#he likes amy enough to want to go to her birthday party even if birthday parties arent really his thing. but sonic doesnt get that honor

[sonknuxadow]

i know murder of sonic isnt really meant to be taken seriously or treated as canon but i do think its funny that shadow only went to sonics birthday party in generations because rouge made him but seemingly willingly went to amys birthday party in murder of sonic and even got her a gift and everything

[damnfeelings09]

Bad Romance - Shadow's version

A.N: This one for you! @bookdragon247 I hope it does live up to what you expected! Had a lot of fun *and blush* writting this one.

After such a hard day's work, you deserved a night of partying, and what better way than to go to the local bar for karaoke night. You found yourself with your friends Amy, Rouge, Sonic, Knuckles, and... Shadow?! It wasn’t that it bothered you to see him. Shadow was serious, quiet, sarcastic, and mostly disinterested in meeting new people, which is why it surprised you that he was there. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t excited to see him tho, because, maybe, just maybe, it could be that you had a tiny little crush on the hedgehog. Okay, in reality, you were completely in love with him. However, Shadow had always kept his relationship with you (if it could even be called like that) professional. You were both GUN agents, and on several occasions, you’d shared missions with the hedgehog. Every now and then, you’d greet each other in the hallways, share a small chat while waiting for your coffee, or discuss some important details about mission findings. Shadow had always been very kind, even when he was angry; he had never raised his voice at you, which your friends found strange, but for you it never seemed so important.

Shadow was wearing a leather jacket, and his signature white gloves had been replaced with mittens, like the ones bikers wear. You had never seen his hands before. His fingers were long and thin, his nails long and sharp enough to cause harm if he wanted, shining like onyx. In the middle of his hand, right between his middle and ring fingers, his fur changed from night-black to red, just like his quills. “How would it feel to be touched by those hands?” You wondered, a blush creeping up your cheeks.

“Ahem…” – Amy cleared her throat, catching your attention. You were thankful it was her who noticed you were lost in your thoughts and not Rouge, or she wouldn’t let you off the hook for the rest of the night.

“Well, well, look who decided to leave their cave,” Rouge said. “He probably lost another bet,” she laughed, remembering the last time Shadow had bet that Sonic couldn’t go more than 10 minutes without talking, and when he lost, he had to join them for Sonic’s birthday party.

The six of you headed to the Sing On! bar. Inside, the lights were dancing across the room, and the music filled every corner of the venue. You could still walk through the tables without any trouble, and the crowd applauded to the lemur as he sang “Too Good at Goodbyes.” Amy grabbed Sonic by the arm and pushed him toward the DJ booth, eager to sing a duet, while the four of you looked for a table. Rouge convinced Knuckles to head to the dance floor, leaving you alone. You loved your friends, but this definitely wasn’t the way to get closer to Shadow.

“Hey, Shadow. I had no idea you liked karaoke,” you said, trying to strike up a conversation. Shadow turned his face toward you, slightly tilting his head to the left in confusion.

“Not my cup of coffee. Sonic promised to leave me alone for a week, so I let him drag me here.”

“Ah… I should’ve known, Sonic can be a little intense with these things. Still, I’m glad you’re here.”

“Oh, yeah? ” he said, raising an eyebrow. "Why would you be?" His deep voice sent shivers down your spine, making you flush instantly. In the background, you could hear Amy and Sonic butchering “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

“Sure… we’re f-friends. I love spending time with you… Just like with Sonic, Amy, and Tails…” You scratched the back of your neck awkwardly, hoping someone would come and save you from the humiliation you’d just caused. “Ah… I’m going to get a drink.” You fled as fast as you could, locking yourself in the first bathroom you found. You lowered the toilet seat and sat on it. You were done for—now you’d have to change your name, dye your hair, and move to another city to avoid the humiliation you had just experienced.

You heard knocks on the door. “Honey? Is everything alright?” Rouge asked from the other side.

“I just blew my only chance in the most humiliating way. Friends? What was I thinking?” you complained, slapping your palm to your forehead.

"'kay, time to stop wallowing in your own misery?” Rouge pushed the door open, forcing you out. “Listen. You’re gorgeous, maybe as much as I am, you’re a good friend, fun, kind, and Shadow likes you. I’m sure of it, and if not, screw that jerk. Now give me back my confident friend.”

You sighed deeply and straightened your ears back into your fur. Rouge was right—you weren’t going to stay and cry, ruining everyone’s night. Amy found you in the bathroom and, when she saw your face, she quickly asked what was going on. Rouge filled her in.

“Well, Sonic told me that Shadow only agreed to come tonight because you’d be here. Plus, he kept looking around after you disappeared; I think he was looking for you.”

“No way” you raised your voice. “Sonic must be messing with you.”

“I don’t think so. Sonic likes to joke around with Shadow, not about him.”

“See? The only one who can’t see what’s going on is you. Go get your man.”

The three of you went back to the main room. This time, gathering your courage, you approached the DJ and requested a song. “Well, here goes nothing”, you thought as you took your position on the stage. Quickly, Amy and Rouge stood up from their seats, cheering you on. The audience was paying attention, and a pair of crimson eyes were watching you curiously.

“Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh Caught in a bad romance Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh Caught in a bad romance”

I want your ugly, I want your disease I want your everything as long as it's free I want your love Love, love, love, I want your love (hey)

As you sang, you pointed in Shadow's direction. Rouge, who was standing next to him, playfully nudging his shoulder.

“I want your drama, the touch of your hand (hey) I want your leather-studded kiss in the sand”

You sang, tracing your lower lip with your thumb, keeping your gaze fixed on Shadow. You had no idea what had gotten into you, you just knew there was no turning back. Would you regret it when the song ended? Probably, so you had to make it worth it. “To hell with this,” you thought, as you got off the stage, swaying your hips until you reached Shadow. Once you were in front of him, you grabbed his chest fur, pulling him closer to your body.

“I want your horror, I want your design 'Cause you're a criminal as long as you're mine I want your love Love, love, love, I want your love”

“I want your psycho, your vertigo shtick (hey) Want you in my rear window, baby, you're sick I want your love Love, love, love, I want your love (love, love, love) (I want your love)”

Shadow looked… nervous?. His usual carefree and cool aura had disappeared, replaced by a pink blush covering his muzzle. Never, in your wildest dreams, did you imagine that the Ultimate lifeform could blush because of you. It was new to him—just a few weeks ago, he had realized he felt… more when you were near. He could feel his heart rate change when you spoke, the slight reddish tint and the sparkle in your eyes when you shared a moment together. However, he always told himself it wasn’t true, that he was imagining things, that you were just naturally kind, because how could you fall for him, being so... well, him.

The boost of energy from having Shadow so close, and the fact that he hadn’t backed away, increased your confidence, so when you returned to the stage, you blew him a kiss. You had never seen Shadow's eyes so wide open as they were at that moment. He turned his face to the side, trying to hide, but it was then that his instincts betrayed him, and his tail began to wag happily. Shadow quickly grabbed it with his hands, trying to hide what was happening.

“No, I don't wanna be friends (oh-oh-oh, caught in a bad romance) I don't wanna be friends (oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh) Want your bad romance (oh-oh-oh) Caught in a bad romance Want your bad romance”

The audience applauded, and Sonic and Knuckles cheered together, drawing attention. However, your gaze never left that figure trying to hide its emotions behind a mocking grin. Maybe it was time for Shadow to start to live and enjoy his life.

[toomuchracket]

melted ice (dad birthday party!matty x reader smut)

temp play for day 1 of summer75. really, what else is there to do on a summer evening after your daughter's gone to sleep, other than make a cocktail with your husband and let him go down on you? enjoy <3

matty's arms are warm when they wrap around your waist. his lips are even warmer when they meet your neck, eliciting a smile from your face as you continue to concentrate on measuring the gin you're pouring. “hi, baby,” you murmur, transferring the alcohol into one of the crystal whisky tumblers you got as a wedding present. “amy all tucked in?”

“kicked the covers off in her sleep as soon as i pulled them over her, but yeah,” your husband laughs softly into you, kissing your skin again before resting his chin on your shoulder. “what are we drinking tonight, darling?”

“negronis.”

“nice,” matty's smile is audible. he unwraps himself from you, and you mourn the loss of him instantly. “i'll get the ice. do we need prosecco too, or…?”

you shake your head. “nah. i think we keep it classic tonight, if that's alright with you.”

“‘course. oh!” matty gasps, and you turn in concern; he's smiling, though, and holding up a ziploc bag filled with dried blood oranges. “can tart the drinks up a bit with these, though, yeah?”

you giggle. “i love you.”

he grins, wandering over to you with the fruit in one hand and a tray of ice cubes in the other before pecking your lips. “love you more.”

“that's impossible, you know.”

matty scoffs, delicately dropping ice cubes and orange slices into your respective cocktails and sliding one to you. “no, it's not.”

you roll your eyes as you take a sip of your negroni, matty matching you with his own. “it is impossible - oh, fuck, that's good - matthew. i love you so much. you can't possibly love me more than i love you.”

“come on, sweetheart - christ, that is nice,” your husband smacks his lips appreciatively, laying his glass down and tugging you into him. close enough to see yourself reflected in those beautiful eyes your daughter inherited, the grey is visible not only in his hair but in the day-old stubble decorating his pretty face, and you'd be lying if you said you weren't turned on by how sexily distinguished he looks. “but yeah. you're talking nonsense, darling. please stop.”

a smirk. “make me.”

another in return. “gladly.”

matty's hands find home on your jaw, tender as always, and cold from the cocktail glass in a way that sends a burst of adrenaline right through you. but that's nothing compared to the feeling when his lips meet yours, flavoured from the negroni and just as iced - the butterflies that have lived in your stomach since your first ever kiss with matty have awoken from their dormancy, the beating of their wings matching pace with your heart and blooming a trail of goosebumps across your body. all rational thought in your brain is clouded over by sheer want for your husband; actually, all thought in general has been replaced by a constant loop of his name, his face, his lips, just him in general.

you sigh happily. matty takes the opportunity to slip his tongue between your parted lips, his grasp on your face tightening slightly as he does. in response, your hand slides into his curls and latches on, and the moan he lets out in response floods heat into your cheeks, your underwear, and the night itself - despite it being july, it's not a particularly warm night, but kissing matty could make even a december midnight in svalbard feel as sultry as it seems now.

he's dazed when he pulls back, lips swollen and eyes wild and hair messy and chest heaving. you're sure you must look a million times worse than he does, but matty still looks at you like you're the most exquisite thing he's ever seen, thumbs stroking your cheek as he beams. “hi.”

“hi,” you reply, breathily, eagerly, lovingly, elbows resting on his shoulders; his hands settle on your hips, familiar. “that was nice.”

“yeah,” matty kisses you again quickly, humming happily. “we should have these drinks more. your lips make them taste better.”

“i'm up for that,” you huff out a laugh, cheeks warming under your husband's adoring gaze. “i like the way your lips feel, all cold from the ice. like it a lot.”

you don't miss the way matty's eyes light up at that, nor the way his hands (likely subconsciously) travel to rest on your arse. “s'that so, my girl?”

“yeah.”

matty smiles, scooping you up effortlessly and sitting you on the counter. you open your legs and he slots between them, a well-practiced routine, before kissing you softly and murmuring against your lips. “d'you trust me, darling?”

excitement thrums in the pit of your stomach as you nod enthusiastically. “implicitly.”

“good girl,” matty leans sideways to reach for something while you preen at the praise. he returns with a fresh ice cube, already starting to drip in his hands - relatable, you think - and holds it to his lips. “can i kiss you again?”

oh.

shuffling forward on the countertop, you nod. “yes please.”

he beams at you, free hand caressing your jaw. “sweet girl.”

before you can reply, the ice cube is in his mouth, and his lips are on yours again. you whimper into him at the coldness, but it's deliciously erotic - when your husband traces your lips with the ice, you shiver, body arching further into his as the cold runs through you and leaves heat in its wake. matty smiles into you, one hand snaking down to your lower back and the other up into your hair; you can feel his wedding ring against the nape of your neck, cool gold on flushed skin, and you melt into matty faster than the ice cube does.

with a breathy laugh, he pulls back just enough to speak. “are we too old now for me to get you off on the kitchen counter?”

“depends,” you smile, scratching his scalp the way you know he loves. “you reckon your back can handle it?”

matty smirks, gently smacking your arse. “i can try.”

you kiss his nose. “go on, then.”

“thank you, darling. and remember,” he winks at you as he grabs another ice cube. “be quiet for me, yeah? don't wanna wake up our baby girl and leave you hanging, sweetheart.”

“alri- oh,” you moan as his lips (and the ice between them) meet your neck; they travel further and further down, slow as dripping honey, across your throat and over your collarbones. “fuck, baby, that feels good.”

