#henry x lizzie fanfiction

[blackypanther9]

Part 6 – Lizzy is back !

AN: This is the second to last Chapter, I hope so at least... This one is kinda long. *Cough, cough* I just finished it and kick it out, so if there are typos, I'm sorry I didn't check it over.

WARNING!: Semi public Sex, sex while having a phone call, pet names, degradation, cursing, vaginal sex, anal sex, oral sex, multiple orgasms, orgasm denial, slight physical neglect in sexual act, marking, blood, praise kink, Master/pet kink, Willy has a Daddy kink, breeding kink AND MORE ! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED !!!

After a few months of work, Henry and William tested out the very first Illusion Disk and it worked flawlessly. Henry rebuilt the prototype and then installed it into Circus Baby. Elizabeth turned it on and as she opened her eyes again, she was back to her small, child self.

“I-I’m back !”, she yelled happily.

“Yes, you are. I need to find out a way, so the Illusion Disk isn’t going to run out of battery, so you still have to wait a bit, but a few more days won’t kill anyone.”, Henry told her with a small smile.

“Okay !”, she said happily.

Henry touched Elizabeth’s hair and smiled in relief. Her hair felt real. Like it was actually her. Then he went to her arms and looked if they also worked properly.

“The Disk works perfectly. Go play with Charlie, Lizzy. And tell me when the Disk died.”

“Okay !”

With that Elizabeth rushed off, yelling for Charlie to play with her.

‘First step, done.’

Henry went to the phone and dialed William’s number.

-In the Afton Household-

The phone rang and M/n growled as it did so.

“Be quiet, Bunny~”, M/n purred.

William whimpered, but went quiet. M/n picked up and then thrusted his cock harshly back inside William’s cunt, which was sopping wet. It wasn’t the first time M/n made love to William’s cunt, but to William it felt like a dream none the less.

M/n picked up the phone.

“M/n L/n, how can I help you ?”, he asked.

“Hey M/n ! Just the person I wanted to talk to.”, Henry said happily.

“Hello to you too. What is it ?”

“The Disk works ! I just need to find a solution for the battery.”

“That is great news !”

M/n slammed his cock in and out of William, who had big trouble to stay silent. Exactly what M/n wanted. He wanted William to give himself away. He knew that his Bunny got even more aroused of the thought of being caught.

“I know right ?! It shouldn’t take too much time anymore !”, Henry said in excitement.

M/n angled his hips and changed his cock’s position, then slammed back in and hit William’s G – spot harshly.

“AH~!”, William moaned out loudly.

“Sounds great, Henry !”, M/n said brightly.

William blushed a deep shade of red, while M/n gave a satisfied smirk.

-With Henry-

Henry was blushing deeply. Damn...he caught them in a bad time...

-With M/n and William-

“Oh Bunny, now you ruined our secret~”, M/n pouted playfully.

“S-screw y-you ! AH~!”, William got out.

“Did I disturb you two ?”, Henry asked with slight embarrassment.

“No, no, you didn’t. I am still playing with my Bunny, so you aren’t disturbing me.”, M/n replied kindly.

Before William could say anything, M/n slammed his cock against his G – spot again.

“AH~! HA~!”

“Now do you have anything else you wanna tell me, Henry ?”

“Uhm...I am looking how long the battery goes on the Disk right now and then I will go from there. I will call again later, to inform you further.”

“Okay, Hen. Bye, bye~”

“Bye.”

And Henry hung up. M/n chuckled, while William was beet red and moaning as M/n slammed into him without breaks.

“At this rate, you will carry soon again, Love~ I thought you wanted to wait for a few years~”

“F-fuck you ! AH~! UGH~!”

“Is my cock really that addicting, that you want a third pregnancy so quickly~?”, M/n purred.

“NA~! AH~! Shut up ! UGH~!”

William got a lot of images in his head, that he shouldn’t have. His pregnant belly, a third Baby. Why was he in such a Baby fever right now ?! Why did he want more ?! He just gave birth !

“You gonna cum, Pet~?”

“HAH~! YES~! MMNN~!”

“Alright, Bunny~”

M/n gave one last thrust and William came screaming all over his cock. M/n released his load inside William, moaning softly.

“You did take that pill I gave you a few hours ago, right, Honey ?”, M/n asked.

“Y-yes...what does that do ?”, William asked confused.

“It prevents you getting pregnant again. After all, you don’t want a third Baby yet.”, M/n explained.

“A-and you ?”

“Honey, we live only once and I LOVE kids, but I am not forcing you to have more children, just because I want more. I don’t CARE if Mike, Evan and Lizzy were mine. I love children in general. If I could, I would have every child that exists and raise them with you. We are getting old fast and with a certain age we can’t have kids anymore, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be a Baby Machine. I am happy with what I have, but I am always happy to produce more.”

William felt relieved that M/n made it very clear that he will NEVER force William to have another child, if he doesn’t want to, but he was also surprised to hear that M/n loved children in general. So that’s why he didn’t want William to abort, as he was afraid he will die.

“So you love children and you love me, that’s why you went such lengths to keep both, me and the kids.”, he concluded.

“Of course. I have an undying Love for you, Honey. Children mean to me, that they are the result of the love, two people share and the more kids the more it shows how much they love one another. It is weird, I admit it, but that is me. And I am always weird.”

William gave M/n a smile. Yeah, M/n was VERY weird. But he loved his Lover weird.

“So...our little wedding...when do you think we should have it ? We planned everything out, I have the perfect people to prepare everything. All we need is a date and I can arrange everything.”, M/n explained.

Since William told him that at the birth of Alex and Penelope, he called M/n his Husband in his mind, M/n set heaven and hell into motion to get them married. M/n proposed 2 months after the birth of the two Babies, even made the Bedroom nice for it, decorated everything, while Mike and Evan helped their Father taking a bath.

Evan just sat on the lid of the toilet and chatted with William, while Michael washed his Father’s parts, where William couldn’t reach, because of the size of his belly and the pains he had from time to time. M/n dressed up the whole Bedroom into a romantic atmosphere and as William came back inside, with Evan and Michael by his side, M/n was on one knee and popped the question, which William instantly accepted. It was a beautiful moment... And his Sons supported him.

“Oh...uhm...maybe on...March ? Next year ?”

“So March 1984 ?”

“Yes ?”

“Hmmm...okay. Any day in mind, Love ?”

“Maybe the 5th of March ? That was when we became a couple, remember ?”

“Good idea, Honey !”, M/n said with a bright smile.

William smiled brightly at M/n. He planned everything with him, never without him. He was so much better than his wife was. She chose everything and all in all the wedding was a fucking nightmare. M/n chose everything with William and this time...it felt right.

“I will do some calls then. Go to bed, Love, and rest. I will join you soon.”

“Okay, honey.”

With that William carefully pulled his boxers back on and went to their shared Bedroom.

-Time skip-

A few days went by and Henry finally made a battery that never discharges. FINALLY !

He called M/n and told him the news, in which he rushed over and looked at his work. There she was, Elizabeth. No sign of CB left. But they all three knew that they had to tell William at the very beginning what happened to her and where she was.

“Will will so kill us...”, Henry said slightly scared.

“He won’t, but he will yell.”, M/n assured.

“When will we tell him ?”

“Tomorrow, I suppose. The sooner the better.”

“Where will we bring them to reunite ?”, Henry asked.

M/n hesitated.

“We bring her home. Will would want that. No beating around the bush, Hen. Willy needs his daughter.”

“Okay then. I hope you know what you are doing...”

“I do, but will he understand everything when we explain ? That is another thing.”

Henry sighed.

“This is not gonna be easy, is it ?”

“Not in the slightest.”, M/n chuckled out dryly.

“Damn...”

-Time skip-

M/n arrived at home and heard small whimpers coming from his and William’s bedroom as he came close to their door. As he opened it he smirked. William was riding a dildo, while he had a plug in his ass. He seemed frustrated.

“Can’t cum without me, Bunny~?”, M/n asked.

William yelped and stopped everything, ripping his eyes wide open and staring at M/n, like a deer caught in headlights. Then he blushed furiously and sighed.

“It seems not...”, he answered sheepishly.

“Why would you use such awful toys, when you can just ask for the real deal, Pet ?”, M/n asked.

William whined and looked away in shame.

“I’m so needy all the time... I wanted to give you a break...”, William replied softly.

M/n tutted and undressed himself, in front of William’s hungry, needy eyes.

“Get that filthy dildo out of your sopping cunt. That is my place to claim and mine only.”, M/n commanded darkly.

William whimpered submissively and did as M/n told him to. He groaned as he pulled it out and M/n scoffed.

“That small thing, you chose to ride ? I am disappointed, Bunny. Get the stupid plug out too.”

William did as told. Both items were pretty small. Was this man trying to torture himself on small things ? M/n locked the good stuff away from William, but did he really get that desperate, to buy himself such small toys ? M/n tsked.

He grabbed his belt and approached William, pushed him harsh enough to make him fall on his back and then he bound his wrists together and onto the bedpost. William whined at that, but was quickly shut up, by a slap on one of his thighs.

“Did you take your pill, Bunny ?”, M/n asked.

“Yes, I did.”, William lied.

William didn’t take his pill. He wanted another Baby and he knew he could have asked, but he was too afraid to. He thought that M/n would tell him no, until the Babies were a bit older, so he decided to lie instead. He wanted his Master to give him another Baby. The last time he was pregnant it was such a beautiful and magical time, he couldn’t resist.

“Good, because I will not use any condoms, nor mercy tonight~”, M/n purred out.

William whimpered softly and felt himself gush more.

“I’ll fill both of your holes up, beyond imagination and plug them up nicely all day long. I will fuck every hole you have and mark every part of your body, so you will remember who you belong to that you don’t need silly sex toys to please you.”, M/n said darkly.

All William could do was blush and whine. With that M/n got off of William and left his side, making his Bunny confused. M/n got out a key and unlocked his drawer, pulling out the best toys they had. He took out a blind fold and wrapped it around William’s head, tying it behind his head. With that he was blinded, which made him have higher senses.

“Open your mouth, Pet~”

William did as told and opened his mouth wide. M/n gave his hard cock a few strokes and then slid it into his mouth, William instantly started to suck and lick at his Lover’s cock. He let a few small moans slip here and there too.

“Such a pathetic slut, fucking yourself on pathetic useless toys~ I’ll teach you to never use these disgusting things again~”

William relaxed completely, feeling that M/n will go rough soon. And he was proven correct. M/n’s hands both gripped his head and he forced his cock down his Bunny’s throat. It made William gag slightly in surprise, but M/n made his head stay there, forcing him to keep his cock in his little throat. He trashed a bit around, trying to make M/n let go of his head, so he can bob it.

“Be a good bitch and cock warm me~”, M/n ordered.

William stopped his slight trashing and just took it. Tears escaping his eyes at the sudden stretch, it stung, but he loved it. They both had a safe code, William just had to knock three times against the wall and M/n would stop, he didn’t do it though, so M/n knew he was okay. His Pet’s tears soaked the blindfold, but that just made M/n coo.

“Aww, is my little Pet Bunny in slight discomfort~? Aww~ Did his Master stretch his little tight throat to quickly~?”, M/n teased with a purr.

William wanted to whine so badly, his legs quaked and he rubbed his thighs together for a bit of relief on his clit.

“Believe me, slutty Bunny, I will split you open like this in every hole you have tonight~”

His clit throbbed, his entrance twitched and his butthole twitched too. Good he was so turned on, he wanted it all. He could feel M/n’s cock twitch, ready to cum deep into his throat.

“Your tight little throat closes around me so nicely and squeezes so perfectly, Bunny~ I’ll cum down your throat~ Swallow every last drop of your milk, yes~? Don’t disappoint your Master~”

William couldn’t reply, but M/n knew that his Bunny would never refuse him. Not long later M/n did cum with a soft groan. William could feel his Lover’s cum running down his throat, painting it white, claiming it as his. And fuck, William loved M/n claiming him as his own personal sex toy.

“Such a good slutty Bunny~ Good Pet, Willy~”, M/n praised.

Then he pulled out of his tight throat and panted. His cock was still rock hard, but he still needed a second to calm down enough for the second round. As he was calm enough he stroked William’s hair.

“Bob your head, Bunny. Make Master cum yeah~? Make me feel really good~”

More he didn’t need and he started to bob his head, taking M/n all the way down his throat and then back in his mouth, licking the head from time to time and then bobbing his head again. It didn’t take long for M/n to shower William in praises again and at the same time to degrade him, but he didn’t give his Bunny any sort of relief.

“Such a good Slut~ Good Bunny~ That’s a good whore~”

William felt like he would cream himself by just the filthy words and praise at that point, but he knew he couldn’t. He could never cum, without M/n’s vocal permission. And M/n knew that.

William continued to suck M/n off, until he could feel his Lover’s cock twitch. M/n grabbed his head and made him take him all the way down his throat again, then released with a deep groan. It made William proud, but also really horny.

M/n and William stayed like that for a while, then he pulled out of his mouth entirely.

“Such a good little Slut~”, M/n praised the panting Bunny underneath him.

He gave William a deep kiss and then he left his side again and, minutes later, was between William’s feet. M/n kissed his lower legs and gave some harsh bites here and there too, making William whimper and moan in desperation and need. M/n could see his Bunny’s cunt sopping and crying from that angle and he found it absolutely delicious.

He was so wet, so needy and M/n didn’t even touch him there yet.

“Such a needy little Bitch, aren’t you, Bunny~?”, M/n said with a chuckle.

