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taetaespeaches · 3 years

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“Quick question… what are you doing in the closet?”

yoongi x reader (oc) genre: fluff word count: 3.1K

a/n: Hi lovelies!! This fic takes place pretty early on in Yoongi and Kid/reader’s relationship. They’re very much together but Kid has yet to spend much time with Min Holly (at least alone). And basically, that’s what this fic is- Yoongi leaves Min Holly with Kid for the night and when a storm hits, Yoongi comes back to the apartment to find Kid and Min Holly being very cute. I hope you all enjoy and thanks for reading! :))

“Are you sure you’re good?” Your boyfriend asked you for the third time in a matter of minutes, his eyes traveling to the small dog exploring your apartment.

Widening your eyes at him, you cocked your head. “Why are you so worried, do you really not trust me with him?”

Sighing, the man held back the grin threatening to form on his lips.

“Don’t laugh right now,” you pointed warningly at him, your empty threat causing him to break, the gummy smile appearing in front of your eyes. “Yoongi,” you whined, dragging his name out as you lightly smacked his chest.

“Of course I trust you,” he chuckled, stepping forward once so he could wrap an arm around your waist, tugging you to him. Pouting at him, accompanied by a glare, Yoongi giggled. “I was just teasing you, Kid,” he admitted, pushing his lips to yours gently, you stubbornly not responding. “Min Holly is in the best hands with you.”

“Damn straight he is,” you bragged, Yoongi scoffing as he planted a kiss to your cheek.

Yoongi’s brother was on vacation, leaving Min Holly purely in Yoongi’s custody for the next week. However, the first day of his brother’s vacation just happened to be on the day of a BTS video shoot that would keep Yoongi busy well into the night. That’s where you came in; dog sitter of the year.

“What time do you think you’ll be done?” You asked, Yoongi humming in thought.

“Probably early morning. Two or three a.m., maybe later,” he told you, you gasping in mostly feigned surprise. Your relationship with the man was still rather new, but you did understand his work caused him to have some pretty late, sleepless nights.

“That’s so late, you’ll be so sleepy,” you cooed through a pout.

“I’ll be ok,” he chuckled, kissing your forehead, his lips lingering on your skin for a moment as you leaned into his touch. “Thank you for helping me out,” he whispered against your brow, his breath fanning across the top of your face. “I just feel bad leaving him alone overnight,” he smiled, your lips following suit in response to the adorable admission.

“It’s no problem, of course I’m happy to watch him,” you assured Yoongi, tilting your head back to look up at him. “You honey boy,” you teased, Yoongi letting out a breathy chuckle.

“I gotta get going, I’ll text you updates,” he assured you as he took a step back, scanning the apartment’s living room in search of the dog. “Where-” he began to ask where the dog went when Holly popped his head up from the sofa, catching both of yours and Yoongi’s gazes. “Oh sure, make yourself right at home,” he chuckled at the dog.

“He’s so cute, I’m gonna love this,” you told Yoongi, looking at him with bright eyes. “Good luck at your shoot, Min,” you began shooing him out of the apartment, Yoongi backing up as you gently shoved against his frame.

“Are you kicking me out?” He teased, his eyes wide, his face full of pretend offense.

“I have plans,” you directed a head nod toward the dog.

Chuckling in amusement at you, his shoulders shaking slightly, Yoongi turned toward the door and began walking across the room, you following just behind him. When he reached the exit, he quickly turned around, his hands finding your face instantly as he pulled your lips to his greedily. Your hands grasped at his forearms as you kissed him back with just as much fervor, humming contently into the meeting.

Pulling his face from yours, you slowly opened your eyes, watching as Yoongi’s eyes fluttered open shortly after. “Don’t miss me too much,” you teased the man playfully, that adorable gummy grin overtaking his features, his cheeks soft and kissable. Had you more time with him, you would have kissed them repeatedly until he whined for you to stop as the fluffy cheeks warmed in a pink shade. But that would have to wait for his return, as he was nearly running late.

“Bye Kid,” he said simply, you smiling as he turned to leave.

“Go be hot on camera,” you shouted out after him, a scoff meeting your ears, though those shoulders shook adorably as the door shut behind him.

Smiling at the front door, you sighed in content. Turning to face the dog who was staring at you intently, you shrugged. “I think we’re alone now,” you sing-songed to the dog, making him cock his head at you. As you made your way back across the room to the dog, excitement in your steps, you beamed at Min Holly. “Are you ready for our slumber party?” You cooed, scratching his little face as soon as you reached him. “Slumber party time?” You continued talking to the dog as he licked your nose affectionately.

You never were one to check the forecast often, so when the loud crash of thunder sounded outside, waking you from your sleep, you were as shocked as the poor little dog curled up against your side.

Lethargic, your eyes and voice still full of slumber, you reached for the dog and tugged him even closer. “Oh, Holly,” you pouted, looking outside your window to see rain streaking across it as it beat down against the pavement below. “That’s not going to be good for filming,” you mumbled aloud, thinking of your boyfriend and his fellow members.

With another loud rumble outside, the dog whimpered, scurrying off the bed in search of a place of solace. “Aw bubs,” you frowned, sitting up and crawling off the bed to collect him. However, as you approached the dog, he scampered off across the room, heading straight through the open closet door. “Do you want to hide in there?” You asked him, cocking your head at him as Holly stared at you from inside the closet. “Do you feel safe in there?” You asked him, watching as the dog slowly lowered into a laying position.

Spotting one of Yoongi’s hoodies hanging on the hook on the back of the closet door, you quickly made your way across the room and grabbed it, crouching down to situate the clothing around the small dog. “There, that should make you feel safer too,” you pouted, petting the top of Holly’s head gently. Moving your hand to scratch under his chin, however, he put the weight of his head in your palm, a small smile forming on your lips.

“Are you going to let me go back to the bed?” You asked in amusement. “Or am I going to have to join you in here?” You wondered, the dog staring at you with the most adorable sad eyes you’d ever seen. Sighing, you scooped him up in your arms before crawling on your knees to sit inside the closet. Planting yourself on your butt and leaning back against the wall, you crossed your legs before placing the hoodie over your lap, then setting Holly down atop it.

It didn’t take long for the dog to get comfortable, his head squished against your hip as he was lured back to sleep by the sound of the rain outside the apartment. And well, you must have followed him into slumber shortly after, because the next thing you knew, you were being awoken by a gentle sensation against the side of your face and a hushed whisper near your ear.

“Kid,” you heard the voice call out to you softly. Peeling your eyes open reluctantly, you squinted at the man kneeling beside you, his gummy grin being the first sight that entered your awakened consciousness.

“Honey boy,” you yawned, Yoongi chuckling softly at you. Reaching out to him, you brushed his hair off his forehead only to find that the strands were cold and wet. “Your hair is soaked,” you noted, Yoongi nodding as he smiled.

“It’s raining,” he pointed out, you frowning at him.

“That’s right,” you remembered, looking down at the dog in your lap who was awake, but unmoving as he refused to lose his comfort, and probably still too scared to leave the confines of the closet. “You need to change your clothes,” you told Yoongi. “But you can’t have your hoodie because Holly’s using it,” you pointed out, Yoongi scoffing in amusement at you.

“Well good thing your clothes are conveniently located right here,” he nodded to the clothing hanging, simultaneously shooting you an incredulous expression as he drew attention to the fact that he came to your apartment to find you sleeping in his closet, propped up against the wall.

“What’s with the face?” You asked him in response to his expression, playing with him, turning it into a game.

“What the hell are-”

“How was the shoot?” You interrupted, though nonchalantly, purposely not addressing the elephant in the room- or more like the human in the closet.

“It was good,” he nodded a few times, “you know, until the rain hit.”

Sucking air between your teeth, you frowned. “Did it ruin everything?”

“No, luckily we wrapped the outdoor scenes just as it started storming.”

“Oh that’s great, I’m glad it worked out ok,” you grinned.

“Mhmm,” he hummed with a small nod. “I’m stealing a sweatshirt,” he informed you, you instantly humming in thought.

“I’ll allow it.”

“How very generous of you,” he responded playfully, holding back a budding smile. “Hey uh, quick question.”

“What’s that?”

The man shrugged at you, a smile curving on his lips. “What are you doing in the closet?”

“Oh right,” you slowly nodded, the man chuckling at you. “You see, your dog is a bit of a wuss, but he’s cute so it’s ok,” you told him as looked down to the dog who was refusing to lift his head to face the storm.

“Were you scared of the lightning Holly?” Yoongi asked the dog as he pet the sweet frightened pup, a soft grin on his lips that made your own mouth curve into a smile.

“Yeah, he abandoned me on the bed and came in here and I was just going to give him your hoodie to lay with but then he gave me those eyes,” you pouted as Yoongi watched you relay the story in utter fondness for you. “He was torn because he wanted to be with me but also, you know, the storm,” you emphasized, Yoongi’s shoulders shaking in laughter. “So I decided, well, I’ll just sit with him for a bit.”

“How long have you been in here?”

“I don’t know, I fell asleep,” you giggled, a snort leaving the man as he shook his head at you, though adoringly.

“So you really insisted on being the cutest human alive tonight, huh?” He asked you just before directing his gaze to the dog. “Holly, what’s up bud, don’t you think you’re milking this a bit?”

With both of you looking down at the pup, you watched as Yoongi gently scratched Holly’s head. “He’s just too cute, I didn’t have the heart to leave him in here alone,” you pouted, glancing up to find your boyfriend’s gaze already directed to you.

Yoongi didn’t speak, rather, his orbs simply scanned your features, appreciating the sight. He slowly leaned toward you, his lips easily finding yours, meeting you in a sweet kiss. The meeting didn’t last long, but it was soft and felt like home.

“You’re a sweetheart, Kid,” he complimented as he separated from you, just before he stood. Suddenly the man stripped himself of his slightly wet top before turning his attention to your clothing.

Staring up at him, appreciating his bare upper body, you watched as his hands grabbed an oversized lavender-colored sweatshirt. Pulling it off the hanger quickly, he had it situated over his body within seconds. Looking down at you, he met your gaze, smirking at your engrossed expression.

“You’re pretty in lavender,” you whispered to him, a bashful grin overtaking his face.

Leaning down, he kissed your forehead, his lips lingering once again. “Alright little guy,” he suddenly addressed Holly as he pulled away from you. “You gotta let my girlfriend out of the closet,” he told the dog, patting his thighs to try to coax his dog to him, only for the dog to spite him by not even flinching toward his owner.

“Honey boy, he’s still scared,” you pouted, Yoongi’s eyes shifting from Holly to you. Thinking for a moment, he sighed, turning his back on you and heading toward the bed. You watched him carefully, following his every move as he pulled the comforter off the mattress and grabbed two pillows.

The man avoided your eye contact as he waddled back to the closet, a frown etched in his features though you knew he wasn’t actually upset by anything. It was obvious he found this whole situation quite adorable.

Appearing in front of you, he stepped over your body, as well as Min Holly, and dropped the blanket and pillows onto the floor with a thud. Next, he was pulling his jeans off his frame, tossing them onto the bedroom floor outside the closet, his eyes following them as they descended to the floor, your eyes glued to his now bare limbs. You actually couldn’t see the upper majority of his legs due to the oversized material of the sweatshirt, which made him look rather cute.

“You’re very hot,” you complimented with a smirk, the man scoffing as he picked up the comforter before nodding to the dog that was looking up at him curiously.

“Lift him so I can cover you with this,” he told you, you smirking as you pulled Holly from your lap to your chest, allowing Yoongi to tuck you in.

“You’re being really cute,” you smiled, Yoongi holding back a grin of his own as he simply hummed. “These are honey boy antics, sir.”

“Yeah, yeah, so I’m soft for you and my dog, so what,” he dismissed nonchalantly, all while your smile grew larger, your heart racing with affection for the man. When Yoongi lowered himself to take the spot next to you, he lifted a pillow, silently staring at you as he waited for you to sit up so he could put the pillow underneath your head. Fluffing it slightly, he nodded once with a small close-mouthed smile before grabbing his own pillow and doing the same thing again.

“Thank you, Yoongi,” you told him sincerely as you rested back against the pillow, the cushion feeling nice and relieving on your slightly strained neck. Turns out closets aren’t really the most comfortable sleeping space.

“Thanks for taking care of my dog,” he replied with that same adorable grin, which accentuated the plushness of his cheeks. As Holly moved to lay between the both of you, you leaned toward your boyfriend, holding his face in place so you could press a series of smooches to his plush cheek. Finally.

Whining slightly at your incessant affection, Yoongi squirmed away from you, only to turn and face you and press his lips to yours in a messy and playful meeting. Laughing into the kiss, Yoongi couldn’t help but smile as well, a light chuckle leaving those pretty lips as he pulled away from you.

“Go back to sleep,” he told you, his face full of fond adoration as he settled into his spot, pulling the comforter up as his hand found the dog. Yoongi pet Holly’s face as the dog leaned into the touch. “You too,” he directed to the dog in a playful demand. “I don’t know what your end game is here, bud. Are you trying to steal my girl?” he questioned the furry pal, you giggling at you nuzzled your face against the pillow, reaching out to drape your arm overtop Yoongi’s body. “You can’t have her,” Yoongi whispered, a smile stretching across your face. “I won’t let you.”

“He’s a charmer,” you mumbled through a yawn, your sleepiness hitting you suddenly.

“So am I,” Yoongi countered, rolling onto his side so he faced you. As your eyes fluttered shut, sleep overtaking you quickly, the man watched you lovingly. “I’m hot, remember.”

“That’s true,” you agreed sleepily. “The hottest.”

Yoongi continued to watch as your body became more relaxed underneath the warmth of the comforter; the warmth of having Yoongi next to you, and of course, Min Holly. Though his own eyes were becoming heavy, he kept them open to appreciate the way your face relaxed, your lips becoming pouted as your exhales slipped between them in slowed breaths.

“Tell me one thing,” you suddenly spoke up, your voice surprising Yoongi out of his trance.

“Hm,” he hummed for you to continue, a soft smile planted on his mouth.

“Were you hot on camera?” You asked him, referring to his video shoot.

A silent chuckle left the man, his hand leaving Min Holly, and finding your own hand that rested between your bodies. Wrapping his fingers around your own, he stared at your hands connected; your skin was warm against his, Yoongi sighing contently.

“I was hot on camera,” he confirmed, a smile just barely tugging on your lips that made him chuckle lightly in response.

“That’s my honey boy,” you whispered, burying yourself further into the pillow.” There was a pause, and Yoongi was about to shut his own eyes and allow himself to be dragged into dreamland. However, you spoke once again, the man sighing as he prepared to tell you to go to sleep, but your words kept him quiet; surprise and excitement coursing through his every limb as soon as the words met his ears. “I’m falling for you,” you admitted in your nearly unconscious state.

“Falling for me?” He questioned, his voice barely audible as a bashful smile curved on his lips, those kissable cheeks tinting pink. You would have cooed at the sight had your eyes been open.

He knew you were unaware of your confession, but he hoped it was as genuine as he believed it to be. Yoongi wouldn’t bring up the confession; no teasing the next day; no pressure for elaboration at a later date. But with the warmth that filled his frame as he watched you breathe deeply, finally having given in to your tiredness, he was certain that he felt the same way.

You were falling for him. And he had already fallen in love with you.

Yoongi’s eyes slowly left your face, traveling down to find the dog staring up at him.

“Hear that?” He whispered to his dog, a gummy smile planted on his face as his eyes shined with the brightness of new love. “She’s falling for me.”

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astriefer · 3 years

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Let Me Kiss Your Bleedings Goodbye / Look Around And See How Much You Are Loved

Summary: Alastair just wants to listen to music in his room, but the world won't have it.

Word count: 5718

Warnings: alcohol, implied mental abuse, manipulation, toxic relationships, cursing, mentioned alcoholism, neglect, negative thoughts.

@littlx-songbxrd that one is for your birthday! You chose angst the other day so I just rolled with it-

Happy birthday!! You're an amazing, creative,talented and such a special friend! I'm glad I got to meet you ^-^

All Alastair asked for was to listen to music on his phone and mind his own business. But of course, the fates weren't happy unless Alastair has had a shitty day.

Cordelia knocked on his door politely. "Alastair?"

It was Saturday, so she had no reason to bother him. Lunch had already been served, and she was about to go out with her friends. So why come bother him now?

He made no move to unlock the door, and his annoying little sister repeated, "Alastair!"

She started to slam her fists at the door like some sort of a madwoman, and Alastair groaned and tore himself from his bed. "What?" he hissed as his bedroom door flew wide open.

"Mâmân wants you downstairs," Cordelia answered, backing away slightly. If she heeded Alastairs's pissed mood, good. She interrupted in the middle of his favorite song. The call of reason would say it was because they were almost nose to nose, and she was repulsed of his closeness as any other sibling would, but he liked the first option better.

"And that you couldn't tell me through the door because?" he snarled, and Cordelia rolled her eyes. He glanced at her and noticed what she wore - one of her favorites clothes Lucie picked up for her a few months ago. He arched a perfect eyebrow at his sister."Is there some special occasion?"

Cordelia's cheeks flushed red, and she decisively didn't meet his eyes. "It's nothing. Just going out with some-- That's none of your business. You're so irking. Oof."

She exchanged to the annoyed-sibling-defense-system mid-sentence. It was Alastair's turn to roll his eyes so he didn't waste it. "Whatever. Go play dolls with Lucie." Closing the door behind him, he ambled down the staircase to the ground floor, ignoring his sister's protest.

He entered the drawing-room, which he found deserted. All that laid there were a few magazines Cordelia left on the table and an empty cup of coffee. He didn't stall to wonder who besides him drank coffee in the house since his mother was pregnant - and it was unhealthy for the baby - and Cordelia didn't like it. He headed to the dining room, finding his mother seated on one of the dinner table's seats. In front of her, seemingly a pristine-white unopened letter.

"Dearling," Sona smiled at her son, the light not reaching her eyes. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," he answered. He perched on the chair next to hers and took one of the pastries Risa brought the previous day that laid in a basket. She would occasionally check on Sona and them. Their aunt had assisted them in any possible way was able to in the past few months. And even before that, she volunteered to do things Alastair wished she wouldn't. She once contacted James Herondale, Cordelia's boyfriend, to give him the talk . It was hilarious as much as it was terrifying because while Risa picked fundamental English words, she had him by the arm to help her translate. And Holly Lord in the sky, he couldn't look James in the face for a month.

Sona just studied him for a few moments, before her features softened. "You always so self-reliant." she shook her head. "I'm sorry. You don't need your mother to nag you."

Alastair inclined toward her, squinting. "Mom, I never said that."

"You seem peeved at me," she adjusted her deep green roosari - it matched the wide yellow and green dress she wore - before resting her eyes on the letter. "I would think it has something to do with puberty if I didn't have a second teenager in the house."

