#he is lucky we are not seahorses

[beautiful-fing-beautiful]

[cultofdixon]

Just Breathe, Love. I’ve Gotcha

Daryl Dixon • She/Her Pronouns • Babies come unexpectedly. It’s one thing being alone…thank god he was there • ANGST/SFW/NSFW - Implied Sex • TW: Pregnancy & Birth / Anxiety / Illness / Nightmares / Mentions of Miscarriage & Other Pregnancy Scares

Requested by: Anon

Y/N stood anxiously outside the house she shared with Daryl as it was practically brand new after the rebuild of Alexandria. She still couldn’t believe she convinced him to live with her above the surface. Nothing wrong with the basement just that things were changing and they’ll need more space.

Daryl finished getting packed for their trip to The Kingdom to help them for a month, but as he approached his bike gesturing with his body language for Y/N to join him…she hesitated.

“Love, cmon. If we leave now we can make it before sunset”

“Uh I can’t get on your bike though”

“What?” Her saying that confused the man extremely. “You’ve ridden on my bike before, what’s stopping yea now?”

“Fuck uh” Just say it. Just say it. “It won’t be safe for me and the baby, Dar”

The silence grew until Daryl simply blinked at his partner before throwing his pack on and getting onto his bike driving off. Y/N frowns thinking he needed to get some air after that news but before she even turned around, Daryl turned his bike around bringing itself into the garage.

“Dar?” She frowns taking a few steps toward the garage when Daryl came running out dropping his pack on the way and instantly engulfing her in his arms.

Y/N instantly latched onto her partner hiding her face in his shoulder as she started to sob happily hearing Daryl go on and on about how excited this is going to be for them. They were finally safe from any and almost every harm the world can throw at them.

They were going to be alright

First Trimester

…Maybe

The longer you get to know Daryl, you start to pick up on some things he does. In this very moment Maggie noticed two when she thought the archer was simply coming to the Hilltop for the community trading. Daryl, just a little, stuck out his tongue when he was in deep focus looking around Maggie’s office in search for one of her pregnancy books and another thing he did was his tiny finger taps when he was anxious. He is a very secretive and normally good at camouflaging, going unnoticed.

But she wasn’t going to stand there long. Only making herself known when she figures out what Daryl is looking for. That the moment he reached for the pregnancy book in her bookshelf, Maggie stepped into the room entirely.

“Find what you’re looking for?” Maggie smiles watching Daryl drop the book quickly turning to her.

“Yeah”

“Are yea gonna pick it up and take it? Didn’t take you for a seahorse, Daryl” Maggie teased watching him pick it up giving her a look. “How come Y/N didn’t—“

“Nah stop right there” Daryl quickly shushed her. “She’s comin’ next week to tell yea herself and she will kill me if she learns you knew from me”

“Oh boy you already fucked up that’s why you’re saying such” She smiles fighting back a laugh and failing. “Who did yea tell?”

“Rick”

“Oh” Maggie gave him a surprised look that quickly morphed into confusion. “Why would she be mad at you for telling Rick? He’s your best friend, brother even”

“Nah it wasn’t cuz I told Rick. It was when we had JUST found out” Daryl went silent after such and it didn’t take Maggie much to connect the dots as she brought herself to lay a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“Y/N is a very careful person. Your baby will make it and be absolutely perfect” She smiles at her friend before bringing him into her embrace feeling him tighten around her. “That baby is so so lucky to have you as a dad, Daryl. I can’t wait for you to experience it”

“Mags…”

“I don’t want to hear it. You’ve beaten yourself up about it enough and I know just saying that won’t make you instantly stop. But you’ve got to realize…we couldn’t have predicted what happen to have happened. Focus on the now Dixon” Maggie smiles parting from the man as he still hung his head low. “I won’t tell your partner that I know. But she better get her ass here soon so I can congratulate her”

Daryl returned back to Alexandria that night to find Y/N asleep on the couch after waiting a while for her man to come home. He set everything he was carrying down on the table as quietly as he could before approaching his girl and carefully picking her up. The action did cause her to stir just a bit but she didn’t care and brought her arms around his neck to secure her when he carried her upstairs.

“Long day?” She yawns out as he carefully places her on her side of the bed.

“A bit, sorry I was late” Daryl sat on the edge and took off his shoes as Y/N sat up enough to bring herself to lean against him until he was ready to climb into bed. “You gotta tell Maggie the news before it slips out of me” Which it already did.

“Mm. I have to go to get clippings from her for Alexandria’s gardens. Rick thinks we’ll have the water system done in about a month or two”

“You’re not allowed to overwork yourself, love” Daryl placed a kiss on her forehead before fully bringing himself to face her so he could kiss her completely.

Y/N wrapped her arms around him continuing to kiss her man as she brought herself to sit in his lap feeling his arms snake around her waist.

“What’s gotten into you, sunshine?” Daryl chuckles lightly to himself in between kisses feeling her get situated with her legs around his waist.

“Hormones.” Y/N giggles for a second before returning to her kissing. “You want me to stop?” She whispers only for Daryl to carefully bring her on her back onto the sheets as he towers her.

“No”

The next couple mornings were always spent sleeping in after the hours from the night before doing feeding into certain cravings.

“You’re gonna be the death of me, mamas” Daryl laughs kissing Y/N’s bare shoulder bringing himself to sit up watching his partner get up from their bed.

“Shouldn’t you be helping with the bridge plans this morning?” Y/N gave him a smile through the mirror above their dresser as she took one of his shirts slipping it on. “Instead of feeding my cravings” she continues to smile watching the archer get out of the bed shirtless in all his glory bringing himself behind her wrapping his arms around her.

“I’d always rather stay in bed with yea, than work” He chuckles kissing her temple. “‘Sides. We gotta tell Carol and Zeke the news”

“I’m still mad that you lied about not telling Mags. But thank you for getting the book…amongst other things” Y/N continued to smile as Daryl kisses her cheek before slipping away to get ready for the day leaving her alone for a moment.

Her smile faded when she opened the book to a part that talked heavily about complications. These “what to expect when you’re expecting books” have always been informative but Y/N never thought they’d be scary. Or feed into her fears.

It didn’t take long for Daryl to notice her sudden change in demeanor, especially on the drive to the Kingdom. He thought she was upset from their trip of 2 turning into five with Eugene, Rosita, and Rick tagging along. But she didn’t care about them joining and part of her didn’t talk about it with Daryl.

When they arrived, Y/N instantly got out of the car when she spotted Carol stepping out to greet them as Daryl tried to catch up but noticed his friend’s happy expression to the news falter only slightly until it went to warm reassurance when telling Y/N something. She soon pulled away from her to approach Daryl and hug the man.

“I’m gonna take your girl for a few hours.” Carol smiles still hugging Daryl as he instantly looked at Y/N for any sign that she was upset and all she gave was her usual smile that always struck him. “So don’t you dare come tracking us down.” She laughs pulling away from his embrace. “She’s in good hands, they both are”

Daryl trusted her, of course, but his worry still made him give his radio to Y/N knowing he’ll be with Rick when she’s gone and he always has one on him in case of emergencies.

“Be safe” He whispers kissing her cheek as she hums in response before going with Carol outside the Kingdom walls.

They soon found themselves seated behind a log after tracking down a small herd of deer as Y/N kept her eye on them with her hunting rifle in hand while Carol had her bow. She really kept her attention on her friend that glued her gaze on the buck.

What if something bad happens?

What if I get hurt and lose the baby?

What if I lose the baby?

Late term miscarriage?

Freak walker accident?

What if…

What if I die?

What if I die having the baby?

What if I need a c-section and it can’t be done?

What if—-

“It’s normal to be scared”

Her voice caught Y/N off guard in her thoughts as her emotions acted only by showing the tears form and roll off her cheeks. Carol frowns setting her bow down about to lay a hand to reassure her when a gunshot rang through and a thud echoed after.

The two were now looking at the buck Y/N had just shot down and as Y/N approached the down animal she noticed a deer and its baby run off.

I don’t want to leave Daryl and…fetus. I don’t want anything to happen to me Y/N sobbed and without any word from her end, Carol carefully brought her family into her arms holding her until she felt okay enough to go back.

Daryl wasn’t very helpful to the others when Y/N was gone. He honestly hope she had radio’d him so that he’d have an excuse to take off and find her. But she was okay when she came back. From what he gathered. When the two came back he offered to help prepare the meat but instead Carol brushed him off with a look to take care of his woman. Y/N didn’t say anything, didn’t even say anything to Carol, but he knew she just wanted him there in the moment.

Second Trimester

“I’ll be back in a week”

“I know. You still didn’t have to drop me off at the Hilltop like a daycare system”

“You get anxious alone in the house, sunshine. Rick and Michonne didn’t want you over because Judith is sick. Plus you’re helping Maggie with the garden layout designs.”

“Which you reminded me I couldn’t physical help with Hilltop’s” Y/N scoffs in a playful tone resulting in a smile Daryl wished to see from where he was at. Sadly the Sanctuary. “You’re missing out on a lot of movement…”

“She better calm the fuck down until I get there”

“Dead set on a girl?” Y/N smiles leaning against the headrest in the bed of the spare bedroom in the Barrington House, gently rubbing circles on her belly. “If that’s the case then, both your girls miss you.”

“I’ll be back to y’all soon”

“I love you, honey”

“I love you bee”

Y/N continued to smile holding the radio knowing she could continue the conversation with Daryl and he wouldn’t give a damn about his responsibilities at the Sanctuary just to continue for himself. He knew it was risky to take on the task of watching the shithole for a month, but both he and Y/N knew it was hard to say no to Rick. Though the biggest reason he said yes was knowing she wouldn’t give birth in the second trimester.

Shit can still happen but it doesn’t

Well, not literally.

Everything raced in Y/N’s mind as she watches Hershel Jr for an afternoon while Maggie gets a few things done for both her and her son, and the community she leads. Which included creating the farm plots outside the Hilltop walls as long as there were spikes protecting her home and the gardens.

“Your Uncle Daryl just loves seeing you, and I know he’s going to hog you when he arrives” Y/N smiles talking to Hershel Jr as he babbles while smiling up at his aunt. “You’re just…one happy little guy.” I miss Glenn she thought as she looked at his son feeling that awful anxiety return making her face contort to discomfort which the small child instantly took note of resulting in him mimicking her feelings. “No no no, I’m okay. You’re okay” she did her best at reassuring as she carefully picked Hershel up holding him protectively in her embrace quietly shushing his sobs.

A few hours passed and Maggie finally got a moment to herself as she plans to relieve Y/N of watching her son. But while she did expect Daryl to already be bothering his wife since he arrived an hour prior to her break, she was stopped by the archer.

“What are—-“

Daryl shushed Maggie quickly before showing that Y/N was asleep along with Hershel Jr happily laying on her enjoying the warmth she emitted. “Let’em sleep”

Maggie couldn’t agree more as she left him to admire the sight before she came back about an hour later for much needed baby time with her son.

When Y/N woke she noticed no baby and scrambled a bit too fast for her comfort resulting in her pause to hold her belly as Daryl instantly brought himself from the window to sit with her resting his hand over hers.

“Maggie got her son a bit ago. Didn’t wanna wake yea”

“You were supposed to wake me up when you got here” Y/N pouts only for her expression to instantly change to the bandage on Daryl’s thigh as she was instantly shushed by the man which was only going to make her angry.

“Nothin’ too serious just a bit of road rash”

“You spilled on your bike?!”

“Eh more like. Failed dismount” That rarely happens but one can imagine Daryl’s foot getting hooked onto his bike resulting in both him and the ride falling. Better than riding your bike and hitting a hole that sends you launching to your dea—-“Sunshine? You’re staring”

She really couldn’t help the tears that sprung on feeling Daryl’s calloused yet soft hands wipe them away when he noticed.

“I’m gonna be okay. Again, nothin’ serious” Daryl reassures, getting anxious when Y/N didn’t say another word on the matter but he knew she was thinking something. Her mind was never really one to be quiet. “Alright love, come here” he gestures for her to bring herself into his side leaning into him as he brought his arms around her, the hand in front of her instantly placing itself on her belly as she instantly brought her attention to such.

“She keeps kicking me in the ribs…but at least she’s positioned right”

“Good to know about the position…thing. But her kickin’ your ribs don’t sound comfortable”

“Want me to demonstrate?” Y/N jokes causing a small smile to break out when her man chuckled lightly to such before kissing her followed by a ‘no’. “Good. Shit sucks anyway”

Third Trimester

Daryl was already a hoverer. Now it was worse and a bit weirder. At least if you asked Y/N. She always found him somewhere in the room if he wasn’t right beside her and he’s really only hovering in case she “pops”. A word she now hates from what he uses it for.

“Siddiq is at the Hilltop. Should be back in the week in case you po—-“

“You have to stop saying that word. It’s weirding me out”

“Sorry” Daryl frowns watching Y/N struggle to get her shoes on and every time he tried to help, she would swat him away. Only frustrating the man who wants to take care of his pregnant wife.

The usual sigh of defeat is his indicator for him to go ahead and help.

“Do we have any pickles left?” Y/N asks with a pleading pout watching her man’s face change with his thoughts as he tied her shoes. “Or that jam Jerry made with his wife?”

“If this is another weird food combination, don’t make me try it” Daryl scoffs playfully but when he locked eyes with her she started tearing up and it was an instant shot through the heart. “No no please I’m sorry. I’ll try it if yea want me to”

“Yeah?” Her voice cracked watching him nod listening to him reassure her even if her mind was currently a pregnancy fogged mess.

While Daryl got up to get her her craving, Y/N felt that wave of anxiety, but with pain this time.

“Ouch” Y/N winced holding her belly and checking her watch that wasn’t totally rendered useless in the apocalypse where one can barely tell the time. It worked well for timing—-“Contractions?” She whispered to herself feeling the pain come suddenly the second time around. “Fuck.”

The archer didn’t come back immediately because her first “ow” followed by a few others, he didn’t hesitate to radio Siddiq or anybody in his vicinity to get him on. Once he was instructed on what to do while the doc makes his way over, Daryl stepped into the living room finding Y/N flinging her shoes off with a bit of struggle as she gripped her stomach.

“We gotta get you ready”

“Fuck off” She whined. “What the fuck do you think I’m doing” she cries when another painful contraction hit, making Daryl come to her side trying to help her up hoping their bed would make it more comfortable. But she immediately fought him making her cry more when she thought she had hit him too hard.

“Y/N. I’m gonna carry you”

“You’re gonna drop me”

“I’m not”

“But I’m fucking HUGE and in PAIN. You’re only going to irritate me”

“Well that ain’t new. You used to push me off the bed” Daryl scoffs not caring anymore about the love taps he was receiving when picking up his partner.

“Because you are a human heater! But then I’d start sobbing” She states, already doing so as she held onto Daryl when he carried her. He debated taking her to the infirmary instead but she’s fighting him just from moving her from the couch to the bed. It would’ve been worse going from the house to the infirmary.

“I’ve gotcha, love”

“You’re gonna drop me”

“Do you want me to drop you?”

“No!”

“Then I’m not” Daryl tried to fight back his laughter when he finally got her to bed, adding his pillow with her several ones to have her sit up. “I gotta radio Siddiq see where he’s at”

“Please don’t leave me” Y/N sobbed holding onto his arm as she curls up a bit when another contraction struck. Daryl held her arm feeling her nails dig into his as it only made his anxiety worse, imagining what hers was.

