says smiling

"I love it so much, thank you for this and for everything," you say hugging your boyfriend

"It is my pleasure," he says pecking your mouth quickly.

The rest of the morning went by in a blur as you and Jughead ate talked and even went for a little swim. Apparently, Betty and Veronica thought of everything because they even packed you a bathing suit.

You guys sat on the blanket your body wrapped around a towel sharing memories of each other.

" Remember that time I got really mad at you because you wouldn't listen to me because you kept writing on your computer," I say smiling to myself.

"You mean the time you decided to threw away my burger to get my attention." He says raising an eyebrow "what I waste of food it still hurts, to be honest"

" I have never seen you so bad, I was scared for my life, I kept telling Betty you were gonna break up with me and I  was honestly terrified you really do love food, " you say chuckling

He looks up coming closer "Yes I love food but I also love you," he says closing the space left between you too.

You pull away shocked but happy and kiss him again.

"I love you too Jughead Jones the third, I love you too"

Part2 ?????

[cyberstabbing]

Band AUs

Meaning that at least one of them is in a band, but it’s not My Chem. 

Sing For Me, Pretty - Frank Iero is a known name in the rock music scene. He was the frontman for the hugely successful Pencey Prep. After Pencey Prep split, Frank spent his time and energy with his label, Skeleton Crew. He was introduced to LeATHERMOUTH through his label, and the band offered him the position of frontman for them. With this band, Frank has propelled himself to superstardom. But with superstardom comes risks and consequences. One of those risks is psycho stalker fans. 37k

Redeemer - Gerard is a complete asshole to pretty much everyone but himself. He’s rich and privileged and doesn’t care if he steps on other people’s dreams. After a night with some guy he met at one of his clubs, in which Gerard ends up under a young punk rocker’s care, he may be changing his act. 20k

An Emergency Of The Heart - Gerard’s fat fucking birds have fat fucking asses. 13k 

Cute lil’ cinderella au, franks in a band and gerard works for CN. its So. Sweet. I couldn’t stop smiling in class.

Coin Toss Girl - Frankie thinks she’s got it together, she’s fronting a band, playing shows, finally living away from her mom, working a shitty job and attending college. Not to mention the slightly okay girls she brings home. Slightly okay girls who never seem to actually call her… and yeah, maybe her life isn’t as together as she thought it was, especially after meeting some random dude at a party who turned out to be her flatmates brother and not a complete jerk. Takeout is consumed, arguments are had, pining is contagious and sexualities questioned. 16k

You Will Leave a Mark - Gerard is twenty-two, drunk, lonely, and really, really needs to get out of the basement. 24k

Ass-Kickin’ Chick Music - She’s not someone’s girlfriend. She’s not anyone’s anything. She’s a fucking force. Gee doesn’t know if she wants to be her or fuck her. 20k

Small Cells and Fibers - Tuesdays were finger-painting days. Frank made sure to wear his oldest pair of jeans, because even with his full-length apron and his constant reminders that paint belongs on paper and not on clothing, he always ended up with tiny, multi-colored handprints all over his clothes. There wasn’t a thing he could do about it, so he just wore pants from 1995. 7k

Frank’s a preschool teacher and is in a band !! Gerard’s daughter goes to Frank’s preschool. V important fic.

High School Never Ends - “There’s a guy standing in front of him, and he has to be the hottest guy Gerard has ever seen. Dark sweeping fringe over one eye, the side of his head shaved and dyed blonde, tattoos peeking out from under his shirt and – is that one on his neck? Gerard feels his mind go blank – he is way too drunk to be in this situation.” 4k

Sleepover - Jamia died in May, so in two months it would be three years. Xavier was born in March, so today he was turning six. He’d had a party, which was fun, but now Daddy was feeling sad again, so Xavier was holding him tight. “We’re gonna move,” Frank said. Ray just nodded. “I think maybe I need to get out of this town.” Frank had been poking around the tri-state area, trying to figure out where they could go. He wanted a small community with friendly people where his neighbors wouldn’t constantly try to set him up with their sisters. He chose Fire Island. 6k

Natural Disaster - It happens like this: Frank needs a roommate. Apparently, independent record stores and garage bands don’t pay the bills. Or, not all of them at any rate. So he asks around and it turns out Mikey’s brother needs a place to live that is not their parents’ basement or Mikey’s couch. 5k

Mixed Bathing at Home - ​AU which can best be described thus:

Bex: it is a pointless AU where gerard writes comics and frank is in leathermouth, but there is no mcr Wax: mmh, aggro leathermouth frank meets gentle frustrated comics gerard? Bex: uh….no Bex: gerard gets his toe stuck in a faucet and frank rescues him. Wax: … Bex: it’s the stupidest thing in the world. Wax: how… how do you– nevermind, I’ll just read it. 7k

Someone … maybe babylynz wrote this description? Anyway, here: 

Gerard is a hot mess of a comic book artist; Frankie’s semi-famous for Leathermouth, but filling in for his friend-the-apartment-super when Gerard gets his toe stuck in a faucet. So fucking cute, and heartfelt, plus bonus points for high school reunion: Gerard kept thinking about it, kept looking at Frank, who was solid and confident and covered in tattoos and played in a rock band and could go to dinner with three strangers and how it seemed impossible that he would ever have been picked on or marginalized or scared in his whole life. Suddenly all the lyrics about hating everyone made a lot more sense. "You never really know,” he said, and then realized it had been out loud. Frank was giving him an amused look, but Mikey and Alicia didn’t even blink. 