"I'm not angry at you." Alastair scoffed.

"Alright," Sona said.

"Are Cordelia and I in a competition of who is the worst teenager? Well - at least I'm on the lead. Cordelia should level up her game."

"Dear, it's not it," Sona lifted both her hands, like in a plea, before she dropped them on the table again. Alastair noted her eyes wandered around the room - deviated from how she usually behaved - and suspected he was going to be apprised of some news.

Brows furrowed, he asked, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Well-" she rubbed at her eyes, and Alastair noticed - not for the first time - the dark circles around his mother's eyes. Does he keep you awake at night? He wished to ask in worse days, to see if it hurt her as much as it hurt him. Or is he haunting you with nightmares?

Alastair long knew the figure Elias is in Cordelia and Sona's dreams is of some immaculate hero. One with kind eyes, a guiding beacon, a loving man. In their dreams, he would outstretch a comforting hand and still be young and caring. He's the best version of himself, a father and a husband that loves them. He is also the man that dwelled in his most horrifying nightmares - A drunk, nothing more. He was swigging vodka by the bar, with cold eyes and tousled white hair. This version of his father, he knew, would call him a brat, would complain about his mother pestering him to visit rehab. His father would hug his bottle and glance at him as if he was a nuisance to get rid of, and he would close his eyes and wish to be elsewhere. But he's small again, and just wants his father to leave the bottle to hug him goodnight, tucked safely under the blankets. But his father wouldn't come.

Was it foolish his heart still stung whenever he came across this truth?

She cut the pleasantries and readied herself. "Your father's lawyer declared he wouldn't waive the trial," Sona conceded, her shoulders sagged. His mother laid a protective hand on her belly, where Alastair's sibling has been growing in her womb for the past few months. "A letter was dispatched."

It was all it had to take to ruin his day. He barely had the restraint to not leap on feet and scream at the cursed photo of his father, hung on one of the walls. Before it was all revealed, before it exploded in their face, and far before Cordelia became aware of their father's afflict, they used to do it often. To talk about what they would do next. How to protect Cordelia, how to help Elias, how to hide the appalling secret of their family their best. Now they did it for an entirely different reason.

Up to a few months ago, they were still a picture of a family in a broken frame. When the court exonerated Elias from any blame, they reunited and returned to posture like they always had been. Act, because that is all they could do. However, upon Elias's trial, Cordelia discovered the truth. Alastair was so exhausted from hiding it, he didn't perceive it until he let the lie collapse. He had blamed himself, he still did, but it changed nothing from the fact Cordelia knew about their father now.

She knew, and she was livid. At Alastair, at their mother and father, at the world. After all, she lived a lie. Who could have blamed her?

It was that day he confessed to her in a shaken voice the utter truth and let the wall between them succumb and burn to ashes. When he looked her in the eyes then, he saw the light in her eyes dimming, reality striking, the way he desires it never would. All those years he kept her safe from Elias were in vain. Although he received his sister back into his life, there was little Alastair could do but blame himself for shattering the delicate reality they threaded around her, the needless pain he caused her. She needed to comprehend, he told himself, what was behind the mask her father put in front of the world.

But if he never wanted to tell her, did it still count?

And his mother. She looked stiff, if not a bit tired. She held herself straight and proud, yet it was useless. Because what could she do? What either of them could do?

"He accuses me of Parental Alienation," Sona went on, caressing her belly delicately. She peeked at the letter again, and Alastair did as well. Now he realized the sign on the letter, and the fact it seemed unopened but in fact was. "The court is checking out at his claims."

Alastair exhaled through the nose, rocking his leg in rage. "That's nonsense. He's irresponsible alcoholism that can't take care of himself. He was tipsy on the day of the trial! Any feeling we have toward him, it's his own making." Throughout the very beginning of sending the Divorce Complaint to court, Elias had refused to accept he was divorcing. Alastair was awfully aware his father wanted custody over them, and he fought with all his unmighty power to prevent it. When he imagined his younger siblings suffering a fraction of his father's attitude, his nerves set on fire. He was aware his mother fought teeth and nails to proceed in this divorce even without this additional claim.

And Alastair was even more aware they barely had had the money to pay for this.

"What does he want?" Alastair growled. "He knows we don't have that money! He doesn't have the money to pay for this prosecution either!" His father, being put in jail, fired from his job, and wasting their money on wine, probably couldn't even provide Child Support.

"I thought it was going so well," Sona returned his stare, kind and calm. The giving sign she was upset was that rustling sound her roosari made when she fixed it restlessly.

"And Cordelia?" he made to quiet himself on the spot. He spoke in something similar to a whisper. "Bloody hell, she's upstairs. How can we tell her?"

"Language," she warned, then reached and rested her hand on his comfortingly. "She already knows."

He whipped his head in her direction. His mother didn't bat an eyelash. He managed only to let a strangled "What?" escape his mouth. He couldn't wound his mind around it. The father Cordelia looked up to betrayed her, over and over again.

His mother closed her eyes. Maybe she couldn't look at his desperate, fumed face any longer. "She was the one to fetch the letter from the post." Alastair held himself from swearing again and rose to his feet. It's good his mother didn't look at him - he wasn't sure he could look at her either. He was trembling with agitation, his vision red.

"He can't do that. He can't- get to win. Not after all the pain we've been through because of him. That's not fair. That's not fair." He was breathing hard.

"He wouldn't. Alastair, dear, look at me."

Her words were veracious, so was her voice. He couldn't manage himself to do as she said.

"Joonam-"

"I'm going for a walk." He declared strongly, hastily. "I need to chill out. Go and rest, Mother. You shouldn't work yourself out."

And with that, he took his leave. He ignored his mother calling him from behind. He brought no chattel but himself and whatever he bore that instant as he closed the door behind him and rushed down the street to disappear among the many passersby of London. Before even thinking about it, his phone was out, and he typed feverishly and pressed send without waiting to reread his text. He tucked his phone back into his trouser's pocket and took a deep breath.

His father wouldn't desist from haunting him, no matter how much he prayed it to come to an end. When his mother announced she wants a divorce, he - not lacking guilt - felt glad. Each day home was a misery. His mother was confined to bed, his father trailed the streets as if he didn't return from rehab just a month before. And this life was a cage he longed to escape, to set free from the crushing weight on his heart.

His father-

He came to a halt in the middle of the street, letting his head fall all the way back with closed eyes. He wanted to punch a wall or lash out at someone. When he talked with Jem the other day, his cousin told him bottling things inside would only result in a breakdown. He recommended he contact a person he trusted when it all felt too much for Alastair to bear.

Perhaps he should...

No. he shook as head, trying to toss this idea into an imaginary dump bin. There's no need. A nice, solitary stroll is a splendid solution. Alastair needn't anyone to look at his back worriedly like some ailing lost kitten. He didn't need it. He can be fine if he simply composed himself.

He let his legs carry him mindlessly, losing himself in his thoughts. He walked, and walked, and walked. It was a great aid to clear his mind. Even in a crowded London street in the afternoon, he felt the tight cloud of thoughts loosening around his mind. Not for long, however.

He walked near a club - a club he knew very well, but not because of his father. And in the entrance stood a freckled figure, with silken ginger hair and piercing green eyes.

The sight of his ex-boyfriend was enough to startle Alastair out of his thought. They locked eyes, and Alastair nearly lost his footing. Charles blurted something to whomever he was talking to and advanced toward the dark-haired boy. Alastair felt himself go stiff as if he prepared for a hit. Swiftly, he considered turning around and flee, and just as he was about to put this thought into effect, he felt a hand seizing his forearm. While Collecting his confidence, he turned to give Charles a blank glare.

"Alastair." greeted the older boy. "What are you doing here?"

"None of your business," Why did his voice sound hoarse? "Let go of me," Alastair demanded.

Charles's grip on his dark skin did not weaken. It felt warm even though there had been a layer of cloth between them. Alastair attempted to break free, however Charles pressed his hand harder, not enabling Alastair to move. "Come."

And so Alastair was led by his redhead ex-partner to an alley, hidden from any of Charles's companions. Alastair had the sudden urge to laugh - still so furtive. Still so abashed. Charles shoved him into the alley, blocking his way out with his body. "Alastair. I haven't seen you in a long time."

However mad he felt, his voice came out calm. Cold. Indifferent. Like he practiced in front of a mirror when he was small. "That was the point of breaking up with you," he retorted evenly.

Charles ignored his remark. "You haven't answered any of my texts, nor my calls. I ought to speak with you."

A lump rose in his throat. "I can't fathom anything to be said to matter."

He dug his nails in his palm, then understood he'd been doing it and forced himself to relax. Charles had no authority over him. He couldn't reach him now. Yet, it felt far away when Charles studied him like a very interesting political certificate. He hesitated before lifting his hand to touch Alastair's cheek tenderly. Alastair, in turn, backed away. Which was a difficult talk considering Charles still held his hand around his forearm.

"Unhand me," Alastair almost spat. He felt his own shield build up. "Do you want any of your colleagues to see you so close to a man?" The dark-eyed boy knew it would work. Charles always aspired to appear pivotal, even when it was clearly pretentious of his side. Charles's grip loosened him and Alastair hastily put distance between them. Charles gave him a look - one Alastair could only describe as wistful.

"Had I known what I did wrong to make you stop caring for me, I would have made sure to keep you closer to me," Charles said softly.

At first, it sounded almost sweet. Almost. Rather rapidly it turned disgusting as the words sank. Keep you closer, toughen the chains, tell lies to a love-famished soul.

He felt fire spreading in his stomach. Not the good sort of fire - but the kind that consumes everything it touches, that destroys and demolishes and injures. "You didn't know?" Alastair's voice quivered as he spoke, barely tamed anger in every syllable. "Shucks, so what could tell? What could tell you did something wrong when I told you I was upset you were with Ariadne? And later on, when you went and pushed your tongue into Grace's mouth in front of my eyes to make everyone believe you're straight? Or perhaps that whenever I expressed any feeling that wasn't gratitude you grace me with your presence, you said I'm overreacting? "

Charles straightened. "I wasn't bad to you. I tried to give you everything I could."

"Damnit, Charles, not today," Alastair whirled in his place, his words hot and sharp. "That's not on you to decide if you were bad or good to me! You have no right to decide for me. You gave me what you thought would be enough so I won't talk, and I was a boy desperate to be loved." He exhaled slowly. "So no, Charles. You weren't good for me at all."

"You wanted me to out myself for you when I wasn't ready?"

He was never going to be ready, Alastair thought. "If you think I was upset with you because you weren't out, you don't know me at all." A mirthless laugh slipped Alastair's lips. Did Charles even listen to him?

"Don't say that." Charles objected. "I know you better than anyone else. You know that too." he huffed and loosened his tie. "No, that's not it. Do you not love me anymore?"

It was ridiculous. "No, Charles, I don't." The smell hit his nostrils, and the realization dawned on him. Charles's mouth stank from Alcohol, despite not smelling it on his clothes at all.

Ah.

"You're drunk," Alastair condemned. It was almost an accusation, spoke so offhandedly. But he truly didn't care enough for it to be an accusation.

"I drank only a drink or two." Charles dismissed, and he looked so ugly at that moment, Alastair wanted to flee from his presence. "If you didn't want me, don't blame me for why this relationship broke apart. I try to make things right."

It was comedic to watch Charles exculpate himself and put the blame on Alastair, had it been another day. Now, it only pissed Alastair furthermore.

"Stay away from me," his words sounded like acid in his ears. "I am not fond of drunks. Or ex-boyfriends. And you seem to be both."

Charles made a comical face, one in another day Alasair might laugh at. Distantly, he realized now why Cordelia and Sona were so reluctant to break him the news. When it came to this case, and to his father, Alastair was always on his toes. He is still too easily riled by the words and deeds of others sometimes. When he had to tell the court about his deeds revolving around his father - the late-night walks outside to pubs, the frequent help; the fear someone would find out - he poured all of his being to try and help his family. Defend them from Elias. But seemingly it had no use, and all Alastair was left with is his contempt with nowhere to pour it into. It slipped from the cracks of his armor like Lava.

He passed Charles, who no longer blocked the alley, and Charles perked up and said, "We haven't finished talking."

His phone buzzed repeatedly, signaling Kamala had received his previous message. "We are done," Alastair growled, loud. These green eyes widened, and he opened his mouth. To shush him, most probably. However, blood boiled in his ears and his words demanded to be heard. "Unassuming, quiet, dark," Alastair snapped. "A bloody puppet, that's what you want. And I refuse to be your puppet any longer. What is in my words unclear to you? Stay. Away. Should I spell it for you?"

Charles glanced at the sides nervously, looking for leery eyes even though there were none. Alastair couldn't believe it. Charles still tried to subdue him. It made him smirk ruthlessly at the older boy. "But you can't take no for an answer, do you? You think you deserve everything."

"You have no idea what you're talking about," The redhead scoffed, squinting at him. "If you're angry at something, don't take it on me."

"Oh, I will do whatever I want to do," His grin widened viciously." All I do is tell you exactly what I think of you. Does it hurt your white-man-superiority complex?" he mocked with a false sad nod. "Too bad."

His phone started to ring, and he could already tell it was Kamala, worried about what he told her. She was straightforward when she told him once to never hesitate to call her if her help is required. In some of his worst days, it was his best friend that contributed to preventing him from knocking his head in a wall. Moreover, Alastair told Kamala everything about the lawsuit and what they'd been through - the Carstairs saw her like family - and she was nothing but understanding. It took every gram of control in Alastair's body to clasp his phone and say, "I must go."

He didn't wait for an answer.

His phone went quiet in his hand. He pressed a few buttons and gripped the phone close to his ear.

After the fourth ring, someone picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Our place," Alastair's voice was strained. It felt like it came out from far, far away. "Now."

With adrenaline still driving through his system, he headed to his hideout. When life would be too much, he used to wander around town or find his escape in the calm of nature. And if this meant hunkering down next to a fence in Hyde Park, that's his business alone.

His phone raged up, and he felt stable enough to answer. The first thing Kamala said over the call was, "Love, I'm so sorry."

"Yes," Alastair mumbled darkly. "Me too."

Eventually, they hung up, and he sat on the ground, so his legs were against his chest and his arms surrounding them. For however long it'd been, he rested his head on the fence and let his overloaded mind take a break. When it didn't work and his head still throbbed, Alastair kicked at the ground in frustration, raising a cloud of dust. Then he sounded the low noise of feet against the sand, and a long figure climbed the fence he leaned on.

He stared at what Thomas was securing at his hands before he made a noise of annoyance. "Hell with this," he reached his hand, "Bring it over."

He grasped the can of beer, opening it with a loud pssh-pop! The can was cold in his hand, as if fresh from the store, and he took a sip. Then he lowered the can, revealing again the image of Thomas in a hoodie and pajama pants. He looked like he put random combination clothes and went outside, which probably wasn't far from the truth. Alastair didn't have the power to hum appreciatively.

"You sounded like you were crashed by a motorcycle, and then was chewed by the cats and dogs of the neighborhood," Thomas offered. "Thought you might need it."

"No shit," Alastair mumbled. "Thanks." He cradled it to his chest and looked away. Thomas looked a bit worried, but he said no words. As silence as a cat - no, Thomas was better described as a tiger - he went and sat next to Alastair. He opened his own beer can, gulping the drink in big sips.

Alastair had not opened his mouth, and Thomas didn't pressure him. For long moments that stretched even longer than they should, none of them uttered a word. They set together, side by side, surrounded by trees and leaves and the sun sinking from the west. With a big 'Ugh', Alastair dipped his head and slipped into Thomas's arms.

"I don't want you embroiled in this," Alastair murmured, not moving as Thomas started tracing circles on his arm.

Thomas sighed softly, resting his chin on top of Alastair's head, not before he planted a kiss on the line of his hair. "Alright. But you know you can tell me whatever you want, yes?"

"I do," Alastair fell silent for a few seconds. His cheek was against Thomas's pulse point, where he found himself calming down with its steady beat. "I met Charles today."

"Charles?" at this sole word Thomas went rigid, ultimately relaxing as Alastair captured the hand on his arm and intertwined their fingers. "What has happened?"

"Nothing," Alastair answered and he knew without looking Thomas had his adorable face twisted in bewilderment. Therefore he added, reluctantly, "The usual."

Thomas moved to eye him suspiciously, but Alastair's head was still tucked under Thomas's chin. "I wouldn't think you call me if it was nothing."

"I call you for all sort of things. It doesn't have to be because my toxic ex is a dipshit."

"It feels like a low bar."

Alastair chuckled. "It really is."

Silence ensued and the presence of his boyfriend made everything brighter. Later at night, he would wonder how one man could make it so much better, yet now he just felt blessed to have Thomas by his side. A few minutes passed with Alastair closing his eyes and melting into Thomas's hug, while Thomas stroked his back comfortingly.

"Alastair?"

"Mhh."

"Alastair. "

He dug his fingers at the cool ground, taking a deep breath in an attempt to regain his composure. "What?"

He pushed Alastair back gently, and the short boy complied so they were face to face. "Are you alright?"

His dark eyes refused to meet with Thomas's hazel ones. There had been a quiet, "I'm not sure."

Thomas picked at a loose string of his hoodie, and Alastair made a mental note to steal his boyfriend's hoodie and sew it. He sat next to Thomas and reached for the beer, gulping the content of the can. He turned to Thomas, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He furrowed his brows when his boyfriend looked at him oddly, but it soon disappeared from Thomas's face.

Alastair fiddled with the hem of his shirt, and his eyes were yet low on the ground. He sounded rustling by his side and glanced at his boyfriend as he took off his hoodie. Alastair cocked his eyebrow, and Thomas huffed at him with flushed cheeks. He handed him the hoodie. "You - might be cold. It's rather late, and you wear nothing but a T-shirt."

He scanned Thomas's underneath jumper and deemed it not much warming. "And you?"

"I am big, I make a lot of heat. Cellular respiration and all that."

Alastair snorted, shaking his head. "You daft med student."

He found solace in the warm hug of his boyfriend. And wearing his hoodie was almost the same, although he missed the heat. Yet, it was soft and familiar and all Thomas. His smell was enticing to Alastair, and he put it on and sniffed it -indistinguishably - even if Thomas was just a few inches away.

As the sun set, it tinted the forest around them orange.

"You're doing the thing," Alastair commented, causing Thomas to blink.

"The what?" the tall boy asked.

"The thing. That you do." he poked Thomas's side. "You get all pensive and thoughtful and furrows your brows in that adorable way of yours. You caress your rose compass tattoo."

Thomas gave him a slight smile. "Genie has been ecstatic ever since Kamala agreed to join our family trip. I'm afraid my father is going to ask you himself if I won't."

"Ah."

"It's a bad timing, though," Thomas cackled nervously. "Sorry, never mind."