“Mmmm~! Master, please~!”, William begged.

“Please what, Bunny~?”

“P-please fuck me~!”

M/n chuckled and shook his head.

“No Bunny. We will make slow and sensual, passionate Love tonight and I am going to take my sweet time to mark and claim every inch of you. So you have to suffer with that little sopping pussy of yours.”

William whined at that loudly and bucked his hips, but he couldn’t get any friction.

M/n continued to create love bites and marks on William's lower legs, scratching his nails over them, making red angry lines appear, biting him, leaving pricked and slightly bleeding bruises on his lower legs and sucking purple and blue marks into them. William was sobbing as M/n finally was done with his lower legs, his cunt leaking so much arousal that the mattress was already having a small dark pool formed.

M/n moved to his Bunny’s thighs and did the same things there, not leaving any room unmarked. When he was done with his legs and thighs, he looked like a painting, covered in red nail lines, some small lines of blood and purple and blue sucked in bruises, like teeth marks.

“God, Bunny, you are such a Master piece~ Only my little slutty Rabbit~”, M/n purred.

William whined and bucked his hips, sobbing in pleasure and slight discomfort. His cunt HURT from all the neglect. M/n decided to have mercy on William and leaned down, opening his mouth, then he latched it onto his cunt, tongue parting his lips and going right for the swollen nub.

“NAH~!”, William cried out, hips bucking up.

M/n put his hands on his Bunny’s hips and pressed them down, holding them there forcefully. Then he continued to ravish his Pet’s clit. He licked it, wrapped his lips around it and suckled it, making William moan and whine uncontrollably under him.

“AH~! HAH~! M-Master~!”, William whined.

M/n stopped.

“What is it Bunny~?”

“M-may I come~?”, he asked.

“Cum all you want, Bunny.”, M/n said and went back to ravishing his Pet’s clit.

William didn’t need more, he moaned louder and at one last flick of M/n’s tongue, he came screaming, toes curled in pleasure. M/n opened his whole mouth and engulfed William’s whole cunt in it as his love juices came flowing out. William could feel how his Master slurped it all up eagerly.

It made him whine and moan again, he wanted more, so much more. As M/n finished cleaning William’s messy cunt, he pulled away, making his Bunny whine again.

“You smell breed able, you know that, Bunny~? I hope for your own sake, that you took that pill. Otherwise, I will not support abortion.”

“I-I took it, Master~ I took it, I promise~”, William moaned out.

“Good~”

M/n then kissed William’s sides and stomach, even his hips. He shakily moaned at all the attention, M/n gave his body. Then he let out a high pitched moan, as M/n bit down on William’s left side, making him bleed slightly and have another new mark there.

“D-Daddy~!”, William moaned out in need.

“Let Daddy do, what he has to do, Bunny~”, M/n purred.

William whined, but didn’t say anything anymore, besides let moans and whines slip past his lips. M/n took his sweet time, marking William’s stomach, sides, hips and chest up in love bites and scratches. God, William loved this treatment, but he really needed more attention on his pussy. It was soaking again and ruined the bed sheets again and M/n still wasn’t finished. He still needed the shoulders and arms marked up nicely.

“Daddy~! P-please fill your slutty Bunny with your cock~ P-please~”, William begged.

“Almost done, Bunny~ Daddy, only needs a few more spots marked~ Be good for Daddy and stay patient~”, M/n soothed and bit his Pet’s left shoulder, making William scream in pleasure and need.

He nibbled and sucked on his right shoulder another mark, bit both sides of his neck, making big, obvious bruises there and then he took William’s arms and marked every inch in bites and sucked in bruises. His Bunny was panting, whining and sobbing when M/n was done with his whole front.

“Spread your legs, Bunny~”

“Y-yes, Daddy~”

William spread his legs and M/n was instantly adjusting William’s position, lined his cock up and without warning, slammed all the way inside, kissing William’s cervix.

“AAAAAHHHHHH~! DADDYYYYYY~!”, William screamed in pleasure and slight relief.

“You like how Master split you open in one go~?”

“MMMNNN~! YES~!”

M/n pulled his cock out and slammed it back inside harshly, making William moan loudly again.

“That’s good, Bunny. I will fill your slutty pussy with my cum, cream inside your womb and make you have more Babies~ When I’m done with your womb, you will have a round little belly~”

“FUCK~! YES~! MAKE ME PREGNANT, MASTER~! OH PLEASE~! FILL ME UP~!”, William begged.

M/n started to ram his cock in and out, angling his cock, so it will abuse his slutty Bunny’s G – Spot with brutal, precise and powerful thrusts. William was a begging, moaning mess as M/n continued to abuse his G – spot.

“MASTER~! AH~! HAH~! I’M SO CLOSE~!”

“Then cum for me, my little Cum dump~ Cream yourself all over my cock, make that cervix of yours open nicely for my cock to greet your empty womb~”

All that dirty breeding talk got to William and he came screaming, all over M/n’s cock, who angled his cock anew and slammed through his Pet’s open cervix, into his womb and then groaned, releasing deep inside of it his love juices. He softly bumped William’s womb’s walls as he shot rope after rope inside him, riding out his orgasm.

His Bunny was panting and whimpering as M/n was balls deep inside him and practically filling his needy womb with what it needed.

“Fuck~ Your cervix is so tight, it won’t let me go~ You think we can both cum, while I’m stuck in your little baby creation area~?”, M/n asked.

“Yes~! Oh, please do it~”, William moaned out.

M/n started his pace, pulling a bit and then pushing back in, slamming William’s womb’s walls harshly, it made William groan loudly in pleasure. M/n set a fast and harsh, almost punishing, pace as he fucked into William’s womb. It made William see starts, just as he did when his G – spot was getting abused.

“C-CLOSE~!”, William moaned after a while.

“Me too, Bunny~ Cum for me~”

William had a hard orgasm and screamed in ecstasy. His cervix opened a bit further, making M/n slip in a bit more, before it tightened again and all of William’s love juices came flowing out. M/n in the meantime creamed into William’s womb again.

“Gonna fill my slutty Bunny up, nicely~”, he groaned as he filled William with another load.

 William came again as he felt M/n shoot his hot love juices into him. Fuck if his Lover continues this, he will get his wish to come true and get another child. He couldn’t wait !

This whole filling continued for almost two whole hours, then the both of them were sure that William couldn’t take anymore, so M/n pulled out and grabbed a big plug, he lined it up with his Bunny’s still soaking and happily twitching cunt, then shoved it inside, making his Pet whimper loudly. Now his seed was secured and stayed were it belonged. Until tomorrow that was...

He looked at his Pet’s belly. It was showing and nicely round. He pumped so much of his love inside him and he was proud of it. His Bunny’s cunt and womb ? Secured as his, marked as his, claimed as his and his cum won’t leave until tomorrow in the shower. He was more than happy with that.

M/n grabbed William’s hips and made him turn around, knees bent, so he will be on them instead of his stomach, the left side of his face was in the pillows. William moaned and whimpered at the movement, still very sensitive from getting his womb railed for so long.

M/n looked at his Bunny’s twitching manhole and was eager to split him on his cock. His cock was wet enough from William’s love covering it, so he lined it up and then pushed it inside, a bit slower than he did on his Bunny’s cunt, but it had the desired effect.

His Bunny was keening and moaning loudly, whimpering when it got deeper, pressing against his full womb.

“I told you, I will claim all three holes of yours~”, M/n purred out.

William was in awe at how much stamina his Lover had. He started to moan and whimper as M/n started to move in and out at a normal pace. After his Bunny got used to it, M/n set a faster pace and aimed at his Pet’s prostate. After he slammed into it, William screamed in pleasure and M/n continued to slam into him.

“CUMMING~! C-CUMING~!”, William screamed and felt himself gush, but it didn’t drip out.

The plug was too big, it blocked everything, which made William whine. M/n suddenly shoved himself deeper inside and groaned loudly with a slight growl as he shot his love deep inside his Pet’s ass.

“MINE. Only mine~ You hear me, Pet~? Mine~”, M/n growled out possessively.

“YOURS~! YOURS~! ONLY YOURS~!”, William babbled, drunk on pleasure.

M/n started to smack William’s ass, which made the male moan high pitched, in pleasure. M/n leaned over his Lover’s back and started to mark whatever he could of his back, leaving the back of his neck alone for now. He scratched down his Lover’s back, with his nails, making red angry lines appear on it. His Bunny enjoyed every little second of this.

Then M/n started to move again, another round of passionate love making and it made William lose all his focus. All he could think of, was the need to be bred, the need to be filled and the need to cum himself. Nothing else mattered.

M/n slapped William’s bum from time to time, while he dove in and out of his Lover’s hole, with his cock. It stung and William loved it, it made him feel a thrill, he didn’t know existed. M/n and Will were reaching their climax pretty fast and M/n bit into the back of William’s neck, making his Pet freeze up and he shoved his cock all the way inside again, filling him with his love juices, while William came himself, voice lost, mouth open in a loud fucked out moan.

“T-tired...”, William rasped out softly.

M/n couldn’t agree more with his Bunny. He was tired too. He pulled out and let William fall onto his left side, careful with his filled tummy. He plugged his hole up, which made William whimper and feel fuller than he was, then he cleaned himself and his Pet up, put a towel over the wet spot William’s cunt made, laid down, pulled his Bunny into his arms and then pulled the blanket over them.

They went to sleep fairly quickly. And the both of them had no idea, that William had a fertilized egg cell yet again. They would find that out in a few weeks from now.

-The next day-

William was still in bed, as M/n woke up. He smiled at his Love and stroked his hair, which made him stir and wake up too.

“Morning, Bunny.”, M/n said softly.

“Good morning, Love.”

“Me and Henry have a surprise for you today. But you have to let us explain a few things.”, M/n told him softly.

“A surprise ? What do you have to explain by a surprise ?”, William asked confused.

“You will see, Bunny. Let us just say, Hen and me went through hell, to get this for you.”

He hummed and then moaned.

“What is it, Baby ?”, M/n asked.

“The plug in my cunt...hit a good spot and my body aches everywhere...We should get up and shower then, if Henry will come over soon...”, William said softly and got up.

He looked at his full tummy and smiled, putting a hand on it, almost lovingly. M/n got up to and wrapped his arms around him, rubbing his tummy gently, kissing the back of his shoulder.

“You look good in my marks, honey.”, M/n mumbled.

William looked at his arms and chest, scoffing. He looked worse than when someone beat him up.

“I look horrible.”

“You don’t. Those are my marks and I am proud of every single one of them, that I gave you.”, M/n said.

William looked at him and then smiled gently. Then they went to the bathroom and into the shower. William moaned as he bent over and let M/n pull out both plugs. But William needed help to get all the cum out and flowing.

“Hold still, Baby.”, M/n said gently.

“Okay...”

M/n wettened his fingers on his right hand and then stuffed them inside William’s cunt first, as deep as he could. It made William moan softly and clench down on his fingers. M/n curled them up and as he felt some of his sticky liquid, he fingered around there more and then pulled a bit of it out, with that a flow started and all the cum dripped out of William, making his Bunny moan and pant in arousal.

The next was William’s ass and there M/n did just the same, until a small flow started. William was panting and excited again, but M/n insisted on waiting for everything to flow out of his body, then he wanted to wash him and himself.

His Pet had to agree with distaste. They quickly washed each other and then M/n took William against the shower walls again, ramming his cock in and a out of his sopping wet cunt, making his Bunny scream in pleasure and ecstasy, until he creamed all over his Master’s cock again and M/n coated William’s walls white. They washed him down there again and then got out of the shower.

As soon as they were dressed and ready for the day, the doorbell rang.

“That must be Henry.”, M/n stated.

They went down the stairs and saw that Mike already let Henry inside and...no way...William couldn’t believe his eyes.

“E-Elizabeth ?”, William asked softly, tears near.

At the mention of her name, she looked around and her face split into a huge smile as she spotted William. She ran over to him.

“Daddy ! I'm back ! I’m home ! Daddy !”, she yelled happily.

William fell onto his knees and opened his arms, the little girl running right into them and hugging him tightly. William hugged her back just as tight.

“My Babygirl. My sweet little girl. Where have you been ? What happened ? Are you alright ?”, he asked, voice breaking and tears falling.

“I am now, because I am back home.”, she replied with a big smile.

He looked at Henry.

“How did you find her ? Where was she all this time, Hen ?”, William asked.

Henry shook his head.

“I didn’t find her Will. M/n did.”, Henry answered.

William looked at M/n, who decided to stand next to Henry. He looked at Michael.

“Mike, go get Evan. Living room. We will tell William what happened and where Lizzy was. He will need all the support he can get.”, M/n stated softly.

“What about Penelope and Alex ?”, Mike asked.

“Get them too, if you want to.”

Elizabeth parted from her Daddy and looked at her Papa.

“Who are Penelope and Alex ?”, she asked.

“Your new siblings. I bet you saw how different your Daddy looks. Let us just say he gave birth to two more siblings. You missed a few things after you went missing, Lizzy.”, M/n answered.

She made an o shaped mouth and her eyes lit up with understanding.

“So, I’m a big Sister now ?”, she asked.

“You are, Lizzy.”

“Cool ! Can I meet them ?”

“After we explained everything to Daddy, yes.”

“Okay !”

With that she gave her Daddy another squeeze and rushed into the Living room. William got up and stared at the two men.

“What is going on here ? Why are you making this such a big deal ? Just tell me who took her and got jailed.”, William said irritated.

M/n and Henry looked at him with guilt written faces.

