#had to mow trim and then mow and trim it again just to get through all that shit

[s17s17]

feels a little bit like I broke a toe somehow doing yardwork earlier, not sure what's up with that. I was expecting my arms to hurt more after having to literally fight my hands and make them start working again. at least I also burnt up my last good pair of gloves

[licially]

Frepper - Follow Suit

// I got no idea how this came into fruition, I've only completely wrote this out before I realised what I was doing. Anyways enjoy this tiny fic I wrote for myself and/or anyone else who are enjoying the awkward dynamic between these two.

The evening flaunted itself with a merrier than usual crowd down at Lackadaisy, and most opted to swing by the stage and dance to their heart’s content between stanzas, sung by a backup singer for the night as the jazz band winds down for the week ahead. Within the crowded mess, only messier given the fact that it is littered with alcoholics, some more drunk than others, and the music proved exacerbating to both him and his mental state. It was overwhelming, yet he had to persevere, as he waddled his way through everyone. 

He wanted to find Ivy here, after she invited him back to another night at Lackadaisy just a few weeks after she gave him the pin of clubs. A message, written in a note, found Calvin on the day just before the night. It sat in the mailbox in front of his house, and it stood out to him since most mail that was directed to the household doesn't normally have a daisy flower pinned onto it. Reluctantly, he picked up the letter for himself, yet he’d never want to explain the true meaning of this letter to his mother.

He took a precarious approach into the household; he didn’t want to be perceived by his mother after the incident down Route 94, which essentially made him in even more trouble than his cousin. Through the front door, he quickly ran down towards the bench near the kitchen. Nina had been upstairs, but even she heard Calvin’s attempt thanks to the creaky wooden floor from their house. 

“Calvin! Is ever’thin’ alright?” She screamed, from atop the stairs.

“Yes mom- everything is fine!” He replied, with a shrill in his voice from the initial jump scare of his mother’s scream. After he’s done putting his mother’s mail on the kitchen bench, he quickly ran upstairs and into his room where he gently tore off the envelope of the letter that was meant for him. It wasn’t entirely heavy, save for the daisy, and the message inside also proved to be even tinier on his paws: 

McMurray,

I hope this note finds you before your mother does, but you should come back to Lackadaisy, I need to talk to you about something just between the two of us privately. Rocky won’t be there, I promise.  Bring the pin I gave you, just in case. Horatio tends to check for the pins for the newcomers, but for the most part he knows you well enough. to let you in.

See you there!

Ivy Pepper

Surprised, he set out for any fancy suits in his closet. When he first stepped into the speakeasy, there were patrons with more grandeur and complicated suits than the simple bow tie that he was so accustomed to wearing. Rarely had he put together an actual tuxedo for the occasion, given his last one was just Sunday church service, yet he feels that any suit would do fine for this place. After all, he wasn’t bound for formalities, but fitted himself with whatever was necessary. Albeit it made him uncomfortable at times, he squeaked through.

Usually, tuxedos are worn by combining a waistcoat, laid over a bright white shirt, with a jacket’s lapel distinguishing the features of someone who would wear such an outfit, but he didn’t know any better. Fact of the matter is that he hid himself trying to get the note towards his room, and now he had to justify the choice of clothing he chooses to wear on a Wednesday night to go somewhere even more discreet. This time, his cousin won’t back him out into the wilderness.

As the day soon turned into the afternoon, and into night, Calvin mustered up little to no courage to talk to Nina about the night that was ahead. His chores really put him out of commission from even talking, from mowing the lawn again to trimming the hedges to spring cleaning the household. Every task was grueling, not just towards his physical health but his mental. Every moment he had the chance to talk to her about the night, it was instead interrupted by the workload that each of his jobs offered, or she was too busy minding her own business, and that he didn’t want to interrupt given her temperament.

At the dinner table that night, they both slowly enjoyed a pork roast, with baked potatoes and carrots and peas, a mishmash of gravy, and a glass of water on the side. During the silent clash of silverware, they both chewed silently with Calvin dwelling on his thoughts just as much as he did with his food. Chewing through his thoughts, again, was that letter’s contents; What did she want from him so much that it needed his attention? And why Lackadaisy specifically, instead of anywhere else? Why did she mention the fact that Rocky will not be there? What happened to him? Is he hurt that badly again, to the point where he’s not able to be there? Questions, comments, and possible theories demonized and dominated his headspace, since he had worried Rocky would end up hurt again. He may have been kicked out of the house, but still doesn’t mean that he could entirely dismiss him.

His thoughts soon kind of took him out of his headspace, as Nina quietly catched on. She hoped that this was just poor Freckle being burned out by today, but her realization struck as much as the gravy did, as the food on his fork slid off and onto his shirt, staining it with��� that lukewarm gross stuff. Surprised, she called out for his name, with no answer to boot. As Calvin dangerously, and mindlessly, and slowly, raised his empty fork towards his mouth, Nina raised her voice at him.

“...Calvin. CALVIN.” Nina’s screaming proved effective, as he immediately snapped away from his mindless acting, and set down the fork towards the table of food. The lukewarm sensation down his shirt finally reached him, as he stood up to let the food fall towards the floor, he stood there in absolute disgust, and faced that same disgust from his mother, who now stood up with a revolting and confused look on her face. It reflected in her words too, mixed in with anger after all of the cleaning that she didn’t even do.

“You’re going to clean that up, finish your food, and go to sleep immediately. Understood?” She hissed out, strutting past him and into a closet with all of their cleaning equipment. He stood there, still wondering if he should really tell her about it or just not go. He heaved a sigh, as Nina came back with brooms and mops, to a slightly more distraught Calvin, who reluctantly cleaned up his mess. With that, he ended the night on a sour note. The dinner was the thing he did look forward to, after the day went from bad to worse, with nothing in between that made him any better about himself.

That night, as he laid on his bed, he had a final decision. Either he sat at home, and explained to Ivy later that he couldn’t commit himself because of his strict mother. Or he needed to find a way to sneak out of the household, and finally meet up with her without the other interruption that was always in his ears. He had always wanted to get back at Ivy for her sudden moves with him, especially secretive and behind Rocky’s back. He figured this was a good reason to confront her about it.

So, he set out that night. Being the same as the last time he did it the first time to get to Lackadaisy, this time carrying a suit on him to be extra cautious about: the jacket has wide satin peaked lapels with the point of the lapel pointing upward, with large and rather solid shoulder pads and curved sleeves, a single button closure and four button cuffs. 

The jacket has a breast pocket and a jetted pocket at either side and is lined in black satin fabric on the body and white satin in the sleeves, and a black bowtie to finish off. To him, this had been the first time this suit had ever been worn outside of formal events, and it still had some dust on it as he silently creeped out of the room and down the stairs. Finally, as he stepped outside towards greener grass, he walked slowly towards the city center, and soon caught a taxi towards the Little Daisy Cafe.

The slow, yet endearing tune whistled its way to his lover, as he weaved towards Ivy in the distance. It didn’t seem like he knew about this whole place being this packed, as he did hope for the place to be less packed as it was, but it seemed all the more busy than usual. Horatio even mentioned briefly that “Wick’s party showed up again. Pardon the loud noise.” He quietly, yet deeply regrets not heeding to his advice, holding his hand towards his ears as he found himself surrounded by the constant loud music, the equally as loud chatter from everyone, and the-

“Found you!” A familiar voice caught him off guard, as he felt a hand on his shoulders that complimented the voice of surprise.

Behind him stood Ivy Pepper, who was dressed for the occasion from head to tail. A feather that was essentially in her hair, a necklace of pearls that accompanied the orange-ish dress that covered itself scarlet form the lighting of the place. Ivy smiled at Freckle, now holding his hands as she got closer and closer, Ivy being the most energetic to the confusion of Calvin.

“Uhh- hi?” He said, a slight smile across his face.

“You finally made it!” Ivy heartily said, her smile full of glitz and glamor as her dress. “Oh wait- the music’s about to start!” 

As the two held each other, hand to hand, shoulder to shoulder, they danced onwards and to the slow lover’s tune that resonated with most. Calvin steered himself quietly towards a  slow dance, something Ivy taught Calvin before. To Calvin, it felt more new and oftentimes he’d stumble between steps, accidentally hold Ivy’s hands a little too hard and/or soft, but Ivy withstood the clumsiness. She’s been used to more stubborn people, one of such notoriety is Rocky, yet Calvin’s case is different. He had put in efforts to do whatever she had asked him to do, albeit nervously, but he was capable of doing so with determination. 

The two kept at it, often exchanging positions, and occasionally twirling one another around with an added awkwardness to it. To him, this felt like traversing through this unknown terrain, but to her it’s improv practice. It makes sense, only to her, that he was just playing around with Ivy to get her to come up with newer ideas. As the music faded, the two hastily finished up the last movement to the dance, before mellowing it out towards a standstill.

Face to face, where the two suits of clubs met, they stood at the wooden floor of the dance floor in front. They didn’t wanna move from the spot, at least for a bit, because the night’s sting finally caught up to them. Maybe the dancer’s reprise could bring them both back, but for now they held each other, a moment in time where they exchanged both looks and smiles.

“I… have been meaning to ask you something.” Freckle stuttered, finally wanting to address the elephant in the room.

“What is it, McMurray?” She curiously asked, in a fit of tiredness.

“Why did you bring me here? Alongside Rocky… I mean. Why did you give me the pin?”

“Well… I’ve already told you, have I not? It’s for your own sake.” Ivy replied, seemingly covering something up. “You wanted to get away from your mom, right?”

“I–” He stuttered, a bit confused. On how exactly she read his mind like that.

Ivy giggled, slightly gesturing towards Calvin’s face. “That’s my guess, I might be wrong, you know?”

As the three of clubs brought himself forwards at the request of Ivy, soon one away from the four of clubs. Ivy sighed. She didn’t have an ounce of clue on how he felt, but judging from his soon flustered face, she hit a soft spot in Calvin somehow. Some way. She leaned closer and closer towards him as well, as they spoke to each other, almost following suit of what they had said before.

“My hands aren’t shaky anymore.” She teased, even though it was just shaky, but not enough for Calvin to notice.

“I… I mean, now I know how to kiss.” He laughed back, awkwardly.

“And you still have that mortal terror on that face of yours, McMurray.” She smiled, now they were only an inch away from each other.

Soon, they converged on each other, and finally delivered the kiss on the dance floor.A kiss that left the fourth mark on his suit, as they both embraced it like the last time around, in much better conditions than that pig truck, and in a much better place than that confrontation with Fish and Wes. Slowly, they pulled themselves a tad bit apart, as they both shared one more look between each other. 

“This is when you should say ‘I love you’, Calvin. I’d thought I’d let you know.” 

[n2qfd]

So after about a decade of operating, the Ten Tec which still works just fine I decided it was time for another radio. I put my old Alinco on the eBay market, with no complaints except that it was too much radio for me. This is a Xeigu G106 and it is a mowed all banned low power radio. After a decade of being a dedicated QRP station on 40 m I decided I wanted to try and test out what was available 10 years after my initial investment in SDR radios. It’s really amazing what they’ve packed into this thing and there are plenty of people on YouTube and other places who will tell you, it’s cheap garbage, however, like a lot of radio operators I think they tend to be the same people that need to have all the bells and whistles and have never given any serious thought to trimming their stations into efficiency. This tiny radio unit does 160 through 10 m Morris code, upper lower side, it has digital channels built-in upper and lower digital mode for filtering. It has a dedicated digital jack. It has a built-in key. It has a full display with an meter and a spectrum graph to help tune in by. You can’t change the volume of the side tone, which is a little weird, but you can change the tone of the side tone. it has three tiered filtering for Morse code, which is where I live. They didn’t put a jack on the chassis. You have to plug it in through the handy mic that is included it uses a RJ9 type adapter on the face for that microphone, which is the very small four wire connector that a telephone handset connects to the base with, I’ll just make up an adapter jack. I’ve made a couple of contacts on. It had great signal reports and think that if you’re getting into the hobby and are willing to deal with what comes as the baggage of operating a low power station for $230 you could do a lot worse. The receipt could be a little more selective, again it’s a budget friendly radio and for the record I made the contacts using Morse code on 40 m with a 40 m zip antenna so a simple wire antenna at about 25 feet above ground level putting out no more than 5 W.

I copied today's #Morsle at 40 WPM! https://morsle.fun

https://morsle.fun

[nathank77]

8/11/24

3:23 p.m Updated/Added to Significantly 3:51 p.m

So the half frames are great but they leave those marks on my face, I've since switched to my Ray-Bans.

I feel more like me in my half frames but as stupid as this sounds my Ray-Bans are now my face lol I still want half frames that are comfortable but maybe next year. I've decided I'm going to invest in the Ray-Bans and have the lenses replaced next year assuming my prescription changes anyways.

They may touch my cheeks sometimes but I mean less now that I lost weight and they are branded. They take up my whole face but whatever. I do like the idea that when someone sees the side of my face they can read Ray-Bans and think I'm not poor. Also I do sorta like them but they take up half my face.

I remember talking to Elise about glasses and how I hated how some people wore glasses that took up half their face and then I ended up being one of them :/ maybe that's why no one wants me.

I shaved my face but I still got to trim my bread and I'm going to buzz my head instead of shaving it.... bc it's cheaper. Gillette is expensive. And buzzers are cheap and mow through it. I really wish I could get all my hair waxed off or plucked out so I never had to shave again. Then I'd just have to keep my chin strap edged up nicely and get rid of the nasty mustache.

I noticed my facial hair is slowly filling in. I feel dirty cause my beard is too long but I can't find a happy medium. If I shave it to a 1 guard you can see my double chin and I feel the hole stands out just as much as when it's longer....I also think when it's longer I can move it/fluff it persay to cover the hole a little. I didn't fluff it in this photo. I notice the bad side is starting to fill in.

Last week my beard was perfect length but within 4 days it was too long and now it's bothering me. Maybe I'll keep growing it but idk I'm prob going to try a 2 guard. Idk sometimes I just do the 1 so I don't have to trim it for a couple weeks but I always regret it.

I can't find the right length. If I let it grow longer for a while then I mean maybe I'll get used to it feeling "dirty." I'm just more clean cut.

Hair feels dirty on me idk how to explain it. It's a symptom of being bald for years. My fringe or whatever feels nasty and dirty too around my bald head. Even though you can barely pinch it.

I'm worried about money. I have to get cigarettes in new Hampshire this Friday... I had to replace the apple usb port cause I don't game like I used to and i deserve to play. Twitch already fucked me. A 4 hour video of minecraft had muted audio. It disconnected. And no one watched, a .1 average viewership it's too depressing to see all the same issues. I chose recording and YouTube for a reason. I know how long someone watches. I know how they find my video. I know if they return to my videos. I can see certian parts they watch more frequently (when I get enough of a following).

But yea I'm worried about money and I'm worried about continuing to take White mulberries at 3000mg but I had a lot of caffeine yesterday. I cut myself off at like 1 or 2 p.m today. If I have an involuntary movement or something that is a twitch instead of a Spasm I'll drop down to 1000mg of white mulberries but I really think it was caffeine. I say twitch versus spasm bc spasms could still be due to the statin drug... that side effect can last 3 months... twitches are not common for statins.. I did actually have a Spasm today in my leg but it wasn't a twitch I do attribute it to the statin side effects wearing off.

Today was a cheat day I had smiley fries and Simulate nugs. My hallucination makes me want to jump off a bridge.

I hope I fall asleep quickly tonight. I'm not going to bother gaming. When I get my adapter I'm going to game at night but not have caffeine after 2 p.m... and see if it's just the caffeine bc I can see the commonalities between all 4 nights:

1) caffeine consumption was high bc even the day I only had one red bull I drank 3 or 4 v8 and Gatorade cause I didn't know it had caffeine.

I truly hope this microsleep trauma will lighten eventually. I see Erin and Mike tomorrow.... and that's it for therapy for the week.... that's the sad part....

Idk what I'm supposed to do I can't get abandoned again by another bot.

[lizardtracks]

New School Power

If a tree falls in the desert and your chainsaw won’t start does it make a sound?

Some weeks back I decided to fire up the string trimmer and knock down some weeds. Yep, weeds. We don’t have lush green grass. Fine trimmed laws here in the sweltering southwest are a fool’s errand. I wrestled the string trimmer from the shed and yanked the start cord. Nothing. Hmmm. I ran carefully through the start procedure again. Nothing. As Count Basie would say, “Once more. With feeling.” Nothing. Grr. I set the crippled machine aside and spent my afternoon stuffing notes in the neighbor’s mailboxes. “Sorry for deflating your property values. —Love, Gerry.”

Fast forwarding to not long afterward, a mighty wind downed a mesquite tree limb. Not to be outdone by the younger weed whacker, my chain saw also refused to start. I kept squeezing bulbs, turning dials, and flipping switches until I felt like the Wizard of Oz. I tugged that cord until my fingers blistered. But the engine offered not a cough or a sputter. It was like trying to squeeze tears out of Chuck Norris.

A tougher hombre would have grabbed this chance to tinker. What could be more fun than plopping a small engine on the workbench and making it run again? Fun, sure. But I don’t have time for that kind of fun. I decided instead that I was done with any engine that still needed a carburetor. I went shopping for electric power.

For a chain saw I wanted something that plugged in. I wanted amps. I wanted torque. I wanted power. I wanted a 16” bar. I went at it like Tim ‘The Tool Man’ Taylor. Did I need any of that? Probably not. I’d probably get by just fine with a battery powered chain saw and avoid the ignominy of dragging an extension cord behind like a long yellow tail. But in the end the price point, and 20 amp motor, in the Oregon brand won the day. Onward.

The string trimmer was trickier. It had to be battery power. But, as mentioned, I’m not using a string trimmer to edge the paths in my English garden. I am mowing down clumps of weeds with stems thicker than your thumb. I am eating into bunches of grass that two weeks ago didn’t exist, but now are knee high. I am trimming off Lilliputian thickets of mesquite that sprout every August. And that’s why I wound up with a 40 volt Ryobi. Everyone else claimed to be “tough” or “powerful.” Ryobi was the only one who dared compare their 40V model to a 26cc gas trimmer. Here in the hardscrabble desert 26cc with .095 string gets the job done. And my fourth favorite big box store had it on a stout discount. Sold!

So the mesquite limb has been reduced to cooking wood. The yard is cleared of weeds, grass clumps and itty-bitty, teeny-weeny mesquite saplings. All done very quietly. And with motors that started at the press of a button. Long live the internal combustion engine! But sometimes you need new school power.

[onlyhedges]

The Ultimate Guide to Cedar Hedge Trimming: Tips for a Beautiful Boundary

If you've ever seen a beautiful cedar hedge, you know that it's a sight to behold. The tall, lush plants give an air of privacy and elegance to any property. But if your cedar hedges are in need of some attention, don't worry—you can learn how to trim them yourself. You just need the right tips from someone who knows what they're doing! hedge trimming service

Consult with a professional.

If you're not sure about how to trim a cedar hedge, or if it's something that you just don't want to do yourself, there are other options. One is hiring a professional landscaper. If you know someone who has had their hedges trimmed and they were happy with the results, then they may be able to recommend someone in your area. You could also ask at the local council office or even on social media (like Facebook).

Plan in advance.

Before you trim your cedar hedge, it's important to plan out the work in advance. You'll need to make sure that you have all the right tools and supplies on hand. If possible, take a few measurements of your hedge so that when it comes time for trimming, everything will go smoothly.

Once again: don't be afraid! We've got some tips for how best to prepare yourself (and maybe even enjoy) this task below:

Mark the area.

To start, you'll want to mark the area with a garden hose or rope. You can use whatever method you prefer; however, it's important that your boundary markers are easy to see and easy to remove. For example, if you use tape as your boundary marker, it will be hard for anyone else but yourself (and maybe even then) to see that there is any sort of boundary there at all!