"That's fine, I don't care," Alastair said. "What family trip?"

"We thought to visit mom's country last year, but this year we want to visit some rural parts of England. Uncle Will keeps telling us how visiting North Wells, where his family lived. Eugenia keeps threatening to steal my sweets."

"She certainly would still all your snacks," Alastair speculated. He flapped mindlessly the sleeves of Thomas's hoodie to himself, which were too long for him. Thomas sent him a soft side smile.

"She will," agreed Thomas in false despair, resting his head on the fetch they leaned on. "She's like some sort of sweets monster. The only way to calm her down is to sacrifice our food."

"I know," was Alastair's response. "She's my friend. My very own short chaotic, havoc-causing, maniac goblin friend." It startled a laugh out of Thomas, and he went to rest his hand on Alastair's knee.

"Dad keeps joking he will cancel the trip if not all of the honorary lightwoods join as well. But honestly, I'm not sure he's joking any longer."

"Honorary Lightwoods?"

"He adopted y'all the moment you steeped a foot into our house. You know that." Thomas's voice sounded almost longing. He added, with a good laugh, "I think he favors you over his own children."

Alastair didn't know why he had to be this way, but it caught him off guard. It made a weird pang in his heart to think Gideon Lightwood would consider him his son. Even more so, when he knew his own father would prefer to engage in a foreign bar than to eat with him. Alastair's throat felt thick all of a sudden, and it was hard to breathe. He made a shaky inhale, as soft and thin as paper. Thomas captured that, of course.

"Baby," Thomas whispered. He acted cautiously, like he was afraid to scare Alastair away.

"No," Alastair chocked out. He hid his face in his elbow, struggling to take another breath. "Nope."

It was silent for at least a minute before Thomas piped out, "Alastair joon."

Abruptly, Alastair lifted his head and turned to his boyfriend, a spike of anger ignited."I should be stronger," Alastair burst out, heat in his words, like flames. "It shouldn't - why does it affect me like this? This isn't - nothing has happened, so why-" he cut himself off, watching Thomas's countenance. He was the epitome of calm, deep understanding eyes and soft around the corners. His lips were pressed, and he was utterly handsome. Ridiculous.

Thomas swooped him into a hug, and Alastair didn't accept it. He fought to break loose and jumped on his feet. Raving fear and outrage and agony all mixed together on the tip of his tongue. He felt angry at himself for reacting this way, at Thomas for having such a perfect family, at the world because there was no one to blame for his situation. "A few months ago I still searched for my father in pubs to return him home safely. Now I look for my father from the other side of the courtroom and watch him try to take away my sibling. And my mother - she wouldn't admit it but I know she's stressed. She probably can't even sleep at night without my ass of a father to haunt her! And Charles wouldn't even realize he's in the wrong, because as always, it's just my fault it all broke apart. Mine. Mine alone."

"And Charles is still a jerk, and Mâmân is still unwell, and my goddam father is the worst father of the year," Alastair gritted his teeth. "And I feel so useless. Utterly useless. because I can't do anything about it. The court will prefer my father's white ass to my brown skin. They would think he's a better fit to take care of the child, even it's crystal clear he isn't. He wasn't for us, he will never be. And this poor child - it deserves a real family. And my drunken father is nothing of what it deserves. So how can he try to get custody over it, Thomas? How can they let him? "

"Alastair," his name sang on his boyfriend's tongue was like thick syrup. "You are not useless."

The shorter man flashed at him with a growl. "I couldn't help my father with his problem. I can't help my mom in court. I can't even be a good sibling to Cordelia, so how could I be a good one to the baby-?"

He was shuddering, he perceived, even though the night wasn't very cold. Was he sobbing? he couldn't tell. It was like he felt everything detached from afar. He felt bulky arms close around him, and he didn't protest this time. He tried to catch his breath, albeit it kept escaping him.

"None of this is your fault, Azizam. Life can be unfair to fair people. But you mustn't question yourself because of it." Thomas grazed a big, warm hand on Alastair's cheek, sweeping his tears. "And your love is so profound, it can build bridges. It's so selfless and raw and pure, can't you see it? It's all your heart, all of you, aching because you want those you love to be well. And they will be well, Alastair. They can move mountains because it's you on their side. They are lucky to have you." His voice lowered to a whisper.

"This is just too much," Alastair shook his head. "I just- want to be out of my racing mind. I want some quiet."

Thomas gave him a sad look. "I can't tell you it will pass soon. But you're not alone, Alastair. You have many people to hold you when you feel you're about to fall. All you have to do is look."

They set there in their hideout, and Thomas leaned in and left a gentle kiss on Alastair's lips. A promise.

Alastair tilted his head and closed his eyes. "What did I do to deserve you?"

"If anything, it's the opposite. You're spectacular," Thomas leaned in again, so their foreheads and noses touch. It startled a bubbled giggle out of Alastair, and Thomas smirked. He repeated it again and again and again. Until Alastair started to believe his words.

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rachelkaser · 2 years

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Stay Golden Sunday: Bringing Up Baby

When Rose’s uncle dies, he leaves her the care of Baby -- his prize-winning pig. Sophia breaks her glasses.

Picture It...

A cab leaves the Girls’ house, and the doorbell rings. When Dorothy answers, a glasses-less Sophia hugs her in relief. She broke her glasses the mall and spent six hours finding her way home. She also mistakes Blanche for part of the couch. Finally, Rose comes home, looking distracted. The other Girls ask what’s wrong, and Rose says she’s getting a baby -- her uncle Hingablotter died and left her custody. Sophia continues to be confused about the layout of the house.

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The Girls would love the chance to mother a baby again, and agree to do it together. Blanche worries about four women raising a baby, as she’s read that they need a male influence, but the other Girls reassure her it’ll be fine. The doorbell rings: It’s Uncle Hingablotter’s lawyer, and he brought the baby. They all cluster excitedly around the door, and Rose asks if the baby looks like her. The lawyer, rather confused, says she can see for herself, and pulls on a leash. A very large pig walks into the house and starts snuffling around.

Rose is ecstatic at the sight of the pig, but Blanche and Dorothy ask what’s going on. The pig is Baby, Uncle Hingablotter’s pride and joy. Blanche initially refuses to care for the pig, until the lawyer drops the news that Hingablotter left Rose $100,000 to care for Baby. This news becomes even more palatable at the revelation of three key facts: 1) Rose gets the money when Baby dies, 2) pigs live about 25 years, and 3) Baby is 29. With that incentive, they happily welcome Baby into the house.

DOROTHY: Here honey, I picked up your new glasses. SOPHIA: Oh thank god, now I can see. *takes out the glasses* Aw, wait a minute, these are no good. DOROTHY: What, are they the wrong prescription? SOPHIA: No, the wrong frames. I specifically asked for “Old Lady Smoky Gray.” *puts the new glasses on* These are black. I look like Buddy Holly. ROSE: *coming out to the porch* There you are! You get in the kitchen and eat your slop before I spank that little pink fanny! SOPHIA: Alright, I’m going, I’m going! Oh sorry, that’s the way they used to call us for dinner at The Home.

Sometime later, Baby joins Sophia on the porch, nibbling on some popcorn. Dorothy comes home and hands Sophia her new glasses, which of course Sophia finds reason to complain about. Rose shoos Baby into the house and talks about how happy she is to have a pig around. Dorothy isn’t as enchanted, as Baby is apparently quite smelly. Blanche comes out, whining that Baby tore up her nightgown and is wreaking havoc on the house. Rose apologizes for Baby causing trouble and offers to send him to one of her relatives back in Minnesota.

Dorothy pulls Blanche aside and reminds her that they cash in as soon as the pig dies, which he’s likely to any day. Blanche calls Rose back and reassures her that Baby isn’t so bad, so he can stay. Rose is ecstatic, and asks one of them to feed Baby lunch the next day. Sophia refuses, as she objects to their greed -- at least until they offer to cut her in. Rose runs back in and says Baby just collapsed. Later that night, Rose frets over Baby’s health, but the other Girls tell her there’s not much they can do, as Baby is quite old. Rose goes to check on him, while the other Girls cheerfully talk about how they intend to spend the money.

BLANCHE: Rose, honey, don’t torture yourself. Now Baby is very, very old. Whenever one of God’s creatures outlives its normal life expectancy, why it can go at any minute! SOPHIA: Would you mind not looking at me when you say that?

The Girls come home with the many purchases they’ve made on credit, to see Rose speaking with a veterinarian. The vet says that Baby doesn’t have much time left, but he’s not actually sick: He’s most likely stressed from being removed from his familiar environment. In essence, he’s dying of homesickness. The vet recommends they send Baby back to the farm. After he leaves, Rose is determined to do this, but the other three Girls quickly talk her out of it, saying that they’re the best people to care for the aging pig. Rose caves, and thanks them for caring so much. The Girls immediately feel guilty, but go out for some more retail therapy.

The next day, Dorothy and Blanche meet in the kitchen, and Dorothy is beside herself with guilt over spending Baby’s blood money. Blanche misunderstands, and shows her what she and Sophia have just bought with their combined money: A light-blue Mercedes. Dorothy says she’s going to tell Rose everything and get her to send Baby home. Blanche, who very much loves the car, attempts to waylay her and even offers her one of her four sons, but Dorothy says the whole thing has gone far enough.

ROSE: Well I might forgive you, but I can’t speak for Baby. DOROTHY: Is there anything we can do to smooth things over? ROSE: Well, a kiss on the nose might be a nice gesture. *Blanche and Dorothy look from Baby to each other, then both lean in and kiss Rose on the nose*

Dorothy goes into Rose’s room, where Rose is laying in bed with the sick Baby. She shows them pictures of a youthful Baby on Uncle Hingablotter’s farm. Dorothy confesses to Rose that the reason she urged her to keep Baby was out of greed. Blanche feigns shock -- Rose is genuinely upset. Blanche gives herself away by insisting that Baby is dying due to age. . . at least, until Baby shrieks at seeing pictures of the farm. Realizing that Baby does genuinely need to be on the farm, they all agree to send Baby home. Sophia comes in to that news and is extremely disappointed.

Later, after Baby leaves, Blanche, Dorothy, and Sophia are moping about giving up the chance to get the money. Rose enters with a letter from her cousin who took Baby. The letter says Baby was very happy to be back on the farm, but died 36 hours after arriving. The other Girls can’t believe their poor luck. The tow truck has come to repo the new Mercedes, and Dorothy laments she never even got to ride in it. Cut to the car, rolling down the road in neutral after the truck, as the Girls all ride in it for the first and last time. Sophia sees a friend of hers on the side of the road peering into the car.

SOPHIA: Eat your heart out, Feinbaum!

“Dorothy, who the hell parked a Buick in my bedroom?”

The third season is all over the place so far. We start off with possibly the saddest VSE in the show’s history, then have a flashback episode, and now one of the show’s silliest plots ever. Here we see the Girls learn an important lesson about avarice, as Blanche, Dorothy, and Sophia nearly trick Rose into sacrificing the life of an ailing pig in exchange for $100,000 -- only to learn that, if they’d kept him a mere day-and-a-half longer, they’d have gotten the money.

This episode is saved from being a two-slicer with some genuinely good jokes that keep it from being boring or a chore to sit through. It’s not great, but it’s not horrible, either. Also, something about seeing the Girls be around animals -- be they porcine, canine, or poultry -- is just delightful. I also appreciate how many jokes there are to make at the expense of pigs, and how creative they can get. Sophia, in particular, gets in some pig jokes at Blanche’s expense, which makes the lanai scene probably the best of the episode.

DOROTHY: What do you say, Ma? SOPHIA: What choice do I have? If I say no, I’ll be back at The Home, building log cabins out of popsicle sticks?

In this episode, the Girls are given harsh karmic punishment for their wanton greed. Upon being told they’ll get $100,000 for caring for an old pig for what they assume to be a short time, they proceed to recklessly put lots of items on credit and even buy an expensive car before even come into possession of the money. Shortly thereafter, their consciences get the better of them and they’re forced to give up material things for the betterment of the animal. I’m not sure if that makes the final scene some kind of additional punishment or what.

The moment when Blanche and Dorothy choose compassion for Baby over money, hard though it is, is gratifying. Rose also forgives them for manipulating her, and, though she doesn’t say it, I think on some level she understands just how tempting the money was for them and how hard it was for them to disregard it. So, in the end, they choose the right thing. I suppose -- I like to think I would choose one animal’s welfare over a $100k payout. You can’t put a price on these things.

SOPHIA: *seeing Baby for the first time without glasses* Oh my god, that’s the cutest baby I’ve ever seen. DOROTHY: Ma, it’s a pig! SOPHIA: Hey, you were no great looker when I brought you home from the hospital, but I loved you anyway!

That said, there are several issues with the episode. First of all, a pig living to age 29 would be a miracle: The oldest pig who’s ever lived (on record, anyway) lived to be 23. I’m also not sure why a veterinarian would recommend sending an aging, ailing pig to the whole other side of the country (and presumably for the second time in a couple of months) to a farm. I understand the idea of getting him to the farm so he can live out his last days in a familiar place, but not the idea that it would prolong his life. And he seems to be comfortable in the Girls’ house anyway.

But that’s not my biggest problem with the episode. If Uncle Hingablotter left Rose the money with the intention that it be used to give Baby the best care, why does she only get the money after Baby dies? I understand the moral about the negative effects of greed, but this part has honestly baffled me since I first saw the episode. How the hell does this inheritance work, anyway? They were caring for Baby for at least a few weeks, but the relatives who looked after him for a day and a half get the dough? What kind of sense does any of this make?

BLANCHE: Girls, I am just so mad! That pig tore up my nightgown last night! SOPHIA: Blanche, the people you date are from foreign countries. They play by different rules. BLANCHE: Oh, I’m talking about Baby. I never should have let that filthy barnyard beast in my house in the first place. He ruins my clothes, smells up the whole house . . . and he likes to watch me take a shower. SOPHIA: He’s a pig. There’s no accounting for taste.

There are other holes in the story too: Rose doesn’t realize Baby is a pig until he arrives at the house, but later shows the Girls pictures of Baby on Uncle Hingeblotter’s farm. She also doesn’t know what the normal temperature is for a pig despite growing up on a farm and spending lots of time with pigs. Also, she’s the one who offers to split the money with the Girls to get them to let her keep Baby, and yet she’s surprised later when she discovers that’s all they were in it for. I’m fine with an episode having an absurd plot, but it needs to at least be consistent and make sense in-universe.

The B-plot, about Sophia being unable to see after breaking her glasses, is very one-note as humor goes. The joke that Sophia doesn’t know her own home or family without her glasses is repeated over and over. I appreciate it for what it is -- as someone who’s so near-sighted that removing my glasses and attempting to move around makes me physically dizzy, I sympathize with Sophia. But still, it wears out its welcome pretty quickly, and is dropped before the mid-point of the episode when she gets her Buddy Holly glasses.

VETERINARIAN: There’s really nothing wrong with Baby physically. ROSE: He has a mental problem. DOROTHY: Four grown women decide to live with a pig, and he’s the one with a mental problem?

There are a few interesting continuity points in this episode. While we already knew that the Girls live on Richmond Street, this is the first time we hear the full address: 6151 Richmond Street. Blanche also names several of her children, though she trips up when she says she has four of them: She may have four sons (she mentions three here -- Biff, Doug, and Skippy -- and also mentioned Matthew in a previous episode, though “Skippy” could be Matthew’s nickname), but we already know she has at least one daughter, Janet, and we later discover she has another, Rebecca.

Rose’s room is also completely different in this episode, with her far wall now being a massive set of windows. This is likely because the show changed sets between seasons from Sunset Gower to Ren-Mar, the former home of Desilu Productions. This is also one of the few times they filmed outside the set for the Mercedes-towing scene at the end. They also filmed a scene in front of the house in Brentwood, California -- which was normally only used for establishing shots -- that stood in the for the Girls’ house, showing the cab dropping off Sophia at the beginning.

SOPHIA: Twenty-five grand in ten seconds? Now I know how Johnny Carson feels!

One fun piece of trivia I learned from Golden Girls Forever: They rarely had the pig who played Baby onset, except for the night of taping. Director Terry Hughes would time the Girls’ lines around the nonexistent pig by shouting “Okay... pig, pig, pig, pig, pig... now speak!” But apparently when he (the pig) was there, he was a competent actor, and had no problem hitting his marks and crossing the set on cue. When Estelle Getty complained about getting the timing right, Hughes responded, “The pig did it,” which became a running gag on the set.

It doesn’t surprise me that the pig -- whose name I couldn’t discover in my research -- was a good scene partner, though. Pigs are incredibly intelligent and delightful animals. Betty White, naturally, enjoyed being around the pig and was even pleased to cuddle with it during the scene where it’s laying in bed (though I think the take they used in the show has a fake pig). For the record, while Blanche protests that Baby smells and is destructive, pigs are actually quite clean and respectful animals. Though what Baby’s intelligence says about his apparent preference for watching Blanche shower, I dare not even contemplate.

Episode rating: 🍰🍰🍰 (three cheesecake slices out of five)

Favorite part of the episode:

Bea Arthur shows just how a good inflection can make even the words “Forget it” and “Welcome, Baby” into an absolute scream:

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#golden girls #stay golden #stay golden sunday #s03e03 #bringing up baby #picture it #rose nylund #dorothy zbornak #blanche devereaux #sophia petrillo

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misslilli · 3 years

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Felix Felicis

MSR. AU. PG-13. | tagging @today-in-fic | AO3

Chapter 10 - XOXO, Gossip Girl

[ DS ]

“Man, I thought our staff meeting was never going to end, I was boored out of my mind while Principal Skinner droned oon and oooon about the importance of having the kid’s desks and chairs at the perfect heights!” Sarah pours herself another glass and passes the bottle to Holly, who agrees wholeheartedly.

“I know, how long can a freaking staff meeting take, everyone’s life flashed before my eyes, I thought I was gonna die in that meeting!” I grab the bottle from Holly and refill my glass.

“Yeah, when he started going over the fire hazards, that haven’t changed in the four year’s we’ve been teaching there, mind you, I was about ready to strangle him with my lanyard!”

“It wasn’t that bad guys, you’re being dramatic. I think he made some interesting points in his speech about classroom safety – seems like you’re going to need it with yours, S!” Alex, always the voice of reason, hands out seconds of our clam chowder.

“I know”, Sarah replies, “The first year’s always a clumsy bunch. On Wednesday one of mine, Felix, he managed to skin both his knees and his hands pretty badly. Poor kid, had to be picked up by his dad!”. Suddenly, the bowl of soup in front of me seems like the most interesting thing in the world and I push bits of clam around with my spoon quietly.

