#i have always loved that picture of alice sitting across the table from the mad hatter

[emperorofthedark]

Emperor McGee’s Ophelia

[niksixx]

Plus One

We’re on part 4 already!!! I’m soooo excited for this part. I plan on throwing a few curveballs and cliffhangers in the remaining parts of this mini fic, and I can’t wait for your reactions! 

Note: This fic takes place over the course of a few months!! Just keep that in mind while reading!

A/N: Please leave comments telling me what you think🖤

*Picture is NOT mine. Found on Google. Credit to the owner.*  

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*Pia’s POV*

I look in the mirror, completely unsatisfied yet again with my outfit of choice. Ten years out of high school and I find myself still caring about what my old classmates will think of me. I sigh before pulling off the simple blue dress and toss it on my bed dejectedly.

It takes me another fifteen minutes to find a better outfit and soon I’m staring back at myself adorned in heeled boots, black pants, and a skimmery gold long sleeve shirt.

I give myself a half smile just as the bell rings. I make sure to grab my purse, filled with lipgloss and a generous amount of breath mints, before heading down the steps.

My heart squeezes in my chest. In leather pants and a black button up shirt, Nikki grins happily. I’m well aware of his eyes examining the length of my body, and I don’t try to hide that I’m doing the same thing to him.

“When’s the last time you were this dolled up?” He asks, pressing the softest kiss to my cheek. There’s no one watching. He doesn’t have to appear affectionate. So why does he?

I snicker back at him before locking the door behind me. “It’s not like I’ve had anywhere to go. Now come on, we’re going to be late.”

~~~

Every inch of the school is decorated in navy blue and maroon streamers. Balloons are tied to chairs, littered on the gymnasium floor, and floating to the ceiling. Teachers stand by the entryway while old friends mingle about. I spot my friends laughing at a circular table in the back of the gym, and my hand slides into Nikki’s before pulling him in that direction.

“You made it,” Vince remarks, giving us a nod. “We didn’t think you were coming.”

“We wanted to make an entrance,” Nikki answers with a lighthearted laugh, giving my hand a squeeze. “Fashionably late and all that jazz.”

I walk around the table, exchanging hugs and quick pecks on the cheek, making sure to even press a tiny kiss to Vivian’s growing stomach. It’s good to see everyone together again. Sure, we’re all used to seeing each other on the weekends, but life has caught up to many of us, making it difficult to keep to our regularly scheduled adventures.

“So, you and Nikki,” Charlotte whispers, only for the girls to hear. My lips quirk up in a smile. “It’s about time you got your happy ending.”

“Let’s not jump ahead,” Viv interjects, stuffing a brownie into her mouth. No one says anything about the six other brownies piled onto her plate. How ironic it’d be if baby Alice May ended up hating chocolate. “They just started dating a month ago. But, I am mad I had to find out from Amanda,” Viv pouts before sinking her teeth into another treat. “How’s he been treating you?”

“Like a queen I hope,” Amanda chimes in, swirling the straw in her drink.

I see how happy they are for me, and I have to push away the nagging thought that screams it’s not real. No matter how much I want it to be real, and no matter how well Nikki treats me, that thought is ever-present in my brain.

“He’s amazing,” I say breathlessly, sneaking a quick peek at Nikki. He laughs at something Tommy says, eyes crinkling in delight. His smile is wide and genuine. “He’s unlike any man I’ve ever been with.”

Charlotte shakes me happily. “How many dates have you been on?”

“A few. We went out to dinner one night, a museum another. We stay in sometimes too. Order pizza, watch movies, play games. He even cooked for me last night. Being with him is an adventure I never want to end.”

~~~

*Nikki’s POV*

From the gymnasium bleachers, I watch with a grin as Pia and Charlotte dance with a few classmates. My eyes stay glued on Pia. The more she smiles and laughs, the more I can feel a dopey grin widening across my face.

I can feel my chest tighten as I watch her. It’s a feeling I’ve been having for a few days now whenever I’m around her and I can’t quite place what it is. From the dance floor her eyes find mine and she winks subtly, and the tightness is present once more. I balance my elbow on my knee, cheek in my palm, and sigh.

“You’ve got a little drool right there buddy,” Tommy pokes the corner of my mouth and I swat his hand away, frowning.

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

Tommy rolls his eyes, crossing his ankles and leaning back on a higher bleacher. “How long are you supposed to keep up this act?”

I’m well aware of the extra emphasis placed on act. “Only a few more months. After her work party and cousin’s wedding, I am a free, single man again.”

“Uh huh,” Tommy tuts, his eyebrow raised in question. “So there’s absolutely no chance that this fake relationship turns into something real.”

I straighten my shoulders, shooting Tommy a warning look. He’s treading in deep water. “Don’t start. I don’t see her that way. Never have.”

Tommy was never one to listen. He takes a swig of water, brows raised as if to challenge me. “But you’re starting to.”

“Enough,” The word comes out harsh through gritted teeth. I ball my fists tightly, lowering my voice. “Be careful with your next words, man. I’m serious.”

Tommy chuckles, shaking his head. It’s a game to him. My reactions are his entertainment. “You won’t do shit and you know it. Seriously, man, what gives? I can see it on your face. You’re falling for her, aren’t you?”

I’m about to open my mouth but commotion on the dance floor stops me. I turn, scrunching my brows as Pia and Charlotte dart over to where Tommy and I are sitting.

“What’s going on?” Tommy asks, looking frantically between the girls.