Cut back the tips.

When it comes to trimming your cedar hedge, there is no set rule for how often you should do so. Some people prefer to trim their hedges every year, while others only do so every few years and still others never trim at all. The decision is up to you!

If you choose not to cut back your cedars each year, they will grow tall and bushy over time--but this doesn't mean that they will look like they need a haircut. In fact, many homeowners prefer having tall hedges because they add privacy while also providing shade during hot summer days. However if you do want them shorter (or have noticed some bare spots), here are some tips on how best go about doing that:

Cut back tips early in spring before new growth emerges from buds along main stems or laterals (which are branches growing off of main stems). This way there won't be any flowers on these newly cut sections which could attract unwanted pests such as bees or wasps into your yard when pollen starts flying around with springtime activities such as mowing lawns etcetera...

Remove diseased plants and debris.

Diseased cedar hedges can be identified by their yellowing leaves and branches, or by spotting on the bark. Remove all diseased plants from the hedge, along with any dead leaves or branches that have fallen from healthy trees. For added protection against future infestations of diseases like cedar rust (which can spread through airborne spores), remove all debris from your soil--including old twigs, pine needles and other organic matter--and keep it clear of debris in the future.

Prune hedges that grow at an angle.

If your hedge is growing at an angle, you can use pruning to create a flat top. This is especially important if the hedge is in front of your house or other structure that will be visible from across the street.

For example, if your cedar hedge grows out of control and starts to curve upwards as it gets taller, trimming it at an angle will allow you to maintain its shape and keep it looking neat. To do this properly:

Cut off all branches that grow upward (towards the sky) by about three inches above where they meet another branch or stem on the plant.

Then cut off any remaining lower-growing stems below this point so they are flush with the rest of the plant's base level--this will create one continuous horizontal line across all sides of each branch where no leaves remain attached after trimming them off when doing so earlier during this process!

Arrange your tools and equipment before starting.

Before you start, make sure you have all the tools and equipment you need. Check that they are in good working order and that you have enough space to work comfortably. You may want to arrange some chairs or a table for yourself and any helpers, so that they can sit down while trimming the hedge.

If it's a very hot day, have plenty of water available; this will help keep everyone cool during their work time. It's also worth making sure there is enough light on site so everyone can see what they're doing clearly; if necessary set up a generator-powered lamp or two nearby (but keep them well away from any plants).

You can learn to do it yourself.

If you're not sure what you're doing, it's best to hire a pro. If you can't afford a professional hedge trimmer or don't have the time and skills required for this task, consider hiring a friend who does know what they're doing. The following tips will help make sure your cedar hedges look their best for years to come!

At OnlyHedges, we're dedicated to bringing you the best cedar hedge trimming service in the area. Our friendly and experienced team will work tirelessly to ensure that your hedges look as good as new. We're proud to be recognized by our customers for our attention to detail and our commitment to making sure that you get the most out of your hedge trimming experience.

Cedar hedge trimming is an important part of keeping your home looking its best, so don't hesitate to contact us today!

OnlyHedges Ottawa, ON +1 613-324-7228 https://www.onlyhedges.ca/

[cassifictional]

Blue Rose - Ch. 1: the apprentice

Pairing: Caitlyn x fem reader

Warnings: mention of gun

Summary: an introduction to this brand new slow burn fic. You’re from Piltover and land a job that’s a lot more prestigious than you pictured for yourself. It’s a good situation for all parties involved. But nothing ever goes perfectly now, does it?

Word count: 900

Notes: welcome to my new fic. It’ll be a long one, and I’ll be damned if this ends up at the bottom of my to-write list again. I’ve had this idea for literal months. I’ve even got the ending all figured out this time. This chapter is really just an introduction, setting up the story and everything. It may be a little long-winded but I just have a very specific description of it all in my head and I really want to translate it all to actual words on a page. Please enjoy 💙

Living up to your family’s expectations had never really been your thing. You would wear the “wrong” clothes, date the “wrong” people, you had “odd” interests that they didn’t quite understand, or even try to understand. Yet, you didn’t desire to be “different”. You didn’t feel like you needed to be the “special snowflake”, the “black sheep” of your family. You simply wanted to be you. Your own authentic self. And it just so happened that your own ideals didn’t quite line up with your family’s standards.

Their complaining never stopped. Though their words were never harsh, never rude. Their complaints were subtle, persuasive and persistent, like the smell of a nearby bouquet of flowers. Thoughtful, but the sweet scent could get overwhelming at times. But you knew they only wanted the best for you. To watch you flourish and grow, ideally in a way that suited their own agenda. As much as they frustrated you sometimes, driving you mad with their desire for you to be like they wanted, you couldn’t help but love them. Because despite the way they made you feel sometimes, you knew they loved you back. More than they would dare to say.

Somehow, through a stroke of good luck, pure chance or maybe even fate, you had found a way to both appease your family and live up to your own goals and desires. The owner of the biggest and most beautiful decorative garden in the entirety of Piltover had taken a liking to you. You didn’t even know who she was when you had met her that day. She had found you in a local park, doting over a neglected rose bush in a quiet, forgotten corner. You told her all about your passion for all things nature, especially flowers, and asked her to visit the rose bush again somewhere in the future. One month later, she had done as you asked, visiting that same rose bush again. After seeing it in full bloom, she had been so impressed that she managed to figure out where you lived, just so she could offer you a job in her garden as an apprentice groundskeeper. And that’s where you were now. Tending to the many plants, bushes, trees and flowers within the walls of Blue Rose Garden.

Blue Rose Garden. Its name evoked a sense of mystery, deceit and opportunity in Piltover society. Blue Rose Garden is where all the politicians and aristocrats would go for “walks” together. It was considered the perfect neutral ground to have an amicable chat with either an enemy or a friend. There were plenty of quiet corners where one could discuss things better kept off the official records. Many feuds and partnerships were announced in formal circles, being settled through official procedures. But everybody knew that prior to getting to that point, all parties involved had “gone for a walk” in Blue Rose Garden beforehand.

You weren’t all that interested the latest high society gossip though. Sure, knowing the ins and outs of the latest family feuds and catching glimpses of important business deals being made, made your job a little more interesting. But you were mostly there for the very thing that got you hired in the first place. Your love for nature. Trimming the endless hedges lining the garden, pulling weeds, removing dead flowers, even mowing the grass. Tasks that wouldn’t make for a very prestigious job in most cases. But doing all of that in one of Piltovers most important locations? Suddenly, you were somebody. You had a status now. And your parents, who unlike you were slowly but actively trying to climb the ranks of Piltover’s high society, were thrilled about it.

A win-win situation, really. You got to do the thing you were best at and actually enjoyed, and your parents finally got their way. Sometimes, things really do work out in the end.

It had only been about two weeks since your employment at Blue Rose Garden had started. So far, it had been everything you could have hoped for, but it had also been very tiring and a lot to take in all at once. The senior groundskeeper was a kind older gentleman, carrying with him an endless amount of knowledge about every single living organism in the entire garden. With every day you worked, he taught you something new. Eventually, you would have to replace him and he knew it. But he didn’t mind. He just wanted his garden to be left in good hands once his eventual retirement came.

One rainy day in autumn, the groundskeeper had fallen ill and left you, his apprentice, to take care of Blue Rose Garden alone. You were confident in your ability to figure it all out yourself for a little while. You were already experienced, after all. As the rain poured, you persevered through it and did your usual work, starting with your favorite task, tidying up the roses. One by one, your tasks were completed, leaving you with only a little bit of daylight as you got to work on the last few chores of the day. The sound of the wind and the rain was calming, the harsh weather didn’t faze you. It had been a quiet day. People didn’t come to the garden often on dark and dreary days like these, for obvious reasons. That’s why, when you turned around to grab one of your tools, you were especially surprised to see a person standing behind you. Dressed in a long, black coat with a hood pulled over their head. And a large gun in their hands, pointed directly at your chest.

Notes: just so you know, if you have parents who pressure you into being like they want you to be (like in certain schools or jobs), just know that you would be entirely justified in not liking them as much as y/n in this story.

[youbloodymadgenius]

Ivarello (Modern!Ivar x reader) Chapter 1

Moodboard by @quantumlocked310

Ivarello’s masterpost here

A/N: This is my entry for @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie 500 Followers Fairy Tale Challenge. It's a retelling of Cinderella. Congrats again, darling 💖

A huge thank you to @mrsalwayswrite, who's a great beta reader and an even greater cheerleader 😂

A massive thank you to @quantumlocked310, @vikingstrash and @serasvictoria. Thank you for agreeing to collaborate and for sharing your talent with me. Your moodboards are beyond amazing 🤩

In this story, Sigurd is alive. Ragnar and Aslaug are dead, but Lagertha didn't kill her. I took a lot of liberties with the show, I hope you won't mind.

Unlike the tale, there will be no magic involved. Not everything will be realistic, however. It's a fayritale, after all!

Let me know if you want to be tagged 😊

Summary: Orphaned five years ago, Ivar and his brothers have been living with Lagertha ever since. Now 16 years old, he wants to attend Harald's traditional Midsummer party, but obstacles stand in his way.

Warnings: description of car crash; orphaned kids; Sigurd being Sigurd; OOC characters.

Words: 1806

Additional note: I'm afraid I'll disappoint some of you. No more newspapers... The articles defined the setting of the story. From now on, it'll be a regular fic.

Hope you enjoy it nevertheless 🙂

🛡⚔️🛡

June 2021

Ivar yawns, rubbing his eyes, when he suddenly hears the front door open. The next moment, Ubbe shouts, "Hey baby bro, we're home!"

Slightly confused, Ivar looks at the time on his computer. Stunned, he blinks repeatedly, shakes his head and checks the time again, now looking at his watch. "Guess I lost track of time," he mumbles as he realizes it's really 5:30 pm. He clears his throat. "I'm coming!"

Yawning once more, he wheels to the kitchen. Hvitserk waves at him with one hand as Ubbe greets him with a grin and Sigurd... Well, Sigurd ignores him, as usual.

"Hello boys!" Lagertha smiles as she also enters the kitchen. "Did you go to the beach this afternoon?" It's a rethorical question, since sand can be seen on the tanned skin of his brothers, shirtless and wearing only swimming shorts.

When she looks down at him, her smile becomes softer. "Ivar, you seem tired. Did you work all day long?"

He nods, glad that for once she called him by his first name and not by one of those stupid nicknames that she likes but that make his skin crawl.

"Yep," he shrugs without smiling back, "I made good progress. The new version of your website is almost done. It could probably be online by the end of the week."

His stepmom flashes him a beaming smile. "Great, thanks!"

The conversation then moves on to the subject that everyone in Kattegat has been talking about for the last few days: the midsummer party thrown by their neighbor Harald Hårfager. Every June, it is Kattegat's not-to-be-missed event, to which every resident hopes to be invited.

Lagertha is invited every year, yet rarely attends; his brothers wouldn't miss it, not in a million years; Ivar never went.

He listens with half an ear as his brothers prattle on about the upcoming party, while taking a seat at the large, wooden kitchen table on which Lagertha has just put cakes and drinks.

"What are you going to wear?"

"Do you think Marit will attend this year?"

"Hopefully the music will be better than last year."

"Can't be as bad! What was the name of that reggae band?"

For a fleeting moment, Ivar entertains the thought of attending as well. Not that he's dying to, but… Sometimes, he feels a little bit like Cinderella in this house.

Don't get him wrong, it's not that bad.

First, his stepmom is not–

Wait, wait, wait, is Lagertha technically his stepmom? He's not sure. After all, she wasn't when his parents were alive, she was just his father's first wife. Anyway, she may be his guardian now, but he sees her as his stepmom and he honestly doesn’t give a shit if it's a little weird.

Where was he? Oh yes, Cinderella.

So obviously, Lagertha is not a wicked, haughty and abusive stepmom like this Lady Tremaine of the fairytale.

Actually, even if it pisses him off to admit it, she's pretty nice, patient and composed. Does he love her? Let's not exaggerate – he doesn't. She may love him though, which is a little bit uncanny, if he's being honest. He was the favorite son of her nemesis. Shouldn't she hate him? He would, if the situation was reversed.

The truth is, when he was younger, he tried, he really tried to hate her, blaming her for everything and anything. When too much pain prevented him from sleeping, he let his imagination run wild. There, bound to his bed of suffering, he could see Lagertha cutting the brakes on his mother's car, causing her crash, causing her death.

Of course, even then, he knew deep down that Lagertha had not killed his mother; that the story he told himself was just the product of his endless nights of insomnia. But what can he say? He needed this. Because blaming Lagertha rather than admitting that his beloved mother was at fault – by being distracted, or by falling asleep, he'll never know – was easier for the heartbroken boy he was.

Anyway... So yes, Lagertha is definitely not an evil stepmother like Cinderella's.

Also, he doesn't sleep on a sorry garret, on a wretched straw bed either.

Actually, he has a very large room on the main floor, with a king-size memory foam bed, a walk-in – well, a wheel-in for his case – closet and his own, huge bathroom, fully equipped for his special needs.

Sure, the bathroom and the dressing room were already there when his parents were alive; however, the memory foam mattress had been Lagertha's idea.

Anyway... So yes, he can't exactly complain about his sleeping conditions, unlike Cinderella.

And obviously, he's not forced into servitude.

Actually, one might think so, but no, he's not. Sure, sometimes he works for his stepmom, like today. But so do his brothers. When she had taken them in, she was a powerful businesswoman, working twelve to fourteen hours a day. Once she had become their guardian, she had rearranged her working time and learned to delegate; but even so, she had often run out of time. Therefore, it had seemed normal to them – yes, even to him – to help her out, each of them according to their skills and abilities.

So, while Hvitserk almost always does the grocery shopping, while Sigurd vacuums and does the laundry, while Ubbe mows the lawn and trim the bushes, he, Ivar, runs her company's website and sometimes even does the accounting. And since he loves computers and numbers, it's not exactly a problem.

Anyway... So yes, he's not a slave in this house. Unlike Cinderella.

So, yes, to sum it up, he can't really complain and he's by far not Cinderella. And he knows it.

But... Yes, there's a but...

Sometimes, he feels trapped, as poor Cinderella must have felt.

Sometimes he feels like a spectator of a life he doesn't belong to.

Sure, he doesn't have to be homeschooled – but gods, he's glad he is. The reasons for him to be continuously bullied by classmates are endless. The simplest ones being: he is a cripple, an orphan, the son of a dead mob boss, the smartest one in the whole damn school, let alone his class. Take your pick. It's no fun, no fun at all. Being home alone is preferable to that alternative.

Therefore, barely leaving the house except for medical appointments, he has no friends. He doesn't do sports either – obviously – and yeah, he lives a lonely life, filled with video games and Netflix series. And he's okay with that. Well, most of the time.

Sure, his brothers, or at least Ubbe and Hvitserk, always try to include him as much as possible. But the truth is that because of his legs, there are many, many things he just can't do.

And the other truth, the less pleasant one, is that he partially did that to himself. He cut himself off from a world that hurt him, yet he still misses this world sometimes. At times, he blames himself. Because his life, honestly, is hardly what you would call a life, is it? Not when you're sixteen.

That's why sometimes, like now, he feels this longing, almost a need, to live. To really, truly, fully live. And that's why, for a brief moment, lulled by the light chitchat of his brothers, he considers attending Harald's midsummer party.

But he knows better. This life is not for him, never has been, never will be.

And so, shaking his head, he chases the thought away and, placing his hands on his push rims, he's about to leave the kitchen while the incessant babbling of his brothers goes on.

"I can't wait."

"Don't tell me! As every year, the most beautiful girls of Kattegat will be there."

"Remember that burger food truck? Best burgers ever!"

"I've heard Y/N would be attending this year."

"There'll be booze and girls! Sounds like Valh–"

Wait. His mind goes blank.

Fuck.

What? Did he hear right?

As he replays his brother's words in his head, it's like there's an earthquake happening inside of him.

Fuck.

He stops breathing. Blinks, then clamps his eyes shut.

Fuck.

When he finally manages to draw air into his lungs, he swallows loudly before asking in a weird, high-pitched voice, his heart pounding in his chest, "What– What did you say, brother?"

Hvitserk turns his head toward him and shrugs. "I just said there'll be boo–"

"No, not you!" Ivar snaps at his brother, pointing his pointer finger at Ubbe. "You, what did you fucking say?" Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Lagertha frowning – 'no curse words in this house, boys'– and even if he barely contains an eye roll, he still mouths a quick 'sorry' at her before rewording his question, impatience coursing through him. "What did you say, dear brother? Who did you say would attend?"

Stunned, Ubbe looks at him with wide eyes. "Y/N? I said Y/N would come. That's what I heard anyway. She's Harald's niece. She was here once, right? Remember her, baby bro, huh?"

But Ivar is no longer listening, the blood draining from his face. Y/N... Y/N... Fuck. Finally. Fucking finally. After so long... He may see you again. Wow.

I'll go! I'll fucking go!

He barely contains the words, suddenly acutely aware of the deafening silence in the room, his brothers shamelessly staring at him.

With her brows furrowed and her lips turned downward in a slight frown, Lagertha takes two steps forwards before crouching down in front of him. "Are you all right, sweetie? You're a little pale."

He barely hears when Sigurd giggles, "A little pale? He's greener than an alien!"

Lagertha shoots Sigurd a dirty look and then gently cups Ivar's cheek. "Do you know her, Ivar? Do you know Y/N?"

Overwhelmed, self-conscious, freaked out, caught off-guard, he doesn't know how to respond. Should he tell the truth? Should he lie? His brothers will mock him, for sure. What is the point of telling the truth? What good would it do? On the other hand, he could really use some advice. Yeah. Sure. Advice from Sigurd. Just the thought of it is enough to make him sick. Fuck, what is he going to do?

Rushed words are out of his mouth before he can even gather his thoughts. "No. No. I don't. I mean, yes, I think I do but–" He's being pathetic and he hates it. So after a sharp intake of breath, he shakes his head and eventually replies in a flat, calm voice, the white lie rolling off his tongue. "I know her, but I thought Ubbe was talking about someone else. Sorry."

With these words, he hastily leaves the room, his eyes riveted on his knees, his heart still drumming in his chest.

Y/N. Fuck.

🛡⚔️🛡

Ivar's taglist: @waiting4inspiration @honestsycrets @lisinfleur @saldelys @gearhead66 @inforapound @readsalot73 @milkkygirls @xbellaxcarolinax @shannygoatgruff @zuxiezendler @hecohansen31 @lonewolf471 @fuckindiva @tgrrose @didiintheblog @peachyboneless @pieces-by-me @funmadnessandbadassvikings @ethereallysimple @destynelseclipsa @cocovikings23 @xceafh @mrsalwayswrite @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie @pomegranates-and-blood @jadelynlace @grimeundglow @quantumlocked310 @alexhandersen-marcoilsoe-fandom

Ivarello's taglist: @not-another-viking-fanfic-blog @hashimily @prepare4trouble @supernaturalvikingwhore @funmadnessandbadassvikings

[luc606]

An Autumn Morning

(by @luc606) Saeyoung feels like he doesn't deserve the life he's built, so you pull him out of it with warm fall drinks and some light yard work.

Saeyoung x MC (MC is referred to as "you" but never by name) 1649 words, FLUFF, a little sadness but not enough to call it angst, just domestic Saeyoung with domestic brother-in-law (to be) Saeran, takes place like a year after SE, roughly based on this ask

also technically goes for mystictober day one: favorite character

Saeyoung was not accustomed to paying attention to the changing seasons.

Before, there were only days, months, and years that were spent mostly in the bunker, the time passing carefully, but not precisely measured, like sand through an hourglass. Saeyoung was used to that kind of life, and once he met you, he had found new insecurity in how well that kind of life had seemed to fit him. Now that he was with you, finding his way into a normal life little by little, there were days where it was all he could do not to retreat back into his dark office and wait for you to inevitably get tired of acclimating him to being average.