Sarah continues with her story: “He’s a cute kid though, very bright and I can tell he’s good with observing other people, judging their emotions, you know? And get this, I get such a kick out of this: His name’s Felix, yeah? and his dad’s name is Fox. Fox and Felix, how cute is that? I love it! And hoo boy, his dad is. A fox, I mean. He’s devastatingly handsome and so charming!”

Holly whistles through her teeth. “Oooh an interesting turn of events, so much better than complaining about the staff meeting!” At the mention of Felix’s dad, a blush creeps onto my cheeks and I continue to silently stare into my soup. Sarah’s right, of course, and my arm tingles again as I remember the encounter. The elephant on my chest is making an encore performance as well.

“You do realize that that’s a pretty inappropriate topic of conversation we’re having, right?”. Alex gives Sarah and Holly her patented raised-eyebrows, no-nonsense look, which makes Holly giggle.

“Great job at sucking out the fun of a conversation, Alexandra!” Meanwhile, I’m tracing figure-eight swirls into my chowder with my spoon, still not contributing to the conversation, praying to God they won’t notice.

“Of course, he’s off-limits to me as one of my student’s dad but I’m sure he’ll be a hit with the moms, single or not.” Holly goes along with her around a spoonful of soup.

“That’s for sure, I’d be surprised if they haven’t roped him into helping out with every. single. function they have planned this year!” Grinning, she turns her attention to me. “Hey Silent Bob, you’ve been awfully quiet over there, what gives?”

‘Oh shit.’

“You’ve met him D, when he came to pick up his son, haven’t you? Back me up over here!”

“Uh huh…yea…” I mumble into my soup, trying my hardest to hide my flaming cheeks.

Holly frowns at me, cocking her head to her side. Sarah shoots the others a confused look. I swallow thickly around a clam, my throat so tight I can feel it pass all the way down to my stomach.

Alex covers my clammy hand with hers. “Are you alright, D?” I can’t even recognize my own voice when I squeak out a high-pitched “Ya, sure…” and a nervous laugh escapes my lips. I feel pathetic.

Sarah’s eyes widen and she gasps, realization dawning: “YOU LIKE HIM!” I want to dig myself a hole right then and there and crawl into it to die. Damn my Irish complexion for betraying me in a moment of need.

I raise my eyes from my soup and look around at their faces. Sarah’s still in shock and stares at me, Holly is wearing an huge grin of unadulterated glee and Alex just looks at me over her glass with a thoughtful expression on her face, waiting for me to continue. “Yeah, maybe I do…” I sigh miserably and shrug my shoulders, swirling the wine around in my glass.

Holly claps her hands together excitedly, startling the rest of us. “Oh Lordy this is gooood stuff, a budding romance graces the sorrow halls of Plymouth Elementary!”. I frown at her exuberance and Sarah wakes from her stupor.

“I know right? Finally, someone to charm that little rainbow skirt right off of D and I think he’d be the perfect candidate to do just that! His little mini-me is already permanently attached to your side at recess, I saw!” The mention of Felix makes me slide down in my chair just a little bit more and I look down into my bowl, embarrassed.

Alex sets down her glass slowly. “Why the long face, D?”

“Well… you do know that this child must have a mother around, as well, don’t you?” I whisper into my spoonful of soup.

Alex nods solemnly but Sarah pipes up immediately: “I think I can help with that. I only ever saw his dad pick him up, except for today, when his mother did. So like the Curious George that I am, I went to admin and looked at his file – I know, I know, I’m too nosey for my own good – his dad is listed as a sole custodial parent.” She looks pleased with herself. A little glimmer of hope settles in the pit of my stomach at her words, he’s a single parent!

“Still, from what I hear from S, the little guy is already pretty attached to you and he’d be caught right in the line of fire when things go south. He’s already been through a divorce, girls.” At Alex’s words, the little glimmer dies an untimely death.

“A, nothing has started yet and you’re already talking about things going south, you’re ruining all the romance!”

As always, Sarah agrees with Holly. “You’re always so unromantic, Alexandra, let her live a little, she deserves whatever it is that’s about to start!”

They’re trying to get a raise out of Alex, but I’m willing to bet that she won’t budge on this. “It’s not about that and you know it. I wish D all the happiness in the world but there’s a kid here, a kid who’s already been through so much and more importantly, who is already somewhat attached. Think about him for a second before you start up anything.” Before the others can start their counter-argument, I interject.

“Guys! Stop! She’s right! Nothing is ever going to start. Besides Felix, you know how small our town is! People talk. And that talk might very well cost me my reputation andmy job!” It’s a pretty lame excuse, but I can’t tell them that I’m completely overwhelmed by my feelings and the whole situation. Overwhelmed and terrified.

Sarah refills our glasses with the rest of the wine. “Are you kidding me, D? You finally stumble across a guy you like and you’re going to pine for him from afar because you’re afraid the town folk are going to dust off the torches and pitchforks?”

I shift in my seat, uncomfortable. “Can we talk about something else? Please?”

“Que será, será, chicas.,” Holly sings under her breath.

Whatever will be, will be.

#xf #the x files #xf fanfic #msr #felix felicis

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catflowerqueen · 3 years

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And even more thoughts on the future in “Have Brain, Will Parent” as I procrastinate on the actual chapter (and other paperwork I have due this week), I really doubt that “Robbie” would create “Hollis’ Hot Streak” like Raz did in canon—in part because he knows more about boundaries and the consequences of messing with peoples’ brains given his upbringing (*cough* Aunt Cassie’s stories about what happened with his [literal] Aunt Lucy *cough*), but also because he wouldn’t have as many issues with the interns?

For one thing, I was discussing this with Flamyangelwings on the original “Prompts from the Mind” thread and we were thinking that “Robbie” probably wouldn’t even be an intern in the first place—either he tested out with Lili, or he just plain wasn’t interested in it/Helmut didn’t give parental permission. So while I could see him hanging out with them as yet another attempt to socialize him since the whole summer camp thing didn’t work out and the Aquato family needs time to pack and actually travel over for the ensuing custody battle/bonding with their long lost child, the relationship would be different.

They would probably be kinder from the get-go—some of them having likely seen or heard of him from all the forest cryptid stories/him living in the Motherlobe before being shipped off to camp, as well Hollis maybe making it an official assignment for them to help with his reintegration into society, but I’m not so sure he would really care about their opinions in the same way he did in the game? Not to mention the fact that the Casino mission might not even happen unless he decides to mess around in the mail room and uncovers “Nick’s” body.

The only way I can maybe see something similar happening is if that lady who was trying to pick up the mail room slack before Raz came in was the one to uncover that package to “Truman,” and they found the casino keys that way. Meanwhile one of the interns decided to show “Robbie” the Mental Connection technique after class hoping to impress him, since apparently it is considered “advanced,” but the explanation they gave was similar to Norma’s and he still ended up doing it in a way more akin to his circus/running around in the woods instincts. He would stop there, quickly reversing any singular connection that attempt made, and then bow out or ask for a better explanation of what he was actually supposed to do (but still probably find his way superior, even if he never actually utilized the technique), and it would be one of the other kids who gets the idea to try and use his method to change Hollis’ mind (with absolutely no input from “Robbie,” who could have told them what a horrible idea that was).

Hollis would then go find him and drag him along on the mission since she thinks his presence might be “helpful” for some reason (really, it’s that one of her worries that gets dragged into the giant net that created the whole gambling addiction mess involves him, his welfare, his socialization, and possible PR backlash if people find out he was living in their woods for so long without the psychonauts knowing about it or doing anything to help him, so she now has a mental connection between him and “risks” and “rewards” and “casinos” somewhere. She isn’t entirely sure how he fits in, but she is sure he does somehow, so he gets dragged along, too).

Either that, or he would accidentally get dragged along because he followed one of his squirrel friends into the jet and was playing around in it/was retrieving something of his that he forgot in there after the Rhombus of Ruin thing and no one bothered to check that the jet was empty before taking off, so he kind of just got dragged along.

He might still get a little lecture/warning afterwards about how it is a bad idea to enter minds uninvited, and how just because it worked and was helpful this time doesn’t mean it should be something he does often/without permission, but it would definitely be in a gentler and non-blame assigning way because, as stated, this time the entire mess would not have been his fault. In addition to the fact that he sort of kind of got dragged along unwillingly, whether by her directly or because they didn’t realize he was in the jet before takeoff (and if it is the latter case, he will probably get an additional lecture about informing adults of where he is going/what he is going to do before just deciding to take off on his own, and this one will be way more exasperated than the first one because it will be the hundredth time he’s heard it—living in the woods like he did and with so much freedom for so long means that this particular lesson is having a much harder time sinking in. Not helped by the fact that the Whispering Rock fiasco undid all the progress they’d made in the months beforehand since there weren’t actually any adults around he could talk to [Ford doesn’t count, assuming he even ended up talking to him at any point beyond bothering him in the camp store] and he did have to run around and save everyone on his own/with minimal help from his estranged siblings).

Also, the real culprit may or may not actually come forward to accept their guilt. (I’d put high odds on it being either Gisu or Morris’s fault, though.)

#psychonauts #psychonauts 2 #spoilers #have brain will parent #fanfiction #procrastination at its finest

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svu-ncis-criminalminds · 4 years

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History

For the anon who requested : I was wondering if you'd be interested in doing a crossover thing with the reader's ex being either Sonny or Spencer and now she is starting to date the other? You can make it angsty or fluff or whatever you'd like. I love both of them so much.

You woke up with arms tightly wrapped around you and the sound of your alarm blaring next to you. The body behind you groaned and pulled you even closer.

“Turn it off.” He begged and you rolled your eyes smiling as you reached out a hand from your cocoon of blankets, grabbing your phone and turning the alarm off. You tried to get out of the bed but the arms kept you from moving.

“Hey.” You chuckled, patting Sonny’s arm, “We gotta go, love. If we’re both late. Again. People are gonna start noticing.” Sonny kissed the back of your neck a few times and sighed into the crook of your neck.

“They already notice.” He murmured and you shook your head, finally succeeding in getting out of the bed.

“I’ll shower first, then you can get in.” Sonny sat up in bed, blankets falling down to his waist so his bare chest was visible.

“How about we shower together?” He asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. You pointed at him.

“Shower. Just shower.” He leapt naked from the bed coming at you with his hands out.

“Oh sure,” He reached you, hands gently tickling your sides as you pulled away from him, walking backwards towards the man’s bathroom.

“I’m serious Sonny!” You laughed, “Showering! That’s it!” He nodded, continuing to devour you with his eyes.

“Scouts honor!” He grinned and you giggled before turning to run from him towards the shower, the man a half a step behind you the entire way.

-----

You were late. Again.

“Y/L/N, Carisi.” Your boss, Benson greeted you. The squadroom was in a flurry.

“Sarg.” You greeted with a smile, “Sorry we’re late Sonny didn’t text me when he got to my place.” You lied. She shook her head but didn’t press the issue.

“FBI is on their way.” She informed and you raised both of your eyebrows as Sonny went to his desk. Rollins and Fin were nowhere to be seen.

“Why?” You asked. You were only fifteen minutes late, what could you possibly have missed?

“Five bodies. All the same M.O. Just dug up in a field on the lower East side. M.O. was already in the database for some cases out in Virginia. FBI thinks we have a serial killer on our hands, one who is escalating. They’re sending out the BAU.” You felt yourself pale.

“BAU?” You questioned, following Olivia as she walked towards her office, “Don’t they think we can do our job? We don’t need the feds breathing down our necks.” You tried to argue, she stopped you once you were in her office, with a stern look.

“This is out of my control. We all need to play nice, alright?” You stood there awkwardly before nodding your head and stepping back with your hands raised.

“Alright.” Olivia looked at you for a minute.

“Is there something I need to know?” She asked.

“No. I’m fine. Where do you want me?” The BAU had multiple units, maybe they were sending another group of esteemed profilers. A girl could pray.

-----

You and Sonny got back from questioning witnesses sometime around dinner time, and the office was just as busy if not busier then when you left.

“Holy crap,” Sonny breathed to you and you nodded in agreement.

“Holly crap indeed, come on.” You walked into the flurry of people buzzing around the room, going straight to your desk. Sonny stopped at his desk directly next to yours, chatting with your about something. You were smiling, despite all the horror you had seen that day, Sonny always made you smile.

“Y/N?” The smile fell, before you turned to face the source of the voice you managed a small one again.

“Spencer, hi.” You greeted, he stood there in front of you for the first time since you had left D.C. He looked good, much better than the last night you had seen him. Since you broke up. “It’s good to see you.” He smiled at you and nodded eagerly.

“It’s good to see you too. You look good.” You felt your cheeks redden slightly and involuntarily looked over at Sonny who was peering at you both, trying to figure out the situation. He never would, you barely did.

“This is my partner, Sonny Carisi, this is Spencer Reid. BAU.” Spencer turned to the man, and they seemed to briefly size each other. You wanted to crawl under your desk and scream, you were feeling a lot of feelings currently but guilt was at the forefront. You and Spencer hadn’t left things on what you would have considered good terms. Your relationship had started good, close to perfect. Things had really fallen apart after Spencer’s kidnapping. He never really quite shook the habit, and you couldn’t handle loving someone else with an addiction, you learned your lesson from your parents. So you had left him. When things got to be too much, at his arguably lowest point you had left him. And that guilt you felt never truly subsided. And now he was here in front of you, looking healthy and you felt bad. You looked at Sonny again. But things had changed. Life had moved on, obviously for both of you. And now you had perfection with a man whom you loved to death.

“Nice to meet you Sonny.” He greeted. Sonny nodded his head in return before gesturing.

“Yous worked together in the FBI I assume?” You both nodded. Spencer looked at you, something was behind his eyes you couldn’t read. Maybe that’s why you hadn’t cut it as a profiler.

“Are you still an expert at geological profiles? Maybe you can help us Y/N.”

“I.. I don’t.” You floundered. Sonny walked past you, patting your elbow as you went with a smile.

“Go help, I’ll fill Olivia in and grab ya if I need ya, doll.” He let the little sentiment fall from his lips with almost a smirk. You could have gaped at him but you managed not to, just merely smiled tensely. He was marking his territory and you knew it, he knew it. And most of all, Spencer knew it. Once Sonny was gone, Spencer looked at you with raised eyebrows.

“New catchphrase of his.” You joked, “You should see him use it on defendants.” Spencer smiled slightly and nodded before gesturing towards the room BAU had commandeered for the case.

-----

The next morning Spencer was already there when you and Sonny got there, this time early. The case was in full swing and you had cut out sometime early that morning to try and catch some sleep.

“Morning!” He greeted cheerfully, two coffees already in hand. “Still take yours black with two sugars?” He asked. Sonny cut him off, his own voice sickenly cheerful.

“She takes it with almond milk now.” He informed the other man, and Spencer’s smile faltered slightly.

“I can get you some almond milk,” He assured. Sonny glared slightly and you sent him a sharp look of your own before taking the coffee from Spencer.

“Thank you, I got it.” You assured before turning to go to the little kitchenette. Sonny followed you closely and you could feel his presence behind you. “Yes detective?” You asked brushing past a few unis as they left.

“What’s that guys deal?” Sonny asked, dropping his voice low. You shrugged your shoulders grabbing the almond milk from the fridge to pour into your coffee.

“It’s not work talk.” You murmured back. Sonny huffed and crossed his arms leaning on the counter as he stared at you.

“And why not?” He asked.

“It’s personal.”

“Like how we’re personal?” Sonny asked. You stopped and turned to the man, glancing around before leaning up for the world's quickest kiss. You pulled back and Sonny relaxed his face slightly.

“Yes.” You admitted, turning back to stir the drink in front of you, making sure it was cool before taking a sip, “We... dated.” You admitted shrugging, “For a while. Things didn’t end perfectly. I think he’s just trying to be nice.” Sonny frowned again.

“For how long?” He asked, “He’s trying to chat you up Y/N. He obviously still cares for you.” You shrugged again.

“Does it matter how long?” You asked. “That part of my life was over before I even met you, I promise Sonny. Just let him be nice. If I feel like he’s going too far I’ll shut him down, you need to trust me.” Sonny nodded before turning to leave the room. He paused in the doorway.

“I trust you.”

-----

The case was over, but not without taking two more lives with it. The doer was in custody, and you were wrapping up some paperwork; looking forward to going home with Sonny to get some takeout and fall into bed. You were lost in your thoughts of Chinese food and cuddles when someone stopped next to your desk.

“Good work this week.” You looked up and smiled.

“You too, Spencer.”

“The BAU misses you, you know.” From the corner of your eyes you could see Sonny was listening into the conversation.

“The bureau doesn’t.” You smirked and Spencer laughed, before rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. You watched him, waiting for him to continue, hoping he didn’t ask you something you didn’t have the answer to.

“We don’t leave until tomorrow.” Spencer glanced at Sonny who had the decency to at least try and pretend like he wasn’t eavesdropping. “Could we get a drink? Maybe talk?” You sighed.

“Spencer...” You trailed off before standing up, you glanced at Sonny who smiled slightly at you. You nodded towards one of the interview rooms and the man followed behind you as you walked. Once inside you leaned on the table, crossing your arms and frowning.

“I’m sorry. I overstepped.” You shook your head.

“I should be the one apologizing, Spencer.” You informed him and he looked confused. “I’m... I’m sorry, for everything.” Briefly his eyes lit up and it killed you that you had to do this, but you were the happiest you had been... well, ever. “I’m sorry I left you how I did, there’s not a day that goes by where I don’t feel guilty about it. But that was a lifetime ago.” His face fell and your heart felt broken all over again. “I’ve moved on...” You finished, “I need you to too.” Spencer nodded slightly, hanging his head and turning from you before he turned back.

“Is it Carisi?” He asked and you nodded, playing with the pendent on your necklace.

“Yes.” Spencer nodded again and rubbed a hand over his face.

“Good.”

“Good?”

“He loves you a lot, call it profiler intuition.” You smiled slightly and looked down.

“I love him a lot too.” Spencer stepped towards you and patted your arm, making you look at him.

“For what it’s worth, I never blamed you. Not for one second. Okay, Y/N?” You patted the hand on your arm and smiled gently.

“Thank you, Spence.”

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the-ever-humming-girl · 4 years

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Story idea set in between TAC and TLG when Artemis is in treatment sessions at the Argon clinic for his complex. He has an evening appointment one day and then an early appointment set for the next morning. For some reason Butler needs to be back at Fowl manor and Holly offers to keep Artemis at her place over night and take him to the clinic the next day. Butler is skeptical. Cue Holly and Butler having a serious discussion and Holly reassuring him she'll guard Artemis with her life and Artemis just sitting off to one side totally pissed and reminding them he's sitting right there while they talk about him "like two divorcees discussing the joint custody of their child."

This is also the incident where Artemis discovers how ordinary people live and he's absolutely horrified.

Artemis: *horrified amazement* "Holly, your entire apartment could fit into my study."