“It’s Viv,” Pia answers, waiting a moment to catch her breath. “Her water just broke.”

~~~

In Vivian’s arms, the tiny pink bundle squirms away. There’s a smile on each one of my friend’s faces, Mick especially, as he strokes the top of his daughter’s head.

“She is so beautiful,” Amanda gasps, tears filling her eyes at the sight of her godchild. Even Tommy’s eyes are bright with unshed tears as he gazes at his new goddaughter, only a few hours old. “We’re so proud of you, Viv.”

Beside me, Pia squeezes my hand. I look down, smirking at the tears that are falling from her eyes, and instinctively brush them away. When I turn forward, I’m greeted with Vivian’s eyes narrowed, holding me captive. No one else seems to notice, and I squirm under her intense gaze.

“Now I hope you know I love you all, but this new momma is hungry and tired,” Viv chuckles, rubbing her growling stomach. Mick is the first one out of the room, no doubt sprinting to the cafeteria to find something semi edible for his wife to eat. Everyone nods in understanding. We begin to file out into the hallway, but Vivan’s voice stops me.

“Nikki,” I turn around, again met with Vivian’s hard gaze. “Close the door. Stay here.”

I freeze. Her voice is anything but welcoming. My fingers twitch as I close the door to the room, taking a hesitant step toward her.

“I thought you wanted to rest,” I say dumbly, stuffing my hands into my pockets. It was never easy to tell what Vivian was thinking, but her face always gave away how she felt.

“I do, but we need to talk first,” Viv’s voice is low and even. She sucks in a breath, exhales, and glares. “Why are you doing this to my best friend?” She shakes her head. “A fake relationship? Really?”

I frown, the realization dawning on me. Mick had told Vivian. “What are you getting at, Viv? Pia asked me to be her fake boyfriend. I’m not doing anything to her.”

It’s a scary sight, Vivian chuckling darkly. “Wow. You really are oblivious, huh?” When I don’t answer, Vivian continues, voice softening. “You really expect me to believe that you don’t know Pia is in love with you?”

I blink. “What?”

Viv rolls her eyes exasperatedly. “Pia is in love with you, Nikki. Somehow, everyone else can see that except you.”

Hate is a strong word and I don’t use it very often. But at this moment, I hate Vivian. I hate the way she’s looking at me. I hate the way I feel so small under her scrutiny. But most of all, I hate the way she’s acting as if I’m in the wrong.

“She doesn’t love me,” I respond with a laugh. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Vivian laughs quietly, repositioning Alice in her arms. “Of course you don’t think so. You never pay attention. I do, and I have over the years. You don’t see the way she watches you when you talk, so fascinated by anything you have to say. You don’t see the way she laughs when you tell a stupid joke. And by the way, she’s the only one who’s ever laughing. You don’t see the way her cheeks flare up when you compliment her and she tries to hide it by looking away. You never, ever saw the devastation in her eyes when you chose each one of us over her. That’s your problem, Nikki. You don’t see.”

My pulse races and suddenly I’m warm all over. The ground beneath me begins to sway, and my fingers lock around the back of the single wooden chair beside the hospital bed. I lower myself down, rubbing the tension from my temples, trying to understand.

Vivian’s hand on my shoulder is light. I’m tempted to push it away, but I know she means well. “This relationship...this fake relationship, is going to end up with one of you hurt. And it’s not going to be you.”

“Why does everyone think something is going to go wrong? First Mick and Tommy, and now you,” I pull the chair closer, gripping Vivian’s hard. She flinches, but says nothing. “You said my problem is that I don’t see. Then help me, Viv. Help me see. If Pia loves me like you say she does, then why did she ask me to be her fake boyfriend and not her real boyfriend, huh? I’m clearly not good enough to be her real boyfriend, right?”

Viv sighs, thumb brushing over my knuckles. “She asked you because she trusts you. And this fake relationship gives her the chance to experience a real relationship with you, one that you never gave her because you were too busy using me, Charlotte, and Amanda to occupy your time. You want to know a secret? You just told me why you never gave Pia the chance. Because in your mind, you don’t think you’re good enough for her. And for someone that puts on the front that he doesn’t want a relationship with her, you certainly are going to lengths to prove this one is real.”

“I know I’m not good enough,” I spit back. “I just...I just know it. I can act the part and put on a show, but that’s all this is. It’s a goddamn show.”

I can see the blood rushing to Vivian’s cheeks. “You stubborn jackass, you know that’s not true. You only have to play the part in public. And believe me, you’ve done one hell of a job with that, so explain to me why you’re still dating her in private? Movie nights? Game nights? Homemade dinners? Explain that to me.”

For the tenth time that night, I’m speechless. Why was I still dating her in private?

“So what do you suggest then?” I ask seriously after a long, silent moment. “That we just call it off completely? Because I can do that right now.”

Viv shakes her head, eyes wide. “If you have no intentions of making this a real relationship, then you need to stop acting like it is behind closed doors. No more movie nights. No more game nights, homemade dinners, none of that. Because the more you do that, the more she’s going to fall in love with you, only for you to rip her heart out in the end.”

[itsmalachitenow]

BAT001- Down the Rabbit Hole

BAT001 – Case #0212403, taken from the files of Office 31 of the Gotham City Police Department 

Statement of Alice Pleasance, regarding her close encounter with one Jervis Tetch.

-STATEMENT BEGINS-

I know. I know, okay? You don’t have to tell me. I know I don’t match the picture on my driver’s license. I’ve been meaning to get it redone. But when you’ve been missing for a month and a half, a lot of things you mean to get done get piled up, and it takes awhile to deal with them. If the hair dye and piercings bother you that much, I can just leave.

…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just…all of this has been awful for me. I think coming in and saying what happened, getting it all put down on paper, will help me process it. At least, that’s what my therapist says. You’ll have to bear with me. A lot of it is blurry now.

So….here we go. From the top.

It started with a hole in the road.

It was February 13th. …I don’t actually remember which day I disappeared, but that was apparently the last time anyone had seen me, so that’s what we’re going with. I remember feeling…sad. Lonely. You know that feeling when you see couples walking around everywhere and you’re single? Yeah. That’s it.

I was heading home. I work…worked at…a division of Wayne Enterprises. I was a secretary. I can’t do it anymore, though, after what that bastard did to me. But we’ll get to that.

I was taking a different route from usual. I thought I’d pick up some takeout on the way home, maybe a tub of ice cream, really treat myself, you know? To hell with valentine’s day and to hell with romance. Who needs love, right?

And…I guess part of me was hoping I’d find something interesting. Something to brighten up my day.

I turned down the street corner and was debating what I’d order from Dragon Palace when I saw the hole.

Now…you have to understand. This was a big hole. It was big enough to take up the entire street. I wondered if there was some kind of renovation going on with the sewers or repaving the road, but there wasn’t any kind of construction equipment or signs anywhere.

…but there was a stuffed rabbit.

It was a battered old thing. I think it used to be white, but now it was more of a dingy yellow color, with patches of fur scuffed off. Honestly, I got a creepy vibe from it. I remember staring into its big glass eyes and wondering if the kid who’d dropped it was better off for losing it.

And then it moved.

Not on its own, of course. I’m not an idiot. Something…tugged it, towards the hole, and it skidded across the pavement until the tugging stopped.

By that point, I was ready to get the hell out of there and go home the usual way. This is Gotham. I knew something fishy was going on, and I didn’t want any part in it. So I tried to turn around…

…and stopped.

Maybe that’s the wrong way to say it. I guess I should say, something stopped me from turning.

I could still move my feet, my arms, my head! But whatever had grabbed me wasn’t letting me do anything with them.

I saw the rabbit skitter a few feet forward again.

But this time, some force pulled me after it. It was…like someone wrapped a rope around me, and was pulling it like they were pulling the stuffed toy.

By that point, I was wondering if I was dreaming. I had to be, right? Even then, I recognized the similarities to that story—Alice in Wonderland? I know this is Gotham, and things are weird in Gotham, but girls named Alice don’t just chase a toy rabbit into a hole that spawned in the middle of the street. They don’t!

But it kept going. The rabbit would move, and then I’d move. It would move, then I would move. Until eventually the rabbit disappeared down the pit, and I was standing at the very edge of it.

My heart was beating so hard I could hear it, watching that stuffed toy fall into the darkness. I remember listening for it, waiting to hear it hit the ground…

…but somehow, some part of me knew that I wouldn’t.

I tried to fight back. But whatever was pulling me didn’t like that, and it gave one more hard yank. The next thing I knew, I was tumbling down, down, down into the dark.

This is where it all gets blurry for me. So…sorry in advance, I guess.

I was screaming. I remember that much, even though everything after the fall is…murky. I was screaming my head off as I fell down that pit. But somehow, the landing didn’t kill me. I hit something soft…mushrooms? Were they mushrooms? I think they were.

But now the rabbit was back in sight, and now I could see what was moving it. There was a bright red string attached to it, and it was pulling the thing along.

And now there was a bright red string attached to me, coming out of my chest, and it was pulling me right along after it.

I don’t remember how long I ran. It was a very long hallway, with twists and turns…I remember doors. But I didn’t give them so much as a second glance. I wouldn’t have, even if I weren’t struggling to keep my balance with the thread pulling me along. Some part of me knew…that they weren’t for me. Does that make sense?

Whatever. The doors don’t matter. The hallway doesn’t matter—it eventually gave way to…all these bright colors. It seemed like the landscape was changing itself around me. I remember flowers bigger than me, ones that waved to me as I passed them, I remember a technicolor forest…

…but we didn’t stop until we reached the tea party.

It was a huge table, about twenty feet long, covered in all kinds of teapots and cups. There were a few people sitting there. But…it was wrong. The whole thing was wrong.

A man and an older woman were seated across from eachother, drinking tea and chattering about something I couldn’t hear. But none of their movements were on their own—they had red string, the same kind that was attached to me, wrapped around all their limbs. Like puppets…they were like human puppets, being guided through the motions, with half-lidded and glassy eyes.

And sitting between the two of them was a man. That bastard—Jervis Tetch. I know his name now, but at the time I just thought he looked like the Mad Hatter had stepped straight out of the storybook. His fingers were entwined in red string, and he was playing cat’s cradle with them. Do you know that game? The one where you take a large loop of string and make shapes with it? That’s what he was doing—staring intently at his fingers as he moved the string and contorted it.

…and then he looked at me.

He stopped his hands, and the others at the table stopped what they were doing. They just…hung there, like marionettes. Lifeless.

Those huge red eyes were boring into me. He said my name, like a question. “Alice?” He tilted his head at me, like a kid might do at an unexpected toy.

I didn’t say anything. At least, I don’t think I did. I didn’t understand anything that was going on.

And then he smiled at me. That smile…it was horrible to look at. It curled across his face, wider than any human’s should be, with more teeth than any human should have. And what he said next, I remember more clearly than anything else in that horrible place.

“Your hair wants cutting.”

He never did, though. Cut my hair, I mean. In fact, I think my hair was his favorite thing about me—the way he’d coo to me as he brushed it…he ended up putting those same strings on me that those other people had. I couldn’t fight back—he was stronger than I was, especially once the strings were on. My limbs just…stopped working.

The rest of it is mostly a fever dream. We had tea parties and played croquet and ran about, all with me in some hideous Alice dress and parroting the things he wanted me to say. I begged him to let me go, of course. But he’d just tut and tap my nose. Something about me being ‘naughty’. Oh, I could’ve killed him.

None of it felt real. It was…it was bad. That’s the only way I can think to summarize it. Icky. Not right. Wrong. Jesus—listening to myself is painful. Any of those words, amplified a hundred times, wouldn’t be enough to describe the sensation that went on down there, down in ‘Wonderland.’

I saw him kill a man down there. Or maybe the man was already dead. Either way, when the Hatter took a pair of scissors out of his coat and cut the threads holding him up, he didn’t try to get back up again. The Hatter just shook his head, and I watched the dead-eyed man sink down into the floor like quicksand. How many others had he done that to??

Toys. We were all toys, to be discarded when we were too broken to be fun anymore.

There were dozens of people down there.

Not just anyone, either—some of them…some of them I recognized. Cheryl Reed, an older woman who worked in the same building as me—she was down there too, dressed up all in red and crowing for decapitation. She didn’t recognize me, even when I pleaded her to. Or maybe she was just pretending. When the Hatter stomped his foot and demanded we ‘stop that nonsense’, neither of us felt like fighting back.

Neither of us wanted to end up like that man on the floor.

…thinking back…I don’t think all of us were tied up. There was a man who was…different. I know he was different, because he could walk around on his own. No strings. And I never saw the Hatter dress him. Instead of the gaudy colorful clothes he put us in, this person was walking around in a drab brown business suit. He was…tall, yes, he was tall. Taller than the Hatter by at least a foot or two. Brown hair. Glasses…a very sharp chin.

He’d show up sometimes. The Hatter would get very excited when he came to the table, and he made me curtsey to him the first time he came. Introduced him as…J…something. It was a J name. Jonah? James? I guess it doesn’t matter. The name the Hatter gave him was ‘the March Hare’. Whoever he was, the March Hare made it very clear that he wasn’t interested in helping me, or any of us. He’d sit down and talk to the Hatter. I could never follow the conversation, or remember it clearly. …always something about ‘spirals’, I think.

But the important bit here is that the March Hare could leave.

He had a pair of scissors in his pocket, and he’d just….cut through the air, tear a large dark hole into reality, and step through it. The Hatter would stitch it back together with the same red thread he used on the rest of us, though the closed rip would eventually fade into nothing.

It’s how I escaped.