“I ain’t going anywhere love” Daryl reassures as he had his radio on him.

The entire time Daryl was on the radio trying to get an ETA on Siddiq, Y/N laid there uncomfortable as the tears build up thinking the worse possible things that could happen without a doctor or at least someone who’s delivered babies being there. She loosened her grip when he started to pull away only to get the things needed that Siddiq was telling him from the other side.

“Siddiq is close and he’ll come straight here” Daryl states setting towels down on the side of the bed by her feet. “Yea need anything? Y/N?” He frowns watching her hold her belly protectively. “Hey? Love—-“

“It’s gonna hurt…I-It’s already hurting but once she’s—-“

“Yeah but once she’s out then it’ll get—-“

“Oh it won’t be the same. It won’t be the same” Y/N started to laugh nervously concerning Daryl a bit given she was still crying and her contractions were getting closer. “What if I tear?!”

“Stitches”

“What if I bleed too much and—-“

“We’ve talked about that but not in the sense of this” He gestures to the situation. “We have solutions to these problems”

“Not if I die!” Y/N snaps suddenly and before Daryl could even reassure that anxiety, Siddiq knocked on the door making himself present along with other supplies needed.

It was about time and Y/N wasn’t ready. She wasn’t ready this entire pregnancy because of everything that could go wrong and how much pain it’s going to become. Her grip on Daryl worsened, at this point he thought she was going to break his arm.

“You have to push on the next contraction, Y/N. Okay?” Siddiq’s words just went straight through her head, all she felt was the pain and Daryl’s hand squeezing hers. Which led to—-

“I-I can’t…” She sobbed to Daryl as he gently brushed away the hair sticking to her face. “It’s hurting and it’s getting worse. What if—-“

“Hey…just breathe, love” Daryl reassures bringing his free arm around her shoulders looking only at her as if it was only them in the room. “Breathe with me, alright?” And so she did while squeezing his hand every breath that was difficult to fulfill. “You’ve got this, sunshine. Just a few more then a lifetime with our girl”

Oh how the pain was all worth it in the end, and the anxiety simply slipped away…

The soft cries filled the room and both of their eyes were drawn to the little girl being held up wrapped in a towel. Y/N started to sob as Daryl pulled away for just a moment to cut the cord before being handed their daughter. He was already teary-eyed but now the archer was sobbing when he held their daughter and finally handed her to her mother.

Just breathe Y/N smiles through tear filled eyes at their little girl. Oh this beautiful little girl she held her close gently placing a kiss to her forehead.

“You did perfect, mamas” Daryl kisses Y/N’s forehead feeling him bring himself back to holding his partner as she held their little one.

“Thank you…”

“For?”

“For helping me bring this beautiful little girl to the world”

[violetrainbow412-blog]

Would you write something where the reader feels some kind of insecurity and by talking about it with Spencer she feels better? Only if you want!

“Spencer,” you murmured from the front desk.

It was already night in the bullpen and there were only the two of you left, so your friend didn't even look up from the reports he was reviewing to respond to you.

"Yeah?"

“Do you think I'm weird?”

"Definitely"

The response had been sudden and playful, probably without any intention of hurting you, but the pencil crashing into his long, golden hair forced him to look at you only for him to realize that you were expecting a different kind of response.

“I'm serious,” you insisted, a little sterner than the first time you spoke.

Spencer observed your lightly made-up face with a smile, not too much to make you look vulgar but enough to enhance your features, and stopped to connect with your eyes, obviously restless.

"Why do you ask me that?"

“Do you think I am?”

“There are many kinds of weirdness, sometimes they don't necessarily involve something bad.”

“Yeah, but I mean like awkward weirdness. You know, those people who are suddenly too loud or too annoying or too… I don't know, just like they don't fit in.”

The tone of genuine concern made him frown and he suddenly wondered why you were having those kinds of thoughts. Had the team done anything to make you feel this way? Spencer wasn't very good with social cues and that's why he constantly felt like a weirdo, but he never believed that someone like you would have those kinds of fears.

You were always so kind and pure, like you didn't care about anything. You had a lovely way of saying things and you brought joy wherever you were. You and Garcia were the best of friends because of that, thanks to the surprising optimism you both seemed to share even in the worst situations.

And then there was him, who loved you like he had never loved any girl even with the few years you had known him. You were passionate about completely random things and he listened attentively to all your talks about why seahorses carry their children or about the life of butterflies or about strange weather phenomena.

Spencer had always seen a little of him in you and that's why he felt great affection, as well as trust.

“I don't think you are. Not like that”

“It's just that the other day... with that officer in Washington I felt pretty stupid, you know?” you started to say. He thanked his eidetic memory because he knew exactly what incident you were talking about. “She was so pretty and professional and I felt like I was thirteen again with a mean girl. And on those occasions I see myself and, I don't know, I feel very weird”

“So what if you are?” He asked nonchalantly, “We all are, haven't you seen who you sit in front of every day?”

That comment finally brought out one of those smiles that he loved to see on your face and so he took it as a victory.

“You're right, it's nonsense.”

“I don't think it is,” he murmured gently. “It's a valid fear, but if you want a professional’s opinion I wouldn't describe you with that adjective. You're not weird, you're more like... unique”

Another smile flooded your face and then you looked away, slightly embarrassed to be having that conversation with your coworker.

"Thanks for being honest"

“Don't be ashamed of who you are. You are wonderful, we are lucky to have you here” he continued. He didn't even have to go out of his way to seek praise for you, his mouth spewed it out as if worshiping you was his full-time job.

“I love you, Reid, have I ever told you that?”

“Not as much as you should, but yes,” he responded and one of your laughs filled the air.

“How about we leave this for tomorrow? And I’ll take you home” you offered and he smiled.

Spencer's voice describing you as something unique would accompany you for the rest of the night and would repeat itself in your mind every time the situation warranted it, reminding you that, in the right eyes, we are all special.

taglist: @navs-bhat @reidwritings @tricia-shifting14 @spencerslove @instabull @rhiannonhippiegirl @r-3dlips @missabsey @olivia’s-25 @liptonsbabe

[noosummert]

~ masterlist riize !!

fluff ♡

angst ツ

smut ☆

done reading °

all

INTERRUPTED ♡ °

FIRST KISS ♡

CREAM ♡

SELLING MY BOYFRIEND ♡ °

LUCKY ME ♡ °

skinship ♡ °

me if… ♡

jealousy ♡

put a ring on it ♡

meet me at the net ♡

reaction: don’t let them kiss ♡

texts: sorry wrong number ♡ °

texts: what if we… ♡ °

texts: my bf if… ♡

texts: me and who ♡

texts: sorry wrong number ♡

arguments ツ

anton

into you ☆

why do… ☆

serendipity ☆ °

Pleasure Is All Mine ☆

MORNING AFTER ☆

rainy day

love 119

i’ve never… ♡ ☆

9:07 am ♡ ☆ °

1:27 pm ♡ ☆ °

good boy gone bad ♡ ☆ °

Valentine’s ♡ °

9:58 pm ♡ °

6:43 pm ♡ °

with an injured s/o ♡ °

listen to your heart ♡ °

GIRL DINNER ♡ °

PLAYLIST ♡ °

hot chocolate ♡ °

tummy ♡ °

FOREVER ♡ °

bucket list ♡ °

i can’t stop kissing you ♡ °

boyfriend your husband ♡ °

1:14 am ♡

moonlight ♡

my seahorse ♡

smau: soft launching ♡

texts: what’s up ♡

Cello ♡ °

Overbooked ♡

so cute ♡

is it okay ♡ °

CLOSER THAN EVER ♡

YOU’RE WORTH IT ♡

PARIS RAIN ♡

BARISTA BOY

for the first time ♡

ideal type… ♡

third time’s a charm ♡

hello anton ♡

love in the library ♡

it’s salty in… ♡

hold me… ♡

snap shoot ♡

giving your heart away ♡

MATCHING DINOSAUR ♡

BIT BY BIT ♡

love (beta) tester ♡

Dive into You ♡ °

Confession letter ♡ ☆

lacuna ツ ☆ °

In The Flesh ツ ☆ °

in between ツ °

From the start ツ

i wish ツ

Stargirl ツ

wonbin

between the lines ♡

passion fashion ♡

the failed… ♡

if you call… ♡

texts: your bf ♡

Bad ♡

6:06 pm ♡

smau: bad idea, right? ♡ ツ

texts: with bf ☆

all we do ☆

making out ☆

seunghan

ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE ♡ ツ

MISSION CHEER UP… ♡ ツ

smau: soft launch ♡

come inside of my heart ☆

sungchan

UNDEFINED ♡

smau: soft launch ♡

first snow ♡

sweet repayment ♡

Love ♡

he’s the one…

to X ☆

smau: Behind the screen ☆

Coming Down ツ

part 2

[squish36-writes-and-draws]

Carry a Torch

Word count: 4401 <- untrustworthy number

TW: alcohol

Taglist (lmk if you want to be added/removed!): @stellar-lune @faggot-friday @kamikothe1and0nly @nyxpixels @florida-preposterously @poppinspop @uni-seahorse-572 @solreefs @did-i-say-you-could-get-up @rusted-phone-calls @when-wax-wings-melt @good-old-fashioned-lover-boy7 @dexter-dizzknees @abubble125 @hi-imgrapes @callum-hunt-is-bisexual @xanadaus @callas-pancake-tree @hi-my-name-is-awesome @katniss-elizabeth-chase @arson-anarchy-death @dizzeners @thefoxysnake @olivedumdum

On Ao3 or below the cut!

I would thoroughly recommend reading this on Ao3 if possible. I originally wrote this as a screenplay for my creative writing class and, as such, tumblr nuked the formatting. Ao3 did as well, but less so.

That being said, it's kind of important to understand my larger concept. This is a script for a pilot episode of a TV show. Each episode is going to be featured around a song (and I was forced to write this one which is why it's bad) so at the end, it's a concept album. You will not be allowed to have the rest of the show. I refuse to write it.) This also takes place in 1925 so I've thrown some less than successful slang in there.

INT. EVERGLEN RECORDING STUDIO - MIDDAY - 1925

KEEFE leans over the antique Vernon family heirloom piano where FITZROY (FITZ) is playing. The intro credit music stops as FITZ looks up at him. 

FITZ sighs. 

FITZ

Let me guess. You’ve been thinking.

KEEFE gasps overdramatically.

KEEFE 

(feigned surprise)

Why ever would I do such a thing? You 

know thinking can only lead to dangerous

outcomes. That being said, I did have a

thought. 

FITZ

Stars, why do I even bother anymore? 

KEEFE smiles annoyingly. 

KEEFE

Because I’m very difficult to get rid of.

(beat) 

I trust you know we’ve been looking for 

a new venue since Tam dusted out on us. 

FITZ 

And whose fault was that? 

KEEFE

Legally? Not mine. 

FITZ pinches the bridge of his nose. KEEFE is unbothered by this. 

KEEFE (CONT’D)

Anyway I was talking to Sophie—

FITZ

Anything that starts like that is certain 

to end badly. 

KEEFE

Fitzroy Avery Vacker, listen to me for a 

second for once in your life. Foster has a 

cousin whose family has a place we could 

use. It’s not the most ideal—

FITZ 

(interrupting)

Then why are we even going to bother with

considering it? 

KEEFE

The back corner of a coffee shop is 

better than nothing. Not all of us are 

lucky enough to leech off your parents.

FITZ pauses for a moment, considering making KEEFE verbalize why, exactly, he cut off his relationship with his parents. 

FITZ

I take it that means you’ve already booked

it.

KEEFE

It’s one gig. Do your best to tolerate it. 

KEEFE turns toward the back door. No one knows where he is going, probably including himself. 

FITZ

You know I won’t.

KEEFE

And you know I don’t care. 

The door closes behind him and FITZ cracks his knuckles before going back to playing the piano. 

INT. SLURPS AND BURPS - LATE EVENING/NIGHT

Slurps and Burps is a coffee shop during the day and a Speakeasy at night. People mill about, the space filled with chatter. 

BIANA is sitting at the counter, swinging her feet as she talks to SOPHIE, drinking what is likely spiked coffee. 

DEXTER (DEX) and FITZ are getting everything set up for the performance this evening. FITZ is trying to be helpful. DEX is left moving the piano mostly by himself. 

DEX

(breathing heavy, teasing)

My guy, did you fill this thing with rocks? 

FITZ

(indignant) 

No. It’s just built to last. 

DEX

(proud of his pun)

Well, it could certainly last through me 

driving a car into it. 

FITZ

Why would you ever find yourself in that 

situation? 

DEX shrugs. 

DEX

I don’t know. 

FITZ looks over at KEEFE, who is flirting with some random extra. 

DEX adjusts the piano into its final resting place. 

DEX

Can I get you anything? Java, tea, what 

have you. We’ve got everything.

DEX lowers his voice. 

DEX (CONT’D) 

A little bit of moonshine? It’s a family

recipe. 

FITZ

(low, dangerous)

You know, it’s probably not very good 

business practice to disclose that 

information to just anyone who walks in 

off the street. Somebody’s going to call

copper. 

DEX

(unconcerned, irritated)

You rat me out, you’re out of a job. 

FITZ snorts. 

FITZ 

I didn’t want this gig in the first place. 

FITZ raises his voice. 

FITZ (CONT’D)

Isn’t that right, Keefe? 

KEEFE

I got no context, so whatever makes him 

look the most like a sap is the one I 

want. 

KEEFE spends the rest of the conversation watching them. 

DEX

(voice low) 

Then why are you here? Why did you even 

bother?

FITZ leans against the piano, almost protectively, trying to make himself look relaxed. He is not. FITZ shrugs stiffly. 

FITZ

I had nothing better to do. Trust me. I 

tried. I really did. 

DEX

(maximum sarcasm) 

Wow, that must have been so difficult

for you. 

FITZ

Lay off it, alright? I’m here for Keefe, 

regardless of what you might want to think.

DEX

I want to believe you’re a sap, and you’re

not exactly giving me much evidence to the

contrary. 

DEX takes a sip out of some unspecified alcoholic beverage. This is a speakeasy, after all. 

FITZ

Oh, so you’ve talked to me for what? Five

minutes? And now you think you’re an 

expert in my every waking thought? Every 

detail of my inner psyche? 

DEX puts his hands up, defensive. 

DEX

I didn’t say that, Socrates. Watch your 

tongue the text time you try to blow 

things out of proportion.

FITZ

Like that isn’t blowing things even 

further out of proportion? 

DEX

If I remember correctly—and please 

correct me if I am wrong here—you were

the first to threaten me and my family, 

so I think that’s more than a fair 

trade from your perspective.

The lights flicker, signaling the start of the show. It is operated by DEX’S BROTHER #1.

DEX

Well. 

DEX presses his lips together. 

DEX (CONT’D)

(bitter)

I should tell you to have fun up there, 

but I don’t think you’re capable of

that. Break a leg and all that 

superstitious nonsense. 

DEX shifts to his customer service voice, laced with passive aggression. 

DEX (CONT’D)

Let me know if I can get you anything 

to make your time here slightly less 

inconvenient. 

FITZ turns away without a reply or a second thought. 

EXT. - HAVENFIELD - MIDDAY, FALL

SOPHIE and DEX are sitting under a Jacaranda tree, leaves beginning to fall but not completely bare. They are complaining about many things. FITZ is a large topic of discussion on this fine day, and also KEEFE and BIANA to a lesser extent. 