Today was one of those days.

He’d woken up before the sun, though he could only tell this by the time programmed sun lamp you had asked him to build. He’d installed them all over the bunker, and it only somewhat made up for the complete lack of windows.

Inexplicably, you’d made the bunker almost cozy. Especially now, as summer turned to fall, you’d gently folded throw blankets over the back of the couch and bought seasonal candles for the kitchen and living room.

On days like this, these touches made Saeyoung’s heart ache. Couldn’t you see that this wasn’t right for you? His love deserved a sweet suburban house or a cheerful cottage with a bay window in the dining room, not a windowless bulletproof box that had once been home to daily illegal activity.

You stir next to him in bed.

“Saeyoung?”

On days like this, he doesn’t think he deserves that name.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up,” he says, rolling over to face you. To make himself face you.

“You didn’t,” you say. And then after a pause, “Are you okay?”

Saeyoung knows that he should tell the truth, tell you that he’s having one of those days where he feels like he doesn’t belong in your light. He doesn’t want to, he wants to lie and say everything is okay.

He says nothing, but his hesitation is enough for you. You’ve spent three years with the man now, you know how to tell when he’s feeling this way.

“Baby,” you say, pulling him into you. “Go back to sleep.”

Despite himself, he does.

In the morning, when the sun emulating lamp has begun to turn subdued shades of orange and pink, he finds that he is alone in the bed. You’d let him sleep in, which he almost never does. He lays for a moment, feeling foggy, but soon the door opens to reveal you in your robe with two cups of coffee. He almost smiles, smelling the pumpkin spice creamer you’ve sweetened the coffees with.

“Good morning,” you greet him with a careful smile, handing him his sweet seasonal drink.

The coffee is in a set of matching mugs that had been an engagement gift from Jaehee. His is red and yours is pink, and there’s a curve in both of them that forms a heart when they’re placed together. He loves that you go out of your way to use these mugs more than any others you own.

Saeyoung takes the coffee from you and takes a sip, it’s warm and almost too sweet. He knows you put just a bit more sugar in his coffee because he likes it better that way, even if he should learn to drink it more plain.

“I hope you slept well,” you take a seat next to him on the bed. “We have some yard work to do.”

“Yard work?” he asks, his surprise coming out as a laugh.

Before, the land surrounding the bunker was unruly. The trees and tall grass camoflauged the entrance, so he’d never felt the need to trim the grass or leaves. Now, though, the yard – he had a yard now – was fully under the jurisdiction of his brother. At the recommendation of his therapist, Saeran had begun the project shortly after you’d moved in as a way to redirect anxious energy. He’d planted flowers and shrubs all around the bunker and had laid a garden path around the front leading around to a small herb and vegetable garden in the back. It was Saeran’s pride and joy, and Saeyoung had stayed mostly out of it. He’d only mowed the lawn once, and even then Saeran had complained about the lines he’d made with the mower not being straight.

“It’s fall,” you say, emphasizing this by raising your mug of pumpkin spice flavored coffee. “The yard is covered in leaves, so you should rake them.”

“Isn’t that Saeran’s job?” Saeyoung asks, incredulous. “I mean he never lets me do anything in the yard, I really shouldn’t–”

You cut him off, “I told him you’d do it for him, I’ll help.”

Saeyoung knows what you’re doing here, you’ve done it before. When he gets down, you’ve found that keeping him busy and out of his thoughts helps him overcome the feeling faster. But yard work? This was a new low.

“It’ll be fun!” you add, taking his silence as dissent.

Saeyoung sighs, but nods. Success.

You and Saeyoung finish your coffees in relative silence, you sit perched in your robe reading something off your phone while your fiancé shivers against the cool morning air, bundled in your large comforter as if it’s a shawl. When he finally finishes his coffee (you suspect he’s sipping extra slowly, putting off getting out of bed) you take the mug from him and tell him to get dressed. He makes no move to get up, but he’s miraculously clothed when you return from the kitchen.

He looks good, it’s not often that your nerdy Saeyoung looks like this – rugged, a little messy. He’s wearing jeans and an old red flannel with the sleeves rolled up to expose his forearms. He’s pushed his hair back, as he’s accustomed to wearing it now, but without any product, a few of his curls are stuck up in the air while a few fall back onto his forehead.

You kiss his cheek gently as you slip past him towards the closet and he offers a small smile.

“Give me just a second and I’ll be ready,” you say, already slipping off your robe in the closet entrance.

Saeyoung pretends he isn’t looking as you change into a pair of jeans.

“Can I wear this?” you ask, holding up a long-sleeve red t-shirt of Saeyoung’s that he normally wears to work out or clean.

“I’m surprised you’re asking,” he jokes.

You do usually steal his clothes without permission, he doesn’t ever mind.

You shrug. “You’re right there, I’m just being polite.”

He laughs, and his face turns just a bit pink.

Once you’re dressed, you take Saeyoung’s hand and pull him out the door, through the living room, and all the way out to the small garden shed he’d built for Saeran as a gift on the twins’ last birthday.

From the shed, in which Saeran has lined up every tool neatly on pegs along one wall, Saeyoung retrieves the rake.

“How are you supposed to help if there’s only one rake?” he asks you.

You laugh, “I’m here for moral and emotional support, of course.”

Saeyoung, feeling lighter already, whips the end of the rake towards you and gently taps your backside with the handle.

“Lazy~”

“Hey!” You laugh, lunging towards him and catching the rake in your hands and pulling your fiancé towards you with it. “Saeyoung!”

Saeyoung laughs easily, and you can feel the waves of his bad mood melting off. His moments of sadness, depression from a life’s worth of grief and anxiety pushed away for years, are fewer and further between now. He’s seen a therapist a few times, a colleague that Saeran’s therapist recommended, but most of his healing was done by seeing his brother survive and learn to thrive outside of the harsh conditions of their childhood and his time spent in Rika’s misguided care.

“And it’s not that much,” you say, “I’ll put all the leaves in Saeran’s mulch pile while you’re raking and we’ll be done in no time.”

You pull the rake towards yourself again, this time catching Saeyoung’s hip to steady him while bringing him in close.

“Are you feeling better?” You ask, voice low. “You look like you’re feeling better.”

Saeyoung startles, like he didn’t expect you to acknowledge out loud that he was feeling any kind of way at all, but quickly recovers before saying, “Yes, actually.”

He smiles as you pull him down into a gentle kiss, you feel him fail to keep the smile off his face as he kisses you back. His face is warm from the last little bit of summer sun that’s pouring down on you both.

“I love you,” you say, finally pulling away.

His eyes are intense as he pulls back to look at you.

“I love you too.”

☆

Later, after the fallen leaves have been relocated to Saeran’s compost and are no longer threatening to ruin the lawn, Saeran thanks his brother for raking the yard, not with words, but with a warm cup of hot chocolate and a soft grin.

Saeyoung’s heart soars when he sees that Saeran has made a cup for you, too. He thinks he’ll never get tired of seeing his two favorite people continue to love and accept one another as family. It’s everything he’s ever wanted.

He finds himself in a completely different state now than when he had awoken this morning. He settles into the couch next to you, able to appreciate the cozy autumn decor that you’ve adorned the bunker with. He no longer feels like this place is stifling you, he understands that you’re grateful for the security the home provides you, and he feels grateful too.

[johnsbleu]

Hold My Hand: John Wick x Reader Chapter 120

warnings: none! hmh masterlist A/N: I’m sorry about my tagging lately. I don’t know what’s going on with it. Tumblr is being wack, of course. So, I’m sorry if you’re not being tagged or if you’re getting the notification weeks later. It’s just tumblr being tumblr, i guess.

It’s a beautiful day today, and you’re sitting in a lawn chair and watching John as he trims the hedges around the patio. John bought some new plants to compliment the gorgeous tulips, and he also got some new mulch for the garden. You were helping him plant some flowers in pots, but you stopped to take a little break since your back hurts.

The yard has always been gorgeous and well tended to, but since you’ve moved in, John has dismissed the lawn company. He always said he didn’t have the time and energy to do the yard work himself since he was usually helping Helen when she was sick, and when he moved back home after everything happened, he hired them again. Now that you live here and love working in the yard, he’s dismissed them again. The yard is large and would take forever to mow, but you surprised John with a riding lawn mower earlier this month, and you love to make fun of him when you see him riding around the yard on it.

“It’s so beautiful today,” you say, tilting your head back in the sun, then you look at John as he nods his head. You smile when you see a little bit of dirt on his forehead from where he’s tried to wipe away the sweat, and you get up to walk over to him. You kneel down and use your thumb to wipe away the dirt, then you smile at him, “I’ll go get you something to drink.”

John smiles, “Thanks, peach.”

You stand up to walk inside, then you look back at John as he digs a hole for the next plant. You open the door and head to the kitchen to pour some water into a cup for John, and you wince a little when you feel a pain in your stomach. Pushing it aside, you head back outside to John, then you sit down and take a sip of his water before you hand it to him.

“You okay?” he asks as he sits down next to you, and you nod. “Are you sure?”

“Just had a little pain in my stomach,” you say, then you look up at John, “I’m okay.”

John looks at you in concern, “Do we need to go to the hospital? We can go right now.”

“It was just a cramp, baby. Probably just some gas or something. I’m okay.” you reach over and cup his face in your hands, then you kiss him, “I love my protective husband.”

“I love my wife.” he whispers, then he leans over to kiss you again, “If we need to go to the hospital, just let me know.”

You nod your head as you sit back in your chair, then you take the water from John and drink the rest. You place your hand on your belly and smile when John leans down to kiss it, then you watch as he walks back over to finish planting the rest of the flowers.

Closing your eyes, you tilt your head back in the sun and smile to yourself. You’re so happy that the weather has been so nice lately, and there hasn’t been a day this week where you haven’t spent most of it outside.

John looks over his shoulder when he hears a car coming up the driveway, then he stands up, “That’s Jerry -- the guy to fix the pool.”

“We’re swimming tonight.” you say, and John nods as he walks over to greet Jerry. You put your hand up to block the sun as they walk past, then you smile when John winks at you.

Groaning a little, you get up from the chair and walk through the house to the backyard, and you smile when you see John standing near the pool as he talks with Jerry. You smile as you lean over the railing on the patio and look at John, then you look around the backyard, taking in the gorgeous view of colorful flowers and even John’s sweet little garden that he’s so proud of.

“I would say you can probably swim by tonight. Should be good by 5, just gotta let it cycle for a few hours.” Jerry says, and John looks over at you and smiles. “I can leave you a little test kit so you can test the water.”

“So, is the filter just broken or something? We use this pool all year round, but we only noticed how green it had gotten last week.” John says, letting out a small laugh, “My wife wanted to swim the other night, and we came out to find it like this.”

Jerry nods, “Every now and again, parts break on these things.”

“Well, good thing there’s guys like you around to fix it,” you say, and Jerry lets out a small laugh.

“Sorry it took us so long to get out here. Busy time of the year.” Jerry says, then he excuses himself so he can get his tools from his truck.

John walks over to you with his hands in his pockets, then he stands in front of you and smiles when you lean over the railing to kiss him several times. He takes his hands out of his pockets to pull himself up closer to you, and you laugh against his lips when he crawls over the railing to hug you.

“The stairs are right there.”

“I was being romantic, peach.” he laughs, then he smothers your face with kisses. “Mm, mm, mm!”

You lean back and smile at John, “You’re laying it on thick today.”

“I always do.”

“Yeah, true.” you laugh as you hug him, then you look over his shoulder when Jerry comes back into the backyard. “I think I’m gonna go lay down for a bit.”

John nods as he rubs your back, “If you feel that pain again, let me know. I’ll rush up to get you and we can leave.”

“I will, dad.” you smile as he laughs, then you lean up to kiss him before you walk over to the door.

“Hey,” John calls out and you look over your shoulder at him, “I love you more than anything.”

You let out a small laugh as you look at him smiling proudly since he really is being over the top affectionate today, “I love you too.”

__

Mill Neck always has great festivals every season, and you’re super excited to be able to actually go to the summer festival this year. The town square is packed with craft booths and food trucks, and John is practically eating everything in sight. He smiles as he walks over to you with a gyro, then he holds it up so you can take a bite.

“My goodness, look at you!” your mom smiles as she walks over, then she pushes past you and reaches out to hug John as you laugh, “So handsome!”

You playfully roll your eyes when your mom looks at you, “Sure, I’m just lugging around a baby, but let’s all comment on how handsome John is.”

“I’m teasing! You look beautiful, sweetheart.” your mom smiles, then she kisses your cheek, “I see John is already eating his way through the festival.”

John nods with his mouth full, then he hands his lemonade to you, which you decline since it’ll give you heartburn, “I’ve been working in the yard all morning. Worked up an appetite.”

“We got the yard all done, so we’re ready for our pool party tonight!” you smile as you look over your mom’s shoulder at Jimmy and Tess, then you lean down and lift up Finn, kissing his cheek over and over as he giggles, “Oh, got a little ketchup with that one.”

Tess holds up the last of her corndog for Finn, and he leans over so she can hold him, “We still on for our pool party?”

“Of course.” John nods, then he cracks up a bottle of water, “Gonna eat my weight in festival food first though.”

You laugh as you look at him, “I sure would love some mini donuts.”

“Then I’ll go get you some.” John smiles, handing the bottle of water to you before he walks away with Jimmy and your dad.

“How’s he holdin’ up?” your mom asks, and you laugh. “Still feeling nervous?”

You nod, “We both are. It’s getting so much closer, and we’re really starting to realize that it won’t just be us anymore. I had a little bit of a cry about it last night if I’m being honest -- still feel a little sad actually.”

“Why’s that?”

Shrugging your shoulders, you walk with your mom through the festival, “John and I have only been together for almost two years, so I think there’s this part of me that just feels like…I don’t know, I feel like it’s stupid, so I don’t want to say it.”

“I always taught you to talk about your feelings, didn’t I?” she says, and you nod your head. “So, talk about them.”

“There’s this part of me that worries that once the baby is here, John will just want to me fuck off or something.” you admit, then you let out a small laugh, “I know how stupid it sounds, trust me, but it’s just the way I’m feeling.”

Your mom wraps her arm around your shoulder and smiles at you, “It’s your feelings, so they’re not stupid.”

“I never realized how selfish I am when it comes to John until now. I don’t want to share him with anyone else. Of course I’m beyond excited to see him as a dad, and I’d never regret having this baby. I already love her to bits, and I’d do anything in this world for her. I just…don’t want John to stop caring about me. I don’t want to lose my best friend.” you look down as you grow sad, but you hear John’s laugh and it causes you to look up at him tossing Finn in the air. A smile spreads across your face when you see John kissing Finn’s cheek, and you give him a small wave when he looks over at you.

“I don’t think you’re selfish, sweetheart. It’ll be a change, it always is when you bring a new member into the house, but…” your mom looks over at John, then she looks back at you with tears in her eyes as you laugh, “I don’t think you ever need to worry about that man not caring about you. I know I’ve told you time and time again, but he is absolutely crazy about you. He still tells me how lucky he is to have you. Hell, he just told me the other night how happy he is to have found you. He just says these things, mind you. He’ll just randomly mention how lucky he is.”

You laugh as you wipe away the tear on your cheek, “He’s corny.”

“He’s in love.” your mom says, reaching over to cup your face, “And I think having this baby is only making him fall even harder for you.”

You smile as you continue walking with your mom, and you watch John as he playfully runs away from Finn chasing him. You look over your shoulder as he runs past, then you laugh when you hear him sneaking up behind you.

“I probably shouldn’t scare you,” he laughs, wrapping his arms around your waist, “Might accidentally push the baby out if I do.”

You laugh as you tilt your head back to look at him, “I’m not that far along.”

“You okay? I saw you talking to your mom.” he whispers in your ear, then he kisses your temple, “I’m always here if you need someone to talk to, though I’m sure you don’t always want to just talk to your husband.”

Tilting your head back, you smile at him, “You’re not just my husband, babe. You’re my best friend.”

The two of you start to laugh loudly since it was fairly corny, and you playfully shove John’s shoulder. His corniness is really rubbing off on you and he knows it.

“It’s true!” you laugh when he walks back over to you and reaches for your hand. “You are my best friend, you know?”

“You’re mine.” he smiles, pressing a kiss to the back of your hand. “You’re okay?”

You nod as you look up at John, “I am, just being a silly pregnant woman!”

“Well,” John laughs as he nods, then he smiles at you, “I love you.”

“I love you.” you smile, tilting your head back to get another kiss from him.

__

After the festival, there’s going to be fireworks, but since that isn’t happening until dusk, you’re having a little pool party with your family. The front lawn will have a perfect view of the fireworks since they’re set off right across the lake, so you’re all just hanging around until then.

Finn is wading around the pool in a little floatie with Jimmy and Tess, and your mom and dad are sitting on the patio furniture watching everyone and chatting.

John is sitting on the edge of the pool with his feet in the water, and you place your hand on his shoulder to help as you sit down next to him. He looks over at you and smiles when he sees you wearing a black swimsuit, and you immediately rest back on your hands when he leans over to kiss your bump.

“Just obsessed.” you laugh, and John nods his head. “I get it. I am too.”

John laughs, then he hops in the pool and stands between your legs, leaning closer to your belly so he can kiss it, “Hey, bug. I hope you’re okay in there.”

“I think she’s pretty good! She ate some good food today, and she’s going to have an amazing smoothie in a bit.” you say, cocking up your eyebrow as John laughs. “I mean, you’ve made them for months now, you can’t just stop.”

“Very true.” John says, then he flinches and puts his hands up when water is splashed at him. He turns around and smiles when Finn giggles and kicks his legs, and John disappears under the water so he can pop out and scare Finn.

You smile when Finn squeals loudly and kicks his legs, and you slip into the pool to help take some pressure off your spine. You float on your back as you look up at the sky to see a few clouds still lingering, then you smile when you feel John putting his arms under you so he can hold you.

“How’s your back?”

“Doesn’t hurt so much right now since I’m in the pool, but I wouldn’t push you away if you wanted to help hold my belly later.”

John nods as he sways you back and forth in the water, “Of course.”

You tilt your head back to get your hair wet, then you look up at John and laugh when you see him staring at your boobs, “My boobs are really popping today.”

“I sure don’t mind,” he laughs, then he leans down to kiss you before walking around the pool with you in his arms.

Laughter is filling the backyard as Jimmy and Tess splash one another, and you smile when you look over at your dad holding your mom’s hand and talking to John. You look up at John for a moment before you get down so you can swim with Finn, then you look over at John again as he leans over the side of the pool to continue talking to your parents.

Your heart always bursts with happiness when you see how well John gets along with your parents. It’s really sweet how John cares about them. Of course he cares about you, but he genuinely just loves your family as well and you know how much it means to him that they’ve really accepted him. The fact that he feels comfortable enough to take his shirt off and allow people to see his scars is huge, and it means a lot to you that no one even bats an eye. They all just love him.

John was always worried that your dad wouldn’t like him since usually dads are so tough on their son-in-laws, but Dan loves John and Jimmy, and they all hang out quite a bit. They have cute little golf days, and you always tease John -- lovingly -- about his two best friends.

Dan has thrown his back out recently since he’s getting older, and John has been going over every couple days to help out around their house. Your mom won’t allow anyone to touch the garden, but she hates mowing, so John and Jimmy have been taking turns doing it so far. On top of John just liking your parents, you know there’s a little part of him that thinks of them as his own parents, which you absolutely love since you know your parents love him. He really just wants to take care of them, and it melts your heart.

“Hey,” John smiles as he swims back over to you, “I think I’m gonna get out soon. Start some smoothies for everyone. Wanna join?”