See, most of the time he would take me with him wherever he was going or whatever game he was playing. I was his favorite that way. But everyone else, he’d have them doing something on their own without him having to constantly keep an eye on them. I guess you could call it ‘autopilot’.

After some romp with the Walrus and the Carpenter, we were coming back to the tea table, and I saw a chance at salvation. The Hatter’s scissors weren’t in his pocket anymore—they were laying there, on the floor, just under the tablecloth. He must have dropped them! I knew I had to act fast—who knew when I’d get another chance?

I brought up some fake inconsistency—that the Carpenter had a limb loose, or something like that. I remember how agitated he got. Insisting to me that no, the Carpenter did not have a loose limb, all the strings were still tightly in place. But I kept insisting, and he actually started to doubt himself to the point where he finally buckled and was going to go back and check. He tried to bring me along, but I huffed and said my feet were tired, I wanted to sit down and drink my tea and eat my biscuits.

Normally he would’ve scolded me and made me come along anyway, but I think by that point I’d stressed him out enough that he just let me sit as he hurried off, and for the first time in what felt like years, I was alone again.

It took…a lot of effort, to move on my own. It’s probably the hardest thing I’d ever done. But I managed to pull against the strings, to bend down, to pick up the scissors. And I cut myself free.

The minute the blades cut through the first strand of thread, I knew I’d made a mistake. He’d felt it. And he was coming back. Fortunately, with my arm free, it was much easier to get the rest of the string off of me.

I almost didn’t get out. By the time I was off my strings, the Hatter was practically flying back towards me, angrier than I’d ever seen him. He was screaming at me, screaming at me to stop, that he’d punish me if I went any further.

I tried swinging the scissors through the air, and I almost sobbed when nothing was happening. No portal was appearing, no salvation was coming…I was going to be a doll forever, or until he decided he was done with me.

But then, a thought drifted through my mind. It was something one of my old lecturers at university had said. The gist of it isn’t really important here—but I remembered the phrase ‘fabric of reality.’

When I was thinking of that phrase, suddenly I felt the blade of the scissors catch on something, and I was quick to pull it down. Like you’d tear through a sheet of fabric in your way.

Just before he could grab hold of me, I dove into the hole I’d made.

And then I woke up.

…well…I woke up on the pavement, with paramedics and a crowd gathered around me, along with reporters. The missing Alice Pleasance, returned home in strange clothes, and…you know the rest. Read the newspaper articles if you really want a rehash of that. Honestly, lying there on the street, I thought it really was a dream, that maybe I’d just gotten hit by a car or something and blacked out….but there’s a problem with that. One, I’d been missing for a month and a half, and two, I still had the Hatter’s scissors. I’m leaving them with you. Lord knows I don’t want them. And maybe they’ll help in your investigation.

I cut my hair. It was the first thing I did once I was out of the hospital. I threw out most of my old clothes, all of them were too close to the costumes he had me in for my liking. And every time I looked in the mirror, I saw Alice. Sweet, sassy, stupid Alice, from the books. …I can’t even think of those books now without feeling sick.

I had to quit my job. I can’t focus for long periods anymore, no matter how hard I try. I just lose track of the time, and all of a sudden it’s four hours later than when I last checked. Most of the time, I just stay in nowadays.

…and that’s not all…

Sometimes, when I look around outside…I can see red strings everywhere. Covering everyone. Guiding them. Controlling them. It’s not real. I know it’s not real. And most of the time, I can blink a few times or rub my eyes, and the strings will be gone.

Jervis Tetch…that monster…he ruined my life.

I don’t know how you’d go about capturing someone like that.

But I really hope this helps you catch him.

Archivist Notes: The scissors Ms. Pleasance included with her statement are now in artifact storage, awaiting inspection. If what Ms. Pleasance says is true, this marks the first documented case where someone’s ever escaped from Jervis Tetch—alive, anyway, instead of lying dead in some back alley as if they’d dropped from the sky.

One other thing to note is the description of the ‘March Hare.’ It might be a stretch, but it aligns very closely with a missing person’s report that’s currently ongoing. The case of one Jonathan Crane, missing for at least a year, and appearing in proximity to dangerous individuals. Something to look in to.

-END DOCUMENT-

[terapsina]

Mary’s is a Long (Island) Sad Tale

Summary: 

The phone rings for a few moments and then switches to voicemail - ‘This is Kate, you know the drill.’ - Mary ends the connection and tries again.

“C’mon. C’mon Kate, please pick up.” She whispers. One ring, two rings, three rings... voicemail. For half a heartbeat she wants to just keep calling like a crazy person until Kate answers but she forces herself to take a deep breath because that would be insane. She can leave a message, like a calm and reasonable person whose mother didn’t just admit to faking a missing kid’s death. “Kate, hey, I didn’t know, you have to believe that I didn’t know. I’m so sorry, please just... just call me back, okay?

/or/

The time between Mary's mother telling her the truth about her involvement in Beth being announced dead and Mary barging into Wayne Tower. Plus a little bit of the time after.

- ao3 -

As she flinches away from her mother’s touch, bile rising in her throat, the thought that makes her spinning mind come to a screeching halt is her words about Kate. Her mom said she didn’t want Mary to hear this from her stepdad or Kate.

Which means that Kate already knows. 

Her eyes skitter around the pier, avoiding the sight of her mother’s tearful face, sure that if she doesn’t she’ll throw up right there in broad daylight. She can’t be here, she has to get the hell away from this woman she’s loved all her life and thought she knew, away from the face that now feels like it belongs to a stranger. 

So she does, she stumbles past her mother and then she rushes off, hands tight around her middle, trying to contain the scream that hasn’t passed her lips but is echoing through her mind anyway.

For the next few minutes all she does is hurry to put as much distance between herself and her mother as she can get.

Her mother forged the evidence that made her stepdad stop searching for Beth, which means that right now Kate absolutely loathes Mary’s mom. And that’s fine, right this moment she doesn’t think she’ll ever be able to forgive her mother either.

How could the woman who taught her the difference between right and wrong have done this? And... oh god. What if Kate thinks that Mary had already known?

Halting in place Mary grabs her purse to search for her phone, - her fingers shaking so badly she almost drops it before she can unlock the screen, - after a moment she gets to her contacts and scrolls down to her sister’s name to call her.

It rings for a few moments and then switches to voicemail - ‘This is Kate, you know the drill.’ - Mary ends the connection and tries again. 

“C’mon. C’mon Kate, please pick up.” She whispers. One ring, two rings, three rings... voicemail. For half a heartbeat she wants to just keep calling like a crazy person until Kate answers but she forces herself to take a deep breath because that would be insane. She can leave a message, like a calm and reasonable person whose mother didn’t just admit to faking a missing kid’s death. “Kate, hey, I didn’t know, you have to believe that I didn’t know. I’m so sorry, please just... just call me back, okay?”

Because that didn’t sound unhinged at all.

Mary looks around, glares at the group of people throwing strange looks at the crazy, crying girl and doesn’t know what to do. She can’t go back to the car, even if she gets there first it’s not like she wants to be driven home. She doesn’t want to be anywhere near her mother right now.

What she wants is to talk with her sister. 

Her eyes rove around the street, searching for inspiration and land on the five star hotel on the other side of the street. It’s as good as place as any to wait for Kate to call her back. And hotels have bars.

-

It’s half an hour and one Tequila Sunrise later that she tries to call Kate again.

“Hey, I know you probably don’t wan’t to talk with anyone right now but can you please call me back? Mom... my mother told me what she did. I’m so sorry, Kate.” Mary says, and after spending a few minutes hopefully waiting for Kate to call her back this time, she waves over the bartender for another glass.

Usually not getting a response from Kate wouldn’t feel like this big of a deal, she’s used to it. But today she can’t help analyzing what it means, because if Kate is about to disown her stepmother then a stepsister is such convenient collateral damage.

-

The phone finally rings maybe ten minutes after that but before the relief has had a chance to set in she sees her mother’s face flash across the screen. In the picture her mother is smiling, eyes crinkling at the corners that make her look kind and loving and-

Mary swipes left on the red button, chest tightening with simmering anger. She finishes off her second drink in two big gulps.

She doesn’t want to hear her mother’s justifications, or her apologies, as if it’s Mary that needs to hear them. What she wants is for it to be yesterday when she’d thought that the worst thing her mother had ever done was occasionally make Mary feel like the family embarrassment.

-

“I can’t believe she’d do that.” She mutters into the speaker, head down on the counter. “I mean how did she even justify that to herself? I could-”

“Hey there.” Interrupts an unwelcome voice from beside her. “What’s got a girl as pretty as you so down?”

“Get lost!” She snaps at the sleazy white guy as soon as she picks up her head from the shiny wooden surface of the bar, she puts him to be at least fifteen years older than her, not that it would have changed much even if he was her own age and cute. Right now she wants to be hit on almost as much as she wants to ever again be in the same room as her mother.

The guy hisses something quietly under his breath before he leaves, Mary misses it under the smooth sounds of the piano that’s running as the background noise for the hotel bar but she can make an educated guess as to its nature.

She rolls her eyes and as soon as the guy’s gone turns her focus back on her call, only to find it’s already disconnected again.

“Shit.” She says and reaches over to finish off her glass but stops mid-reach, throwing a suspicious look at it and then the seat beside her. She hadn’t been watching the glass, and she’s still sober enough to remember to be cautious.

She pushes the half empty glass back to the bartender and asks for a Mai Tai to replace it.

-

“If you’re avoiding me because you think I’ll take Mom’s side you don’t know me at all. What she did was horrible and I would never ever ever ever ever- ever is such a weird word have you noticed? What was I saying?” Mary says cutting short and hiccups, it seems to jump-start her short term memory, “I’d never ever take her side. I hate her.” 

It hurts to say, it hurts even to think it but it’s the only word that fits how it feels to think of the harm her mom’s done. To remember all those times when Kate would say that she knew that Beth wasn’t dead and Mary didn’t believe it, and her mom sat on the other side of the dinner table and said nothing for more than a decade.

She wipes her cheeks for what feels like the hundredth time in the past few hours, the movement making her head spin around her feet even though she’s sitting. It’s possible she might have drunk a bit too much.

Time to change her plan of attack, waiting for Kate to call her back is clearly not working. She needs a cab.

-

Kate’s apartment being a bust has brought her to Wayne Tower - Kate wasn’t home, not even mad would Kate have made Mary bang on her apartment door for ten minutes straight without letting her in.

So now she’s facing the world’s most stubborn security guard. Though Mary is going to get past him, because he might not know it but if there’s one thing that being raised by She Who Won’t Be Named has made her ready for, it’s elbowing her way into wherever she wants to go. And right now that’s to see Kate.

“I’m sorry Miss, I can’t let you in.” The man says rushing to catch up with her as she storms her way toward the private elevator.

“I’m here to see Kate.” She says and fends off his attempt to steer her away back toward the exit and pushes the elevator button.

“Miss Kane isn’t seeing anyone right now.”

“Well I’m not anyone and if she plans to avoid me just because Mom turned out to be the Evil Stepmother she’s got another thing coming.” She says and steps into the elevator as soon as the doors slide open, leaving the guard with the choice of either following her or physically carrying her out. He’s not going to try that second one yet though, Mary can tell. She pushes the uppermost button on the elevator, - it’s always the uppermost button, - and then she waits.

A minute later, as soon as the elevator door slides open again she rushes out, dragging along the guard who, in a last ditch effort to stop her, is now holding her by her elbow.

“Kate?! Kate!” She yells. “I need to talk to you, okay? I hate her too. Kate?”

-

It turning out that Kate’s been off somewhere with Alice the entire day that Mary tried desperately to get in touch with her, to make sure she wouldn’t be losing her sister in the upcoming parental divorce is so typical it’s almost funny, - if ending up curled up on the ratty couch of the clinic that’s hiding inside an abandoned building, under two musty blankets as she finishes off the last slice of pizza given to her by Kate’s associate-assistant-real-estate-person Luke, and fighting off a migraine - can be considered amusing instead of depressing.

She finishes the last bites, throws a look at the dark screen of the phone and after a moment of hesitation turns her back to it to lay down and maybe finally catch some sleep.

Who knows, maybe she’ll wake up in her own bed at home and this past day will just be a bad dream that never actually happened.

-

She doesn’t wake up in her own bed. She also doesn’t wake up alone. Her feet are laying across someone’s lap.

“I’m mad at you.” Mary whispers in the darkness at her visitor.

“I know.” Kate says back.”I talked to Luke.”

For a minute Mary doesn’t know what else to say so she lets the silence speak in her place. Eventually though the thing she’s been trying to get Kate to hear all day spills out. “I didn’t know what Mom had done. Not until this morning, I would have told you if I'd known.”

This time it’s Kate who doesn’t answer but she reaches over to squeeze her hand and Mary sighs in relief.

“What were you doing with Alice?” She asks, not sure if she wants to know but nothing else seems to come to her mind and the silence is turning oppressive.

“She brought me to show what happened to her after the crash.”

Mary freezes in place, her throat closing up. She’s known that story couldn’t possibly turn out to be good since Kate had said that Alice was Beth. But now whatever happened will always at least partially be her mother’s fault. Because her stepdad would have never stopped looking without the evidence of those skull fragments, and maybe they would have found her.

Maybe she really could have grown up with two sisters.

“What...” She’s terrified to ask what Kate has learned but she also needs to know. “What did happen?”

“Mary.” Kate says in a pained voice and falls silent, like the words don’t want to come, or maybe like she’s trying to protect her from them.

“Just say it.” Mary says, harsh.