'Til I Find a Place - Gerard had finally done what he had to do. He'd gotten out of the basement, and now he had a booth to himself at the Blue Moon Diner, where he could sit and drink coffee all night and calm his jittery hands enough to draw. It was perfect. 12k

​Transatlanticism - Gerard’s a comic book writer living in London. Frank works for a record label and has a band in New York. The problem with meeting in the middle is there’s a whacking great ocean there. 20k

Measured Against the Regrets - AU where the band never happened and Gerard quit his job at Cartoon Network to paint instead. After hitting rock bottom and going to rehab, he's back at home, struggling with a vicious creative block and trying to figure out his next move. When he reconnects with Frank at a Leathermouth show, the attraction is instant. Frank inspires Gerard more than anyone or anything has in a long time, but it's up to Gerard to turn that inspiration into a second chance. 17k

Shadows In The Parking Lot - In which there’s a mass grave under Frank and Ray’s apartment complex, Frank doesn’t believe in ghosts, & Frank’s ex-boyfriend is, conveniently, a paranormal consultant. For Milo. 61k

Well, I just stayed up until 4AM to finish this masterpiece. I love love love the characterization, and the whole “we used to be a thing years ago.” Which I haven’t really read much of, but it worked SO well for this fic and it might be my new thing. Not to mention the spookyness! It was so awesome, especially how nonchalant Frank was about ghosts in the beginning, which seemed to be more confusing to Gerard than if Frank just straight up was a firm non-believer. lol. Will definitely reread around Halloween! :D Also, the author said that they’re working on a sequel!!!!

A Fate Worse Than Death [Spells] - “Can I help you find anything?” an employee had asked. Frank just waved them off. “A box I can fit my ex-boyfriend’s body in.” had hardly seemed like an appropriate response.

~ Or, The story of how Frank Iero became a vampire slayer in the worst possible state to wake up a vampire. A daydream on ‘The Taste Of Ink’ by The Used. 59k

Hot damn. Love how Frank took down those vamps for G. And that graveyard scene! Good stuff. Felt like I was reading a comic at times because I could visualize everything so clearly.

A Milkshake With Two Straws - Somewhere along the way Frank just started appearing in the studio doorway, sometimes with flyers for his band, sometimes - very, very awesome times - with coffee. Of course, when Gerard's In The Studio his head is in a creative place, not a talking and remembering place, so he can't really be expected to know what he has or has not told Frank. 2k

Gerard is a spacey art school student. Frank’s pinning and frustrated by Gerard’s obliviousness. Short & sweet! Side note, Oblivious!Gerard is in my all time top five tropes and it will never get old.

On Measuring Life With Coffee Spoons - “Venti mocha frappuccino, no whipped cream,” Frank said with a grin. Gerard noticed he was wearing the nametag with the little blue vampire drawn next to the K. It was Gerard’s favorite. Barista!AU featuring socially awkward! Gerard and trying-too-hard! Frank. 7k

Obligatory “I’m not usually one for coffee shop aus but this was great.” Because it’s the truth.

[riverdale-jugheadjiii]

I'm sick ( Reader X Jughead )

Reader X Jughead

Request: yes

Warning: topic about a disease

A/N: TO ANYONE SUFFERING WITH ANYTHING! You will be strong okay, YOU WILL FIGHT AND ILL BE HERE IF YOU NEED ANYTHING! I’m sorry if anyone suffering with The disease that’s in the story and I didn’t describe it as it is. Because no one will know how to describe such a terrible thing unless it’s the person going through it. Once again to anyone going through any problems , illness or disease. I’m here for you at any time ♥️♥️ Once again I’m sorry for any mistakes.♥️ —-

Sunday was yet another normal day, everything was going great.. Well that’s till I started noticing a small circular rash around the area of my left rib. I didn’t think much about it, just thought it was an allergic reaction or something, I added a rash cream and went on with my day to see My best friend Jughead at Pop’s.

When I had arrived at pop’s and sat down with Jughead everything was pretty much normal. When I say normal, I mean it’s quite. Jughead and I sit at our spot and order our milkshakes and drink them away

“( Y/N/N), what do you say we go enjoy the river and swim?”

I of course agree because it’s summer and basically we’re the only ones left from our group that didn’t take a road trip with our families. Right after our milkshakes Jughead and I agreed to meet at the river in about an hour, that way we get the stuff we need and I make some sandwiches for lunch. When I arrived home, I removed my clothing and was just about to grab my two-piece swimsuit but remembered the red spot that was visible. Changing my mind I wore my one piece bathing suit and dressed in a shirt and shorts , and quickly headed down to make the sandwiches.

Once I was done with everything I grabbed my bag with food, extra outfits, towels and sunscreen and i ran out the door like I was sonic the hedgehog. When I arrived to the river I noticed Jughead just arriving too, thank God. “Juggie, why on earth don’t you have a bag with your extra outfit and why do you still have your beanie crown still on, you’re going to get it wet!”

“(Y/N/N) please I know you well enough knowing you’ll bring me a towel and extra outfits that I leave in your room, besides this crown reminds me that I’m king.” Jughead smiles at me knowing that I didn’t exactly just that.