“yeah?” matty pulls back, pretty eyes already hazy with lust as he looks up at you. “pull your top down and it'll feel even better, darling. promise.”

almost shyly, you oblige, sliding the straps down your arms, and your nipples are barely visible when matty takes the left into his mouth. a deadly cocktail of cold and lust shoots through your nervous system when the ice meets the bud, sending a strangled cry flying from your lips and into the summer night, and your hand into matty's hair. he smiles against the flesh of your tit, releasing the nipple to slide the melting ice across your sternum and repeat the motion on your right boob; as he does, tongue and the remaining sliver of ice flicking across the hardening bud, you can't stop your hips from jerking, core grinding into nothing in a desperate attempt to find friction and subsequent release.

your husband notices your wanton movement, pulling off you with a pop and standing. you don't miss the way he winces and quickly touches his lower back, but you're soon distracted from that by him softly caressing your face. “oh, sweet girl,” he coos, the slight condescension in his voice going straight to your underwear. “you need to cum, don't you?”

you nod, pathetic. “mhmm.”

“let's get these shorts off you, then, yeah? lift your hips - that's it, good girl,” matty's fingers hook into the waistbands of your shorts and underwear, gently manoeuvring you so he can slide them off your legs and lay them to the side. grabbing another ice cube, he kneels on the concrete floor in front, pulling you towards him until you're sat on the very edge of the counter. “gonna let me taste you, darling?”

“please.”

matty doesn't answer. instead, he pulls your left leg over his shoulder and presses his lips to the soft skin of your inner thigh, thumbs rubbing their outsides soothingly when you inhale sharply at the coldness, unfamiliar on this new, sensitive part of your body - the breath leaves your body in a sigh when your husband starts to move his lips in some sort of pattern along your leg, leaving a trail of goosebumps and water droplets in its wake, and turns to a moan when you realise said pattern is him writing his name with the ice cube. you can feel him smile against you when you whimper it in acknowledgement, a smile that seems to get even wider when he finishes his signature and immediately turns his attention to your now-aching clit.

you cry out when the cold hits the bundle of nerves, one hand clapping over your mouth when you remember your daughter is asleep, the other raking through her father's hair in a futile attempt to keep some semblance of control. an impossible feat, really - the hunger with which matty goes down on you is enough to get you off quickly as is, and the extra stimulation from the temperature of his lips and tongue and the ice cube itself threatens to send you hurtling towards orgasm. desperate as you are to cum, though, you don't want it to be over quite so quickly, so you try to regulate your breathing, doing your best to focus on the softness of matty's curls between your fingers and reduce the overwhelming pleasure coursing though your body to a more steady, manageable buzz.

and then matty starts to actually tongue-fuck you with the ice, and all of your composure evaporates. the pleasure ramps up to an even higher voltage than before, sparking through you towards the growing heat in your lower stomach; when he adds his thumb to your sensitive clit, you're set completely alight, and it's all you can do to warn him from behind your shaking hand. “matty, matty, i'm cumming.”

“good girl, so perfect for me,” comes the reply, muffled by your body as he works every last vestige of climax out of you. whether it's because of the heat emitted from your orgasm or from the sheer enthusiasm with which your husband was eating you out, you're unsure, but the ice has completely melted - when matty pulls back and smiles at you, eyes as loving as you've ever seen them, you can see the water dripping (presumably mixed with your own wetness) down his pretty face. he hums happily, lightly kissing your thigh before resting his head on it, still looking at you adoringly. “back to the cocktails, then?”

[laurenairay]

A reason to start over new - T. Jost

Summary: It’s been five years since Lucy has seen her ex-boyfriend Tyson. Can his grandparents’ Christmas party fix their broken hearts?

Happy birthday @senditcolton! This is my fic for your birthday bingo – I had a lot of fun with this one! I chose The Hand Touch, Exes to Lovers, Free Space (Resolved Angst), “You’re Too Good for Me”, and Winter Romance, making it a full bingo! Hope you have a wonderful day Nicole.

A massive thank you to @jostyriggslover96 for reading through this!

Words: 3.3k

Warnings: angst, flashback to breakup, some bad language, self-deprecation.

Title from The Reason, by Hoobastank

~

I've found a reason for me, To change who I used to be, A reason to start over new, And the reason is you.

~

“Oh wow, Val and Jim have really outdone themselves this year, haven’t they?”

Lucy glanced around at the Christmas decorations surrounding them, smiling at her mom’s words.

“Full of holiday cheer, as always!” she nodded.

She took off her thick coat and gloves, glad to be out of the icy air, hanging them up on the rack put out for guests.

“Now honey, if it’s too much, you can slip out back and head home, okay?” her mom said seriously, albeit quietly.

“You said that last year. And the year before that. For the last five years, actually,” Lucy mused.

“And I’ve meant it every year. They might be our neighbours, but you are my baby. And my priority, always,” her mom said seriously.

Not for the first time, Lucy was thankful to have the mom she did.

“And I appreciate it. But I’m going to be fine,” she said, smiling fondly.

“Alright, if you’re sure. You just send me a sneaky text if you change your mind though, yes?”

“Yeah, thanks mom,” Lucy beamed.

The Christmas Eve Party thrown by her neighbours was a tradition she’d attended her entire life, and even though she hadn’t dated their grandson in half a decade, Val and John had always insisted that she still came along. A lingering effect of being childhood sweethearts, she supposed.

“Amy! Gary! Lucy!”

The welcome from their neighbours was warm and effervescent as it always was, and soon enough Lucy found herself swept in by conversation and catching up. She may have gone to college in UBC Okanagan in Kelowna for both her degrees, barely away from home, but she’d lived in campus residence for all four years of her bachelor’s degree and moved out of her parents’ house properly into a small apartment near campus for her master’s degree. It would’ve been easy to move home after guaranteed accommodation ended, but Lucy had wanted to keep the independence she had grown to love, and it wasn’t as if she didn’t visit her parents at least every other weekend.

But it was still nice to be able to talk about her accomplishments with the people that she’d grown up alongside, especially now that she was in the final year of her master’s degree and looking like she was on track for starting the PhD she’d always aimed for.

After a couple of hours, she escaped the crowds in the living and dining areas, grateful for the sanctuary of the kitchen. There were a few plates of cookies and other Christmas treats laid out, and Lucy couldn’t resist reaching out for a snickerdoodle…

…at the exact time as someone else.

She jumped in surprise as a large hand rested on top of hers, not realising anyone was next to her, but as she looked up, she couldn’t but to freeze despite the warmth of his touch. Tyson. It was Tyson’s hand touching hers.

“Oh fuck, I’m sorry, I…Lucy?”

“Hey Tys,” she managed to breathe.

The familiar curls, the big beautiful eyes, the sweet smile, and now a little bit of stubble? He looked good. Of course he looked good.

Tyson quickly drew his hand away from hers, breaking her out of her thoughts.

“Uh, you have it, I shouldn’t be eating baked goods too much anyway,” Tyson said, rubbing the back of his neck a little sheepishly.

Lucy pursed her lips and broke a third of the snickerdoodle off, handing it to Tyson with a raised eyebrow. Tyson huffed out a laugh but accepted the offered treat, sending her a small smile of thanks. Fuck, it may have been five years since they broke up, but he really hadn’t changed, had he?

“So, uh, you still come to these parties?” Tyson asked.

Lucy bit her bottom lip but nodded.

“Yeah, your grandparents insist. I hope that’s okay,” she winced.

“Of course it is,” Tyson said quickly, “They always loved you.”

Well that was something at least. Why did this feel so awkward? Sure, it had been five years since she’d seen Tyson, but they dated from eight years – surely they had more than this?

“I don’t usually come to these. Well, I guess you already know that, if you come every year. I, uh, I have the 24th to the 26th off this year, so I didn’t want to miss another Christmas with my grandparents,” Tyson explained.

“I bet Val and Jim were over the moon when you told them,” Lucy mused.

Tyson laughed softly, nodding. “They were. Mom and Kacey didn’t hesitate to come to Kelowna to join us, so it’s a big family Christmas this year.”

“That’s great, Tys. Really. Spending Christmas with your loved ones is important,” she said softly, smiling.

His smile dimmed a little, but he nodded.

“How’s, uh, how’s your degree going? Gramps said you’re doing a master’s now?”

He knew that? Did he ask? Or did Jim just tell him?

“Uh, yeah. I graduated my bachelor's degree magna cum laude back in 2020 and went straight into starting my graduate program there. I’m a paid teaching assistant for my supervisory professor too.”

“That’s incredible, Luce. Still doing Earth and Environmental Sciences?” Tyson prompted.

He remembered? After all this time?

“Yeah, yeah it is. Focusing in on environmental impact assessment for my master’s thesis,” she nodded, a little stunned, “I didn’t think…I didn’t think you’d remember.”

“Of course I remember. You were always so passionate about your studies – it was one of the things I loved most about you,” he said softly.

“Tyson…” Lucy said faintly, trailing off when no words would come.

He smiled sadly at her, shaking his head.

“Sounds like…it sounds like everything was worth it for you,” Tyson murmured.

~

2019

“So you can’t make it over?”

“No, Tys, I can’t, I have labs to do,” Lucy sighed.

“We haven’t seen each other in so long!”

“I can’t just not go to my classes because you want me in Denver! You know this!” she groaned.

“I know, I know, but it sucks.”

Lucy frowned, even though he couldn’t see her. “You’re the one who didn’t come home for Christmas, remember?”

“The schedule didn’t make sense, and I offered to fly you down?”

“Tyson!” she groaned.

He stayed silent on the other end of the phone, a silence that sent an ominous shiver down her spine.

“So where do we go from here?”

“W-What?” she said, confused at the dull tone of his voice.

“Your priority is college, my priority is hockey, and neither of us can compromise. I would never ask you to compromise, just like you wouldn’t ask me. We have different priorities, clearly. So where do we go from here?”

“Tyson, are you really saying what I think you’re saying?” she whimpered.

“Yeah, I think we should break up.”

“We’ve been together for eight years! You’re the only boyfriend I’ve ever had, the only guy I’ve ever wanted. And you want to break up, just like that?”

“I don’t want to break up, Luce. But what other option do we have? Neither of us can give the other what we need right now. We have to focus on ourselves, don’t we? For our own careers? You have so much ahead of you and I can’t be there to celebrate it. And you can’t be by my side cheering me on from the stands. I love you, Lucy. But this isn’t working anymore.”

~

“Tyson, why would you say it like that? You think it’s been easy for me?” Lucy asked, throat a little choked.

“No, no, of course not,” he groaned.

“Then what do you mean?”

“Look, forget I said anything, okay? It was really good to see you, Luce.”

Before Lucy could say a word, Tyson walked away, leaving her alone in the kitchen with her head spinning. What the hell was that?

For the final few hours of the party, Lucy indulged in a couple more glasses of wine than she intended, sticking solidly by her parents’ sides. She did her best to keep a smile on her face and ease into the Christmas festivity, even when Laura and Kacey said their hellos, but her mind just kept going back to Tyson.

“We’re going to start saying our goodbyes, okay honey? Why don’t you find all our coats.”

Lucy just nodded at her mom’s suggestion, grateful for the opportunity to escape the crowd. Well, she was grateful, until she saw Tyson sitting on the bench next to the coat rack, face flushed and eyes glassy. He was drunk, at least moderately so.

“Ah, fuck, I didn’t want you to see me like this,” he said, voice slurring.

What did he mean by that?

“I’m just getting our coats. We’re heading out,” she murmured, trying to ignore the whoosh in her stomach.

“Already?”

“It’s nearly midnight, Tys,” she said, smiling wryly.

“Well, fuck. Time flies when you’re having whiskey, I guess,” he groaned, putting his empty glass on the bench next to him.

She huffed out a laugh, unhooking the coats when she finally spotted them.

“You look good, Luce,” he murmured, looking up at her through his eyelashes.

“I do?” she blurted.

Damn it.

But Tyson just grinned. “Yeah, you really do. You always looked good, but damn you’ve really settled into your own skin, eh?”

“I love who I am, yeah,” she nodded.

She wasn’t lying, or even placating. Her studies in environmental impact had opened up a whole new side of her she hadn’t even realised was there, and she loved everything about the person she’d become through it. She just hadn’t realised it was obvious on the outside.

Then again, if anyone was going to notice something like that about her, it was going to be Tyson, wasn’t it?

“You’re too good for me.”

Oh fuck.

“That’s not true. Not even slightly,” Lucy said, frowning.

“No? I can barely get a team to keep me, and you’re soaring ahead with your academic career, just like you deserve,” Tyson scoffed.

This was just the alcohol talking. It had to be.

“Tys, those teams are the ones missing out. You’re amazing,” she said softly.

He paused for a moment, before shaking his head.

“If I’m so amazing, why did we break up?”

Because he had to put hockey first.

Because she had to put college first.

Because neither of them were each other’s first choice.

“That’s not fair, Tyson. We were kids when we first started dating. Barely 13 years old. And we were together for eight years! We had an incredible relationship! It just…we wanted different things. Our priorities were different, our passions were different – we might have grown up together, but we’d also grown apart. Your life is hockey and my life is academics, and that’s okay! That doesn’t mean we didn’t have love, yeah?”

The way that Tyson’s eyes filled up with tears made her own eyes water, dangerous lump rising in her throat.

“If I could go back and change it all, I would. I’d choose you. I’d always choose you.”

His soft words tore a sob from her throat and she shook her head. How could he be so cruel?