DEX

How do you put up with all of them on 

a daily basis? 

SOPHIE

Determination, resilience, a lack of 

other valid career paths, and a dash 

of—

SOPHIE wiggles her eyebrows. It is unclear which one she is wiggling her eyebrows about, but that ambiguity will be important. 

DEX sighs. 

DEX

Okay, like, on the one hand, I get what

you’re saying and, yeah, you’re 

absolutely right.

SOPHIE laughs. 

SOPHIE

That’s because I’m objectively correct.

DEX is too far in his own head to react to SOPHIE’s comment. 

DEX

But, like, how can you reconcile that 

with that personality? I don’t get it.

SOPHIE 

There’s nothing to get. Admire from a 

distance and your problems solve 

themselves. Easy. 

DEX pauses to consider this answer.

DEX

No. I don’t like that solution. Give me 

a better one. Replace the personality

itself. You went to college. You have a 

fancy degree in marketing or something. 

Figure it out. 

SOPHIE

Okay, first of all, that was several 

years ago and I haven’t used it since. 

DEX 

You have a photographic memory. Don’t 

try to pull that on me. 

SOPHIE doesn’t know how to reply to this for a beat. 

SOPHIE

(feigned anger)

Damn. How dare you know all my tricks? 

Anyway, I don’t think personality 

replacement was covered in my curriculum. 

Sorry. But do let me know if the store 

needs new customers. 

DEX

Some might argue there’s already too many

people. That doesn’t excuse the fact that

you’re supposed to know the answers to 

life, the universe, and everything. This

has been thoroughly established. 

SOPHIE

Well, I don’t. Sorry. 

DEX pauses for a long time, somewhere in the realm of several whole seconds. 

DEX

I just wish…things would be easier. 

SOPHIE smiles softly, encouragingly.

SOPHIE

On which front? 

DEX laughs bitterly. 

DEX

Yes. 

DEX pauses, debating with himself if he should elaborate.

DEX (CONT’D)

(frequent pauses, struggling with sentences)

It’s just that…Fitz is…tangling 

everything together. I used to be able

to go to work without getting trapped 

in my own mind. And, well, to be 

completely honest, I don’t much 

appreciate it. 

SOPHIE

You should go tell him that. 

DEX physically flinches away from this idea. 

DEX

I have an even better idea. How about 

you go tell your boyfriend Keefe? 

He’s the one that concocted this whole 

booking-Slurps-and-Burps-for-a-gig

disaster. He should be the one to unravel

this Gordian knot of a situation. 

SOPHIE

I’m not dealing with your problems. 

You can talk to Fitz yourself or you 

can deal with it. 

DEX

(Making himself sound useless on purpose)

But, alas, I’m incapable of speaking 

with people in rational terms. Whatever

am I to do? 

SOPHIE

(not buying into DEX’s act)

Don’t make me show you what irrational

terms sound like. 

DEX sighs, defeated. This is going to be unpleasant, but he’s already concocting the bribery he is going to offer KEEFE to make him want to relocate. Preferably without destroying his and SOPHIE’s relationship. 

DEX is also fairly easily convinced to do things he doesn’t want to do while also being immensely stubborn. 

DEX

Fine. 

EXT. RECORDING STUDIO - THE NEXT DAY, DAYLIGHT HOURS 

DEX walks up to the door and argues with himself in his mind before knocking. 

Inside, FITZ sighs and stops playing piano. As he stands, his joints sing the song of their people. Unlocking the door, he finds DEX studying the ground and fidgeting with his sleeve. 

FITZ 

Hello! What can I—

FITZ realizes who is standing in the doorway and drops the polite act. 

FITZ (CONT’D)

(flatly)

—What do you want?

DEX is irritated by this in an effort to not be thinking about how he is engaging in a conversation. 

DEX

Believe it or not, not everything is 

about you. I’m here to speak with 

Keefe.  

FITZ considers this, leaning against the doorframe. 

FITZ

Nah, I don’t believe that one. Besides, 

Keefe isn’t here. I don’t know where 

he is or when he’ll be back. Sorry. 

DEX feels a rush of relief, taking a deep breath. 

DEX

It’s probably futile to ask you to tell

him that I was looking for him, but I’m 

going to hope anyway. 

DEX turns around to leave. 

FITZ 

You’re exactly right. 

DEX

You don’t have to sound so disappointed. 

BIANA (O.S.)

(yelling to be heard from across the studio)

Fitzroy! Stop being so obnoxious! 

BIANA’s voice comes down from a yell to a normal speaking voice as the sentence goes on and she gets close enough to push FITZ out of the doorway and take his place. 

BIANA (CONT’D)

I’m sure Keefe will return sometime 

soon. 

FITZ

(muttering)

Lies. Filth and lies. 

BIANA 

(to FITZ)

He’s going to get hungry sooner or 

later. 

FITZ seems to accept this, rolling his eyes and wandering back to his precious piano.

BIANA

(to DEX)

Can I get you anything? Fitz has an

obsession with baking and we’re

always trying to get rid of the 

aftermath. 

DEX smiles awkwardly as he shakes his head. BIANA turns to not be outdoors anymore and DEX follows her inside. 

DEX

I mean, if you want to sell them at 

Slurps and Burps, I could always

ask my parents. 

DEX shrugs. 

DEX (CONT’D)

I’m sure they’d agree, but I’d rather 

present a possibility than a guarantee, 

you know. 

BIANA

You sound like him.

DEX and FITZ look equally offended by this and avoid eye contact at all costs. 

BIANA takes this opportunity to leave DEX and FITZ together for a length of time while she investigates this route. 

BIANA 

Well, I’ve got some extra time today, 

so I can go ask your parents myself. 

Don’t knock each other off while I’m 

gone, got it? 

FITZ and DEX watch her leave. This is the same door that KEEFE used in the first scene, not the front door. 

FITZ

(yelling after her)

How many times do I have to tell you to

stop meddling in my life?

FITZ huffs. 

DEX gets up to leave out of the front door that is still open. 

FITZ

(irritated and tired)

Where are you going now? 

DEX

…Leaving? 

FITZ

Well, don’t. Biana is going to think 

I’ve planted you in the backyard or

under the floorboards. 

DEX releases an exasperated sigh and sits down on a conveniently placed stool. 

FITZ (CONT’D)

Believe me, I wouldn’t say that unless 

it was absolutely necessary. 

DEX

(his temper finally snaps)

What is your problem, dude? You’ve been 

nothing but rude during the ten minutes

we’ve interacted. I understand if you

don’t like me. That’s understandable. 

But you’re like this toward everyone. I 

can also understand you didn’t want to 

do the gig for whatever reason, but 

instead of being like that about it, you

could’ve figured out a way to sit in 

time out until the last minute. It’s not 

that hard. There’s a very nice storage

closet where I’ve spent more hours than 

I’d like to admit hiding from people.

FITZ’s hands drop forcefully into his lap. 

FITZ

(equally angry)

Why should I explain myself to you? I 

couldn’t care less about what you 

think. I don’t know why you think I 

would. 

DEX

Oh, I don’t know, basic human decency?

I really don’t care if you disagree,

but I tried my best to be pleasant, 

and you made that very, very difficult. 

FITZ

That seems like a you problem. 

DEX

Well, I’m sorry you couldn’t tolerate

a single evening that wasn’t precisely 

what you wanted to do. That must have 

been so hard for you. It’s almost like 

I’m not trapped in that coffee shop 

every single day. 

FITZ

Again, that seems like a you problem. 

I don’t see why I should be concerned 

with a you problem. 

DEX

And I don’t see why I have to put up 

with your—

DEX gestures vaguely at FITZ, unable or unwilling to say what he’s thinking. 

FITZ

(challenging)

My what?

DEX

Your general existence. I don’t want to 

be here as much as you don’t want me to

be here. I would adore being able to 

leave you alone, but it looks like 

neither of us are going to get what we

want. 

FITZ

So you’ve made it your personal mission

to make yourself as infuriating as 

possible in the meantime? 

DEX

I guess so. You didn’t exactly make it

difficult for me. 

The sound of the back door opening stops FITZ from responding. KEEFE enters, mild surprise at seeing DEX but he also doesn’t care that much. 

KEEFE

Did you miss me? 

FITZ and DEX

(in approximate unison) 

No. 

FITZ and DEX look at each other—this is a pretty significant milestone in them agreeing on something. They laugh. 

INT. SLURPS AND BURPS - MIDMORNING

FITZ enters, the doorbell announcing his presence. He makes eye contact with DEX’S SISTER at the counter. 

DEX’S SISTER

Dex! Your friend is here!

DEX appears from the back, expecting SOPHIE or maybe even KEEFE. He has severe dark circles and is immediately irritated by FITZ’s presence. 

DEX’S SISTER trades places with him, though she will be listening to their whole conversation. 

DEX

What do you want this time? 

FITZ

I do believe you’re a tea shop when 

you’re not running from the police, and, 

as such, I’d like a small Earl Grey.

DEX gives him a look. The kind of staredown that requires invocation of the if-looks-could-kill meter. 

DEX takes some of the hot water from the coffee and unwraps a teabag, allowing it to start steeping. 

DEX

And you had to come here for that? 

FITZ

You’ve got the best tea in the shortest

distance from my apartment. 

DEX

You can make tea yourself, you know. 

FITZ

Yes, but, you see, then I have to 

Interact with Keefe. In that case, 

the amount I would spend in bribery is 

significantly greater than venturing 

out into the world. 

DEX

I can almost see that.

DEX hands FITZ the scalding mug of tea. FITZ touches it and flinches away. 

DEX (CONT’D)

Can I get anything else for you today?

FITZ

If you have a least favorite muffin, 

I’ll take one of those. 

DEX studies the muffins for a long second before choosing a victim. It is placed into a white paper bag that is slightly too small for both his hand and a muffin. 

DEX

That’ll be $1.05

FITZ takes out his wallet and slides over a $20. For reference, this is roughly $350 when adjusted for inflation. That is also why the price of a tea and muffin is scaled the way it is. 

DEX’s eyebrows react appropriately to the amount of money this is. 

DEX

(projecting calmness and irritation)

Singlehandedly paying for a week’s rent

isn’t going to make me like you. 

FITZ

Okay. That’s not going to stop me. Just

think of it like a starting point. A 

deposit in exchange for dealing with me

and my—

FITZ gestures vaguely at himself. 

DEX

I’m never going to live that one down, 

am I? 

FITZ

(almost, but not quite, playful)

Not if I have anything to do with it. 

DEX

Lovely. 

FITZ

Careful, I’m willing and able to have 

Keefe perpetuate it even further. 

DEX

I hope you know that my siblings have 

already added it to their very limited

vocabulary, so there’s really no need. 

DEX realizes this may result in additional perpetuity because it sounded like he was trying to make FITZ stop and that means he could take it as a challenge. 

DEX (CONT’D)

Although, I guess there is a constant

need to make me suffer as much as 

possible, so it’s really up to your

discretion. 

FITZ takes the tea, no longer giving him fourth degree burns, and his muffin. 

FITZ

Would you care to dine with me on 

this fine morning? 

DEX makes sure there aren’t too many customers, in case he would be needed to work. There are not. Most of their income comes in after sunset. 

DEX

(loud so his siblings can hear)

Yes, I would like to get paid to not

work. 

FITZ flashes a small smile that DEX does not see.

FITZ and DEX sit at a booth in the corner for minimum visibility. There aren’t many other people and if they get into another argument, they don’t want to be public entertainment. 

DEX

It really is remarkable how determined 

you are to both piss me off and remain

a patron here. 

FITZ

Well, I’m sure you could solve the 

latter fairly quickly. 

DEX gestures widely to the doorway to the kitchen, where his siblings are trying to not be caught eavesdropping. 

DEX

Behold. The reasons I am physically 

incapable of kicking you out. I do that, 

I’m never going to hear the end of it,

and that’ll get out to the rest of our

customers—because of course it will—and

then suddenly they start going down the

street for their mediocre morning coffee. 

FITZ

Well, I’m not a coffee person, so I can’t

review yours, but your Earl Grey is quite

nice. 

DEX lowers his voice conspiratorially. 

DEX

It’s even nicer with a little splash of 

something. If you get what I mean. 

FITZ

(voice low to match)

It’s not even noon yet. 

DEX

Then come back later. Time usually 

travels linearly in the forward 

direction, and then it’ll be after noon

and you’ll have to come up with a new

excuse. If that new excuse just so 

happens to be that it’s not five 

o’clock yet, wait until I tell you about 

what else time can do. It can travel

linearly. In the forward direction. 

DEX’S BROTHER #2 (O.S.)

And we don’t have a band tonight so then

maybe you’ll perform and Dex will be—

DEX turns and points at him. 

DEX

Don’t finish that sentence if you don’t 

want lead poisoning. 

FITZ smiles. 

FITZ

Allegedly. 

DEX

Allegedly. 

DEX turns back to FITZ. 

DEX (CONT’D)

You don’t have to if you don’t want to. 

FITZ

And that sounds like you’re trying to get

rid of me. I’ll see you tonight then. 

FITZ brightens his smile and leaves. DEX doesn’t take any opportunity to argue with him, despite the fact that he has more than enough time to react. 

When the door shuts, DEX releases a big sigh, deflating. 

INT. SLURPS AND BURPS - AROUND SUNDOWN

Slurps and Burps is once again filled with many patrons, and they are once again filling the room with chatter. The piano is already in place, as are BIANA’s saxophone and KEEFE’s drum kit.  

FITZ

(at KEEFE)

Stop looking at me like that. 

KEEFE

(feigned oblivious innocence)

Like what? 

FITZ

You know what you’re doing. Being all 

self-righteous. 

KEEFE

I don’t know what you’re talking about. 

FITZ cycles through a few arguments before deciding it isn’t worth it. 

FITZ

Forget it. We don’t have time to argue 

about this. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I 

do have a small change to the setlist. 

KEEFE

Shouldn’t that have been discussed 

previously? 

FITZ

It’s not like you would care either way.

What’s it you tell me? Fitzroy, it’s 

jazz, nobody cares about the setlist. 

Half of it is already improv. 

KEEFE

That might be accurate, but that doesn’t

mean I like it. 

FITZ turns away, grumbling to himself and searching the crowd for DEX. 

When he does eventually find him, FITZ smiles hesitantly. 

FITZ

So this might be an odd request, but 

please hear me out before you say no. 

DEX

(already irritated)

Go ahead. 

FITZ

(quickly, in a single breath)

I may or may not have a tendency to 

process things by writing songs, which 

I’m sure is a massive surprise 

considering why I’m here. I don’t 

remember exactly why I was talking to 

Sophie a couple of days ago, but that’s 

beside the point. Anyway, I happened to 

be blessed with the songwriting curse 

immediately after she left, and when I 

emerged from the cave, the song’s point

of view was a little wonky. And by that 

I mean, of course, that I tried to 

project into your head, which is really 

weird now that I’m saying it out loud. 

DEX

Calm down. I don’t need you passing out

on me. I don’t want to call Elwin. He’s

already mad at Sophie. I don’t need that. 

FITZ takes a deep, slightly shaky breath. 

FITZ

On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely would

it be that I could ask you really, 

really nicely to do the verse that’s 

attempting, probably very badly, to 

be in your point of view so that I 

don’t have to ask Keefe to do it? 