You nod your head as you smile, then you make sure Finn is back with Jimmy before you get out of the pool. Reaching up for John’s hand, you smile at him and take the towel he’s offering you and laugh when you wrap it around yourself.

“I think I need a bigger towel.” you laugh, looking at the towel just barely wrapped around your body.

“Sweetheart,” your mom furrows her brow and leans closer, “You have something on your left side…”

You scrunch your eyebrows and look at your legs and stomach, then you look at your mom when she gestures to your chest.

“Oh!” you turn to the side and move your arm, “I got it last year. It’s a ‘J’ for John! I know, I know, a tattoo is permanent.”

“I wasn’t going to say that.” your mom smiles, then she gestures to John, “John needs to get something for you now!”

John laughs, “I’m planning on it. We said we’d get something after the baby is born. I already have an idea for what I want for my peach though.”

“My face. Just right across his chest.” you say, placing your hand on John’s chest, “Maybe a couple face tattoos as well.”

John scoffs and playfully rolls his eyes, “Yeah, right.”

You give John a little wink as you look at him, then you laugh as you look at your mom before heading to the house. John holds your hand to help you get up the steps so you don’t slip, then he holds the door open for you. You smile at John when you look over at him, then you bite your lip and blush when he looks at you.

“Mrs. Wick, are you checking me out?”

“Why, yes I am!” you smile proudly, then you walk with him upstairs, “You look so…fit lately.”

John scoffs, “Hardly. I’ve been stuffing my face all week.”

You smirk as you look at him, then you playfully shrug, “You certainly have.”

“And I like it that way,” he smiles, leaning over to kiss you. “Might have to have a little peach tonight.”

“Absolutely.” you smile as you walk over to your closet, then you quickly change into some clean clothes. You head into the bathroom and tie your hair up for now since you’ll shower later before bed, then you smile at John when he stands next to you to fix his shirt.

John stands behind you and places his hands on your stomach, then he looks at you through the mirror, “Ready?”

“Yup!”

You lean back against John’s chest and watch as he positions his hands under your belly, then he gently lifts your stomach up to help relieve some pressure on your spine and pelvis. You lean your head against his chest and close your eyes as a smile spreads across your face, and you feel John pressing a kiss to your head.

“Does that feel good?” he asks, and you nod your head. “Let me know when you’re ready for me to let go.”

“Definitely not yet.” you laugh, and John chuckles softly. You open your eyes to look at John through the mirror, then you laugh tearfully, “How the fuck did I get so lucky?”

John kisses your cheek before he looks at you, “How did I?”

After a few moments of holding your gaze, John kisses your cheek again, then he gently lowers your belly back down. You exhale when you move from in front of John, and you turn around to hug him.

“You have no idea how much relief that gives me.”

“Just here to help.” he whispers, then he reaches for your hand when you start to walk away, “Are you okay?”

You take a deep breath and nod, “Just--”

“Being a silly pregnant woman,” he says, cocking up his eyebrow, “You already tried that on me earlier.”

“Nothing gets past you, Wick.”

John lets out a small laugh, “Just let me know what I can do.”

“We’ll talk later. We always do.”

“You’re not mad at me, are you?”

You walk over to John and cup his face, “Of course not!”

John leans down to kiss you several times, then he takes your hand and walks with you back downstairs. He walks over to the fridge to get out everything he’ll need for smoothies, and you grab a few extra towels for Jimmy and Tess. You hand one over to Jimmy as he walks into the house, then he puts his shoes on.

“I gotta get Finn’s headphones for the fireworks. I’ll be back.” he says, then he stops when he sees John with the blender, “You makin’ smoothies for everyone?”

John laughs as he nods, “Yeah.”

“Hell yeah!” Jimmy pumps his fist, then he quickly leaves the house.

You laugh as you look over at John, “My husband, the smoothie maker.”

__

“How the hell does one fall asleep during fireworks?” John laughs as he stands next to the bed and lifts up the blankets to get in, then he sits down, “I know he’s a baby, but that was amazing.”

You smile as you lean against the wall, “It was so cute seeing him crawl over to you and just falling asleep in your lap. Made my heart melt.”

“He’s a cute kid.” John says, and you nod before you start to brush your teeth.

You mumble with your toothbrush in your mouth as John raises his eyebrows and laughs, then you roll your eyes and put your finger up before you walk into the bathroom to spit out the toothpaste. You wipe your mouth off and pull your wet hair up into a bun, then you head back into the bedroom.

“I said that he always looks so cute when he scrunches up his nose when he laughs like Tess.” you say as you walk over to the bed, “Tess always scrunches up her nose when she talks and laughs, and I think it’s cute that Finn does it. He looks so much like Jimmy sometimes, so I love when I see Tess in him.”

“I see Tess in him,” John says, and you look over at him, “When he’s bawling his brains out or when he’s being naughty.”

You playfully shove John’s shoulder, “Be nice.”

“I’m kidding, of course. Finn’s a great kid.” John inhales deeply and looks over at you as you get yourself comfortable by stuffing pillows around you to support your belly, and he smiles when you look up at him, “You comfortable?”

“I am,” you laugh as you nod, “For once. I just wanna crash.”

John smiles as he leans down to kiss you several times, then he holds your gaze, “I love you.”

“I love you too.” you whisper to him, then you lean up to kiss him again before you close your eyes and wrap your right arm around his waist.

“I’m gonna watch some TV, okay?” he says, and you nod your head as your eyes slowly flutter shut.

__

It only started raining about 15 minutes ago, so you assume John will be home soon. He went over to your parents’ house to mow for them, but now that it’s raining he’ll probably be home soon.

You grab a blanket off the couch as you walk past, then you head to the back patio so you can enjoy the rain. You smile at Bleu when you walk past him, and he hops up and follows you outside. He plops down on the deck and lays near the loveseat, then he perks his head up when he hears the garage door opening.

“Oh, your dad is home.” you say, and Bleu gets up and whimpers as he looks through the patio door, his tail wagging faster when he hears the front door open. You look over your shoulder into the kitchen window and watch as John walks in, and you perk up when you see flowers in his hand.

John sets the flowers down on the counter and rubs his hand over his beard, then he furrows his brow and walks into the living room. You peek through the window and watch him walk past the kitchen, then he stands in the doorway and looks around. A flash a lightning lights up the house for a quick moment, and John immediately looks over at the kitchen window and smiles when you wave at him. He waves back at you as he walks out onto the patio, then he laughs and pets Bleu for a moment.

“Knew you’d be out here as soon as I saw the lightning. Scoot over, lemme hold you.” John smiles as he sits down next to you, then he wraps his arm around you to pull you closer, “Gimme a kiss.”

You laugh quietly as you lean up to kiss John, cupping his face in your hand, “I love how you always say ‘gimme a kiss’, it’s so cute.”

“Keep kissing me!” he says against your lips, and you laugh even harder, “I missed my peach.”

“You were gone for three hours.”

John leans back and nods, “I know, I didn’t think I’d be gone for so long.”

You scoff quietly, “Three hours is not a long time, John.”

“I think so,” he pouts as he leans down to kiss you again. “Way too long. Hate being away from you.”

A smile tugs at your lips as you look up at John, “Really?”

“Of course. I’d rather be with you than anyone else.” he pulls you closer to him and kisses the top of your head, “You’re my girl.”

You lean your head against John’s shoulder as you look out at the rain falling in the backyard, and you smile to yourself when John kisses the top of your head over and over. He inhales the smell of your shampoo as he leans his head against yours, then he rubs your arm to warm you up.

“How long have you been out here?”

“Literally 30 seconds before you got here.” you laugh, then you look up at him, “How’s dad doing?”

John nods, “Good. He told me that he wants to be able to mow his own lawn, so he did mow the front. Your mom cheered him on, it was sweet.”

“I’m sure it’s hard for him to just suddenly not be able to do things. He’s taken care of his own lawn and ours since my mom met him.” you say as you shrug, “I’m sure next year when you’re an old man, you’ll be the same.”

“Oh, don’t even start with old man jokes!” John laughs, then he holds your gaze when you cock up your eyebrow. He tickles your stomach as you laugh loudly, then he leans down and tickles the crook of your neck with his beard. “You think I’m old?”

You laugh as you grab John’s wrists and push his hands away to keep him from tickling you, “No! Of course not! You’re my hunky hot husband, who literally has not aged a day since I met him. Seriously! You look exactly the same! No grays in your beard or hair, no wrinkles. Tell me your secret!���

“Happiness,” he whispers, and you playfully gag as you cross your eyes. “It’s true, peach.”

The rain is still coming down as you sit in John’s arms, and there’s a strike of lightning that’s so bright it lights up the entire backyard. Thunder rumbles a few moments later causing Bleu to sit by the door to be let inside.

“You want inside?” John asks, then he gets up and opens the door for Bleu before he sits back down. He groans a little as he sits back down, then he props his feet up on the table and looks over at you, “Can you believe it’s been a year since we were in Italy?”

“Oh my god,” you look over at him and gasp, “That’s true! One year ago, wow. One year since you scared the shit out of me. Twice, might I add!”

John lets out a small laugh, then he looks over at you, “I’m still so sorry about that. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for you, seeing me like that.”

“Yeah,” you nod as you look at him, then you shrug, “I was just so worried about you. I finally met this amazing man who was everything I wanted, and I was scared I was going to lose him.”

“I wasn’t dying, peach.”

You roll your eyes playfully, “I know that, Wick. I think…there was always this part of me that thought after it happened, you’d get this…urge to go back to that life. Like maybe our life wasn’t enough since you got a taste of that other world again.”

John nods his head as he turns to face you, then he smiles and reaches for your hand, waiting for you to continue.

“But I think that night really changed it for me. I saw the way you looked at me when I saw you -- I saw your heart break.” you look over at him and shrug, “I think that was the moment I realized that you were truly ready to leave it all behind.”

“I’m still not even sure why I took the job there.” John admits, playing with your fingers, “Guess I just…thought it was what I was meant to do. At the beginning, it was really hard to turn off that switch, you know? But I think a lot changed for you and I after Italy. We finally decided on getting married that fall, you decided to come off your birth control, we wanted to start a family. I think Italy was exactly what we needed. Just the two of us away from all distractions. It was exactly what I needed as well because I realized that I just wanted to be with you. I didn’t care about that old life that I had.”

You smile softly as you look at him, “You don’t miss it?”

“Not at all.” John shakes his head as he looks out at the rain, “My life with you is so important and special to me, you know this. Putting myself at risk all the time isn’t worth it anymore.”

“It never was, Jonathan.”

John chuckles, “Agree to disagree. But I have a baby on the way with my favorite person in the world, a person who I couldn’t imagine my life without now, and I think that’s what is the most important thing now.”

You never got to have your conversation with John last night since you fell asleep and John has been gone for most of the day, so you figure you might as well have it now.

“You ready to talk now?” John asks, and you look up at him and smile. “Did I read your mind?”

“You always do,” you laugh, then you inhale deeply, “Obviously I’m beyond excited to start this new chapter with you, to be parents! I feel so lucky that I get to do it alongside you. We both have a lot of the same values, and I know we’ll both put her above anything.”

John reaches over and cups your face, “Just say what you’re feeling, mouse.”

You take a deep breath and sigh as you look at him, “I’m selfish because I still just want you to myself. It won’t be long now until we’ll have another person under the roof, and I feel so selfish because I’m going to miss the times when it was just us. I’m gonna miss having you to myself. We haven’t been together for that long, so it sucks that now I have to share you. I just want you to myself forever.”

“Do you really think I don’t feel that way too?” he asks, and you shrug as you nod. “I feel the exact same way. I love having you to myself, but I know I’m going to have to share you soon. I actually have been afraid to tell you about it, but I talked to Jimmy about it.”

“Really?”

John nods as he laughs, “Yeah, and he said he felt the same way too when they first had Finn. He said he felt a little jealous about not having time with just Tess, then he felt guilty about it because he thought that meant he didn’t love Finn, which we both know he absolutely does. Think about their relationship. They’ve never really had any time to just themselves since she got pregnant right after they got together.”

“That’s true, I shouldn’t complain.”

“Baby, that’s not what I’m saying,” John whispers, and you bite your cheek as you look up at him, “I feel the same way as you, and I know that she’s going to need you more than she needs me, that’s just a fact. I’ll miss when we could just do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted, but I also don’t want a baby to hold us back from doing things. I want us to still go out and have fun, and that’s not something that should ever change just because we have a baby.”

You nod as you look at him, “We can have date nights.”

“Absolutely! Your mom wanted to be here so she could be near her daughters and her grandchildren, you know that she’d be more than happy to take the baby for us so we could have a date night. I absolutely love taking you out on dates and showering you with love, and I don’t plan on stopping.”

You shrug, “I just don’t want…ugh, never mind, it sounds so stupid.”

John smiles softly as you look at him, “You know that I am absolutely crazy about you. You are the most important person in my life, and you always will be. Every morning I wake up and think to myself how fucking lucky I am to have you. You know my past, you know what I’ve done, and when I told you, you didn’t bat an eye. Do you know how lucky I am to have that, to have someone truly accept me and love me?”

“I just love you a lot,” you laugh tearfully as you wipe away your tears, “I don’t want us to lose what we have.”

“You can’t lose something this special,” John smiles, and you lean up to kiss him, “I made a promise to you that I would do everything in my power to make you happy and to show you every day how important you are to me, and I don’t plan on breaking that promise. It’ll be different with a baby, but I’m still going to be just as crazy about you. I love you more than anything, I really do.”

“I love you too, Wick.”

John smiles as he kisses you, then he leans back and laughs, “Anyone would be crazy about you, and I’d be an idiot to not be in love with you. I would be a massive idiot to fuck up what we have as well, especially since this is something so rare. I’m always going to be crazy about you -- in fact, I’m even more crazy about you now.”

You cup John’s face as you lean up to kiss him, then you rest your forehead against his and close your eyes,”I’m sorry I’ve been so crazy.”

“You haven’t been.” John whispers against your forehead, “This is so new to us, of course we’re going to be having some different emotions and feelings about things. But what’s important is you coming to me so we can talk through it. I don’t want that to change.”

Letting out a small laugh, you lean back and smile at him, “How are you always so level-headed?”

“One of us has to be,” he jokes as you laugh, then he rubs his thumb over your cheek, “Is there anything else bothering you?”

You shake your head as you smile at him, “Nope.”

“Okay, well, if you think of something later on, don’t ever hesitate to talk to me. I’m your husband, it’s what I’m here for.”

“I love you,” you scoot closer to John, then you raise your eyebrows and smile at him, “I know you’ve purposefully avoided talking to Bug…”

John laughs, “I didn’t want you to think I don’t care about you, so I wanted to talk to you first and make sure that you were feeling better.”

“But now…”

John laughs as he pulls the blanket off of you and kisses your belly, “Now I gotta talk to our baby girl.”

You smile as you watch John whispering softly to your belly, and you rub his back as he leans down and kisses your stomach over and over.

“Is she sleeping? Usually she’s kicking when she-- never mind,” John laughs when he sees your stomach move, “There she is. Hi, baby.”

“She was stomping on my bladder earlier today for about 15 minutes when I was trying to lay down, so I never got to take a nap.”

John chuckles as he sits up, still keeping his hand on your stomach, “Well, how rude of her.”

“She’s probably kicking now because she’s hungry.” you say as a smile spreads across your face, and John lets out a small laugh. “I was waiting for you to get home so we could go get something.”

“What are you in the mood for?” John asks as he gets up and reaches for your hands, and you shrug and gesture to him, “Oh, you’re in the mood for me? Mrs. Wick…”

You laugh as you playfully shove his shoulder, “What are you in the mood for?”

“Well, now that I know you want me…” he teases, then he laughs as he leans down to kiss you, “I’m in the mood for anything. It’s up to you, peach.”

“I kind of want pancakes.” you say, and John nods, “But not your pancakes.”

John scoffs as he backs away, “Ouch!”

“I really want pancakes from the cafe, which is perfect because you can get a burger!”

“That does sound good.” John nods, then he wraps his arms around you and kisses you several times, “You don’t like my pancakes anymore?”

You laugh as you look at him, “I love your pancakes, but you gotta admit, the cafe makes amazing pancakes.”

“They do.” John nods, then he pecks you again before he walks over to the door to open it.

Wrapping the blanket around you, you walk into the kitchen and smile when you see the flowers on the counter, “What are these for?”

“Oh, I ran to the store and grabbed a few things for your parents and I saw these beautiful flowers, so I got them for you.” he says, and you smile at him as he leans down to get a vase under the sink. He fills it with water and starts to laugh when he realizes you’re just staring at him, “I bought your mom some flowers too, and I’ve bought you flowers before, this isn’t new.”

“I know!” you laugh as you walk over to help him put the flowers in the vase, “It’s just sweet.”

John wraps his left arm around your waist and kisses your forehead, “You’re very cute, you know that? Still get butterflies coming home to you.”

“Stop! You’re gonna make me cry again.” you laugh, then you huff when your eyes fill with tears.

“Best thing that’s ever happened to me.” John whispers as he moves closer, “Waking up next to you every morning is indescribable.”

You put your hands over his mouth and laugh, “Stop it, Wick! I’m already a mess! I’m gonna make you cry one of these days, though I’m not as romantic as you.”

“Yes, you are,” John laughs, and you roll your eyes as he wraps his arms around you and kisses your forehead, “I love you. If you ever feel like I’m slacking, just let me know.”

You scoff as you move out of John’s arms, “You slacking on being a good husband? Highly unlikely.”

“You’ll let me know?”

Looking back at John, you shake your head for a moment, then you nod, “Of course, but I know it won’t happen.”

“If it did, it certainly wouldn’t be intentional.” he says, and you smile at him.

You hold his gaze as you walk back over to him, and you reach for his hand and press a warm kiss to the palm of it. You place it on your cheek as you look up at him, then you close your eyes and smile, leaning into the warmth of his hand.

John shakes his head when you look at him, then he smiles, “You’re trying to get me to cry?”

“Maybe…” you say softly, then you laugh when John cups your face in his hands and kisses your forehead. You take his left hand and look down as you press it to your belly, then you laugh quietly. You tilt your head back as you hold his gaze, and you smile when John blinks a few times. You perk up and smile when you see his eyes growing glassy, and he lets go of you and turns around to hide from you. “Oh, my god! It worked!”

Keeping his back to you, John lets out a small laugh, “I’m not crying. Something flew into my eyes.”

“Oh, yeah, both of them?” you scoff, then you walk over to him and smile when he faces you, “You got a little teary eyed, don’t lie.”

“I did,” he laughs, and you raise your eyebrows in curiosity, “I genuinely didn’t mean for it to happen.”

You throw your hands up in victory as John laughs, then you dance in place, “I did it! I did it!”

John chuckles as he pulls you back to him, then he hugs you tight as you wrap your arms around his waist, “Can’t tell you how happy I am to have met you.”

“Oh, no, we’re not doing this again.” you laugh as you push yourself out of his arms, but he tightens his grip on you and smiles. “I’ve cried enough tonight.”

John hugs you tight in his arms as the two of you share a sweet kiss, then he kisses your cheek several times before burying his face in the crook of your neck. You hug him tight in your arms when he lifts you up to sit on the counter, then he kisses your nose before he walks over to the freezer.

“I ate all the ice cream last night.” you say, looking over your shoulder as he opens the freezer. “I woke up at like 2 and came down to eat it.”

“Without me?” John laughs, and you let out a small laugh as you nod. He walks over to you and helps you off the counter, then he kisses your forehead, “I made my girl cry a few too many times, so I think you deserve some ice cream.”

You nod, then you shrug, “They were happy tears though.”

“Oh, so you don’t want ice cream? Okay.” John jokes, letting go of your hand as he walks into the living room, and you run after him as you grab his hand.

“Hey! I still want some ice cream!”