“Willy, Baby Bunny, this is so much more complicated and complex, than you think. Believe me...it will all make sense when we explained everything to you, but right now, trust us, it is not going to be easy to understand, Love.”, M/n said gently.

“What do you mean ?”, William asked worried.

Henry looked at William and hugged him tightly, then led him to the Living room.

“We will explain everything, old friend. Just...try to relax and prepare to get your mind blown.”, Henry said softly.

Then they sat William down on the couch, while the others stood, besides M/n, he sat in the armchair across the couch. He looked at them all in confusion and worry. What is so complicated about Elizabeth’s return ?

“So you understand the whole thing first...Evan, can you PLEASE tell your Dad what you saw on the day, Lizzy went missing ?”, M/n asked the boy softly.

Evan held his plush Fredbear tightly to his chest and looked at his Dad, uncomfortable, while Lizzy looked at the floor in shame. William didn’t understand anything. Evan saw something and didn’t speak up ?

“A-at Circus B-baby’s...L-Lizzy went n-near B-Baby, D-Dad.”, Evan stuttered out.

William’s eyes widened and he stared at his daughter, who looked even more ashamed.

“You didn’t listen to me ?”, he asked her in shock.

“I’m sorry Daddy, she was just so pretty and shiny ! You said you made her just for me, but you never let me go to her, while the other children were allowed to play with her.”, she said in sadness.

“That is not all of it, Will. Evan, continue please, take your time explaining, no one is angry.”, M/n said with a soft voice.

Evan had tears in his eyes and looked at his Dad.

“I-It ate L-Lizzy. Th-The C-Clown a-ate L-Lizzy, Dad !”, Evan got out sobbing.

M/n opened his arms and Evan ran into them. M/n pulled the boy in his lap and gently ran his fingers through his hair, while he cried.

“It’s okay. Shhh...”, he tried to soothe Evan.

M/n looked at William, who was in utter shock and disbelief.

“Baby ate Lizzy ? But how is she still here then ? How did she survive that ? Baby is a machine, not an empty costume, the gears would have killed her.”, William said out loud.

“Not like that Will. Baby offered her Ice Cream and Lizzy went to grab it, Baby malfunctioned and tore her inside her stomach hatch.”, M/n explained.

William stared at his daughter in horror.

“WHAT ?!”

He stared at M/n.

“Why didn’t Evan say anything ?!”

“He was scared to say anything. Mike was there too, but forgot his medication, he thought he just hallucinated, while Evan saw it happen. He was afraid no one would believe him, so he stayed quiet. He told me a few months ago, after you gave birth. After you finally fully recovered, I went to Circus Baby’s again and went to CB. I opened the hatch and found Lizzy. But...”, M/n hesitated.

William grew impatient.

“But WHAT ?!”, he pressed.

“Will, just know that it was for me and Henry also hard to believe that it was possible...”, M/n said softly.

“What are you on about ?!”

Henry sighed.

“Do you remember the day were M/n didn’t say where he went and you got worried ?”

William nodded.

“That was the day he went to Circus Baby’s and he came back with...something. He sought me out for help. And at the same day, I presented to you the Illusion Disks, you remember ?”, Henry asked.

William nodded, confused what all this had to do with Lizzy. M/n took a deep breath. William looked at him and just then he realized that all of his kids had a saddened mood. It scared him.

“William, when I found Lizzy inside CB...she was a rotting dead body.”, M/n revealed.

His world stopped turning and he stared at Lizzy...or at least what he thought until now, was Lizzy. He let tears run down his face as he glared at M/n and Henry.

“So you thought it a good idea to replace my daughter with a robotic version ?!”, he accursedly yelled.

“No, that is not what we did.”, M/n and Henry said at the same time.

M/n took the lead again.

“I was mourning her and already thinking of how to break the news to you, as Circus Baby moved. I didn’t turn her on or anything and I remember that her eyes used to be blue, right Will ? They were blue. NOT green, like Lizzy’s.”

William looked at M/n in confusion and slight anger.

“They were blue, yes. Wait...they were green then and there ?”, he asked after he processed the whole info.

M/n nodded.

“Yes, they turned green. But that wasn’t the weirdest part, Circus Baby talked and moved more like a human. Not robotic anymore, nor did it talk with pauses, like the coding made them out to be. And she begged me to bring her home to her Daddy. She recognized me, Will. She knew her name, Elizabeth Afton, her Family Michael, Evan and you. She was scared and confused and all she wanted was to get back home. She knew a lot about you and as I brought her to Henry, he was just as convinced that this was Lizzy, POSSESSING Baby.”

William stared at M/n in shock. M/n looked away and at Lizzy, who gave him a wobbly smile.

“I decided to take the risk and believe it was really Lizzy, for you, Will. With the time, she proved more and more, that Elizabeth was in fact, possessing your Animatronic, but we didn’t want to frighten you, so I asked for Henry’s help, to cover the Machine up and give Lizzy her body back. That’s where the Illusion Disks came in, that you helped to perfect. One is installed into Circus Baby and that is why Lizzy looks normal. She can turn it on and off by will. Until we find out how to free her soul from the machine and get her to stay around still, she will have to wear it.”, M/n explained.

William covered his mouth in horror and looked at his daughter, tears were leaving his eyes. He did kill his own daughter by his own creation, without meaning to, nor knowing about it. Now she is stuck in a Circus Clown.

“P-prove it.”, William demanded and looked at his daughter.

He hoped they were pulling a cruel joke on him, that Lizzy wasn’t dead and that she couldn’t transform into a giant piece of scrap metal, but he was proven wrong.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and in a flash, she was gone and Circus Baby stood there instead, with her vibrant green eyes, the same ones, Elizabeth had. He let out a choked sob, covering his mouth again with his hands, tears running down his face in horror, disbelief, denial and grief. Elizabeth transformed back and went over to her Father. She got on the couch and onto his lap, hugging him tightly, while he broke down in tears.

“It’s okay Daddy. I didn’t listen and she malfunctioned. It was a stupid accident and I’m not mad. I’m still here after all.”, she tried to cheer him up.

William hugged his daughter tightly and let out loud and ugly sobs, that shook his whole body.

“My Baby, I’m so sorry ! I should have had my eyes on you better ! Now look at you ! I’m so sorry ! I let you down !”, He cried out.

Elizabeth got tears of her own into her eyes and sobbed.

“No, Daddy. You didn’t let me down. I let YOU down. I didn’t listen. You knew that she was not done yet and I refused to listen. I’m so sorry, Daddy.”, she sobbed out softly, hugging him tighter.

Michael stepped near his Father and knelt down, so he can make direct eye contact with his Dad. William looked at him, with teary eyes.

“I’m sorry too, Father. I was supposed to watch her that day and I didn’t do a good job. I fucked up and now...Lizzy is...she’s possessing a machine...”, Michael sobbed out.

William was shocked into silence, only hiccups leaving him. He remembered that day so well... The day, he as a Father...FAILED to be a Father.

-Flashback-

“Father I’m sorry ! I didn’t mean to-!”, Mike got interrupted.

“You can’t do anything right ! I told you to watch your Siblings ! I asked you for one thing ! Only one, Michael ! And even that simple task you fuck up !”

“Dad I’m sorry !”

SLAP !

Michael stared to his right, a red angry handprint already forming. They were dead silent, William death glared his Son.

“I hope you are happy with yourself, Michael. I ask one little thing of you and you have nothing better to do, than to hang out with your friends ! You can do that almost every other day, but noooo, you had to do this today, when I needed you !”

Michael was still silent, just listening to his Father, still just sobbing and hiccupping. William turned away from him in anger, offering no apology for his outburst, nor comfort.

“I wish you were never born.”, William said and then left, never seeing his Son break down into shattered pieces.

Never seeing, that M/n picked up all the pieces and put Mike back together, bit by bit.

-End of Flashback-

William let another ugly sob rake through him and he pulled his Son onto the couch and hugged him tightly to his left side too, kissing his cheek.

“No, no, no, Mikey. You didn’t fuck anything up, don’t apologize, okay ? I-I was an idiot that day and I’m so sorry for my outburst and the things I said to you. Don’t think these things, okay ? It’s my fault. I couldn’t see that you were suffering and in trouble and then I made your life even harder when I blamed you for Lizzy’s disappearance. I am the adult, I should have watched over her, but I didn’t and now...”

William was sobbing again, squeezing his two children into a tight embrace, muttering apologies over apologies. Evan got up and off of M/n’s lap too, joining his siblings and Father, hugging him tightly.

M/n looked at Henry, who was just as sad and heartbroken, as M/n was at the moment. The kids told their Father, that it wasn’t his fault, not all of it and that they forgave him for hours, while he apologized to them for hours. M/n and Henry took care of Penelope and Alex in the meantime, leaving the four be, to sort everything out.

“Do you think it was the right choice to tell Will ?”, Henry asked M/n with worry.

“I don’t know if it was right, but he had a right to know. Letting him live a lie, wouldn’t have been good either and one day he would have figured out that something was wrong with Lizzy. Hen, she wouldn’t have aged at all. He would have known one day anyways that she was dead.”, M/n replied softly.

They stayed in the Baby room with the two infants for a few more hours, giving the rest of the Family time, to recover from the whole rollercoaster.

After a while, M/n went downstairs and saw that a Movie was running. He looked at the kids and William, they seemed to have made up. They were all asleep on the couch and M/n had a small smile on his face.

‘Hopefully they will get better soon.’

M/n left again for Henry and he saw him sleeping too. He sighed, but understood why they were all exhausted.

Too many emotions at once, stress, adrenaline and then the nervousness of how it all would end. M/n looked at Alex, who was slightly awake.

“Welp, Mommy was a bit on an emotional trip, eh, Alex ?”, M/n said softly.

Alex held his hands out and made noises. M/n chuckled and held his small hands, making the Baby smile and giggle.

[kay-emm-gee]

so we put it in a song

Pairing: Henry / Lizzie (The White Princess) Summary: In which Henry discovers how much Lizzie loves Christmas and somehow acquires a little enthusiasm for the holiday himself. { bandmates!AU | ~2.8k | teen+ } a/n: Inspired by Becky G & Lindsey Stirling’s Christmas C’mon (highly recommend listening, for the fic and for fun!). The minute I heard the violin notes, I knew I had to continue my band AU for these two. Also, because Henry would totally be a grumpy cat about the holidays until Lizzie showed him the true meaning of Christmas :) 

Henry never really watched breakfast shows, but he always had them on while drinking his morning tea. It was a habit he had picked up from living with Jasper in his younger--and poorer--years. The man was surprisingly attached to the puff pieces that dominated such shows, but Henry was not. He preferred to get real news from papers, and later in the day, when he could actually remember what he was reading. Whatever he put on the telly in the morning was just for background noise. He rarely paid attention to this politician or that celebrity who was advertising a new charity or cooking a cutesy recipe with a show host simply for a bit of good press.

When he turned it on one morning three weeks before Christmas, however, Lizzie appeared on his screen and he couldn’t help but stare in shock. She was standing atop a small stage in the middle of the studio, which was all decked out in holiday decor. A polite smile was plastered on her face--her interview smile, he recognized from experience--as she listened to the host laugh along with the petite, young woman who he quickly recognized as her sister. Henry snorted in amused horror at realizing they were wearing matching outfits: Lizzie in white jeans and white sweater, her sister in a sweater dress of the same style. Cecily was all bubbly laughs and bright sparkles, while Lizzie simply looked cool and collected. They couldn’t be more opposite.

He had no idea why he was seeing his bandmate on a morning show, with her sister no less. As far as he knew, Lizzie did not talk with her family much. She flat out refused to talk to her mother, and as her sister was still signed to the family label, he had assumed they were also out of touch. And yet here they were, side by side, on his screen before nine o’clock in the morning.

Bloody hell.

Still looking at the screen, he took a sip of his tea and immediately choked on it, as he hadn’t let it cool enough. He hastily set it down, almost spilling it, and then wiped his burning lips against his sleeve. Grumbling, he reached for the remote to turn off his main source of distraction when he heard the very familiar sound of Lizzie on the violin.

He hadn’t noticed the microphone stand and instruments behind them before, but now he couldn’t miss them. One of their holiday concert features, he soon realized. The camera was focused entirely on Lizzie, and with her violin held high on her shoulder, she was playing slow, sweet opening notes to some unknown tune. She was filling his entire telly screen, and his heart jumped when her eyes flicked up to look into the camera. They danced with amused anticipation, and her lips curved into a small, playful smile just as the focus widened and revealed Cecily stepping up to the microphone at the center of the small stage.

Immediately the tune picked up into some upbeat, cotton-candy pop melody, and Cecily’s bell-like voice filled his flat. She was a bit pitchy, in his opinion, but it was mellowed by the bright hum of Lizzie’s playing. While Cecily bounced and winked her way through the first verse, center of attention for both the camera and live audience, Lizzie remained steadily in the background. The expertly played violin notes were a forceful reminder that she was still there, however, and her sister hadn’t seemed to have forgotten her either, as she turned and sang directly to Lizzie during the first chorus.

If that didn’t startle Henry, the genuine smile spreading across Lizzie’s face certainly did. That grin was not her interview smile from before, nor the tight one she gave him before critiquing his lyrics or composition, or the mischievous one she flashed across the bar when she got bored with her new bandmates and wanted some other type of male company. This smile that she gave to her sister was genuine and fond, and Cecily’s returning one was just as bright and sentimental.