Holly: *exasperated patience* "A fact I'm well aware of, Artemis. I have actually been in your study, you know."

Artemis: *looks Holly up and down* "And what are you wearing?"

Holly: *raises eyebrows*"Oh, these are called sweats. They're my comfort clothing. You wouldn't understand; you don't own comfort clothing."

#artemis fowl #artemis and holly #holly short #best friends giving each other shit #fic or pic idea #my ideas #headcanon

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tabloidtoc · 3 years

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National Enquirer, April 5

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Meghan Markle's secret psych analysis

Page 2: Heather Locklear has put on a lot of weight since she got out of rehab last fall -- she looks to be carrying 170 pounds on her five-foot-five frame and she looks to have gained 35 pounds

Page 3: Miranda Lambert has taken another swipe at ex Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani by dissing their upcoming nuptials -- Miranda has been urging mutual friends to skip the wedding and she's got everyone in Nashville and beyond all riled up and either you're Team Miranda or you're Team Blake, and if you're with him you can forget about being friends with her and she's forcing people to choose sides and she'll have no qualms cutting off anyone who attends Blake's wedding

Page 4: Alex Rodriguez struck out with fiancee Jennifer Lopez after she discovered his hot-and-heavy direct messages to a long string of women -- their four-year romance went foul after Southern Charm's Madison LeCroy publicly admitted she'd been in touch with A-Rod and Jennifer found out he'd reached out to other beauties through social media and Jennifer had had enough

* Concerned mom Jennifer Garner is struggling to cement her relationship with daughter Violet now that the 15-year-old is barreling through the turbulent teens -- Jennifer said the heartbreak is just that she's growing up at all and it's heartbreaking for the mom and for the teenager, needing to have that kind of severing of this baby-mama tie

Page 5: Chris Brown's spacey social media posts about aliens have close pals concerned about the R&B crooner, including his once-battered ex Rihanna -- Chris is obsessed with conspiracy theories and all things supernatural

Page 6: Disgraced Felicity Huffman is fuming about scuffling for plum parts while rumors swirl fellow felon Lori Loughlin has already been invited back into her old TV series and Felicity can't understand why she is being forced to go through the whole audition process while Lori seems to be welcomed back with open arms -- though she hates to do it, Felicity feels the only way she can get attention is to do a tell-all interview about her humiliating part in the scandal -- Felicity has scored a part in the ABC pilot Sacramento River Cats, though there is no guarantee the project will make it onto the air, but insiders and fans of the hit Hallmark series When Calls the Heart have all been filling the internet with talk of Lori's rumored return -- Felicity believes the only way to get public sympathy is to spill her guts, even though all she wants is put the scandal far behind her

Page 8: Stressed Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon has been packing on the pounds as his talk show continues to battle with Stephen Colbert's Late Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live in the late-night ratings and Jimmy has been partying and pigging out to find any comfort he can as Tonight continues to trail the field in total viewers and Jimmy is over 200 pounds for the first time in his life and it's because he's overindulging to compensate for the show's struggles and Jimmy and the gym do not mix even though he had a full fitness center installed at his New York apartment years ago

* Debilitated diva Liza Minnelli's 75th birthday party turned into a disaster when her frail physical condition alarmed friends -- celebrity pals also joined a virtual bash for the legend, even though Liza insisted she didn't want a big fuss and Liza's manager threw the small dinner party on her birthday and about eight people, including Joan Collins, attended in person and several other friends, including Barbra Streisand, recorded video messages and performances for Liza but before the party, Liza was in such bad shape she told friends that she didn't want to participate or be seen on camera -- in the end, Liza, who's undergone multiple surgeries and struggled with substance abuse for years, agreed to join the gathering at the L.A. home of her longtime protege Michael Feinstein and Liza sang but she didn't look well and her voice is shot to pieces and she was propped up in a chair and barely moved from it because she can't walk well anymore and during a live chat during the party the hashtag #FreeLiza started to pop up and not everyone meant it as a joke and there's a feeling certain people have taken over her life and longtime friends have been frozen out and they fear she'll never appear in public again and they won't see her again before she dies -- when friends saw the videos the next day they were upset and very worried, saying Liza really appears to have declined

Page 9: Angelina Jolie has fired a shocking new salvo against ex Brad Pitt over custody of their five youngest children and her latest court documents allege domestic violence and even worse, some of the nearly dozen papers Angie just filed offer up a few of the kids to testify against their dad and Angie is now claiming she can offer proof and authority of domestic violence but Brad's lawyers are expected to respond with a vehement denial -- with the newest court filings, all of which are sealed, Angie is determined to get full custody of the kids and Angelina has fought tooth and nail to get what she wants in this divorce and when it comes to her kids she won't back down

Page 10: Hot Shots -- Farrah Abraham in a bikini, 50 Cent chased away his thirst with a drink at an Atlanta eatery, Natasha Lyonne of Russian Doll was on her game while playing chess on the NYC set, Selma Blair met up with a pal in Studio City, Reggie Bush showed he's still in fine form during a Mexican vacay

Page 11: Gwyneth Paltrow isn't above using a little goop to smooth out the age lines -- the lifestyle guru recently admitted to resorting to a teeny drop of Xeomin, which claims to be a uniquely purified choice for frown lines, to help her look less pissed off but she also admitted her history with fillers hasn't always been happy and she had a midlife crisis when she turned 40 and she went to see this doctor and it was a disaster and she was bruised and her forehead was completely frozen and she didn't look like herself at all -- she also admitted she believes there is still a lot of shame around surgery or injectables or fillers and it's like admitting a vulnerability -- she said she thinks aging is hard and when you see your face start to change, you don't necessarily feel your most beautiful, externally, but the irony is it's that time in your life when you actually really like yourself and love yourself

* Wendy Williams' handpicked hunk Mike Esterman has better buckle up because the daytime diva has already mapped out their future, and he's in for a wild ride -- Wendy boasted she chose her Maryland-based beau after receiving hundreds of submissions to her Date Wendy segment, but she's aiming to renovate the contractor and it's all about image, stylists and bodyguards for Wendy right now and she's already got a reality show in the works for them, a TV crew and photographers trailing them everywhere and his-and-her makeovers too -- she's gone from zero to 60 with this guy in a matter of days

Page 12: Straight Shuter gossip column -- Miley Cyrus is going country after her last two albums tanked -- Miley offended her core audience with her outrageous behavior and punk sound and she's signed with a new record label and the plan is to reintroduce her to the country audience that loved her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, and once loved her -- Miley's behavior has overshadowed her talent for years and her new team will guide Miley back to her roots in the world of country and finding the right sound should be easy but can Miley find the right behavior

* Gayle King owes her glow on CBS This Morning to a new makeup artist and after being tended to by a fill-in makeup artist and told she looked better than ever, Gayle quietly dismissed her longtime makeup man but there's an unspoken code of ethics in the pro makeup world that if you're asked to replace a longtime client's makeup person, the appropriate answer is no

* The Sex and the City reboot isn't all cosmos and roses -- Sarah Jessica Parker was the show's executive producer, giving her much more power than her co-stars, but Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis will also executive produce the reboot and there's already tension -- sharing power is hard for anyone who's been the boss for years and it isn't one big happy family

* Rachel Brosnahan gets some puppy love on the set of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (picture)

Page 13: The knives are out for self-appointed queen bee of The Talk Sharon Osbourne after she was exposed as TV's meanest host -- the salty motormouth has been accused of a barrage of racist and anti-gay zingers, forcing the gabfest to go on hiatus while CBS investigates the claims -- former host Leah Remini claimed Sharon would frequently refer to then-co-host Julie Chen, who is Chinese American, as 'wonton' and 'slanty eyes' and Sharon also reportedly referred to her out lesbian co-host Sara Gilbert as 'p--sy licker' and 'fish eater' -- in a tweet, Holly Robinson Peete implied Sharon's racist comments led to her leaving the show -- Sharon also chased Marie Osmond on the show last fall and tried to take it over after Julie Chen quit in 2018 -- Sharon has denied all claims against her -- Sharon's big personality is central to The Talk, but some of these allegations, although none have yet been proven, are the kind of remarks that could be career-ending

Page 14: Crime

Page 16: Demi Lovato's shocking admission that she continues to puff pot and swill booze after multiple rehab stints and a near-fatal drug overdose has pals and addiction experts convinced the singer is courting disaster -- she dropped the bombshell in a recent interview and claimed indulging in those vices has helped her fend off more serious addictions and the chronic depression that has dogged her entire life -- Demi came very close to dying three years ago after she overdosed on opioids and it triggered three stokes and a heart attack, and a lot of people were terrified she would never recover and her friends are convinced she's put herself right back on the same self-destructive path -- Demi claimed she was sexually assaulted by her dealer on the day of her almost-fatal OD and when her assistant found her unconscious and surrounded by vomit following the wild binge, she was naked and she was blue and she was left for dead and she had unknowingly taken heroin that was laced with the powerful drug fentanyl

Page 17: Devastated Lisa Marie Presley is finding comfort in the arms of her first husband, Danny Keough, after their son Benjamin Keough's suicide -- Danny has given her a shoulder to cry on and he's the only one who can understand the despair she feels after losing Benjamin -- Lisa Marie has been inconsolable since Benjamin died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and she's moved in with Danny in Woodland Hills, California and she's also struggled with substance abuse and the stress of an ongoing divorce battle from fourth husband Michael Lockwood -- although her marriage to Danny ended in 1994, he's remained close to the family, working as a driver and handyman for their actress daughter, Riley Keough and Riley couldn't be happier that her dad has been so helpful to her mother and it's taking a full team to keep Lisa Marie together and Danny was definitely proven he's still on her team

* The sudden death of Bobby Brown Jr. remains shrouded in mystery as the 28-year-old's autopsy report was placed on a security hold following a request from the LAPD -- the namesake son of Bobby Brown and his ex-girlfriend Kim Ward lived with his famous father in Encino, California, where the singer found him responsive -- Bobby Jr. has been doing drugs with pals and insiders suspected he was deliberately dosed with a fatal cocktail of booze, cocaine and painkillers

Page 18: American Life

Page 19: Tina Turner is using a new documentary about her life as a final farewell to fans after the R&B icon was rocked by a string of physical and mental health woes including the crippling effects of a 2013 stroke -- the eye-opening documentary Tina is a love letter to her millions of supporters and the punctuation mark to a life defined by startling professional success and heartbreaking personal catastrophes -- Tina admitted she's had an abusive life but at a certain stage forgiveness takes over -- in the documentary Tina confessed she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and has frightening flashbacks of being savagely beaten throughout her hellish 16-year marriage to the late Ike Turner and Tina's current husband, German music producer Erwin Bach, even compared his spouse to a shell-shocked soldier -- more recently, Tina has been battered by health crises after suffering a stroke in 2013 and being diagnosed with intestinal cancer three years later, mere months before her kidneys failed and Erwin donated one of his own to save her life -- Tina knows the end is near and this film is truly her last encore

Page 20: Match Game -- a round up of male and female celebs who look astonishingly similar, despite their opposite genders -- Sophie Turner and Boy George, Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber, Timothee Chalamet and Natalia Dyer, Tom Cruise and Tig Notaro

Page 21: Melissa McCarthy and Ricky Gervais, Eva Marcille and Terrence Howard, Bret Michaels and Fergie, Josh Hartnett and Clea DuVall

Page 22: Katy Perry sparked rumors she had finally taken the plunge with longtime love Orlando Bloom after she was seen sporting a suspicious gold band on her left ring finger while vacationing in Hawaii

* Scott Disick has confessed baby mama Kourtney Kardashian is the reason his relationships fail -- the reality TV slacker revealed his now ex-girlfriend Sofia Richie felt neglected because he spent more time with Kourtney and their three kids, saying it's definitely not easy that they see each other, work together and are friends but he's always been clear that his priority has been his kids and he even put it out there that taking care of Kourtney is one of his priorities

Page 26: Reality star fixer-uppers Jonathan and Drew Scott are sweating bullets over a lawsuit filed against their Property Brothers show by unhappy clients and the stress over the scandal is wreaking havoc with their personal lives -- Las Vegas couple Mindy and Paul King filed suit against Cineflix, the company that producers Property Brothers, and Villa Construction, a local contracting company, alleging they did a shoddy job repairing their home after the couple forked over $193,000 for renovations -- though the twin brothers aren't named in the lawsuit, they were concerned it could smear their reputations and upset their ladyloves -- Jonathan is close to marriage with actress Zooey Deschanel and Drew is wed to Linda Phan, who is the creative director for their company, Scott Brothers Entertainment -- they're both mortified by these allegations and they don't know what to tell Zooey and Linda, other than they will be cleared when the truth comes out but they're terrified that the bad press could derail the show -- Paul and Mindy answered a 2018 casting call and said they were assured all the work would be HGTV quality but Paul said that the place looks good from afar, but it's far from good and the Kings griped to the Nevada State Contractors Board, citing more than 90 complaints with the work ranging from unmatched baseboards to potential hazards -- as the case plays out, the brothers have been rattled by the controversy and they are stressed that this very public case is calling their work into question and there's a fear more people will come forward with similar charges

Page 28: Cover Story -- a top-secret psychological profile of Prince Harry's wife Meghan Markle paints the former actress as a mentally unstable ticking time bomb who couldn't cope with playing second fiddle to senior royals -- the explosive evaluation unmasks Meghan as a pathological liar and bipolar narcissist with histrionic personality disorder but the jaw-dropping findings about Meghan, who's pregnant with a sister for son Archie, don't surprise palace sources as Meghan's tears, tantrums and extreme mood swings had staffers terrified what she could do or say next and she was consumed with ambition and jealousy -- she married Harry expecting to be the royal superstar, but instead learned she'd always be second to his brother Prince William's wife, Duchess Kate and Meghan couldn't stand that she and Harry would always be in their shadow and wanted to destroy her in-laws but no one expected her to lob a nuclear grenade into her husband's family in a no-holds-barred TV special

Page 32: Health Watch

Page 34: Cara Delevingne confessed she used to be disgusted by same-sex relationships and was suicidal before coming to terms with her sexuality -- the model, who has dated actresses Michelle Rodriguez and Ashley Benson and singer St. Vincent, said she was trapped in a dark place and afraid before she publicly admitted to liking members of the same sex -- she said she grew up in an old-fashioned household and she didn't know anyone who was gay and she didn't know that was a thing and growing up she wasn't knowledgeable of the fact she was homophobic and she continued that the idea of being with same-sex partners, she was disgusted by that, in herself -- Cara, who identifies as pansexual, explained her sexual orientation is constantly changing and added she was so unhappy and she wasn't following her truth, that whole thing of having to fit into the box, she's an androgynous person

* Don McLean wants his decades-younger girlfriend to have the wedding of her dreams and he's set aside $1 million for the big day -- the American Pie singer has been dating model Paris Dylan for five years after an ugly divorce from second wife Patrisha Shnier -- Paris is totally unconcerned by the enormous age gap between the 75-year-old singer and 27-year-old model and wants to spend the rest of their lives together -- Don's going all out making sure she has the wedding that's fit for a princess and he's spending an absolute fortune, giving Paris the best of the best in terms of the venue and the food and the one-of-a-kind dress and Don's given her carte blanche to plan it however she wants, and people are expecting a seriously over-the-top affair

Page 36: Singer Andra Day turned to method acting to play jazz icon Billie Holiday, and it's paid off with an Oscar nomination -- Andra revealed she dropped 39 pounds and took up drinking and smoking to prep for the title role in the biopic The United States vs. Billie Holiday -- Andra doesn't recommend smoking and drinking, but she did it because she was just desperate for her first role -- Andra, famed for writing and performing the song Rise Up, also sings in the movie as Holiday, and changed her singing voice to reflect the music legend's pain

* Hollywood Hookups -- MTV reality stars Jenna Compono and Zach Nichols secretly tied the knot and their first child is due in August, Larsa Pippen is dating Myles Kronman, Ashley Jacobs and Mike Appel engaged

Page 38: Cindy Crawford said posing for Playboy was a snap compared to acting in movies -- Cindy said she really regrets starring in the 1995 bomb Fair Game, where she played a lawyer fighting a former KGB spy -- she said she never wanted to be an actor, but a producer begged her and he kept upping the price until she thought she'd be an idiot to say no, but she should have said no, or prepared herself better -- the experience taught her she's very comfortable in front of a camera, but only when she's being herself

* Former American Idol judge Randy Jackson is half the man he used to be and he couldn't be happier about it -- Randy has dropped a whopping 130 pounds to head off potentially deadly effects of his type 2 diabetes and did it in the healthiest ways -- he wrote in his book Body with Soul, it's a curse to be saddled with a disease that's life-threatening, but it's a blessing to get that huge wake-up call -- Randy admitted to crushing the scale at 358 pounds before getting gastric bypass in 2003 but now exercises and eats right and he's ditched sugar and gluten and he wants to be an example for other obese folks and show them they can get healthy and stay that way

Page 40: Tom Brady did an end run around fuming wife Gisele Bundchen by signing a four-year contract extension with his new Tampa Bay Buccaneers team after winning the Super Bowl -- the 43-year-old quarterback promised Gisele he would hang up his cleats after the upcoming season since winning last year's championship but changed his mind after snagging his record seventh NFL title with the Bucs -- Gisele is both angry and astonished because they had spoken about him finally settling down to be a full-time father and husband, but he can't stop chasing glory on the field and Gisele was stunned by his decision to re-up for another four years while the two were discussing expanding their brood and they had planned to have another child after buying their dream house on Indian Creek Island in Miami and they were even drawing plans for a nursery, and now that Tom's done a complete turnaround, everything is up in the air; it's caused some serious tension in their marriage

Page 42: Red Carpet -- Grammy Awards -- Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion, Dua Lipa, Noah Cyrus, Lizzo, Taylor Swift

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chocolate3cake · 3 years

Text

the photograph - wip

this is a current work in progress i have going on right now - the intention is to have it as a one-shot, but probably a fairly long one (8000+ words). I’ve got a lot of ideas for it but it’s slow going so have this little excerpt:

also it’s not going to be called “the photograph” it’s just the working title that it’s got going for it

He never told anyone the truth about that photo, that the copy he pilfered from his jiji's backpack was one that he kept on him at all times, even now, so many years in the future.

Jotaro sighed, pushing his spectacles down his nose, and gazing at the browning edges of the photograph. It was tucked safely inside his wallet now, close enough that he only had to flip over the section containing his University ID card to see it. But also safely hidden away enough that no questions had to be fielded as to why such an old photo was gathering dust in a space usually kept for family and children.

But in some way, that was his family. Jiji at the front, with Iggy in his arms, Polnareff crouched, Avdol and Kakyoin flanking Jotaro himself.

He was so young back then.