John grabs his keys off the table and smiles when you look at him, “God, you’re so cute today. Come here!”

You laugh as John pulls you closer to him so he can kiss you, and you hug him tight around his waist. You tilt your head back to catch your breath for a moment, then you kiss him again and smile when he shakes his head.

“How the hell are you my wife? My wife?” he asks, and you playfully shrug, “So damn lucky.”

“What is going on with you today?”

John chuckles, “I don’t know. I think being around your parents made me…realize that that’ll be us someday. Your mom cheering on your dad, just like you cheer for me. Your dad is so in love with your mom, just like I am with you. It was nice.”

“They’re pretty cute.”

“They are,” John nods before leaning down to leave a sweet kiss on your lips, “I’ll tone it down for now, but just know that when we get home, it’s gonna get cranked up to ten.”

You laugh, “Oh, this isn’t ten?”

“You know this isn’t ten.” he laughs, and you smile as you look up at him.

__

“Hey,” you smile as you get to the bottom of the stairs, then you walk over and sit down when John pats the stool next to him. You lean over to see the book he’s working on, then you set your phone aside and prop your head up on your fist, “I love this cover, baby. It looks great.”

John takes a deep breath and nods as he sits back, “Yeah, it’s been fun to work on. A bit tedious with the gold flakes on the spine, but it’s a good one.”

You reach over to carefully move the book so you can see the gold on the spine, then you gasp, “This is gorgeous. They’re gonna love this.”

“Thank you. Got quite a few books done for clients. Some live not far from here, I thought you could ride along when I drop them off.” he says, and you nod your head and smile. John pats your thigh, then he leans over to kiss you, “How was lunch with Amanda? Kid-free?”

“Nope, Harper tagged along, but it was good!” you lean back and rub your belly, “Baby Wick is very happy because she got some amazing chicken -- a chicken salad. I ate like shit this morning so I figured I should eat a salad for lunch.”

John chuckles, “Balance.”

“Balance, yes. Balance because I…” you grimace as you look at John, “I so badly am craving a cheeseburger. I feel like these days all I can think about is food.”

“Hey, you and me both, and I’m not even pregnant.” John laughs, then he leans down to kiss your belly. “I’m glad you had a good lunch, baby.”

“Have you been outside today?”

John shakes his head and looks over, “No, I haven’t. Is it hot?”

“It’s like 100 degrees out,” you say as you grab your phone and look at the temperature, “Okay, not really, but it is like 80 something and there’s no breeze.”

“Wow, you must be dying.” he laughs as he gestures to your belly.

Nodding your head, you exhale loudly, “I’m certainly not thriving. Tess called me while I was out and wondered if she could come over and swim. I said yeah and told her I’d text her when I was home.”

“She knows that she can just come over and let herself in, right? I don’t mind. She even has a key to our front door. No sense in having a pool if we can’t share it with our family.”

“I told her that, but I don’t think she believes me when I say that you’re okay with her just coming over and using the pool without your permission.” you smile as John looks over at you and laughs, “As if anyone needs your permission. I’m the boss of this house.”

John leans over and kisses you several times, then he pats your cheek, “Yes, you are, baby. Hey, have you checked out the tank lately?”

“Ooh, I have not.” you get up from the stool and walk over to look at the fish tank, then you kneel down a little and look at all the bright colored fish swimming around. You grab the fish food and sprinkle a few flakes in, then you look at John to see him watching you, “They look good.”

“Yeah, I think we should get some more. How many do we have in there?”

You purse your lips and bend over to look in the tank, “Uh, I’ve counted 6.”

“Yeah, we definitely need some more.” he says, and you walk back over to sit next to him, “Maybe get some this weekend.”

John turns back to continue working on his book, then he glances up and smiles when he realizes you’re watching him. He gently brushes away the remaining gold flakes on the book and smiles as he looks at it, then he looks back at you again.

“Sorry,” you laugh as you shake your head, “I just love watching you work. I forget how…calming it is.”

“I don’t mind.” he smiles, then he leans over to kiss your cheek.

You watch John for a few more minutes as he finishes up the gold on the book, then you smile when he presses his stamp to the inside of the book. It’s always been one of your favorite parts, and you’re unsure as to why. It’s just really cute.

“Do you remember the other day when you were making me cry over everything?” you ask, and John laughs as he looks up at you.

“And you were trying to get me to cry, yes, I remember.”

You smile and grab your phone, “Well, when you were at work yesterday, I thought to myself ‘why don’t you vocalize more to John how much he means to you?’ So, I opened up my notes on my phone to write everything that came to mind. We both know that you’re good with words. You’ve always been honest with me and always told me that I make you so happy--”

“You do that too.” John says, furrowing his brow, “Baby, I know how much you love me. You tell me every day.”

“But I feel like I don’t say it enough.” you hold his gaze and smile, “I want to start being more open and vocal about it, saying cute things like you say to me. You deserve it. You deserve to hear it.”

John puts his utensils down and turns to face you, “Okay…”

“Look, you and I are number one when it comes to having our deep conversations and talking about how important we are to one another, and I love that. I truly think it’s what keeps us close.” you nod, then you laugh, “But when I opened my notes yesterday to write something to you. I noticed a note that I had written. We met in September; I wrote this about a month after we met. I didn’t even remember that I wrote it, and I hadn’t read it since I wrote it. Until yesterday.”

John sits up a little as a smile grows on his face, “Oh, I’m intrigued.”

“Keep in mind, I didn’t know everything at this point. You and I hadn’t even told each other that we loved each other yet.” you laugh, and John widens his eyes jokingly. “Yeah. Also keep in mind, I am not a poet. You wanna hear it?”

“I do. I absolutely do.”

You take a deep breath as you look down at your phone and unlock it, then you smile when John places his hand on your knee. You exhale nervously and prepare to read the note to John, and you let out a small laugh over how corny it is.

“I hung out with John again today. He’s incredible. I can’t quite put my finger on it and I can’t quite read him yet, but I like him. I like him a lot. When I’m with him, I feel…different. It’s a feeling that I’ve never felt before, it’s butterflies in my stomach from just a little glance or the softest touch, it’s my cheeks burning red when he smiles at me, it’s feeling my heart bursting in my chest when I hear his laugh. It’s…terrifying. I cannot breathe until I’m with him, and I’m quickly realizing how important this man is becoming to me. I want this feeling to last forever, and I have a feeling it will.” you look up at John and laugh when you see his eyes glassy with tears, then you look back to read it again, “I’m terrified and excited all at once, and I already know…that he is absolutely the man I am going to marry.”

John smiles when you set your phone aside, and you shrug bashfully as you hold his gaze. He leans forward and cups your face in his hands, then he shakes his head before he kisses you repeatedly.

“You wrote that about me after knowing me for a month?” he laughs, nodding his head, “Soulmates.”

“Soulmates.” you smile as you nod, then you kiss him again. “After reading that, I decided to have another little moment when I just write what comes to my head, so I gave it another go.”

John immediately nods his head and smiles, “I’d love to hear it.”

You grab your phone again, then you look up at John, “I feel like so many times we focus on whether or not I’m happy and whether I know that I’m loved, and sometimes we overlook you and whether or not you’re happy and know that you’re loved. It’s something I really need to work on, because you should always know how much I love you and how much I appreciate you and how happy you make me. Making you happy is all I truly care about, so if sometimes I don’t do a great job, just know that it’s not intentional. Just like I know you would never intentionally slack on being a good husband. We’re so lucky to have one another, and the flame that we have is never gonna fizzle out because we constantly-- sorry.”

John reaches over for a tissue and hands it to you so you can wipe away the tears on your face, and he smiles when you look up at him. He places his hands on your thighs and smiles, just waiting for you to keep going.

“The flame that we have, this love that we have, it’s never gonna fizzle out because you and I are constantly doing things to keep it lit. We’re lucky that both of us want to put in the work and both of us want to be with one another and make one another happy. Jonathan Charles Wick, you are my absolute best friend in the world, and I am so fucking lucky that I get to wake up and be loved by you, but I am even luckier because I get to wake up every day and love you.”

“Wow,” John laughs as he sits up, then he reaches over for a tissue, “Yeah, you got me.”

You smile proudly, “Yes!”

“Can I see?” he asks as he takes your phone, and you smile when he looks up at you, “It’s gone…”

Shrugging bashfully, you tap your temple and smile, “Maybe it just came off the top of my head.”

John wraps his arms around you to pull you close to his chest, then he kisses your cheek repeatedly before he sighs contently with you in his arms.

“Was all of it off the top of your head?”

You nod, then you shake your head, “Well, not the first thing I read. That really was in my notes. Along with a grocery list where I wrote that I needed condoms, which is weird since we’ve never used condoms, so the grocery list must have been before we slept together for the first time.”

John smooths your hair away from your face as he kisses you, then he smiles, “See what I mean? I am so damn lucky to have you.”

“We’re lucky to have each other.”

Nodding his head, John leans forward and presses a kiss to your lips, then he smiles softly, “No doubt about that.”

__

taglist: @aragornswife | @angie-20000 | @youusunshineyoutemptress | @sanctuarygirl | @n0ffitar | @purrrple-cat | @callmeglenncoco | @ficsnroses @that-one-writer | @tnu-ree | @midnightwhirlpool | @star017​

[jewels2876]

Eye Candy

A/N: Part 2 of Neighbor Tom is here! Sorry for the delay - I meant to post yesterday but work has been crazy and with the workouts I started doing again... I need more time in the day!

Summary: The reader gets to see a little more of Tom...

Word Count: 1007

Divider by the amazing @firefly-graphics​

Series link

I would love any feedback/reblogs/love in general but my work is *NOT* permitted to be used in any other way, on any other sites, without my express permission  

Saturday morning started like any other Saturday for you. The alarm on your watch buzzed at its usual time; you groaned and hit the okay button on your watch, blinking slowly. Sunlight filtered through your curtains as the birds chirped away outside. Slowly you sat up, yawning and stretching your arms above your head; the stretching continued as you rolled your head gently from side to side before swinging your legs over the bedside. You squealed as your toes met the cold wood floor. Looking down, you spotted your slippers against the wall; quickly you stood and stuffed your feet into your slippers. A strange whirring sound caught your attention; your head tilted right, then left, trying to place the sound.

You padded your way from your bedroom, down the hall, and into your open concept kitchen, living room, and dining room. The whirring grew louder which you tried to ignore as you approached your Keurig. You loaded your favorite cappuccino blend and pressed the button for the large cup; the whirring died down for a second before growing louder once more. After a few minutes, the coffee machine sang its “I’m done” tune. You took a sip immediately, sighing as the hot liquid coated your tongue before sliding down your throat. You heard the whirring again and ventured a peek out of the window of your side door.

Neighbor Tom held an edger in his hands, his back to you as he trimmed the grass along his driveway. That much didn’t surprise you, given he had been anxious to mow his lawn just a few days ago. What did surprise you was his naked back, the muscles stretching, pulling, then contracting as he moved with graceful ease. Now this is a view I can wake up to! You took another sip of your coffee as you drank in his form.

Tom could feel the eyes on his back, grinning to himself. He had been trying to meet you since the day he had moved in, catching a glimpse of you dancing around in your living room in a tank top and boy shorts that same day. He had been drawn to you instantly and spent a few days and nights trying to figure out the perfect way to introduce himself. The day you had rescued him from Nancy and Jill, he had noted your interest at his bare chest and a lightbulb went on in his head. Shaking his head slightly to bring himself back to the present, he turned the edger off and turned to wave at you, his smile still stretched across his face.

You waved back shyly, a one-handed death grip on your coffee. He turned back to the trimming and you swore under your breath. He’s honestly gonna be the death of me!

“Y/n come on! We’re gonna be late!” Sarah yelled from your living room.

“It wasn’t my idea to invite him!” you yelled back from your bedroom. You were only half-dressed, as you stood in front of your closet trying to decide on a top.

“Just go with the black swing top with the flower print,” Sarah said from behind you, making you jump back a bit.

“Jesus, warn a girl before scaring her, will ya?” You grimaced at Sarah before grabbing the suggested top and slipping it over your head. “Satisfied?”

Sarah threw you a thumbs up. “Now grab your purse and let’s go already! I don’t want to be late!”

You stuck your tongue out at her and turned to pick up your silver hoop earrings, sliding each one into your ears. “Says the person who is usually running late.” 

Sarah grabbed the wristlet you had already put together and shoved it in your now free hands. “Come on! I want to be the envy of all the ladies when they see us with him!” She grabbed your other hand and pulled you out of the bedroom.

“Fine, but you’re driving!”

Music blared from the jukebox as you and Sarah entered the bar. It was a hole-in-the-wall that drew locals in night after night. You spotted Tom at a table in the center of the room and made a beeline, Sarah close behind. “Hey!” you yelled as he grinned at the two of you. “Sorry, we’re late!”

Tom shook his head and stood, pulling out a stool which you promptly took. “I wasn’t worried. Looks half the town is here already.”

Sarah wiggled her eyebrows at you as she took the other stool. “Don’t look now, but guess who’s spotted us?”

“TOM!” You heard the voice shrill in delight; you cringed before turning to greet Nancy and Jill. “You should join us!”

Tom politely declined. “I”m the guest of Sarah and y/n. It would be rude of me to abandon them.”

Nancy waved her right hand, as her elbow stayed firmly at her side. “They can handle the normal riffraff; you really should sit with us.” Her left hand settled on his right forearm. Tom smiled politely and removed her hand from his arm.

“I appreciate the offer Nancy, but I’ll stay where I’m at. Thank you.”

Nancy’s sneer made a brief appearance before she schooled her face and simpered at Tom. “Aren’t you dear, being social with our less popular neighbors? Well, you guys have fun!” And with as much as her fake enthusiasm would allow her, Nancy trounced off.

You blew out the breath you didn’t know you were holding. “You lucky bastard.”

Tom chuckled. “I think we’re all lucky they didn’t offer to join us instead.”

Sarah started to open her mouth, then noticed the waitress who came to take their orders. “Three boilermakers all around, on me.” The waitress nodded and walked away. Tom cocked his head at the two of you with a rueful grin.

“Boilermakers? You two don’t play around do you?”

“It’s our warm-up. Karaoke night isn’t the same without one. Right y/n?”

Tom gulped. “Karaoke night?”

[cyoc49]

Golly, Archie!

[Based on an inbox request sent to me by @tfkinky ]

Hiram Lodge stood in front of the mirror and adjusted his tie. Today, as with every day, he looked his best and most professional. The crisp black dress shirt wrapped around his powerful chest, his strong arms were hugged by a deep blue suit coat, and a matching tie perfectly pulled the look together. His eyebrows were neatly shaped. His hair... not a strand out of place. He radiated power, and for a good reason: Hiram Lodge basically owned Riverdale.

He was close to literally owning Riverdale, but he had two items left on his to-do list: Archie Andrews and Jughead Jones. At his every chance to claim total control, those two thugs somehow managed to thwart his plans at the last second. If he could get rid of them, nothing would stop him.

And as it turned out, there might be a way to get rid of them.

In a particular moment of desperation, Hiram had made his way to a local witches’ coven. There, he had learned an interesting fact: there was an alternate version of Riverdale in a local parallel universe. One where life was very, very different.

After a series of shady deals with the witches, Hiram was taught a spell which could be used to completely rewrite the reality of an individual and slip them into this alternate universe. Only in his case, it would be two individuals.

Now, Hiram walked over to his desk. He had drawn a pentagram and lit candles as instructed by the witches, and spread out in the middle were pages from a 1950’s comic, showing teenagers living in the time period. On top of the comic pages were two photos: one of Archie, and one of Jughead. Hiram made small cuts in each of his palms, and held them palms-down over the photos. As his blood dripped onto the setup, Hiram chanted:

Little boys who think they’re cool.

Hot shots, now made into fools.

No longer swear, no longer act mean.

Learn to say golly, nifty, and keen.

Slick your hair and dance the jive.

Welcome to 1955.

With each word, the photos began to warp and shake as if they were water. Slowly the photos began to almost melt into the comic, until they disappeared from the table completely. Instead, the comics now featured two new characters: goofy looking 50’s versions of his former foes. The candles blew out.

Hiram smiled to himself. What fun they’ll have

Archie wiped sweat off his brow. He had been mowing lawns and trimming hedges all day. In an effort to make some extra cash on the side he had started his own lawn care service for the good people of Riverdale. It was tough work, but the money was nice. And he got to walk around shirtless all day, which was a nice plus.

As he threw down another bag of clippings, Archie heard a voice in his head.

“You’re a good boy, Archie.”

Archie paused. He looked around. There was nobody else on the street right now. Had he imagined that? He shook his head and went back to work.

... but even as he worked, Archie couldn’t stop thinking of that little voice. The phrase “good boy” stuck with him, and bounced around in his head like a lone thought running free. Archie had never considered himself one of those goody two-shoes guys. Given everything that happened in this town, everyone had to have a bit of dirt on on their hands. But what if he didn’t? What if he had the chance to do better, wash his hands off and dedicate his life to being a good son and a good member of the community. Well, gosh, wouldn’t that be something?

Before these thoughts went any further, Archie snapped back into the moment. It was a nice idea, but this was his life.

“You’re a well-behaved, well-mannered boy.”

He hear the voice from nowhere again, and this time it sounded even more persuasive. Unconsciously, Archie shifted his back and stood straight, rigid as a board. It was like second nature - without thinking, Archie knew to look upright and presentable at all times. After all, that was the way any well-behaved boy should act.

And as he shifted into a proper posture, he felt a wave of Euphoria was over himself. Standing tall allowed him to push out his chest and show off his arms, after all. He smiled a wide, wide smile. Acting in this way, being a good boy, it made him feel indescribably happy... and also a bit horny. There was a strange feeling bubbling inside of him, growing stronger with every second. A feeling of peppiness, and perkiness. Archie knew it was right to help people. Gosh, that’s what good guys do, right? That’s why I’m mowing my neighbors lawns for free, Archie thought to himself. But no - that’s not right. No, I’m trying to make money... aren’t I? Archie felt confused, like his truth was being clouded and replaced by a new preppy reality that was only getting more intense. Golly, how much farther could this go?

“You have sharp dress style.”

With those words, the few clothes Archie was wearing flew off his body. He immediately moved to cover himself up, until the wave of preppy euphoria relaxed him again. He didn’t really miss his old clothes that much. Sloppy jeans and t shirts? And he had the audacity to walk around shirtless? Unacceptable, Archie thought to himself. I can’t look sloppy, I’m 18 for Pete’s sake! I should be dressed to the nines at all times!

The universe seemed to comply with Archie’s new thoughts as a fresh set of clothes wrapped themselves around him. 1950’s style tighty whities slip up and covered his private areas, nicely cupping his sizeable package and perfectly outlining his firm, round buttocks. The waist band went up to his high waist in that classic 50’s style, a style that Archie was coming to think of as his own.

A white dress shirt appeared next, buttoning itself up to the very top button. The shirt was tight against Archie’s beefcake body, and the outline of his pecs and arms could be seen through the shirt, a feeling Archie didn’t mind. The shirt had a small polka dot pattern on it, but of course it did. Archie loved fun patterns on his clothes! Sometimes he wore multiple bright patterns just to feel extra nifty.

Today was one of those days, apparently, as wool dress slacks with a plaid pattern slid up Archie’s thick legs, coming to rest at his high waist. Through the pants the outline of his full buttocks could be seen. The shirt tucked itself into his pants. As if I would ever go anywhere with my shirt untucked! Archie wanted to guffaw at the thought!

A plaid green bow tie wrapped itself around Archie’s neck into a perfect bow (Archie had mastered the art of tying a bow tie many years ago. He hardly left the house without one). As it locked into place, the wide smile on Archie’s face got wider. He felt absolutely giddy in these clothes. Golly, he loved to dress crisp like this! It made him feel real boss.