DEX

About a -7, presuming it’s a logarithmic

scale, but I’ll do it anyway. 

A pause. 

FITZ

Why? 

DEX

Don’t question my motives. Just be 

aware that I don’t know what I’m doing

and if I think about it too long, I’m 

going to go cry in the bathroom, so 

don’t let me think. 

FITZ

Got it. 

A longer pause, FITZ contemplates telling DEX something to help with the fact that his blood pressure is visibly rising. 

BIANA (O.S.)

Fitz! It’s nine. Get going. 

FITZ

(yelling over to BIANA)

Who is this punctual person and what 

have you done to my sister?

FITZ turns back to DEX and pulls a crunched piece of paper out of his pocket. 

FITZ (CONT’D) 

Here’s the lyrics. I didn’t have time to 

formalize any sheet music, but just kind 

of…vibe with the music. That’s kind of 

this whole genre’s mission statement, 

isn’t it? 

DEX

I am regretting my life choices. 

FITZ

I’m sorry to hear that. You’ll be fine, 

though. If not, I’ll bribe everyone with

muffins until the complaints stop. 

DEX

(physically shaking)

Okay. 

FITZ takes his place at the piano, making eye contact with KEEFE. 

FITZ

Trust me, okay?

KEEFE smirks. 

KEEFE

Yeah, of course. I’d let you lead us off

a cliff. 

FITZ

A wouldn’t expect anything less. 

FITZ begins playing an introduction, underscored by low rumblings from KEEFE’s floor tom after the first bar. FITZ’s focus remains squarely on KEEFE.  

FITZ (CONT’D)

(singing) 

HE LEANED OVER THE PIANO

WITH THAT MISCHIEVOUS GLINT IN HIS EYE. 

HE’S BEEN THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING

AND NOW THERE’S NO GOING BACK. 

The tempo ticks upward as KEEFE’s drums develop into a polyrhythm. FITZ leans back, his gaze landing on the ceiling. 

FITZ (CONT’D)

THE WORLD IS ALWAYS MOVING FORWARD

I’M HANGING ON TO WHAT I’VE ALWAYS KNOWN

WHAT I’VE KNOWN HAS GOTTEN ME THIS FAR

WHY BOTHER CHANGING THAT?

FITZ finally looks at DEX, his irritation over the past few days on full display in his tone. The instrumentation drops out for a beat. 

FITZ (CONT’D)

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO DIFFICULT WITH ME?

WHY DO YOU FIND SUCH PLEASURE ANGERING ME?

IF I COULD LEAVE, I PROMISE I WOULD, 

BUT I DON’T HAVE A WAY TO ESCAPE. 

I DON’T HAVE A WAY TO RUN AWAY FROM THIS PLACE

AND SO I’LL KEEP ON OCCUPYING YOUR SPACE. 

DEX’s voice is so soft even the people standing next to him probably cannot hear him. He’s staring firmly at the ground. It’s not exactly symmetrical in the vocals or instrumentation with the first verse, but there’s no need for it to be. 

DEX 

(singing) 

SHE’S ALWAYS MY WORST INFLUENCE

BY PUSHING ME OUTSIDE MY COMFORT ZONE. 

IF ONLY SHE WOULD UNDERSTAND

I WANT TO FIND AN ESCAPE. 

DEX gains a bit more confidence, staring at FITZ’s shoes and singing slightly louder. 

DEX (CONT’D)

THE WORLD IS ALWAYS MOVING FORWARD, 

I’M STILL RUNNING FROM WHAT I’VE ALWAYS KNOWN. 

WHAT I’VE KNOWN HAS GOTTEN ME THIS FAR

WHAT MORE CAN LIE AHEAD? 

DEX fixes a death glare on FITZ. 

DEX (CONT’D)

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO DIFFICULT WITH ME? 

WHY DO YOU FIND SUCH PLEASURE ANGERING ME?

IF I COULD LEAVE, I PROMISE I WOULD, 

BUT I DON’T HAVE A WAY TO ESCAPE

I DON’T HAVE A WAY TO RUN AWAY FROM THIS PLACE

AND SO I’LL KEEP ON OCCUPYING YOUR SPACE. 

Two bars of SILENCE echo through the room. 

FITZ and DEX 

(start softly, crescendoing)

IF I STAY HERE AND YOU STAY THERE

I’LL STOP STEPPING ON YOUR TOES 

IF WE PRETEND LIKE NONE OF US CARE

MAYBE IT’LL COME TRUE. 

THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT I’LL EVER LIKE YOU

AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIKE ME. 

PACIFY THE ELDER GODS 

AND THEN WE’LL BOTH BE—FREE. 

There is a long break, filled with instrumentation. BIANA and her saxophone have a whole narrative arc. DEX goes and runs off into the back, trying to never be seen again. 

FITZ

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO DIFFICULT WITH ME?

WHY DO YOU FIND SUCH PLEASURE ANGERING ME?

IF I COULD LEAVE, I PROMISE I WOULD, 

BUT I DON’T HAVE A WAY TO ESCAPE. 

I DON’T HAVE A WAY TO RUN AWAY FROM THIS PLACE

AND SO I’LL KEEP ON OCCUPYING YOUR SPACE. 

END SHOW

[lya-dustin]

Someone will remember us

Chapter 65

Cw: teen pregnancy, memtions of consensual underage sex,mentions of statutory rape,mentions of miscarriage, sudden infant death, mentions of torture, death, sexism, period typical attitudes

Gif by:@viktoriakosci666

Taglist: @stargaryenx @mercedesdecorazon

“We join today at the Seat of the Sea to commit Prince Jacaerys of Houses Velaryon to the eternal waters, the dominion of the Merling King, where He will guard him for all days to come.”

Forgive me, Baela.

Those had been Jacaerys’ last words according to the Myrmen she had tortured for killing him.

Forgive me, Baela.

Sharako Lohar was not lucky enough to die on the shipwreck.

For every quarrel he and his men shot into her eldest son, one will be shot into him.

He is to be treated for his burns, but just enough so she and every man, widow and orphan who wishes to avenge their own can kill him slowly.

They had shot him with their crossbows over twenty times before Lohar got bored and aimed at his neck.

Rhaenyra had never been a violent person, but war makes beasts of them all.

He is to have a child.

A bastard with a Stark bastard he met and fell in love with in Winterfell.

She had comforted him about Lucerys and something about the godswood and the snowflakes in her hair had made him forget he was to wed Baela who he loved.

Sara Snow would be sent for, be given all she needs and when the child is born, a silver and weirwood red egg will share the cradle of Jacaerys Waters, the bastard son of her bastard son.

If Baela’s suspicion proves to have been a false alarm, perhaps with her blessing they can legitimize him.

Baela was a widow and possibly pregnant at the age of four and ten.

Depending on who you ask, she is too young or just the right age.

Her mother, Aemma Arryn, had been four and ten when she was wed to father who had been seven and ten.

Rhaenyra was not her first child; she was the only living baby to live to see adulthood.

There had been an Aegon who died the morning of his anointing, another that came when she slipped out of her tub a year before Rhaenyra’s birth, and when she was seven and ten, she nearly died after laboring for nearly two days and two nights to be told she had disappointed all by having ‘only a daughter’ by her father and goodfather.

Son or daughter, Baela’s child will be Lord of the Tides.

“From the sea we came. To the sea we shall return.” Vaemond finished his eulogy and while Jace leaves them, he does not leave alone.

Hundreds of people are burying their dead, low and high born alike.

The Merling King will need a bigger hall, it is not just his daughter, Melusina’s, children who join him this day.

She holds her son.

Her sweet Aemon who is two moons and three weeks now.

Just a moon ago, Aemma turned seven and ten.

Just a year ago she had been delirious with happiness, every second of her day was consumed by thinking nothing bad would ever happen because she had Aemond now.

Aemond turns eight and ten in a fortnight, and now he will be dead before their son even knows who he is.

Aemon sucks on his thumb like Helaena, Luke and Joff had done. Smiles like Aemond and mother, and this morning he had opened and closed his hand as he grasped the stuffed seahorse Jace had given him before his death nearly six weeks ago.

Baela and Aemma had wept so violently, Gerardys had to take a look at them.

And sure enough, Baela’s suspicions are correct. A moon pregnant.

“It’s not Jace’s. the baby is Alyn’s.” she had whispered so quietly after.

Alyn was five and ten, turned five and ten three months ago. He was younger than Jace by six moons and two moons older than Baela who turned five and ten two days before Jace died.

“I slept with him before the Gullet, I read Sara Snow’s letter and went to the beach to clear my head and cry. He was there, he was very charming and told me he would never have done that to me and before we knew it, we were promising not to tell anyone what happened.” Baela has the decency to look guilty.

Baela the Bold had been bold enough to seduce her own husband, to dare Aemma into spying on young men bathing naked in a lake before Aemma had left for Kingslanding last year and give her a copy of A Caution for Young Girls as a wedding gift.

Baela who is the mother of the next Lord of Lady of the Tides because the gods have a sick sense of humor.

“I’m so sorry, Baela.” Aemma had said as she hugged her.

“No one will know.” She added as Baela cried in relief.

While the blockade had been partially broken, it was not a real victory to them nor their enemy.

The quarter of the treasury Tyland had sent to Braavos was freely given to Rhaenyra by the Iron Bank, the Triarchy had lost more than they had gained and while Jacaerys had died, so had Sharako Lohar.

The Kingdom of the Three Whores had retracted their support after all ninety ships were destroyed or seized and their Commander slowly killed by anyone who had lost someone to him.

Even worse, the Sealord of Braavos had joined Rhaenyra’s side and promised a statue of the best white marble for the fallen prince and his dragon to greet all those who come to Hull.

“She is frightfully clever, you would have believed she had been taught at our schools of rhetoric. In fact, I extended an invitation to come and attend a lecture by the Lady Bettisia at the University of Braavos once her mother’s throne is secured.” Larys read the stolen correspondence and Alicent fights the urge to roll her eyes.

The Braavosi had nothing but praises to sing about the whore and her daughter.

Really, Larys was just rubbing salt on the wound for letting Harrenhal fall to their enemies.

“Jacaerys did not die without heirs it seems, he sired a bastard on a Stark Bastard, and one unto his lady wife.” The Master of Whisperers summarized all his learnings. “Lady Baela has consented to giving a dragon egg to her husband’s bastard as the dragon Vermax had brought forth two eggs before its demise.”

One for the bastard of two bastards, and one for the legitimate son of the bastard, the queen scoffs.

“This is of no importance to me, so let me ask you again, when do we march?” Aemond cuts Larys short and resumed the meeting.

“Tomorrow.” Alicent answered and prayed the gods forgive her for sending him to his death.

Notes: universities have been around since the 11th century in Western Europe, the university of Bologna in Italy was the first to have a female student and female teacher teaching law, noblewoman Bettisia Gozzadini, in 1237, Laura Bassi was the first official Law Professor in that same university in 1732, but Bettisia Gozzadini is reputed to be the 1st. (Candidates for that position are Novella and Bettina D'Andrea the former who taught their dad's law courses in Bologna when he couldn't and the latter for teaching law and philosophy in Padua with her husband in the 1320s)

Here I am placing hotd to take place in the equivalent of the late middle ages, or the equivalent of the 14th century when the renaissance begins in Italy or this case Braavos.

[dzmoot]

BLUE SAND PLANET

I don't know what time

After a horrible night in our rinky dink, tattered tent, we set out to collect our Croopies. At first, we all split up to do odd jobs and collect as many coins as we could. Siobhan sold what little chewing gum she had to the locals and Yam Yam and I performed various magic tricks outside the town square, pulling lunar bunnies out of hats, you know. The locals weren't the least bit entertained by our efforts (they were all sourpusses) but we did manage to gather around 30 coins each by the end of the day. Kruonch set out doing sand carpentry and he was able to use that nose of his as a drill. Needless to say, he gathered quite a coin collection at the end of his shift. As for Zappy, that bright idea of his wasn't all that bad either. He took part in an ostrobot walker race and came in second. He won over 100 coins!

At the end of the day, we returned to the tent and counted our coins. Together, we had all made about 275 Croopies! We were so overwhelmed, giddy as schoolgirls that we would be able to give it all to Snozcraggle and finally get off this sand ball in our newly repaired sleigh. We made our way to Snoz's repair tent where he had the Spaceslinger all fixed and ready to go but upon seeing our coin collection, something quite unexpected happened. Now I've seen Tuuns get mad and make a variety of faces, but no creature on the moon or the entire universe for that matter made a face like Snoz. His giant blue nose shrunk into his face, his eyes quadrupled and more teeth protruded from the roof and floor of his mouth like spikes in a booby trap. He was pissed.

Those aren't Croopies you moronic morons! You have 275 matroopies! It takes 300 matroopies to make ONE Croopie and you still owe me about 249! Looks like you're gonna be stuck here awhile. Lucky for you, I've arranged a little exchange!

I was ready to hex Snoz into the next millennia or perhaps put some witch hazel in his soda pop but before we could do anything, even make a run for it in our sleigh, we were all tied up, literally. Snoz had us all chained together as a strange chariot pulled by one eyed seahorses emerged from the sand mounds. The Blue Sand Planet sure had some ugly inhabitants. They made me, a green pig with a slimy snout look like Brad Pitt.

The monstrosity on the chariot was corpulent and had what appeared to be massive boils on his belly which squirted pus right in our faces. It reminded me of the time I drank a milkshake made with spider venom, making my face as bubbly as a moon's crater.

Lord Bliss Torbelly has agreed to take you as his personal slaves. You'll work for him for one matroopie a week! Until then, I keep your little sleigh.

When I asked how many days in a week there were on the planet, Snoz grinned like the malevolent turd he was!

20 days! Like I said, you're stuck here for a while, you pickled porcupine brained fools!

Bliss Torbelly had a laugh a lot like Count Claus, but in an evil gangster kinda way. He grabbed onto our chain and dragged us all the way to his palace. All I could think about along the way was that DAMN COSMIC CAT! If it hadn't bombarded into our ship, none of this would have ever happened and we'd be on the planet Dinhcara by now, reunited with the Cosmic Spiders instead of becoming slaves to a giant pimple slug! However, as we were dragged away along the sand, leaving a trail of tails and footprints in our wake, Zappy had another bright idea. He whispered it into my ear and I immediately grinned. Turns out our days in slavery were going to be short lived after all. But if we were going to pull this off, we would need to be crafty and cunning and sneaky as snakes in the grass!