The two played off each other, and the small studio audience threw out a holler or two in response. Both their excitment and the crowd’s grew as they danced their way through the second verse and chorus round, until Lizzie took center stage again during the bridge. She played with a lightness he rarely saw in their practice. It almost made him wonder if he should give in to Jasper’s demands that they add a few lighter songs to their next album.

That thought--and Cecily’s singing turning acapella as the song moved into its last movements--jerked him back to the present. Henry frowned as the melody wound down and the applause heightened. As Lizzie finished off the song the way she had started, only a little softer and more melancholy this time, he reached for the remote. A smile was in the middle of forming on her bright face when he flicked the telly off.

“Enough of that,” he muttered under his breath. When he turned to his remaining tea, he found that it was now lukewarm, and that he was running very late. Hastily, he dumped the mug in the sink and hurried towards his door, irked that something as simple as a Christmas song had put him off his routine.

* * *

As he was heading to Jasper’s office, he heard a familiar, rich laugh echo down the hall through the barely open door. Lizzie was already at the studio, then. His steps slowed as he approached, and he hesitated before knocking. When he heard her speaking, he dropped his hand entirely and listened, even though he know he probably should not be lurking outside their meeting.

“Thank you again for understanding,” Lizzie said in an entirely sincere tone. “I know it’s not the usual image the band associates with, but my sister very much wanted me to do this with her.”

“I’m just surprised you two haven’t collaborated on more projects,” Jasper replied. “Especially when you were both at your mother’s label. A sister act sounds like an obvious act.”

Henry scoffed silently at the same time that Lizzie snorted. “That is precisely why we never record together. My mother believes in maintaining a diversified portfolio, so if one front fails she has others to rely on. Besides, if Cecily and I had to work together on a regular basis, we’d end up murdering each other. Christmas actually was one of the rare times growing up that we didn’t fight.”

“The spirit of the season?”

“More like a common goal: finding the Christmas presents that our parents stashed away.”

Jasper laughed, and Henry just knew Lizzie was smiling the smile he had seen on her face from the performance this morning.

“Your mother apparently compromised this time on your collaboration,” Jasper commented. Henry waited for Lizzie’s answer carefully, as he recognized the probing nature of his manager’s tone.

“She accepted it, yes,” Lizzie replied simply. A pause, and then she carefully continued, “or rather she had to, once she heard it on the radio.”

Henry’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. It did not shock him that Lizzie would go behind her mother’s back--especially not after signing with his label, which was a direct competitor. It was news to him, however, that her sister had gone along with the subterfuge.

“As I said, Cecily very much wanted to do this. My mother...she thinks newer Christmas songs are typically tasteless. A classical cover she could have been talked into, but a pop song?” Lizzie laughed, a little too forced to be believed. “But my sister is as stubborn as I am when it comes to music, and I was more than happy to help her with this particular project. I told her it was her Christmas present.”

“But your sister is happy at the label, generally?”

“I don’t know if my mother could let it go if you happened to steal away both of her daughters,” Lizzie teased. “Besides, like I said, I don’t think she’d be a good fit for the band’s image.”

“Maybe I want to diversify as well,” Jasper joked. Henry rolled his eyes. He wouldn’t put it past Jasper to come up with such an idea.

As Henry was deciding if his manager was indeed serious about the suggestion, he heard Lizzie and Jasper wrap up their conversation. He hurriedly pushed off the wall and strode down the hall. Once he was out of earshot, he leaned back again. Lizzie was laughing as she left Jasper’s office, coat slung over her arm. Though she was still wearing her outfit from this morning, her hair was in its usual messy bun with loose curls framing her face. Henry shifted against the wall and tugged at the collar of his sweater.

The movement caught her eye, and she gave him a half-smile, the one where he was never sure if she liked him or was mocking him.

“Henry,” Jasper said warmly. “Come in, come in.”

He passed her halfway down the hall, and he couldn’t stop himself from saying, “Nice job this morning.”

Surprise flickered in her eyes, but her smile stayed the same.  “Thank you.”

Without thought, he grinned widely at her, and she looked away, cheeks flushing. She kept walking, steps getting faster. He just watched her go, and when he turned around, Jasper was staring at him with raised eyebrows and a knowing look.

“Stuff it,” Henry grumbled as he pushed into the office.

Jasper chuckled under his breath before closing the door behind them.

* * *

Henry soon learned that however nonchalant Lizzie appeared about Christmas from her conversation with Jasper, in truth she was very much committed to the holiday.

She never wore a jingle-bell jumper or anything of that sort, but he could hear the holiday music blasting from her headphones when she walked into the studio, and her earrings were either little christmas trees or snowflakes or some other winter-themed object. Her gifts to the studio staff were fancy Christmas cookies from some expensive place downtown. He ribbed her about that, why she had not made them from scratch. She simply rolled her eyes and archly replied that one could not be good at everything, and he should be glad her talents lay in music so as to save his band from complete unoriginality.

And the whole band noticed when she made the news for impromptu Christmas caroling at a local nursing home. Jasper joked that if she kept this ‘nice girl’ image up, he might have to manufacture a scandal to remind their fans that they were a rock band.

“I only went to visit my grandmother,” she muttered when the laughing had subsided. “I had no idea she’d told everyone her granddaughter was a singer. You try saying no to the elderly when they’re begging you to bring them some Christmas cheer.”

Despite her irritated tone, Henry knew she had not minded performing for them a bit. In the photos from the papers, she was wearing that damn smile again. It seemed only the holiday could bring out that unguarded side of Lizzie, and it baffled him. With his upbringing--in and out of foster homes--this time of year didn’t mean much to him. He hadn’t woken up to presents wrapped in bright, shiny paper under the Christmas tree, or had hot cocoa made for him on Christmas morning, or even spent his holidays with family. Of course once he had gone to live with Jasper in his teenage years, the man had tried to give him some type of holiday traditions, but by then the time of year was tainted. Back then, he did not care a bit that it was Christmas, though now, being older, seeing Lizzie’s joy at the holiday, Henry wished that he had something that made the season special to him.

* * *

Leaning on the counter in the sound booth, Henry stared warily at the small green box wrapped with red ribbon in front of him. He knew he should just unwrap it, but every time he tried, he heard Lizzie’s bright voice calling out Happy Christmas! as she had swept into practice with a bundle of similarly wrapped boxes under her arm. Each member of the band had gotten a gift. John and Edmund had opened theirs on the spot, and throughout practice they hadn’t stopped talking about how bloody perfect the gifts were for them. It shouldn’t have surprised him, with her enthusiasm for the holiday, that Lizzie would be an expert at gift-giving. And not only did it take him off guard, it also made him nervous what she would consider ‘perfect’ for him.

Finally, after blowing out an irritated sigh, he picked up the square box and ripped off the paper. Opening the lid, he lent more care to his movements after seeing what was inside. Henry drew the delicate ornament out of the box, trying to read the text written on the side of the shiny, red ball. He breathed in sharply when he recognized the date--that of his first gig playing at that small, grungy bar in Wales--and immediately he spun the ornament around. On the front, a carefully rendered depiction of the bar’s sign was painted, and Henry was dumbfounded. Even his most dedicated fans didn’t always know where he had gotten his start, before even the band. She must have asked Jasper, he realized as he twisted the ornament this way and that, watching it shine even in the low light of the booth.

As he went to replace it back in the box, he noticed a note tucked in at the bottom. Taking it out, he recognized Lizzie’s large, looping cursive.

My family always exchanged ornaments at Christmas, so I thought I’d extend the tradition on to you. You better put it high up on your tree within plain view...and if you don’t have a tree, then get one, Scrooge. Happy Christmas, Henry.

- Lizzie

He laughed under his breath before tucking the note in beside the ornament. As he put on his coat and grabbed the box, he glanced at the clock and wondered if the local floral shop by his place was still open.

* * *

Once he sent the photo, he could not help checking his phone every few minutes. Being Christmas Eve, Henry couldn’t expect Lizzie to answer right away, but he couldn’t help himself. Jasper started to notice and leaned forward on the couch.

“Expecting a call?”

Henry shook his head and shoved the phone away. Jasper pursed his lips in amusement and then took a sip of his drink. Henry took a sip of his, and then another large gulp when his phone began chiming out a ring. Jasper chuckled and turned up the telly.

“Don’t mind me. Answer it.”

Henry grimaced but reached for the phone anyways. His pulse lept when he saw Lizzie’s name on the screen, and he just stared as it kept ringing. He had expected a text in response, not a bloody phone call. Suddenly the telly was piercingly loud, and Henry scowled at Jasper, who was just grinning.

Muttering under his breath, Henry got up and walked into his bedroom as he pressed the accept button.

“That is a sad excuse for a Christmas tree,” Lizzie blurted without even a greeting. “It’s barely a foot tall!”

Henry smiled at the insult and closed the door behind him. “Best I could do on short notice.”

“Christmas comes the same time of year, Henry,” she complained over the sound of Christmas music in the background. “How much more notice could you have needed?”

“Well, as it was my first Christmas ornament, it never crossed my mind to prepare.”

There was a long pause on the other end, and he winced at the slip of honesty. Before he could play it off as a joke, she spoke again, softer.

“Then I’m glad I was the one to give you your first.” He tried to say he was glad too, but his throat closed up and he couldn’t get the words out. She started humming absently over the phone before continuing, “And now that you have one, you have no excuse next year to not get a nice tree. It had better be as tall as you.”

“I don’t think that would fit in my flat.”

“I guess you’ll just have to invite me over so I can disagree.”

“I guess so,” he responded with a low laugh.

They both were silent for a moment. When finally he was about to say something--what, he didn’t know--he heard someone call her name in the background.

“You should go,” he blurted at the same time was she groaned, “I have to go.”

They shared another small, light laugh, and then grew quiet once more.

“Happy Christmas, Lizzie.”

“Happy Christmas, Henry.”

Though he couldn’t see her, he was entirely sure she was smiling that holiday smile of hers--genuine, fond--and this time, it was for him.

As he hung up the call, he started smiling as well, wondering when he might see Lizzie smile like that, at him, in person.

[lizisshortforlizard]

Living Dangerously - Chapter 18

Jurassic Park’s animal handlers: none of them ever mentioned by name in Michael Crichton’s original novel. Who were they? What were their lives like on Isla Nublar? Did any of them survive the disaster?

A year in the life of those responsible for the care of the dinosaurs. Many people would kill to have their jobs.

But would they die for it?

Jurassic Park novel/Jurassic Park film (1993)

Viewpoint: 3rd person female oc

Warnings: the usual swears, use of firearms

Wordcount: ~51.2k (18 Chapters) [incomplete]

Tagging: @heresthefanfiction @howlingmadlady @arthurpendragonns (let me know if you want added!)

Read on Ao3

Chapter 17 | Chapter 19

**this chapter is pretty much all Muldoon, and especially x ofc (Lizzy) finally!! Y’anno…the whole reason I even started writing this. Just fyi that its more romance than sci-fi, still totally PG just that they are idiots flirting without even realising. Also Rexy is there**

New Sensation - INXS

“Baker…? Baker!”

“Huh?” Kathy jumped and accidentally honked the Jeep’s horn. “Shoot, sorry-“

“I said, did anyone die while I was away?” Muldoon asked again. “Livestock or otherwise.”

She laughed nervously, her eyes darting side to side. “Yeah, no. All good.”

Muldoon reckoned his deputy was on edge. He knew exactly how to get her to talk, but she wouldn’t like it.

“Katherine?”

Oh shit. Her eye twitched and she shrunk backwards, trying to become one with the driver’s seat. Why did he have to pull the dad voice on me?

“Ughh…yeah?” Kathy enquired in a tiny, resigned murmur. She could feel herself being stared down.

“Tell me.“

“It’s fine!” She answered far too quickly.

“You’ve stalled the Jeep three times since you picked me up. Things are not fine. Has somebody been saying things about you?”

“No- Don’t be mad.” Kathy pleaded.

“I won’t be if you start talking.“

She hummed several times before blurting out “There was an accident!”

“Armstrong?” His heart leapt into his mouth.

“Yeah, how did you-“

“Of course it was her. What happened?”

“Lizzy got spit at by a dilophosaur a few days ago. It went in her eyes. Turns out they’re venomous.” Kathy shrugged. “Did you know that?”

Venomous? Spit at her?

“Of course not. Is she alright?” He dreaded the reply. Blacklaw might currently be en route to Costa Rica to skin him alive.

“She can see. Pretty well, considering.”

“As well as before?”

Kathy sighed unhappily. “No, she has to wear glasses now. I loaned her a pair of mine.”

“And has Richardson done anything about it?”

“Take a wild guess.” She’d been hanging around Arnold for long enough that the engineer’s sarcastic drawl could be heard in her voice, her disapproval clear.

Muldoon went dead silent.

“Are you-“ Kathy ventured.

“Drop me off at the lab. I need to speak to Dr Wu.”

***

Baker had folded and told him the finer details long before they reached the visitor centre. It turned out Armstrong hadn’t been trying to make friends with the damn thing, she’d been on the other side of the fence, thirty feet away. Thirty!

Now, he was going to ruin Henry Wu’s day. Muldoon didn’t much like being in the lab, he didn’t see how people could stand working indoors all day. He made a conscious effort to stay out of his own office. Meanwhile, Richardson seemed to have the opposite problem. He would deal with him in good time.

“Afternoon, Dr Wu.”

“Muldoon.” Wu was standing with his clipboard beside one of the sequencing machines. “This isn’t your usual haunt.”

“I did have a good trip, thank you for asking. You can probably guess why I’m here, since I’m still on leave until tomorrow.”