“ you know Juggie what if I didn’t bring anything, what would you do?”

“(Y/N) I know you, you’re just so caring. Any guy would be lucky to have you… and when I say any I mean ANY, including me.”

After those words i could feel my cheeks turning pink because God knows how much I have a crush on Jughead. Anyway I ignore his comment and walk to the side of the river and lay down the towel and basket, remove my outfit and get inside warm water of the river.

“JUGHEAD JONES HURRY UP AND GET IN THE WATER!” I shout from the top of my lungs because jughead looked like he was dreaming for a second. After my call jughead walks into the water and slowly swims towards where I am, during that Process He slowly starts to lower himself into the water until only his nose and eyes are the only things showing. I start to swim away because I don’t even know what he’s about to do, but before I can completely get away Jughead pulls my hand toward him and I’m now stuck with both of his arms around me.

“Juggie, don’t you dare push me down!” I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his hips because if he plans on taking me down, he’s going down with me.

What I didn’t think or expect was that Jughead would end up gripping my waist and pulls me closer towards him till our chests are basically touching.

“ I actually like this position, for once you’re actually relying on me.”

“Juggie, I’m only holding on to you because if I die you’re dying with me… I’m not gonna let you be the Cheryl Blossom here while I’m Jason .” I joke with him

“ Look at you using sardonic humor on me.”

“ What can I say, I’ve learned from the best… Yup I knew I was a great teacher for myself.” I laugh at my own joke but notice Jughead is just looking at me. Before I can speak and ask what’s wrong, Jughead’s lips crash onto mine and I automatically kiss him back because once again I HAVE A FUCKING CRUSH ON HIM!

We kiss for a couple of seconds more until we both pull away with the sound of a ‘Pop’. Due to Jughead and I being one of the most awkward people on earth, we shy away and swim back to shore and act as if nothing just happened. By the time it’s time to leave we both have changed and picked up our things, Jughead offers to walk me home because in his words “ no one has found the killer yet so it’s safer if I walk you home.”

Once we reached my house, still I feel all fuzzy but don’t mention anything. Jughead on the other hand thought differently.

“(Y/N), I was wondering… umm I’ve been meaning to ask you out but wasn’t sure if you liked me, but after that kiss which you kissed me back. I was umm wondering if I could, i don’t know take you out on a date? I mean if you don’t want too it’s okay, but I would like it if you would.” Jughead jumbles his words as he asks me out.

“Jughead I would love to go out with you, how about Tuesday?”

He quickly nods without any hesitation. I smile and kiss his cheek and wish him a safe walk back home. I close my door and hear a small “Yes” from the other side. With a smile on my face I walk to my bathroom, shower and get ready for bed.

It’s currently Monday but I’m not feeling well, actually I’m feeling terrible. I noticed the small spot by my rib area has doubled in size and my muscles are aching me. I tell myself it was probably from the swimming yesterday and that this red spot is just an allergic reaction to something. I go on with my day and talk to Jughead on the phone for hours and don’t mention anything to him regarding my pain… it’s 7 p.m. and it’s time for me to eat with my family.

“ Mom, my joints are hurting me and I have this weird red spot by my rib area.” I inform my mom after dinner. She tells me to show her the spot and when she saw it she said it was probably an allergy or a mosquito bite. After my mother’s clarification I walk to bed and once again think that another day passed and all I can hope for is that tomorrow the pain leaves and I’ll be able to enjoy my date with Jughead.

It’s officially Tuesday the day which I’ll have my date with Jughead. My joints still hurt me and my spot is still the same size, which I think is good considering it didn’t get bigger. It’s only 3 in the afternoon but I know I have a lot of getting ready. When I’m done with everything for my date I notice that it’s 6 and that Jughead will be arriving to walk us to the one and only Pop’s. Just as I thought of that the doorbell rings indicating he’s here. I skip to get my purse but I end up feeling a great ache on my knee joint, I hiss a bit but walk it off and walk down to greet Jughead.

When i reach down the stairs and open the door, I notice Jughead standing there with his usual S shirt but layered with a blazer and his little crown. “You look beautiful (Y/N).”

I blush and close the door behind me. “ you don’t look so bad yourself Jones the third.”

After the date, Jughead asked me to be his Girlfriend and obviously I had to have fun with this moment

“ I don’t know Juggie, I’ve always wanted a crown and I’ve always like your crown.”

“Well you can’t have mine, this is my beanie crown , only the king wears this one. The queen must wear something else. ”

“Well then Jughead, this just won’t workout I should have let you drown in the river.”

Jughead quickly removes his beanie and puts it on my head. I laugh and nod my head agreeing to be his girlfriend. To say that was my best night in my life is an understandable.

— Two days have past since I’ve agreed to be Jughead’s girlfriend.. two days have passed since I was admitted into the hospital. After Jughead dropped me off home, my body and head were in so much pain that I had completely fainted. My parents walked in finding me passed out on the floor which is when I was sent to the hospital. The red spot has spread around my body and my joints are practically as hard as a rock. After countless of tests and checkups The doctor has diagnosed me with Lyme Disease,the doctor told me that living life would be a bit difficult from now on. He said I would have the good days when everything is fine and the bad days when I would be in this room with medication.

After the fourth day of me being in the hospital and countless of lies to Jughead I guess he had to take matters into his own hands and look for me.

“(Y/N) why didn’t you tell me?”