Pristine white dress socks rolled up his feet, and wingtip loafers wrapped around them. The shoes were brown leather, so perfectly polished that Archie could see his reflection in them. He polished his shoes every night, he liked to keep them looking a spiffy as possible. A matching brown leather belt, just as polished, cinched his waist, further defining his beefy build.

Over the top of the whole ensemble, a knit sweater vest appeared, in a deep blue. Emblazoned on the front was a gold “R” - for Riverdale High, of course! Archie loved his school and had a number of sweater vests, sweaters, ties, caps, and other pieces of merchandise for the school. He loved to incorporate them into his look - Riverdale’s quarterback should show his school pride, after all!

“You look clean-cut and presentable at all times.”

Archie’s hair ruffled as gel began to flow through it and lock it in a slicked back position. His signature red locks now looked like a plastic helmet on top of his head, perfectly styled into a neat all-American side part (the way every man’s hair should look!), and lightened until it was almost a cartoonish orange.

Archie’s bushy eyebrows slimmed out, taking on a clean styled look, and the pores on his face vanished. Archie how had an impossibly clear and bright complexion, aside from a smattering of freckles across his checks. His teeth straightened into a perfect row. His eyes shined a bright blue, even if his gaze was now a bit mindless.

Archie’s look had totally transformed. He no longer looked like the tough jock he was before. He now dressed like a total square. But Archie didn’t care, he thought his dress style was neato! An artificial perfection settled over his whole look, locking Archie in plasticine preppiness.

Archie rubbed his new clothes. Gosh, he enjoyed the feeling of them so much. As his fingers circled his chest, he heard several more words from the voice, only now he willingly welcomed them:

“You obey your parents, Archie.”

“You follow all orders you’re given.”

“You always hold the door open for those behind you.”

“You’d never do something without asking first.”

“You always say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.”

“You are a good boy, Archie.”

With every command that rang through his vacant head, Archie’s wide smile only got wider. The perky feeling was growing. It wasn’t just in his stomach, it had spread through his arms and legs, into his fingers and toes and into every hair on his head. On a molecular level, Archie felt like a keen all-American teen. A swell guy who helped old ladies cross the street, always had dates home by 10PM sharp, and ended nearly every sentence with “sir” or “ma’am” when talking to an adult.

Archie’s connection to this Riverdale was fading. The squeaky clean school boy now had little in common with the unforgiving town he had grown up in. Instead, he was coming into alignment with the other Riverdale, the one where wholesome American values had never gone out of style. His memories had also shifted from the old Riverdale to the new, as he only ever remembered the 1950’s haven as his home.

But there was so much to do there! Heading to the malt shop! Going to sock hops with Betty and Ronnie! Listening to records! Gee whiz, Archie enjoyed his Riverdale life so much, he wanted to be there right now!

“Archie, it’s time to go home.”

For a brief second, Archie’s head spun as the world flashed and shifted around him.

Only for a brief second, though. After that, it was back to the setting Archie knew and loved. Technicolor houses, white picket fences. Children playing in the street. Home. Archie sighed and smiled. He was at peace here.

Suddenly, Archie remembered his plans for the day. He was going to pick up Veronica and take her to Pop’s. Without missing a beat, Archie ran to Veronica’s house. His knock on the door was answered by this Riverdale’s version of Veronica, sporting a prim blouse and skirt, with bobbed hair.

“Hiya, Ronnie!” Archie exclaimed with a wide grin.

“Hey there, Archiekins!” Veronica pulled Archie into a hug.

The two embraced for a moment and looked at each other sweetly. It was puppy love, plain and simple. Archie always wanted a girl to be sweet for, and Ronnie was the right one for him. And if he was lucky, they might get to play some backseat bingo in his station wagon later.

“Ready to go, sweetie?” Archie asked. Veronica responded with a nod, and the two made their way to Pop’s to split a sundae. Another perfect Riverdale day!

———————————————————————

Jughead paced the floor of his dad’s trailer. He’d been tipped off by a connection on the outskirts of town that Hiram Lodge had been seen paying a visit to the local coven. That could only mean he was up to trouble. Jughead had been trying to contact Archie all day, but his friend had seemingly gone off the grid. Jughead was getting concerned that it wasn’t a coincidence. If Hiram was resorting to black magic, Jughead had no idea what to expect or how to respond. As much research as he did, that was one area he did not mess with.

But now Jughead felt like he was at the end of his line. Hiram had tried multiple times to take him and Archie out, and if he had finally figured out a way, Riverdale was doomed.

He had to contact the witches. That was the only way, Jughead decided. He would drive out there and convince them to undo whatever Hiram had them do. He would beg, make them see that the safety of Riverdale was on the line. It wasn’t his best plan, but it would have to work. It would have to.

Jughead picked up his keys, but dropped them again just as quickly after a booming voice echoed inside his head.

“You’re a good boy, Jughead.”

He couldn’t move. He knew this was the end. But even scarier than the absolute terror he was feeling in the face of defeat, was the fact that those feelings of terror were disappearing. As much as he didn’t want to listen to the voice, the phrase “good boy” just refused to go away. It comforted him, the idea of giving in. Jughead had worked for so long to be a total nonconformist, and yet in this moment he wanted nothing more than to just fit on. Be one of the boys.

Jughead was terrified by the thoughts he heard and felt. He was fighting to hold on to his consciousness, but it was quickly becoming a losing battle.

“You’re a goofy, fun-loving guy.”

Jughead chuckled. He sure did feel that way sometimes. All throughout high school he had been a class clown, always making light of the situation. It was just his way of seeing the world. He liked to make people laugh, but nobody laughed louder than he did at himself.

“You are always dressed in a clean, respectable fashion.”

Jughead’s denim jacket and flannel disappeared from his body. Jughead didn’t mind too much. He wasn’t the kind of guy to dress to the nines, but he did think that every young guy should know how to dress. Jughead kept it simple, but he kept it clean.

To highlight this point, a blue turtleneck sweater popped up around his slender frame, leaving him feeling very comfortable.

White briefs wrapped up his nether regions like a Christmas present, and black dress slacks covered the top of them. The pants were freshly ironed, with visible pleats down the front. Jughead always wore clean clothes!

White tube socks rolled up his legs, and over the top of them came a fresh pair of Chuck Taylor All Stars. Jughead sighed with relief as he wriggled his toes around inside the shoes. Nothing made him feel more boss than a pair of Chucks.

On top of his head, Jughead’s beanie had reformed as a paper crown, his trademark accessory. Jughead didn’t know how he had started wearing it or why he still did, but it sure was fun! And it matched his goofy personality well.

“Your appearance is just as well groomed as your clothes.”

Jughead’s long, unkempt hair was pulled to the side and perfectly groomed into a side part, shortening down in the process to a fresh cut. His teeth whitened and his skin cleared up, just as it had for Archie. Jughead now looked like a perfect model for a Normal Rockwell painting.

Jughead loved the way he looked. This was who he was: just one of the guys, always ready to join in on plans, but never looking to stand out. He was a lovable goofball, and he wore his reputation with pride.

Jughead stood in place, enjoying the feel of his new getup, as more commands piled into his head.

“You love to eat.”

Food was one thing he couldn’t get enough of. He often had multiple hamburgers at Pop’s, and always had snacks no matter where he went.

Jughead let out a low burp. His stomach rumbled, then expanded under his sweater, reflecting his new big eater tendencies. Jughead enjoyed his little pot belly. He chuckled thinking about it.

“You love to laugh.”

And as he did, his chuckle turned into a full-bellied laugh, sending waves of joy throughout his body. His laugh began to take on a honking quality as the tip of his nose expanded to a bulbous shape.

“You are slow-witted, but keen and well-mannered.”

The light behind Jughead’s eyes faded. His journalistic wit and hard-hitting problem solving skills were gone. As Jughead’s goofy personality took over, he felt his care for school and work disappear. He didn’t like to try too hard, raised people’s expectations of him too much. And besides, that school stuff was so hard. Why not take life easy?

“You love to joke, dance, and do other fun-loving, innocent teenage activities.”

Jughead smiled as he remembered his Riverdale. A town where all his best pals were, and where he got to enjoy his neighborhood and all the pleasant people within. It made Jughead happy to think of his Riverdale. He never had to try hard there. Eating burgers and drinking shakes were his highest priorities. The most work he did was cracking a joke in response to Archie’s latest goof.

Jughead kept thinking about his town and how swell he felt when he was there, and realized he wanted nothing more than to be back. Back in his 1950’s home.

With perfect timing, the final command came.

“Time to go home, Jughead.”

Jughead spun, and so did the world. Then, half a second later, everything was back to normal. He was at home, in the suburbia of good ol’ Riverdale. The sun was shining high and proud, and for the 782nd day in a row there was not a cloud in the sky. Jughead knew this was where he belonged.

And just his luck. Across the street was none other than his best pal Archie Andrews! Archie was with Veronica, but was grinning ear-to-ear as he saw Jughead, and Jughead felt the same way as he saw his buddy. Jughead ran across the street to join them (after looking both ways first, of course).

“Howdy Jug! Boy, you have no idea how glad I am to see you!” Archie exclaimed.

“Right back at ya, Archie! Gosh, I’ve been looking for you all over!”

The two pals exchanged perfect white smiles, filled to the brim with glee. What could be better than life in Riverdale, with good buds and great manners?

Archie opened his mouth again “Hey Jug, Ronnie and I were about to go to Pop’s. Wanna tag along?”

“Golly, Archie! You know I can’t say no to Pop’s!”

The three friends all laughed in unison. They turned and began to walk down the street. The sun was shining on another perfect Riverdale day, and it was only noon! Who knew what kind of wacky adventures they could get in today?

TWO WEEKS LATER

Hiram sat and enjoyed a celebratory glass of wine. It had taken several nights of hard bargaining with Mayor McCoy to get what he wanted, but after pointing out the town’s high crime rate and lack of development (and also after making a few “charitable donations”), Hiram got what he finally wanted: ownership of Riverdale. He now truly felt on top of the world.

“This morning’s paper, sir.”

Hiram turned his head to watch as Smithers, the Lodge family’s long time assistant, came in to the room. Hiram thanked Smithers as he left a copy of the morning’s Riverdale Registrar on the table. Hiram truly didn’t care about most of the tat in that paper, even though he was technically it’s owner. But he flipped through, looking for one section that he had recently insisted they add.

“Bingo!” Hiram found what he was looking for as he flipped to the comics page. There at the top was a full-color page of comics labeled Archie and Friends. In today’s installment, Archie (clad in the most garish red bow tie Hiram had ever seen) was helping the neighbor’s kid find his model plane, before being tricked and falling into a swimming pool. Hiram found himself laughing. Archie had always been a gullible fool, it was nice to see that reflected in his new persona. And there right next to him was Jughead, laughing along and eating a sandwich.

Hiram enjoyed seeing what his two former nemeses were up to. He now had a copy of the Registrar delivered to his office every day so he could observe their ridiculously corny adventures. His eyes rolled along the page, looking at the various scenarios the boys found themselves in.

His eyes stopped at the end of the page where the strip had introduced a new character, and older gentleman in a waistcoat with slicked back hair.

And his blood froze as he saw Archie call this new character “Mr. Lodge”.

...Coincidence, surely? There was a Veronica in the strip, so maybe this Mr. Lodge was just her alternate universe father. Why on earth would he be in the strip?

Then, Hiram knew exactly why. In order to convince the witches to hand over their secrets, Hiram had promised to grant the witches legal ownership of their coven’s land, as it was within town limits. Hiram had of course told them what they wanted to hear, but in his legal proceedings earlier that day, he had laid out plans to turn the woodland containing the coven into a tourist lodge.

And somehow, they had found out.

Hiram maintained his composure, even as panic rose inside him. He had faced tougher foes before, and he wasn’t about to let a group of hokey witches take him down. He just had to think of what to do.

Only it was becoming terribly hard for Hiram to think, because a new voice was speaking to him:

“You’re a good boy, Hiram.”

[thegracelessfaceless]

-漫~*'¨¯¨'*·舞~ 𝕾𝖔𝖚𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖓 𝕮𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖕𝖘 𝕳𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖈𝖆𝖓𝖔𝖓𝖘 ~舞*'¨¯¨'*·~漫-

Well well well, today we have four creeps on the roster: Brian Thomas, Tim Wright, Jane Arkansaw, and Kate "the Chaser" Hayes.

𝐵𝓇𝒾𝒶𝓃 𝒯𝒽𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓈 / 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝒹𝓎

Brian hails from the Tuscaloosa, Alabama area.

He's a Southern gentleman and his Mama raised him to be polite and respectful.

Calls his sweetie: darlin', sugar, sunshine (for you, Elsie), puddin', pumpkin or punkin, sugar drop, sweetcheeks, chickie (if you're a girl), teddy boy (if you're a guy) and babycakes.

He likes outside dates the most, hiking in the woods, picnics in a random field he found.

He tries to take you hunting (every country boy's dream date) but it broke his heart when he bagged a huge buck and he looked up and saw tears in your eyes as you stood in front of his kill and watched it bleed.

So the next time he went out for work, he brought you back your favorite food, and a rabbit that he'd managed to catch (it was still alive, unhurt, and SO cute with it's almost blonde fur. You named her Blondie and kept her as a pet. Brian paid for its vet visit)

But boys will be boys... The next time Brian went out hunting, he brought you back an honest to God, severed squirrel's tail and assured you he'd only cut the tail off after he started skinning it and that he'd shot it in the eye so it didn't feel a thing 😖.

Still, that tail is one of your prized possessions. You didn't want the squirrel's death to be for nothing.

Surprisesd you Christmas morning with a pair of boots he'd had made from multiple squirrel kills. They are the warmest boots you've ever had.

One hell of a cook.

Between him and his mother, you would get fat if Brian didn't take you exercising with him.

That's right, he took you to meet his Mama and he's a proud mamas boy.

You saw a picture of Brian in an Eagle Scout uniform. He was at least 15 in it. Of course he'd be an Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts are too mundane 🙄

Hoody doesn't talk much, he's more of an actions guy.

But it always throws you to hear Brian's Southern twang when you hear it filtered through that damn voice changer he uses.

Hoody is a campfire guy. Nothing makes him happier and more at peace than to hold you in his lap in front of a crackling fire.

Sometimes he throws in a Mystical Fire packet, either in blue, green or purple

Smells like the woods, fabric softener, wood smoke, and vanilla

Ahh 😌

𝓣𝓲𝓶 𝓦𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 / 𝓜𝓪𝓼����𝔂

Like Brian, Tim is also from the Tuscaloosa area.

He's not quite as outdoorsy as Brian, at least not in the woods.

Tim is more of a city boy

Parks, mini golf, I feel like Tim would also like kayaking, canoeing, swimming (the man stays hot) in the summer and hot tubs in winter.

Calls you: sunshine,honeypot, baby girl/boy, sweetie, buttercup, and pussyfoot. And your name cos... It's your name 😐

Dilf Time hours are open 🟢

This man is Master of the Grill™

He can take anything and make it taste professionally grilled with only salt and pepper.

Steals steaks from big corporation grocery stores by putting them under a case of water (don't do this! (And if you do, you didn't learn it from me, and no, I've never done this)).

Even grills fruits and vegetables. His favorite is grilled pineapple.

Sometimes he makes burgers and when you take a bite, you learn he's stuffed it with baked beans, or mild salsa and cheese, etc.

Claims he's a visionary.

Smells like: cinnamon, cloves, buttered rum, automotive grease, and cigarette smoke.

Very Hank Hill when it comes to his lawn. He starts mowing in the morning hours before it gets too hot, and is so particular that he measures the grass with his tape measure.

If he's not happy with the length, he pulls out his toolbox and makes minute adjustments to the mower and starts again

He doesn't have a riding mower either, just a push one.

Then he gets out his weed eater and completely loses himself in the lawncare role.

Loses track of time weedeating, trimming the bushes, power washing the driveway and the garage floor.

Speaking of garage, Tim refuses to have his car worked on by anyone but him. You ended up having to buy special soap to get the grease off of his hands after he ruined 4 of your favorite shirts and your most comfortable shorts. You still have them, but so aren't wearing the pink shorts out with Tim's handprints on your ass.

"Hey honey pot" he mumbles into your neck as his hands reach around and palm both of your ass cheeks.

"Tim, did you wash the grease I smell off your hands?"

"Uhhh... No?"

Finally comes in around noon dripping with sweat and you find him with his head in the refrigerator.

He always picks the tiniest bouquet of buttercups and gives them to you. Buttercups for his buttercup 💛

Also likes to kick back in front of a fire with you, but his fires are always in either his fire pit that he built out in the back yard, or in the fireplace inside.

Will serenade you in front of said fire with his ukulele, or his acoustic guitar.

His favorite songs to sing to you are "Angels Flying too Close to the Ground" by Willie Nelson, or "Outlaw Shit (Getting Out of Hand)" by Waylon Jennings. (These are both great old country songs and I think the Jennings one sums up how tired Tim feels).

𝓙𝓪𝓷𝓮 𝓐𝓻𝓴𝓪𝓷𝓼𝓪𝔀 / 𝓙𝓪𝓷𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓚𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓻

Masky is just a huge quiet presence, but if he's out with you and a guy treats you rudely, he's gonna light them up.

Tim speaks in the currency of "Yankee dimes"

A Yankee dime is "a kiss on the cheek from your sweetheart"

"Tim, honey, could you grab the clothes from the dryer?"

"What'll you give me for it?"

"Hmm two Yankee dimes and some sugar."

Okay so I know Jane already lived in the town where Jeff lived, across the street. And I go from the reboot in Mandeville, LA

But I like to think Jane wasn't actually from Louisiana, she just moved there from Texas.

So Jane is also pretty big into Southwestern style foods and texmex food.

She's also a lesbian , sorry boys.

Jane is One Hot Mama™

She calls you: Shug, honey, pet, precious, gem, princess, angel, sweet pea, toots, peach, honey bunch, and cher (short for cherie)

Smells like apple blossoms

Jane's parents made her attend cotillion classes in middle school, so Jane can definitely play the part of Southern debutant.

Jane tries to keep a good balance of time spent at home with you, and time spent in public.

It's just a little hard, given her... Proclivities and hobbies, along with all her scars. That mask gets HOT!

Jane likes to spend time at home with you

She never really had the chance to learn a lot of baking skills from her mom, but she's trying to learn.

She just learned how to make an set the perfect latticed top apple pie crust!

You were both so excited and didn't want to cut it because it was so pretty.

Jane likes to read to you in a hammock that she set up in the side yard.

She can't wait until the day she can call you her wife. She has a binder that she's been keeping since she was a little girl, containing everything she needs for the perfect wedding.

Likes to have tea parties with the neighborhood kids. It reminds her of a simpler time.

𝓚𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓜𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓼 / 𝓚𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓼𝓮𝓻

I headcanon that Kate is of Cajun descent

She has family in New Orleans

But she pronounces it "N'Ahlens"

Kate's cure for any ailment is food. Sad? Here's some jambalaya. Sick? Eat this pepper., it'll clear your sinuses.

Of course she always keeps something on hand to combat the spicy food.

She calls orange cream popsicles "The Remedy"

Actually, she has a ton of different popsicle flavors. She buys the big bags of assorted flavors, in regular and tropical flavors.

She doesn't mind the Southern heat, but she hates getting too hot, preferring cool, dark places.

Your home is kitted out with blackout curtains and stays a cool 65° in the nonwinter months.

Kate calls you flower themed names in both English and French, even if you're male (I don't write the news, I just report it.) Examples:

Ma bouton d'or- buttercup

Ma muflier- my snapdragon

Ma campanule- my bellflower

Ma jonquille- my daffodil

Ma marguerite- my daisy

Ma rose trémière- hollyhock

Ma pivoine- my peony

Ma coquelicot- my poppy

Ma primevère- my primrose

Ma tournesol- my sunflower

Smells like: after the rain, jasmine, and leather soap

I feel like Kate has some abandonment issues, so if you're her SO, she's going to cling to you tightly

Be patient with her. Due to traumas as a proxy, she thinks everyone is out to get her.