“She was found by serial killer. Apparently, he wanted a playmate for his son.”

In a second Mary is off the couch and rushing for the door leading to the only working bathroom in the entire building. She gets there just in time to throw up those slices of pizza and numerous cocktails. By the time Kate follows her into the bathroom and belatedly turns on the light she’s still dry heaving over the toilet seat, tears running over her cheeks. It doesn’t help, she’s still sick to her stomach.

“I’m sorry, Kate.” Mary says and looks up to her.

Kate looks like the world has broken to pieces under her feet, like an earthquake has ruptured something vital and all the light has been leaked out of her. The closest Mary’s ever seen Kate looking to this was five years ago when Sophie broke Kate’s heart. But even then she didn’t look as hopeless as she does right now, back then she had that anger that managed to carry her out of the city. Now even that seems absent.

It’s enough to make Mary bring herself together. She gets up, quickly washes out her mouth and then steers Kate back to the room they came from.

Once they’re back to sitting though, this time with one of the blankets around Kate’s shoulders, Mary’s at a loss again.

What can she possibly say to make Kate feel better? She doesn’t even know how to make herself feel better.

The silence between them grows again.

Eventually it’s Kate herself who breaks it.

“You don’t have to kill anyone to get me to talk to you, you know.” Kate says, the sound tired but with just enough of a hint of real humor to make Mary think Kate will be okay. Eventually.

Then her words register and Mary’s eyes narrow. “How much exactly did Luke tell you about my visit to the Wayne Tower?”

“That was about it. He told me you’d tried to find me, found out I was with Alice and then said that when you left. He was quite insistent I should talk to you though. Why?”  Mary sees Kate side-eyeing her thoughtfully with a twist to her lips and a raised eyebrow.

Mary doesn’t blink. She knows that look on Kate too, it’s a curious look. It’s a look that means Mary needs to go back to Luke the first thing tomorrow morning and either swear or threaten him into keeping his silence.

First though she needs to distract Kate and she’s got the perfect thing too. She’s been thinking about it for a bit now, though she’s pretty sure she wouldn’t have gotten up the courage to actually mention it without the added incentive of making sure Kate never hears about the things Mary had said today while upset.

“Hey, Kate?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I go live at your place for a bit? I don’t think I can stay in the same building as Mom right now and I... I don’t actually have anywhere else to go.” The words rush out of her so fast she’s not sure how she’d kept them in until now.

Mary looks up, uncertain, and finds Kate looking somewhere over Mary’s shoulder but after a moment she focuses on her and nods.

“Okay.” Kate says. “You can stay as long as you need to.”

And that seems to be all that Mary needed to be pushed over the edge because she immediately bursts into tears. Except this time she finds Kate bringing her into her arms, starting to rock her in place as she runs soothing circles over her back.

“I’m sorry.” Mary says and then repeats it, again and again, like she’ can’t stop. She’s so sorry. She’s sorry her mom did this, she’s sorry about what happened to Beth, she’s sorry she can’t be the sister Kate actually wants.

“It’s alright, Mary. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.”

[sunnyie-eve]

Somebody To Love (Part5-Top Of The Pops)

(Ben!RogerTaylor)

Word count: 1,678

Warnings: Very tiny fluff part at the end

A/N: I like to always add pics of outfits so you can picture what you’re wearing.

—————————————————

"You're sure he said 12 o'clock?" Roger asks Brian from across the table. "Yes, 'Midday at the pub, don't be drunk.' That's what he said." Brian tells Roger. "You look a bit nervous, Brian." John looks at him. "John, I'm fine." He says and I laugh. "You're usually so particular." John says making me laugh more. "Just got to be cool." He says back. "Wow." I say as I see Fred. "I didn't know it was fancy dress, Fred." Brian says. "I've gotta make an impression, darling." Freddie opens his arms. "You look like an angry lizard." I joke making the boys laugh. The boys start to joke about it more as Fred takes his seat next to me and I see an man walk our way. "Can I borrow it for Sunday church?" John asks him as the man I saw takes a seat with us.

"So this is Queen. And you must be Freddie Mercury. You got a gift. You all have. "So tell me, what makes Queen different from all the other wannabe rock stars I meet?" He asks the band. "I'll tell you want it is. We're four sorta five misfits who don't belong together, playing to the other misfits." Freddie adds me in surprise me that he counts me at part of the band. "The outcasts right at the back of the room... who are pretty sure they don't belong either. We belong to them." Fred finishes and Brian adds to it, "We're a family." He takes my hand into his and Roger speaks too, "But no two of us the same."

Another man shows up, "Paul. Paul Prenter... meet Queen... our new signing." He says and we look at each other. "Paul will be looking after your day-to-day." He says and I eye Paul. "Pleasure." He says and Reid talks again. "If I can get you on the radio, maybe I can get you on television." He looks at us. "Top of the Pops?" Roger asks. "Hopefully." Reid says. "And then..." Fred asks him. "And then...It's only the biggest television program in the country. No one is even heard of you." He laughs. “Look, I admire your enthusiasm. Of it goods well, if it happens... I've got an promotional tour in Japan in mind." He says and I look at Fred and I know he wants more.

"We'll want more." He says and I knew I was right. "Every band wants more." Reid says and I decide to speak, "Every band's not Queen." I say making the boys smile at me and at Reid, who smiles back at me. "Who are you?" Paul asks me. "Oh Alice, she's part of the band." Roger says smiling at me and Paul eyes me. "For what? When you want some fun?" Paul asks annoying the boys. "No, she's been with Me and Roger since we let Fred in our band before changing the name. I've known her, her whole life and Roger was friends with her in school." Brian says holding my hand again. "She's family and part of this band." John adds and Fred nods his head. "I also made her our assistant from the very beginning. Queen isn't completed without us five." Freddie smiles at me.

After they all talked for a little more, we decided it was time to head home. "See you mates around, and Alice." Paul glares at me and Roger walks between us. "Let's go, Alice." Roger takes my hand dragging me away from Paul. "What's his problem with you?! Saying you're only with us here for when we want to have some fun. Why would he say that about you?" Roger's grip on my hand tightens. "Roger, you're hurting me!" I yelp and he lets go of me. "I'm sorry, I'm just so mad." His face gets red. "Just relax, it's fine Roger. It doesn't bother me and it shouldn't bother you." I grab his face trying to calm him down. "But it does." He looks into my eyes. "Don't let it." I look back into his and Brian pulls me away from Roger. "I don't like Paul." He says holding me by my waist. "He basically was saying you were like one of Roger's girls." He rest his head on my shoulder. "I'm fine with it, so don't let it bother you guys." I move away from Brian and get in the car.

~

Reid got the boys to be a the television to preform and they were excited about it. "Alice, Love. Do I look okay?" Roger asks walking up to me. "No, because your tie is shit. Come here." I walk up to him and fix his tie for him. "How old are you and you can't do your own tie?" I joke making him roll his eyes at me. "I usually don't dress up Alice." I smile up at him and pat his chest. "Oh I know, but it's nice when you do though." I wink at him and reach taking my necklace off, "Brian, let me put this on you. It will complete your look." I turn away from Roger going over to Bri. "Anything about me?" John asks and I shake my head. "Nope, you look perfect." I smile at him while Fred talks to Mary.

"This is shit." Roger says hitting his drum. The guy goes on telling them that it will be play back. "We do know how to play our instruments." Roger tells him. "You want me to lip sync?" Fred gets in his face. "I don't understand why we can't simply perform live." Brian tells the man. "The audience will ever know the difference." He says to the band. "They'll know the bloody difference." I point at the boys. "This is the BBC. That's how things are done around here. All right? Don't be a nuisance." He says before walking off.

"Why things are done is a load of bollocks, old chap." Roger says and I link my arm with his. "This is the BBC." Brian says change his voice making me giggle. "I'm relieved." Deaky speaks up. "You would be." Brian says fixing his strap. "Perfect performance." He says making them just look at him. "Even though you aren't really playing, you're going to do great." I say kissing Roger's cheek then the other two before heading over to Mary.

After they were done preforming they walked over to us. "See wasn't that bad." I smile as Roger hugs me from behind. "Still hated it though." Brian says flicking my forehead and I notice Paul staring at me. "He's staring again." I say holding Roger's arms and him, Bri, and Deaky look at him. "I dislike him." John says standing next to Brian in front of me to block Paul from seeing me. "We got your back Alice." Brian says pulling me out of Roger's arms into his. "Hey, I was still hugging her. You bloody hug her all the time." Roger throws a small fit. "Because I can and she likes me more than you. She said so herself." Brian teases Roger and I get out of his arms and link my arms with John. "Did not, and let's go Deaky." I kiss his cheek and walk off with him while Brian and Roger bicker at each other behind us.

~

In a few days we start a tour in Japan like Reid told us the day he met us. "Poppy! Stop making so much noise!" I yell at her walking into the kitchen and see Roger looking through the fridge. "Roger? Where's Poppy?" I ask him as he looks at me. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?" I lean against the wall. "Poppy just left and let me in." He smiles at me. "Oh okay, what you doing here though?" I walk over to him and he shuts the fridge smiling at me. "Just want to hangout with you without you know who around." He makes a face making me laugh.

"It's a Friday night, don't you have other things to do? And they have names you can't remember the next day?" I joke making him sigh, "Alice, is that all you see of me?" He asks sounding a little hurt. "Of course I don't, but you show a lot of that side of you." I laugh hopping onto the counter. "Can we just not talk about that side of me then. Right now?" He places his hands on top of my thighs and I look at them. "Roger, if you don't want me to make fun of you... I would remove your hands then." I look back up at him and he removes his hands, "Sorry." He turns around and I pull him back with my legs wrapping them around his waist then wrap my arms around his neck.

"So what were you thinking of?" I say as he carries me on his back as he walks around my flat. "We can go out for some tea?" He asks and I get off him. "Why go out? When I can just make us tea here? For free." I wink at him and he scopes me up in his arms. "And this is why I like you so much Alice." He kisses my cheek before letting me get back to the tea.

We both end up watching whatever was on the tv all night. "Roger, it's pretty late.. shouldn't you start heading home?" I say sitting up from laying in his chest watching tv. "I should, shouldn't I?" He stretches his arms before I walk him to the door. "It was nice of you for wanting to spend your Friday night with me." I open the door for him. "Even though I get with multiple girls, Alice. You're my number one girl, darling. I got to spend quality time with you too." He pats my head and kisses my forehead. "Whatever, goodnight." I kiss his cheek and watch him walk to the lift and get in before going back inside.

[stripesthesupervillain]

Mad Hatter's quirks relating to the Lewis Carrol books

Traits directly from the book:

These are just a reference for me to look at for future Batman fanfiction and shitposts because I want to get them right, and perhaps for anyone who hasn’t read the book Alice in Wonderland, or its sequel, Through the Looking Glass. If Jervis is truly trying to mirror the Hatter to the letter, he should get all of these. 

If you want to see the traits alluded to instead, they’re under the cut. If you’re interested in some of my personal headcanons, they’re also just under the cut.

Anyways, here we go.

- According to illustrations, he’s small and wears a proper dress shirt, coat, and bowtie, along with a large hat with a card stuck in the top reading “In this style 10/6”

- The Hatter appears in chapter 7 and 11 of the book, Alice in Wonderland. He’s with the March Hare and the Dormouse, who can be perceived as his best friends.

- In Through the Looking Glass, he actually makes a small appearance, and is one of the four reoccurring characters, the others being the Hare, Alice, and her real cat, Dinah. He’s referenced being in a prison/dungeon (no idea why) in chapter 5, but you meet him in chapter 7, where he’s inexplicably let out of prison (again, no idea why) and watching a lion and a unicorn duke it out.

- Also on that note, he isn’t called the Hatter, he’s called Hatta. The March Hare is called Haigha (pronounced Hayor) (get it? Hare?), and they’re both messengers for the white king but it’s clear they’re the same characters; they’re practically best friends, and Hatta is seen always sipping tea and eating bread, and is depicted as wearing the same exact hat as before. So yeah, he can also go by Hatta, and will sometimes call the Hare “Haigha”. No Dormouse, though.

- If you attempt to sit down uninvited at his table, he’ll shout “No room! No room!” even if there’s tons of room available.

- If you sit down without his invitation, he’ll be grumpy. Even though the Hare does this, Jervis can offer you wine even if there’s no wine at the table, calling you out for sitting without an invitation.

- He has an odd need to cut Alice’s hair. “Your hair wants cutting.”

- “Why is a raven like a writing desk?” This is the most common question he’ll ask people. Those who get it right will put him in good spirits with them.

- The answer to the riddle, by the way, is “I haven’t the slightest idea” or just saying you don’t know. There is no answer. Lewis Carroll never came up with an answer until a bunch of fans of his work wrote to him, so Jervis stays faithful to the book.

- He’ll easily confuse you if you contradict yourself. For example, when Alice says that “I mean what I say” is the same thing as “I say what I mean”, the Hatter replies with the notion that it’s like saying “I see what I eat” is the same as “I eat what I see”.

- He has a pocketwatch that tells the day, month, and year instead of the time. And it’s two days off.

- He can’t tell the time because he believes that it’s 6:00 all the time. This is because Time, who is described as a person, doesn’t like him, and thus stopped moving for him.

- 6:00 was British tea time back then, which explains his obsession with tea.

- He loves stories, and will demand one from others.

- He also sings. Yes, he sings. “Twinkle twinkle little bat, how I wonder what you’re at. Up above the world you fly, like a tea tray in the sky.” Luckily, that’s all.

- He’s also no stranger to rude remarks, even calling Alice stupid at one point.

- There’s a point where he tries to shove the oversized Dormouse into a teapot. I like this idea because I like imagining Jervis grabbing Riddler by the hair and slamming his head into a teapot.

- He collects hats to sell them, so he has a large variety.