I stay quite and play with my hands. “(Y/N) (Y/L/N) I said why didn’t you tell me? Why did you lie to me? How long has this been going on?” He raises his voice and walks closer to me.

“ Because Jughead, what do you want me to tell you? ‘ oh hey Jughead I’m sick and I’m in pain,anyway; how’s your day?’ I didn’t want to worry you okay! It started the day we went to the river, I didn’t think it was anything but the day after I started to feel pain. After our date I just fainted and I’ve been here ever since..” I try to keep my eyes away from him.

“(Y/N) you were exactly supposed to tell me you’re here! I’m your best friend and boyfriend! I should be helping you, just like the way you helped me during my bad times when I had no one, back to the times I would hate myself because I never fit in and back to the times I felt unloved by my own family! Now it’s my turn to be there for you.” He walks over to my resting bed and grabs my hands.

“ Jughead you don’t understand! this isn’t like any of your situations, this will go on for God knows how long! There will be times when I’ll be perfectly fine and the next when I’ll be in the room attached to all these needles unable to move a bone in my body! I’m sick, and I’m not going to get any better any time soon.”

“(Y/N/N) and that’s why I’m going to be there the whole way! The whole way till you recover, the whole way till you smile and the whole way till I know that you won’t need me anymore

[catboywizard]

Ok so I know i said it do it like tomorrow but I didn't have anything else to do so I just did it now lol

1. Would you have sex with the last person you text messaged? -probably not but who knows

2. You talked to an ex today, correct? -nope

3. Have you taken someones virginity? -nope, I’m still a virgin too

4. Is trust a big issue for you? -definitely

5. Did you hang out with the person you like recently? -idk if it counts as “hang out” but we had like a 10 second conversation earlier today

6. What are you excited for? -I was excited for something but I found out yesterday I’m not allowed to go so now I’m in that weird empty period of trying to find something new to be excited about before I just give up and die tbh

7. What happened tonight? -tonight hasn’t really happened yet, it’s only 5pm

8. Do you think it’s disgusting when girls get really wasted? -no, people can do whatever they want, don’t be judgmental

9. Is confidence cute? -definitely but if you’re not confident that doesn’t inherently make you not cute

10. What is the last beverage you had? -milk tbh and now my lactose intolerant ass is dying

11. How many people of the opposite sex do you fully trust? -honestly I don’t fully trust anyone but there’s one who’s pretty close

12. Do you own a pair of skinny jeans? -yep, basically the only pants I wear

13. What are you gonna do Saturday night? -I’m seeing my dad and I’m gonna make him watch interstellar with me because I saw it with my mom about a month ago and I’m obsessed, but we might do that Friday

14. What are you going to spend money on next? -well I’ve got like $10 but that’s supposed to be for emergencies so I’m gonna be responsible and save it. I’ll probably use some of my birthday money to buy the Steven Universe album that’s coming out and I’m so freaking excited but that’s like a month from now

15. Are you going out with the last person you kissed? -nope, I don’t even remember who the last person I kissed was considering the fact that it was 2 years ago during spin the bottle

16. Do you think you’ll change in the next 3 months? -oh definitely

17. Who do you feel most comfortable talking to about anything? -honestly I’m an open book as long as you’re not my parents. If I have a story and you happen to be nearby when I want to tell it, you’re gonna hear it

18. The last time you felt broken? -ha! constantly

19. Have you had sex today? -as if

20. Are you starting to realize anything? -yep

21. Are you in a good mood? -kinda neutral, I am tired though

22. Would you ever want to swim with sharks? -totally, sharks are misunderstood sweeties

23. Are your eyes the same color as your dad’s? -maybe? Idk, I think so

24. What do you want right this second? -milkshake

25. What would you say if the person you love/like kissed someone else? -I wouldn’t really care because I’m pretty sure he’s straight and I’m definitely sure he thinks I’m a lesbian so there’s no chance there

26. Is your current hair color your natural hair color? -sadly yes, I really wanna go pink though

27. Would you be able to date someone who doesn’t make you laugh? -I honestly have no idea

28. What was the last thing that made you laugh? -probably something on parks & rec

29. Do you really, truly miss someone right now? -eh, not really

30. Does everyone deserve a second chance? -almost everyone, depending on what they’ve done

31. Honestly, do you hate the last boy you were talking to? -no

32. Does the person you have feelings for right now, know you do? -no, I didn’t even realize it until like Monday (and like I said, he thinks I’m a lesbian)

33. Are you one of those people who never drinks soda? -idk what you mean by “those people,” I don’t drink soda because my mouth is sensitive to the carbonation but I’m not like pretentious about it or anything

34. Listening to? -Pocket Full of Dreams by Hedley

35. Do you ever write in pencil anymore? -nope, pen & whiteout ftw!

36. Do you know where the last person you kissed is? -nope, like I said I can’t even remember who it is

37. Do you believe in love at first sight? -not entirely but I do think there’s a lot about a person you can tell by looking at them for the first time, enough to decide if you’d like to date them or not

38. Who did you last call? -my mom is like the only person I ever talk to on the phone

39. Who was the last person you danced with? -the only person I’ve ever danced with was my ex boyfriend at our 8th grade version of prom

40. Why did you kiss the last person you kissed? -spin the bottle

41. When was the last time you ate a cupcake? -this morning actually! Because of AP exams and other big tests, the schedule is weird and I had 5th period for 3 hours today and my friend brought cupcakes