Wu nodded, frowning as he tapped a few buttons on the sequencer, which had started to beep every few seconds. “Lizzy Armstrong got too close to the dilophosaurs, correct?”

Damn. Gennaro or Hammond had already cornered him, and told him to spin it like it was her fault.

“No, that’s not correct. Have you been hiding in here, instead of asking Dr Armstrong what really happened?”

Wu finally began to look guilty, and sank down into a chair wearily. “Is she alright?”

“Could be worse, so I’m told.” Haven’t you even been to check for yourself?

“That’s good.” Wu nodded encouragingly.

“Not really. Her career might have ended, because of your animals. I don’t think you can imagine how ticked off I am.”

“Oh, I’ve an inkling.” Wu replied unhappily. It was no secret that Armstrong and Muldoon had something. There were plenty of rumours floating around the island, despite her being engaged to someone else. Either way, the big man standing in front of him definitely wasn’t happy that his…whatever-she-was had been injured, and that was a very bad thing.

The game warden wasn’t finished. “Armstrong’s more than aware of the risks, working out here. In spite of all her quirks, she’s careful. But it might have been a guest.”

Wu held up his hands. “What happened was a very unfortunate accident, nothing more. But, like you said, in a way it’s better we find out now, yes? Before the park opens?”

“That is not what I said.”

Muldoon had been in a much better mood after the trip back to Africa, too bad that was all rapidly fading away, the old stresses returning. Hope Arnold has restocked his ‘filing cabinet’…

“I don’t think you understand the gravity of what’s happened, Wu. If she wanted, and I’m strongly urging her, believe me, Armstrong has rights to sue the company and be set for the rest of her life. Which would reflect very badly on you.”

“Are you threatening me, Muldoon?”

“Not quite. If I were doing that I’d have brought a shock prod. I’m saying that you need to come up with some answers before Armstrong decides to visit you herself. I won’t stop her.” As if I could. “So, got any bright ideas?”

Wu cocked his head, thinking hard of a way to redeem himself. “I can have a look at the DNA sequence and see if any venom-coding genes can be removed while still producing viable embryos in the next batch.”

The next batch. Hammond’s definitely talked to him. He won’t allow us to halt breeding or destroy them. They’re even more interesting now we know they’re venomous. More profitable. More marketable.

Muldoon shook his head. “That doesn’t solve my problem that there are animals out in the park now that can maim from thirty feet, maybe more, and my staff are going to have to get closer than that at some point!”

“There is another solution-“ Wu said carefully, so as not to anger him further.

“I’m listening.”

“It won’t be well received, but you could put the dilophosaurs under. Remove the venom glands via surgery. Problem solved.”

That was better. “I’m sure Harding would be up for hacking away at them.”

Wu paled at his word choice. “Maybe so. But good luck getting the go-ahead from Hammond.”

“It’s happening.” He wasn’t worried about Hammond. There were other safety matters he could bring up as bargaining chips. “Check the rest of the species for hidden talents. Then do yourself a favour and visit Armstrong to apologize.”

“I didn’t do-“

Muldoon couldn’t listen to him anymore. “Too bloody right you didn’t. But you should have.”

***

Harding was easy to get on board, Hell he had practically rubbed his hands together with glee at the prospect of slicing open a dinosaur so he could have a rummage around inside. The man needed a damn raise. He wasn’t a doctor, but he seemed to be attending as many human patients as prehistoric ones lately. Half the time it seemed to be Isla Nublar’s accident-prone ethologist.

Muldoon now had to find the woman in question. Chaos on two legs. He eventually tracked her down in her room, her face lighting up as she opened the door for him.

“Hey, you’re back!” She sounded excited, grinning. “Good trip?

“I leave you alone and look what happens.”

“Right? You’re never leaving me again.” She leaned against the doorframe, casually blocking the pile of laundry on the chair behind her. “Too dangerous.”

Her hair was running wild, she hadn’t bothered to tie it back. At that moment the sun reappeared from behind a cloud and the glow coming through the window backlit her curls in a halo around her head.

Oh come on, really?

“I have to wear these now.” She said, pointing at the thick frames taking up half of her face. “Kathy had a spare pair. Pain in the arse switching between sunglasses all day long, but my depth perception’s pretty screwed.”

“I’m sorry.” He thought she actually suited glasses, looking even more deserving of her PhD status, the lenses magnified her hazel eyes, making them huge compared to the rest of her features.

Lizzy shrugged. “It’s about time, really. I’ve been lucky so far. Did I ever tell you about when I was camping and a male lion fell asleep on top of my tent?”

“That doesn’t sound very lucky?”

“Maybe not, but there wasn’t permanent damage that time.” Her tone stayed level, but he could tell she was pissed off, and rightfully so.

Bugger.

She looked tired. Fed up with everyone making a fuss of her. Probably hadn’t gotten much sleep either. Her eyes were still raw and bloodshot, like she’d been rubbing at them, the discomfort and dryness would be keeping her awake. Fortunately Muldoon had an idea of how to improve her mood.

Technically he wasn’t back until tomorrow, what could it hurt?

“Come on Armstrong. I’m taking you for a drive.”

***

“Anyone around the West side of the rex paddock, clear off. Shooting practice underway.” Muldoon set the radio back on the dash.

“Shooting?” Lizzy swung her legs put of the door to hop down. God, she was relieved. The niggling feeling of unease at the back of her mind had finally gone away.

“I need to know if you’re of any use to me at all now.”

“I’m of plenty use. I’m your undercover ethologist.”

“And more trouble than you’re worth. Go on then, let’s check how lousy your aim is.” Muldoon passed her the gun.

Not what Lizzy had expected from the day when she’d gotten out of bed that morning, to be set loose blasting Hell out of a rotten tree with a shotgun.

“My aim is not lousy.”

“Prove it.”

No problem. Nothing she hadn’t done countless times. Even so, her palms were sweating. Lizzy was worried she wasn’t up to standard anymore. Never mind the added pressure of having to try and impress someone with far more experience than her.

She squeezed off and frowned when the shot went wide, whining through the ferns just above her target.

“You were shaking. Too heavy for you?” Muldoon was quick to find fault.

Lizzy blew the hair out of her eyes. True, it was a little on the big side for a vertically-challenged woman, but she would never say so. “It’s obviously broken.”

“It’s broken?” He almost sounded amused as he took the gun to check it. “There is a very slim chance that you’re right and the heat’s warped it-“

Lizzy watched a little enviously. While she was still a little clunky when getting ready to fire, it was clearly second nature to him. Muldoon made it look so easy. She stuck her fingers in her ears just in time.

“-but it hasn’t.”

“Oh.” Lizzy exclaimed in awe. “Bloody Hell.” A tiny branch that had been sticking out of the trunk was no longer there anymore, shot clean off.

“It’s not broken, Armstrong.”

She reluctantly accepted the gun back and lined up again, but the same thing happened as before.

“Shit!” Lizzy cursed. She was getting very hot and bothered. I am a good shot. Then why can’t I do it even with the damn glasses?

“Try something for me.”

“I’ll try bloody anything at this point.” Lizzy dug the toe of her boot into the dirt angrily.

“You know To Kill A Mockingbird?”

“I saw the film once.” She had the book in the depths of her room too, so far untouched. A gift from Simon, it was his favourite movie.

“Well?”

“What has that got to do with -oh.” Of course. That immortal scene with the rabid dog. Lizzy flipped her glasses up on to her forehead à la Atticus Finch and took aim again. “You could have just said.”

“I enjoyed watching the cogs turn. Both eyes open.” He just reminded her.

“You’re terrible.” Lizzy whispered. But she felt a little better about being visually impaired. Atticus was cool, even if the character she related to more was Scout.

Okay. Breathe in. Out. In. Hold. Squeeze.

Bang.

No whizz of air through the ferns this time. Just a splintering noise and an indent in the trunk that wasn’t there before.

She looked around for confirmation, but was met with a head shake from her boss.

“Again.”

Not good enough?

“But I did it-“

“Again. Check it wasn’t luck.”

“So demanding.” She muttered, but hid her smile behind the stock and repeated her actions, more confidently, her hands steady.

Whack as the bullet hit the tree, throwing off shards of wood not more than two inches from where her first shot had landed.

“Close enough.” Lizzy knew that was his way of saying well done. “Think you could do that if the tree was barrelling towards you at thirty-miles-an-hour?”

“I’d make it think twice.” Lizzy beamed, pleased she was indeed still ‘of use’, as he put it. “Thank you.“

She knew how privileged she was. Before becoming a consultant for zoos around the globe, Muldoon was an experienced big game hunter. He’d just given her a shooting lesson for free, and been more patient and less insulting than she expected.

“You just need to get used to things not being as far away as you think. It’ll get easier.”

“Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.” Lizzy reeled off the words from the sticker on the bottom of the Jeep wing mirrors. “Do we have to go back now?”

She was enjoying herself, feeling at peace in this lesser-visited corner of the island. She wondered if one of the many cameras dotted around the park was trained on them both at that very second, but chose to believe and act as if there wasn’t.

“I wouldn’t mind staying longer. It’s-“ Muldoon glanced sideways at her. “-relatively quiet out here.”

The rex was nearby, rumbling around on the other side of the paddock fence. Lizzy could feel her vibrations through the earth as she climbed onto the back of the Jeep, each footfall sounding like far-off thunder. She didn’t seem too bothered by the gunshots, if anything the dinosaur was curious and had wandered closer to investigate.

Lizzy pushed a half-full gas can out of her way and leaned back against a rolled up tarpaulin, picking bits of moss off her socks. She’d assumed they were done talking for the moment but surprisingly Muldoon kept the conversation going, unprompted.

“I have to ask, are you planning on a lawsuit?”

Lizzy grimaced. “Why? Have you been told to try and talk me out of suing?”

“No, that’s Gennaro’s job. I think you should do it, personally. But it’s your decision, I’ll support you either way.”

“Kathy said I should, too.”

Muldoon walked back around the vehicle to face her. “Get your man’s advice first.”

“Right…he’s the expert, I guess…”

He looked at her for a long moment. “You haven’t told him yet, have you?”

Lizzy sheepishly shook her head. “I know exactly what he’ll say. It’s too dangerous. I told you it was a bad idea. Come home.”

“You need to tell him, Armstrong. He’d want to know.” The words were an effort, but it was the right thing to do, as much as he hated overhearing the phonecalls to New York.

“What are you going to do with the dilophosaurs?” Lizzy changed the subject, miming pointing a gun at her head. “Ka-blammo?”

“Not quite that drastic. They’re far too expensive. Wu says that Harding could operate to try and remove whatever the venom came from.”

Lizzy raised her eyebrows. “Wow, Hammond said yes?” Muldoon grumbled under his breath, she didn’t catch it. “What was that?”

“I’ve not asked him yet. I was hoping the threat of you suing the company might persuade him.”

“Oh, and you’re one to talk about not telling people things!” Lizzy tutted. “You want me to back you up?”

“If you wouldn’t mind. I’m not happy about those animals being out in the park in their current state.”

“Say no more.” Lizzy agreed. “On the condition I’m the one that gets to assist with the surgery.”

“Seems fair. Just don’t wreak bloody vengeance with a scalpel while Harding’s not looking.”

“As if.” Lizzy smirked. “That was easy. Thought you’d be harder to convince.”

“Don’t get used to it.”

“I won’t.” She started fumbling around with the laces on her boots. “I prefer having to work for it, anyway. You know that.”

Christ. Is now a good time? Probably. His earlier warning on the radio of bullets flying around meant they weren’t likely to be disturbed. Time to let his guard down, just a little.

“My daughter had something for you.”

Lizzy head snapped up. “She did?”

“Only because she forgot to send it over here two bloody months ago.”

“She’s nine! Give her a break!”

“Inexcusable.”

He handed her a Polaroid picture, already creased around the edges. She recognised it instantly, from what little she could remember of the night when it was taken. Jeff’s fiftieth birthday, earlier that year in the spring. She’d had to pull some strings to get to Nairobi in time, but she wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

There Lizzy was in the photograph, with her arm around Jeff’s shoulder and his around her waist. He had a massive pair of comedy spectacles and a bright red fez perched atop his head. She was sporting a faux handlebar moustache. Both of them caught in the middle of laughing so hard their eyes were almost shut.

She flipped it over. Scribbled on the back in her mentor’s chicken-scratch handwriting was This Is Lizzy (moustache). You Are Welcome.

Muldoon was watching her reaction. “I like that he felt the need to clarify which one is you.”

Lizzy was grinning ear-to-ear. “A moustache is a good look for me. I guess Jeff tried to warn you the female version of him was on the way?”

“If only I’d known.”

“Doesn’t exactly scream ‘esteemed ethologist’, does it?”

Muldoon had to agree. But his daughter apparently liked the look of Armstrong and had asked if Uncle Jeff’s Lizzy was the same woman who had signed her birthday present. She’s pretty. Does she like elephants? Is she nice? Does she have a boyfriend? So many questions. Yes to all. Sorry kid, she won’t be coming to visit.

“Thank you, again. I needed this.” Lizzy ran the risk of tearing up. She missed Jeff so much. “I really appreciate it.”

“S’alright.” Muldoon checked his watch. “We better make tracks. Get in, Armstrong.” Back to business. Time to put the guard up again.

Lizzy made to hop down from the Jeep. But still unused to her new depth perception, of lack thereof, Lizzy didn’t brace her knees properly for the distance. She caught the edge of her boot on a rock, and stumbled over with a gasp. She would have faceplanted the ground if Muldoon hadn’t turned and caught her in time.