- He has a large fear of the King and Queen of Hearts. In fact he gets extremely anxious in these situations when under a lot of pressure and fumbles when he speaks to the point where he even fucks up a few of his movements, biting a piece out of a teacup instead of his bread.

- This is a rule for practically everyone in the book: if someone is trying to make sense of things, they’re automatically an idiot. If you try to reason with something weird Jervis says, he’ll probably think your stupid. That’s the attitude of almost every character in the book.

Jervis’ possible quirks according to the books:

These aren’t particularly attributed to the Mad Hatter, but can be used as references that are good to know. Most of these are about Alice or Wonderland in general.

- Alice prefers picture books, so, being in a place of imagination, it would make sense the Mad Hatter would like them more. However, being a genius, he will read regular books if he really must. He just finds them boring.

- Despite speaking more than proper English, there are some made up words sometimes from the book that Alice or the characters use, like the infamous phrase “Curiouser and curiouser,” which was a word made up and coined by Lewis Carroll. Though, it’s not considered a legit word. Examples also include “pleasanter”. Some are just completely made up, like “brillig” (meaning 4 o’ clock), or “mimsy” (a cross between flimsy and miserable). Expect Jervis to use a few of those.

- The metaphors are very odd and almost always come from the books, and are hard to understand. For example, “shutting up like a telescope” means to get smaller. 

- At one point, Alice gets confused about who she is, believing herself to be another little girl instead of Alice. It would make sense for the Mad Hatter to call other people he believes to be “Alice” by that name, believing they’re just confused over who they are.

- He’ll sometimes speak to animals as if they’re people. Does he expect them to answer? Maybe.

- Alice is actually learning French. It would make sense for Jervis to deliberately learn French for this purpose. He just might be bilingual.

- Alice carries around a box of comfits and enjoys marmalade. Jervis might be more favorable to sweets.

- Most of the denizens of Wonderland are animals, so it can be guessed that Jervis would have a love of them.

- “We’re all mad here,” says the Cheshire Cat. Jervis could very well know he’s nuts and just rolls with it. Hell, he might even desire it, possibly refusing psychoactive treatment.

- Flowers can talk, too. Yeah. Apparently, the only reason they don’t is because the ground is too soft. Jervis might speak to flowers or something. He doesn’t speak to daisies, because they’re annoying.

- In fact, pretty much everything can talk to him.

- Not trees, though. Trees bark. *wink*

- The Looking Glass world is actually a separate world, where everything is backwards. The more practice you have riding a horse, the more you fall off it; if you want to stay in the same place, you have to run as fast as you can; you have to pass around a cake for everyone to eat before you cut into it. Those sorts of things. So if you get thirsty, expect a dry-ass biscuit for refreshments, because yeah, that happens, too. If Jervis believes he’s in this world, the things he says might make even less sense than before, and he might demand you call him “Hatta”.

- Being a messenger in Through The Looking Glass, that might contribute a bit to his character. Maybe he’ll talk about serving the white king or, y’know, going to prison, or how he needs to get the drums to “drum” the lion and unicorn out of town after watching their fight. Yeah, it’s a weird book.

- Some of the sayings in the book can be interpreted differently, and some of the poems can get kinda dark. You might see him use those to express his opinion or mood. 

Personal headcanons:

- It’s already been established he’s short as fuck, but hey.

- Jervis names every supervillian and hero in Gotham after a character in the book. For example, Jonathan is the March Hare, Batman is the Jabberwocky, Joker is the Queen of Hearts and Harley is the king, things like that. Anyone who’s a doctor or police officer or just a citizen are usually reserved to the rolls of “Cardsmen” or “soldiers” or just “chess pieces” and “pawns”.

- He has very proper English and uses complex vocabulary, as well as made-up words from the book. The only ones who can really understand him completely are Scarecrow, Riddler, and Batman, who have read the books front to back to understand him.

- He has a copy of Alice’s Adventures with him at all times. He’ll hand it to someone if they can’t understand what he’s talking about. Scarecrow dubs it “Jervis’ dictionary”.

- To calm himself down from a particularly harsh schizophrenic episode, he hums some of the rhymes from the books.

- The rhymes and phrases he mutters to himself when it gets quiet also dictate what mood he’s in. Usually he’s pretty cheerful, but the poems get darker as the more disgruntled or sadistic he feels.

- He’s prone to suddenly stopping himself in random conversations and quiet situations to squeal that he’s late or needs to deliver a message or something like that. He’ll continue to freak out for a good thirty seconds before calming down and continuing to talk like nothing happened.

- No one actually knows what he’s late for, but reminding him of it is a good way to stop him in his tracks for a good few seconds. The only time this doesn’t work is with a serious event going on or if he’s upset.

- His most prized possessions are his hat and his copy of Alice in Wonderland, but in case those are every destroyed, he has, like, twenty other duplicates at home.

-He is bilingual in both French and English.

- He’ll take a hammer to any copy of the Burton movies he comes across.

- He owns a Tiger lily that he likes to talk to. He keeps it watered and generally well kept.

- Many of the sayings he takes from the book and he’ll use to express his opinion or desires. For example, if he offers you wine, it means he’s annoyed with you and he doesn’t consider you an ally. If he says “your hair wants cutting” it means he wants to kill you.

- The “tea party” refers to the rogue’s gallery in general. So anyone like Two-Face or Joker is considered a part of or invited to the tea party.

- Speaking of which, I might as well name everyone after an Alice in Wonderland Character, huh? Alright, let’s do this. These are the names Jervis refers to everyone and why.

- He adores animals, since Wonderland is practically made up of them.

Batman: The Jabberwock. In the poem, it’s considered the most dangerous of beasts.

Robin: Jubjub bird. Also something you need to watch out for, apparently. Appears in the Jabberwocky poem, but in passing.

Batgirl: Bandersnatch. Also appears in the same poem in passing, but is still pretty bad. Also said to be fast.

Jervis Tetch: Hatter/Hatta. Duh.

Scarecrow: March Hare. C’mon, the two worked together. They’re pretty much best coworkers. Also because he’s pretty intelligent and plays along with Hatter’s rhymes and whatnot.

Riddler: The Dormouse. Also intelligent and can understand Jervis. Nerd squad.

Joker: Queen of Hearts. Yeah, I know, he’s a guy, but the bitch is insane in the book, executing everyone for the craziest of reasons, kinda like Joker.

Harley Quinn: King of Hearts. Still debating.

Catwoman: The Cheshire Cat. Not good, not bad, and likes to disappear and be sly and all that. Plus it’s a cat.

Poison Ivy: The Tiger lily. Basically rules the other plants and is top-dog. Plus its a talking plant.

Mr. Freeze: Mock Turtle. This one was kinda hard to decide. He’s always sad and a bit of an abomination. Not really a villain like the other are, like how the Mock Turtle isn’t a real turtle. Might change.

Zsasz: Carpenter. A god damn murderer. The Carpenter got a bunch of baby oysters to trust him and then killed them

Killer Croc: Walrus. Basically the same as Zsasz, but you can now include the fact that he’s an animal and eats the oysters.

Clayface: I actually can’t think of anything. Griffin, maybe? Wouldn’t suit him.

Bane: Also hard. Maybe the Lion?

Professor Pyg: The Duchess. Basically a play on him being obscenely ugly. Has a weird obsession for correcting things, and the Duchess’ baby turns into a pig, too, so yeah.

Doctors/People/Police: Cardsmen/Pawns/Chess pieces/soldiers.

[thatbloodymuggle]

there’s nothing holdin’ me back

warnings: n/a

word count: 2.5k

requested by anon: do you think you could do a remus x reader to the song nothing holding me back? that song just really reminds me of the cutie pie. :)

summary: you find out remus likes you and decide to tease him

i wanna follow her where she goes i think about her and she knows it i wanna let her take control ‘cause every time that she gets close yeah

You knew that Remus fancied you. After having eavesdropped on one of the Marauders’ late night conversations a few nights earlier, it all became clear. The prolonged stares, lingering smiles, and shining eyes you hadn’t taken note of before suddenly became obvious to you.

The thought made your heart skip a beat as you’d always had a small thing for the werewolf as well, but you were surely better at hiding those feelings considering no one had picked up on them yet. You had the upper hand at the moment-- and you quite liked it that way.

“Hey guys,” you wore a small smile as you approached the four boys sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. All four chorused back their ‘hellos’ as you opted to sit next to Remus, abandoning your usual seat next to Sirius across the table. The long-haired boy cocked a curious eyebrow at your actions, but didn’t say anything as he refocused on their conversation.

You beamed up at Remus who had tensed every so slightly at your presence. He tried his best to smile back with just as much enthusiasm, but the accelerating beat of his heart prevented him from doing so. You turned back to the three other boys, joining in on their current debate over whether James’s detention was deserved or not.

Rolling your eyes playfully at their intensity over the silly matter, you spoke up, “I have no idea what you did but considering it’s always something, I’m sure Slughorn was in his right mind when giving you a detention.”

Your words seemed to put an end to the argument as Sirius and Peter laughed loudly and James pouted but kept his mouth shut, knowing you were right. Remus merely smiled down at you in admiration. You caught his gaze in the corner of your eye, the smallest of smirks tugging at your rosy lips.

she pulls me in enough to keep me guessing and maybe i should stop and start confessing confessing, yeah

It had been a week since you found out about Remus’s true feeling towards you, and you were loving every moment of it. You’d recently decided to step up your game by ‘accidentally’ bumping your feet with his under the table on multiple occasions, catching his wandering gaze during classes, and almost always letting at least one body part touch him. Needless to say, the poor werewolf was on the brink of insanity.

“She’s driving me mad!” the shaggy-haired boy rubbed his hands over his face the moment he burst into the door of his dorm, three heads shooting towards him.

Peter was the first to speak with furrowed brows, not catching onto who his friend was referring to, “Who?”

The glasses-clad boy of the group rolled his eyes, elbowing the shorter boy, “McGonagall,” he quipped with a deadpan look on his face. “Who do you think? Y/N, obviously.” The stubbier of the two winced, feeling stupid for not having realized it on his own.

Remus, ignoring the two boys, continued his rant, “One minute she acts like she likes me and then I’m friendzoned the next,” he groaned before continuing, “I feel like I should just tell her. I think I might implode if I don’t.”

Sirius watched as James and Peter tried to give his poor friend advice with a knowing smirk. The grey-eyed boy had caught onto your antics a few days in, but decided to let itself play out rather than intervene.

oh, i’ve been shaking i love it when you go crazy you take all my inhibitions baby, there’s nothing holding me back

You had always been quite reckless. You knew it, your teachers knew it, everyone knew it. Your wild demeanor was quite the opposite of Remus’s more calm one, but still, he couldn’t help but be drawn in by it. The way you strut through the halls like you owned them, the permanent smirk you always wore on your cherry lips, the chronically unapologetic look in your wide eyes. You were the waves pulling him under. You were his drug, and he was addicted.

“Y/N, hurry up! We were supposed to leave ten minutes ago!”

Marlene’s voice pulled you away from the mirror you were stood in front of, perfecting the finishing touches to your look. It was Sirius’s birthday and he had invited the entire house in your year and above to attend. The now seventeen-year-old boy managed to snag multiple bottles of firewhiskey and discovered the usefulness of the Room of Requirement so, needless to say, you were in for a wild ride.

“Coming!”

You skipped down the winding stairs to join your friend group consisting of Lily, Marlene, Alice, and Mary. You hastily made your way to the location of the party with you leading the way as you had the most experience with escaping from Filch. You luckily made it without being caught as the five of you entered the room.

It was decorated to the max and music of Sirius’s choice blared, making it difficult to hear anything else. Your eyes scanned the room, catching sight of the birthday boy dancing in the middle with a bottle of firewhiskey in hand. You giggled at the sight before jogging over as gracefully as you could in heels, tapping on his shoulder upon arrival.

Sirius’s head whipped towards yours, a cheeky smile taking over his face, “Y/N! Dance with me!” he carelessly threw down the nearly empty bottle and took your hands instead, leading you in a mess of flailing limbs and moving bodies. You laughed uncontrollably at his drunken attempts at dancing. Little did you know his eyes weren’t the only ones on you. On the opposite end of the room stood Remus, his unmoving gaze set on your moving body that seemed to light up his world.

you take me places that tear up my reputation manipulate my decisions baby, there’s nothing holding me back

A few days had passed since Sirius’s birthday and each one of you had finally gotten over the awful hangovers following it. The plan you’d devised inside your head continued to play out, the obvious frustration building up inside Remus intensifying more and more as each day passed. It had been two weeks since your little game began and it was safe to say you were getting quite the satisfaction from it. Having decided to set up a prank on a few Slytherins one night, you made sure to time it during Remus’s Prefect duties.

“Y/N? What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in bed,” he frowns, steadying your body as the two of you had collided upon turning a corner.

Your eyes were full of mischief as they locked with his chocolate ones, “Pranking, obviously. You’re not gonna rat me out, are you, Moony?” You bat your eyelashes at the lanky boy, eliciting a groan and eye roll.

“You know I’m supposed to report you,” he grumbled, causing your grin to widen.

“Or,” you began, “You could help me.”

He shot you a disapproving look which you brushed aside. Tugging your bottom lip between your teeth, you intertwined your fingers and pulled him down the hallway, his feet jogging to keep up with you. Remus ignored the voice in his head telling him this was a bad idea and instead ran alongside you, exhilaration soon replacing his nerves.

she says that she’s never afraid just picture everybody naked she really doesn’t like to wait not really into hesitation

As time dragged on, Sirius grew more and more concerned about Remus. Knowing full well what you were up to, he decided to finally approach you and ensure your intentions were all good. Naturally, you quite offended that he’d think all of your teasing was done with bad intentions.