“Don’t say that. We made the right decision five years ago and you know it,” she whimpered.

Tyson’s face fell at her devastated expression, and he staggered to his feet.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m sorry,” he said sadly.

And yet here she was, broken hearted all over again.

“I should go. I need to go,” was all she could manage to choke out.

“Lucy, baby, please…”

But Lucy just shook her head, clutching the coats in her hands, shaky smile on her lips as the tears finally fell. “Merry Christmas, Tyson.”

~

“So what happened at the Christmas Eve Party that has you all torn up like this?”

Lucy flinched at her mom’s voice, turning her head to see her standing in the doorway to her bedroom.

“Nothing,” she said quickly.

“Uh huh, and I’m a fairy princess,” her mom snorted.

Lucy couldn’t help but giggle, earning a fond smile as her mom walked into the room and sat down next to her on her bed. Lucy placed a bookmark in the book she’d been reading to give her mom her full attention. She’d needed a little respite from all the preparations to hold her dad’s family for a late lunch, after all the intensity of having her mom’s family over yesterday on Christmas Day, but she’d found herself reliving her conversation with Tyson over and over.

“Sounds like…it sounds like everything was worth it for you.”

“You’re too good for me.”

“If I’m so amazing, why did we break up?”

“If I could go back and change it all, I would. I’d choose you. I’d always choose you.”

So really, her mom coming up to talk to her was a welcome break from all of that as well.

“If you know it was the Christmas Eve Party then you can take a guess,” Lucy said, shrugging.

“I’d rather hear it from you, when Tyson’s involved,” her mom mused.

Well at least her mom was blunt about it.

“We had a couple of conversations, and it stirred up old emotions, old drama. He…mom, he said he’d go back and change it all if he could. That he’d always choose me. What am I supposed to do with that?”

Her mom blinked a couple of times, lips parted in a surprised, before she coughed out a laugh.

“Well I could never accuse Tyson of being subtle.”

“Mom, seriously. This is stressing me out. I can’t stop thinking about it,” Lucy groaned.

“I think that’s an answer in itself, sweetheart,” she said softly.

“What?”

Her mom stayed silent, just nudging Lucy with her shoulder, and Lucy nudged back out of habit. What did she mean, that was an answer in itself?

“Lucy, honey, if you can’t stop thinking about Tyson choosing you above everything else, that means something,” her mom eventually said with a huffed laugh.

“But how can it? He still has his hockey, and I still have academics. Neither of those are going to change any time soon,” Lucy said sadly.

Because at the end of the day, that was the bottom line of it all. Their priorities haven’t changed.

“Just because your both still have your passions doesn’t mean that they have to be your only love. You can have both,” her mom said firmly.

What?

“How can I have both?” Lucy asked, confused.

“Do you love him?” was all she said.

“What?” Lucy said, surprised.

“Do you love him?” her mom repeated.

Lucy opened her mouth, shutting it again before huffing out a laugh. There was only one answer to that.

“Yeah, I never stopped,” she replied.

“Then you can have both. You spent the last five years missing him, and I know damn well that that boy missed you too - neither of you deserve that for another second. You can have both,” her mom said decisively.

She could have both?

How could she have both?

“You love him.”

“I love him,” Lucy whispered.

“Go get him.”

Lucy whimpered as she looked into her mom’s eyes, but she only saw warmth and encouragement. Her mom was right. She loved Tyson. She loved Tyson and if seeing him again this Christmas had taught her anything, it was that she was stupid if she tried to deny how much she missed him. If she didn’t tell him now, when would she?

“He leaves today. I need to go now,” she said suddenly.

“Well damn, okay then. Put on a sweater and I’ll find your snow boots,” her mom grinned.

Lucy felt like she was in a haze as she walked as quickly down the street as was safe, heart pounding as she spotted Tyson loading bags into his grandpa’s car.

“Tyson!”

His head whipped around at her shout, eyes going wide as he saw her walking towards him. Tyson shuffled down the driveway, missing Jim’s fond smile as he himself went back into the house, and the moment that she was standing in front of him, Tyson cupped his hands over her elbows to steady her.

“What are you doing here?”

“I love you,” she breathed.

Tyson whimpered, but Lucy wasn’t discouraged, not when she saw the wonder that filled his expression.

“You love me?”

“I love you. I love you so much and I can’t stop thinking about everything you said the other night,” she blurted out.

“Luce, I’m sorry, I know I upset you but…”

“No, Tys, it’s okay,” Lucy said, shaking her head as she interrupted, “While I stand by what I said, that we made the right decision at the time, maybe we could make a different decision now?”

“What are you saying?”

She could understand his hesitation, really she could. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t coming out with this out of the blue, after five years of nothing at all. After five years of heartbreak and heartache. But her mom was right – she missed him so fiercely and she couldn’t bear the thought of him not knowing that.

“I want us to start over new. I never stopped loving you, not for one moment. We could have both. We could have our passions and our love, and I hate that it’s taken me this long to even consider that? I miss you and I love you and I know you’re heading to the airport to fly back to Raleigh, but tell me I’m not crazy for thinking we could do this?”

Tyson’s jaw dropped as he processed her long rant, and it was only his firm grip on her elbows that stopped her from giving up hope.

“That was a lot,” Tyson said.

She winced. “I know, but…”

“And you poured out a lot of emotion there,” he interrupted.

Lucy kept her mouth shut this time, as much as she wanted to beg him to say more.

“It’s been agony for five years, for so many reasons, but hearing you say that you love me and you want to give our relationship another shot? I just…”

Tyson trailed off, letting out a long breath.

“I understand if I’m too late,” she murmured.

But Tyson huffed out a laugh, raising one hand from her elbow to cup her face in a gentle motion that had her breath hitching in her throat.

“There is no world in which you’d be too late,” Tyson said softly.

“Really?”

“I love you too, Lucy. I never stopped either,” he murmured.

She couldn’t stop the incredulous laugh that tumbled from her lips, smiling back up at Tyson as he smiled at her.

“We’re really doing this?” she asked, giddy.

“Yeah, baby, we are. I don’t know how we’re going to do this, or what it’s going to look like, but we’re both adult enough to know how to put in more effort this time round right, yeah? I’ll fly home for the all-star break, and I’ll fly you out for spring break, and we’ll have video calls that neither of us are going to miss. And everything else. We’re going to make it work this time,” he said, tone serious but face grinning.

“And we’re going to communicate, yeah? When one of us is finding it hard? We’ll find little compromises, as we can’t do the big compromises. We’re worth it,” Lucy added, not caring that her cheeks were aching with her smile.

“Yeah, we are. I love you, so much Lucy,” Tyson grinned.

“I love you too.”

Tyson didn’t waste any time in leaning down to press his lips to hers, their last first kiss.

[jules314159]

Liquid Courage | Frat Boy Harry Styles

Summary: Despite his longing stares, Harry and Amy have never spoken to each other. But at a party, this changes.

football = soccer

CW: underage drinking, smoking, pet name (baby)

word count: 2.7K

It was a Friday when I first spoke to Harry.

My feet splashed against the pavement, hitting the small, unavoidable puddles that gathered on the uneven cracks of the concrete. A gentle breeze kissed my cheeks, it was warm for an early March evening, the tell sign of spring slowly approaching. The walk from the bus stop to my destination was short, but long enough for me to question why I hadn't put on a jumper when I was leaving for work this morning. I mean, I always had the black long sleeved t-shirt stuffed at the bottom of my bag that I had worn under my work uniform, but the party outfit I had changed into in the shopping mall bathroom begged me to leave it be.

House parties were my favourite thing in the world.

Free alcohol and a euphoric atmosphere of a crowd. What more could you want after a brutal nine hour shift? The thought of alcohol itself made me speed up my walk, remembering the rude customers that had seemed more impatient than usual, begged to be forgotten.

I let myself in through the front door, drunk and high people littering the hallway, I didn't bother with taking my shoes off, knowing that the spilled drinks on the floor would engulf my socks in seconds. I walked through the crowd and into the open plan kitchen where masses of half full alcohol bottles sat on the marble counter. There was more people than I expected, drunk bodies crowding the living room.

As I push through the kitchen I feel a pair of eyes lingering on me, looking over I see a guy from my year, Harry, staring back. Surprisingly, he doesn't look away, unbothered about being caught. Strange, I think to myself as I drag my way up the carpeted stairs, stepping over a group sat on the floor and opening the pink bedroom door, Maeve sat on her bed with a crystal bar in her hand, smoke exhaling from her lips and coating the room in a sickly sweet scent, ahh cherry.

"Heyyyy," she squealed, dragging out the 'y' sound as she jumped up from the bed.

"Hey girl, sorry I'm late the bus got delayed," I say with a grin "but I brought you a gift!"

"God bless, I was waiting for you to come, I forgot how stressful it was to throw a party in my own house." She smiles back at me, taking the gift bag and placing it on her desk. "Sometimes I miss being a child, no one buys me birthday gifts anymore" she adds.

"Maeve please, you were a child less than 24 hours ago. Plus, no ones gonna buy you gifts if you don't provide the mandatory birthday goody bags." We laugh before I add, "Can I borrow your hairbrush?"

"Sure," she walks over to her vanity and throws it to me, I quickly fix my hair, "Ready?" she asks with a cheeky grin.

"Born ready," I respond with a knowing smile.

She grabs my hand and pulls me out of her room, we jog down the stairs and into the kitchen. She stops at the counter, picking up a bottle of cheap vodka, she pours it into a red solo cup that she bought in the homebargains party section. She follows up the vodka with orange juice and hands it to me, sipping it I grimace at the strength of the drink, forgetting that when Maeve makes a drink she pours in more alcohol than chaser.

We walk around the party, chatting to friends and strangers - well to me their strangers since me and Maeve don't go to the same school. But, I like that, I like talking to people I would never see again, it was reassuring in a way, knowing that if I embarrassed myself I wouldn't have to face them at school on Monday.

We spend an hour or so talking to people, I managed to finish another drink in the meantime. I'm about to ask Maeve to dance when a yell echoes through the room,

"WHO WANTS TO PLAY A GAME!" yells a boy from my photography class, Niall. Some people cheer in response, "Okay whoever does come stand with me!"

Maeve and I walk towards Niall while giggling over his loud announcement, a group quickly forming around him.

"What's the game?" Someone asks.

"Glad you ask," Niall responds while looking around at all the participants, "Spin the bottle-" Some people groan in boredom of the cliché game, "-let me finish!" he snaps "...Spin the bottle, but whoever you land on has to take a body shot off of you."

With intrigue, we all sit in a circle on the floor, a full bottle of tequila is placed in the middle and the game begins. Niall goes first, he spins the bottle and it lands on the girl to my left, Isla, giggling she stands up and walks over to Niall, he takes off his shirt, revealing his lean but muscular torso and lays down on the floor.

As I'm watching the body shot get taken, I feel the same heated gaze burning into me, Harry. Once again, he doesn't break the eye contact even after being caught. He sits opposite me, cross-legged, relaxed. His black jeans squeeze his thighs and before I can examine him further the group starts cheering.

Isla had finished taking the body shot. She sits back down and spins the bottle once again, the game continues, more shots get taken but the bottle has yet to land on me. Until it does.

Thankfully it was Maeve, I have to take a body shot off Maeve.

"Come on baby, I know you want to." She jokes while gently laying down on her back. I smile at her and straddle her hips, a lime wedge, salt shaker and shot glass filled with tequila get passed over to the floor beside us.

"Open wide," I say as I place the lime wedge in her mouth, she's holding back her laughter, trying to keep the lime in her mouth while tears of drunk-joy fill her eyes. I spread a line of salt onto her abdomen and finally pour the shot into her belly button.

I laugh one last time before dipping my head closer to the salt, quickly licking it I slurp the liquor from her body and take the lime from her mouth, sucking on the juice as a bead of tequila rolls down my chin.

"Beautifully done, ladies!" Niall exclaims. "Right then, Amy, your turn to spin." He adds.

I get up from Maeve's hips, sit back down in my spot while she raises from her laid-down position.

I ignore Harry's eyes and grip the middle of the bottle, letting out a silent prayer before harshly spinning it.

Time seems to stop with the bottle.

Because the eyes that meet mine are the same ones that have been locked on me the whole game. Harry. He doesn't move for a moment, finally being shocked into stillness. Before he gets up and slowly walks over to me. He crouches, waiting for me to lay down, and I do while simultaneously avoiding his green stare.

I'm laid on my back, shoes touching the floor while my knees stay up, seemingly trying to avoid the inevitable. He gets on his knees in front of me, hands gently reaching out to touch my kneecaps,

"You okay, Amy?" He asks quietly, making sure no one around us can hear his words. "I don't have to do this if you're uncomfortable."

"No-" I respond quickly, too quickly, finally meeting his eyes "No I...It's fine."

"Yeah?" He questions his hands still on my knees, I only nod in response, not breaking the eye contact.

He taps my knee and I slowly spread my legs apart, he settles in between them, his legs slightly brushing mine, sending a shiver up my spine.