[tom--22--felton]

hi Val! hope you are doing well

even though we get hardly any new info about Tom, i just wanted to say that it is soooooooo nice to see so many pictures of him with fans from Kazakhstan. like idk. i see them every day on my insta explore page (or whatever it is called) and i cant help smiling, it’s like a breath of fresh air. i remember those crazy times when everything was about him and R ugh

kinda jealous of Kazakh fans though, i wish he would come to my country one day :( but damn, he seems to make them so happy aww especially those kids from the Football Federation :з

Hey! I totally agree. I look at all those pictures with fans and I'm happy for every person who gets to meet him like this. It also reminds me of the times before and without seahorse, when most of my mornings began with reposting pictures with fans who were lucky to bump into Tom in the streets of LA, or Vancouver, or any other city he was at :)

[fernrisulfr]

Dorlen Undertow

This was a character I made for a One-Shot that was sort of an “interview” for a larger campaign. The DM wanted to see how well the new recruits got along with each other, as well as the existing party. He hadn’t expected they’d like all 3 of us, doubling the size of the group. We all decided however not to use these characters for the main game.  I almost died in a Rug of Smothering.  Dorlen Undertow (Bard 1) Sea Elf - Bard - Fishermen - Chaotic Good 

- Father's name is Koriolis, he's either a politician or a bureaucrat. - What was the name of the Ship and Captain that went down? - Backstory, Fishing Voyage gone wrong. They caught/hooked something that didn't appreciate being so. Destroyed the ship and killed the crew. Dorlen survived purely on luck. It decided he could be useful and traded his life in return for a favour. Favour involves the compass pointing South East. - Fell unconscious. Got picked up by a passing ship literal miles away from where his ship had been. (What was THAT ship named?) - arrived at Seige town because he was heading South East from the Port he'd come in from. - Worships Deep Sashelas

Backstory Used: Dorlen had a relatively normal childhood got a Sea Elf, raised by his father Koriolis, and mother Torfiel. Then one day around his third or fourth decade he and several acquaintances decided they wanted to try their hand at traveling the ocean blue not from below, but above. Thus was formed the crew of the eventual ship the "Strange Horizon". His father of course considered it the height of foolishness, a waste of time, and a "phase". Time passed as it does, and for some of the Sea Elf crew it did prove to be a phase. Some even perished, as the sea can be an unforgiving mistress. Those who remained, moved on to discover what about life above the waves they loved most. It was on a ship known as "The Exuberance" that Dorlen discovered his love for fish and song. Of course he'd always been around fish, but the difference in how the 'landies' gathered the bounty of the sea was what he enjoyed. Once again his father thought it was the height of foolishness to waste time with hook, line, and net, when Dorlen was literally capable of going down there and getting the fish more directly. The young man, now Fisherman, didn't care however. The challenge was part of the fun. Decades passed, his skills and experience growing. Every few years he'd send word home, more as a courtesy so they knew he still lived; and when the completion ofe his first century came, he returned home briefly to take on the name Dorlen Undertow. It was just passed three decades after this, that disaster struck. He was sailing upon a fishing vessel known as "Mariner's Folly", under Captain Nolvadd. They'd sailed out a great deal further than most Fishermen would, following a tip that a shoal of rare fish would be passing through on migration from their spawning grounds. They found something rare alright, but it definitely wasn't a shoal of fish. The ship lurched heavily to port when they nets caught, as if snagged on a reef. Least till they ripped clean off. Than someone spotted a dark shape headed away. They didn't normally hunt sharks and whales outside of when times were tough, but they weren't about to look a gift seahorse in the mouth. They shifted the sails and readied the harpoons; biggest mistake of their soon to be very short lives. Dorlen never actually caught sight of the beast, but it ripped the ship to shreds. _Mariner's Folly indeed._ No one survived the assault but Dorlen, and not for reasons he's proud of. Harpoons weren't his thing, he'd come above the waves to stop using a Trident to fish. Instead he'd been leading the crew in a shanty and dancing upon a barrel...which meant he was flung overboard in the first minute and knocked out by debris. When he woke it was in the darkness of the deep waters, before the beast itself, a vague outline in the murk. It touched his mind, told him he'd been lucky to survive, and luckier still that it had use for someone like that. In exchange for his life, Dorlen would do it a favour. Well it called it a 'favour', but really it was compelling him. It gave him a compass, one that pointed vaguely south-east rather than north, and told him to retrieve what belonged to it. After which he blacked out, either from the fear, or some foul magic. When he awoke it was being pulled onto the deck of a freighter a great deal away from where the Folly had gone down. The moment Dorlen reached port, he gathered what supplied he needed and began following the compass South-East, finding no once did it alter direction. Wherever it was taking him it was far. He travelled the land, learning the local tales and songs as he went, and spreading his vast repertoire of shanties to others. Recently he arrived at the village of Ashwell on you way to the town of Elkhorn.  Unfortunately his  timing was terrible and the night he decided to stay at the inn was the same night the goblins attacked. Vastly out of his element in more ways than one, and terrified out of his mind on various levels, he managed to blend it amongst  the villagers escaping to the fortress and just managed to gain entrance to the fortress before the gates were sealed. “You've spent the last several days in the formerly well appointed attic apartment of Lord Tilson's ward ("To be named at the Last Minute') and several of the other people who had helped the villagers make it into the fortress. Of course every sailor knows how to batten down the hatches and work with the crew, so once inside he was compelled to do what he could to help weather this storm and lighten the mood.”

Appearance:  5′10, 155 lbs, Blue Skin, Green Hair, Silver Eyes. Shoulder length hair swept back, always seems to be wet. Wears a purple bandana, low cut v-neck white shirt, two sashes (a large blue one and a smaller purple one), donning a worn sailor’s coat. Plays a concertina.  I tried to make him using HeroForge, but this was back when they had fewer options than they do now, so it’s not quite perfect. I was never 100% pleased with the colours on his coat. 

[multiimistakes]

Gavin, all things considered, had a pretty generous fuse. He'd grouch and complain and be just about the most sour of sour fucks in the room. But, he could be patient. He had to be because impatience typically spelled trouble unless you were lucky enough to have someone there to reel it in for you.

He had a generous fuse and a patient enough demeanor when playing with others but that generosity had its limit, his fuse wasn't endless and there was only so much disrespect and punches he could roll with before he started throwing them back.

The man sniffs once, eyes cast down for the table he braces against. It's a sort of calm before the storm look, a receding into one's own mind to really hash out just how far he was going to take what he was about to say. Seemingly having reached a conclusion with himself, he lifts his head to look at her across the table.

❝ You want to be a brat? A child? You're what? God, can't be less than thirty to manage a contract like this. But, fine...❞ and he lifts his hand in a sort of surrendering gesture briefly before gesturing for the door. ❝ There's the door. ❞ and he rounds the table on her. It's not quick but it's deliberate. His goal isn't to intimidate but it's to very clearly make himself known. He doesn't crowd her completely but it's enough that he can lower his voice and still be heard.

❝ Because let me tell you-— the number of mistakes I allow in my presence out on that field when my ass and my job and my reputation is on the line is still somehow lower than whatever piss poor, pathetic wordcount they'd struggle to slap on your obituary when you don't come back because you wanted to fuck around and waste time. ❞ he holds her gaze for a beat before reaching a hand to pointedly drag a folder to rest in front of her. He draws back and back peddles back to his spot.

❝ Either fall in line with the rest of us and play nice like fuckin' adults or walk out that door. Do we copy, miss seahorse? ❞

Amelia didn't have to look at him to see he was getting frustrated. A blind person could see it. Not that he was hiding it well, or at all. She wasn't looking at him though, gaze fixated on the scary-looking fish on the screen. Amelia could hear it in his voice, feel it in the tension in the air around him. She seemed apathetic to his rising annoyance. Either that, or she was ignorant to being the cause.

Which was most certainly not the case.

If she'd had a choice, Amelia would not be here, wasting a perfectly good afternoon with sour company. She preferred to work alone. It was better that way, safer. The only person she could trust was herself, so why risk letting someone close enough to drive a knife in your back ? However, exceptions sometimes needed to be made. Regardless of how sour the company may be.

It was better to know who you were working with, so before she worked with him, Amelia was getting to know him. She preferred to act, to move, but there was so much you could learn by simply watching. So, she added some friction and then observed.

❝ I couldn't tell ya ! ❞ She answers, pocketing her phone before putting her elbows on the table. ❝ Never been to a biology class ! ❞ Chin rests in her palm and, despite his impatient gesture, she makes no move to touch the folders. It's physically difficult for Amelia to maintain the innocence of her unassuming smile.

❝ You're pretty bossy. Say please. ❞

[dany-is-my-queen]

A Question of Loyalty III

Rhaenyra Targaryen x reader, Alicent Hightower x reader

Word Count: 3.7k

Note: Another flashback chapter! This one is a favorite of mine 🖤 happy reading! Always appreciate the support 🥰

Summary: When dragons of green and dragons of black dance, you have to choose the color that suits you best.

Life was surely stepping in in an incredible pace, for every day since the wedding you wanted to escape the place again, Aegon’s High Hill being your paradise, yet your downfall altogether.

“My daughter, I know I was harsh on you, a bit too much. You fought bravely beside us, not to prove yourself but because that’s who you are. This is for you.” Corlys said, handing you a handsome Valyrian sword, the pommel shaped by a seahorse.

“I thank you, father. It means the world.” You beamed at the sight of your new blade.

“How should you name it then?”

“Nightrider.” You put it back inside its sheath.

“By the way, Y/N…” Corlys was nigh hesitant to ask. “Now that your bother’s a husband. And Leana has taken a great interest on prince Daemon, well…” He chose carefully his words, not to appear pressuring, he did anyway. “Lords across the whole Realm have shown their fascination towards you. The son of Lord Tully, for instance. Houses Tyrell, Blackwood, Tarly, Costayne, Rowan… I could go on. You’re a comely lady, you ride a dragon, but, youth won’t last forever, my child. Don’t you want to form a family as soon as possible?”

“I wish a woman could mother a babe without a man.” You plainly answered, not sounding rude, however. Corlys knew better than prompt you any further, setting your mind already, too much alike your mother Rhaenys.

Moons flew by, and you continued dwelling in the matters of the heart, concerning both your childhood companions. Alicent glistened whenever she came across you, too bashful to comment about your “romantic, non appropriate encounter” on the night of Rhaenyra’s wedding. But you knew what it had meant to her, you had lit a spark that will not be easy for her to extinguish.

Having just woken up to start the day, a guard came to fetch you and escorted you to the Godswood, where Syrax’s rider solemnly awaited you. Haven’t spoken for weeks, you didn’t know what to expect, or how to react to her very presence, in that case.

“Princess Rhaenyra.”

“Riñnykeā Y/N, nyke istan hoping īlon could ȳzaldrīzes.” (Lady Y/N, I was hoping we could talk)

“Skoros iksos konīr naejot vestragon?” (What is there to say?) You blurted, in all honesty discourteousness was not your intent, but when you peeped into her eyes, it was like a shock to your heart, you were already used to the feeling. “I apologize for my bad manners, Princess.”

“I never meant to insult you, Y/N. Not even at my wedding… I don’t know why I said that. I would never consider you or treat you as my whore, let alone offend you by calling you someone else's. I guess I just... lost my mind. You were... my Lady, my equal. I'm truly sorry. I'm not asking you to forgive me and start over. It will be hard, I know, but I care about you a lot. I've lied to you, I've kept secrets, even confessing to you now makes me ashamed. If you hate me, then it's okay. The fault is mine and mine alone. You know, I've always wondered why they call me the Realm’s Delight when that title should belong to you. Any man or woman lucky enough to catch your eye is the luckiest in the Seven Kingdoms, in the whole fucking world. You deserve so much more than I can offer you. Bless se mēre bona gets naejot lua aōha prūmia.” (Bless the one that gets to keep your heart)

“Riñnykeā Y/N, nyke istan hoping īlon could ȳzaldrīzes.” (Lady Y/N, I was hoping we could talk)

“Me and Her Grace.” She countered.

“The Realm’s Delight fits only a Princess. And so happens you are the only one.” You strived to keep the Queen away from the conversation, because you are likely to give yourself away in one way or another.

“You are forgetting my little step sister.” She simpered.

“Helaena is the sweetest. I cannot wait until you and Laenor indulge me with a niece, isn’t that a marvelous thing to hope?” Nonchalantly you proposed, Rhaenyra titled her head to stare at you amusingly.

“You might beat me to it.” You shared an affectionate chortle.

The memory of your yet third reconciliation with the Princess comes to you in a blur, for only a few weeks later she announced she was with child. Your curiosity was at its hilt, you avoided such topics with Leanor, but it was fast… as it was expected of them.

Alicent had delivered another princeling, Aemond, Viserys named him. The first offspring of your brother and Rhaenyra came without a fuss, summoning your presence during childbirth, you abided, despite the ache buried within you, no time for being selfish, you whispered to yourself.

“He has your eyes.” Rhaenyra bespoke, swinging the baby in her arms, you pressed a peck on his little hand, he seemed to reciprocate your caress for he tangled his small fingers on your index one. “How should we name him?” Rhaenyra asked as if you were the other parent, not minding at all the midwives and handmaidens nearby, lost in her son and in you.

“Shouldn’t you… consult it with Laenor?”

“I have a few in mind.” She ignored your question, so you did too.

“Jaecerys.”

“That’s a name fit for a prince.” Said she with joy. “You’ll make a fine King one day, Jace.”

*********

You were perhaps too enthralled to notice, or perhaps you didn’t want to notice. Apparently everyone around you did. The Commander of the City Watch, Ser Harwin Strong, dubbed Breakbones, was a constant companion? To the Princess, seldom did he leave her side, being her sworn protector. He spent time of quality with little prince Jaecerys as well, what you paid mind only after the second birth of your brother’s child, Lucerys. You flinched at what it could meant. Was Rhaenyra seeking warmth on another man’s bed?

“Lady Y/N.” The Queen saluted you, donned in her usual green attires, you been neglecting her, but spending time with Princess Helaena, the introvert girl of four of age. Prince Aegon turning himself in quiet the troublemaker. “Helaena treasures her moments with you.” She watched her daughter dozing in your lap as a result of an hour playing with her dolls. “She won’t even play with me.”

“She’s a special girl.” You recited a sweet lullaby, remembering the letters Rhaenys sang for you as a toddler.

Alicent fought with all her might not to bring up Rhaenyra and Ser Harwin matter, concentrated instead on the sight before her.

“I’ve missed you.” She murmured not to disturb her daughter’s nap.

“I’m always here.” You responded in the same hushed tone, meeting her gaze, she knelt to where you laid on the floor, and eased in when you stroke her chin with delicacy. “Always”

**********

A year later, right after you returned to the Capital from visiting Laena and her twins, Queen Alicent was heavy with child once more, maesters wagered she was carrying twins, after an exhausting labor, she gave birth to a healthy male baby with hair as white as the snow, “Daeron”, he was named. Hence, the delivery has left her in a grievous state. The King was untroubled it would seem, for he wasn’t there attending to her.

“Y/N?” Alicent said with a fragile voice when she felt a hand on hers.

“Yes, my Queen. How are you holding up?”

“I’m afraid, what if I don’t survive this?”

You looked at her with fret. “You will, you will recover. You are to meet the new handsome prince you had delivered.” Tenderly you smiled at her.

“Would you raise my children, if something were to happen to me??” She uttered.

“Of course. But nothing is happening to you, not as long as I live, you shall be secure. I’d fight the Stranger myself if that’s what it took.”

“You only want to use that sword of yours.” Alicent japed. “I thought you were with Rhaenyra.” She winced.

“I wanted to be here.” You replied. “Even though, on my way I stumbled across her and Ser Harwin.”

The wet nurse came in with an inconsolable Daeron on her arms. “He won’t stop whimpering, your Grace. Perhaps if he sees your face, it’ll do.” Alicent shifted, trying to adjust to a more comfortable position.

“Oh my baby boy.”

“May I?” You gestured at the Queen softly, while the nurse awaited Alicent’s consent to hand you the babe.

“You may.” Little Daeron halted his cries once you took him in, you wiggled him and recited the same melody as with Jace and Helaena. “You’d be an excellent mother.” She later stated.