“Come on, Sirius. You know I wouldn’t hurt Remus. I care about him,” you frowned at your friend’s question.

He sighed, pulling you into an empty classroom to make sure no one would eavesdrop on your conversation, “I know you do, but at least tell the boy you like him. He’s going crazy.”

You remained silent, your eyebrows knitted together as you diverted your gaze to the front of the room. Sirius studied your face, realization dawning on his own, “You don’t just like him, do you?”

Your head snapped back to his, your eyes narrowed, “What are you implying?”

“You love him.”

You gnawed on your lip at the true accusation, unsure of how to respond. You racked your brain for a comeback, but nothing came up. Sirius took the opportunity to speak again, “It’s okay to say it, you know. He feels the same way-- there’s nothing to be scared of.”

This time your eyes glared into his, annoyed he knew everything you weren’t sure of, “Well he shouldn’t. I’m nothing but bad news and it won’t do him any good,” you snapped to mask the sadness behind your voice.

Sirius’s lips twitched upwards in a kind smile, “But you’re good together, trust me on this one. Just please, tell him before the sexual tension gets so thick you won’t even be able to stand in the same room together.”

Reluctantly you nod, knowing he was right.

‘cause if we lost our minds and we took it way too far i know we’d be alright, i know we would be alright if you were by my side and we stumbled in the dark i know we’d be alright, i know we would be alright

You intended to see Remus after your conversation with Sirius, but your plans changed quickly after falling asleep the moment you sat on the common room couch to briefly speak with Lily. The next morning upon realizing you had fallen asleep, you decided you’d pull him aside at breakfast. You hastily prepared yourself for the day and skipped down to the Great Hall with a little pep in your step. The wide grin on your face was wiped away, however, upon seeing all the Marauders sitting except for Remus. They all held tired smiles at your arrival, all looking as if they’d only gotten an hour of sleep.

“What happened to you lot?” you cocked an eyebrow at the battered boys. They exchanged glances before all speaking at the same time.

“Hangover.”

“Long night.”

“Wrestled with the giant squid.”

You gave James a weird look at his response, but didn’t bother questioning them as you sat down next to Sirius. “Where’s Remus then?” you asked in an attempt to be nonchalant, but failed miserably as they each shot you a knowing look.

“He’s sick in the Hospital Wing,” Sirius began as you stood from your seat with the intention of visiting him, “But I wouldn’t go there,” he hastily tried to stop you. You deadpanned as he came up with a rather dumb excuse, “He, er, doesn’t want visitors right now.”

Your eyes rolled at his failed attempt to stop you. The boys all sighed, but gave up on halting you as you swiveled on your feet, heading towards the Hospital Wing.

You busted through the doors of the infirmary, breathing heavily as you’d jogged the whole way there. There were only a few people present in the spacious room, so it wasn’t hard to find Remus laying in a bed on the opposite side of the room. You calmly walked to his location despite the butterflies in your stomach, only to find him asleep. 

A frown took over your lips once taking in his state. He didn’t appear to be sick, but he was surely battered. A few fresh scars covered his face and his arm appeared to be in a splint of some sort. Seeing as it was a Sunday, you decided you’d wait for him to wake up rather than coming back later. You plopped yourself onto the chair next to his bed, lightly resting your hand on top of his. Before you knew it, sleep took over you yet again.

i feel so free when you’re with me, baby baby, there’s nothing holding me back

“Y/N? Y/N, wake up.”

You jolted awake at the sound of your name, eyes blinking slowly in an attempt to adjust to the light. Your brows furrowed in your confused state before remembering where exactly you were. You sat up from your slumped position in the chair, disregarding the ache in your back as you settled your gaze on Remus.

“Sorry,” you licked your chapped lips, thankful you hadn’t drooled in your sleep. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep I was just waiting for-”

“It’s okay,” he smiled weakly, visibly exhausted. “You really shouldn’t have stayed. I would’ve been fine on my own.”

You frowned at this, “Of course I stayed,” you were quick to speak, though didn’t bother giving a reason why. You eyed him cautiously before talking again, “What happened to you anyway? You certainly aren’t just ‘sick’.”

He shifted nervously before answering, “It’s just, er, just a quidditch accident. Yeah, a Quidditch accident.”

Your suspicious eyes intensified, not satisfied with his answer, “You don’t even play Quidditch, Remus,” you pointed out the obvious.

His face heated up, words stumbling out before he could stop and think about them, “I know, I was just, er,” he paused before recollecting his thoughts, “I was helping James practice! Yeah, I was helping him practice.”

You quirked an eyebrow at him, not buying his words one bit, “You’re a horrible liar, you know?” His mouth opened then closed as he racked his brain for a response, but didn’t get the opportunity to do so as you spoke again. “But that’s beside the point since that’s not why I came here. Not that I wasn’t worried, of course I was. I just-”

“Y/N,” Remus cut off your rambling. It was your turn to blush, failing to stop the heat from rising to your cheeks. You had never found yourself so nervous before and didn’t exactly enjoy being this flustered.

“Right, er, I came her to,” you trailed off, unsure how to word it. “I came here to tell you something.”

“Shoot,” he replied, hiding the anxiety creeping up on him in anticipation of what you might say.

“I know you like me,” you blurted, mentally face-palming for being so blunt. “I mean, I kind of overheard you talking to the others,” you paused to take in his reaction. If his face wasn’t red before, it surely was now. All he wanted was to crawl into a hole and never come out to evade the situation.

“Yeah, I get it,” he spoke, stopping you from continuing your speech. “You don’t like me back and that’s why you’ve been acting weird. It’s fine, I’ll get ov-”

You silenced the untrue words spilling out of his mouth by bringing him into a kiss. Your soft lips moved against his own stunned ones. You began to pull away at his unresponsiveness, but he was quick to bring you back in once reality hit him. You moved together in sync, both of you experiencing something you hadn’t felt before.

You reluctantly detached your lips from his, resting your foreheads together. The both of you sat in silence as you caught your breath from the kiss. “You didn’t let me finish,” you breathily spoke.

“I like you too.”

fuck that was long didn’t expect to get so into it also low key angsty but ya know

[talesmaniac89]

Tea Party Playtime

Summary: Dad!Crowley & Daughter!Reader - Crowley leaves his book to take a trip into his five-year-old’s imagination as he joins her tea party.

Word Count: 2072

Triggers: None, just father/daughter fluff

Y/N = Your name ¦ Y/E/C = Your eye colour ¦ Y/H/C = Your hair colour

Note: Another one shot with the father/daughter duo from Fatherhood  and Disney Movie Madness all three stories can be read separately from each other or together. Just fluff, no strict story-line here guys! I have a few more of these dad/daughter one shots planned as well so do let me know if you have any moments you want to see dad Crowley in with his five-year-old!

---

Crowley’s personal corner of hell hadn’t really been quiet during the last five years. Not since his favourite hellhound, Juliet, brought a crying bundle of joy into his life like she was attempting to switch jobs and become a stork instead. No, since the arrival of hell’s little princess, the darling girl he’d decided to raise as his own, his private slice of hell had been filled with laughter, Disney movies and toys he believed were only made to drive fathers mad with their constant jarring noises. And he didn’t miss the silence, not one bit.

Sure, as the saying went, silence was golden. But that was never true when there was a five-year-old in the mix. No, then silence was only suspicious. Just like it was when Crowley looked up from his book to see that his little chipmunk was no longer watching her cartoons whilst colouring by the living room table.

Frowning at the suspicious lack of noise and giggles he put his book down and got out of the chair, looking around the room for any sign of his little princess or the hellhound that had become her lapdog. Finding none he resigned himself to using his powers a bit, happy that his status as king of hell gave him an upper hand most fathers didn’t have as he tried to sense out his daughter’s presence. His eyes staying on the coloured pencils and hoping against hope that she hadn’t brought any of them with her and was busy creating the next Sistine chapel on some wall covered in ridiculously expensive wallpaper somewhere.

Unfortunately, since the spoiled little devil had a ridiculous amount of colours with silly names like cotton candy pink and periwinkle blue he had no way of knowing for certain. On the other hand, he fortunately sensed her presence in her own bedroom and not in the small private library where he kept some very, very expensive pieces of art.

Still, even in her own room, with the door open and within reach, the silence was nothing if not strange. Usually he’d hear his little girl singing to herself and her toys or having conversations with her teddy bears as she played pretend that they were all noble knights on a mission to save one of her dolls from a dragon or some other monster, usually played willingly by Juliet.

Resigning himself to not finishing the chapter in the book, the ruler of hell stepped away from his chair and the small coffee table to go in search of his wayward little princess. Hoping against hope that the little chipmunk hadn’t completely rearranged her room in the short time between Crowley getting lost in his book and the tiny ninja sneaking away from her cartoons and colouring books.

Five-year-olds were magical that way. He had demons that couldn’t cause the same level of destruction she managed to cause. As the king of hell he was secretly proud, as a father, he was just growing more concerned with every step towards the room as he pictured a floor full of toys and drawings covering every inch of the soft blue bedroom and his little girl 

“(Y/N), you little troublemaker what are you up to now?” He called out as he walked towards the door, already debating in his mind whether he should clean the mess up with a snap of his fingers or use this as a valuable lesson for the little human girl who couldn’t just rely on snapping her fingers to get out of trouble. Most likely it would be the latter, unless she had somehow managed to make the room look like a war zone in the short time he took his eyes off of her.

“Nooothing,” Her little mischievous giggle only made Crowley speed up with a wry smile on his lips. His little troublemaker was up to no good, that was for certain. He readied himself to take on the stern father role as he took the last two steps towards the open door, forcing the small chuckle down and erasing his smile, whilst still keeping his features soft. Yet, as he reached the doorway he couldn’t stop the laugh that rolled effortlessly from his chest with a squeeze of his no longer beating heart from the scene in front of him.

(Y/N) was wearing his suit jacket, which looked much too big on her and covered the little girl completely. Her tiny frame drowning in the expensive material as she waved at her daddy in the doorway with a smile brighter than any star and the long suit sleeves flopping up and down, fully hiding the tiny little hand in the fabric. She’d placed three of her favourite toys and teddy bears in front of her, as if she was holding court and poor Juliet was covered in her blanket and wore a bright pink plastic crown. Making Crowley once more wonder if the little child could truly see the hellhound.

Luckily, other than a mess of toys and some new “makeup” on her doll, the room wasn’t the mess Crowley had pictured it to be during his short walk. Still the silly little smile on his darling daughter’s face made him step fully into the room and sit down across from her behind her little line of toys.

“What’s this then pet?” Crowley asked with a soft chuckle as he watched  his little girl try and roll up the sleeves of his suit jacket only to fail adorably. Her little frown of concentration momentarily vanishing as bright (Y/E/C) eyes met his with a happy smile and a small giggle, as if her silly daddy should know what she was doing just from the scene in front of him.

“I’m playin’ house!” The little princess said with a smile brighter than the many colours in her little personal kingdom within his. Her hands going above her head as if she was an actress on a stage welcoming him into her little play, making the sleeves roll down to show hands absolutely covered in colours as she’d attempted to draw on some rings before giving up and just drawing colourful patterns.

“Really? That sounds fun,” Crowley said with a smile as he made himself more comfortable on the cluttered floor. The imagination of his beautiful little daughter much more intriguing than the dramatic world of the book he had left behind.

“Yes! I’m the king and ‘Ette is the queen, and Bun is our princess,” She said with a nod, her little make believe family mirroring that of her own real life and the movies and storybooks she loved as she didn’t add the usual mom, dad and kids roles to her playtime. Her little hands waving around the sleeves of the suit jacket as she pointed from Juliet to the bunny teddy bear Crowley had gotten her shortly after she became his family, his world.

“What about Pup and Maria?” Crowley asked, looking to her favourite puppy shaped teddy bear and the doll that had gotten a little makeover for the play pretend family. Both sitting on either side of Bun, the princess, as if they were guarding her. Though he doubted his little girl had included guards in her happy, perfect world.

“They’re Bun’s friends, they came to play,” Crowley’s little princess said, her smile still in place though her voice was serious as she laid the groundwork for the backstory of her little family. “But they can’t sleep ‘ere, ‘cause their mommy and daddy said no,”

“That makes sense,” Crowley said, nodding along with all the details his little wonder had included in her imaginative family of hellhounds, humans and toys. 

Looking at the bright eyes and happy smile he was rewarded with Crowley pushed his own book and story to the back of his mind as he watched his little girl arrange small little toys between them, setting up what looked like a dinner or tea party between her and the toys. Her world was always infinitely more interesting to Crowley. Because she mattered more than his position as king and all the needless politics that came with it. So looking at her little play date with Juliet he didn’t feel like going back to being an adult, perfectly content to stay in her room and just be a father.

“Can daddy join you?” Crowley asked, looking to be let into her little rabbit hole where her own wonderland was playing out with tea parties and hellhounds playing dress up. His very own little Alice not even hesitating as she smiled brightly at him, welcoming him into her rainbow coloured imagination with bright eyes and a warm heart.

“Ok, but I’m the daddy, so you have to be the prince,” She said, assigning Crowley his role in her play pretend world. A role he was more than happy to play, just like he’d been just as happy to play her horse when the living room was a treacherous road and her bedroom the tower where the dragon was guarding her prince. Or her knight on the days where she wanted to be the princess in the tower.