His eyes stay on me as he leans down and puts a lime wedge in my mouth, the intensity of this moment making a warm, pink blush seep into my cheeks. His fingers graze my sides, making goose bumps spread across my body. He tugs on my crop top, pulling it up higher to give him more surface area to work with, it now rests just below my bra line.

He takes the salt and sprinkles it onto my skin, just above my belly button. This moment seems to drag, all of his moves slow and deliberate, he knows what he's doing, noticing the way my body reacts to the slightest of his touches. Finally, he takes the neon green shot glass and pours the liquid into my belly button, the cold beverage a stark contrast against my hot skin.

He leans down slowly, my thighs are now touching his upper torso as he licks the salt from my belly, dragging his wet tongue against my skin, the course texture of the salt gets dragged off as he dips down to slurp the tequila from my belly button. He lingers near my naval, his hot breath hits my skin as he swallows the liquid and presses a soft kiss to my skin.

He then moves higher, our waists almost touching as he brings his long, ring-covered fingers to my lips, his agonizing stare keeps me pinned to his eyes and he takes the lime out of my mouth, he puts it in his and continues our stare-off while sucking on the wedge.

Loud screams snap me out of my haze and harry pulls my crop top back down to where it was. He moves back onto his knees and reaches his hand out to help me up before standing up and sitting back in his original spot. Leaving a sudden coldness that replaces his body heat.

"You good?" Maeve whispers in my ear, "that seemed quite tense."

"I think I just pissed my pants."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Jager bomb, four shots and a screwdriver later me and Maeve are joined by a few different people, we all stand in a circle laughing together, "Yeah she's such a bitch I don't know why anyone likes-" I zone out from what one of the girls is saying once I hear,

Hot and dangerous

if you're one of us, then roll with us

KESHA! My neck snaps to look at Maeve to find that she's already looking at me, quickly gripping my hand she drags me to the middle of the living room where people are already clustered together dancing.

I jump up and down once she halts her dragging, "I love this fucking song!"

"Well I made the playlist!" She yells over the loud music. My hands are thrown up in the air while she tugs at my waist, grinding herself against me as we use each other to perform our sensual moves while also screaming the lyrics of the song.

Not even two minutes into our happy dancing and a hand grabs Maeve's shoulder halting our movements, we both look up to see her current favourite talking stage, the same one that she had taken a body shot off of in our earlier game. I smile at her and let go of her hand, nodding at her in encouragement. she follows him to a different spot on the dance floor, dragging her away further into the dark, LED lit room. Shaking my head I make my way to the other side of the dance floor, heading to the kitchen counter ready to grab some water.

I grab a glass from one of the shelves and fill it with cold tap water, the refreshing liquid hits my lips and I chug it down in under two seconds. Damn I was thirsty. I turn back to the tap and fill the cup with a second round of water.

"Save some for the rest of us." I hear Harry's deep voice whisper in my ear as he exhales a laugh. His breath hitting my neck sends a shiver up my spine.

I turn around and see him smiling down at me, dimples.

Loud singing is heard behind us and the music gets turned up higher, "I like your dimples." I tell him shyly.

"Hmm?" He asks as he leans down to hear me better, his eyes are level with mine and our cheeks almost brush when he moves his ear closer to my mouth, "sorry baby, I didn't hear you over the music, say that again."

"I said I like your dimples." My voice manages not to shake as I croak out my response.

"Thank you." He smiles into the skin of my left cheek, "why you on your own? Where's Maeve?" He questions.

"She's dancing with a guy, wanted a breather so I came here." I respond.

"Why don't we go outside?" He asks, without waiting for my response he takes my hand in his, the coldness of his rings drag along my palm as his fingers find mine, we walk through the small hallway separating the kitchen door from the back door. We slip into the spacious garden a few people roam around but he takes us over to an isolated bench . Once sat down he turns his body to face me "You look very beautiful tonight, Amy."

I blush, "Thank you, Harry."

He reaches into his jean pocket and pulls out a tin, opening it he retrieves a purple lighter and a cigarette, "You smoke?"

"Only socially." He smiles at my answer, bringing the end of the cigarette to his lips as he flicks the lighter.

I've never been more jealous of a cigarette.

The cigarette doesn't light, the wind blows the lighter out and he flicks it again. He cups his hand around the cigarette but it still doesn't light, "Here let me help." I say while moving closer to him, I wrap my hands around his and he flicks the lighter on again, this time successfully lighting up his cig, he inhales the smoke and passes it over to me.

"What A levels do you take?" He asks as I breathe in the smoke. It's shocking I've known him for six years and I don't even know what he chose for his A levels.

I exhale the smoke, "Art, photography and history."

"Yeah?" he grins, "didn't take you for a history girl, art and photography definitely, but not history."

"Well I want to do History at Uni." I respond, "what about you, what A levels?" I pass over the cigarette once again.

"Music, PE and English Lit."

"I went to your football game last Friday, you were good." I say "Not good enough to win though." He laughs at my joke and inhales another cloud of smoke.

"Yeah, the team's pretty shit, it's a good thing I don't want to make football my career." He responds

"What do you wanna do then, if not football?" I question

"Music." He says shortly.

"what instruments do you play?" I ask

"Guitar, piano, drums, anything really."

"Damn, talented guy."

We smoke the rest of the cigarette in silence and a shiver runs down my spine once I exhale the last of the smoke, he takes the bud from me and puts it out against the bench we're sat on, looking up at me, "You cold?"

I nod in response, "Yeah, I should probably go back inside before I freeze to death."

"No. Stay here." He responds quickly, shrugging off his blue flannel and putting it around my shoulders, leaving him in just a plain white t-shirt accented by a silver cross necklace. "I like your company" he adds as he inches closer to me.

I smile and put my arms through the flannel, the smell of his cologne mixed with cigarette smoke hits my nostrils as a the warmth of his flannel hugs my cold arms, a blush engulfs my pale cheeks. "Thank you, Harry"

He nods in response, "suits you better." He smiles while he stares into my eyes.

The warmth that surrounds his body radiates from him to me due to our closeness, his pretty eyes stare into mine while he inches his face closer to mine. A breath catches in my throat, Oh My God, our noses begin to touch, his lips hovering inches from mine, warm breath hitting my lips, he looks to my eyes for reassurance, I nod, the second our lips touch-

"OI, HARRY, WHERE YOU AT!?" we hear Niall's voice coming from the open backdoor.

He looks at me with a pained look crossing his face, my lips yearn for his and he hesitates before responding, "Here!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

part 2?

[no-goodbyes-no-regrets]

I can't with this storyline anymore! I know many people want John to end up as a villain but there are so many villains now. Ruby’s whole story with abuse right after Belle’s is too much! Would Emmerdale really create another villain/abuser so soon? I don't like this whole Ruby storyline. Why couldn't they just write stories for the characters already here? She is so new and always on! Aaron is a popular/veteran character but is never used and when he is it's for a 2-minute screen once a month. I'm so over it.

I mean i'd be ok with them making john a villain (and acknowledge wendy is scum).

I LIKE Ruby (and Caleb) but starting this abuse story when Belle's isn't even finished yet (and has been dragged out beyond belief) is A Choice. Like is it not enough to bring in the long lost daughter? Does it have to be the dad too? Who has cancer AND turned out to have raped his daughter more than once (young Ruby said "not today" - she knew what was coming) and likely fathered his own grandchild. And on top of that she slept with her brother in law (who is dealing with his wife having a brain tumour) and her father will most likely use that to blackmail her into staying quiet about the abuse.

Then we have the Tom nonsense that I'm sick to death of that has everyone plot stupid. First Amelia and Jimmy, now Angelica - just end it already!

Liam only gets screentime because he's fucking Chas. I used to like them, but after the will they/wont they and nonsense with Ella i'm sick of them.

Brenda and Eric split up because he had a flash of insanity thanks to his meds (???) and lost all of their money to bitcoin

Mack and Charity are dealing with Ross coming back

Marlon and Rhona are also dealing with Ross coming back - but via April

whatever the fuck is going on with Kim and Will (I don't really pay attention to that story, they're boring)

Dawn and Billy - the illegal fighting is done? I think? They still have a baby with cancer and constant money problems.

Ella, Leyla, Brenda are all leaving in the next few months (I'm guessing)

Aaron - wasn't at Cain's birthday party, hasn't been involved in any recent dingle nonsense, apparently loves his boyfriend? Not that we've actually seen them together... he's always teaming up with Mack for dodgy deals.

Gail and Ryan - April mentioned them yesterday? but they haven't been on screen in ages, and haven't had a story since... the Oscar thing?

Matty and Amy GOT MARRIED IN MAY, Matty got sent down a few weeks later, then beaten up in prison and magically released again in the span of like - 6 weeks? and then disappeared. Moira having seizures, brain surgery, and now radio therapy... and Amy isn't there supporting her mother in law and her husband? She wasn't at Cain's birthday party, even though he's her husband's step father, and the father of her son.

Vic - no real story to speak of, despite the whole Sugden family revival that was supposed to happen with John.

Jacob, Noah, Sarah, Amelia - apparently Jacob and Sarah start dating soon, Amelia is leaving next week, and Noah... apparently invested money in bitcoin?

Tracy, Vanessa, Suzy, Leyla - No story there. Tracy gets to work in the shop and complain about child care, Leyla is leaving soon, Vanessa and Suzy?? are... still together?? I guess? I don't even remember when Suzy was last on screen.

Laurel, Arthur, Gabby - Arthur got a few lines the other day with April but after the failed hook up with that lad a while ago, he's practically been MIA. Laurel had her fling with Charles and then kind of disappeared again? Gabby and Vinny got together and lived in off screen land ever since.

Paddy and Meatloaf - thankfully very much off screen lately

Jai - the eternal bad guy (and I'm so done with that story)

Charles, Manpreet, Claudette - all mostly off screen thankfully

Rodney - gets to work in the cafe and comment on the Tom of it all from time to time

if they're not Chas/Charity/Cain or adjacent characters, they don't get screentime or a story.

[djwhaletrain]

With Sonic x Shadow Generations coming out, its got me thinking about what it must be like from the two Sonics perspective going through all those places.

And then I think about what a tone shift Crisis City has to be.

Imagine you're Classic Sonic. You've been running through a chemical factory, floating ruins, a beach, two cities, and some other scenic places with you're own future self (and dang, future you is freakin radical!) Sure, Robonik's bots are everywhere, and that big truck chasing you was a bit nerve wracking, but this has been pretty fun so far.

And then Crisis City. Nothing but destroyed buildings and fire. Not even the doctor's robots, just creatures of magma and flames wrecking everything. You know, on some level, that Robotnik could cause this level of chaos. You just never thought it would happen. But, surely things turn out okay, right? Your future self fought that big water monster that flooded a city and didn't seem concerned about that, so this must have been something similar, right? You turn to look at him, expecting to see the same confident grin he's had this whole adventure.

He's afraid too.

Imagine you're Modern Sonic. Your birthday surprise party got jumped by some weird shadow monster, and it flung you and your friends into this white space outside of time. More on that, you have no idea what it is, why it's doing this, or any plan beyond "Get the Chaos Emeralds to stop it". But despite that, this has been a fun trip down memory lane. Some old places, some old faces, and yourself from the past. (Jeez, were you really that quiet back then?)

And then Crisis City. The whole place is on fire. The streets below nothing but lava. Tornados of flame flinging cars and debris everywhere. Undoubtedly Eggman's fault, making another "deal" with a power he had no business trying (and failing) to control.

And you don't remember a second of it. Your first thought is the Dark Gaia incident, but that was more shadowy creatures than flaming ones. Also, you think you would have remembered if one of the cracks in the planet ran through a city.

You rescue Blaze from the void outside time, and for a moment, you have to wonder, why is she here? The others have been found in places (or rather, times) close to when you first met them. It's not perfect, you know Amy wouldn't want to be anywhere near the Chemical Plant, but it's close enough that you almost question:

Was Blaze involved in this?

You stop that thought before it goes any further. She would never. Though she may have been abrasive at first, Blaze would never turn her fire onto a city like that.

And then you run into Silver, and you realize what this really is. This is his time. This is the future he came/will come back to prevent. The world consumed in flames (what was the thing's name, Iblis, Ifrit, something with an I?). And though you never actually saw that future (right?), you know you will never let it happen.

[megalony]

Look at us- Part 4

Here is the next part in this new Henry Cavill series, I hope everyone will like it, feedback is always appreciated.

Taglist: @lunaticspoem @butlegendsneverdie @langdonzvoid @jennyggggrrr @rogmeddows @radiob-l-a-hblah @rogertaylorsbitontheside @chlobo6 @rogertaylors-lipgloss @sj-thefan @omgitsearly @luckytrashgooprebel @scarsout @deaky-with-a-c @killer-queen-ofrhye @bluutac @vousmemanqueez-blog @jonesyaddiction @milanosaurus @httpfandxms @saint-hardy @7-seas-of-fat-bottomed-girls @mrsalwayswritex @rogerina-owns-me  @hellsdragon @im-an-adult-ish @crazylittlethingg @allauraleigh @onceuponadetectivedemigod @ceres27 @avyannadawn @dreaming-about-fanfictions @afro-hispwriter​  

Masterlist

Summary: After losing a baby a few months ago, (Y/n) is still suffering horrible back pains that she needs strong painkillers to manage. But she has to be okay and in control to look after her family and she knows she is relying too much on pills to gain back her life and control.

Enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What should he do?

An inner turmoil broke out in Henry's chest when he looked down at his wife next to him. This was the longest he'd known her sleep for in months. Since her back started to ache, (Y/n) hadn't been sleeping through the night and sometimes, Henry woke up and had to scout round the house until he found her asleep in the armchair downstairs. But he knew (Y/n) had fallen asleep not long after Brodie went to bed and it was almost half past eight in the morning and she was still spark out.

A big part of Henry wanted to leave (Y/n) and see just how long she would sleep for. It would do her a world of good to sleep properly and hopefully she would feel better whenever she woke up. But the other part of him wanted to wake her now so she didn't sleep too much and feel all the worse for it. She might be drowsy if she continued to sleep for much longer and he didn't want her to feel worse or sick or make her back go stiff from too much laying down.

Reaching out his hand, Henry brushed his fingers through (Y/n)'s hair, tucking a strand behind her ear and trailing his fingertips along her shoulder and down her exposed chest.

"Baby... I'm just off to take the kids to school, are you feeling okay?"

A soft hum vibrated against (Y/n)'s lips when she felt a pair of lips kissing her shoulder which slowly moved until they were peppering against her neck, making a shiver run down her back and a flush to creep onto her skin.

(Y/n) had just enough energy inside her to move her arms and hook them around Henry's neck so she could pull him closer to her until he had to lean down and plant his hands beside her head to stop from laying on top of her completely. Henry chuckled softly and kissed the corner of her mouth, smiling at how she clung to him despite being more than half asleep.

"I won't be long, are you gonna wake up a little for me when I get back, hm?" Henry kissed her soft lips before he slowly slipped his head underneath her arms to free himself.

(Y/n) barely felt him kissing her temple and when he left the room, she couldn't bring herself to wake up even though he'd asked so sweetly. Another half an hour escaped her while she slept before her body finally felt like it was able to wake up.

Everything kept circling and spinning around her when she tried to sit herself up and each joint creaked and snapped back into place when (Y/n) sat up and leaned against the headboard. She couldn't remember the last time she slept so deeply and peacefully without at least one twinge of pain waking her up early in the morning.

Over the course of this week, (Y/n) had been sleeping better and better but that was the first night where she truly slept properly and without pain and she knew exactly the reason why.

Tramadol.

After taking one too many at Amy's birthday party, (Y/n) had tried to stop taking them, she really did. But within two days of having none at all, she was feeling the withdrawal symptoms. She was shaking, going dizzy, feeling like she was going to be sick or pass out every few minutes, it had been horrible.

But she realised something, if she took a few tablets in the early evening, they made her feel drowsy enough to fall asleep and stay in a deep sleep. (Y/n) woke up feeling groggy and drugged for the first hour or so but then she was fine. And no one- mainly Henry, didn't worry or see her feeling sick or drowsy or collapsing because of the pills. Taking them at night took away all the tell-tale signs and symptoms of being on them, they were hidden behind her sleeping eyes.

(Y/n) knew it wasn't exactly healthy or good in the long term but she couldn't think long term, she had to think short term, the here and now. And right now, her back was causing severe agony that she had to control somehow and the tablets were the only thing that took even the slightest edge off.

When she got out of bed, (Y/n) trudged to the wardrobe and grabbed the closest things she could, wincing when she straightened up and felt her back click into place.

For a brief moment when she took off her shirt, her eyes couldn't help but glance in the full-length mirror opposite her.

The reflection (Y/n) was faced with didn't feel like her, somehow. When she was pregnant, her reflection had made her smile. (Y/n) liked the way her body changed to make room for a new life and she knew that Henry openly loved how she looked when she was pregnant. She had only been nearly six months when Lilah was born and her stomach didn't look to have changed that much, she only had a small bump and within a week of losing Lilah, it near enough deflated again.

Maybe her reflection wouldn't bother her so much if she had Lilah resting in her arms. Maybe (Y/n) could of smiled at herself if Lilah was in the next room asleep in her cot. She might have felt like her body had done as it should, as she willed it to do, if Lilah was here.

But she wasn't here and (Y/n)'s body had felt broken every day since giving birth to a sleeping baby.

A few stray tears coated (Y/n)'s cheeks while she pressed her hands to her tummy. She wished she was pregnant again, (Y/n) would give anything to rewind time and be connected to Lilah again, to try and push through and actually give birth to a healthy little girl.

If she was being honest, (Y/n) would still give anything to be pregnant right now without having to rewind time. If having another baby would repair the hole in her heart and make her arms feel full and content and would somehow stop the agonising pain in her back, (Y/n) would have a baby in a heartbeat.

She wanted a baby.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She needed them, she really, really, needed them. (Y/n) arched her back until it was as curved as it could possibly be and rested her head on her forearms that were crossed together on the kitchen counter. Her back strained and ached and tears welled in her eyes that she tried to push away.

With a deep breath, she raked her trembling hands through her bag, trying to find the little white box of pills. She had tried taking them just at night to get her to sleep and this morning she hadn't felt too bad but now, it was unbearable. (Y/n) needed to have the tablets now or she was going to explode.

A gasp escaped her lips when she felt a strong pair of arms encase around her lower waist. She could feel the way Henry restrained himself, his arms were a little loose around her and he didn't pull her back into his chest like he normally would, he was trying not to hurt her because he could see the pain she was in. His lips against the back of her neck momentairely made the pain fade away and a small slither of euphoria crept in for a few seconds.

"Everything okay, baby?" Henry kept his face nuzzled in the crook of (Y/n)'s neck and he breathed in her scent and her skin tickled his nose from how close he pressed his face to her neck.

If she wasn't in so much pain he would have spun her around and picked her up to sit on his hips but he didn't want to hurt her.

(Y/n) nodded and hummed a small noise but her hands were shaking so much she could barely pop out two tablets from the sachet. She should have paid more attention, if she did she would have noticed Henry had stopped kissing her neck and was looking over her shoulder instead.

"What're you taking?" Henry's tone of voice showed he wasn't looking for an answer, his voice was gruff and rugged and it made (Y/n)'s knees go weak, right until he took the box out her hand.

His chin nuzzled into the crook of her neck and shoulder and he could feel how it made his wife shiver but when he took the box of tablets from her trembling hands, his chest tightened.

What was she doing with tramadol? This prescription should have run out over a week ago and he hadn't seen (Y/n) take any of these this week, well, at least he didn't think he had. Six months was a long time to be taking something like this and Henry knew well enough to know they were addictive tablets which was why he had been relieved (Y/n) stopped taking them. They took the edge off but they didn't take away her pain fully so he didn't see the point in her having them anyway.

"Sweetheart..." There was something so deep and possessive in his voice that would have been sexy if (Y/n) didn't know what he was about to say next. "You told me you stopped taking these."

Moving his hands down to her hips, he spun (Y/n) around until she was facing him and his big arms stretched out beside her, caging her to his chest like a predator cornering his prey. When (Y/n) wouldn't look up to meet his eyes, he gently held her chin and tilted her head up so their eyes met.

"I just got them last week in case I needed them and I do... Henry, it's agony." (Y/n) could feel the tears falling from her eyes as she spoke. She did truly get them in case she needed them, but deep down, (Y/n) had known she would need them. She couldn't try and wean off them when the pain would only come back with vengence.

"Okay, let's see,"

For a brief moment, (Y/n) thought he was going to look at her back in case she had some kind of bruising or lump or something, but he reached behind her and grabbed the box of tramadol instead.

"Last week? How many have you been taking the box is nearly empty!"

(Y/n) couldn't help but wince when Henry's voice changed, it grew deeper but harsher at the same time in a way he didn't usually use around or with her. "I just, I-" What was she supposed to say? (Y/n) had taken one or two extra here and there when the pain was immensely difficult to handle. She took a few at night to get her to sleep and it was working, for the past few days she'd only taken them at night because during the day she had felt a bit better.

"Is this why you've been sleeping so much?"

"Yes, but I haven't been taking them during the day anymore, I take a few at night and it makes the pain stop and I can actually sleep. Henry I needed to take something, I can't keep waking up at two in the morning or sleeping on the sofa or in the armchair."

"Don't you see how dangerous that is?"

"It's not-"

Henry dragged his hand through his curls before scraping his fingers over his chin and jaw. He didn't want to get angry with (Y/n) because it was clear she didn't see this from his perspective or think it was bad. Shouting and arguing wasn't going to help either of them.

"If you overdose on these pills, you could go unconscious and if that happens at night, I'm not gonna know. You could be sick, choke, have breathing trouble and I'd be asleep baby and that's dangerous."

It was an addictive drug, when Henry had taken it he had to gradually reduce them to stop taking them. If (Y/n) stopped now after such a long time on them, she would be in withdrawal and it would make her sick and ill and her pain would be horrid.

But if she was taking too many tablets at night she could overdose and if that made her fall unconscious, Henry wouldn't know about it. She could be sick and choke and an overdose could affect her lungs and if it happened at night Henry was less likely to know or be able to help because he would be asleep. He understood she was taking them to control her pain and he knew she wasn't sleeping but she couldn't do this again.

"Sweetheart, look at me." Henry held her chin between his thumb and finger again and tilted her head up until their eyes met. "I need you to listen to me now. If you take just two extra pills, that's an overdose and it's dangerous. We need to talk to your doctor and slowly wean you off them so you don't go into withdrawal. You can't keep taking these forever and I don't want you on them if this is gonna happen again. Please talk to the doctor, we can get you some other pills, something better that will actually work for you. Please."

He didn't want to put his foot down but what else could he do?

(Y/n) couldn't keep taking them anymore, not if she needed to overdose to get any sense of pain relief, that wasn't how they worked. They could slowly get (Y/n) off them and put her on something different and stronger that would work better. She could have slow releasing capsuled painkillers that worked for a longer period of time so she didn't have to take so many each day.

Anything was better than tramadol if it clearly wasn't working.

"Okay." (Y/n) knew he was right and she knew Henry was only looking out for her because he loved her, but he had to understand that she couldn't cope with this ongoing pain any more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Y/n) wished water was pain medicine, that each drop of water that cascaded down onto her skin would somehow soak into her body and evict the pain she was feeling. She would stay in the bath or shower for twenty hours a day if it would take away the pain she was feeling.

She must have been in the shower for nearly half an hour now and at first, it had felt so soothing and calming to her burning, prickling skin. It had felt lovely to soak under the water and lean against the shower wall and let the steam surround her and make her feel better. It made her breathe deeply and the blistering pain started to simmer down.

But now, as she stood hunched over with both hands braced on the wall, all (Y/n) wanted to do was disappear.

Tears mingled in with the shower water and drenched down her already sodden face. Her lower back was throbbing like a hammer was repeatedly hitting against her spine and her stomach was churning and aching and she wanted to be sick. Sliding her hands down the wall, (Y/n) slowly lowered herself down until she was kneeling on the floor of the shower with the water hitting her lower back. Oh, she was going to be sick in a minute.

"Mummy, I'm coming in, I need the toilet." Ella slowly opened the door before she pottered in and headed over to the toilet, passing the shower that she could barely see through due to the steam.

When she was finished, she couldn't help but pad over to the shower in the corner of the room next to the bath. She didn't usually get a shower, the last time Ella had one, she had made a mess and managed to drench Henry from head to toe. So he restricted her to the bathtub from now on. She approached the sliding door and started to squiggle her finger against the steam, making a few patterns on the glass.

"Sweetie, will you go and get daddy for me please?"

"Okay," There was clear confusion in Ella's voice, she didn't see why (Y/n) wanted Henry in here when she was in the shower, but the little girl trotted off on her task.

Moving around, (Y/n) sat down and pulled her knees up to her stomach, willing herself not to be sick yet because she didn't have any energy to scuttle to the toilet and she really didn't want to be sick in the shower.

Her body jolted when the shower door opened and when her eyes locked with Henry's and she saw his big gentle giant smile, her chest seemed to burst. A small sob bubbled past her lips and her soaking wet arms reached out towards him.

(Y/n) didn't want to be a burden and deep down she knew she wasn't. Whenever Henry was under the weather or seriously ill, (Y/n) was always sat by his side. She brushed his hair from his eyes when he was sick, made sure he managed to eat and drink and keep up his strength and if he was feeling down she would hold him until he started to feel better. But she hated it when she couldn't do anything but sit and cry and wait for him to come to her rescue.

"Oh, babygirl."

Henry turned off the shower before he wrapped his arms around (Y/n) and slowly pulled her out of the shower. He walked over to the toilet and sat (Y/n) down just in time for her to lean over the sink and throw up.

He didn't say anything, he raked his fingers through her hair and gathered it up in his hands, putting it into a messy bun to be out of her way before he wrapped a towel around her shoulders.

When she finished, (Y/n) opened her eyes wide enough to watch Henry bend down between her legs and wrap his arms around her thighs with his hands resting on her bum. His lips pressed to her inner thigh despite trickles of water glistening on every inch of her skin and he leaned his cheek on her upper leg, smiling up at her adoringly.