Jotaro tossed the wallet aside, burying his head in his hands and looking at the time on his computer monitor. Too early to sleep, yet too late to eat dinner. And he'd forgotten lunch as well.

A groan. Tilt of the chair backwards, the angle being something his mother would have scolded him for were he ten years younger. But not now, not when Holly was miles away from him, even if the sea that previously divided them had been traversed.

He was an adult now, and if he was going to tilt his chair back so far that he cracked his head open, so be it. He could do what he wanted. If his life had given him the chance to do anything, it was kill himself by way of chair falling.

A soft Ora echoed in the back of his mind, reminding Jotaro that even if he did want to end it all with a wooden floor and a tipped desk chair, he probably wouldn't be able to. His ever present guardian angel and protector. And, sadly, his best friend.

And then we were back to the picture. Jotaro slammed his forehead down onto his desk, groaning in a mixture of pain and annoyance at himself, for both inflicting the pain and also for generally being so bad at general human stuff. He could do the basics, like put his clothes on and cook and clean, maybe even go to work on time, but emotions? Nah, fuck that. That was something Jotaro had never understood.

Which is why it was easier staying friends with his giant floaty purple ghost than it was with anyone else, even the other Crusaders. It had been almost a year since he'd seen them in the flesh, months since he'd replied to their emails and long-distance phone calls. The last time he called Polnareff was to curtly inform him and Avdol of his divorce, and therefore of his change in address.

He'd received a card in the mail the next week, proudly stating Congratulations on the Freedom! which he summarily tore up and threw into the kitchen waste bin. If Polnareff had been on the continent, Jotaro would have punched him in his stupid French hair for good measure.

"Ora?"

Jotaro looked up, eyes tilting up towards his now fully materialised stand. In his hand, outstretched, was Jotaro's wallet. "Yeah?" Jotaro rolled his eyes, taking the object from Star Platinum and opening it again. "You suggesting I order takeout again?"

"Ora." Star shook his head, instead using a ghostly finger to flip the covering of the photo section over.

Jotaro looked down at the small image of his friends, feeling very little. Idly, he wondered whether he even had enough food in the fridge for dinner tonight. He had never been much of a cook, until his wife left him on the doorstep with an overnight bag and a slammed door. Finally fending for himself for the first time in twenty-six years.

Star's purple finger jabbed towards the photo again, and Jotaro looked back, deciding that his stand was worth indulging. Just this once.

The finger jabbed straight towards the miniature image of Kakyoin, and a knot fisted in Jotaro's chest. "No," he said hoarsely, finally getting to his feet, pushing the chair back across the floor and wincing at the sound of wood on wood. "Not Kakyoin."

Star was pouting now, an expression Jotaro certainly never appeared on his face. Why was his stand so het up about seeing the man, after almost a full year of no contact? After the disastrous last Crusaders annual meetup, Jotaro had kept his distance from Kakyoin. To his part, the redhead never contacted him either. So even if he wanted to see Kakyoin, Jotaro probably couldn't. Was he even in Japan at the moment? What if Jotaro called and Kakyoin was with a woman, or if he interrupted an important interview?

The possibilities were endless, and altogether not pleasing, and Jotaro stuffed the wallet in his pocket, forcing Star Platinum to return to his body. Thankfully the stand didn't seem to press the matter after Jotaro's abject refusal, which he was grateful for. The last thing he wanted to think about right now was his multitude of mistakes.

There was enough food in the house for a shoddy meal of noodles and watered down miso, which would at the very least keep Jotaro going for another day. Just

long enough to write another 100 words of his thesis, and maybe make it to the shops. He baulked at the taste, wishing he had something a little stronger than water to wash it down with, but a day's teaching ahead of him was an excuse to go sober.

Jotaro was sat down in front of his television when Star Platinum reappeared again. "Ora!" another jab, in the direction of Jotaro's pocket this time.

"I miss him too," Jotaro muttered, attempting to placate his stand somewhat. "We both do. But he doesn't want to see me."

And he didn't blame Kakyoin for that either. His life was a mess, he made nothing but bad decisions (including his decision to get a PhD - that was probably the first droplet in the lake to break up his marriage), and he was gradually losing muscle mass with every passing day.

He idly flexed his arms, feeling the muscles stretch under his skin. He'd need to do a few push ups before bed, at the very least, and then a full training set before he started work tomorrow.

It was easy enough to throw yourself into study and exercise when you no longer had a family to think about. Well, he had Jolyne, but custody battles were painful and Jotaro was in Japan, hiding from his parental responsibilities altogether. Dad of the year right here.

Maybe he would have a beer after all.

#jojos bizarre adventure #jojo part 3 #jojo sdc #stardust crusaders #jotaro kujo #jojo part 4 #jojo no kimyō na bōken #jotakak #noriaki kakyoin #jean pierre polnareff #mohammed avdol #joseph joestar #jojo fanfic #fanfiction

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hollyharper · 3 years

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After Batman

Chapter 2- Selina- December 20

The night’s air has alway brought me to life. That’s the one peice of Catwoman that remained in me after I burned the mask. Part of me misses it, the freedom, the trill. But, I can’t turn back now, I’m on a new path, one I can’t run away from as easily. The night air beckoned me to look up. The Bat-signal danced across the sky line once again. Wait, there’s two. Two signals in the sky, then three four, eight. In confusion, I loaded the local news channel on my phone. The headline stole my breath. ‘Gotham lights Bat-signals in memory of the Dark Knight.’ In memory of? No. No! My phone slipped from my hands.

“No.” I collapsed in slow motion.

Nick turned in time to see me hit the ground. “Selina!”

I choked on nothing. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and knew someone was speaking, but I couldn’t think. All I saw was that night, when everything fell apart.

“Selina!” I snapped back into reality as freezing water was trickled over my head.

Shaken, I forced myself to stand. Nick handed me my cracked cell. An email popped on the screen. No. Not now. I forced composure upon myself.

“I have to be somewhere.”

I left Nick behind. The night called me, welcoming my into it’s comforting embrace. I truly was a creature of the moon, just like my name predicted.

To tell the truth, I never expected to be mentioned in Bruce’s will. We had something, but nothing that significant. But there I was, sitting around the table, with Dick Grayson, Damien Wyane, Alfred Pennyworth, and Bruce’s lawyer. Before the Lawyer, Mr. Fleming, could start, the door creaked open. I didn’t see the blond girl’s face as she took the seat beside Damien. I didn’t have it in me to pay much attention to the will reading. Until my name was called. I snapped back to reality, half expecting to see Bat.

“To Selina Kyle, I leave Wayne Industries and all associated companies, properties, and access to all adjoining bank accounts, totalling at a net worth of six billion dollars.” I gasped. “With these I hand over custody of my son, Damien Wyane, and adopted daughter, Holly Robinson. And finally, this letter to be given to Miss Kyle upon my death.”

I accepted the envelope stiffly. It was thick, definitely thicker than a single sheet of paper. Even without looking up, I could sense Damien’s cold stare. Part of me was angered, not only had Bruce left me his son’s birth right, but his son. Damien and I had never gotten along. We could behave ver dinner, but simply preferred to a ode each other. I didn’t want responseibilty for Damien, or Holly, or the company. All I wanted was the letter, let Dick care for them. My fingers danced over the single word on the envelope: Cat. An unbidden tear slipped free. That was the end, though none of us could move.

The plan was that Dick would drop Damien, Holly, and their belongings with me in the morning. I went home stunned and wounded. Sitting on my couch, I stared at the undecorated christmas tree and fingered the envelope. I couldn’t find the courage to open it. All I could do was trace the letters again. Looking back up at the tree, I slipped my fingers in between the seal. Pulling the first letter out, I set the precious envelope aside. Nervously, I unfolded the letter. December first. I gasped, that was the day Bat and I had fought, the last day I had seen him.

December 1

Cat,

I’m sorry. I know you’re trying, and I never should have said any of that. The truth is, I love you. And, I’m sorry. How do I start to make it better? I can't take back what I said. Those words, what I called you, none of them are true.You’re strong, smart, brave, and beautiful, and most importantly, you try. You have good intentions at heart, I’ve seen them. You are a hero, a little rough around the edges, but a true hero. I can’t imagine anyone I’d want to be with more than you. I love you. I need you. I can’t imagine being without you, living without you in my life. I’ve been beating around the bush about this, guess you haven’t picked up on the hints… I can’t.

Part of my wonders why I’m even writing this, after all you probably hate me now, and I’d never have the courage to send this to you. I guess I have to spill my feelings somewhere. So, another letter for the stash. Hopefully, I’ll find the courage to give these to you. In person, preferably. Maybe, if I can convince myself, for Christmas this year. After all, I already have your gift.

With love, Bruce

The apology, his declaration of love, they filled me with regret. If only. If only, I had gone to see him. If only, I hadn’t let my ego get the best of me. If only, I hadn’t taken those words to heart. If I had, I wouldn’t be finding out like this. If I had, I wouldn’t be here, wishing I had done things differently. If I had, maybe, he would still be alive.

#Selina kyle #selina wayne #bruce wayce #batman #batcat #holly robinson #oc #my oc #dc oc #Damian Wayne #damian wayne x oc

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365days365movies · 4 years

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January 20, 2021: Taken (2008)

Well, I know one thing about this movie. He’s gonna find ‘em. And he’s gonna kill ‘em. And also, Luc Besson didn’t direct this movie! Yeah, my bad, he wrote this movie. But, then, he also wrote Leon, so I wasn’t entirely wrong. Anyway, 2008!

I remember this year well. Obama was elected the first Black president of the United States of America; the Olympics took place in Beijing, months after a massive earthquake in Sichuan; the Large Hadron Collider was totally gonna make a black hole; and, of course, the most important news event of that year: Iron Man and The Dark Knight came out.

And of course, the film Taken came out, creating what is arguably the most repeated film meme ever. Or, at the very least, it’s WAY up there. It’s a 12-year old meme at this point, but lemme tell ya: this thing was HUGE in 2008. Not the movie itself, just the meme. And I could lie and tell you that I’m watching this movie because it’s another French action thriller, and it’s fitting, but…

...it’s the meme. It’s 100% the meme, I’m not gonna lie to you guys. So, uh...yeah, Taken, let’s do this. SPOILERS AHEAD!

Recap

Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is dreaming of his daughter and wife. In the modern day, he brings a birthday gift to his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace), and his bitter ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen), who is married to a very wealthy man, Stuart (Xander Berkeley). Bryan, meanwhile, is a recent and comparatively poor retiree, whose friends come over for a night of drinks.

Retiree from what, you ask? Well, it’s likely the CIA, given that his friends refer to military missions and Langley. They invite him to join security detail for a pop star, Sheerah (Holly Valance), In the process, he saves her from crazed fans, including a knife-wielding assailant. Not sure why that guy wants to LITERALLY STAB HER, but somebody needs to look into that guy!

Out of gratitude, Sheerah gives Bryan some references to give to his daughter, who wants to be a singer, apparently. However, when he sees her and Lenore the next day, all she wants from him is permission to go on a trip to Paris with her friends. When he shows his doubts for her safety, she’s upset, and his wife berates him for...government and military service? I mean, that stuff breaks up marriages, of course, but GODDAMN, Lenore’s bitter about it! Whoof.

Bryan’s definitely being made to be sympathetic, while Lenore’s the opposite of that. And Bryan’s understandably worried about his daughter’s safety, as she’ll be abroad. And we get the idea that Bryan’s a bit of a helicopter parent, but...c’mon! He’s underage daughter is asking to go to Paris with her friends! It’s cause for a parent to be worried, and yet Lenore is like, “She needs to be freeeeeeeeeee!” And that’s made even WORSE by the fact that both of them lie to Bryan, a father who clearly loves his daughter, because she’s actually following U2 on a music tour around Europe!

Which...really? U2? Who the hell can stand that much Bono, for their ENTIRE EUROPEAN TOUR? Anyway, what I’m saying is, Lenore sucks, and I’m not Kim’s biggest fan either. But I get the feeling that, given the one thing I know about this movie...Bryan’s gonna be proven right. So Kim and her friend, Amanda (Katie Cassidy) go to Europe, alone, despite Bryan’s understandable misgivings.

They IMMEDIATELY get hit on by Peter, a French boy who gives them a ride. He invites them to a party, Amanda accepts for them, and this is OBVIOUSLY A BAD IDEA. That’s even further confirmed by Peter making a mysterious call, telling the other person about the girls’ location. Kim doesn’t call Bryan, as promised, and Amanda is clearly a TERRIBLE influence. Looks like Bryan was completely right to be concerned, if his daughter’s gonna be so irresponsible. Oh, also because they’re about to get kidnapped.

Luckily, Kim had called Bryan just before, after realizing that he had called her, and he guides her through the upcoming kidnapping. With his help, although she gets kidnapped, Bryan is able to figure out that the kidnappers are Albanian, and that one of them is a six-foot tall bearded man with a moon and star tattoo on his right hand DAMN THAT’S OBSERVANT. But still...she’s been Taken.

Someone picks up the phone...and he says the speech.

youtube

Had to do it, folks. It’s the most iconic scene in the film. Time for action! Bryan calls a friend with Langley connections, then goes straight to Lenore and Stuart’s place, who find out that BRYAN WAS FUCKING RIGHT GODDAMMIT HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW

Having COMPLETELY FUCKED UP, Lenore asks Bryan to get her back safely. They actually figure out that the men who kidnapped her are professional sex-traffickers, who specialize in kidnapping travelling women and putting them in prostitution. But they tend to disappear...within 96 Hours. That’s how long Bryan has to find her, as well as being an alternate title for this film!

The time limit, by the way, is a common construct for the action-thriller. You know, “she has 12 hours to live,” that kind of deal. Thrillers are going to be peppered throughout this year, and there are a few coming up as well, so might as well start with this one, right?

Bryan flies to Paris, then makes his way to the apartment, tracing Kim’s steps up to her kidnapping. He also finds her destroyed phone, alongside an SD card with photos. From this, he gets a blurry look at Peter. I get the feeling that his face isn’t about to look much better. Speaking of, Peter’s playing his old tricks at the airport, and is caught by Bryan. Painfully caught. After Bryan fights off another guy, and chases Peter up a road, Peter also gets caught by karma.

80 hours left. Having exhausted options, Bryan meets an old contact, Jean-Claude (Olivier Rabourdin), who tells him where the Albanians hang out. He hires an Albanian translator, then heads for a prostitute-heavy area. He harrangues a prostitute until her manager comes out, whom he puts a small microphone on. With the translator’s help, he discovers that they’re having “merchandise problems” at a construction site.

Following a hunch, he makes his way there, and sees several drug-addicted young women in a makeshift brothel. Also there is his daughter’s jacket. The prostitute that has it, however, is not exactly cognitively sound at the moment. So...she’s Taken. By Bryan, who fights his way out of the brothel and construction site, with gunshots, explosions, and car chases along the way.

Bryan brings the girl back to a hotel, where he somehow gets ahold of an IV and medicine, and detoxes her in the room. Which, given the time frame and other factors...seems like a very large risk to take for testimony that, let’s be honest, right not exist. Still, as this is happening, he gets a call from Jean-Claude, asking to meet.

56 hours left. After 7 people dead, a destroyed trailer, and 3 people injured (and probably stolen medicine from a hospital, let’s be honest), Bryan isn’t exactly the best friend of the French government. He escapes police custody and heads back to the hotel, where the girl is cogent enough to remember where she got the jacket: from Kim herself, at the house with the red door on the road of paradise. No, really.

Bryan gets to the house, and poses as Jean-Claude...badly. He apparently passes his bluff check, and takes advantage of a corrupt police system, and makes them give him protection money. Over the course of the conversation, he figures out that one of them is Marco. Which means that he found him. And he said that when he found him…

After that spree is done, he searches the facility and looks for Kim. He doesn’t find her...but he does find Amanda. And sadly, he’s too late for her. Turns out, though, that he didn’t kill Marko (Arben Bajraktaraj), the leader of the group. And of course not! He has some questions.

Bryan tortures Marko using electricity, and he reveals that Kim’s been sold quickly, as she is a virgin. She’s been sold to Patrice Saint-Clair (Gerard Watkins), although Marko doesn’t know where he is. And so, Bryan fulfills his promise, and electrocutes him. He then makes his way to meet Jean-Claude at his home. And, uh...that’s when he crosses a line.

...Um. Bryan shot his wife. And yeah, Jean-Claude’s clearly not on the up-and-up, but he’s not directly complicit in the kidnapping of his daughter. And yeah, he’s in Bryan’s way, but JESUS CHRIST DUDE. He officially loses the moral high-ground here for me, even if his cause is just. Jean-Claude concedes, and Bryan gets the information that he’s looking for and leaves, knocking Jean-Claude out in the process.

Bryan goes to the Saint-Clair residence, where an auction is taking place for various young women. The last of these is, of course, Kim. Having barged into a booth of one of the buyers, he forces him to buy Kim (ew). Unfortunately, he’s caught and chained to a pipe, where Saint-Clair’s henchmen are about to kill him. But, of course...

Bryan escapes and kills Saint-Clair in the process, but not before finding out that Kim’s been Taken to a boat. He obtains a car, and after a length (and seizure-inducing) car chase, gets onto the boat, which is owned by the Sheik, a man of unknown Arabic origin. And yeah, in case you were wondering, this feels very...VERY...wrong. It’s brief, yeah, but...you gave a rich Arabic guy multiple wives obtained through illegal means and made them the main villain? FUCKIN’ OOF BRUV

Anyway, as expected, Bryan kicks the asses of everybody on the boat, and finally rescues Kim, killing the Sheik in the process. The two have a tearful embrace, and Bryan NEVER LETS HER OUT OF HIS SIGHT AGAIN PROBABLY. THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT BONO. THIS IS ALL YOUR GODDAMN FAULT.

Well, Bryan wins the I WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG GODDAMIT award, Kim gets to go home and meet that singer from before, Lenore gives Bryan some consideration as a human being for once, Stuart stepfathers, and that’s Taken! Also, WHERE IN THE HELL ARE AMANDA’S PARENTS, A GIRL IS DEAD

Epilogue soon!

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simpingforthisonedeer · 4 years

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Chapter 5: Knife To The Neck

Summary: The aftermath of an assassination attempt; Meet Arthur; Everyone's simping for Julius except Holly(she aint buying his shit); There's a world organization or two; oop there's fae and some more magic lore; what??? is?? Julius??; someone who likes to edge himself apparently; magic paintings and shit, man; also more forbidden magic shtuff :)))

Notes: There's NSFW Julius and Aika art under the "Julius & Aika" tag and julius thirst from urs truly on my page ;)))) This chapter was gonna be like 10k words long but i didn't wanna scare yall off so have half of it ;))) Oh, and uhhh most chapters will have some explicit here and sometimes the whole chapter will be explicit like the next chapter is going to be a fuckfest O.o (what did you think Julius meant when he said "hOlD mE") So, if you're not into that, I don't suggest reading this fic lmao but hey, if you are, please continue ;)))

“Oh my fucking god, we all nearly died.”