42. Did you hug/kiss one of your parents today? -nope, my mom just got home like 2 minutes ago while I’ve been typing this and I don’t see her in the mornings

43. Ever embarrass yourself in front of a crush? -not that I can think of off the top of my head but I know I have at some point

44. Do you tan in the nude? -have you seen me? I don’t tan lol

45. If you could, would you take back your last kiss? -I’m completely indifferent about it

46. Did you talk to someone until you fell asleep last night? -nope

47. Who was the last person to call you? -also my mom

48. Do you sing in the shower? -totally

49. Do you dance in the car? -it’s kinda hard but I guess a little bit

50. Ever used a bow and arrow? -yes! Omg, it’s so much fun!

51. Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? -my mom has us do family portraits every year or so and we did them sometime in late January or early February so we could send out family valentines cards since we forgot to do Christmas cards

52. Do you think musicals are cheesy? -definitely not!

53. Is Christmas stressful? -no, I love Christmas so much (mostly just for the presents but also for just the whole atmosphere)

54. Ever eat a pierogi? -I don’t think so but I doubt I would know if I did

55. Favorite type of fruit pie? -Apple, 3000%!

56. Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? -I remember I wanted to be a Vet for a really long time, and for like a day I wanted to be a firefighter, there are a ton more but those are the only 2 I remember right now

57. Do you believe in ghosts? -not really but I’m so paranoid that I do a little bit

58. Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? -ALL THE TIME

59. Take a vitamin daily? -no, I probably should

60. Wear slippers? -nope

61. Wear a bath robe? -nope

62. What do you wear to bed? -pajama pants + whatever shirt I was wearing that day or nothing on the top if I’m hot

63. First concert? -honestly it was Idena Menzel

64. Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? -definitely Tar-jay

65. Nike or Adidas? -I honestly don’t have an opinion either way

66. Cheetos Or Fritos? -definitely cheetos

67. Peanuts or Sunflower seeds? -both gross but I guess sunflower seeds

68. Favorite Taylor Swift song? -I’m not a huge fan but I guess I like Out of the Woods

69. Ever take dance lessons? -hell no, I’m so fucking uncoordinated and I have asthma so I would have died

70. Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? -no?

71. Can you curl your tongue? -yep!

72. Ever won a spelling bee? -I am the worst speller that has ever existed ever, also my school has never had a spelling bee

73. Have you ever cried because you were so happy? -maybe? I don’t know

74. What is your favorite book? -the great Gatsby

75. Do you study better with or without music? -definitely with music

76. Regularly burn incense? -nope

77. Ever been in love? -I doubt it but I don’t really have any way to tell

78. Who would you like to see in concert? -tank and the bangas or 21p

79. What was the last concert you saw? -the only concert I have ever seen was Idena Menzel

80. Hot tea or cold tea? -both are gross but cold if I had to pick one

81. Tea or coffee? -coffee but only in cold form like a frappe

82. Favorite type of cookie? -probably plain chocolate chip, or the oatmeal chocolate chip ones from potbelly are really good too

83. Can you swim well? -I’d like to think so but I’m not very fast

84. Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? -yep!

85. Are you patient? -not really but I can be

86. DJ or band, at a wedding? -Band

87. Ever won a contest? -once I won a random raffle for free movie tickets when I was like 7 but that’s it

88. Ever have plastic surgery? -nope, nothing wrong with that though

89. Which are better black or green olives? -definitely black, black olives are delicious, green olives are grown by Satan

90. Opinions on sex before marriage? -you do you (but wear protection!)

91. Best room for a fireplace? -living room? Idk

92. Do you want to get married? -oh dear lord I hope I get married

[foursprout-blog]

26 Girls In Strong Relationships Gush About Cutest Thing Their Boyfriend Has Ever Done

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/happiness/26-girls-in-strong-relationships-gush-about-cutest-thing-their-boyfriend-has-ever-done-2/

26 Girls In Strong Relationships Gush About Cutest Thing Their Boyfriend Has Ever Done

Unsplash / Vitor Pinto

1. He keeps me company while I cook dinner.

“Whenever I cook us dinner, he sits on the chair in the kitchen and keeps me company instead of just watching tv or whatever.” — Satanfister0218

2. He makes sure we have time to eat together.

“He works nights and I work days. Some days he brings breakfast home to me and we will sit and eat it together before he drives me to work and then comes home to sleep. I will come home from work and make dinner for him and wake him up with it. Its a nice system we have.” — dickback_timothy

3. He tucks me into bed at night. 

“Almost all nights, even though we’re both grown ass adults, he’ll tuck me into bed. I go to bed 4ish hours before him and having him tuck me in is just a super warm fuzzy for me. Every now and then, he’ll also just lay there and hold me until I fall asleep. It makes my heart so full and happy. I hope he does this forever.” — shreksnumber1fan

4. He kisses my forehead. 

“Sometimes while cuddling, my boyfriend will lightly kiss the top of my head.” — Bunjora

5. He calls me beautiful, even when I look like a complete mess. 

“He tells me I’m beautiful when I wake up, when I’m sick, when I look god awful he is always there staring at me with a loving smile, like I’m the most beautiful thing he has seen even though I look like a zombie from lack of sleep.” — The-Goat-Lord

6. He always holds the door open for me. 

“My boyfriend always lets me go through the door first. Most of the time he holds it open for me, but sometimes I get there first and he’ll smoothly grab the door behind me and say, ‘Go ahead babe.’