"I don't feel good." (Y/n) knew it was obvious that she didn't feel well, she surely looked like Hell and she'd just thrown up in the sink but here was Henry, looking up at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the world.

"I know, but I'm gonna take care of you."

[delopsia]

at this point i feel like i’m just straight up asking for to world building the trio™️ 😩💕 but the subject of birthdays popped into my head and i just 🥳✨

how do you think rhett x reader x robby celebrate?

are you team “the abbott family doesn’t really do birthdays unless it’s for amy” or team “rhett himself is just kind of indifferent because he hasn’t ever had anyone to celebrate with or had anything to do because wabang is so small” or something else entirely?

do you think robby is a birthday guy? i headcanon him as having a big family (single mom, lots of older sisters) which makes me think he’s more likely to get the birthday celebrations, at least when he’s home; with his favorite cake (maybe made by mama floyd), silly birthday cards and maybe a couple gifts 🤔 but what do you think? does he like the attention because it’s his family or does he maybe prefer something quieter with rhett and reader?

do you think reader is a birthday person? what do you think the cowboy and the pilot do for reader on their special day? breakfast in bed or birthday dinner? do they bake a cake or pick one up?

did the three of them ever celebrate birthdays together in the beginning, on discord or in person? what about once they live together, what do those look like?

oh my god this is just a jumbled mess of questions but also: the thought of them being able to throw rhett a birthday party in their space, loving on him all day and doing whatever he wants 💓😩💓

and because we’re whores: is birthday sex dealer’s choice or is it like “as many orgasms as we can lovingly wring from them until they pass out”? 👀❤️‍🔥

Now THIS is something 💃I briefly lost this ask, and I've never been so distraught in my life 😩I can't believe I've never even really thought about them celebrating birthdays until you sent this.

I don't know why, but the Abbott family seems like the kind of family that's sort of split on birthdays. Cecelia always wants to celebrate and shower her boys with sweet treats, but Royal's of the "them boys would be of better use on a horse than stuffin' their faces with cake" thought process.

So birthdays are more or less normal days, where Cecelia slips Rhett a cupcake with a candle in it while Royal is out, and that's the most celebrating they can do. Otherwise, Royal pitches a fit because it's "softening up them boys" and "well, now they'll work lousy today."

Rhett's old enough to know that he can celebrate on his own now, but even if he allows himself one more beer just for that special day, he almost feels...guilty? He's just constantly looking over his shoulder, expecting Royal to chew him out.

Oh my god 😭evidently, we both headcanon Robby with a single mom, lmao.

Robby's family absolutely goes all out when he's home. There's an entire hallway wall dedicated to birthday pictures of him and his siblings. It's an excuse to let loose and share Ms. Floyd's famous birthday cake, and they always wind up getting a little carried away. I love the image of everyone sitting at the table, asking Bob to blow out the candles, and he's sitting at the end of the table, red face buried in his hands, party hat sideways, flustered to the high heavens.

Robby absolutely prefers to just have dinner, a movie, and cake, but he doesn't voice that to his family because he sees how much they enjoy those over-the-top birthdays. If that means being mortified as everyone sings happy birthday and forces party hats on his head, then so be it.

I like to think that when Bob, Rhett, and the Reader come down to visit Bob's family, he lets it slip that Rhett's birthday is coming up. Queue rushed preparations while Rhett's out of the house, and a big yell of "surprise!" that scares poor Rhett so bad he jumps back out the door😭That's the one time they have to tone it down because this cowboy is both unsocialized and rattled to the bone.

If the Reader wasn't a birthday person before, they're going to be. Bob may not realize it, but his family has rubbed off on him. If there is a birthday, it shall be celebrated. As soon as the Reader wakes up, they're wrapped up in a pair of very, very sleepy men; Rhett's lazily snuggling into the space in their collar bone, and Bob's asking what they want to do today, in that unusually rough morning voice of his.

Whatever the Reader says, goes, no if's, and's, or but's about it. Lay in bed all day? Sold. Go out to a nice restaurant for dinner? Rhett's going to be tripping in Bob's too-big dress boots, but they'll make it happen.

If Bob's not working, he's in the kitchen for half the afternoon making a cake from scratch, while Rhett sort of...lingers like a feral cat. He'll fetch things from the pantry and run off to terrorize the chickens if Bob needs eggs, but he's not allowed to touch the mixing bowls. Neither is the Reader, for that matter. Once Bob's in his 'zone,' he gets very particular about his kitchen not being messed with.

In the beginning, birthdays were celebrated in the form of hour-long calls where there would be an...attempt at getting everyone to eat cake together? Attempt meaning, Robby and Reader eat cake, and Rhett eats whatever birthday-cake-flavored treat he could find at the store.

Rhett's birthday wasn't acknowledged the first year simply because he forgot to mention it, and neither Bob nor Reader knew what day it was. Until one day, his age was one number higher than before, and Reader put two and two together.

BUT since moving in together, birthdays are entire days dedicated to whatever the hell they want. They've spent a whole day at a festival that the Reader wanted to visit; Bob's had two birthdays where all he wanted was a day to binge movies, and Rhett's most recent birthday was spent taking him to the zoo for the first time.

Getting Rhett to feel alright with celebrating is a whole process of its own, but there's a birthday when he comes home late from work, and there those two are, bickering as they frantically light those candles before he can walk into the kitchen. God, he just melts. Doesn't know what to do when they're both hugging and kissing him because he's too flustered to blow them out. He doesn't know what to do with all the attention and just winds up burying his face in the nearest shoulder.

Birthday sex is almost always the dealer's choice, but the choices aren't usually a surprise.

Bob's got a thing for making an absolute mess out of Rhett and Reader, doesn't want to stop until they're batting him away, can't handle any more of him; he loves it to the point he almost forgets to take care of himself.

Rhett, though shy about it, always ends his birthday nights shuddering as he's worked toward another orgasm, tears streaming down his pale cheeks. The kind of overworked that requires several hours of carefully spoken words and cuddling to bring him back down.

Reader has a secret third option that Rhett so lovingly calls the "fuck around and find out." Someone's going to wind up breathless and overstimulated by the end, but it just depends on the way things go. Sometimes it's the Reader themselves, sometimes it's Rhett, and sometimes it's Bob.

Hell, once it was all three of them ✨💃

🌻💕

[strangerthingslover69]

You’ve got daddy problems

Dmitri + female reader

18+ no minors please!

Warnings ~ Swearing, drinking, signs of abuse, smoking and touching ~

At a party the Byers are hosting for Dmitri’s birthday, you drink too much to forget your fight with your dad. You decide to just let go. You’ve got daddy problems and Dmitri can help fix that

You make your way over to the Byers house with red eyes and a bottle of opened vodka. You and your dad had another argument. You and your dad never got along and as you were getting older it was getting worse.

You were getting ready to come to this party, it was for Dmitri’s birthday. You wanted to look pretty and feel good. You had chosen your outfit and laid it on your bed, a black skater shirt, short sleeves blouse, black fishnets and some black lace up boots. You’d just come out the shower when you heard your name being shouted by your dad. You roll your eyes and make your way down. Your dad was in the kitchen looking dressed up, your mum was passed out on the couch from being a work for the last fourteen hours and your little brother was eating his tea. ‘You need to babysit’ your dad said bluntly. ‘What? No I can’t I’ve got plans.’ You say folding your arms. Your dad puts on his jacket and sighs turning to you, ‘cancel them. I’m going out.’ He says about to grab his car keys but your too quick snatch them. ‘No. You cancel yours. You knew about mine last week! Who is it tonight, Amy or Jenna?’ You raising you eyebrows. Your dad pulls you by the wrist dragging you into the hall. ‘You little bitch. You can’t say that shit in front of your brother. What if he heard?!’ He says angrily at you still digging his fingers in your wrists. ‘Well what do you expect? Your married. To our mum or did you forget? I really don’t get why she stays with a useless man like you. Wait your not even a man. Just a little boy. Jamie’s more grown up than you and he’s fucking thirteen.’ You snarl through your teeth. Your dad pulls you in, ‘bitch. You will pay for that one.’ He realised your wrist but not before smacking you across the face. You stumble to the stairs in shock holding your face. ‘I’m going out. Look after your brother.’ Your dad said slamming the door behind. The sound wakes your mum up. She gets up from the sofa looking for you. ‘Eveything okay honey?’ She asks coming round the corner. You don’t want her to see you like this so you race up the stairs shouting down, ‘y-yeah. Fine mum.’ You go to your room closing the door behind falling to the ground crying. He’d never hit you before. Your guessing by his eyes he’d taken something again. You compose yourself and get up to get ready. You were going out. You look at your clothes and decide to change them. Just to spite him you pick your shortest skirt but keep the blouse. Still wearing your black fishnets and boots. You put on some accessories, you find a bracelet to cover the mark on your wrist. You leave your hair down leaving it to do it’s own thing and look in the mirror. Closer inspection you see your dads handprint on the side of your face. You cover it up with some make up hoping that’ll be enough. Coming back down you see your mum and brother watching a movie together. You walk past going into the kitchen swiping your dads bottle of vodka and your presents for Dmitri. You hid the bottle in a bag and say goodbye to your brother and mum. ‘Have fun honey, love you’ your mum shouts as you leave the living room. ‘Thanks mum love you too.’ You really don’t understand why she puts up with your dad. So that brings you to now, the Byers house is a twenty minute walk so not too far. You undo the cap of the vodka and take a sip. It burns but it helps your forget about your problems

You focus your mind to tonight instead. Dmitri’s birthday, his first one celebrated in America. You couldn’t wait to see everyone, there felt like a huge extended family. However you were looking forward to seeing Dmitri most. You had a crush on him the minute you saw him with Hopper. He was so mysterious and you wanted to know more about him. Any chance you tried to talk to him but something would always get in the way. You hoped he would like your present. All you knew is he was Russian, ex guard, helped Hopper escape and that he was the most beautiful man you’d ever seen. You decided to make him a cake, you researched about traditional Russian food and Medovik came up. It was tricky to make as you weren’t the best baker but you hoped he’d appreciate your efforts. There was also a small bottle of vodka with some shot glasses. As you reach the end be of the Byers street you could feel the vodka having an effect, you didn’t realise you’d drank a quarter of the bottle. Oops. You knock and the door waiting for an answer, butterflied start in your tummy. ‘Y/N, hi! Come in sweetie’ Joyce says opening the door. She brings you in for a hug, it’s warm and welcoming. ‘You okay?’ She asks looking concerned, she can tell you’ve been crying. A mum’s instinct. You nod, you don’t want to talk about it you’ll just cry again. You clear your throat as you speak, ‘so where’s the birthday boy?’ You say with a smile. ‘Dmitri, Hopper and Murray are just outside.’ She points through the back doors. You look out seeing them all talking and laughing. They all look so happy. Dmitri catches your eye though of course. He’s in a red top with some denim shorts and a drink in hand. He looks handsome. You smile to yourself. Joyce clears her throat and you turn to her, ‘want a drink?’ She asks. ‘Got one’ you raising the bottle and smiling. Joyce knows why your drinking. You only ever do when you’ve fallen out with your dad. She takes the bottle out your hand, ‘let’s get you a cup for it yeah?’ She says bringing you into the kitchen. You sit on the kitchen island as she pours some vodka in a cup with coke. She passes it to you and you down it. ‘You sure your okay?’ Joyce asks again. ‘I just don’t wanna talk about it. Don’t want ruin Dmitri’s birthday with my sob story’ you say pouring the vodka into the cup, no coke this time. ‘Just take it easy honey okay?’ She says running your back warmly. You nod and she leaves to join Hopper.