You've grown attached of the little princeling, you've taught him some of your mother tongue, you've played with him, soothed him to sleep. Alicent's heart swelled when she sees how fond you are of each other.

In his lodgings, he held a pair of wooden knights. “Mother mother!” Daeron exclaimed rather enthusiastic, it alarmed you a bit.

“What is it, my darling boy?” A worried Alicent gasped.

“This is you and this is Y/N.” He alluded to the stiff toys.

“Oh and who might I be?” You humorously asked.

“You’re the fearless dragon rider of the ancient Silverwing!”

“And I?” It was the Queen’s turn to comically inquire.

“You’re the damsel in distress, who’s seeking saving from her one true love.” He innocently said. You and Alicent look at each other expectantly, he didn’t notice though. “You are to rescue mother, get her to safety back to her home, you’ll defeat all enemies and armies with your dragon!” It is true that Viserys was never a parental figure to neither of them, he rarely visited them, even less did he play with them. “Can Y/N be my other mother, please, please?” He pleaded, and you doted on him.

“I thought I already was.” You joked and Alicent contemplated you in amazement, loving every second of the play pretending, wishing it could last forever.

You missed Daeron deeply, even though it has only been a few moons since he left for Oldtown to be Lord Hightower's squire, he took with him a bracelet with a little dragon in the middle that you gave him and his astounding hatchling (growing every day) Tessarion. He wept all night when he learned he was leaving, clutching to your leg tightly the next day and pouting until you promised him you would visit him as soon as you could, as long as he went and behaved like a proper prince.

“I love you, my silver boy.” You told him before he climbed into the carriage leaving you holding back tears with Alicent by your side.

Another two years have passed, and the Realm’s Delight pregnancy does not seem to be coming to an end. It's ironic, though. The women you love the most, producing heir after heir to men they do not exactly love, out of duty. Was it? You knew it was Alicent's case, you began to doubt the Princess'. You grew more and more fond of them, the "green" princes caring for you but not warming to you as much as the "black" princelings.

“Aunt Y/N! Can we go flying on Silverwing?” The lads begged excitingly, you whisked their heads and let them down slowly.

“I promise I will take you soon enough, when you are older.”

“We want to grow up fast to ride with you!” Little Jace exclaimed.

“You’ll be taller than me in no time. As of now, I’ll teach you how to give commands in Valyrian so both Vermax and Arrax get used to your voices. lua gīda, sōvegon, dohaeragon.” (Keep calm, fly, serve)

**********

“You shouldn’t have called for her.” You reprimanded Her Grace, she gave you a look and scoffed.

“I didn’t ask them to retrieve her. I’m ecstatic to make the acquaintance of my newest step-grandson.”

The truth behind why Alicent was doing this was to prove his point to you of all people; and to Viserys by all means. She’s spent years and years watching the Princess do as she pleases while taking advantage of being the heir, and bearing bastards in front of everyone's eyes. Hurting you, most of all. Neglecting your "friendship", knowing how much it hurt you that she was married to her brother, and now breaking her vows and lying with another man. Her insinuations had fallen on stony ears, she wasn't finished yet.

“You shouldn’t be walking in this condition, Princess.” With false politeness, Alicent expressed her concern. Rhaenyra looked beyond knocked out, sweating from head to toe, and your brother was upset, as well. You knew she was indignant that you were standing now with Her Grace, as if rooting for her or something of the sort.

“Have you picked a name already?” You cut the tension, while King Viserys arrived to proudly view his grandchild, as he had done before.

“Joffrey.” Laenor interjected ahead of the Princess, visibly confused by the sudden response of her husband. “We will name him Joffrey.”

“That’s an uncommon name for a Velaryon.” Alicent pointed out, peeking in between the pair.

“Lovely, nonetheless.” You attested.

“Yes, it is.” Viserys and Laenor chatted a bit whilst indulging in the sight of the newborn. Leaving you with a fatigued Rhaenyra on the settee, intending to get up to no avail, you offered your arm to her.

“I hope the labor was easy.” You said to her.

“Without you there, trust me, it wasn’t. Se dāria emagon mirre ao occupied se distracted.” (The Queen has kept you occupied and distracted) The Princess answered.

“īlon’ve issare both rather occupied isse bona case.” (We’ve been both rather occupied in that case)

“Would you mind speaking the common tongue in the presence of those who do not speak your language?” Alicent awkwardly said, catching the words “distracted and occupied”, annoying her.

“Sorry, your Grace.” Rhaenyra rolled her eyes, and turned to leave.

“My wife needs to rest. If you’ll excuse us. Your Grace, my King. Sister, would you mind accompany us?” The Queen gave you leave even though you don’t actually require it, she was irritated.

“Do keep trying, Ser Laenor; soon or late, you may get one who looks like you.”

You feel bad, guilty even, that Alicent does not cease on insisting about the same affair that began years ago. You also feel betrayed when you are in the same room as the Commander and the Princess, you can see the way he looks at her, how devoted he is to her, and how he has a special treatment with her kids. You’ve never approached Rhaenyra with this, nor has anyone more than Alicent being adamant on it.

“Mother, father! We’ve chosen and egg for the baby.” Jace said cheerfully, along with Luke. “Look, aunt Y/N, you like it?”

“I do, sweetheart. It’ll be a beautiful hatchling.” You admired the egg, and Luke hugged your waist to greet you.

“Off with you now, lads. Your mother wants to rest.” He urged the kids back to the Dragonpit to resume their training. Harwin was so deep in awe with the new babe and Rhaenyra looked apologetic when Laenor suggested you should leave the apartments.

“Y/N, a stroll in the gardens?” He offered, and noticed your gloomy resemblance, you threw a last glance at Rhaenyra before nodding and following him outdoors.

You didn’t ask Laenor more questions, nor were you eager to hear the answers he possessed. Despite of enjoying his own freedom, he was aware of things you were ignorant, ones you decided not to pay heed to save the torture.

“I was thinking… everything’s quiet here as of late. We should pay a visit to our sister and nieces. They’re still in Pentos. Sort of a… break.” Laenor suggested, you pondered for a minute.

“What of your wife and children?” You countered.

“They’ll be fine without me. They got good company.” He regretted what he said just when the words came out. “They are home.“

“I don’t know, Laenor. I of course do want to see Laena again. But being absent now does not seem like a good idea. The Queen is relentless.”

“She has no proof of anything, Y/N. They’re all mere false accusations to put his own son on the Throne. Don’t you miss flying with your favorite brother? I can’t hardly recall when was the last time we did so together. Oh I know why you’re reluctant! You fear again not winning the race between Silverwing and Seasmoke.” He jested, and you crackled hard.

“Oh yeah, you caught me.”

Later that evening, you approached the Queen and the young Princess, Helaena, who’s apparently way too focused on the worm on the top of her palm. Aemond was there too, all covered in ash and soot.

“My Lady.” Alicent addressed you, still upset, but now she was fuming.

“Bad timing?”

“Your nephews gave my son a pig.” Alicent hissed, holding Aemond close.

“What?”

“They were making fun of me.” Aemond shouted. “I’ll never have a dragon.”

“What have I just told you, my sweet son? Give it time.”

“My prince, if Silverwing does ever brings another clutch of eggs, I will personally deliver one to you, as a gift for your bravery.” You doubted your silvery dragon would indeed, as she’s an old one but whoever knows? You meant it though, the promise to him.

“Thank you.” Helaena proceded to show her insects to her younger brother, not a fan of them himself, he still paid attention to her.

“Those boys…” Alicent commenced.

“It’s not their nature. They’re gentle, kindhearted.”

“They resemble to you in those aspects. They might as well be yours.” For the first time, her clear resentment towards the children wasn’t one with rancour, you chuckled and so did she.

“Walk with me?” You strolled the small sunken courtyard, out of sight of creeping eyes.

“Is there a specific reason why you decided to bring us here, my Queen? You asked in an amused voice, she feigned offense.

“What are you insinuating?”

“That you want to kiss me.” She made a neutral face, and you began to think that you'd got it all wrong, that you'd misread the signs. "Alicent... -" With your guard down, she pulled you by the back of the neck and shut down your further ramblings, you reciprocated and as soon as she was done she hugged you affectionately.

“Sometimes I still wonder... if what I feel is a sin, if I'm a sinner for loving you this much.” You frowned, you observed that there was a battle going on inside her soul, inside her mind. She found herself thinking about her father, Otto’s words and warnings still echoing.

“Be careful with that girl, Alicent. She’ll destroy you.”

“Prepare Aegon to rule.”

“You cannot love another woman, you stupid, unholy child.”

“Aegon will be King. It is your duty to see it done.”

Trying to soothe her, you placed your forehead against hers. “It is not, I do not believe so. We are who we are, Alicent. We are true to ourselves, and that’s a brave thing to do. We embrace it, that’s why we get to feel alive, otherwise, we’d be empty.”

“I feel empty when I’m not with you.”

“Then you have answered your own question, my Queen." She smiled, and you planted another kiss on her immaculate lips.

*********

After an "incident" in the training yard involving the boys, you heard that Harwin beat the hell out of Criston, you were glad that he was put in his place after a lot of taunting and scorn regarding your nephews. You honestly don't know how you control yourself in similar situations. However, Breakbones is leaving the city to return to his duties as heir to Harrenhal. Rhaenyra and Alicent kept disagreeing on every issue, however big or small.

“Lady Y/N, I…-“ The silver-head does not seem to find the words to say, caught in her throat. “Pardon me, for bothering at these hours but, I want to say my farewells to you.” You were unable to register.

“Farewells?”

“I am leaving for Dragonstone, my lady. With the kids and my husband, your brother.”

“Is this because of the Queen’s-“

“A wise sailor leaves ahead of a gathering storm rather than try to defeat it.”

“Those are Laenor’s beliefs. You cannot-“

“I am serious, Y/N. It pains me, really it does. Jace and Luke too. But it’s better if we get some fresh air, different surroundings might do them good, Joffrey to grow up without the bitterness of the Capital. We cannot longer stand the increasing rumors, the gossip, the mounting threats and humiliation we have endured. I don’t even know what side you’re on, Y/N. You’re obviously torn. And it hurts.”

“Rumors or not, those boys are important to me. I adore them.”

“I know they are, and I know you do. I need to protect them from those who do not share your sentiment.” She gave a meekly half smile.

“A clever sailor finds the way to surround the gathering storm rather than to flee it.”

“Now, those are your beliefs. It’ll make the children happy if you bid them goodbye first light in the morrow.”

“I will.”

Has Rhaenyra stopped caring about you, has everything been spoiled by her feelings for Harwin Strong? You felt stupid, this started years ago. Since her wedding, she was never the same, and neither were you. Those were selfish thoughts, deep down you knew. Asking her to stay in King's Landing was too much, and you also knew Alicent would keep pushing it. Better that she went with her family to a safer place. It might help your feelings dissolve once and for all.

Just two weeks later, you decided it was your turn to think of yourself, and with suitors coming like hunters, stalking you every chance they got, leaving the court seemed appealing too, so you set off on your silvery she-dragon for High Tide to find the comfort of home, your parents and old friends.

Tagging: @loveislove4 @sophiexoxsblog

[harryhoney-bee]

I'm feeling really soft and fuzzy today, So if I can request something I want to do that abeja 🐝💓

#Concept: Nightly routine with y/n and Harry- parents of two little babies.

Tag me if you write this baby ✨✨

Adore you alot 💕

Night Routine

Warning: your ovaries might explode... mine did 🤚🏻 I would give this man 9 children if he asked.

Word count: 1.7k

I have a kofi, so please consider buying me coffee if you can <3

I hope you enjoy it!! Let me know what you think 😚

“But I want to take a beth with him, daddy,” Cecília whined to Harry, while he undressed her, putting her new pajamas and towel on the bathroom counter.

“My little darling, he is still little, he can’t take bath with you,” Harry explained, taking Cecí on his lap and putting her inside the warm tub, handing her some of her favorite toys. “Lorenzo is just 6 months, he’s not as big as you.”

Harry made a bowl with his hands, wetting her curly hair and applying shampoo, a pout still on her face. “Please, daddy?” she said, her chubby hand grabbing his arm. Cecí had already mastered her puppy eyes technique, and she knew how much her dad had a weak spot for her.

“Alright, alright,” He finally gave in, “but he will stay outside of the tub, he doesn’t know how to sit by himself.”

“Thank you, daddy!” The girl splashed water around in excitement, which made Harry smile. That’s how he always wanted to see her: happy and healthy.

Harry went to the door, keeping an eye on the girl in the tub. “Baby? Are you done nursing? Cecí wants to see Lorenzo,” he tried to call his wife as loud as he could while being mindful of Lorenzo, who could be asleep by now. He never wanted to alarm any of him or Cecília with his loud voice.

In a matter of seconds, Y/n appeared in the hallway, a confused expression on her face while Lorenzo was calmly laying down on her arms, his little hands resting on Y/n’s shoulders. “What’s wrong? Why does she want to see him? We just had diner together,” she asked, heading in Harry’s direction.

“I’m not sure, guess she just missed him,” Harry answered, giving his wife a kiss on the forehead and bending down to talk to a very awake Lorenzo. “But who wouldn’t miss you, huh? Such a cutie, right buddy?” he was aware that using a baby voice wasn’t the best, but he couldn’t help, Lorenzo was just extremely adorable.

“Mommy! Enzo!” Cecília called, from the opposite side of the bathroom, “come here mommy, miss you too.”

Y/n sat on the bathroom floor, Lorenzo still with her. “Hey, my heart, having a good bath with daddy?” she asked at the same time Harry sat down by her side and hugged her from the side, laying his chin on her head.

“Yeah! Daddy always let me play,” Cecília took one of the yellow ducks and showed her mom, “This is Mc Duck.”

“Wow, he’s a very beautiful duck isn’t he?” She asked, giving Lorenzo to Harry while kneeling near the bathtub since Cecí still had to wash her hair, Y/n gently took the excess of shampoo from the girl’s hair, while Harry tried to keep Lorenzo entertained by singing him a silly song.

“He is, I love yellow,” the little girl admitted, “I think Lorenzo loves yellows too.”

“And why do you think that, Cecí?” Harry asked amused while pretending to eat the boy’s fingers.

“Because we’re are best friends,” She said as if the answer was obvious, “and friends like the same things.” Y/n and Harry looked at each other and laughed, for a five-year-old girl she knew a lot about relationships.

“Oh, how do you know that?” Y/n asked, finishing washing her hair, letting Cecília enjoy her time in the bath.

“Because you and daddy are best friends, you wear the same clothes sometimes, listen to the same music, and watch the same movies,” with every new topic she would count down on her fingers, it was quite a comical sight.

Harry’s chuckle filled the room, the baby on his lap giggled too. “Well, my little lady, you are right. But friends can also like different things, too,” he told her. “Me and mommy like a lot of similar things, but we also have our preferences.”

“Exactly, daddy loves bananas, but I don’t” y/n complemented, getting Cecília out of the tub, helping her into some warm clothes, “I don’t like to work out, but your dad always wakes up early to go for a run, see? We like different things but we still love each other.”

Harry got up from the floor, rocking Lorenzo softly, his heavy eyes indicating how sleepy the baby was. He took the combing cream in his hand and began combing Cecília’s curls with one hand, while his other arm held Lorenzo. Being a father of two made him very talented at doing two things at the same time. While he did that, Y/n was getting Cecí’s toothpaste ready.