“Ok, deal,” He smiled as he scooted a little closer, joining the small tea party and playing along as his little princess became king for a day and presided over the small mixed up family with giggles and nonsensical plot lines that still had Crowley enraptured as he was lucky enough to catch another glimpse of her imaginative mind. A moment in her imagination was better than the best book.

---

“Daddy! I mean Prince Daddy! The phone,” His little darling girl pointed towards the play phone, letting him know that in her ears the piece of plastic was ringing loudly. “Is prolly Pup and ‘Ia’s mommy and daddy,” She added with a nod, like a director giving stage directions as Crowley picked up the small pink phone with a serious nod. Following her cues. It didn’t matter if he was the king of hell, a literal demon or despised by angels and hunters everywhere. When she told him to pick up her toy phone he answered it.

“Hello? Oh yes,” Crowley said into the phone before pretending to cover it to dramatically whisper to his tiny director. “It’s their mommy,”

“Tell her Pup and ‘Ia will go home after ice cream,” His princess said with a mischievous smile as Crowley followed her words and repeated it into the phone. His little rascal clearly trying to actually get ice cream out of him with her new found role as king. Shaking away a chuckle Crowley still played pretend until he ended the conversation with Maria and Pup’s mommy on the plastic phone before reaching over and pulling his scheming little chipmunk into his lap.

“So that’s what this was all about is it pet,” He said with a smile and a laugh as his fingers teased high pitched giggles out of her with a quick tickle of her still suit covered sides. Her own little hands and fingers mimicking the move as if she was copying him to still play the daddy in the family.

“Nooo, but we promised now,” She said, the giggled lilt to her voice proving that it had been her plan all along as Crowley lifted her into the air and held onto her tight as she laughed, head falling back in joy and wild (Y/H/C) hair spreading out to fan the air of the bedroom as he swung her around.

“Cheeky chipmunk,” He laughed as he hugged her tight, his heart overflowing from his bright little girl’s laugh. “Dinner first, then if there’s still room in that tiny tummy we’ll have ice cream,” He said, holding her close as he leaned down and freed poor Juliet from her crown bearing burdens and let the hellhound shake off the blanket she was covered in, in lieu of a dress.

“Deal,” She laughed, mimicking his earlier words with a sloppy kiss on his cheek as the little family moved away from the pretend tea party to enjoy dinner, her laughter brightening every room they stepped into as she kept the story going with her bright words and giggled recollections of moments Crowley didn’t mind reliving through her eyes.

If silence was golden, then the sound of her laughter was sparkling. Like diamonds and priceless gems.

 Please do let me know if you wish to be removed from the tag list

Tags:  @auszimbo @upon-a-girl @gallifreyansass @mogaruke @skybinx-blog  @delisp@jensen-jarpad @supernatural-jackles @deathtonormalcy56  @27bmm@wildfirewinchester @just-another-busy-fangirl  @ecsj  @imboredsueme@itsthesamegametoday @riversong-sam

Tagging a few Crowley peeps I know this time too, to keep that shameless streak going: @roxy-davenport @crowley-you-sinnamon-roll @scheherazades-horcrux, @ajacentlee, @chelsea072498 @annabellerosemasters @alangel1895

[lovinitkpop]

Forevermore

Pairing: Alice x Minhyuk

Words: 3466

Rated M

Has strong language. Hopefully lots of fluff in this story. I don’t know about smut. Some time laps may happen. Who knows how long this one will be. Flashback will happen, bullying will occur.

Chapter 8

The following week Alice was busy filming for her drama. As she sits in her dressing room someone knocks on her door. “It’s open.” She looks down at her phone sending a quick text to Minhyuk.

From: Snow Kitty

Have fun on the show

I’ll call you tonight

Hyunwoo walks into the room looking around. “Oh there you are.” He speaks looking over at the couch and Alice jumps up bowing to him and he bows back.

“Hello sunbae.” Alice places her hand behind her back standing there nervously as she looks at the floor. He smiles a bit watching her making his way over.

“Relax okay no need to be nervous Alice.” He reaches out placing his hand on her shoulder. Alice looks up at him and nods seeing his smile. “I came to see if you wanted to get something to eat?”

“Oh uh really you want me to go with you?” She points to herself as she speaks and just laughs nodding his head. “Okay then I would love that.”

So they both go out to one of the local restaurant. They eat and drink as they talk about the show. “Can I just say you are an amazing actress.” Hyunwoo holds his drink up to his mouth.

“Thank you but you are way better than me.” Alice nods her head as she thanks him. “I’ve only been acting for 4 years now I still think I can improve.”

“And within those 4 years you have done 4 movies and 7 dramas this one being number 8.” Hyunwoo takes a bite of his food and Alice bites her lip looking away. “So that says a lot about your acting.”

“Thank you, and can’t believe I’ve done that much in 4 years.” Alice covers her mouth looking down at the table. “I really did that much but I’ve only been living here for 9 years.” Alice looks around confuse trying to think.

Hyunwoo laughs at her and she looks back at him. “You look cute when you’re confused.” He covers his mouth laughing and Alice looks back down her cheeks heating up. “No but really you have done quite a lot plus you did that song with Monsta X.”

Alice looks back behind him seeing some girls walk over and she ducks her head down. “Have I really done that much?” Alice mumbles to herself in English. The girls walk over and tap Hyunwoo on the shoulder.

He turns around and they scream seeing him and he just smiles bowing to them. He takes a picture with them and Alice sits there and waits. “So Alice where did you get that necklace?”

Alice jumps hearing her name and she looks back over at him. “Oh uh…I got this one from a friend.” She holds up the kitty necklace rubbing her thumb across it. “And this X came from one of the boys from Monsta X.” Alice smiles biting her lip looking down at the table.

The girls look over at her then ask to take a picture with her. She smiles looking up at them nodding. Alice takes a couple of pictures with the fans before they leave.

“I hear you and Sungjae are doing the ost for the show?” He asks and Alice nods smiling. “You have a great voice why aren’t you doing more singing?” Alice looks around thinking and he watches her.

Alice pushes her finger up to her lips as she leans closer. Hyunwoo watches her and leans forward. “I’m releasing a Christmas album soon.” She looks at him and he smiles covering his mouth trying not to laugh.

He sits back in his chair still laughing and Alice smiles watching. “Well I can’t wait to hear it.” He looks over as the waitress walks back over picking up their plates.

“Can I get you anything else?” She asks and Hyunwoo orders some dessert. As they sit there they have a few more drinks.

Alice picks up her fork breaking off a piece of her cake. “You don’t seem like the person to drink or go out.” Hyunwoo says after taking a sip of his beer.

“I’m not I’m shy and awkward but I’m trying to work on that.” Alice eat her cake watching him.

“You shy no I don’t believe it.” He shakes his hand at her and she just nods. “But you’re an actress plus you been on stage with Monsta X how are you shy?”

“I don’t really know but I just try to keep to myself, most of the time you will find me on my phone in a corner away from everyone.” Alice looks around the restaurant before looking back at him. “I’m just…I don’t know I more of a watcher and listener then someone who just talks and is the center of attention.”

Two hours later they both call it a night. “You really did have to pay for my food.” Alice whines and Hyunwoo chuckles watching her lean against the post.

He hails her a cab still laughing. “Think of it as me thanking you for your hard work and to keep working harder.” He leans over kissing her cheek as he opens the cab door.

Alice smiles bowing to him before getting into the cab. After he shuts the door the cab pulls off and Alice reaches up touching her cheek. On the ride home Alice looks at her phone seeing a miss call.

She quickly dials Minhyuk’s number holding the phone to her ear. “Hello oppa?” Alice smiles hearing him answer her call. She pays the cab fair the gets out.

“Sorry I missed your call I was out with Hyunwoo sunbae.” Alice opens her door then heads upstairs to her room. “So how was the show did you have fun?”

“Yeah did you record so you could watch it later?” Minhyuk asks his voice deep and groggy. Alice hums a quick yes as she takes off her shoes. “So how was filming today?”

“Pretty easy and fun but very tiring.” Alice looks at her schedule thinking. “Hey are you busy on Friday?” Alice asks as she puts her schedule down at starts to change into her night clothes.

“I believe I’m free why?” He asks and Alice hums smiling.

“I owe you a date so why not go on a date?” Alice picks up her phone again as she gets into bed. Minhyuk goes silent hearing her and she just waits.

“Mmm okay I guess.” Minhyuk says trying not to sound to happy and Alice just smirks hearing him.

“You sound real happy about it.” She says as she folds her arms and he just laughs covering his mouth.

“No I am just I’m watching a movie and it caught me off guard.” Minhyuk yawns and Alice smiles hearing him. She runs her fingers through her hair turning the side light off.

“Oppa go to bed I’ll talk to you later okay?” Alice lays back holding the phone up and Minhyuk yawns again replying with a quick goodnight. “Night oppa.” She ends the call and goes to bed.

The rest of the week went by pretty slow for Alice. “Okay we’ll do this last scene and be down for the week.” Everyone got into place and the cameras started rolling.

“Hyeonju ssi just hear me out please.” Hyunwoo grabs Alice by the arm stopping her but Alice brushes him off looking back at him. “Please she just my coworker and she kissed me.”

“Lie!” Alice yells slapping him and he grabs his face looking at the ground. “I know your coworkers and that’s not one of them so tell me the truth.”

Hyunwoo sighs pushing his wet hair back as the crew turned up the rain. “She a friend from back when I was in school but she did kiss me first that part is true.” He looks at her reaching out to her but she steps back.

“She needed a place to stay tonight and I had the spare room.” He stops her grabbing her arm pulling her back. “I promise I love you and only you.” He leans down kissing Alice and Alice pushes him always.

“And I know you still love me.” He looks at her as she wipes her mouth.

“No I don’t you used me then you lie about it.” Alice yells at him tears running down her face. “If she was a friend then I would have been fine but the fact that you said she kissed you and you didn’t push her away makes me mad.”

Alice stands there steam coming off her body from the water and climate mixing. “I’m not stupid I saw the messages on your phone Inseong.” Alice speaks sounding defeated and broken.

“Plus I saw you shopping together next time you have one of your friends lie for makes sure they have the lie straight.” Alice looks around then stops on his hand sighing.

“You say you love me but where’s your ring?” She holds up her hand pulling her ring off dropping at his feet. “Just leave me alone it’s over.” She turns and walks off the rain now pouring down.

Alice wraps her arms around her body shivering as she walks down the sidewalk. She look across the road sighing then looks at the ground steeping out onto the street but a car blows their horn driving by.

Alice screams as stumbles back twisting her ankle being splashed by the big pool of water as the car drives by. As she falls back she knocks Sungjae over falling on top of him.

“A…ar…are you okay?” He asks looking at her losing his grip on his umbrella. Alice slowly blinks her mouth slightly open as she looks at him.

“Cut! That’s perfect good job everyone.” The director yells and Alice quickly moves back. Hyunwoo walks over helping her up and she bows to him thanking him. “Good work Alice my dear good work.”

Alice bows to him as she pushes her wet hair back. “Thank you.” She speaks her voice barely above a whisper as she stands there shivering. Hyunwoo wraps a towel around her as he stands behind her.

Alice jumps a bit looking behind her and Hyunwoo smiles trying to hides his laughter. “Relax it’s just me no need to be jumpy.” Alice nods then bows to him smiling back at him.

“Thank you oppa.” Alice bows to him again before heading to her dressing room. Sujin closes the door behind her as she looks at her phone. “He kissed me why; why did he kiss me there was no kiss in the script.”

“Improve just relax ok and get changed before you get sick.” Sujin looks at Alice and Alice just nods getting changed. “I placed the next 5 scripts in your bag so go home and read them for next week understood?”

“Yes manager unnie.” Alice finishes changing then grabs both her bags and leaving Sujin following right behind her. Alice throws her bags in the back then checks the time.

“So I’m not sure if you know this or not but Starship wants to do part two of the MV and want you.” She says standing by the car and Alice just nods her head.

“I know Minhyuk oppa told me but until then I have to focus on the show.” Alice opens the door climbing into her car and Sujin just smiles nodding. “Thanks unnie you’re the best.”

“There’s been some rumors going around about you…” Sujin starts but Alice sighs shaking her head stopping her.

“They’re lies I’m dating anyone.” Alice nods lying to her then looks at her phone. “Okay I have to go bye.” Alice looks over seeing Hyunwoo makes his way over and she closes the door driving off.

Alice drives off heading down the street and Hyunwoo stops seeing her leave and sigh. “Do you like her?” Sujin asks looking at him and he stops looking over at her.

“No we’re just friends…..” He says looking at the ground not to sure about his response. Sujin laughs watching as she walks to her car. “Well I mean I don’t really know.”

Alice makes her way to the near by café by the boys dorm. She gets out and walks inside ordering a drink. Minhyuk looks up from his phone walking outside going to her car getting in.

~Time lap~

Alice pays for her drink then leaves going back to her car. He leans over pulling his face mask down to kiss her but she stops him. “Why?” He whine looking at her and she just shakes her head starting the car.

“Come on just one.” He leans closer pouting looking at her as she pulls off down the road. “Snow kitty please?” He looks at her pulling on her shirt. Alice turns the corner stopping at the next light then looks over at him.

She leans over kissing him and Minhyuk smiles kissing her back. “You really couldn’t wait till I pull out the parking lot where people were watching?” She says pulling away looking at him. He smiles shaking his head then leans back in steeling another kiss.

“I missed you so no.” He says sitting back in his seat and Alice takes off down the street heading to her flat. “I haven’t seen you in two weeks.”

“I’m sorry oppa I’ve been busy with the show but I did text you when I could.” She says pulling into her parking space turning the car off. She looks over at him seeing him pout still. “Mmm how can I make it up to you?”

Minhyuk folds his arms looking out the window and Alice leans over grabbing his arm. “Oppa~a come on please.” She whines shaking him and he just gets out the car walking up to the door.

Alice smirks grabbing her bag and phone before getting out the car locking it. She makes her way up to her floor and down the hall. Alice looks up seeing her door open and she shakes her head.

“Did you have to leave the door…” She starts talking walking inside but Minhyuk grabs her after closing the door and he pushes her against the wall kissing her. Alice gasps as she drops her bag on the floor and Minhyuk smiles pushing his tongue in her mouth.