When he puts his hand on my leg while he’s driving.

But my favorite is when he pulls me closer in his sleep.” — lil-legend18

7. He expresses his feelings without holding back. 

“He tells me loves me and often. He’ll stop what he’s doing and kiss me. Whenever you are having nice feelings about your SO, say them/text them/whatever. Whether it’s love or compliments or physical touch.” — awkwoman

8. He spoils me during that time of the month. 

“Every time I get my period he treats me with ice cream. Since my first two days of every period are really bad (because of cramps and back pain) his little routine cheers me up so much.” — recherchecr

9. He takes care of me when I’m drunk. 

“One night at a party I’d had too much to drink and was passing out. I woke up in a big comfy t-shirt all tucked into bed — he’d taken off my earrings, rings, shoes, socks, everything!!” — MeanGreenLentilQueen

10. He surprises me with flowers. 

“To me, it’s the little things.

He randomly calls me to tell me he loves me, expresses his feelings for me, etc. Also, he will send me long, sweet texts randomly when I am sleeping or throughout the day.

When we’re cuddling in bed and I reach over the side to grab something, he will watch me and keep his hands on my back because he doesn’t want to let go of me.

He calls me every single night we aren’t together to fall asleep on the phone with me.

He wakes me up, whether it be in person or on the phone, to kiss/tell me goodbye, I love you before he leaves for work.

If I tell him I’m craving something, he will bring it the next time I see him if not right then. Doesn’t matter how long it’s been.

He surprises me with flowers amongst other things.

We are somewhat long distance (he lives an hour away), but if I am upset, now matter how serious the matter, he will come to me.

There’s so many things he does, big and small, that make him so amazing. It’s refreshing, my ex never did so much as take me to the movies in our three years of dating. He is everything my ex wasn’t.

God, I love him.” — Iiferuiner

11. He draws a bath for me every single night. 

“He instituted a time called ‘second soaks’. It is basically just him running me a bath every night so I can lay amongst the bubbles. He also snuggles me every night in his sleep, I don’t even think he is aware of it but it always makes me feel safe and comfortable.” — Applesauce28

12. He feeds me. 

“He’s my husband now. So listen up guys!

While we dated, he’d show up to school with food for me (I always order the same thing and he remembered what I like from like 10 different places). After class we’d go to Sonic and get half price milkshakes and just talk for hours. He also cooked whenever I came to his house, he’d have tea to drink too.

So basically food. He fed me, so I stayed.” — ochemimmunohem

13. He acts like my best friend. 

“One thing he does is makeovers and girly stuff. He knows I don’t have any girl friends or a best friend so he is my best friend as well as my boyfriend. ” — Asheswin

14. He is careful not to wake me up too early in the morning. 

“Sometimes he has to get up and go to work earlier than I do.

He flops the blankets over my head so when he turns on the bedroom light to get dressed, it doesn’t wake me up.

He pulls them back down once the light is off. He turns off the box fan because he knows I like to sleep in silence. He needs the white noise of the fan to sleep, so once he’s up and out of bed he turns it off for me to continue resting.

Then he kisses me goodbye, sometimes when I wake up and get ready for work I’ll find he left me a treat on the counter to take with me, like a chocolate rice crispy bar or some pop tarts.” — MermaidAyla

15. He orders me food when I’m starving. 

“He takes care of me. When I’m sick/in pain, or depressed he’ll take care of me and get me stuff when I can’t. He also orders me food.” — Keyra13

16. He warms up my cold feet. 

“You know when you stick your cold feet on your SO and they squirm? When I come over and we sit on the couch together, he takes my cold feet and puts them under his thighs so he can warm my feet with his perpetual warmth… I didn’t know someone could be so kind…” — boopboopadoopity

17. He pays close attention to me when we’re together. 

“He’s content with laying down next to me, just talking and being next to each other. He barely uses his phone, he deleted his social media, he said all of that was just a distraction. He said he got me now, he wants to focus on me. It’s a whole different feeling, just feeling the love even when youre just next to him.

I appreciate that so much.” — 7teen38

18. He cheers me up whenever I’m having an off day.

“If he knows I’m having a bad day and has a moment, he’ll take a break to get me flowers and/or Starbucks and drop by my work with them. I’ve even come in from field work to find surprise treats in my office.” — Saltwaterblood 

19. He defrosts the car for me before I leave for work. 

“My boyfriend takes my dog out in the morning and this morning he went out and then popped back in and told me to give him my keys so he could start defrosting my car for work. Then I heard him out there scraping the ice off my windshield.” — kkcshuber

20. He keeps my personal items at his place. 

“When we first started dating my boyfriend surprised me with a bottle of sensitive body wash and moisturizer to use at his place.

He said he had noticed that I had sensitive products in my bathroom and used sensitive washing powder and didn’t want me to be uncomfortable when I stayed at his place.

I had never mentioned it to him, but he had just paid attention.” — kazburger

21. He opens the car door for me

“When we’re walking to his car and get close, he’ll jog up quickly and open the door for me. He knows I can do it myself, but he likes being old fashioned that way and treating me special by opening the door for me.” — NavyRoses1105

22. He comforts me when I’m feeling uneasy. 

“I have a lot more tasks to complete before going to bed than he does, so when I come to bed he’s always on my side, warming it up for me, and then he slides over.