She bit her tongue hard and tasted the faint tang of blood, but it was sure as Hell better than having to return to Gerry Harding with a split lip.

Lizzy was propped back upright as if she weighed nothing at all, but he couldn’t let go of her fast enough.

“Sorry, sorry.”

Catching Armstrong was a reflex, as was the apology. He had to be careful. They were alone, and as much as she seemed to trust him, he didn’t want her feeling threatened. She had enough of that from certain others on the team.

But something had changed for Lizzy.

Simon hadn’t rang on her birthday. Doing his well-rehearsed duty of completely ignoring her on that day. That was fine. But secretly she had hoped he might surprise her by finally visiting the island. It had been such a long time since she’d been touched like that. No amount of hugs or head strokes from Kathy could change the fact that she needed a lot more. She needed the intent. Lizzy wasn’t alone here, but she was lonely.

Shit.

It was absolutely, one-hundred-percent not in her plan to feel something for a whole different person than the man she was supposed to marry. Where on Earth did that come from?

Her glasses were wonky from the fall, and when Lizzy pushed the frames back up her nose Muldoon couldn’t fail to notice how much her pupils had dilated when she looked up at him apologetically. They were massive. And for once, she had nothing to say.

What’s wrong with her? Why does she have that look on her face? Is she having a funny turn?

“Are you alright?”

She shook her head to clear it and blinked hard a few times, making excuses.

“Yeah, justh a hot fluss. Musth be getting my period or thsomething.” Lizzy immediately scrunched her face up in horror at what she’d said aloud.

She looked so comical in her self-disgust, and the temporary lisp just made it even better. Muldoon couldn’t help but chuckle at her.

“Are you laffing at me?” She sounded indignant, and that made it funnier still.

“Well, I’m not laughing with you.”

“Two monsth! Two bloody monsth and thisth isth what makesth you laugh! I don’t believe thisth!” Lizzy’s tongue started a dull throb. “Owwww.”

“Armstrong, you’re very strange. I never know what you’ll come out with next.”

“Thanksth?” She snorted and started giggling at her own voice, trying to ignore her pounding heart. She did sound ridiculous. But goddamn it, was she triumphant. Finally, she’d made him laugh. Ray owed her ten dollars. Nobody will ever believe me.

Her stomach was still fluttering but she pushed the feeling down and away, trying to ignore it. No. Not this time.

“We have an audience.” Muldoon nodded over the top of Lizzy’s head. “Thought it smelled bad around here, I didn’t want to say anything.”

She slowly turned, trying to stifle her laughing, squinting through her lenses. “Where?” She whispered. Her lisp was thankfully wearing off.

Then, the wind stirred the branches and Lizzy saw the mottled scales of the rex through the thick wire coils of the fence. One reptilian eye was roving back and forth, searching for movement. The dinosaur could smell them, too.

Rad. It was rare to see the rex active in the daytime, she preferred the cooler dawns and dusks when the island was covered in fog. Sometimes she would just stand out in the rain with her head pointing upwards to the heavens. Lizzy had a theory that Costa Rica was actually too hot for a tyrannosaurus, and had been scouring her Dinosaur Detectives book for an answer. The guests likely wouldn’t see much of their star attraction in the heat of the day.

“You’ve been fed, big girl!” Lizzy called out, and the rex’s head jerked around with a snort. “Stop looking so hopeful!”

Isla Nublar’s largest predator moved even closer to them but stopped when she noticed the electric clicking of the fence. She grumbled again before moving off with a huff, leaving her stench behind on the breeze, the two of them watching her go in silence.

What about her? Could I shoot her if she was ‘barrelling towards me at thirty-miles-an- hour’? Could Muldoon?

Lizzy hoped she’d never learn the answer to that question.

***

Thanks for reading!

Canon re: weapons on the island will be addressed later but this situation just had to be written.

Also I need to say I’m not exactly pro gun but given their background and current situation, being able to defend yourself is important. I did feel uncomfortable writing it given recent horrible events ngl but that’s probably not a bad thing. This is definitely a case of the views of the writer not matching those of the characters.

Lion falling asleep on the tent is a real anecdote I heard from a female scientist at a lecture a few years ago. Obviously, like Lizzy, she lived to tell the tale!

[keanureevesisbae]

lizzie davis being iconic

I wish I was this cool in high school. Honestly, she was one of the funniest characters to write and she was just super duper iconic. Also, this can contain some spoilers for the story

‘Ugh,’ Lizzie groans, ‘she’s polite. Barf.’

✦ ✦ ✦

‘No way,’ I hear Lizzie say, as she pushes through us and hurting me in the process. Ouch, that girl is strong. She places her hands on her hips and shakes her head. ‘Is that who I think it is?’

✦ ✦ ✦

‘Shame I got a crush on his best friend, but Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill… Hello, you look good.’

‘Okay, stalker,’ Lizzie says, ‘how the hell do you know his full name?’

✦ ✦ ✦

✦ ✦ ✦

Lizzie scoffs. ‘No biggie? Oh shut up, he is into you. I sat in front of him in English Lit last year and he never spoke to me.’

✦ ✦ ✦

‘I saw that,’ she says in a harsh tone. ‘It’s nauseating to see he is so shy and you are too and it’s only the first day of school.’

‘Imagine what could happen later on!’ Morgan says.

‘I don’t want to think about it.’ Lizzie leans back in her chair. ‘It’ll probably make me vomit anyways.’

✦ ✦ ✦

‘Morgan, get your shit together, they’re coming over. Act normal.’ Lizzie looks over at me and says: ‘I don’t know if you are going to be normal when Henry gets here, but I’m going to say it to you anyways because you’re new. Act normal, Natalie.’

✦ ✦ ✦

‘We’ll be practicing the Celine Dion song, you know. This rendition of Titanic will rock.’ Tyler nods and smiles wide. ‘So, bring your best vocal cords.’

I look at Lizzie, who meets my eyes and has a disgusted look on her face. ‘Ew,’ Lizzie says. ‘Tyler, please, for once be normal.’

‘Too much?’ Tyler asks Lizzie, who answers with a nod. ‘Sorry, new school year, new me, you know?’

‘Yeah, that’s bullshit,’ Lizzie says.

✦ ✦ ✦

‘I wouldn’t do it,’ Lizzie interferes. ‘It’s bullshit anyway.’

✦ ✦ ✦

‘He better not be,’ Lizzie says. ‘I swear, Morgan, if you ever date him, I’m gonna kill you. He is such an idiot and I have no idea what on earth you see in him.

✦ ✦ ✦

‘Oh yay,’ Lizzie says in a monotone voice. She places her hands on her hips, as she frowns deeply checking me out. ‘Natalie, I don’t remember you having a jacket like that. Doesn’t Henry have one exactly like that?’

My cheeks burn up. ‘He does. This is his actually.’

Henry rubs the back of his neck and clears his throat again.

‘I’ll be damned,’ Lizzie notes.

✦ ✦ ✦

✦ ✦ ✦

✦ ✦ ✦

Tyler checks me out from top to bottom. ‘Damn,’ he says.

Lizzie stomps his arm. ‘You disgusting pig. Don’t look at the poor girl like that.’ She flashes me a look and says: ‘Shut up, I don’t care about you. I just despise this guy and everything he does.’

✦ ✦ ✦

‘Tyler,’ Lizzie groans, ‘you said that about my mom and Morgan’s. You need to stop saying how our mom’s are cute.’

✦ ✦ ✦

‘I love this part,’ Lizzy says, as we watch the captain rip the Nazi flag in half. ‘So satisfying and so hot.’

✦ ✦ ✦

Lizzie groans. ‘Yeah, she can’t shut up about you two.’

✦ ✦ ✦

‘You’re finally relatable,’ Lizzie says. ‘You’re learning.’

✦ ✦ ✦

‘Hello ladies,’ Tyler exclaims. ‘I can see your beauty sleeps has done their magic. The three of you look absolutely stunning, even better than you did yesterday.’

‘No, I’m not going to buy you something from the vending machine,’ Lizzie says.

✦ ✦ ✦

‘Ugh, whatever.’

✦ ✦ ✦

Morgan hooks her arm through mine and says: ‘I have a fashion dilemma.’

‘And you ask her?’ Lizzie asks. ‘No offense, Nat.’

‘No offense?’ Morgan asks. ‘Oh goodness, you care about her.’

‘Ew, no, I don’t care about her.’ Lizzie rolls her eyes, before she stands in front of the two of us, causing us to stop walking. ‘You just have to ask me for fashion advice. I mean, you think this outfit just happened?’

‘No, that couldn’t have possibly just happened,’ I say, as I check her outfit out. I mean it though. Her checkered pants, her high heeled boots that are not practical for school, but compliment this look and the turtle neck is indeed an outfit that couldn’t just happen.

‘Exactly,’ Lizzie says. ‘So, please, when you say that you have a fashion dilemma, please direct the question to me.’

‘Totally,’ I agree. ‘But what is this dilemma anyways?’

‘What I should wear next week on Monday. We have band practice.’

Lizzie looks disgusted. ‘You’re going to dress up for that moron?’ she asks. ‘Normally I wouldn’t help you out to impress Tyler Wilson, but fashion is just too important to me, so I’ll come by this weekend and bring some supplies.’

✦ ✦ ✦

‘I could’ve known,’ Lizzie says. ‘Honestly, if we ever lose either one of you, we just have to see where the other is.’

✦ ✦ ✦

Lizzie walks over to us and says: ‘Morgan, you were good. Tyler, you were awful. Henry… You weren’t the worst one on stage.’

✦ ✦ ✦

‘So, tonight was Titanic show night, tomorrow is the winter ball. Who of you lovely ladies can I chaperone to the ball?’

Lizzie sighs. ‘I wouldn’t be caught dead with you at the ball or anywhere else for that matter.’

‘A no would’ve been sufficient enough, Lizzie,’ I chuckle. ‘Tyler, I actually think you should take Morgan as your date.’

✦ ✦ ✦

✦ ✦ ✦

‘Okay, okay, enough,’ Lizzie says. ‘You made your point. You have dates, you’re probably gonna kiss, happy happy happy happy happy.’ She scoffs loudly and says: ‘I’ll just be by the bar, spiking up my own drink with some alcohol.’

‘Liz, how are you gonna get alcohol?’ Morgan asks. ‘Last time I checked you’re a minor.’

Lizzie scoffs, actually looking offended because Morgan is underestimating her. ‘I obviously have my ways.’

✦ ✦ ✦

✦ ✦ ✦

Lizzie wouldn’t be Lizzie if she didn’t shove the two of them aside, because why walk around them, when you can barge through them? ‘Because it’s your birthday, I’m gonna tell you this: it has been exhausting to be around them and their awkward shenanigans and I might’ve missed you a little. Happy birthday, you dwarf.’ She pats my shoulder, only to frown and give me a decent hug.

I’m getting a hug from Lizzie Davis? Is this for real?

‘Don’t get used to it,’ she says, taking a step to the side, glaring at me dangerously.

✦ ✦ ✦

‘It’s getting ridiculous,’ Lizzie says, ‘that I’m surrounded by awkward couples. I mean, Morgan and Tyler are by far the most awkward almost couple ever and you and Henry almost are romantic.’

‘Almost romantic?’ I ask. ‘It’s not romantic.’

‘We know about his care package delivery service,’ Lizzie deadpans.

✦ ✦ ✦

Lizzie looks to the side. ‘I hate her.’

✦ ✦ ✦

Tyler has his arms wrapped around both his girlfriend and a very annoyed Lizzie, who we hear say: ‘Get your dirty paws off of me, you pig.’

✦ ✦ ✦

‘Okay, you disgusting people,’ Lizzie says, ‘pull your tongues from the other person’s mouth, act normal and not nauseating romantic like you usually do and go with us to have some snacks.’

✦ ✦ ✦

Taglist: @diegos-butt // @summersong69 // @christhickevans // @thelastsock // @shamelesssoff // @crazybutconfidentaf // @abschaffer2 // @cherry-gemz // @mansaaay // @omgkatinka // @oddsnendsfanfics // @sunshine96love // @laufeysodinson // @legendarywizarddetective // @lyrarodriguez

[tiasreadingnook]

FAVORITE AUTHORS AND WHY

[ A/N: These are based on my opinion, standards, and experiences only. The writers in this blog are those whose blogs I read religiously. I weirdly have a high standard on what fics I can read without cringing and these writers are the ones on the top of my list. This is also for those new readers that are still kinda confused about where to start and where they can find writers with extensive and quality master lists. This is a continuously growing list and I will add more when I encounter others.]

This list are blogs that mostly make fanfictions of the characters Chris Evans, Henry Cavill, and Sebastian Stan plays.

Please read the individual warnings, rules, and tags in each of these writers' blogs or fics. Minors dni.

@littlefreya - "The Eve"

When I was lost and new to the Henry Cavill fandom it was her stories that were the final nail to my coffin that will bury me 6 feet under the fandom. Her master list is everything and more -- smut, ddlg, dark, fluff, domestic -- whatever you want it's there.

@onsunnyside - "My Sofia Coppola"

Sofia Coppola is my favorite director when it comes to imagery and aesthetics -- that is why I consider Sunny as my Sofia because I SWEAR the first time I read Tarzan!Steve fic it was like a movie and none of her stories have ever disappointed me. I still can't believe I read her stories for free.