“Daddy, do you love mommy even if she doesn’t go running with you?” Cecí asked, before opening her mouth so Y/n could brush her teeth. Normally they would let Cecília do it by herself, with their supervision, but it was already late and the couple desperately needed to get the children to bed, or else their routine would be messed up. Good thing Lorenzo seemed to be falling asleep already.

“Of course I do! We don’t love people just because they do the same things we do, we love people because they are kind and respectful to us, yeah?” Harry said, looking at Y/n and blowing her a kiss. This is what he loved the most about parenthood: watching the kids growing into their best version.

Parenting was made in many different ways, but the couple especially loved having these kinds of conversations. Even though Cecília was still young, she was already beginning to comprehend what love and friendships were, and Harry and Y/n had the privilege to teach her that.

Harry finished her hair, putting the brush and the products in their place under the sink while Y/n put on some socks on Cecí’s feet, the little girl was yawning, seeming tired. Lorenzo started to fussy on Harry’s arms.

“Guess it’s time to sleep, huh?” Harry said, caressing Cecílias head, “Tired, my baby? Want daddy to read a bedtime story to you? Or do you want mommy?” At the same time he mentioned Y/n, Lorenzo started to soft cry. “Hey, what’s wrong?” Harry asked, looking down at the upset’s baby face.”

Y/n took his from Harry’s arms, cuddling him closer to her chest, “What do you want, Enzo? Mommy just fed you” she looked at her husband, “I’ll nurse him again on the bed, he’s probably just a bit agitated, will you put her to sleep?”

“Yeah, of course.”

The woman kissed Cecília on the forehead, “have a good night, ok, baby? Mommy will take you to the playground tomorrow, alright?”

“Ok mommy, I love you and little bro too,” she said, giving a hug to her mom before she disappeared through the door with the crying baby.

Harry took Cecília by her small hand, leading them to her room, just by the side of the main suite, where the couple slept. He guided the little girl to her bed, giving her all of her favorite stuffed animals, and covered Cecília in her Lilac duvet.

“What story do you want today?

“The pirate one, please,” she asked, laying her head on the pillow as Harry went to her bookshelf, picking the one with the title Pirate’s cove. He sat by the end of the bed and began telling the story.

“I have a story for you, a story of untold riches and a young lad who found them. And who am I, you ask? Well, I am the spirit of the sand-dollar, a pirate and a buccaneer, Captain of the seahorse, the finest ship to ever sail the seven seas…”

Harry would occasionally stop to answer any questions Cecília had, but after 15 minutes he was done with the book and the girl was fast asleep, hugging tight to her little lamb. He made sure she was tucked in and turned off the lights (besides the one on the side of Cecília’s bed, she was scared to sleep in a pitch-black room), he closed the door and headed to his bedroom.

To Harry’s surprise, Lorenzo was sleeping in his bassinet by the side of the mattress. He usually would sleep in his nursery, but today just seemed like an off day to the little boy. Harry got closer to him, stroking the chubby cheeks, “Oh my little bug, did mommy let you sleep here with us? You’re not feeling fine?”

“I think he’s teething,” Y/n said in a raspy voice, taking her head from the pillow, “he’s even a bit warmer than usual, I think his gums are itching.”

“My poor baby,” Harry mumbled, turning his head to Y/n, “I hate seeing him upset, maybe we could make some homemade Popsicle, it helped when Cecília was teething.”

“Yeah, we can try that, we can make them tomorrow.” she patted the mattress, “now please come to bed, he did a number on me, I’m so tired.”

“Alright baby,” Harry took off his shirt, standing only in sweatpants, he went to the bed, laying by Y/n side, one arm hooked on her waist as she cuddled to him, placing her head on his shoulder.

“I’m so lucky to have you,” Y/n said against his neck.

“Oh baby, I am the lu--”

“--I mean, how many husbands would still love their wives even if they wouldn’t go jogging at 6 in the morning?” she said teasingly, her giggles reaching his ear.

He rolled his eyes playfully, “you are making a lot of jokes for someone who is tired,” he kissed her temple. “I’m gonna wake you up at 5 am tomorrow, so we can be fitness together.”

“Don’t you dare! You do that and your plan of being a father to three it’s over.”

“Damn sweetheart, that’s not very nice, huh?”

“You’re the one who started,” she said, before closing her eyes, snuggling to Harry’s body. The man placed a hand on her belly, falling asleep minutes later.

Tag list: @sunandherflores @elenagilbert01 @bellelittleoff, @cheshire-salvatore-mikaelson

If you don't want to be in the tag list just let me know, please!! <3

[x-reader-theater]

We know that Spencer wants kids like he says so in the serie so I was think a Spencer x male reader where the reader work at the bau with him and Spencer got a crush on him and one day the reader's kid come and the team met them and Spencer like '' you have a kid? '' and I don't know but I know that he will be such a good dad and a lot of fluff and sweet Spencer

I really hope you like this one! I always get really mad at the writers whenever they mention that Spencer can't have kinds but like, he can, just not biological ones. Like, he can adopt or find a partner that has a kid and he'll still be a great dad. I poured a lot of that frustration into making this as cute as possible. @mystic-writes edited this, as well as everything else that I write I just like @ing her every time loll. Also, I'm running out of gifsssssssss

"Hey, Spence!" you exclaim, sitting at the desk across from his.

His cheeks flare up red and he whispers, "Hey, [Y/N]."

You smile at him. "Have a good weekend?"

He nods. "Yeah, I watched a couple documentaries, read some new books I just got-"

"Oh!" you exclaim, making Spencer jump in his seat. You rummage around in your backpack before pulling out a book, and handing it to him. "I got you this. I don't know if you already have it, or have read it, but, I thought you might like it," you say, holding the book out to him.

He grabs it and reads the title. “Timechart History of the World: 6000 Years of World History Unfolding.” It's a thick book, with more than 500 pages at least, and a smile lights up Spencer's face.

"Where did you find this?" he asks and you shrug.

"Got an ad for something similar online, but it didn't look too credible. So, I did some digging, and found this," you say, gesturing to the book in Spencer's hands.

He grins at you and says, "Thank you, so much! I-I'm sorry I don't have anything for you…"

You wave him off, saying, "Really, it's no big deal. It's a gift." He nods, but doesn't seem convinced until you say, "Happy Birthday, Spencer."

You were the only one who remembered.

–

"Hotch, I really need to talk to you," you say, gripping your son's hand tightly, but not enough to hurt. Looking from your son to you, he nods and motions for you to follow him into his office, where he closes the door and shuts the blinds. He sits down in his chair and you motion for Harry to sit on the couch, pulling out a children's book for him to read while you talk with Hotch.

"Who's this?" he asks and you smile as you sit down.

"My son, Harrison. Most people just call him Harry," you explain and Hotch nods, but doesn't speak. "I'm so sorry to have to ask this, but Harry's school has a day off and he's too young to stay at home alone, and his normal sitter works during the day and I don't have family out here and I don't trust another sitter and-"

"[L/N]. It's okay. I get it," Hotch says and you suck in a deep breath. "Strauss says we're not getting any cases after our last one went so wrong. As long as he doesn't get in the way or distract too much, it's okay."

You sigh and smile gratefully, yet tiredly, and say quietly, "Thank you so much for this. I owe you, big time."

Hotch shakes his head. "I know what it's like to be a single parent. I'm just lucky I have Jessica," he says and you nod. "If a case comes up, you can go home and take care of your son. We'll call you if we need anything." You nod and get up out of the chair, and turn towards Harry when Hotch says, "Oh, and [L/N]?" You turn around and face him. "Maybe Harry can meet Jack sometime? I would have asked sooner if I knew…"

You smile. "I think that would be a lot of fun. They're roughly the same age."

Hotch nods and you hold your hand out to Harry, who takes it, and you lead him to your desk in the bullpen. You set up a blanket and some toys and books underneath your desk, and Harry makes himself very happy by your feet as you crack open a few case files and start working on some extra work.

A couple of hours later, the bullpen is filled with your colleagues, chatting idly, pawning work off onto Spencer, which you take some of to lighten his workload, and people grabbing each other coffee. You haven't gotten up once, instead staying seated, unintentionally hiding your son underneath your desk.

But, that wouldn't last forever.

"Papa?" you hear Harry call from underneath you, quietly.

Spencer's head snaps up, as well as JJ's, and you pull your chair back to look at your son and say, "Yes, sweetheart?"

"I'm hungry," he says, and you nod, reaching into your bag and pulling out a little Iron Man lunch box.

You place it on your desk and hold your arms out, saying, "You have to eat at the desk, but you can sit in my lap."

He nods and crawls up into your lap, and you see now everyone's looking at you as Harry hides his face in your chest. "It's okay, sweetie. They're Papa's friends," you say quietly, and Harry turns around enough to open his lunch box, pull out a packet of goldfish, and turn back into your chest, opening it and eating. You smile and kiss his head.

"Who's this?" JJ asks and you smile when Harry presses his face even further into your chest.

"This is Harrison. But, you can call him Harry," you say, rubbing one of your hands up and down his back. "He's my son."

"Son?" Morgan says, frowning. "I didn't know you were married."

You shake your head. "I'm not. Never was. It was a one night stand. Didn't realize that the condom broke. She died shortly after she had him, and I was given custody. I was a twenty-something just starting with the FBI, who now had a four-week-old living with him," you say, and everyone looks at you, shocked. Even Harry is looking at you like you haven't told him this a million times before. "But, I wouldn't change it for the world. He's the best thing to ever happen to me."

Emily and JJ both "Aw!" and Derek smiles. Spencer's still looking at you, shocked.

"Did you know that male emperor penguins exhibit a feature unique among penguins. If the chick hatches before the female returns, the male, despite his fasting, is able to produce and secrete a curd-like substance from his esophagus to feed the chick, allowing for survival and growth for up to two weeks," Spencer explains. "Which makes them one of the best fathers in the animal kingdom."

You smile and hug Harry closer to you, saying, "My little penguin."

He laughs and moves his face away from your chest and says, "Papa really likes seahorses."

"Yes! Seahorses are also great father's. In fact.."

Spencer rambles about anything Harry asks about, and eventually, the boy gets up from your lap and settles in Spencer's, just listening to him talk about nothing and everything. You actually manage to get all your work done, as well as some of Spencer's to make sure he isn’t seen as slacking off, though you don't know how he could ever be seen that way.

Eventually, the end of the day comes, and you gather up all of your things from underneath and on top of your desk, putting them away in your bag, and you go around the desks to hold your arms out to Harry.

"Alright, sweetheart. Time to go home," you say, and in protest he just wraps his arms tighter around Spencer's neck. You sigh. "Honey, Spencer probably has things to do. We should let him go home."

Harry whimpers and Spencer actually wraps an arm around him. "I don't mind. Honestly. I can come home with you and then walk home. It's not a big deal."

You shake your head. "If you're coming home with us, you're not leaving without dinner." Spencer nods and you grab his satchel for him, slinging it around your shoulders as he carries Harry out, still talking about nothing.

You cook Spencer a good, home cooked meal, and when you drive him home that night, you kiss him.

Six months later, Harry calls him "Dad" and you realize that, before this moment, you've never seen Spencer cry tears of joy before.

[shisui-uchiha-anon]

"That is where you are wrong. I am not like you. Can't you tell? I am a halfbreed between Naiad and a human being. Naiad are the female water spirits, who hunt human males. But she fell in love with my father. I don't know who was the dumber. She or him? Instead of killing him, she does what? Make herself pregnant. It is forbidden for Naiad to mic breed and to have a male child. A male child is a cursed näcken, and by the law banished to the Norden lands. Or killed."

His voice held that heavy growl of a man filled with rage. His ears shifted into fins, spreading apart from his hair. Like the fins of a seahorse, as soon as she calmed, his rage sipped away like a retreating tide. His face softens perfectly human again.

Really powerful creatures change easily from their true self to the human mask. But there are exceptions, some creatures use talismans made by witches or spells to change. Some like Shisui are halfbreeds, who are granted the power to change at will. There is also one downside to his powers. Water is his weakness, if sprayed, where water touches his skin true him is revealed.

"Siren what is your name?" See? He can be polite and normal with a soft calming voice only if he wants. His change, shaping back into a human was almost graceful, like ice melting to reveal his human form.

Soon after he made a phone call informing his superiors that the siren escaped. The argument was sharp but it ended fast.

"It seems that today is your lucky day. You will come with me. Back there you will never go again, because those humans will report you again. And hunters will send someone else." Shisui closed her hatch and started the engine he took her to his home. Once they were there he got his van inside the garage connected to the house.

"Here we are, no biting or trying to fight me. You got that hm?"

As soon as Sakura noticed the slits on his neck and the slow changes that came from speaking her language, she was shock, and confused. Why would someone like her capture other beings like himself. It just didn't make any sense. Did humans corrupt him that much?

Her fins flared up in anger and she hissed at him, "I have no desire to be some human's art piece! I am a living being! Not some toy! I can see the marks on your neck! You're just like me! Why would you do this?"

Sakura continued to look enraged, but lowered her fins a bit, looking guilty at his next accusation, "I wanted... To mate. I had no desire to eat him. I simply wanted children but it turns out mating with a human is much more difficult than I thought and accidentally drowned him..." She felt bad about it. It wasn't her intention to kill him. She really just wanted a family.

"No... My family is all dead. I have no one. As you said... My kind are dying out. I just- Didn't want to be lonely anymore." Sakura sunk a bit down in the water feeling foolish. She really did do this to herself, "Please... I'm begging you to take me back. I don't belong here." She pleaded again.

[spacetimeconundrum]

Minutes Til Moonrise

I wrote more werewolves.

[ 22.8k, T, Buck/Eddie, established relationship, werewolves, kidnapping, the firefam finds out, AO3 link ]

“Buck, I’m hungry. Can we get something to eat?” Chris asks.

“String cheese and apple slices in the bag, bud.” Buck nods towards the backpack hanging from the stroller while balancing Jee on the whale-shaped spring rider. Chris must be headed into another growth spurt, his appetite seems to have tripled in the past month or so. Fortunately, Buck came prepared.

“Buh,” Jee agrees and smacks her hands against the whale’s head.

Chris sighs the extremely disappointed sigh of every mildly inconvenienced pre-teen in the world and starts making his way over to Jee’s stroller.

Maddie grins and shakes her head at them from her perch on the adjacent seahorse rider. He can tell she wants to tease him about how much of a dad he’s being right now, but she doesn’t say anything.

Things have been a little tentative between them since she came back from Boston, neither of them quite sure what they should or shouldn’t say yet. They’ve talked about her reasons for leaving—Buck supported her decision then and still does—but they’re both in very different places now than when she left and they’re still figuring out how to navigate that change. He hadn’t even told Maddie that he and Eddie were dating before she left, and now they’re living together and she still doesn’t know about the werewolf thing.

Jee pauses her enthusiastic rocking, grunts, and makes a face. A distinct odor soon hits Buck’s nose.

“Uh oh,” he says, in a sing-song voice, “someone just made a mess in her diaper, didn’t she? Oh boy, that smells like a big one. What exactly have your mom and dad been feeding you lately?”

“Uh oh,” Jee echoes.

Maddie rolls her eyes and stands, gesturing for him to hand over her daughter. Buck passes her over with a sheepish grin and hauls himself up onto his feet.

“I guess that means it’s time for Mama to get you into a clean diaper, isn’t it?” Maddie asks, smiling down at Jee.