He also knows I get nervous during turbulence on airplanes, and holds my arm/hand to comfort me, without making me feel like it’s silly to be nervous.” — jerusha16

23. He surprises me with little treats. 

“My husband is super sweet. He makes breakfast on the weekdays. He makes sure I am tucked in and warm in bed every night when he pushes the covers off himself if he gets warm. He loves to cuddle. He will get me little treats occasionally. Sometimes he’s squirrelly about holding my hand but I think that’s more of a game and gives in eventually.

I’m gonna keep him for a while longer. Ten years and counting.” — throwingwater14

24. He gets along well with my dog. 

“The way my dog looks at him. I knew from the second my dog and now-husband met that they were soulmates and I may as well come along for the ride.” — parvoqueen

25. He plays music to help me get out of bed. 

“I have a really hard time getting out of bed in the morning. My fella will give me a few chances to get up on my own, then blast a song on his phone, usually with a ‘morning’ theme. Think Good Morning Starshine, Mr Blue Sky or Chop Suey! It’s cute.” — HerSmokeRoseUp 

26. He is completely and utterly accepting of me.

“Maybe it’s not really a thing he does ‘for’ me, but he is so accepting of my body and what I choose to do with it and that is such a wonderful feeling. Want to shave half my head? Fine! Wanna grow it long and dye it teal and purple? Cool. Want to get my septum pierced? Sure. Don’t wanna shave my leg fur in the cold, dark winter? Go for it. Wanna go to the gym? Yeah! Wanna eat a huge bag of peanut butter M&Ms after the gym? You bet. My fashion choices have done a complete 180 over the last five years and he has never said a bad word about it.

I look the way I do for me, and not for anyone else at all. It’s refreshing.” — juniper-mint 

[foursprouthappiness-blog]

26 Girls In Strong Relationships Gush About Cutest Thing Their Boyfriend Has Ever Done

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/happiness/26-girls-in-strong-relationships-gush-about-cutest-thing-their-boyfriend-has-ever-done/

26 Girls In Strong Relationships Gush About Cutest Thing Their Boyfriend Has Ever Done

Unsplash / Vitor Pinto

1. He keeps me company while I cook dinner.

“Whenever I cook us dinner, he sits on the chair in the kitchen and keeps me company instead of just watching tv or whatever.” — Satanfister0218

2. He makes sure we have time to eat together.

“He works nights and I work days. Some days he brings breakfast home to me and we will sit and eat it together before he drives me to work and then comes home to sleep. I will come home from work and make dinner for him and wake him up with it. Its a nice system we have.” — dickback_timothy

3. He tucks me into bed at night. 

“Almost all nights, even though we’re both grown ass adults, he’ll tuck me into bed. I go to bed 4ish hours before him and having him tuck me in is just a super warm fuzzy for me. Every now and then, he’ll also just lay there and hold me until I fall asleep. It makes my heart so full and happy. I hope he does this forever.” — shreksnumber1fan

4. He kisses my forehead. 

“Sometimes while cuddling, my boyfriend will lightly kiss the top of my head.” — Bunjora

5. He calls me beautiful, even when I look like a complete mess. 

“He tells me I’m beautiful when I wake up, when I’m sick, when I look god awful he is always there staring at me with a loving smile, like I’m the most beautiful thing he has seen even though I look like a zombie from lack of sleep.” — The-Goat-Lord

6. He always holds the door open for me. 

“My boyfriend always lets me go through the door first. Most of the time he holds it open for me, but sometimes I get there first and he’ll smoothly grab the door behind me and say, ‘Go ahead babe.’

When he puts his hand on my leg while he’s driving.

But my favorite is when he pulls me closer in his sleep.” — lil-legend18

7. He expresses his feelings without holding back. 

“He tells me loves me and often. He’ll stop what he’s doing and kiss me. Whenever you are having nice feelings about your SO, say them/text them/whatever. Whether it’s love or compliments or physical touch.” — awkwoman

8. He spoils me during that time of the month. 

“Every time I get my period he treats me with ice cream. Since my first two days of every period are really bad (because of cramps and back pain) his little routine cheers me up so much.” — recherchecr

9. He takes care of me when I’m drunk. 

“One night at a party I’d had too much to drink and was passing out. I woke up in a big comfy t-shirt all tucked into bed — he’d taken off my earrings, rings, shoes, socks, everything!!” — MeanGreenLentilQueen

10. He surprises me with flowers. 

“To me, it’s the little things.

He randomly calls me to tell me he loves me, expresses his feelings for me, etc. Also, he will send me long, sweet texts randomly when I am sleeping or throughout the day.

When we’re cuddling in bed and I reach over the side to grab something, he will watch me and keep his hands on my back because he doesn’t want to let go of me.

He calls me every single night we aren’t together to fall asleep on the phone with me.

He wakes me up, whether it be in person or on the phone, to kiss/tell me goodbye, I love you before he leaves for work.

If I tell him I’m craving something, he will bring it the next time I see him if not right then. Doesn’t matter how long it’s been.

He surprises me with flowers amongst other things.

We are somewhat long distance (he lives an hour away), but if I am upset, now matter how serious the matter, he will come to me.