@evansbby - "New York Times"

I've said it once and I'll repeat it, I check her blog every day like it's the morning news. I am so obsessed with her stories it is unhealthy. She writes the most delicious and varied Chris Evans and characters fics which makes it exciting but also comforting at the same time because at the end of the day -- they're all daddy.

@kinanabinks - "Spicy Shakespeare"

I actually took a lot of inspiration from her in one of my series -- she is that good. She writes the most delicious smut with the perfect splash of angst, tragedy, drama, and smut that will satisfy that itch in your head when you're looking for a bit of drama in your p*rn.

@comfortcap - "Guilty Comfort"

My daddy issues FLARE TF UP when I'm reading any of her (ddlg) fics. Such a sweet writer with the sweetest, fluffiest, and sometimes smuttiest fics that makes me feel guilty and comforted at the same time ;3 I love reading her stuff after a long and overwhelming day.

@junipermuses - "Lizzy Grant"

Lizzy Grant -- aka Lana del Ray -- is how I imagine her fics would be if it was a person. Sexy, effortlessly cool, and so put together. The subtle but easy-to-digest plots builds up the smut so much that it's so satisfying to watch it all unravel in the end.

@buckycuddlebuddy - "hey god ... me again"

Her fics immerse me so much that she has me giggling and kicking my feet as I read them. She is one of the few "x reader" fic writers that makes me want to cry and scream and beg whichever god is listening to move me in the alternate reality where I am the "reader" / main character in her story.

@sillyrabbit81 - "Mother Nature Called"

I swear every time I'm on my period you will find me vicariously scrolling through her master list because the way she writes the daddies (ESPECIALLY SY) are so comforting, dominant, and caring that it just turns my heart, womb, and coochie into mush.

@angrythingstarlight - "Pandora's Box"

Once you open her master list you will read nothing but her works for days (trust me I've been there) . She has an extensive collection of works that are a top quality. Her works can range from sweet to downright nasty to the fluffiest domestic scenarios that will have you grinning at your screen at 3 am.

@hansensgirl - "The Witch"

I forget feminism when I'm reading her works. I cannot believe I'm giggling over a man bossing me over and controlling my entire life?! And she somehow makes it work and that's how I've come to the theory that she pulls some witchcraft shit when she writes her stories but hey ... I'm not complaining.

@pellucid-constellations - "All Too Well (10 minute version)"

She writes the BEST angst and that's coming from me whose comfort film is "Love, Rosie". If you're looking for a well-developed plot, characters, and story arcs that end with a lot of groveling, comfort, and a happy ending -- look no further.

[feuillesmortes]

SO! Hope you don’t mind me writing a bit more in this verse! This is a follow-up of a Henry x Lizzie modern au fic (previous parts here: 1 2 3). As always I must say this was inspired by @harritudur​ and @queenbessofyork’s flatmates au verse (thanks again for this, darlings).

December came and the semester at Westminster was almost over. The rush of submitting essays and coursework consumed every student in the crazed frenzy that came before the holidays. Henry kept telling himself that was the true cause for delaying his talk with Lizzie. In those last couple of weeks he had purposefully avoided the places around campus where he knew she might linger. Maybe it was just that he didn’t want to find her with Charles hanging by her side like a fashionable handbag, or maybe Henry was simply afraid that a sole glance from her would disarm him of his purpose. Her reply to his text had been a short ‘What do you want?’ and frankly, the question was not foreign to him.

The days were getting shorter awfully fast. By the time Henry reached his former flat it was already dark. He pressed the button to flat 14 and waited, telling himself he would be brief about it. After a couple of minutes, it was Lizzie who came to answer the door.

“Oh, it’s you.” Her voice sounded rather unimpressed. She had that look on her face that was reserved for him only. Around everyone else she was all smiles and giggles.

He replied grudgingly. “Yes. You said I could come by this hour, remember?”

Lizzie scoffed. “That was two weeks ago!”

“Aye, but I was busy.” Looking at her, Henry could not help but notice that Lizzie was smartly dressed. She was wearing a sharp winged eyeliner as was the default fashion for girls in London (as Henry came to understand, all girls wanted to look like Adele). Certainly she was going out. “I’m sorry I’m not the person you were expecting. Can I come in?”

He thought Lizzie was about to slam the door shut in his face, but instead she let go of the doorknob and made way for him to go in. They climbed the small flight of stairs in silence all the way to the flat. Upon closing the door behind her, Lizzie crossed her arms over her chest and asked. “So... What is it you needed to talk to me?”

“I...” He could feel his resolve faltering under her gaze. “Since moving out I have...” She tilted her head and arched an eyebrow. Damn Maud and her text. “... not come to get the rest of my things. I can only assume they’re taking space.”

“Oh, is that it?” Lizzie took a couple of steps towards him. “You could have said that to Rodrigo, you know. He could help you with that.”

Lizzie looked overly distracting in her evening outfit. The small black dress hugged her in such a way that Henry had to keep his eyes from trailing across her body. He tried his best casual voice. “I’ve heard he’s rarely ever home anymore.”

She took another step towards him. The click of her heels loud on the floor. “That’s true.”

“Also, I’ve left one of my HP calculators with you. I’d like that back if possible.”

Lizzie stopped dead in her tracks. She gave him a sardonic smile and tilted her head sideways in a rather petulant fashion. “As you wish, Henry! I can find a box for your things.” He watched her go into her room in a whimsical stride. Nice one, Tudor. Really.

When she returned Henry was already in the kitchen gathering the rest of his stuff: a mug, a couple of pot lids, a spatula set, anything that could be found in his old kitchen cabinet. He was surprised to see that the package of Tesco dried pasta he had left behind was still there. It seemed things had really changed since he left. He took the box Lizzie handed him. “I’m surprised Rodrigo hasn’t eaten this by now. What happened to him? Is he sick?”

Lizzie smiled, even if a bit reluctantly. “He’s fine. He simply found another place for pillaging food, I reckon.”

“Good thing for you, then. But I think he’ll miss his scolding sessions soon enough, don’t worry.” God, he missed this. He missed living with them. Her eyes found his and she smiled again, very softly. It only lasted a couple of seconds, though, for her phone suddenly started ringing from across the room. Lizzie looked slightly nonplussed before she rushed from the kitchen with a “Sorry, I have to answer that.” Henry heard her hello as she opened the door to exit the flat.

From his place by the kitchen window, he could watch her outside as she walked the pavement back and forth with her phone. Seeing as Lizzie was dressed, certainly it could only be Charles calling to pick her up. Instead of watching him stop by, Henry decided to task himself with packing the rest of his things from other rooms. Some solid minutes went by before he went back to the kitchen, when Henry saw that Lizzie was still outside, this time sitting on the steps that lead to the road. He noticed that in her hurry Lizzie had forgotten to take the coat lying on the sofa. Wasn’t she cold? Why did it seem like she never wore proper clothing outside? Henry hastily left his things and went to her.

“Lizzie? Is everything alright?” She had her back to him. He watched her shoulders rise and fall, yet no word came from her. He decided to try a different approach. “It’s cold. Do you want me to bring your coat or anything?”

Still silent, this time she only shook her head. Henry was at a loss for words. “Did- did something happen?”

“Yes.” Her reply was heavy, as if it was difficult for her to speak. Henry clenched his fist, feeling anger rising inside him. “Was it Charles?”

The short laugh that escaped her was bitter. “No, it was not Charles. This is not the first time he’s stood me up.” Henry was baffled at the possibility of anyone ever doing that to Lizzie, but he set aside his anger to wonder: if not for that insipid idiot...

“Then what is it, Lizzie?”

She fell back to silence again. Henry stood for some seconds, unsure of what to do, before he gently lowered himself to her side. Lizzie kept her head down, the hands resting on her lap fidgeted with her rings. As she refused to look at him, Henry looked up to gaze at the faint glittering dots that speckled the night sky. Absorbing the chilly air, he took a deep breath and sighed.

“The stars look sad today.” He said, very softly.

He heard a sniff, then a muffled sob. He closed the space between them, thigh against thigh, and placed a tentative hand on her shoulder. The simple gesture broke her resistance, for tears started flooding down her cheeks copiously. She placed both hands on her face and wept for a long time. When she was finished Henry took off his scarf and placed it around her shoulders.

“Go away.” She started, bashfully wiping her nose on the back of her hand. “I must look awful.” A fake laugh punctuated her speech.

“You could never.” Not to me. The seriousness in his voice gave her pause, and she looked at him for the first time since her phone call. He cleaned a smudge of eyeliner with his thumb and Lizzie held his gaze for a brief moment before she looked away again. She blinked absently for some seconds before she said. “It was my mum.”

“It was?”

She nodded. “She told me that she and my sisters received a... a... an eviction notice today.” She paused and bit her lip, her voice thick with emotion. “They’ll start looking for a shelter tomorrow. That’s it, the end. My family is officially homeless.”

Henry tried to think of something quick. “Is there a lawsuit under way? Has she tried to talk to the landlord in person?”

Lizzie laughed bitterly. “You know who is her landlord? Her own brother-in-law, my uncle Richard! He just doesn’t care.” It was difficult not to be horrified at that. He knew that Lizzie had lost her father not so long ago, but he had been completely oblivious to the family drama. The first thing Henry had noticed upon meeting Lizzie was that she had the affected airs of someone born into a rich family, and yet something dodgy had happened to her fortune. Maybe that familial struggle was at the heart of it.

Henry took some seconds searching for the right words to say. “I could get legal advice for your mother. I promise I will look into it.”

She turned her eyes to him but quickly averted his gaze again. “I can’t just... Stand back like this. I can’t stay here and watch. My part-time job doesn’t pay the whole rent and my mum can’t help me anymore. I have to... Do something.”

Henry frowned. “What do you mean?”

Her lips trembled. “Drop out from uni. Find a proper job.” She hid her face on her hands again. It hurt him to see her like this. Henry stroked her arm gently. “Lizzie, listen. You don’t have to do this. I know how much uni means to you. I cannot let you do this.”

The voice that replied was partially muffled. “But what can I do? I can’t stay here! Not while my sisters are in desperate need of money.”

“You can stay at my place, free of charge.” Henry suggested, maybe a tad too fast. “That is, until your family is back on their feet.” Lizzie dropped the hands from her face and looked at him for some seconds, dumbfounded.

Her eyes were wide. “I can’t accept this.”

“I’m not being funny, Lizzie. I don’t want you to give up your dream.”

“But... What about Rodrigo?” 

Henry furrowed his brows in thought. Lizzie had a point. “We’ll figure it out. It’s his final year and he’ll go back to Spain after graduating. I honestly doubt he’ll stay there, but-”

“Oh, Katie will be devastated!” It was almost comical to watch Lizzie in her own tragedy taking pity on someone else. She is such a soft thing, he thought her heart was too big for herself. Henry slid an arm across her back and squeezed her gently. “Take your time, okay? We’ll figure it out.”

She looked at him from beneath her lashes, almost cautiously, before she chose to ask him. “And what will Maud say about this?”

He was confused for a moment. “What about Maud?”

“Well, isn’t she your girlfriend?”

“God! No, Lizzie.” He interrupted her before she could complete her question. “Why did she say so, you ask? The girl- the girl is bonkers! I have no explanation whatsoever. She’s a longtime friend, that’s all.” But was Maud right after all? Could it be possible that Lizzie’s face brightened up slightly after he said that? He watched her for long seconds, feeling emboldened.

With her eyes lowered at that moment, she looked almost shy. The moonlight shone on her hair with a soft glow. “Why are you being so kind to me?”

It was all so plain to him, he was stunned she could not see it. “You think I don’t care about you?”

She chuckled softly. “Well, you made a jolly good job of looking like you don’t.”

Henry half-smiled. “I’ve been an arsehole. And I apologise.”

Lizzie looked at him again, an honest, powerful gaze. Henry had never seen her so vulnerable, and yet there was an undeniable strength to her. He caught himself leaning towards her till she pressed a hand to his chest. “Can you please just... Just hold me, will you?”

Henry nodded and circled his arms around her in a comfy embrace. He landed his chin on the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her hair. Her breathing touched his chest like a caress, and suddenly the air was less chilly, the night less bleak, and the stars no longer looked sad.