You watch the way they interact with one another. They are so perfect. ‘Y/N already getting the party started I see?’ You turn and see Eddie grabbing a beer from the fridge. ‘Always Munson’ you say bring the cup to your lips. He stands across from you opening his beer. You get into light conversation when an idea pops into your head. ‘Wanna play a game?’ You say filling your cup up. ‘That depends. What’d you have in mind?’ He replies. ‘Drinking one of course. C’mon let’s go join the others and see if they wanna play’ you stand up nearly loosing your balance. Eddie helps you stand straight. ‘Steady their Princess.’ He says with a smile. You make your way outside towards Steve, Nancy, Robin, Johnathan and Argyle. ‘Let me just say happy birthday to the birthday boy’ you slur your words to Eddie as he joins the group of teens. By this point you are pretty drunk. The bottle you brought was almost gone near enough. Events of earlier at home were hazy. You just wanted to forget. You make your way over to the group of adults. You stumble bumping into the back of Hopper, he turns to see you. ‘Hey kid, you all good?’ He asks with concern. ‘Hopper! Hi. I’m all good. Just coming over to wish the birthday boy well happy birthday!’ You say squeezing past to get to Dmitri. You stop in front of him and he’s smiling at you, you melt into his smile. ‘Happy birthday!’ You say waving your hands up in the air. ‘Why thank you Y/N, it appears you are enjoying yourself’ he says with a hint of concern. Everyone knew why you drank, it was no secret. They didn’t know all the details but they knew it was because of your dad. ‘Yup, it’s a great party! Happy birthday!’ You say again forgetting you’d said it. ‘Thank you Y/N’ he says with another dashing smile. Definitely the alcohol but you lean in and kiss his cheek then bring him in for a hug. You reach around his neck going on your tip toes and nuzzle into it. Dmitri processes what’s happening, it takes him a second but he hugs you back. You stay like that for a minute. The other adults looking at you both, Dmitri just shrugs his shoulders to them. ‘Hey Y/N! You coming?’ You hear Eddie shouting you. You our turn around, ‘oh yeah, I’m coming! Need to get more vodka first!’ You shout back. You turn back facing Dmitri, your faces inches apart. You feel his breath on yours. ‘You think it’s a good idea to drink more Y/N?’ Dmitri asks leaning his face away a bit. ‘Well it’s a party! Happy birthday!’ You say one more time, you go to kiss his cheek again but somehow miss and plant a quick peck on his lips. Taking you both by surprise. You quickly pull away giggling and making your way into the kitchen to get some more vodka

‘Shes clearly not okay’ Murray says breaking the silence of the group. ‘She needs to stop before she gets out of control’ Hopper says. ‘Well I think our Russian friend can help, she’s clearly taking a like to you’ Murray said with a smile. ‘Don’t be silly. She’s drunk. Plus she’s very young. I’m too old’ Dmitri says finishing his drink avoiding eye contact. ‘I’ve seen the way she looks at you. Even without a drink. So what she’s a bit younger. You deserve to be happy too’ Joyce says with a genuine smile. Dmitri doesn’t know what to say. No one does so nothing is said. ‘I need another drink’ Dmitri says leaving to go to the kitchen. ‘You’ve seen the way he looks at Y/N too right?’ Murray asks Joyce and Hopper. ‘I think they both have liked each other since they met’ Joyce states. ‘Well let’s wait and see. Shall we?’ Hopper says lighting up a cigarette.

You search high and low for more vodka, almost giving up until you find one hiding behind some bottles on the top shelf. You stretch up to reach but you’re too short. You drag the stool over and climb up to get the bottle. You’re so close, your fingers brush on it, ‘c’mon c’mon!’ You say getting on your tip toes. You reach and grab the bottle. ‘Ha! Gotcha!’ You dance to celebrate but as you dance you lose your balance. Your legs give way as you fall off the stool. Ready to meet the impact of the floor you brace yourself. But instead you’re not met with the hard floor but some arms. ‘Jesus Y/N. You okay?’ Dmitri says looking at you. You turn to look up. You giggle at yourself, ‘my hero! Thank you!’ You say feeling very happy with how close Dmitri is on you. ‘Fucking hell Y/N. What were you thinking?!’ Dmitri says not looking to impressed as he helps you stand back on the floor. You hold on to him arms for balance, you can feel his muscles through his top. ‘Well birthday boy. I was thinking about this!’ You say smiling widely with the bottle in your hand. Dmitri can’t help it as he lets out a laugh, you look so happy with yourself. ‘You are trouble. Now you gonna share that?’ He asks leaning in closer. ‘Of course. But with the others. We’re playing a game. Oh oh why don’t you join us! C’mon!’ You say begging him. ‘I don’t think you’d want this old man playing’ he says chuckling. You poke his chest, ‘your not old. C’mon it’ll be funny, what do you say Dadd-Dmitri?’ You slur the last two words and they blend together. Daddy? Did you just almost call me daddy? Is all Dmitri is thinking. His dick twitched in his boxers. He can’t go out there now. ‘Maybe later I will join you’ he brings his hand to your cheek stroking it with his thumb. You nuzzle into his warm touch. ‘Don’t be too long birthday boy. Still need to give you your presents’ say winking. ‘Presents? You shouldn’t have’ Dmitri’s says. ‘Of course I did! There’s two in the bag and the other is a surprise!’ you say turning to take his hand off your face. Dmitri watches speechless as your take his hand under your skirt feeling your bare pussy. He can feel the wetness. He tenses and bites his lip. ‘ебать’ (fuck) he whispers. You lean into his ear. ‘That’s the surprise’ Just let that you walk back into the garden smiling to yourself with the bottle of vodka. Dmitri stands in the kitchen alone trying to process what just happened

[softest-cinnamon-roll]

✨navigation page✨

hi!!! I'm Amy, I'm 29 and I live in Scotland. I use she/her pronouns and I'm just a huge nerd who loves to write and express love for some dead gay wizards from the 70's! My inbox is always open for prompts or just for chatting! I also make typesets for self-binding!

AO3

COMPLETED FICS

in the cracks of light, i dreamed of you (jegulus ouat au) (MCD) (3k)

James had always hated the saying ‘villains don’t get their happy endings’. He had always been a firm believer that evil wasn’t born, it was made and that anyone could rid themselves of the darkness and turn to the light, if they only wanted it enough. It was why he had been so calm when Regulus had merged himself with the dagger, when he had become the newest Dark One. James knew, deep down, that Regulus wanted to be good, wanted to be rid of the darkness. Regulus wasn’t a villain. Not to James. Then Camelot happened, and everything changed. OR; Regulus Black dies at the hands of James Potter.

can i go where you go? (jegulus) (MCD) (2.5k)

It’s strange how things can go from being so utterly perfect in one moment, to being absolutely devastating the next. It’s strange how life can do a complete one-eighty.

let me try (jegulus) (4.1k)

“James.” “Regulus.” They stared at one another, neither one of them willing to break eye contact. James wanted to scream, but he held his tongue. “James…” Regulus trailed off, breaking eye contact. “I’m- I’m one of them now.” (Or, Regulus is forced to take the dark mark on his sixteenth birthday and James won't stand for it.)

she rings like a bell through the night (wouldn't you love to love her?) (marylily) (4.3k)

Lily Evans was a firm believer in one fact. That fact was that if someone came into her life, it was for a reason. Whether that reason was to give her advice, to teach her a lesson or to open her heart to love, it didn’t matter. The reason was just that, the reason.When Lily was five years old, she met three people who would each coincide with those three exact reasons.(OR three people come into Lily Evans' life at the age of five. James Potter, Mary MacDonald and Severus Snape. Each with a reason. This is her story.)

of birthday parties, enticing cakes and diamond rings (wolfstar) (2.1k)

His boyfriend did not know how to keep a secret. When Remus woke up on the morning of March 10th, the spring morning sun shining through the crack in the curtains of their bedroom, the first thing he could smell was burning toast. Quickly followed by the curses of his boyfriend…who was probably attempting to make him breakfast in bed. Well, better put the poor sod out of his misery then. [it's Remus Lupin's 21st birthday]

WIP FICS

may these memories break our fall (5/7) (jegulus) (afterlife au) (MCD but they are dead before it even starts soooo) (19.1k)

When Harry destroys Voldemort, Regulus’ soul is finally freed from the cave and allowed to move on. Slowly, he makes his way home.

IN THE WORKS FICS

jeglus x wolfstar winter olympics fic (figure skater!regulus, ice hockey player!james, mentor!sirius + classic jegulus + wolfstar fairytale au i thought the plane was going down, how'd you turn it right around (plane fic) serial killer regulus fic hangover au/james stag do + wedding 5+1 funeral fic

TYPESETS

(please note that these are not formatted for external printing, only for printing at home! please do not use these to print via Barnes and Noble or LULU.)

Art Heist, Baby!

[crawlspacefics]

Tangled Web (chapter 7) - Throwback Thursday edition

A birthday party, a crush revealed, and a thing that happens when Saturn acts out. There's just something about her eyes...

Random note: I'm editing from the original .doc file, and I could tell the moment I switched word processors because the formatting halfway into the chapter changed. That made for some interesting editing this chapter.

“Haruka.”

Some of her grin fell away as she sat up on the bed and crossed her legs.  It was amazing how much could be conveyed in the tone of one word as it fell from Michiru’s lips.  Anger, passion, amusement, the occasional bit of jealousy, the change in moods often subtle, but always there in the way she said ‘Haruka.’

Rather deftly interpreting Michiru’s tone this time to mean ‘we need to talk about something that will potentially make you unhappy,’ Haruka’s arms crossed in preparation of the conversation.

Michiru set her brush down and moved over to sit at the foot of the bed.  Lips still tinged in a delicate shade, she smiled in a calming way before she began to speak.  But as she went on in a slow, even manner about what had happened between Hotaru and Kyo, Haruka’s frown deepened.

“Did he try anything?” asked Haruka unhappily.

“Nothing as far as I know,” answered Michiru.  “I suppose he realized there wasn’t much he could do, other than seek answers from a safe source.”

Haruka snorted.  “As long as he keeps it to himself.  Besides, he had it coming to him.  And I’m surprised you’re punishing her like that, after everything you said about him.”

“I’m only going to do enough to impress my point,” answered Michiru.  “After she finishes helping me pack, she can go play with the others.”

Her lips pursed, and Haruka studied Michiru’s features for a moment.  “There’s something more bothering you,” she said.  “You think I’m not taking it seriously enough?  Because I do know that part of our responsibility to Hotaru is to teach her responsibility, and maybe I am being too careless about this.  If you want me to talk to her, too…”

“That’s not it,” replied Michiru with a slight shake of her head.  “I believe her when she says it was an accident, and knowing she put Ami in the position she did, as well as the harm it could do to the others, will be enough to give her pause if a moment like this comes up again.  There was something else, though.”

Her voice trailed off for several seconds as she reflected on what had been said.  And what hadn’t.  Her voice softer and edged in uncertainty, she went on, “Hotaru kept something from me, Haruka, and it frightens me a bit, because whatever it was seemed to pain her greatly.  It’s also made me fear that in trying so hard to ease Hotaru’s burden, we may have overlooked the other member of our family.”

Scooting forward on the bed, Haruka moved so she could put her arms around Michiru.  Pulling her into a warm embrace, she whispered, “We do as much as Setsuna will allow us to do.  She’s always going to be guarded, Michiru.  But she’s just a little less guarded with us, so we can be there when she needs us to be.  You know we can’t force things with her.”

Michiru leaned into the embrace and nodded in acknowledgement.  Yet the hidden presence of so many secrets and half truths tickled at her mind.  How many were there, she wondered, both in this house and her own.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Problem Child (1990)

Problem Child is the kind of film that inspires theological discussions. A comedy this unfunny either proves there is a God because Satan exists and releases movies under the guise of Dennis Dugan, or proves there is no God because he would never allow such a calamity to befall his children.

A troublemaker from birth, Junior (Michael Oliver) has been adopted and abandoned more times than anyone could count. When kind-natured Benjamin “Ben” Healy Jr. (John Ritter) and his socialite wife, Florence “Flo” Healy (Amy Yasbeck) learn they cannot have children, they adopt the boy. Trouble soon ensues.

It should be enough for me to tell you Problem Child isn’t funny but having survived this harrowing experience, I must say more. I must explain WHY it’s so unfunny. I’ll begin with Michael Oliver as Junior. Child actor or not, he’s awful. None of his lines sound credible and he’s completely devoid of charisma. Witnessing him do one awful thing after another to people who don’t deserve it causes you to loathe him only seconds in. You hate his voice, his would-be smart aleck comments, his choices and actions. You even hate his stupid little face. What worse is how the character is handled. Problem Child can’t decide whether we’re supposed to like Junior or not. We’re presumably supposed to laugh at the misfortune he brings others when setting the Healy house aflame, sabotaging a birthday party, luring a bear to a campsite, attacking children with a baseball bat (cue the nut shots), stealing a car, and generally being a rusty, spiral-shaped turd. In the next scene, he overhears someone talking about how awful he is and sad music kicks in. Which one is it?! Am I supposed to sympathize for Junior, or hope his adopted parents go at him with a chainsaw? You can’t have it both ways!

Anyone who gives Junior the moment of day is repulsive by association. John Ritter as the father is an unbearable wet noodle. The film is so mean-spirited you kind of want him to wind up crushed beneath a collapsed building or skewered by a stray harpoon. The idea that, in time, he and Junior will bond makes you want to throw up. Since he makes your blood boil too now, you'd expect to like his harpy of a wife but her character is just as irritating. She wants a kid so she can go to her neighbors’ parties. I’ve been to children’s birthday parties. Unless you’re participating, they suck. Her motivation makes no sense but why should it? Nothing makes sense in this film. Junior’s sending fan letters to serial killer Martin “Bow-Tie Killer” Beck (Michael Richards), who shows up towards the climax as a way to wrap up a plot that’s had no direction previously. Instead of ending in Dugan's signature false sentimentality, maybe there’s some version of the film that ends in a blood bath. Get me that fan cut.