There’s so many things he does, big and small, that make him so amazing. It’s refreshing, my ex never did so much as take me to the movies in our three years of dating. He is everything my ex wasn’t.

God, I love him.” — Iiferuiner

11. He draws a bath for me every single night. 

“He instituted a time called ‘second soaks’. It is basically just him running me a bath every night so I can lay amongst the bubbles. He also snuggles me every night in his sleep, I don’t even think he is aware of it but it always makes me feel safe and comfortable.” — Applesauce28

12. He feeds me. 

“He’s my husband now. So listen up guys!

While we dated, he’d show up to school with food for me (I always order the same thing and he remembered what I like from like 10 different places). After class we’d go to Sonic and get half price milkshakes and just talk for hours. He also cooked whenever I came to his house, he’d have tea to drink too.

So basically food. He fed me, so I stayed.” — ochemimmunohem

13. He acts like my best friend. 

“One thing he does is makeovers and girly stuff. He knows I don’t have any girl friends or a best friend so he is my best friend as well as my boyfriend. ” — Asheswin

14. He is careful not to wake me up too early in the morning. 

“Sometimes he has to get up and go to work earlier than I do.

He flops the blankets over my head so when he turns on the bedroom light to get dressed, it doesn’t wake me up.

He pulls them back down once the light is off. He turns off the box fan because he knows I like to sleep in silence. He needs the white noise of the fan to sleep, so once he’s up and out of bed he turns it off for me to continue resting.

Then he kisses me goodbye, sometimes when I wake up and get ready for work I’ll find he left me a treat on the counter to take with me, like a chocolate rice crispy bar or some pop tarts.” — MermaidAyla

15. He orders me food when I’m starving. 

“He takes care of me. When I’m sick/in pain, or depressed he’ll take care of me and get me stuff when I can’t. He also orders me food.” — Keyra13

16. He warms up my cold feet. 

“You know when you stick your cold feet on your SO and they squirm? When I come over and we sit on the couch together, he takes my cold feet and puts them under his thighs so he can warm my feet with his perpetual warmth… I didn’t know someone could be so kind…” — boopboopadoopity

17. He pays close attention to me when we’re together. 

“He’s content with laying down next to me, just talking and being next to each other. He barely uses his phone, he deleted his social media, he said all of that was just a distraction. He said he got me now, he wants to focus on me. It’s a whole different feeling, just feeling the love even when youre just next to him.

I appreciate that so much.” — 7teen38

18. He cheers me up whenever I’m having an off day.

“If he knows I’m having a bad day and has a moment, he’ll take a break to get me flowers and/or Starbucks and drop by my work with them. I’ve even come in from field work to find surprise treats in my office.” — Saltwaterblood 

19. He defrosts the car for me before I leave for work. 

“My boyfriend takes my dog out in the morning and this morning he went out and then popped back in and told me to give him my keys so he could start defrosting my car for work. Then I heard him out there scraping the ice off my windshield.” — kkcshuber

20. He keeps my personal items at his place. 

“When we first started dating my boyfriend surprised me with a bottle of sensitive body wash and moisturizer to use at his place.

He said he had noticed that I had sensitive products in my bathroom and used sensitive washing powder and didn’t want me to be uncomfortable when I stayed at his place.

I had never mentioned it to him, but he had just paid attention.” — kazburger

21. He opens the car door for me

“When we’re walking to his car and get close, he’ll jog up quickly and open the door for me. He knows I can do it myself, but he likes being old fashioned that way and treating me special by opening the door for me.” — NavyRoses1105

22. He comforts me when I’m feeling uneasy. 

“I have a lot more tasks to complete before going to bed than he does, so when I come to bed he’s always on my side, warming it up for me, and then he slides over.

He also knows I get nervous during turbulence on airplanes, and holds my arm/hand to comfort me, without making me feel like it’s silly to be nervous.” — jerusha16

23. He surprises me with little treats. 

“My husband is super sweet. He makes breakfast on the weekdays. He makes sure I am tucked in and warm in bed every night when he pushes the covers off himself if he gets warm. He loves to cuddle. He will get me little treats occasionally. Sometimes he’s squirrelly about holding my hand but I think that’s more of a game and gives in eventually.

I’m gonna keep him for a while longer. Ten years and counting.” — throwingwater14

24. He gets along well with my dog. 

“The way my dog looks at him. I knew from the second my dog and now-husband met that they were soulmates and I may as well come along for the ride.” — parvoqueen

25. He plays music to help me get out of bed. 

“I have a really hard time getting out of bed in the morning. My fella will give me a few chances to get up on my own, then blast a song on his phone, usually with a ‘morning’ theme. Think Good Morning Starshine, Mr Blue Sky or Chop Suey! It’s cute.” — HerSmokeRoseUp 

26. He is completely and utterly accepting of me.

“Maybe it’s not really a thing he does ‘for’ me, but he is so accepting of my body and what I choose to do with it and that is such a wonderful feeling. Want to shave half my head? Fine! Wanna grow it long and dye it teal and purple? Cool. Want to get my septum pierced? Sure. Don’t wanna shave my leg fur in the cold, dark winter? Go for it. Wanna go to the gym? Yeah! Wanna eat a huge bag of peanut butter M&Ms after the gym? You bet. My fashion choices have done a complete 180 over the last five years and he has never said a bad word about it.

I look the way I do for me, and not for anyone else at all. It’s refreshing.” — juniper-mint