She'll hear a noise in the middle of the night and is up and armed and finding it.

She sleeps with a knife under her pillow (sheathed of course), and she has other weapons hidden all throughout the house.

Many nights, you're woken by her cradling you to her body, hand over your mouth and a finger to her lips as he stares into the darkness, listening.

After a few tense moments, you'll feel her relax and take her hand from your mouth.

She's gonna hold on to you for a while though.

😅 this is my first time writing for Kate and Jane really. I hope I did them justice

[needtherapy]

The Necromancer’s Apprentice

Xue Yang has seen The Dark House and he’s heard the rumors that a zombie, a witch, and a necromancer live there. It’s stupid, obviously, but...well...maybe he’ll just sneak in one night and find out.

It’s better than doing nothing. It’s better than going back to the group home. It’s better than sleeping on the street.

Aka, three mildly feral twentysomethings are forcibly adopted by one (1) very feral thirteen-year-old Xue Yang.

Read on AO3

Many thanks to @coslyons for co-writing this with me (all the funniest parts belong to them) and @kevinkevinson for beta.

There is a Dark House in Ballard, and people say to avoid it.

It is probably not called the Dark House because evil lurks inside, although there is some debate about that. It is called the Dark House because it is black from threshold to cupola, from shutters to frames, and it looms on a block where whimsical shops of brick and steel are far more common. Unlike the thrift store and the record shop, the hiking outfitter and the vegan patissiere, no ivy reaches toward the roof of the Dark House. Unlike the local yarn store, no dogs sniff the Dark House’s gate, although at least two cats—also black, naturally—are always sitting on the porch.

It may not be fair to judge a house by its color, but the local legends are clear. If you step on the cracks in the sidewalk, the Dark House will steal your soul. The wrought iron gate of twining snakes comes alive under the light of the full moon to snap at unwary joggers. Children who walk alone after dark get eaten, and the yard is full of bones that wail songs of their murders.

Xue Yang sits on a bench, across the street, eating ice cream and admiring the house. He wonders about the sanity of people who mow the lawn and trim the roses, yet painted their pretty little house black, until it occurs to him that he could just go inside and find out.

He waits until dark, not to stay hidden, but because it’s a more terrible idea, and Xue Yang always gives himself permission to do more terrible things whenever he gets the chance. The high iron fence buzzes with a strange kind of energy that crackles in his palms, so Xue Yang wraps his hands tightly in his flannel shirt as he climbs over. His mother always said he was a practical boy, back when she was still around to say things.

Xue Yang lands in the backyard with a quiet thump onto thin and scraggly grass. The center of the yard is dark under the watery moonlight, with the dirt churned up and loose, and for the first time, a tiny twinge of warning pings in the back of his mind.

He ignores it.

With a flick of his wrist, he summons his knife, a long black switchblade that is seven kinds of illegal and which he loves more than anything else he has ever had, not that there is much competition. With nimble and practiced hands, he slides the knife between the door and the frame, twisting just right when he reaches the lock. With a grin of triumph, he turns the handle, shaped like a gaping mouth, and opens the door.

In the center of the room, there is a long sort of table that seems somehow to pull all the darkness of the room toward it. The shadows gather most thickly around a large, human-shaped lump laid out stiffly on top of it. Xue Yang reaches out to poke it and feels something unexpectedly warm give slightly under his finger.

The shadowy lump on the table sits upright with a sudden jerk.

The shadowy lump on the table sits upright with a sudden jerk.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Xue Yang shrieks.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHH!” the shadowy lump shrieks back.

“Why the fuck is everyone yelling?” a voice says, and the room is suddenly filled with light.

The shadowy lump rips off the sheet and turns into a guy in his early twenties with a scraggly little beard and wicked bedhead. The voice belongs to a grumpy-looking woman wearing a fluffy pink bathrobe. She squints at him in the oppressive brightness, glaring for a long moment before apparently deciding to deal with the man on the table first.  

“Wei Wuxian, I’ve told you a thousand times that the workshop is not a place for sleeping.”

“Technically—” the man begins, before being abruptly cut off by the woman.

“If the next words out of your mouth aren’t ‘yes, Wen Qing,’ then I don’t care. Go to bed.” She rounds on Xue Yang and he takes a tiny, involuntary step back. “You. What are you doing here?”

Before Xue Yang can answer, another guy—this one with long hair, killer tats, and a dedication to the goth look Xue Yang has to admire—runs in with a baseball bat held in his hands like a club.

“Jiejie! Is there something wrong?”

The woman—Wen Qing, she’d said—pinches the bridge of her nose and says, “It’s fine, A-Ning. I’m just trying to figure out what this little hooliganthinks he’s doing breaking into my house and tripping all of my wards while I’m trying to fucking sleep .”

Xue Yang is now convinced that what he’s broken into is some kind of madhouse, and he pastes a charming smile on his face, the one he uses when fists are clenched and the smell of alcohol burns in his nose. The smile whispers words like “anger issues” and “prone to destruction,” and it’s usually weapon enough, but he holds his knife a little tighter too, just in case.

The woman snaps around like she’s felt his fingers grip the handle of the blade and holds out her hand. “Give it to me.”

No. He will not. His chin tips dangerously, his smile grows icy spikes.

Her eyes narrow. “I could just take it.”

They face off for a minute, the tension almost palpable. Actually, Xue Yang thinks, it’s not tension after all. There’s something else in the air. It reminds him of the buzzing fence, and he doesn’t like the way it confuses him.

“Ah, Wen-jie, let him keep her. Can’t you tell? The kid is scared, they’re both scared, and it’s not like he can hurt us.”

Xue Yang is offended. He is not scared, but he’s relieved that Wei Wuxian spoke up all the same, because even though Wen Qing purses her lips and looks annoyed, she drops her hand.

“Fine.” She crosses her arms again. “Wei Wuxian, make sure our little guest leaves. I’m resetting the wards in five minutes and going back to sleep.”

“Yeah, sure.” Wei Wuxian grins and shoots finger guns at Wen Qing. “Sleep well and dream of me.”

Wen Qing rolls her eyes. “Yes, because I love having nightmares.”

“Oh shoo.” Wei Wuxian flicks his hand at the goth man and Wen Qing. “To bed with you both. I can handle it.”

Their footsteps creak on the wooden floors as they walk further into the house. Xue Yang and Wei Wuxian wait in silence until the footsteps quiet, and then Wei Wuxian turns to Xue Yang. The grin he’d been wearing drops off his face and he looks serious, his eyes shaded and dark.

“Look kid, you should know better than to piss off powerful witches. It tends to be bad for the health.” The side of his mouth just barely tilts upwards, more wry than mirthful, and he looks old now. Old and grey and tired. “So, we’ll just call this a learning experience, and you’ll never come here again, right?”

Xue Yang snorts. “Are you kidding? If you’ve got real magic why the fuck would I leave now?”

“Toddlers shouldn’t swear.”

“I’m almost fourteen, fuck you very much.”

“Ah yes, I am now so convinced you are an adult.” Wei Wuxian rolls his eyes. “It’s two in the morning. You want to go home and go to bed. There’s nothing here for you to be curious about at all.”

Something sibilant and musical weaves its way through the words, and Xue Yang has his hand on the door knob before he fights off the slithering compulsion.

Holy fuck that was cool.

“Nah, I think I’ll stay,” he says, sauntering back casually, pausing to look at a weird painting of a monster facing off with an axe-wielding guy in front of a lighthouse. He feels a very strong sense of camaraderie with it right now.

Wei Wuxian sighs. “Sure, maybe you’ve got a little gift. But you’re a kid. Don’t you have parents who are going to, you know, notice you’re missing?”

Xue Yang stares him in the eyes, willing himself not to flinch. Something tells him this is a chance he’s never going to have again, a chance that requires honesty.

“No.” Xue Yang lifts his chin stubbornly. “I don’t.”

Wei Wuxian stares back, and Xue Yang gets the feeling that he sees all the years and all the disappointments that fit into that no. He doesn’t care. No one gives you what you want unless you take it.

This standoff lasts forever, or maybe it’s only a few seconds.

“She’s going to kill me,” Wei Wuxian mutters, and a little louder, “You can sleep on the couch tonight, but I’m locking you in the room and if you touch anything, I will turn you into a mannequin.”

He turns to leave, but looks back with a frown. “Wen Qing builds beautiful, elegant wards that you’ll never feel, never even notice if she doesn’t want you to. Mine will hurt. Don’t. Touch. Anything.”

Xue Yang decides, in the principle of magnanimity, to agree. “Whatever.”

Wei Wuxian shakes his head and points a finger at Xue Yang. “Go to sleep, kiddo.”

The words hold Xue Yang’s hand and lead him to the couch, make him lay down, and within minutes, he is asleep.

He opens his eyes to piercing sunlight and a pale face inches from his.

“What the fuck!” he yelps, instinctively grabbing for his knife and snapping it open.

“Mr. Wei, he’s awake and noisy,” the face says, and Xue Yang focuses on its features.

It’s the goth guy. His arms have full-sleeve tattoos, matching patterns of stark black geometric lines and circles, but his neck has weird black veins tattooed on it. His eyes, which are still way too close to Xue Yang’s, are so dark they’re practically black.

“Where’s the witch?” Xue Yang asks, sufficiently recovered to be an asshole.

“Boiling children,” Wei Wuxian retorts. He’s leaning over the table and taking notes in a tattered book, poking something with a tiny screwdriver. “It’s the only reason we let you stay.”

“Really?” Xue Yang can’t decide if that’s cool or terrifying.

“He’s always like that in the morning,” Goth Guy says conspiratorially. “By ten, he’s pretty nice again.”

“I’m never nice,” Wei Wuxian grumbles. “A-Ning, can you take our miscreant home, please? The last thing I need is cops knocking on The House door asking if we’re kidnapping children. Again.” “Okay, Mr. Wei.”

Xue Yang panics. He can’t go back there. Not since they found him alone with the fire. He knows what they’ll do, and he can’t go back. He won’t . He ducks under Goth Guy’s arm and has his knife angled under Wei Wuxian’s chin before he’s even processed the motor function commands “get up” and “don’t let him send you away.”

“No! You have to…” He scrambles though thoughts, desperate ideas, each one crazier than the last before he hits on words that work themselves loose from his mouth. “You said I had a gift, you have to teach me to use it.”

Wei Wuxian frowns, but instead of being afraid or angry, he tips his head and whistles, two notes that almost sound like a name. To his great shock and horror, Xue Yang’s knife vibrates in his hand, and his fingers snap open like a broken trap, dropping the knife onto Wei Wuxian’s waiting palm. He carefully folds the blade back into the handle.

“Jiangzai,” he says, almost affectionately.

It doesn’t mean anything, but then it does , and it hits Xue Yang so hard he collapses to the ground. The knife has a name, and he knows it’s right as soon as Wei Wuxian says it. Xue Yang’s heart pounds, and he hates it. He hates this motherfucker who just took his knife away and he hates the Goth Guy who is helping him back to his feet. He doesn’t want to stay anymore, and he shakes off Goth Guy, wishing he could throw his kindness on the floor and stomp on it.

Wei Wuxian rolls his eyes. “Okay, maybe you have a little bit more than a little bit of a gift. But you still can’t stay, and I’m not teaching you anything.”

Xue Yang snatches his knife— his Jiangzai—out of Wei Wuxian’s hand and stomps to the door. “Fine. Fuck you.”

He gets as far as yanking the door open and slamming it against the wall before he realizes that there is a person in the way, and she doesn’t look inclined to move.

“Here you go, kiddo,” she says, handing him a bag. “I bought you some clean clothes and a toothbrush. A-Ning will show you where the bathroom is. Come back down for breakfast when you’ve changed.”

This is somehow more terrifying than when she was yelling at him. Yelling he understands. Now she’s just being...creepy. He stares at her belligerently, and she sighs.

“Listen, you little shit,” she says, bending over to look him dead in the eye. She doesn’t have to bend very far, he realizes. She’s actually tiny, even though she seems as big as the Fremont troll. “You will either go willingly with A-Ning, who is very nice, or you can test my patience and get buried in the yard with all the rest of the naughty children who break into my house. Your choice.”

Yeah, that’s more solid ground.

“Fine.” He grabs the bag from her and waves at the Goth Guy. “Lead the way, A-Ning .” He means it to be an insult, but Goth Guy just grins.

Xue Yang hears Wei Wuxian ask, “Wen Qing, what the fuck,” before Goth Guy herds him up the wide staircase, and he doesn’t hear any more of her answer than, “A-Xian, I can’t let him leave. You don’t understand, I did a location…”

This close to the Goth Guy, Xue Yang decides to acknowledge that the pale translucence of his skin is probably not makeup.

“I’m Wen Ning, by the way. I doubt Mr. Wei or jiejie introduced me,” Goth Guy—Wen Ning—says in a casual tone.

“So are you actually dead or what?” he asks Wen Ning, and Wen Ning grins.

“Or what,” he answers enigmatically, and gently shoves Xue Yang in a bathroom with pink tiles and a claw-foot tub.

Once he’s bathed and changed, Xue Yang heads back downstairs. Breakfast is bacon, eggs, and toast, and he doesn’t even pretend it isn’t the best food he’s eaten in a week. It is, in fact, the first food he hasn’t stolen in a week, and that alone is a novelty.

He’s halfway done with his food when Wei Wuxian, who hasn’t touched a bit of his and looks as sullen as an orange, says, “I have been informed that there is some arcane rule about teaching a gift you discover, and my...how did you put it, dear Wen Qing? My immortal soul and earthly being will be in danger if I don’t capitulate to the inevitable?”

He glares at Wen Qing, and she smiles sweetly at him.

“Whatever,” Xue Yang says around a mouthful of eggs. “Are you going to eat that?”

Wei Wuxian passes him the plate of food, and Xue Yang closes his eyes in bliss. Food is amazing.

“There are conditions—don’t look at me like that, Wen-jie. I agreed, okay? I get to set conditions. First of all, you do whatever I tell you. If I tell you to sell turnips on the street corner, you better sell some goddamn turnips. Second, you don’t touch anything unless I say it’s okay. A lot of this stuff,” he waves his hand around the white and yellow room, which looks surprisingly cheerful for a kitchen in a black house, “is priceless and dangerous, so…”

Wen Qing clears her throat and glares at Wei Wuxian.

“Uh...don’t touch anything.” Wei Wuxian finishes, snaking a piece of bacon from Xue Yang’s plate and shoving it into his mouth before disappearing back into his workroom.

Wen Qing rolls her eyes. “I promise he’ll actually teach you stuff once he pulls his head—” She visibly checks herself. “Once he stops being an idiot. More bacon?”

The rest is on AO3

[zmayadw]

Evening all :)

Alrighty, lets continue with the story :)

Wish you all a nice evening!

CALL OF THE RAVEN

PART 19

The next few days i bussied myself working, Jake doing his thing. We barely talked, every effort of his to start a conversation with me ended quickly. I hated myself for doing this to him, but i wasnt up for anything. I turned my phone off, but he took it and turned it back on, saying he will take care of it. Me? I just wanted a few days of peace without those fricking calls messing with my mind. So i had my headphones on, loosing myself in the music, focusing on my work. I saw, ofcourse, when the calls occured, frustration growing at him for yet another failure at locating the call. The close4st he got to it, was that the calls came from within Duskwood. But that meant as little as nothing.

On the morning of the third day, things wernt much different. Coffee was waiting for me when i woke up. I took a shower, taking the coffee, giving Jake a quick kiss, moving back to bed. He still looked worried, the rings arround his eyes starting to show. But he didnt force me to anythig, he just left me be. I took my headphones, the sound of music making me forget the world arround me. I was lost in my work, when i noticed Jake standing next to the bed, handing me my phone. I took the headphones off. „It's Jessy.“ He said, „She's calling for the third time allready.“ He looked at me pleadingly, and i sighed taking the phone from him. „Hello, Jessy.“ „Finaly!“ her cheerful voice chimed from the other side. „Trying to get ahold of you is tougher then trying to call the pope himself!“ she laughed. „Haha, very funny.“ I said, sounding a bit sassy. „Oh my, who stepped on your toe?“ Jessy replied a bit hurt at my sassiness. Jake looked at me intensly, and i cursed for snaping at her. „Im sorry, Jessy“ i started appologetically, she didnt deserve this. „Been feeling a bit 'under the weather' lately, its no excuse to snap at you.“ „No worries, Maya, i understand.“ She said. „Even more of a reason you need some fun!“ she chimed. „Put me on speaker, i want to talk to both of you.“ „Uhm, alright.“ I said, lowering my phone, putting her on speaker, Jake looking puzzled at me. I just shook my shoulders at him, having no clue whats this all about. „Alright, you're on speaker, go on.“ I told her. „Good! Hello, Jake, by the way.“ She said cheerfuly. „Hello, Jessy.“ He answered. „Now, you two are comming later to Dan's place for babrecue and to hang out.“ She chimed from the speaker.“And dont try to make an excuse why you cant, i dont wanna hear it!“ she said stern. „Be here arround 4. And ill text you Dans address later.“ She didnt let us say anything „Allrigh, thats settled then. See you two later.“ She chimmed, adding before she hung up „Oh, and Jake, let Maya breath a bit!“ she said teasingly, making Jake rise his eyebrow at the phone, and me smiling at it. „Later you two.“ „Finaly.“ Jake said as i lovered my phone down. „Huh?“ i looked confused at him. „You smiled.“

I was sitting on the bed putting my sneakers on. Jake was taking his laptop and some other things from the desk, stuffing it all in his backpack, along with my phone. „You're taking all that with you?“ i asked. He turned to me „Well, i want to be ready, in case of..“ he trailed off, and i finished „In case of any new calls.“ My mood darkened again. Jake came to me, crouching infront of me. „Maya, i know this is frustrating“ He took my hands in his. „But i cant help if you turn your phone off and ignore the calls.“ He looked so tired again, and worried, his eyes dark, matching my mood. I hated it. Everything was starting all over again. But this time it was me that was most affected by it all. I sighed „I know, you're right, but its eating at me inside, Jake. It feels like darknes is creeping at me, slowly taking all the joy and happines away.“ My words made his eyes look even darker, his face showing all this was hard on him as much as it was on me. He lowered his head on my knees, and i ran my hand through his hair. „Its killing me to see you like this.“ He said it so desperatly, my heart squeezed. „Hey“ i said softly, making him look at me. „I'll be fine.“ I wished we could just run away somewhere, leave all this behind, forget the world exists. But with my luck, shit would follow no matter where i go. I smiled at him „ We should go. Or Jessy might send SWATs if we dont show up on time.“ He smiled at it, getting up, pulling me from the bed „Lets go.“