Alice moans trying to push him back but he just pulls her closer pressing his hips into. “Didn’t I tell these lips are mine.” He speaks his voice low almost like a growl as he speaks into her ear.

Alice looks him in the eyes watching him as she tries again catch her breath. “So I take it you’ve seen all the episodes?” She says with a smirk biting her lip. Minhyuk let’s her go walking to the kitchen and Alice laughs picking her bag up taking it to her room.

She changes into a pair of tights and a oversized sweater. Minhyuk walks up behind her wrapping his arms around her burying his nose into her neck sighing. “My kitty.”

“Yes I’m your kitty.” She says closing her eyes placing her hand over his. “Do you want to go over what you learned today or no?” She asks standing there and he hums nodding his head.

Minhyuk kisses her neck moving his hands to her hips. “I think I’m a bit more comfortable now and I have all the cords down.” He says walking over grabbing his and hers guitar. “Those books really helped with that.”

“That’s good see I told you they would help.” She says taking her guitar sitting on her bed. He sits in front of her holding his guitar strumming it as he starts playing. Alice watches him as he plays and she slowly starts to pluck at the strings on hers.

“So did you hear I get to be on the next comeback with you boys.” She closes her eyes tilting her head to the side. Minhyuk stops and looks over at her smiling.

“Really?”

Alice hums nodding her head as she strums faster. They both spend the next hour playing and practicing on guitar. After that they go sit on the couch and watch a movie.

Minhyuk looks down see his phone light up and he picks it up answering it. “Hey hyung, no I’m at Alice place she’s helping me with something.” He says looking down at her moving the hair from her face.

“Yah she just told me so I’m sure she’ll be there tomorrow.” Minhyuk says running his fingers through her hair. Alice looks up at him moving to his side a little bit. “No I’m sure she’ll bring me back really hyung she’s just helping me something that’s all.”

“Here Wonho wants to asks you something.” He says handing her the phone and Alice whines taking the phone. Alice takes the phone from him holding it to her ear.

“Hello Wonho oppa how may I help you?” She asks closing her eyes again as she lays on Minhyuk and he just wraps his arm around her closing his eyes.

“Why is he there?”

“Because I’m helping him with something.” She says yawning covering her mouth. “Yeah I know it’s late and if you must know he asked me to help with his English.” Which wasn’t a lie she would help him on the side with his English.

“Really that’s what he’s been doing all this time?” Wonho asks and Alice just hums. “Anyways do you wanna hang out one day?” He asks and Minhyuk opens his eyes hearing him.

“Sure why not oppa.” Alice says and Minhyuk takes the phone putting it back to his ear.

“Bye hyung need her help again.” He quickly ends the call and looks down at Alice and she just smiles. “Don’t just smile at me what was that?”

Alice giggles sitting up sitting on top of him. “What can I not hang out with him?” She asks watching him as he puts his phone on the table. “Am I not allowed to hang out with the others?”

“No you can you hang out with a lot but why most you always hang out with him?” He says looking away and Alice rolls her eyes watching him. “Why not go hang out with Shownu or I.M?”

“You’re still when you’re jealous.” She leans forward kissing his nose and he pouts. She kisses his pout laying back down on top of him. “I only want you oppa okay.”

“Good.” He pulls the cover up putting his arms around her again. They both stay there for a bit before Alice takes Minhyuk back to the dorm.

Minhyuk leans over kissing her and she kisses him back grabbing his shirt. Alice bites his lower lips pulling him closer. She smiles hearing him moan and she pulls away looking at him.

“Have fun see you tomorrow.” She says as he gets out and he nods smiling grabbing his guitar. He waves standing there and she just laughs.

“Love you now go.” He says watching her then closes the door walking off. She smirks shaking her head rolling the window down.

“Oh you might want to cover your neck.” She says starting the car again and he stops pulling his phone out checking his neck. “Love you too.” She says driving off and he groans.

Minhyuk walks inside with his hood up then goes to his room. “What’s wrong with him?” Jooheon asks looking and they just all shrug.

Minhyuk closes the door groaning as he puts his guitar to the side. Shownu walks coming back from the bathroom. Minhyuk turns hearing the door open.

“She got you again didn’t she?” Shownu asks reaching up pulling the hood back. Shownu smirks shaking his head looking at him.

Minhyuk sighs tossing his bag on his bed. “This isn’t funny I can’t let the others see this.” He says looking in the mirror and Shownu watches him.

“Well that’s what you get for doing it to her.” He says sitting on his bed rubbing the towel on his head. “I mean come in she had filming to do and it’s not always easy to cover that up.”

“Are you taking her side?” Minhyuk turns looking at Shownu and he just lays back on his bed grabbing his phone. “Really hyung?” Minhyuk whines he as then grabs his phone.

“Just go to bed and hope it won’t be there in the morning.” Shownu puts his phone on the charger. “And if it’s not be happy it’s cold out you can wear a sweater to cover it.”

Minhyuk growls getting into his bed putting his phone up. “I’m going to get her back.” He pulls the cover over his head going to sleep.

[tcfuselier]

Someone Else's Problem

Life is fickle and meaningless. Sounds morbid, yeah? Well, that’s because it is. The universe is 92.8 billion light years in diameter, and you don’t matter. Multiply your biggest dreams and most horrifying fears tenfold and they don’t even register as a drop in the cosmic ocean. My wife just left me. She’s keeping the kids. I still don’t matter, not to her or this Goddamn universe. These Baltimore roads are too bumpy and winding. They should’ve had smarter people design them all those years ago. I had to get out of the house. I couldn’t stand the sight of the wretched woman anymore. If I had stayed I probably would’ve killed her. You probably took that for hyperbole, but no. I would’ve killed her. I had to leave. The streets are decorated with ignorant people living happy lives. They don’t understand they're meaninglessness. Not like I do, at least. The pub is in sight now. I figure I might as well get hammered before I do it. No sense in being sober, that’s what I always say. O’Henry’s isn’t anything special. Four brick walls, a green roof and door, and a green neon sign that reads the pub’s name greet me as I park my café racer outside. The door is heavy but I’ve opened it many, many times before. It doesn’t slow me down. The room is warm and humid. Cigarette smoke and sexual tension cloud the space and make it difficult to take in. A full-length bar lines the left side of the room while tables and booths fill the space to the right. Waiters and waitresses scurry to and fro, doing their best to please the sad, lonely people so that they might receive the last of their drug money as a tip. A tall, muscular man stands behind the bar. He sports facial stubble and sharp features. I’ve always envied him. He’s what women would call “classically attractive.” That’s Peter Goodman, the bartender. As I approach the bar, his face lights up. “Hey Freddy, what can I do you for?” he says in his Bostonian accent as I take a seat next to a bearded man in glasses. He smelled of wine and cheap perfume. “Well, Rebecca is leaving me, so whatever will get me really drunk really fast.” “Jesus, Fred, what the hell happened?” “Jesus? He's got nothing to do with this, I promise you. She didn't like my habits,” I said, eyeing my rum and coke. “Well okay then, don't you think drinking these problems away seems counterproductive?” “Peter, shut the hell up. I don't need life coaching from a bar monkey. I'll let you know when I do.” I hopped off the rickety barstool and headed for one of the two-person tables across on the right side of the bar. I sat down with my head hanging solemnly, my fingers tracing the grain of the wooden table. Behind me I heard two men arguing over their card game. In front of me, two young lovers held hands. Disgusting. I had half a mind to go off on them; tell them it wouldn’t last. Eh, it’s not my place. They’ll figure it out eventually. Finally, after twenty minutes of waiting, the waitress arrived. Boy, did she arrive. Approximately 5’3, maybe 130 pounds, brunette, nice figure and stunning features. “Hi, my name is Victoria. Is there anything I can help you with?” I was stunned. I could barely croak out an, “I’ll have a rum and coke.” She smiled and walked past, the scent of autumn and warm berries trailing behind her. She must be new. This is my usual bar and I’ve never seen her before. I would’ve noticed her. I promise I would’ve noticed her. Moments that seemed like eons pass and Victoria comes bouncing back, my liquor in hand. “Thank you.” I manage as she bounces away as quickly as she came. Suddenly thoughts of my wife subside, what a wretched witch, and are replaced by sweet, young Ms. Victoria. I have to find out more about her. She has to be mine. She will be mine. Days pass, weeks. Each day I return to O’Henry’s and each day, Ms. Victoria serves me my rum and coke. She never says anything more to me than to ask for my order, but she never has to say more. She says it with her eyes. I love Ms. Victoria and I know she loves me too, I can see it. She must love me. She will. She creeps her way into my fantasies. I dream of her every night. My mind begins to wander, and where it goes there too I am. Increasingly it is drawn to her, so with her I am. My favorite is picturing our future together. We’ll live a lovely life with our children. I’ll no longer struggle with alcohol. She will replace my desires. I want her. I need her. I will have her. I decide that I no longer can keep these feelings to myself, but I certainly cannot share them with Ms. Victoria. I cross the room to find Peter at his usual post, wiping down glasses behind the counter. Why are bartenders always wiping glasses? What an odd trope. “Say Peter, what say you about the brunette?” “Who?” “The brunette across the bar,” I said, motioning ever so slightly towards Ms. Victoria so as not to alert her to my talking about her. “I believe her name is Victoria.” “Oh Victoria? Yeah she’s pretty new. Very sweet girl. Not a bad looker either, if I do say so myself.” said Peter, eyeing Ms. Victoria up and down. I did not like that. In fact, I hated that. Peter always pisses me off. I do not like Peter. “Goodbye, Peter.” I said pushing open the large green door and exiting the pub. “Goodbye, Mr. Frederic.” he replied. I returned to the motel I have been staying at and pulled my laptop from my bag and proceeded to find out everything I could about Ms. Victoria. Victoria Long, age 23, attending the University of Maryland as a journalist. She’s a wordsmith like me. I like that. I wonder if she writes about me like I do about her. That’s preposterous, she doesn’t know me. We are in love, however. Very madly and deeply in love. Finally, the words that I have been looking for scroll across my screen. 8260 Westmeadow Dr. Her address. Now I know it seems mad. Maybe it is. Maybe I am. But what if something were to happen to Ms. Victoria? I have to know where she lives. I have to protect her. I continue to frequent O’Henry’s. Days turn into weeks and I’m rapidly falling more deeply for her. By now I’ve mapped every inch of her face; her everything. I know her better than her own mother. Peering into her eyes is like peering down the rabbit hole and into Wonderland. I feel like the Mad Hatter and she is my Alice. I cannot wait for her to be mine. She is mine. I can’t help but notice, however, young Peter Goodman behind his bar. I see the way he looks at her. The way he flirts with her. It’s disgusting, really. He doesn’t even know her! Not like I do. I wonder if her writes to her like I do. I wonder if he thinks about her like I do. I wonder if he loves Ms. Victoria as much as I do. He can’t. There’s no way. How dare he disgrace such elegance and beauty with his tainted stare? I cannot allow such disrespect any longer. Peter must be dealt with. Peter will be dealt with. I never really liked Peter. The next day came. I sat in my usual seat with my rum and coke. 2 AM rolled around and it was time for Peter to lock up. The rest of the staff had gone home and only Peter and I remained in the smoky establishment. “Alright, Mr. Frederic, it’s about that time. Why don’t you go ahead and finish up your drink and we can head home.” said Peter, ignorantly. “Sure thing, Pete.” I said, slamming the last of the liquor. “Say, Pete, you mind if I ask you something strange? About Victoria?” The hatred must have been clearly evident on my face. “Ummm, yeah, what’s up?” “What’s with the way you’ve been eyeing her? She’s mine.” “What? Vic and I have been dating for a few weeks now, what’s your problem?” “She’s. Mine.” I said, quieter and more forcefully this time. “Listen, Fred. You’re drunk and starting to get belligerent with me. I’m going to have to call the police.” He reached for the bar phone, but I had other plans in mind. In one fluid motion I smashed the bottle of Jack Daniel’s sitting on the counter and drug the jagged bottleneck across Peter’s neck. He reached for his throat, clenching as blood began to seep through his fingers. He tried to scream, but only garbled grunts seemed to come through. I had made sure to sever the vocal cords. Peter collapsed, eyes agape, behind his beloved bar counter. I made quick work of the body, throwing him into the dumpster out back. I was never one for proper burials, especially for pricks like Peter. Now to find Ms. Victoria. I locked up the pub for Peter (obviously he was slightly preoccupied with, you know, death) and took off on my motorcycle. I made quick work of the winding Baltimore streets until I finally came to a stop outside 8260 Westmeadow. It was a small, 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home. She lives alone, I know that. I sneak in through her bedroom window. There she is, fast asleep. I stand and watch her for what seems like a few minutes but is more like 2 hours. “You’ve been a naughty, naughty girl, Ms. Victoria.” She shoots up in bed. “Fred? From the bar? What the hell?” She yells, still slightly groggy. “You’ve gone and cheated on me with that prick Peter, you whore.” I walk toward her bed. “Fred, listen--” “No you listen, bitch. I’ve had enough of you playing with my emotions.” I reach into my bag until my hand finds purchase on my 9mm. I draw the firearm and chamber a round. “Fred, please--” “SHUT UP!” I yell. “I loved you, and this is how you treat me?” “Fred I don’t--” is all she managed to whimper before I pulled the trigger. I emptied 8 of the rounds of the 9 round capacity magazine into Ms. Victoria. She deserved it. All she had to do was love me, but she couldn’t even get that right. I fled the house as quickly as I could. I don’t bother to clean up. It doesn’t matter anymore. I return to the motel. Inside my room I sit on the neatly made bed. The room was old yet well kept. A small bathroom to your left as you enter the room, the bed to your right with a T.V. across from it. Simple. Quaint. Enjoyable. I held the firearm in my right hand. She was the only reason I didn’t do it all those weeks ago. She was gone now. Dead to me and to the world. It doesn’t matter anymore. None of it does. Big universe, remember? I figure this gun is the best way. It’s quick and virtually painless. I suppose I’ll be a messy clean up. I’ll once again become someone else’s mess. I’ll be someone else’s problem. I’ve never been one for poetry, but I think that’s pretty poetic. “He died how he lived: as someone else’s problem.” I raise the gun and place the barrel in my mouth with the muzzle facing the sky. It’s cold. I pull the trigger.