A genuine question: would you rather have me post this on AO3? I don’t have an account (apparently I’m too lazy), but if it’s too cumbersome for you to read this on tumblr I think it could be worth it. Let me know what you think :)

[euphoriaroses]

hi yes i need new henry+lizzie fanfiction for that 7 year time jump k thanks bye

[zombiemaids]

music in fanfiction

so recently i’ve been reading a bit of IT fic and seeing that a lot of people are bringing music into their writing, which is very cool and awesome. but it often seems to be the same generic 80s songs, so i’m here to rescue you from that with my own personal headcanons for what each character would listen to. this is all personal opinion and is only meant to be used to spice up your writing with - don’t take it as offence that your writing is bad cause it’s not, okay? okay.

oooooor maybe it’s just a secret headcanon post in disguise WE WILL NEVER KNOW

the losers club

richie: van halen, kiss, alice cooper, led zeppelin, queen, red hot chili peppers, faith no more, mötörhead, the offspring, black sabbath (his and belch’s only common love is heavy metal)

beverly: the b-52’s, girlschool, siouxsie and the banshees, tom tom club, the damned, depeche mode, x-ray spex, alice bag, killing joke, joy division, joan jett and the blackhearts, the go-go’s, nina hagen

bill: the cure, michael jackson, king crimson, peter frampton, asia, rush, cheap trick, r.e.m, u2, bruce springsteen

ben: devo, nkotb, tiffany, martika, madonna, debbie gibson, the jets, wham!, robbie neville, whitney houston, bonnie tyler

eddie: duran duran, pet shop boys, tangerine dream, japan, blondie, bananarama, the smiths, elvis costello, belinda carlisle, tom petty, zz top

mike: the rolling stones, thin lizzy, jimi hendrix, the who, frankie goes to hollywood, inxs, billy squier, aerosmith, living colour, prince

stan: peter gabriel, beastie boys, yes, kraftwerk, gary numan, talking heads, rush, love and rockets, simple minds, dexys midnight runners, happy mondays

the bowers gang

victor: sonic youth, the germs, billy idol, dead kennedys, the damned, soundgarden, t.s.o.l, the cult, little angels, dire straits, mother love bone, the tragically hip

henry: van halen, skid row, poison, mötley crüe, def leppard, guns n roses, whitesnake, ratt, ted nugent, bon jovi, cinderella, warrant, w.a.s.p

belch: metallica, anthrax, slayer, mötörhead, quiet riot, black sabbath, ozzy osbourne, dio, judas priest, iron maiden, saxon

patrick: nine inch nails, nirvana, mudhoney, fugazi, ramones, madness, xtc, pixies, fine young cannibals

[kay-emm-gee]

like there was nobody else in the room

Pairing: Henry / Lizzie (The White Princess) Summary: Jasper thinks Henry and his band need a new sound. Henry thinks they’ll never find the right fit, especially not at an amateur night in a no-name dive bar--and, of course, a certain blonde proves him wrong. { modern au | ~1.4k | teen+ } a/n: Inspired by Ed Sheeran’s Galway Girl. I meant to post this around Aug 22, but alas, real life got in the way. Enjoy anyways!

Slouched in his seat at the back of the bar, Henry pulled his cap lower and wondered why he had let Jasper talk him into this. They had gone through an absurd number of auditions at the studio, and still no one was the right fit for the band. He still wasn’t sold on needing that extra member; their sound was still good and they had two radio-worthy albums in three years to prove it.

As both agent and family friend, Jasper didn’t agree. A fresh sound is what you need, he kept insisting, something that will be your mark on the music world. And apparently an amateur night at this back-alley dive bar nestled in the heart of Cardiff was going to where they found that game-changing sound. Lord help them if they were recognized, or if someone managed to actually catch Jasper’s interest.

“Sit up,” Jasper murmured, halfway between exasperation and amusement. “If you miss out on listening, I’ll just drag you back here again next weekend.”

Henry sent him a long look. Jasper just chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. “It wasn’t too long ago you and your mates were playing in gigs just like this, boy. Give it a chance.”

Because Jasper wasn’t wrong, reluctantly he straightened to attention. The first group was setting up, and Henry eyed them. As he watched them fumble through the process--not from nerves, but from inexperience--he reached for his beer and took a large gulp.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, the first band had made his ears bleed, but the next solo singer and the guitar act that followed her weren’t half bad. Still, nothing remarkable enough to attract his attention. After two more sets and twice as many rounds of beer, even Jasper had leaned back in his seat and let his eyes drift away from the stage.

As the second-to-last performers stepped up to play, Henry motioned to the waitress for the bill. He had indulged Jasper long enough. The experiment had failed, and he was itching to get to bed so he could be in the studio tomorrow to finally start working on their next album.

“Not long until the end,” Jasper offered halfheartedly, but when Henry shook his head in protest, he didn’t argue.

Henry only noticed the small band had started playing once the lead started singing. They were good enough, maybe the best of the night. Though he wouldn’t be around long enough to make that judgement in full.

By the time they started their second song, the bill still hadn’t arrived. Huffing in annoyance, Henry craned his neck looking for her. She was nowhere to be found, and instead, one of the performers caught his eyes. Or rather, her backside did.

She was facing away from the audience, clearly arranging something in haste. Maybe one of their mics had gone down. Even in the dimness of the bar, her cascade of light gold curls caught on the light, a stark brightness against her black jeans and shirt. As the music moved deeper into the opening verse, she straightened and settled, arms raised and head half-turned around. He saw the bow move before he heard the soft, staccato whine of a fiddle began to creep into the rest of the melody. She snuck it in and around the other notes seamlessly, letting it slowly take over from the other instruments. As she did so, she let the rhythm twist her around back to the front, until they reached the chorus, which was when she had captured both the audience and the song’s full attention.

A few whistles went up as she let the strings croon and hum loudly under her skilled fingers. Henry was leaning forward, both elbows on the table, eyes on her only. The band was good; she was superb. It wasn’t just the way she worked the fiddle in and out of the waves of the music; it was the way she worked the crowd, seeming to be playing just for each individual, not all of them as a whole. A rare talent, that was, and he couldn’t help but take note.

She used the fiddle for that song only, but Henry watched only her the rest of their time on stage. As a backup singer, she was talented. Even so, it didn’t seem to fit her exactly, Henry thought. She was too present on stage; even at her quietest, eyes went to her, not the lead. They would be better served moving her to duet, or employing the fiddle more often.

“Interesting choice.”

Henry started, then turned to Jasper. “What?”

He jerked his head in the blonde’s direction. “Not what I was envisioning, but...it could work. She could work.”

Incredulous, Henry scoffed. “She’s got an edge, I’ll give her that. But I wasn’t--”

Jasper cut him off with a laugh. “She’s hired.”

“Jasper.”

In his infuriating way of saying a hundred things without a word, his mentor just raised his eyebrows and smiled. Then he stood and swiftly moved towards the bar to finish the task of closing out their tab.

Henry scowled at his retreat, then drained the last of his beer. If it got Jasper off his back, he supposed it wouldn’t do much harm to at least talk to the woman.

When he looked back towards the stage, however, she was nowhere to be found. Standing abruptly, he scanned the crowd for her. Nothing. He moved around the table, drawing closer to the performance area. After another minute, he found her bandmates at the bar, clinking glasses, but not her. Grimacing, he turned in Jasper’s direction. The man simply smiled knowingly and pointed towards the front door. After a short staring contest--which he lost--Henry headed outside.

There she was, leaning up against the far side of the bar’s brick front. She was looking down at her phone, hair loose from her braid and half-obscuring her face. Hands in his jacket pockets, Henry slowly approached her.

“You know what you’re doing with that fiddle.”

She didn’t look up from typing. “No.”

He paused, taken off guard. “What?”

“I’m not interested. Even if you had better pickup lines.”

Half-amused, half-insulted, he snorted. “It was a genuine compliment, but fair enough. I didn’t think that one through.”

She finally looked up at him, suspicion in her eyes, which then widened in recognition. She knew who he was, then. In a flash, though, there wasn’t anything but blue shining in them as she looked him up and down with a half-smile. “Thanks, then.” After a beat, she extended her hand. “Lizzie.”

“Henry,” he said as he appreciated her firm grip. “Where did you learn to play like that?”

Her smile went full and flippant. “The bar under my first flat. Easiest and fastest way to piss off my mum while taking full advantage of the many years I spent dedicated to more classic pursuits.”

Henry considered her more carefully, as he heard clearly the steel underneath the lightheartedness. “You played violin?”

“I’m a woman of many talents.”

Henry raised his eyebrows, and she huffed out a laugh. “Touché. That was me not thinking my words through.”

“Well, you should think this through,” he countered, reaching into his pocket for a business card.

When she took it, her gaze flickered between the text and his face more than once, as if she couldn’t believe he was serious. He almost couldn’t believe he was serious, because before he walked over to her, he hadn’t even been sure if he was going to make the offer.

“If you’re interested,” he elaborated, in case it wasn’t clear. “Give me--us a call.”

A ghost of an amused smile appeared on her face. From that alone, he might have thought she believed he was kidding her, and that she would chuck the card as soon as she could, but her eyes--they shone with a brave sort of curiosity. So, with a nod farewell, he turned on his heel and headed back inside to find Jasper.

She would call, of that he had no doubt.

Of what he would do when she did--well, of that, he had no fucking idea.

[kay-emm-gee]

Hi! If you're taking any the white princess prompts, here is a dialogue one Margaret(to henry): Oh dear lord! You love her, don't you? Love your writings btw❤

anonny, i am so sorry it took me eons to answer this - hope you still enjoy :) p.s. title is from aida: the musical lyrics.

such elaborate lives

The doors to his chambers whooshed open, and a blast of cold air hit Henry full on. Turning, he leaned against the hearth, letting the warmth from the large fire wash over him. The chill was still at his back, as was his mother. She had that look on her face that meant something had upset her.

It was rare that he saw her without that expression. Even in these better days, after more than three years of peace, and another child, his mother was still worried. Not worried–he was worried, always worried–she appeared frustrated, angry. With whom, he did not know. It seemed to be nobody and everybody at the same time.

With a sigh, he straightened and turned towards her. 

She did not wait before demanding, “You have laid claim to all the pups born from the royal kennels in the next month?”

“Yes.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Why?”

“I am king, and the royal kennels are therefore mine. Therefore, I may choose to manage them how I like.”

“You will not need all the pups.”

It was his turn to raise his eyebrows. 

His mother pursed her lips and continued, “I need one of the litters. I have promised them to–”

“No.”

“Henry.”

“They are not yours to give away as favors or bribes.”

“You do not need all of the pups!”

“No, I do not need them.” He paused, quirking a half smile. “But I want them.”

The scolding look on his mother’s face was the same one he used to get when he was little and misbehaved. Her nostrils flared as if she was trying to hold onto the last of her patience. “Henry, I would like to have one of the litters.”

“Taking up a new hobby, Mother?” He raised his hands as her lips parted in protest, chuckling. “I know, I know. You promised them to some lord or another for a small favor that I no doubt will thank you for in the future. After I look over the pups and choose which two are the best, you may have whichever you choose.”

“What do you need the best pups for?”

“It is my own business.”

His mother’s eyes narrowed. “We have not discussed–”

“Mother.”

Her jaw clicked shut, but she continued to consider him. The lines around her mouth softened as she asked, “As Christmas gifts, for the children?”

“No,” he said, but the small hesitation before his answer had his mother scenting blood.

“Not for the children, then–for the queen?”

He resisted rolling his eyes at the tightness with which she said the last word. Henry was worried one of these days it might choke her saying that truth which she resented. Pushing down his slight annoyance, he briefly nodded his head. At the gleam in his mother’s eyes, he turned back towards the fire. What she had seen in his expression, he didn’t know–or maybe, just didn’t want to know.

“I thought we had decided she was to receive a new rosary.”

“You may still give that to her.”

“Henry, two greyhound pups are not an appropriate–”

“The choice is mine, Mother.”

“Why must it be two? One is more than enough for Her Majesty, though I doubt she will be the one actually managing the beasts.”

“It will be two.”

“Henry, one–”

“It will be two!” So they will not be alone. His fist tightened on top of the mantle, remembering talk of mothers and creatures and what-ifs. If he or she had not been alone, had not born the weight of their parents’ ambitions alone, then maybe…maybe they would have been happy. Not together, but happy.

“Oh dear lord.” His mother sounded so shocked, Henry spun around. Seeing nothing amiss, he stared at her. She stared back, eyes wide and full of sincere concern. “You love her, don’t you?”

Henry felt his cheeks flush. She could always see through him, no matter how much he tried to hide. His mother just stood there, frozen at the realization he had come to months ago.

He was in love with his wife. Elizabeth was not easy to love, more thorns than petals despite her looks. She made him bleed–red, Tudor red–more often than not, but he loved her even so. Maybe because of it; she was as much a fighter as he was. Strength like that was seductive, and he felt somewhat confident his strength was calling to her in equal measure. The frequency he found her in his bed was evidence enough for that. 

Even so, Henry could not say that she loved him. Liked him, wanted him wantonly, for certain. That was the crux: he was in love with his wife, but she was not in love with him. So here they were, not leading ordinary lives but extraordinary ones, and together, but not entirely happy, either one of them. 

His chest felt numb as he nodded at his mother and swept out of the room, leaving the warmth of the fire and thoughts of his wife behind.

[feuillesmortes]

henry / lizzie fictions that you can recommend?

Oh hey! Sorry for taking so long! I wasn't home so it took me a while. But to answer your question: yes, absolutely! There are some wonderful fics I can recommend to you! 

I mean, it depends on the angle you're aiming for, if you want something more centred on the relationship between Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, the historical figures (no matter the AU), or if you want to read something leaning more towards the shows (The White Princess and T*he Sp*anish Princess). There are wonderful fics for both, I think!@queenbessofyork's fics are a MUST! I highly recommend going on her Ao3 profile (she's got loads of h7/eoy fics! all of them wonderful!). My favourite ones are Maybe Fake's What I Like (rock star AU), The Tudor Rose (canon-compliant) and Flatmates (university/flatmates AU).Dear @quillington has started an alternate history AU, who is also h7/eoy-centred, called Captive King(!) The first chapter is up! Go check it up! Someone recommended this fic to me (unfortunately I don't know the author's handle), which I still haven't been able to read in its entirety. But from what I've seen, it's good! :)

@alicehoffmans has also written a wonderful fic, called between two centuries (modern/university AU) set in the 90s. Witty and funny just like herself <3

@harritudur's tiny scar is a classic(!) for h7/eoy shippers. I highly recommend checking it out! A sweet scenario that could likely have happened, I think.

@thefairfleming and @misshoneywheeler both have written amazing the white princess fanfiction! I recommend checking their Ao3 profiles here and here. 

Those are my favourites but without a doubt there must be some other great fics out there too! Have a great read! x