“Mom!” Holly threw her arms around Aika and buried her face in her neck. She wrapped her arms and held her daughter tightly as her head spun.

“I'm so sorry,” she whispered, holding back tears, further exacerbating the growing headache.

Julius kneeled next to the pair and laid a comforting hand on Aika’s head, unwilling to interrupt their moment.

“It’s okay, everyone’s fine,” Holly assured.

“Yes, but you had to—”

“It’s okay, I wasn’t actually scared. Remember what you told me? You told me to think logically if I ever feel scared and logically speaking, the moon is up tonight and dad would’ve been fine. The man needed me alive to leverage me so I would be fine too.”

“I think I would’ve felt better if you blamed me instead of growing up so quickly,” Aika grumbled.

Julius let out a laugh, drawing attention to himself. She untangled herself from Holly and scanned him for any injuries.

“Are you alright, Julius?”

He waved her off and rubbed his eyes. “Besides the impending headache from the monster of a report I would have to write, I’m fine,” He looked at them intently. “You all need a security detail if this really is a common occurrence.”

“Oh! That won’t work!” Holly piped up. “My dad and I don’t even live on this continent and mom’s always travelling or bothering Uncle Ray at work. It’s okay,” she gave him a thumbs up. “My mom can take care of herself. She’s really scary. My dad and her friends are too. That’s why you shouldn’t hold her hand. If anyone fin—”

“Holly!” Aika exclaimed in horror, her cheeks inflamed with embarrassment. She threw an apologetic look at Julius. “He’s a Magic Knight Captain. He can take care of himself.”

“Ohhhh. That’s why he smells so much,” she muttered to herself, nodding as if everything made sense.

“What!” Julius whipped his head around, trying to check himself.

“Holly, no!” Aika stifled her laughs as she tried to catch his attention.

“You don’t smell, Julius. My daughter has Magic Synesthesia. Please forgive her. She’s just trying to say you have a lot of mana.”

He let his jaw drop in awe. That was an incredibly rare and fascinating condition! People with Magic Synesthesia were incredibly sensitive to magic, detecting unique mana from incredibly long distances. In fact, the world’s most famous bounty hunters and trackers had some form of Magic Synesthesia.

“Wait, really?! Then what do I smell like?”

Aika was going to stop Holly before she said something offensive again but it was too late.

“You smell like a warm, jelly-filled pączki in the middle of a lightning storm. It’s a good smell. It’s cold and warm at the same time,” she sniffed and wrinkled her nose. “But it barely covers the whiskey smell.”

“Oh, that was what the sweet smell was,” Aika nodded to herself, not unlike her own daughter. She rather liked pączki…

Holly narrowed her eyes at her mom. She has good magic sense with her nose too but she has to be really close to smell something distinct like that. When did she get so close to him?

“WOW! That’s amazing, could you tell me—”

“I’m glad you lot are still alive.”

The trio turned towards the front of the house as a handsome, black-haired man with glittering, emerald eyes stepped into the moonlight as he rolled his bleeding shoulder with a groan. He tossed his braid behind him and raised his brows at Julius.

“Did that handsome Magic Knight over there take that assassin out?”

Julius blushed furiously as this man, whom he was assuming was Arthur, winked salaciously at him.

“Listen here, you useless himbo.”

Holly stifled her giggles as her mom tore into her dad. It would get funnier when she realizes he was drunk too.

“You had one job and that was to keep Holly safe. An assassin throws some iron at you and you fall like a bag of bricks? It’s a freaking miracle you’re still alive after all these years.”

Arthur shrugged and winced at the pain.

“Your concern is touching, but what can I say? The Gods don’t want me and the Devil isn’t done with me. I’ll live.”

Aika rolled her eyes as she stood up and Julius with her.

“But really, what happened to the assassin?”

Julius ran a hand through his hair as he spoke up.

“The assassin had explosive runes on his chest and inside of his mouth. He already activated the runes so Aika threw him high and I contained the explosion. It was the only way.”

“Woah, he has a nice voice too.”

Holly groaned internally. Not her dad too.

“Dad.”

“Sorry, that was rude.” Suddenly he was in front of Julius, bowing as he took his hand. “My name is Arthur. What’s yours?”

Aika slapped his hand away as Julius looked on in shock.

“Don’t answer that question, Julius,” she said seriously as she threw a warning look at Arthur’s way. He shouldn’t use his fae magic if he doesn’t want to bring unwanted attention to himself. With that sentence alone, she made sure Arthur knew Julius’ name indirectly and thwarted his plan to assume control of the unsuspecting man. Trust him to think with his dick.

Holly groaned out loud this time. She didn’t understand what the weird tension between the three was, but it was disgusting. She shook her head as she walked back into the house. She didn’t want to be there if they got worse.

Arthur’s eyes flickered up to his forehead where the star lay on his forehead in interest.

Is this the Time mage she was looking for?

His eyes slid down to Julius’ chest as he subtly reached out with his mana. He noticed that this man seemed to be hiding a significant portion of his mana and wore the Grey Deers crest.

Oh, lord. Is he that Magic Knight Captain?

“Holy shit, you’re that Captain no one knows the attribute about. Good thing that, considering the Pascere Syndicate went through so much effort to cover up Aika’s Time Magic,” he added.

“The Pascere Syndicate?” Julius frowned. He heard about them. “You mean the Assembly of Nations?” He knew he would have to attend at least one of their conventions after he gets appointed the Wizard King. It was a giant committee that sought to maintain peace, prevent magical wars and forbidden rituals on a global-scale that could destroy the world.

And wait, cover up Time Magic? How does he know that I have Time Magic?

“Yeah, them. You’ve been doing a good job of covering up your Time magic so far,” he said, looking pointedly at his forehead. “but please try not to catch any unwanted attention from the international community,” Arthur laughed nervously. The last time that happened...Oh, he did not want to think about it. He didn’t particularly care if there was another Time Mage, especially since it looked like Julius kept his low-key, but people who would want to use it for themselves often took down many in their path to get it.

Julius nodded hesitantly at the unexpected advice.

“I’ll keep that in mind...”

“What are you doing here in the countryside anyways? Isn’t there a war going on?”

“He was just escorting me home,” Aika said as glared at Arthur. She slowly wrapped a possessive arm around Julius’ waist. He looked at her with a pleased grin and pulled her closer to his side.

Arthur’s mouth dropped into an “o” when he realized what they were actually here for and threw a knowing smirk at them.

Seems like the Time mages are getting along quite nicely…

He laughed as he slapped Julius’ back jovially but immediately recoiled. He quickly covered that up as if he was rolling his shoulders at the expense of the sharp pain that shot through his body. He willed his beating heart to calm down as hysteria threatened to crawl up his buzzed brain.

What the hell was that?

“I’m so sorry, Julius,” Arthur stepped back with his arms raised. He nodded at Aika calmly, though his eyes were filled with no small amount of fear, hoping she would spot it.

She just threw a grateful look at him and shared a smile with Julius. Arthur’s shoulders slackened an inch when he saw genuine affection in their eyes. Oh. That was surprising...

But whatever it was, he needed to get Holly away from here. He needed to leave anyway due to the custody contract and someone will notice the assassin gone and will investigate. Whatever this Time mage was, he was trouble too.

“I’ll take Holly home and bring her around tomorrow afternoon,” he declared with forced nonchalance. “Holly!” he called out. “Come on, dear! We’re leaving!”

“Wait, I need a statement from you two,” Julius stepped forward officiously, choosing to ignore his bizarre behavior for now. He had noticed how Arthur let go of him and the way his eyes shook in their sockets as he looked at Aika as if to warn her. He seemed scared of Julius all of a sudden, but whatever it was, he needed to get a word from them before they leave. Plenty of time to investigate later.

“Could you please explain how a foreign assassin got to Hage?”

Aika reached out and touched Arthur’s arm to heal it. He smiled tightly as he answered,

“Holly and I were exploring the continent—because it was our week off,” Arthur quickly explained when Aika opened her mouth to berate him again. “and we were in the Spade Kingdom touring your alma mater,” He motioned at Aika. “when the assassin, who had been tailing us the whole time, finally found an opportunity. We realized too late and were going to teleport away but he caught up to us as we ported here and there was a little scuffle,” Holly jogged back to her father’s side, unamused. “I got injured, Holly was restrained and held hostage for approximately an hour, then you two came along and you know the rest of the story,” he finished as he rushed at the end. He really needed to leave. He was getting antsy to get Julius away from Holly.

“Ah, thank you, Arthur!” Julius took his hand and Arthur suppressed a shudder at the wave of goosebumps and unnatural cold followed by warmth that settled over him.

Julius raised an eyebrow at the way he tensed and the distinctly different mana he was giving off.

That’s very interesting...

“It was really nice meeting you two,” He expressed sincerely.

“Of course,” Arthur said lowly, injecting false flirtatiousness into his tone. He needed to stay in character.

“Aika, can I speak with you for a moment before we go?” His hand twitched as he reached for Holly. He didn’t want to leave her but he needed to avoid suspicion.

“Of course!” She turned to Julius and quickly pecked his cheek. Arthur’s anxiety shot up. “I’ll be right back Julius,” she said as he grinned sheepishly. Holly rolled her eyes at the display and crossed her arms across her chest.

Arthur squared his shoulders as Aika silently led them to a tree on the front yard. He needed to warn her.

She turned to him with a raised brow.

“Is everything alright?”

Arthur shot a cautious look at Julius. “No, it’s not. Your new boytoy isn’t human.”

She threw a sharp look at him. “First of all, don’t call him ‘my boytoy’ and second of all, what do you mean by that?”

“I mean that he doesn’t have a heart. His heartbeat is fake.”

“Oh, I knew that.”

“What? ”

Aika crossed her arms. “I had my lips to his pulse. His heart was supposed to be beating quickly at that moment, but at the speed he was going, he was either having a heart attack or he was orgasming,” she rolled her eyes. “But we got interrupted before we could even get that far. So yeah, his heartbeat is fake. So what? That doesn’t make him inhuman. His blood still flows, I can assure you that,” she added smugly.

Arthur shook as he stifled a smile. “Yeah, but that doesn’t change the fact that his mana is completely different from normal humans.”

She hummed thoughtfully. “Well, forbidden magic can make a human mana seem inhuman. He doesn’t have any weg,” her eyes widened. “But didn’t I say that the seal on my forehead could double as a seal for weg?”

“Forget about forbidden magic!” he hissed. “Okay, he’s not as straight-laced as he looks. Okay, whatever, but I know how forbidden magic feels like on a person. This isn’t forbidden magic, it feels more lighter, and it’s not elf magic either. What kind of magic allows you to not have a beating heart, and feel light and dangerous?”

Aika’s cheek twitched. “Fine,” she conceded. “I’ll keep an eye on him. But I think you’re worrying about nothing. He’s had many opportunities to cause any harm but he hasn’t. He was actually really gentle and vulnerable with me. He is also a respected Magic Knight who is on his way to becoming Wizard King.”

“I know and it looks like he may have some rather large skeletons in his closet.”

“Arthur, we all do,” Aika sighed heavily. “Look, he is good. I can assure you that. You know what he wants to do when he is Wizard King? He wants to end classist discrimination in Clover Kingdom and he was genuine about it. Look, I’m surrounded by liars and I can smell one from a mile away. He hasn’t lied to me.”

“Yet.”

She growled in annoyance. “Are you worried about me or something?”

“Am I worried about the mother of my child? Yes, and I still stand by the fact that he doesn’t feel remotely human.”

“You’re not human either, idiot. I don’t care if he isn’t. I mean, as long as he isn’t conspiring anything malicious, I don’t have any problem with him being not-human and/or using forbidden magic,” she snorted. “I’d be a hypocrite if I did.”

“Okay, I’ll drop it for now,” Arthur shook his head. Maybe she’ll see some sense after she’s had her way with him. He smirked at her.

“I guess you would be biased,” he quirked his eyebrow knowingly. “I see you eye-fucking him.”

“Oh, please as if I’d let that cloud my judgement and besides,” she threw a long look at Julius on his knees as he talked to their daughter. “As soon as you two leave, that wouldn’t be the only thing I would’ve done by the end of the night.”

Arthur relaxed a bit. While his instincts screamed that Julius was hiding something about himself, it doesn't necessarily mean he’s hiding something heinous or harmful. If anything were to happen, he believed that she could take care of herself.

“Be careful, and if you two continue your little tête-à-tête and you’re still alive, let me join sometime,” he winked as he added playfully.

“Oh, come on. The last time we both got into the same bed, you came out at the end of it looking like you lost a fist fight.”

He stuck his tongue out childishly. “Too bad I’m into that.”

He dodged as she smacked his arm with an indulgent laugh.

Julius kneeled in front of Holly with a forbearing smile.

“I really like your mom,” he admitted plainly. She scoffed derisively, all manners to the wind.

“Did I do anything to offend you? If so, could I do anything to fix it?”

“All of them are like that,” she snarled bitterly as looked at her nails. “Your type only likes my mom because she’s pretty and nothing else,” Holly braced herself, ready to cut him down if he moved to attack her, but he only stayed silent. She looked up to see Julius looking at her mom by the tree with a smile that threatened to overtake his face.

“Yeah, she’s pretty,” he agreed as he tore her eyes from her to look at Holly. “And she’s kind of scary too. She has a mean hook,” he huffed as he looked at Aika from the corner of his eye. “But she’s super smart and really cool. She knows a lot about magic and I want to learn from her. I want to work with her and the time I spent with her so far has been... freeing ,” he admitted shyly. “I want to know more about her and I want us to get along because you are her daughter and she loves you a lot. One day, I hope she could even show me a sliver of that love,” Julius sighed deeply. “Could you please tell me what she likes or where she might want to go?” He looked at her pleadingly. “I’d love to take her on a date.”

Holly stared at him, eyes as wide as saucers. The lump in her throat made it hard for her to breath. No one’s ever talked about her mom like that to her face…

“Um,” she squeaked as tears gathered at the edge of her eyes. Holly looked up and blinked rapidly, willing them to go away. All of her mom’s past lovers have always avoided her because she wasn’t their daughter. No one’s really come up to her and told her that they sincerely liked her mom. They might have loved her but she didn’t know and she didn’t understand it anyway. But the way Julius looked away at her mom while Holly composed herself made her chest constrict.

She cleared her throat, bringing his attention back to her. He looked at her searchingly to make sure she was ‘okay.’

“Sh-she likes to stay in during winters with hot cocoa and blankets and just talk. She likes to listen to people talk about their day,” Holly breathed in deeply. If he was sincere, and if he would continue to look at her mom like that, then she could afford to help him a bit. “If you want to get her something, don’t . But if you really want to, make her something, like food or a bracelet or something like that. She likes personal things like that.”

“Thank you, I really appreciate that.”

They both turned their heads when Aika and Arthur burst out laughing. Jealousy shot through Julius when Arthur laid a hand on Aika’s shoulder.

“Say...How close are your mom and dad?”

Holly shrugged. “They’re best friends. There’s not much to say besides that,” she raised a brow at him. “But if you’re asking if they like each other that way, I’d say ‘no.’”

Julius nodded, slightly relieved, and stood up as the grinning pair made their way to them.

“What are you two whispering about?”

“He was just keeping me entertained,” Holly quickly covered as Julius threw a grateful smile at her.

Aika and Arthur shared a disbelieving look. Their daughter was good at lying, but she wasn’t going to fool them , her teachers.

“Thank you, Julius,” Arthur said, looking better than he did before. Aika walked and stood next to Julius as she laced her fingers with his. Holly quickly hugged her mom and took her father’s hand.

“We’ll take our leave,” he said quietly and nodded at the two with a wink. “Have fun.”

“Bye!” Holly chirped before they vanished from sight.

“They didn’t have to leave at my expense,” Julius began as he turned to Aika with a neutral smile. She waved him off and looped an arm with him as she led them back to her house.

“They didn’t leave because of you,” she tightened her hold on him. “They left because of the custody contract. Holly can only visit me during weekends, holidays and extenuating circumstances. After that, she has to leave.”

“Arthur is very nice for a fae,” Julius said nonchalantly. He caught Aika as she stumbled over her own feet.

“What? How did you—”

“He wanted your firstborn, apparently iron is deadly to him going by your words, you stopped me from saying my name directly, his mana was not human and you have a pact with him; All clues point to him being fae. I wasn’t really sure because he recovered from the iron but your reaction confirms my suspicions,” he grinned in satisfaction as she stared at him in shock.

“I-Yeah, I mean you guessed right.” It made sense how quickly he connected the dots. Julius was going to be the Wizard King for a reason.

He leaned forward with an excited grin. “So your daughter is half-fae right? Does that mean she has two attributes? One is Spatial Magic, what is the other one? Can I ask Arthur questions about him being fae if I ever see him again?”

Aika stared at him for a moment, completely caught off guard by the cute expression on his face.

“Her other attribute is Sun Magic and y-yeah, you can,” she looked away with a blush. She really needed a sober-up potion. Julius tilted her face back with a finger and slotted his lips against Aika’s tenderly, much to her shock. She stared at his closed eyes and thick eyelashes and melted into the kiss and cradled his face. Their lips moved slowly and patiently against each other until they reluctantly pulled back to breathe.

Julius leaned his forehead against her’s. “Could I ask you a few more questions for my report,” he asked breathily against her lips.

“Of course,” Aika whispered back.

They linked hands with a shared smile and walked up the stony path to the house. He opened the door for her as she asked,

“Where did you learn to speak Greek?”

“My father and stepmother are children of Greek immigrants. I grew up speaking Greek and Latin,” he answered as he handed off his cloak and cape to her. That little information about his stepmother piqued her interest.

“Woah, that’s really cool!”

“Where did you learn?”

“I was in Athens for a few months, picked up the language on the go.”

“Wow! You were in Greece?”

“I’ve been everywhere,” Aika answered with a proud smile as she hung the cape and cloak on the coat rack. “I’m going to go wash my feet. Could you please take out the sober-up potions from the cabinet left of the kitchen sink for us?”

Julius nodded as she took a turn down a hallway off to the side. He examined the living room more carefully. It was modestly decorated with a few bronze accents pieces and dark brown furniture, but the walls were decorated with landscape and abstract paintings by Aika’s father. Some were of a view he would expect to see outside a cabin in the middle of the woods or at the edge of the sea and some were chaotic depictions of fire, water, lightning and metal curling around each other, tightly linked and unwilling to let go.