Up until its very last shot, Problem Child single-handedly annihilates the words “classy” and “funny”. The only good thing about this supposed comedy is that eventually, it ends. (On VHS, April 7, 2020)

[amyinnile]

|| Anthony & Amy ||

“Don’t play with the napkins, Tony.” Amy warned before that even potentially happened or was even a thought forming in Tony’s mind, in that firm but soft motherly tone she often adopted with her younger siblings, having always been yet another parental figure or at least perceiving herself as such. Even now when an older, reliable family member aside from their parents may not be needed in the same capacity as when they were children, Amy couldn’t break this habit, letting it almost become a part of her personality, sometimes even available to those who were not her siblings. She didn’t even notice that it may sometimes make her come off as naggy or overbearing and even if she were aware, she wouldn’t care to correct it, especially not in Tony’s case, for whom she felt he needed someone to take care of him more than anyone else might.

Her single family home in Dilon was perfectly quaint and plain on the outside, matching the rows of same-sized, uniform homes in that part of the neighborhood, and the inside of it was always maintained and decorated as if ready to be staged, not a single item out of place, no corner either empty or overcluttered, every space utilized to its full potential so it looked practical, modern, neat and tidy, ready for a decor magazine photoshoot. Same could be said of the dining room space, the table big enough for hosting dinners for multiple people even with its leaves taken out to downsize. It was just Tony and her who’d be seated at it today for lunch, which she always requested to be there for at exactly 1 PM, no tardiness. Yet still she’d set up Tony’s preferred seating spot with her nice plates and all the appropriate utensils like her brother were a distinguished guest who’d have to be impressed as much as any other with her hospitality. Given, she was not nearly as uptight and nervous as she would be if she had to host actual guests who might frown at any mistakes in her hosting skills.

Not that she usually made any, Amy had always been a perfect example of style and organizational skills, keeping things simple, tasteful and practical, a sure way to make any event go smoothly while not giving her too big of a headache. So although this was not one of her neighborly and very appropriate social dinner parties, Tony still got a separate plate for the soup, a salad fork on the side, a wine glass and a water glass as well as a three-course meal she’d cooked herself, though she usually stuck to the same few meals she knew and was sure how to make and not fail at. Things mom had taught her to cook, although she still always needed to take a look at her handwritten cookbook to make sure she got things right, never the type to fully remember the recipe.

She’d just placed a bowl of spiced carrots and lentil soup onto the matching coasters on the table and picked Tony’s plate to fill it up, as always dumping in perhaps more than he could handle but still demanding that he clean his plate up. “Tony, your birthday is coming up. What do you want me to get you?” It wasn’t coming up, there were still a few months until then, but Amy had always been the type to plan ahead. Way ahead. She sat down next to her brother, drawing her chair up so close to the table that it was impossible to believe that she was comfortable.

@tony-baxter

[abcdefghijklmnoalphabet]

It's a slap in the face when you learn that you no longer really have the place you're constantly promised you have.

It's Christmas Eve, I've been left downstairs because I was asleep. Just woke up to the lights off and everyone's gone to bed. This is after my siblings pretty much stayed away and did their own thing the whole day.

"My friends are coming around later so I can give them their Christmas stuff." "Oh, okay! Sure, don't forget to give them the stuff I bought them! Our adopted family!" My friends couldn't come for longer than one hour and when they did, they weren't allowed one of the 48 cans of coke we had. We certainly never had any adopted family. My friends? Not wanted.

"Shit! I've got another piece of glass on my foot!" "Oh god! HAHAHA! Not again!" Context - I got a piece of glass in my foot last year, deep enough to draw blood, and because I immediately jumped up to clean it because I couldn't really afford to be off my feet if it got infected (it went in there DEEP), I was absolutely ridiculed. But then, when I know what to do to relieve cramps so bad my sibling's writhing in pain and crying/throwing up (literally), I'm the world's best thing. Take home? My pain/discomfort needs to be hidden, I am here to resolve everyone else's.

"I'm going to a lock-in at this pub on Boxing Day for my friend's dad's birthday." "Oh, okay! Sure, that'll be nice!" I wasn't allowed to eschew family coming over to go see friends, certainly not for a friend's parent's birthday party. The one time I was allowed to go to an overnight NYE party, I got bollocked for 'ruining' dinner the next day. (You can imagine how hard it also is to see my siblings get driven all over the place when I couldn't go somewhere unless someone else was driving me).

"Dad's mum's coming on Friday with us! And dad's sister!" "Oh, that's nice! Are you going to get them a card?" "Yeah, sympathy would be nice?" "Yes, and some flowers would be nice as well." Context - my abusive stepdad (their dad), he had an equally abusive stepdad who died recently. Both these men were horrible. Not only do I have to be kind to him despite the fact that I'm still fucking paying off the seven grand of debt he put my mum in because he financially destroyed her, but now I have to watch them go be nice to him and be all over him for no fucking reason. He doesn't give them shit.

All I'm seeing is that I'm the problem. I never had a place here when my stepdad was here, and now I have even less of a space because I'm literally sleeping on a sofa on Christmas Eve despite the fucking argument we had about me not doing that (I was okay with it until I got shouted down about it). My back's in pieces now because I was left asleep on this shit, and it's freezing cold. But I don't have any partner to stay with over christmas, and I don't have friends I could be with either, because everyone has their own families. I feel like I'm stuck in a rut where I just don't fit or belong anywhere... and I can't stay away by myself because then they'll all take offence.

30 so far has been really fucking shitty. But then, since I shouldn't have survived past 14, I can kind of see why. I just hope something happens next year where I'm not able to get here (not injury or anything like that, but just otherwise taken), and then they'll have the space to stretch out without me being here. Because it's so fucking painfully obvious that I don't fit in. But I haven't fitted in since I was 11, I've just been the burden that probably shouldn't have actually taken in the fucking womb. Hence why the Universe has just given me what I've wanted, because I was a roaring mistake.

And that's not even taking into account the shit that happened before I came back. I put so much thought and effort into getting gifts this year, only for half of them to be left in a bag because NO I HAVENT GOT YOU ANYTHING SO FUCKING HELL AMY WITH THESE GIFTS. Okay, no gifts. Noted. Next year it's a couple packs of speculoos cookies and a fucking hug. Saves me €100 and the hassle of wrapping everything up. And then there's the possibility that these same people may have gone and told someone that I'm available for a relationship and that they should pursue me. Some of the offhanded comments I've had, coupled with the insistence on overgifting, and the desperation for coffee... it's a bit weird. And I'm not comfortable. But the running theme now seems to be that I should be grateful, no standards, no type, and be super enthusiastic about a relationship even if the person just doesn't do anything for me romantically. I'm being told left, right and centre that I'm grateful, not gorgeous.

I don't get posted on anyone's social medias, because they're ashamed to be seen with me. I'm always left out of my siblings' socials posts even when they post about coming to see me, because they're ashamed that they're related to me. I don't fit in. I don't match. I'm the weird fucker with the facts who likes to google... who also gave up a lot of childhood shit so they could have a better one. Giving up my teen years when I should have been exploring, so they could have the same kind of childhood I had. Did it help? No. Their dad still left, and if anything their teen years have been so much fucking worse because now mum's fucked financially and they can't do half the shit we could do. They don't see any of the shit I've done. And all I'd want in return is just to be included in one single post online, or to have the option of a fucking camping mattress on the floor overnight.

Scratch it. I hope next year just takes me. They'll get €75k if I die and nothing changes because I'm not around to begin with. I just hope it's something cool - like an aptly placed head kick in my fight. Or a fat body induced heart attack. Doing something I love. Because either way, I'm dying alone and a virgin - it makes no sense for me to cling onto this until I'm fucking 60 or some shit.

[venkidu]

Amy Terasu's AmaArcade!

Summary: Yomi Hellsmile needs to find a way to rid Kanai Ward of the scourge known as the Nocturnal Detective Agency. He also needs to find a way to punish his idiot underlings for failing him so many times. The opportunity to kill two birds with one stone comes in the form of a closed-down arcade.

Rated T for language, humor and alcohol consumption

Cross-posted on Ao3

*EXTREMELY CANON-DIVERGENT FROM THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER FOUR* *Slight spoilers for every chapter through chapter 4*

Chapter 2: Mechanical Rat Pizza And Child Casino

Kurumi Wendy likes the Nocturnal Detective Agency.

She likes the submarine, warm and cozy with its comfy couches.

The creak of the metal. The feeling of gently bobbing up and down, back and forth.

She likes the people.

Sure, some may say that the detectives working under Yakou Furio’s supervision are strange, or even scary, but Kurumi disagrees.

She knows that all of them are ultimately very kind, if not a little quirky.

That’s why she likes them.

She especially likes their trainee, Yuma Kokohead.

As Kurumi skipped towards the docked submarine, a piece of paper taped to the side caught her eye.

It’s still somewhat dry, she noticed. The ink has barely begun to run. It must’ve been placed here recently.

She opened the hatch and climbed down the ladder.

“Mail’s here!” she called out as she entered the main lounge.

Yakou Furio, the head detective, stood up from behind his desk, temporarily removing his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose.

“Kurumi, sweetheart, we like you, but you can’t just go around handling our mail! You’re technically not an agent with us! We also don’t really even have a mail box!”

Kurumi skipped over to the older man and handed him the paper. “It was taped to the side of the sub!” she explained, and plopped down on the couch next to Yuma.

Yakou lit another cigarette as he studied the document.

“What is it, Chief?” Yuma asked.

“It’s a flyer…for Amy Terasu’s?!” Yakou shouted in disbelief.

Kurumi immediately jumped back up and rushed to Yakou’s side, trying to get a better glimpse of the flyer.

“No way! I can’t believe this place is opening back up!” she squealed as her eyes scanned the paper.

“What is Amy Terasu’s?” Fubuki Clockford asked, tilting her head.

“Oh man, this place was the coolest, you guys!” Yakou exclaimed. “Just about everyone in Kanai Ward has had at least one birthday party there! There’s arcade games and pizza and all sorts of rad stuff!”

“There’s this cute little robot band that plays music!” Kurumi added.

“This place sounds like my worst nightmare,” Vivia Twilight mumbled.

“Ayane and I used to go out and split a pizza and a pitcher of beer here when we were in college,” Yakou sighed fondly. “That animatronic band is actually way funnier when you’re sloshed. I think I have some photo strips we took when we were there,” he muttered as he headed back to his bedroom.

“Ugh, I bet dying was merciful for her,” Shinigami muttered.

“Hush,” Yuma told the spirit mentally. “Talking about Ayane and reliving some of their special memories together is probably helping the Chief a lot right now.”

“You know, this place kind of sounds like something we have back in my hometown. It’s called Chuck E. Cheese, but my friends and I all called it ‘Mechanical Rat Pizza And Child Casino’,” Desuhiko Thunderbolt explained.

“Casino? You have my interest,” Halara Nightmare suddenly piped up. “Why do you call it that?”

“Well, you play these games to get tickets and you can use those tickets to buy prizes. Of course, all the good stuff costs like, a million tickets, and you can end up spending a ton of money trying to get enough tickets to get like, a foam football that you can just buy at a store for $10.”

“I won this stuffed puppy for Ayane once,” Yakou explained, holding up a raggedy blue dog that usually resided on his nightstand as he walked back into the lounge “I don’t even want to think about how much I spent that night, but it made her happy.” He placed the photo strips on the coffee table.

“Simp,” grumbled Shinigami.

“I’m interested in this so-called child casino concept. May we go?” Halara inquired.

“I don’t know, you guys, it was pretty expensive to begin with back in the day, and we aren’t exactly flush with cash right now.”

“Do you know why it closed?” Yuma asked.

Kurumi shrugged. “I think it had something to do with health code violations?” she offered, looking to Yakou for confirmation.

Yakou rubbed the back of his neck. “That sounds about right, but I personally believe that facing bodily horrors beyond comprehension in that ball pit builds character.”

He picked up the flyer again.

In a curvy, bright red font that burned Yakou’s eyes, the flyer explained that Amy Terasu’s was holding a grand re-opening ceremony, and that all of Kanai Ward was invited to attend. The mascot, a purple and black fox, lounged on top of the logo, winking and giving the viewer a thumbs up.

Further down the flyer, a dotted line indicated the presence of a coupon, which was redeemable for “five children and one adult” to enter the establishment for free.

Oddly specific, the older man thought. He also had doubts on whether or not Halara and Vivia could pass as children.

He looked up from the flyer at the detectives in front of him.

Yuma, Fubuki, and Kurumi were examining the photo strips together, pointing and laughing at the goofy poses Yakou and Ayane had picked for each session. Desuhiko was explaining a game called “Gold Fishin’” to an intrigued Halara.

Vivia was asleep in the fireplace.

They had all been through so much this past month. Surviving murder attempts, solving crimes, hell, these kids even saved his life recently. Sure, they would sometimes gather at the agency to play board games or watch a movie, but those moments always felt so fleeting.

They deserved a day off after the events of this week.

They deserved some fun.

Yakou cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention to him. Vivia lazily opened one eye.

“You know what? I think I speak for all of us when I say that we’ve had a hell of a month. I’m impressed by the tenacity and intelligence this group has shown. I think we’ve earned a day off.”

Five and a half pairs of eyes stared at him, breath held in anticipation.

“We’re going to Amy Terasu’s!”

The group cheered, except for Vivia, who let out a low “Nooooo” from deep within the fireplace.

Yakou smiled as the group began to plan their outing. Tomorrow was going to be a great day.