We walked in silence to Dan's place, each lost in our own thoughts. As much as i didnt want to go, maybe this would be exactly what i needed. And I was happy i'd see Jessy, her cheerfulness would be welcoming. We stopped at one of te houses, Jake announcig we're here. It was smaller,a single storey, but i found it the perfect size. It had a nice big back yard, grass neatly mowed and fence trimmed. We came to the front door, Jake ringing the bell. Dan opened it grinning at us „Whoa“ he said „Who got you two in such a 'good mood'? You look like shit!“ „Gee, thanks Dan, again, thats exactly what i wanted to hear.“ I told him, Jake silently standing beside me. „Aww, Maya“ Dan started „Like you dont know me by now. I always say it as it is.“ He grined at us, and i chuckled „Unfortunaly, i'm aware of it.“ „Well, come on in, Jessy is already impatiante waiting on you to show up.“ He ushered us in. „Just continue straight to the kitchen“ Dan instructed me. I entered the kitche, Jake and Dan following. Jessy smiled at seeing us, running to me for a hug „Finaly! I was worried i would have to send Dan to get you!“ she said cheerfuly. „I dont doubt you'd do it!“ i said, letting her go. She turned to Jake now, hugging him. He was surprised by it, looking all fidgety, not knowing what to do. He hugged her back akwardly, and i chuckled. Jessy let go of him, noticing him being uncomfortable. She winked at him „Oh, dont worry, Jake, i dont bite.“ I couldnt keep it anymore, so i laughed. It was Dan that came to his rescue, patting him on the back, „Dont scare the poor guy, babe. Rather give him a beer.“ Jessy grined at Dan, turning to the fridge, grabbing two beers, handing them to Jake and Dan. Jake took a sip, calming his nerves „Im not scared.“ he said, turning to Jessy, still being a bit uncomfortable. „Dont worry, man“ Dan said to him in his dramatic way „I get you, she can be scarry sometimes.“ Jessy looked at Dan furiously, throwing a rag at him, as he stuck his toung out at her running to the other room. Jake chuckled at it, but she looked at him all serious, making him avert his look, taking another sip of the beer. She turned to me „Want some wine?“ „That'd be great.“ I told her smiling. She poured a glass and handed it to me. „Oh for the love of it!“ Dans voice ringed from the other room. I looked at Jessy questionably. She sighed „He is trying for the last hour to connect the outside speakers so we can have some music in the back yard. Unsucessfully, as you might notice.“ Jake said „I'll go help.“ Jessy smiled at him. „Thank you!“ „Hey, i dont wanna stay here to test that theory about you biting.“ He grined at her, leaving the kitchen to join Dan. Jessys eyes opened in bewilderement, turning to me „Did he just joke?“ I chuckled at her „He's getting better at it.“ We both laughed. She got back to finish the salad she was doing when we came. „Can i help with anything?“ I asked „No, you just sit and relax, i'll join you any minute.“ I sat at the table, taking a sip of my wine. Few minutes passed, when music was heard through the open doors leading to the back yard from the kitchen. „Finaly!“ Jessy exclimed cheerfully. „Thank you, Jake!“ She yelled. „No worries.“ He yelled back. „Hey, i helped, too!“ Dan yelled sounding offended. „Ofcourse you did.“ She yelled back sarcasticly, making me laugh again. She came joining me at the table. „So, how are you, Maya?“ she asked. „I've been better.“ I answered honestly. „I'm tired, Jessy.“ I sighed „All thats happening is becoming too much on me. I feel like im drowning, and at the same time i feel numb.“ She looked at me concerned. „I'm barely keeping it together. If it wasnt for Jake..“ i trailed off. He really was the one keeping all this madness of mine at bay. „He is worried about you.“ Jessy said, hesitating for a moment before she continued. „He called me yesterday.“ „He did?“ i asked surprised. „He was desperate, Maya. He had no idea what to do, it was eating him alive. He told me what happened. He begged me to help, mumbling something like he let you down. I barely managed to calm

him.“ „Shit.“ I said, lowering my head on the table. „I never tought I might make him feel that way.“ I looked back at Jessy „I would crumble to pieces long ago without him.“ „I know that, Maya.“ Jessy squeezed my hand. „Just talk to him, dont shut yourself out.“ She smiled softly at me. I smiled back, going to her for a hug „Thank you, Jessy. You are the only one beside him that can pull me back on my feet again.“ „Im here for you, i told you that before, and i mean it, Maya.“ She said to me hugging me tighter. We pulled apart and she got up. „What are they doing in there? They should be out in the back already!“ she exclimed, moving to the doors of the next room where Dan and Jake wer. „Dan Anderson!“ she yelled from the doors. I joined her, laughing at the scene in front of me – Dan and Jake wer sitting on the floor playing a game. Boys will be boys, right? „If you dont put down that controller and get your ass out in the yard right now, i swear to God...“ Dan tensed and jumped up in a heartbeat at her words „Yes ma'am!“ Jake chuckled at Dan, but Jessy turned to him now „Hey, hackerboy, dont you laugh, you're joining him!“ Jake was up on his feet even faser then Dan, and they both started walking reluctantly out of the room. Dan passed us, but suddenly turned to me. „Hey, how come she can call him 'hackerboy', but you go beserk when i do it?“ he asked being dramatic again. I smirked at him „She can call him whatever she wants.“ Jessy burst out laughing. I turned to Jake going for a kiss. I whispered to him before i moved „I just said it because im scared of her myself.“ Jake laughed at it, quickly kissing me once more, going after Dan.

Jessy lowered a cup of coffee in front of me, going back to sit. We stayed in the back yard after eating, dusk slowly setteling in, the sky in multiple colors. It felt calming. At the end, I was glad we came, i needed this after everything that was happening. Even if the sight of my phone on the table in front of Jake did make me feel uneasy, i decided to ignore it. I had to pull it together. I couldnt let this shit get into my head so intensly, or I would definatly go insane. And learning from Jessy that Jake was affected by it so much, just made me more determined at it. It was Dan who broke the silence, bringing the tention at the table. „So, Maya, are we gonna talk about those calls and everything now?“ Jessy shot him an angry look, Dan not paying attention to it. „No, we are not.“ Jake said calmly, before i could even speak, a hint of frustration noticeable in his voice. „O really? And why not?“ Dan asked lookin at Jake fiercly. „Because, it doesnt concern you.“ Jake told him, returning equaly fierce look. „Whoa, you fucking kidding me, man?“ Dan said, raising his voice „It most definatly concern me.“ „And why the fuck is that?“ Jake hissed back at him, frustration rising up at him. Jessy was silent, and so was I. There goes a nice evening, i tought to myself. „Because“ Dan started, hising back „I consider Maya to be my friend, so if she is in trouble and needs help, im here for her.“ „She doesn't need your help, she's got me for that.“ Jake was already on the edge of loosing control, but Dan didnt care. He snorted „You mean like last time?“ „Dan, i'm warning you...“ Jake told him, barely containing himself. „Dan, stop it!.“ Jessy begged him. „No, I wont stop.“ He told her, being agitated more and more now. My head began to puls, all this was going too far now. „Dan, dont.“ I pleaded, but he barely spared me a look. „He wasnt here when shit hit the fan last time, Jessy, I was! We were, not him!“ Jake tensed for a second at Dans words, pounding his fists so hard on the table „You fucking moron, dont you think i wouldnt have been here if i could?!“ He was furious now, i had to interfere before this escalates for the worst. „Enough!“ I shouted, shooting up from my chair. They both looked at me surprised, but still furious. „Thank you, Jake, but i think i can speak for myself. The question was dirrected at me, after all.“ i told him, rubbing at the side of my head with one hand. He slouched in his chair, stung by my words. Dan smirked, but i turned to him „And you, you know damn right why he couldnt be here, you have no right rubbing it to his face like that!“ He fel silent at that. „Now, if you two are done with this 'cock fight', great, we can discuss it like civilized people. Otherwise, both of you can go to hell!“ I sat back, my head still pulsing, all looking astonished at me. No one spoke for what felt like eternity, Dan finaly breaking the silence again „I'm sorry, Maya. I didnt want for this to happen.“ He said, looking apologetically.“What i wanted to say, to try and make Jake here realize once and for all, is that we are here to help.“ He turned to Jake now, all that rage from before replaced with sympathy „Damn it, man, i have no clue what kind of 'friends' you had in your life so far, but you gotta learn to trust people and let them help.“ I took Jakes hand in mine, and he looked at me „Dan is right.“ I told him softly „And you know it.“ He sighed. He wasnt used to this, looking to others for help. He always relayed only on himself, but it was time for a change. He turned to Dan. „I apologize...for calling you a moron.“ I squeezed his hand, him bringing it up to his face, landing a soft kiss on it. Dan looked back at him, still serious „You mean 'fucking moron'?“ We all turned to look at him, and i tought all will start going downhill again. But then Dan grinned, Jessy hitting him on a shoulder for messing with us. I shook my head, smile appearing on my face. Dan extended his hand toward Jake „Look, man, i meant it, if you need help with anything, dont hesitate.“ Jake looked at him for a moment, accepting

Dans hand in a tight grip „Thanks.“ Jessy grinned at them, saying teasingly „Aww, i think this is the beginning of a beautifull friendship!“ I burst out laughing, Jessy joining me. Both Dan and Jake looked at us in disbelief, when Jake turned to Dan „I think i need another beer.“ Dan looked at him, nodding his head in agreement „You and me both, man. C'mon.“ He gestured for him to follow, as Jessy and me laughed even harder.

After all the tension, the rest of our evening was quite entertaining. Jake felt more realxed, but still got uncofortable at Jessy's openness and teasing. And him and Dan getting along after everything was welcoming. It was pretty late when the two of us said our goodbyes and left. The streets wer silent, only our footsteps echoing as we walked towards motel. Sleep was slowly getting at me, and i shivered from the nights chill. Jake threw his hand arround me, pulling me closer to him, his vicinity making me feel warmer instantly, and I leaned my head on his shoulder. „Thank you.“ I told him after a while. „What for?“ „For tonight.“ I said, smiling. „I had fun. It was exactly what I needed.“ „It was....interesting.“ He said. I chuckled „ Dont worry, i'll talk to Jessy to go easy on you in the future.“ He laughed „Thanks. I'll get used to her,eventually.“ I got serious „She told me, by the way. What you did.“ He tensed at it a bit. „Its fine, Jake.“ I said. He was silent, but I knew he was still bothered by it all. „Hey, talk to me.“ I said. He pulled away from me, putting his hands in his pockets. „Its just..I mean.. never mind.“ I stopped in place, Jake making few more steps before turning to me. „Jake, please.“ I said softly. He got agitated again. He was silent for a moment more. „Fuck it“ he said, raising his voice in frustration “I wasnt enouhg, Maya!“ „What are you talking about?“ I asked confused. He sighed and sat on the floor, leaning his hands on his knees. I came and sat infront of him. He looked desperately at me „I wasnt enough. I couldnt help you. I've let you down, again.“ My heart ached so much, it pained me to see him like this. „Jake, you didnt let me down. And you did help me.“ He snorted „You sure about that?“ „Yes“ I said, smiling at him. „Dont you get it, it was exactly what Dan was refering to earlier.“ „What do you mean?“ he asked. „What I mean , Jake, is that sometimes you need another helping hand.“ He still wasnt convinced. „But i'm suppose to take care of you, me Maya. To keep you safe, to make it all better. And i cant even do that right!“ „Jake, I would crumble to pieces long ago without you.“ i said softly „You make all this bearable for me. You are my light in all this darkness. So please, stop doubting yourself.“ He sighed „Easier said then done.“ I got up, extending my hands for him, smiling softly „Then, let me be your 'helping hand', I promise to take all that doubt away.“ He just stared at me for a while, before he took my hands, letting me pull him up. He leaned his forehead to mine and hugged me. „You are amazing, have I told you that already?“ I smiled „You might have, but pleast, dont ever stop.“ He chuckled and kissed me „Thank you“ he said, as the kiss ended. „For?“ i asked. „For being the way you are.“

We continued towards motel, hugged once again. I hoped my words eased his mind. Him opening to me more was a welcoming step forward, but still, much of the work to be done here. There was practically nothing I knew about his life before we met, and honestly, i wasnt sure how much of it I wanted to know, as much as I might be curious about it. I never asked him, and he rarely said anything of it. I knew that currently he was 'doing stuff' for someone, allowing him to be here freely. And I did tell him i'm ok with it, and that I trust him, wich i do, completely. But there was constant fear in me that things might turn for the worst again. With my toughts wondering off like that, i didnt realize we wer in front of motel room. Jake was about to put the key in the lock, stopping abruptly. „Jake?“ i asked worriedly, as he pulled my phone from his pocket. Another call. He set it earlier to vibrate, so no wonder I didnt hear it. He was about to answer when i stopped his hand „Dont.“ I said, looking pleadingly at him. „Maya..“ he said softly. „Please, Jake, just dont“ i said, sounding tired. I sighed „Just this one time, let it be. Give me just this one night, please, to feel normal again.“ I let go of his hand. The phone continued to vibrate, then stopped. „Thank you.“ I said relieved. He turned back to the doors, letting us enter. He went to the desk, taking his stuff back on it from the backpack. „I know we should have answered it.“ I said, standing next to bed, taking my sneakers off. „But i just wanted to go to sleep tonight with a smile, not worry and frustration.“ Jake walked to me putting his hands around my waist. „Well, i know of one way you can get rid off some of that frustration.“ He raised an eyebrow at me, his eyes sparkling. „Oh really?“ i asked. I turned us, so his back was facing the bed, and pushed him on it, situating myself on him. I intertwined my fingers with his on both hands, moving our now joined hands abowe his head. I leand to him as i did it, stopping my face just an inch from his. „Are you sure you want this?“ i asked teasingly. „I still have much of the previous frustration in me, it could last a while.“ His eyes flared at my words. He roled me on my back, our hands now above my head. He released one hand, moving it down my body, that flare in his eyes intensifying with every heartbeat. My whole body trembled with my own desire under his touch. He kissed me so fiercly, and said with a heavy breath as he broke our kiss „Good.“

[thejudgingtrash]

(unedited and I’m not a native speaker so please point out if you see something odd!)

One day (1,4k)

A quiet day. The air was warm and dry. The wind chimes sang the melody of the clouds and the invisible currents. The paint of the old house was brittle. It would take days to repaint it, if a professional painter would take the job it would tear through savings. But the money was tight, and Percy knew that he had to put his efforts into elsewhere. The hand he was holding reminded him of that. The green on the wood that was decades old could be blown away to reveal the natural layer underneath it. The old Colonial stood in front of them, proud and almighty, but it was nothing more than a lie that has been fed through generations.

The lawn looked nearly identical to the last time Percy had visited. Wild. Unkept. A fight of nature taken back what was rightfully its. And it was he that had mown it to keep it in somewhat of a shape. The old swing had been removed as it was broken beyond repair. It laid in the basement, waiting for a small child to beg for its usage once again.

Attempts to make her move into something smaller and easier have failed. In some cases, it triggered her, and she began to scream and cry. The hands that were thrown weren’t of violence. They were of despair and the deepest pain. That was the sign when Percy knew he had overstepped his welcome. But the misunderstood clouds of sorrow and deep hatred passed and revealed her other side. The motherly side. The sunny side that loved to live and love.

Percy Jackson had returned. It was his semiannual visit to Westport, Connecticut. The youth had vanished from his face, although not entirely. It was a weird state where old and young stood in front of each other. The youth wanted to remain, but the adulthood came to claim its place. A not so young man who had both legs fully integrated in life rang the bell that gave a soft jingle and knocked on the turquoise door.

It swung open after a while. “Oh, hello Percy!” May smiled. She recognized him. Relief. There were times when she did not. “Is it time again?”

“Hello May,” Percy greeted her and entered. Little steps followed him.

The house had been decluttered. May had a knack for keeping everything she deemed interesting and never threw it out. Percy would come with the big blue bags and make her decide what items were necessary and which she wanted to keep. It upset her. But she understood it. At least Percy hoped she did.

“I have made cookies. I might have burnt them a little bit. Oopsie.” Her gaze shifted to the right into another twinkling pair of eyes.

May got on one knee. Her morning dress was clean this time and not burned and pungent like the many times before. “Luke!” she cried with big eyes. “You’re back!”

Her hands grabbed the soft cheeks. “But you are so small,” she whispered. It broke Percy’s heart. “Weren’t you taller?” May Castellan tilted her head and the silver hair fell down her shoulder. She had aged. It had been more than a decade ago, closer to two.

“It’s me, grandma May. It’s me, Theo,” the young boy said.

“My son, May. Do you remember?” Percy asked her.

A wondrous expression rested on her face. “You have become a big brother,” she remembered slowly. “A little girl!”

Theo began to grin and proudly showed his two missing front teeth. “Yes, I’m a big brother now! Ari is so pretty!”

“When will I see your little sister?” May asked and clapped her hands in excitement.

The fact that Annabeth was against a visit with young Ariadne as a safety measurement was something that Percy just couldn’t voice. He knew his wife was right. And still his consciousness made him do these visits. The aged demigod couldn’t save her son, but he refused to fail May Castellan. So, he visited her. Only for certain amounts of times, of course. He never blamed Annabeth and Thalia for staying away. He never blamed Nico for bringing him to this place for the first time. It was destined and running away from the Moirai was never the best option. That was something that had been etched into his mind since he had been a young boy of twelve years in his first year at Camp Half-Blood.

“You will see her soon once she’s grown a little bit more,” he deflected.

“I bet she is a pretty baby. Just like Luke was.”

“Yes. Yes, she is,” Percy said. Was the air getting stuffier? Or why did he feel the tears coming? His chest was heavy and filled with regrets. He blinked the pesky wetness away.

Fatherhood made him come to realize more. It made him understand more. Patience. Love. Forgiveness. It made him understand the complete and utter injustice that was the broken shell of May Castellan. The living contradiction. More dead than alive, a broken record. A mother that was yearning for her son. A mother that was screaming for her son. A son that would never return home again. A mother that couldn’t see that her son would never return home again. Yet the broken fragments of her mind would never let her rest. It would never make it easy for her until she would have her last breath. And what lied beyond that was something that Percy could not imagine.

The wicked ways of the ancient forces. The same gods that had blessed her, had thrown her into despair. They had turned their backs. Even her former lover. A tunnel of sadness where only in certain times and particular angles an illusion of light shone through. That was May Castellan.

The three moved into the kitchen where Percy let his son only eat two cookies and for once little Theo listened to his father. May Castellan didn’t lie, she really had burnt the cookies. But the younger Jackson was too polite to not eat some and thanked May as she wanted to give him more.

“Shall we clean the yard, May?” Percy proposed like he always did.

“Oh yes!” agreed May with glowing eyes like she always did.

He would mow the lawn and trim the bushes and May would take care after the roses. She loved the roses. The roses, the tulips and the sweet lavender that the bumblebees loved to dance around. All reminders of a better and safer time. Times that had passed as flowers would wither in mere moments. Especially those that were unkempt.

Theo played with Rhodius, the son of Blackjack, another young and wild pegasus that let the young boy sit on his back. The Jacksons had used him as a means of transportation. Percy eyed them closely as he did a little bit of yard work. Rest assured; the Pegasus was an excellent babysitter.

After an hour and a half of work, the adults sat down on the porch. Percy brushed the sweat off his forehead. May rushed into the house and brought out glasses of orange juice. Percy tried to not pull a face as he came to realization that she had confused the salt and sugar containers once again. “Luke, my boy,” May said. A dreamy expression rested on her face as she watched young Theo play and chase after the trained legs of the magical creature.

“Percy, when will Luke come back? When will I see my boy?” May asked and turned around to him. Her eyes. They were glazed. The cerulean eyes were so full of life yet mirrored death. Were it the tears or were it the wretched prophecy and the following illusions of the future that haunted her ever since? He would never know. How could he ever know?

“When will my Luke come back?” she cried.

Stomping through the grass. Theo stood in front of his father and saw the heartbroken Mrs. Castellan.

Theo looked up to his father. Even the small boy knew that May Castellan was sick. Slowly dying of a broken heart that could never be mended. Slowly dying of the visions that haunted her and had driven her into her unsafe state.

Percy had subconsciously pressed Theo’s hand as the child sat down on his father’s lap. Percy looked apologizing into the sea green eyes that mirrored his. Only the gray ring and the gray dots that looked like they have been splashed with a paint brush reminded Percy of his mother. His wife. His dear Annabeth.

His heart was heavy and the frown on his face aged the demigod even more. The white in his hair had come back. The streaks had been thicker even.

“One day, May. One day,” he said. One day, he promised.