He shook his head and strode into the kitchen as he went over the questions he was going to ask. As he reached for the cabinet where he assumed Aika kept her potions, he was hit with a wave of unnatural dread from the window above the kitchen sink. He strained his eyes to look outside in curiosity and extended his mana zone in the direction of the backyard. His dread increased when he detected recent activity of forbidden magic. It was like a parasite that crawled over scorched Earth and flowers which surprisingly thrived despite the oppressive mana. It was all Aika’s magic.

His chest tightened at the thought of her doing forbidden magic but Julius could feel it so vividly. She had been doing forbidden magic. He wondered how he couldn’t feel it on her…He took out the potion and swallowed it thickly as any warm feeling he had of her shriveled up and died. He blinked as his vision grew clearer and leaned heavily against the kitchen countertop. He had such high hopes.

“Boo.”

Julius immediately pivoted on his heel, fingers pointed at Aika’s neck as they sparked with mana. She stared at him, fresh-faced as she cocked her head.

“You’re under arrest for the use of forbidden magic,” he growled as he glared at her. Her eyes lit up in understanding and smiled cryptically.

“That’s kind of hot,” she giggled as her hand traveled up his tense chest.

“Wh—” And before he could finish his sentence, he was slammed against the wall, his wrists crossed and pinned above his head. He forgot she was Time Mage too. She could be just as fast as him.

Aika breezily opened her potions cabinet and downed the sober-up potion.

Julius strained against the invisible, hand-like force on his wrists to no avail. She flipped a dining table chair around with a flourish and leisurely sat on it as she crossed her legs, looking like the very image of grace as she adjusted her skirt.

“Does Master Raymond know you use forbidden magic?” He spat as he struggled to uncross his wrists. Julius flared his mana threateningly as he activated mana skin but even then he couldn't break the bonds holding him. She quirked an eyebrow at him as she answered his question.

“Know?” she cocked her head at him. “He sanctions it.” Aika supressed a smile as Julius stilled in shock. “I’m sure you had questions about how I knew the forbidden runes on Sven’s body. A better question would be how you, a Magic Knight Captain, knew.”

Julius stayed silent as they both stared at each other, wearing equally neutral expressions.

“I like to read,” he finally said.

“Oh no, I knew that already. The question is why you would be reading about forbidden runes.”

“I could ask you the same,” Julius said, his expression icy and eyes that were dull to the point where they seemed black in the dim torchlight of the kitchen.

Aika raised her hands as she shrugged. “I’m an open book. I’ll tell you where I learned if you tell me.”

He jerked against the restraints one more time before he slackened in defeat.

He sighed. “There’s a secret section of the Royal Library,” he growled, refusing to elaborate further.

“Oh, is that all?” Aika sighed in relief. She read everything in there already and it only had elementary books on forbidden subjects. “If that’s where you learned then that’s okay. It would be a problem if you were actually interested in forbidden magic and sought after it in other places,” Aika nodded as she crossed her arms.

“I learned forbidden magic in the Spade Nation War College for four years since I was 16. That was almost twenty years ago,” she explained as she hugged herself. She smiled wickedly when Julius’ eyes strayed downwards to her chest.

“Did you know,” Aika began as his eyes flickered up to her’s with an embarrassed blush. “That using forbidden magic and having weg is a symbol of power in the rest of the world? It’s taboo on this continent only because someone opened the Qliphoth Tree over 600 years ago and let out a lot of demons into the world. The rest of the world actually still hates the Four Suits continent because of that,” she shook her head with a wry smile. “It’s no matter,” she leaned forward as if she was going to tell him a secret.

“I’m not particularly a patriot or a nationalist—I’ve been around the world way too many times to be one—but serving the Wizard King was and is a pleasure. I do forbidden magic for the Wizard King. I keep my hands dirty so the Wizard King doesn’t have to—but that doesn’t mean Master Raymond’s hands are entirely clean,” she snorted as she said, “He did choke the life out of an entire army with their own blood and drown another. Did you know that he’s known as The Leviathan around the world for that?”

“Just because Master Raymond sanctions it, doesn’t mean it’s legal. Using forbidden magic means losing your humanity.”

“Yeah, if you don’t use it carefully. There are safeguards against that but there are some rituals where you can’t avoid that. But if you mean losing your emotions, I mean it happens, again, if you’re not careful. And besides, it’s legal if you have a license, and guess what? I have a license. I’ve saved lives with forbidden magic and if you try to have it revoked, you will be hard-pressed by many factions ready to defend me.”

Julius sighed and closed his eyes in relief. In order to be approved for a license, it takes years of thorough background checks, psychiatric evaluations and high-level government who "okayed" it. If she’s been approved, then she can be trusted. “You could’ve just said that. Please let me go. I won’t attack you.”

She giggled as she shook her head. “Sorry, I just felt like monologuing like a villain,” she said as she winked.

Julius laughed as he looked up at his restraints. “Could you please let me go?”

Aika’s languid eyes roved over his stretched out form. “No, I don’t think I will,” her lips twitched up into a suggestive smirk. “I rather like the view.”

A thrill shot through Julius as he resisted the urge to squirm. Her predatory gaze wasn’t doing anything to help the burning heat growing in his lower belly.

“CAPTAIN!”

They both jumped as a screen materialized in front of Julius’ face.

“What-Where have you been? The meeting was over hours ago! Why are your hands above your head like that?!”

“Marx! Ah, I am just stretching my arms,” he laughed nervously. Aika let go of her hold on him with a silent laugh. She couldn’t see who this Marx character was but she spared Julius the indignity of someone witnessing him being tied up like that.

Julius dropped his arms and rolled his shoulders as he smiled wide.

“I’m kind of busy right now, Marx. I have no doubt that the squad is up right now partying their Friday night. Well, tell them to party harder because tonight is that last night before we begin preparing for the final battle! By this time Saturday, we either win or lose the war.”

“The final battle? Are you sure, sir?”

“Yes, I am, Marx. Join your friends or just relax because tomorrow, we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

“Yes, sir...Aren’t you coming back to the base? You could look at Magic later, sir…”

“I’ll be there,” he smiled kindly. “but don’t expect me.”

“You could look at magic later! You have to inform the squad yourself now! A final battle? I can’t even begin to imagine what we need to start preparing!”

Julius raised his hands as he cringed from his berating.

“I’ll be there soon as soon as I can!”

“Alright, you better be!”

The screen fizzled out and Julius pressed a hand to his chest and exhaled in relief. Aika found it strange, for a passing moment, that he was still making gestures as if he had a heart that could beat.

“Oh, that was embarrassing,” Julius huffed as he leaned his head back against the wall.

“You should go, you know,” she said softly.

He gasped dramatically and pouted as he strode to where she sat.

“You want to get rid of me already?” he asked as he cocked his head down at her. She tugged him hard onto her lap but he readily straddled her legs and threw arms around her shoulders as they both looked at each other challengingly.

“I think you know the answer to that,” she whispered and leaned forward to nip at his exposed neck. “But you shouldn’t slack off work for my sake.”

“I’m just letting my squad have one night off before I work them to death.” Julius squirmed as Aika bit harder. He slowly knotted his hands in her hair and pulled gently. She hummed as her hands slid from his hips down to his ass and squeezed as he moaned.

“Who knew that a man of your stature, and the future Wizard King could be so submissive. ” She slid a hand down his front and cupped him through his pants. Julius shamelessly humped against her hand with a whine, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. He buried his face in her shoulder as he panted.

“I’m expected to be the opposite,” he admitted breathily. “But it was quite nice when you took the initiative.”

Aika brought her hands up to his face with an amused twitch of her lips and pecked at the little dimple at the corner of his mouth.

“Well, you are absolutely adorable. How could I not?”

He shook his head with an embarrassed grin and looked around and his jaw dropped at the framed painting that covered most of the kitchen’s West wall. It was gigantic but he didn’t notice it in his lust-filled haze.

“Holy—That’s amazing! Did your father paint that?” Aika nearly groaned out loud when he jumped off her lap and moved closer to the painting to examine it closely.

It was a small, raven-haired boy caught mid-dance as the rain and wind swept his hair and clothes as lightning curled around him. The stormy sky in the background was lit with stray lightning and some even seemed to strike the ground around him. Julius couldn’t help but gape at the magic depicted so delicately and with such detail. He could almost feel the mana through the canvas.

Aika studied the little boy’s face with a sad smile as she stood next to him.

“Yeah, he did. We caught my brother summoning storms again when he was 10 and gained full control of his magic. My father found the scene very picturesque so he spent months painting and perfecting it. ”

Julius stared, starry-eyed as he touched the lightning on the boy’s cheek.

“He was summoning storms at 10? He must be a really strong mage now! Where’s your brother now? Why have I never heard of such a strong lightning mage in the Magic Knights? Didn’t you say he wanted to be Wizard King?”

“Oh, my brother’s in the backyard right now,” she said casually as she willed her face to stay neutral.

“In the backyard?” he craned his head to look out the window. “At this time? What’s he doing?”

“Staying dead.”

Julius clamped one hand over his mouth to stop an inappropriate guffaw from bursting out. He let his hand fall and pursed his lips as Aika continued.

“The painting is called ‘The Symphony of the Lightning God,’” she continued as she motioned at the painting with a giggle.

“I-I see,” he snorted. “I’m so sorry. That was so rude of me.”

She sniggered. “No, it’s perfectly fine. My brother told me to make that joke.”

“He told you? When did he die?”

Aika paused. “Over 23 years ago...He was thirteen and I was sixteen…”

Julius’s face grew somber as he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder.

“I’m sorry...I’m sure you miss him…”

She snorted. “No, I don’t. I saw his dumbass yesterday. What do you think the forbidden magic in the backyard was?”

“Huh?”

#julius novachrono #black clover #julius novachrono x reader #julius novachrono x oc #julius x reader #oc: aika tolliver #julius & aika #they gon fuck next chapter dont worry ;)

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ibelieveinharrystyles · 4 years

Text

Chapter Seven: Chaotic Christmas

Forever? Masterlist

24th December 2016

“Simply having a wonderful Christmas time!” Harry and Ashley sang in unison as they cruised up the M1, they were on their way home for a family Christmas, which based on tradition, Linda was hosting this year. Luckily, they had timed their departure from London perfectly with Daisy’s nap, which was an accomplishment compared to how disastrous their last journey with her had been. “I’ve missed your mum’s cooking, she does make an impeccable roast,” Harry sighed, his eyes focused on the road ahead.

“If you tell her that she will love you forever,” Ashley chuckled.

“I don’t need to tell her, she already does.” Shortly after Harry’s quick witted reply Daisy stirred from her nap, crying for attention.

“We’re going to have to stop at the next service station H, she’s due a feed.”

“There’s one just up ahead, we’ll pull in there.”

Somehow Harry managed to find a space in what was a very busy car park, they clearly weren’t the only ones driving home for Christmas, Daisy was getting restless, her screams were almost deafening, “Alright Daisy my love we’re here now.” Ashley hopped out of the car, taking Daisy out of her baby seat in the back of the car, taking her round to the boot, where Harry was already grabbing the nappy bag, “Don’t bother with the buggy, I’ll just carry her, we’ll find a nice cafe in there somewhere.” The two of them weaved their way around the groups of people, Harry had his hood up in an attempt not to draw attention, even though everyone was already looking at Ashley and her screaming baby. Eventually they found a table in a little cafe where Ashley could contently feed Daisy, “You wouldn’t mind getting us some food whilst I fed her would you?” Ashley asked Harry as she made up Daisy’s bottle.

“Course, anything in particular?” Harry asked.

“Something fresh, and some apple juice if they’ve got it please.”

After a long drive up the motorway Harry, Ashley and Daisy arrived safely in the comfort of Holmes Chapel, Linda rushed out of the house greeting them all with hugs and helping Harry with the bags while Ashley carried Daisy, who had just stirred from another nap. “How was the journey up? I imagine the world and his wife were travelling up from Lonson,” Linda asked as they made their way into the house, the smell of her homemade mince pies.

“It was alright, the service station was a little crazy, but that's the price I have to pay for being best friends with a global sensation.” Ashley told her mum as she got Daisy out of her adorable little snowsuit, “Can’t take you anywhere can I Harry?”

“I’m such a troublemaker.” Harry winked, placing the bags down in the hallway and taking Daisy from Ashley so she could sort herself out. Ashley entered the perfectly decorated living room, reminding her of all her childhood Christmases, Linda always went the extra mile at Christmas, draping holly, ivy and mistletoe berries along the beams that supported the roof of the living room. A splash of colour was always something the Hanson family had opted for at Christmas, this year the tree was decorated with teal and gold decorations, growing up Ashley’s dad had always been chaotic when it came to decorating the tree, it was always his job, but he loved to attack the tree with an unorthodox method of decorating, so in a way of paying homage to him Linda always used a less traditional colour scheme every year, but still to her taste. Harry and Daisy sat on the sofa, playing with one of the many toys Linda had scattered about the living room.

Harry had gone back to spend the night at his family home before the chaos of Christmas Day, leaving Ashley and Linda eating their way through a stuffed crust pepperoni pizza, watching the intense Christmas Eve special of Coronation Street whilst Daisy played happily on the floor. “Your dad would be so proud of you, you know that don’t you?” Linda told her daughter, placing her hand on top of Ashley’s, “You’ve achieved so much this year already, moving to London, having a baby on your own, he would’ve absolutely adored Daisy.”

“I’m not on my own mum, I’ve got Harry.” Ashley reminded her.

“I know that my love, it's clear he cares very much about you both, but one day he will meet someone he wants to settle down with, and that means he probably won’t be as involved in your life.” Linda explained.

“I’m aware of that mum,” Ashley sighed, her mum wasn’t wrong, one day Harry would love another woman enough to want to marry her and have children with her, she just had to accept that, “I think I’ll take Daisy up to bed, it’s been a long day.”

“What about the mince pies?” Linda asked.

“They’ll keep till the morning, night mum.”

Usually Ashley was good at sleeping the whole night through, that was when Daisy wasn’t waking up for a feed, she laid in what was once her childhood bed completely restless and unable to get to sleep, so she concluded fresh air would do her some good. She made her way downstairs, opening the door to the back garden, the cold air nipping at her skin, she took a seat on one of the thick branches of a tree that was at the back of Anne’s garden, but had grown so much that the branches stretched, well over into Linda’s garden. Ashley and Harry spent hours when they were younger, climbing and playing games on it. “Couldn’t sleep?” the familiar voice shook her out of her daydream as she noticed Harry climbing up the tree to perch beside her.

“I’m just thinking about things,” Ashley sighed.

“What things?”

“New job kinda things,” Harry’s face appeared puzzled, “Capital have offered me a promotion, a big one, they like the increase in attention they’ve got from us being friends, and Roman needs a new co-host,” she paused, “They want me to do the breakfast show with him.”

“That's incredible Ash, but why does that require you to be sitting on our tree at 2 in the morning?”

“I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do, Daisy will be barely six months old when I start in January, I don’t want to miss a massive chunk of her childhood, and it feels like I would be exploiting our friendship.” Ashley explained.

“If it's the breakfast show that's only four or so hours of the day, you could always do it for a couple of years, and when she’s off to school and needs you there in the mornings, I’m sure you will be given an even better opportunity,” Harry assured her.

“I remember when I was the one who gave you advice,” Ashley whispered resting her head on Harry’s shoulder, “Anyway, why are you out here at this time of night?”

“I’m thinking about next year, Ash it’s going to be crazily busy, with the album, tour and also the film.”

“Well whatever happens, whatever people say, you’ll always be my best friend,” she whispered, taking his hand in hers, “Now go and get some sleep, mum will be raging if you’re half asleep during Christmas Dinner.”

The following morning Ashley stirred from her sleep, she checked the time on her phone, it was well gone ten in the morning, Daisy wasn’t in her cot, Ashley chucked an old hoodie on over her pyjamas and made her way downstairs. Her mum, Harry, Anne and Gemma were sat round the dining table, indulging in croissants and pastries, Harry had Daisy sat on his knee, bouncing her along to the cheesy Christmas music that played in the background. “Merry Christmas,” Ashley smiled, greeting them all with hugs, Harry respectfully handing Daisy over. “Hello my princess, happy Christmas,” she bounced her on her hip, before taking a seat at the table, “Has she had her morning bottle?”

“Yep, first thing Harry did when they got here, he crept into your room, retrieved Daisy, and bought her down here for breakfast.” Linda told her,

“Thank you,” Ashley smiled, “I’ve actually got some news, well I made the decision last night, with the help of Harry, as of mid January, I’m going to be co-hosting the breakfast show on Capital.”

“Ashley that’s wonderful news!” Anne cried, offering her a big hug, “isn’t your mummy clever?” she whispered to Daisy, tickling her under the chin.

Ashley glanced over at her mum, who was wiping tears from under her eyes, “Are you alright mum?”

“I just know how proud your dad would be Ash, all he wanted was for you to be happy.” Linda smiffled.

“I am happy, and I’m so happy to spend Christmas day with all my favourite people.”

After an impeccable Christmas Dinner thanks to Linda, everyone took their seats around the tree, as due to tradition, Harry handed out the presents. They all took it in turns, opening their gifts, Daisy only had a few, mainly from Harry, as everyone agreed she was only little, so she wouldn’t remember Christmas that much. Harry got her a mini xylophone, some stuffed animals and of course some designer baby clothes, that Ashley didn’t dare consider the possible price of. There was one gift left under the tree for Daisy, Ashley opened it, seeing a little white teddy, “Who is this from?” She asked, all of them looking at her blankly.

“Oh that was on the doorstep when we arrived earlier.” Gemma told her.

She checked the label, making sure she knew who to thank, her heart was in her mouth, she stood up, heading to the kitchen and chucking it in the bin, Harry followed after her, noticing the sudden change in her mood. “Hey what’s wrong?”

“It’s him.” She whispered, leaning on the kitchen counter, holding her head in her hands.

“What’s him? I don’t get it.” Harry replied.

“The label on Daisy’s present said dad, Matt sent the present, what if he knows where we live? He could be outside as we speak.” She panicked.

“Hey Ash, you need to calm down,” Harry soothed, wiping her tears away from her cheeks, “This is a small town, everyone knows everyone, there is an extremely high chance he just sent it to the local post office, when I used to get all that fanmail, people literally just put my name and Holmes Chapel on it, you don’t need to worry.”

“I do though Harry, what if he wants to be part of her life? What if he wants custody of her? I can’t lose her Harry, I can’t.”

“Ashley you are an amazing mum, when you told Matt you were pregnant he went awol, no court is going to deem him a fit father.” Harry assured her, taking hold of both her hands, “As long as I’m walking this earth, I am going to do everything I can to keep you and Daisy safe, you have my word.”

#harry styles #harry styles imagines #harry styles imagine #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles one shot #harry styles blurb #one direction #one direction memes #solo harry #fanfiction #harry styles best friend fic #best friend harry #choose love #stay home stay safe #treat people with kindness #timothee aesthetic

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