Maddie swings Jee on to her hip to take the diaper bag from Chris, who looks up from his already mostly demolished snack to hand it to her, and starts for the public restroom not far from the playground.

He and Chris follow her slowly with the stroller, resuming their conversation from earlier about whether Spider-man should be able to talk to spiders as they walk.

“Buck, I have to go to the bathroom too,” Chris says, a minute or so after Maddie disappears into the building with Jee.

“Okay,” Buck says. “Men’s entrance is on the other side. You good on your own?”

“I got it,” Chris assures him with an eyeroll, and starts making his way around the small building.

Buck nods. “We’ll be right here when you’re done.”

It’s a beautiful spring day, the sky a cloudless blue, and the weather at that perfect temperature, not too warm for jeans and not too cool for short sleeves, that first made him fall in love with living in LA.

Aside from the chemical (and not so chemical) smells of recently serviced restrooms, algae-rich lakewater, and goose droppings, the air is reasonably fresh and filled with relaxing scents—cut grass, blooming trees, burgers cooking on a nearby charcoal grill, even the recycled rubber from the playground surface is familiar and comforting when combined with the scents of his family, Christopher, Maddie, and Jee.

He breathes it all in, stretching out his back while he waits. No matter what else might be going on with his life, at least he’s lucky enough to have moments like this.

“Buck, Buck!” Christopher’s panicked shouts interrupt his peaceful contemplation.

CONTINUED ON AO3...

[squishmallow36]

Keeper of the Lost Prepositions - Forty-six

Word count: 2.6k

Tw: Dex blaming himself for the events of the previous chapter

Taglist (lmk if you want to be added/removed!): @stellar-lune @gaslight-gaetkeep-gayboss @kamikothe1and0lny @nyxpixels @florida-fruity-frog @poppinspop @crystallinewalker @uni-seahorse-572 @solreefs @books-over-boys @rusted-phone-calls @when-wax-wings-melt @cotyledon-tomentosa @good-old-fashioned-lover-boy7 @dexter-dizzknees @abubble125 @stuff-is-way

On Ao3 or below the cut!

    Standing a few metres away from home, I try to find the courage to cross to the front door. 

    Fitz whispers, “If you want, I can tell them.”

    I shake my head.

    “No.” It’s my fault.

    “It’s my fault for hiding Keefe.”

    “Well, Lovise getting hurt is mine, so don’t even try to play that card.”

    “Fine then. You tell your parents about that. But I have to tell them about their store.”

    “You shouldn’t have to do that.”

    “It’s my fault Gisela did what she did.”

    “She’d have--,” I pause, realizing the futility of my argument. “Honestly, I should just give up trying to debate against you.”

    Thanks to Wonderboy, I’m hyper aware that how I say ‘against’ is another one of my little things I pronounce oddly.

    He shrugs. “I already have.”

    I untangle my fingers from his, and take a deep breath, attempting to find whatever bravery I have.

    Slowly unlocking the door, I call, “Mom? I’ve got some news concerning the Neverseen.”

    I am aware it’s too formal, Fitzroy, before you even start.

    “One sec…” Mom replies from the living room. “Okay? What’s up?”

    I see Lex, running and yelling at the top of his lungs, and Mom notices my hesitation. 

    Apparently Fitz does too, as he supplies, with no apparent regard for the triplets hearing things, “I’m not going to beat around the bush here. The Neverseen destroyed the store.”

    I look at him, not sure how he just strung that sentence together.

    Mom’s reaction is less intense than I’d have expected. “Well. You’re not playing a prank on me, right?”

    I just now realize, “I should’ve taken pictures.”

    “Pictures wouldn’t do it justice,” Fitz says, “But I’ll stay here and watch the triplets if you and Kesler want to go visit with Dex.”

    “I’ll stay here,” I argue. 

    “No, you won’t,” he replies.

    I refuse to look at him, because I know for a fact that I’d be much more persuaded by his argument if I did.

    Mom goes to Dad’s office here, and I somehow register with a start that I should thank my lucky stars that Dad or anyone else weren’t at the store when it went down.

    Together, we leap to Mysterium, and both Mom and Dad’s initial reaction to seeing it involves a lot of swear words. 

    And you know it has to be bad because the triplets can destroy almost everything and they can still bleep it out at the very least. 

    “You okay?” Mom asks, ruffling my hair.

    Not really, but it’s fine. “Yeah.”

    Dad’s reaction is much more like my own would be. “It looks like there was an explosion that radiated out from here,” he says, pointing at a corner. 

    “I know it was somewhere more toward the back, so most, if not all, of our inventory is in a toxic soup back there.”

    “So maybe you don’t touch it then. Either of you,” Mom suggests. 

    “Yeah. There was something on fire near the caesium, because it turned violet for a little while.”

    “I’m just glad you and Fitz weren’t hurt.” Mom gives me a one armed hug, pressing me into her side for just a moment. It’d have been nice if I wasn’t taller than her. I don’t want to be tall because tall means adult and adult means responsibility. 

     Don’t argue with my logic. I know it’s irrational.

    “Lovise wasn’t quite so lucky. She’s fine, before you ask. Elwin said she’s just got a couple of bruises and scratches.”

   Mom says, completely deadpan, “You had to involve Elwin.”

    “Fitz texted him.”

    “Ah yes. Throw him under the bus.”

    Meanwhile, Dad’s train of thought has driven off its tracks as mine so often does, murmuring to himself, “Why would they have done this? You stay at home, and they know you’re part of the collective, so it can’t be against you personally...right?”

    I also talk to myself quite often, so I reply, “It’s probably mostly shock value. Although I’d argue how much of a shock they can cause after so many different demonstrations of their ability to strike anywhere at any time. Gisela also wants to know where Keefe is, so she must’ve had this set up in case we didn’t give him to her.”

    “How many times do we have to say that we can’t control him as much as she can’t?” Mom wonders.

    “You can’t reason with unreasonable people, Jules.”

    “You don’t have to remind me.”

    We stand there in silence for the next few minutes. It feels like hours. 

    I know they’re just trying to be strong, and pretend that everything’s fine. I think I am too, a little bit. 

    I can’t help myself from trying to figure out a simple solution of how to fix all of this, even though I know you can’t magically bring a building back up from the ground and pretend like it never went down. 

    Mom breaks the silence by saying, “I think I should go save Fitz.”

    “I’ll come with you. Unless you still need me here.”

    Dad replies, “No. I should go hail Uncle Grady or Aunt Edaline to borrow a few gnomes to help with the cleanup and then start on the plans of Slurps and Burps take two. Maybe finding a less flammable material would be a good place to start.”

    “Everything’s flammable if you try hard enough.”

    “I believe I was the one who taught you that.” 

    “Just checking. Gotta make sure you remember.”

    With that, we leap home, and I grab Fitz before leaping to the Healing Centre to visit Lovise. 

    And maybe him, if the triplets broke him. Just kidding. Mostly. 

    When I see her, I say, creatively, “Hey.”

    “I didn’t know I was allowed visitors yet.”

    Elwin notices me and starts preparing for the worst. Like I’m the usual bringer of destruction. Although I guess that has been my pattern recently. 

    “Don’t worry, Elwin. I’m just here to check on your patient.”

    “She is my patient no longer. She’s going to escape soon enough so I’m going to release her into your care. Just try not to get into too much more trouble today or tomorrow.”

    Fitz snorts lightly. “Like that’ll happen.”

    I take a second to consider the thought that decided to reveal itself.

    “I don’t know if this counts, but I do have a bit of a request. Just because I can’t exactly do it myself.”

    “What now?” Elwin sighs. 

    I give him a crumpled piece of paper with my calculations from earlier, complete with hand dragging across paper pencil smudges and all. 

    “Sorry about my handwriting, but I was thinking this could be a Keefe solution. You know, the next time he pops up out of nowhere.”

    He takes a few seconds before suggesting, “How about this? I can’t read this and I know how finicky alchemy is, so you can borrow my lab if you want.” 

    “Really?” I ask, knowing full well that I wouldn’t let others get their grubby little paws on mine. 

    “Yeah. Just make sure I have all of your ingredients before you start. I don’t know if I’ll have everything.”

    “Thanks,” I say, already beginning to search his beautifully maintained shelves of ingredients. 

    I see a nearly empty bottle of Cwiofyr, a rare mineral made from lightning striking lava that happens to be highly explosive, and mutter, “Easiest way to destroy a ceiling.”

    That greatly distresses Fitz.

    I get a decent amount down my list, and I can’t seem to find the mancas, which is the active ingredient. 

    “Elwin, do you know off the top of your head if you have mancas?”

    “Considering I’ve never heard of it, I’d say probably not. I’m going to regret this, but we’ve got a storeroom for all of the alchemy sessions here.”

    I smile. “Yes, yes you are.”

    Once you let me in there, you’re going to have to drag me back out whether you like it or not. 

    We get there, and I’d like to make a clarification. I’m never leaving because I’m never going to find anything in this place. 

    I mean, there’s only four rows of shelves, with actual chemicals being on opposite ends. Organic chemicals might be on the left side, but, at the same time, it could also be household products, while the right has your classic chemicals. 

    And there is no way I can understand how anyone can find anything here, apart from memorizing the shelves, on purpose or by accident. 

    I have to search slowly, vial of chemical by vial of chemical. There’s one just labelled, “Poison,” which would be descriptive if half the stuff in here couldn’t kill you. Easily. 

    Fitz, however, finds the mancas with zero difficulty. 

    How did you do that? 

    I take it and add it to a small tray so I can carry things back with me. Figuring it’d be easier to not bounce back and forth from the Healing Centre, I ask Fitz, “Can you find the forswigian? A one-tenth molar solution, if possible.”

    “I don’t know what that means but I’ll try.”

    It’s a mere few seconds before he asks, “Is this it?” 

    And it is. Down to the molarity, which wasn’t his doing but I still choose to be irritated. 

    I decide that I’m not going to find anything, and he seems to have a gift for this for some unknown reason. I find some space on my scratch paper and write down a list of everything I still need before giving it to him. 

    Two minutes. That’s how long it takes him to find a half dozen ingredients. 

    In this mess. 

    “Here you go,” he says, shifting around bottles in the tray to make space for the hlosian.

    “How do you do this?” I have to ask. 

    He shrugs. “I don’t know. It’s not that hard.”

    A wave of anger surfaces from his total apathy, because for some magical reason he can find his way around this place without any trouble. 

    Or maybe it’s because he hasn’t been conditioned with my Dad’s organization system.

    Nah. It’s magic.

    “You don’t understand how messed up the organization system here is.”

    “Oh. Okay...”

    “I’m going to make you find things if we have to do this again in the future. You don’t get a choice,” I snap.

    “Not that bad of a punishment.”

    Honestly, it’s more of a punishment for me. I get to stand here, useless, while he does stuff I should be able to do. 

    I turn and walk back to the Healing Centre without another word. 

    It’s definitely fun trying to balance a dozen bottles in a tiny tray without letting them make too much noise because glass clinking against glass is loud. 

    For the next hour or two-ish, my brain melts out of my ears, trying to take extra caution to not break anything of Elwin’s.

    It doesn’t help that Fitz is watching the entire time. Distracting me, per usual. 

    And there’s no nice way to tell him to go away and let me focus. 

    Finally, cringing as I wait to see if the mixture reacts negatively to the forswigian, I announce, tentatively, “It hasn’t exploded, so I think we’re good. Probably. Maybe.”

    Clearly concerned about something, Fitz says, “Cool…”

    “And it hasn’t melted through the glass, which is a major bonus.”

    “That’s a bonus? Were you going to give it to Keefe if it did?”

    “There’s more things at the store that are perfectly safe to consume, assuming you take the proper amounts, but that’s how everything works. Even water. Don’t drink several litres in a short amount of time. It won’t be pretty. Like a third of the store is in clear plastic or something similar because they enjoy burning through glass.”

    “Is this one of those?”

    “Nah. That’s how you tell you did it just wrong enough to not blow a hole in the roof. At least in its normal concentration.”

     “Alchemy safety standards are...very interesting.” 

    Even I can hear the sarcasm in that sentence. So you know it’s piled on thick.

    “Yeah, well, you’ve been saved by alchemy more than once. So shut up.”

    “Fair point,” he concedes. 

    A few seconds pass before I figure, “We should leave Elwin to let him do whatever he wants. You know, since I’m done and I have no clue why you’re still here.”

    He shrugs, mouth forming a word before I get a telepathic message. 

    Am I not allowed to watch my boyfriend work?

    I flush bright red on instinct, trying to piece myself back together.

    “Elwin,” my voice cracks, although I’m not sure if this is because I can’t function or because it hates me. “Thanks again for letting me work here. We’re going to get going now, if you don’t mind getting rid of us. Bye!”

    Voice slightly muffled by a closed office door, Elwin calls, “See you later!”

    Fitz and I both walk backwards out the door, waving, even though he isn’t looking. 

    Slowly, we start to make our way down to the Leapmaster, mostly because we, or at least, I don’t want to go home quite yet. 

    The door swings shut, and Fitz asks, “You okay? But don’t just say yes because that’s how your brain was programmed.”

    “You okay?”

    “I mean, now, I’m worried about how you just blatantly dodged my question, but overall, not terrible.”

    “What do you want me to say, then?”

    “Maybe I want you to acknowledge that you’ve thrown yourself into this project for the past few hours to distract yourself from actually thinking about things. I can tell.”

    “Fitzy, that’s just how I process things.”

    He raises his eyebrows. “Ignoring them until you don’t have to deal with them anymore?”

    Suddenly defensive, I ask, “Remind me. Who made you a psychologist?”

    He sighs, lacing his fingers with mine. “That doesn’t mean I can’t worry about my--about you.”

    He should really know by now to not let my imagination run wild like this. 

    With what was he going to end that sentence? Was he going to call me his boyfriend again? Was it just the fact that there could maybe be someone listening? Or something else?

    Did I do something to make him backtrack? 

    “And I’m trying to tell you that you don’t have to worry.”

    “You say that like I can stop voluntarily. It doesn’t work like that. I’ve lived with my Dad and his ‘no reason to worry’ crap for my entire life. I would know.”

    “And you say all of that like I’m not in the exact same boat. Godzilla was the one that threatened you.”

    “We already dealt with that. Earlier today.”

    “I refuse to believe that you’ve completely processed that.”

    “This is entirely off topic but you should add the way you say process to your list.”

    “I don’t have a list!”

    He gives me a look.

    “At least in the physical realm.”

    “Knew it. But the whole Godzilla thing is a conversation for another time. Because I don’t think we can loiter here too much longer.”

    Standing under the Leapmaster, I say, “I guess it is. But that doesn’t mean you’re getting out of it. See you tomorrow?”

    “If not sooner.”

    Fitz leans over, leaving the lightest brush of his lips against my cheek. 

    Unsurprisingly, my brain short circuits once again, and while I’m trying to fix it, he leaps away, smirking. 

    Although I may have imagined it.

    I have to take a good thirty seconds before I stop feeling like I’ve just had to do a presentation for Elvin history with a half-finished slide deck because I forgot what day it was. 

    I’d rather not fade away because I was too gay to function. 

    When I do get home, I smile, knowing that everything’s back to how it should be. 

    By which I mean lots of screaming and an immortal ice yeti that for some stars forsaken reason won’t get shattered into a million pieces.